For the tenth consecutive year, Mr. Richard Andari and his wife Joanna continue to celebrate their marriage as a sacred message of love. This annual faith tradition invites believers to participate in a Divine Liturgy in honor of Saint Rita, the patron saint of impossible causes, at Berrima – Penrose Park. Here, they have built a shrine dedicated to Saint Rita, complete with a statue that has become a destination for prayer, reflection, and devotion. This shrine stands as a living testament to Richard and Joanna’s deep faith and their profound connection to Saint Rita, who has always been a source of hope and strength, embodying the meaning of suffering, patience, and miracles.

On the morning of Sunday, May 17, 2026, approximately two thousand believers attended the Divine Liturgy presided over by Father Wassim Klaksh from Saint Sharbel Church, assisted by Brother Matthew and Father Isidore from Penrose Park. The service was enhanced by a choir featuring the artist Anthony Rizk, with Cassandra Toubia on vocals, Angelo Nicola on the violin, Daniela Shalita on the flute, and Catherine Qazzi on the cello. Among the attendees were the Lebanese Ambassador to Australia, Mirna Khoury, her husband, former ambassador Ghassan Abed Al-Khalek, the Consul General of Lebanon in Sydney, Raymond Shamlati, former ambassador Charbel Makaron and his wife Joelle, and Rola Raad, the wife of Ambassador Milad Raad, alongside numerous social and media personalities and friends of the Andari family.

Believers gathered from various regions and Christian churches, immersed in an atmosphere of faith, prayer, and reverence, spending a blessed day surrounded by the enchanting nature of Penrose Park in Berrima. It is worth noting this unique spiritual site for its distinctive character, as it encompasses 43 small churches built by various communities representing different ethnic and cultural groups of migrants in Australia. Each church has been designed in accordance with the traditional architectural style of its country and is dedicated to saints from those nations, giving the place a unique spiritual and cultural significance.

Joanna Andari, the organizer, began her speech by recounting the story of Saint Rita, who forgave her husband’s murderer with a heart filled with faith. She also highlighted how Saint Rita endured the pain of losing her children with patience and total submission to God’s will, affirming that love is stronger than vengeance, and that God can transform wounds and suffering into grace, sanctity, and a testimony of hope for others. Joanna pledged to celebrate Saint Rita’s feast annually, honoring a vow made in faith and love, and she will continue to fulfill this commitment every year. Richard Andari expressed his gratitude to all the believers who traveled from afar to join this blessed day, as well as to the monks of Saint Sharbel Monastery for their support and prayers for Saint Rita since the statue was first erected, along with the priests overseeing the shrine of Our Lady of Mercy in Penrose Park. He also thanked all the volunteers and those who made offerings for intercession, contributing to the success of this blessed celebration.

What is remarkable about this sacred spiritual event is the consistent increase in the number of participants each year. When this annual celebration started, it attracted only 200 people, but today, after ten years, the number has risen to around 2,000 believers, drawn by deep faith and sincere supplication, seeking the intercession of Saint Rita.

This day has become a spiritual highlight that believers look forward to annually with reverence and devotion. The gathering has transformed into a spiritual and social meeting point for the Christian community, particularly the Lebanese community, uniting them in an atmosphere of prayer, love, and brotherhood. After the Divine Liturgy, attendees gather around a table of love, enriched by authentic Lebanese hospitality and the generosity of the Andari family. They leave with blessings and the intercession of Saint Rita, along with the holy oil brought by Joanna Andari from Cascia, Italy, the birthplace of Saint Rita, and a prayer booklet for the rosary.

Here’s to many more years of this blessed gathering, with hopes that it continues to be a beacon of faith and love, uniting believers under the blessings and intercession of Saint Rita.

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