UPDATE: Masses to be held outdoors on church grounds

Hi everyone, once again!

This weekend's Masses will be held in the grounds of each of our Churches, rather than in the school grounds as previously advised.

You are probably thinking by now: how many more emails "From Fr. Greg's Desk ..." are we going to get this week? Sorry about that, things are happening quickly. Let me, first of all, remind you of what I wrote in the last message I sent out to you:

Archbishop Anthony plainly wants for Mass to be publicly celebrated in Sydney for as long as this be possible and to provide Masses as best we can for those in Sydney who would like to attend. Some parishioners may well have decided to stop attending Mass or feel it is better for the sake of frail or elderly parishioners to stay at home. That is completely understandable, given the current risks. Please note that in the current situation the Archbishop is granting to all Catholics in Sydney a dispensation from the usual obligation to participate in Sunday Mass."

This weekend's Masses will be held in the grounds of each of our Churches, rather than in the school grounds as previously advised. The reason is that there was a concern that a child might be inadvertently infected by someone who came to the Mass, as it is uncertain as to how long the coronavirus lasts on surfaces. And so, in order to accommodate this latest request, we will now be celebrating our Saturday night and Sunday masses within the confines of the Church grounds themselves.

We are happy to offer all our intrepid parishioners the opportunity to receive not only our Lord's Body in the Eucharist, food for our anxious souls, but also to soak up a little bit of Vitamin D on the side. Rest assured that, as long as we are permitted and able to do so, we will continue to attend to the essential spiritual needs of our parishioners in every way possible.

We would, however, invite anyone who is able to do so to bring their own outdoor chair to sit on, (along with a hat and sunscreen, depending on the time of day!). And please continue to observe all the health and hygiene recommendations that have been given to us to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.


Apart from that, never forget how much Jesus loves you, despite everything that is happening, and how utterly pleasing you all are to him, persevering in your faith as you are. I, for one, am very proud of my Parish and her efforts to become a missionary outpost in this little neck of the Lord's Vineyard!


Ever your brother, in Christ's undaunted love,

Fr. Greg