The Chinese Catholic Community (or CCC in brief) was formed by a group of Catholics in Sydney in 1983 with the aims of fulfilling their religious goals. With the help of Fr. Dungan Aidan, the group met on Sunday at St Joseph’s Church, Camperdown (in Central, Sydney) where Mass was celebrated in both the English and Chinese languages. As the number of Chinese Catholics increased, CCC was able to offer not only Mass at Camperdown but a wide spectrum of activities such as spiritual retreats, social gatherings, social services and a Chinese language school. To the new migrants, especially those who have language problems, CCC also helped them to settle in the new environment.
The fast-growing Camperdown congregation soon stretched St Joseph’s Church to its limit. After continuous liaising and lobbying, Bishop Bede, head of Parramatta Diocese at that time kindly allowed CCC to start our Western centre in St Monica’s Church in North Parramatta. In September 1991, Western Centre started operating at St. Monica’s Church and CCC Chinese School also moved from Camperdown to St Monica’s Primary School in North Parramatta. With the constant increase in student enrolment, CCC Chinese School started to run classes at Northmead High School as well. With the establishment of the Chinese Chaplaincy in Parramatta in June 2007, CCC Western Centre was dismissed and CCC Chinese School moved to Northmead High School.
In view of the sizeable Chinese population in Sydney’s Northern District, CCC set up a third centre at the Holy Family of Nazareth in Lindfield (a Northern District suburb) in June 1997, with the consent of the bishop of the Diocese of Broken Bay. The St Paul’s sisters have also kindly offered part of its convent as the office of the Northern District centre.
www.ccc-inc.org.au - 41595 - Chinese Catholic Community
