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Rock of RemembrancePrint Page 
The monument commemorates those who have experienced any form of neglect or abuse at New Norcia.
A spiritual sanctuary for Benedictine monks and an enduring tourist attraction, New Norcia is also a town haunted by its past. A two-hour drive north of Perth, the town of New Norcia – Australia’s only monastic town – has been run by Roman Catholic monks since its establishment in 1847. Thousands visit each year drawn to its unique history, local produce and Spanish-influenced architecture amid the parched Wheatbelt terrain.
For more than a century, the town hosted institutions – misleadingly labelled “orphanages” – for Aboriginal boys and girls, as well as boarding schools for white children. They were overseen by the Benedictine Community of New Norcia, which was identified by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse as one of the nation’s worst historical child sex offenders. The commission found one in five Benedictine priests between 1950 and 2010 were alleged child abusers – triple the national average for Catholic institutions.
Excerpt from The New Daily (WA), 19 January 2020.
Location
| Address: | Great Northern Highway, Abbey Church, New Norcia , 6509 |
|---|---|
| State: | WA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -30.969896 Long: 116.214872 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Culture |
| Sub-Theme: | Religion |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 25th October, 2020 |
|---|
Plaque :
Rock of Remembrance
This `Rock of Remembrance` is a memorial to people who have experienced neglect or abuse.
Unearthed from this ancient land, it represents the steadfast love of God
who created all things and holds them in being.
Laid out in the form of a cross, symbolising the cross of Christ,
it represents the hope of a new life beyond pain and suffering.
The Benedictine Community of New Norcia has installed this memorial
in acknowledgement of and sincere apology for the physical,
emotional and sexual abuse suffered in this place.
Your are invited to spend a moment in silent thought and prayer, and to
take a pebble adding it to the memorial as an expression of your support
for these people, and God will grant them peace of mind and heart.
Plaque :
"God, you are the rock
where I take refuge :
my shield, my mighty
help, my stronghold."
Psalm 17 (18) : 2
