Your Eminence, Your Excellency, Brother Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Religious, Seminarians, all of you my brothers and sisters in Christ. 

I am delighted tonight by your presence here to witness the dedication of this chapel of the new Holy Spirit Seminary.  Although the official opening of the Seminary will take place tomorrow and will be an enormously significant event for the Roman Catholic Church in Queensland, this event tonight may, in God’s eyes, be even more important because it will be here that the Seminary’s major business, that of deepening the Seminarians relationship with God, will take place.  Moreover, unless what happens here is regarded as the most important activity of the Seminary, then no matter how comfortable and attractive the accommodation and surroundings are, the Seminary will fulfil the role that Jesus desired for the apostles and all who followed in their footsteps, namely “holiness”.  The location of this Chapel is somewhat different from the central location of the previous chapel in the old Pius XII Seminary.  Nevertheless this chapel has lost nothing of the central importance of the former.  It may be even more symbolic because it is placed centrally between students and staff, emphasising the importance of holiness not just for students but for staff as well.  I have no doubt it has become, and will continue to become, a power-house of prayer, sacramental and devotional, for all who use this holy space.  I’m sure God will generously dispense His blessings as effectively here as He did in the previous chapel that formed students so effectively for their important mission to the world.  It is now with great joy, that on behalf of the Archdiocese and people of Queensland I thank Cardinal Levada for leading us in the dedication of this place of prayer, and then fittingly leading us in our great prayer of the Church, the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. May this Holy Spirit chapel continue to be a place of spiritual peace and growth for all who will use it in the future.

Archbishop John Bathersby

25 April 2008