Horsham's Ss Michael and John's Catholic Church celebrated its 25th anniversary yesterday.
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The anniversary coincided with a reunion for former Brigidine Convent students on Saturday night.
Committee member Marie Foley launched a book at the reunion of the convent's history, Journey from Acorn to Oak.
More than 120 past students attended the reunion, while about 500 people joined in a special anniversary mass yesterday.
Molly Morrissey and her daughter Phoebe Davies travelled from Melbourne for the events.
Mrs Morrissey was a boarder at the convent between 1940 and 1941, while Mrs Davies was a day student from 1951 to 1961, before her family moved to Melbourne.
The pair said there had been several changes since they left the Wimmera.
"There's no convent and I still remember the old church,'' Mrs Davies said.
She said she recognised names at the reunion but not many faces.
The pair said they had also noticed several changes throughout Horsham mainly the expansion of the town.
Fathers John McKinnon and Frank Madden returned for the anniversary celebrations.
Fr McKinnon attended school at the convent from the end of 1939 to 1946. "It's a bit of a trip down nostalgia lane,'' he said.
Fr McKinnon was also a parish priest at Ss Michael and John's Catholic Church a decade ago until his retirement four years ago.
He said it was great to see everyone's smiling faces at the special mass.
Parish priest Peter Hudson said the reunion and book launch were highlights of the weekend.
"People reminisced on times in the convent and what the whole Brigidine spirituality meant to them all,'' he said. "There were a lot of memories being shared.''
The $1 million church opened on May 10, 1987.