From Fr Greg's Pew: 7th June

Hi everyone!

Hope you all are enjoying this amazing long weekend, wherever you are right now. The weather has certainly been fantastic the last few days! I hope it provides you all with a welcome break.

Return to normal Mass times. Great to be back in swing with all six Masses operational this weekend, even if we are a bit limited with just 50 participants apart from the 'cast and crew'.


Registration for Weekend Masses. Registering beforehand is still very much needed for weekend Masses as they typically had upwards of 100 people at both Churches before COVID - 19 came along. Prior registration, however, has the added advantage of permitting a print-out of your names to be produced before Mass begins, and help streamline the whole process (which can be somewhat cumbersome at times!). Thanks for all your cooperation in 'logging on and off' as you enter and leave the Churches.


Social distancing still applies, as it is a condition for re-opening our Churches. Please continue to observe the 1.5 metre rule as much as possible (obviously little kids don't need to do this, but adults should comply with it as much as possible).


Designated seating. Please sit on the "sit here" signs as much as possible. They are spaced to comply with social distancing rules, and must be adhered to. Please don’t make the wardens - and priests - jobs any harder than they already are!


Just listen in to hymns. We have been literally requested to discourage congregational singing due to public health concerns of "possible aerosol transmission" of COVID - 19 infections, meaning through tiny droplets in the air caused by voice boxes in action. Singing is apparently fraught with this. A cantor will, however, lead us throughout the Masses. Please make sure you hum in rhythm!!


New booking system for masses. From next week we will be using 'TryBooking' to register participants for each weekend Mass. This is to help streamline the cumbersome booking system manually via the Parish Office. Bookings will open at 7pm on Monday evenings and close at 10am on Friday mornings, to allow for staff to produce lists in due time. if you do not have access to a computer, please call the office and we will book you in. The link for the 'Try Booking' system is https://www.trybooking.com/BJVWM.


Volunteers still needed.

• We still need volunteers to 'man' the desk at the Victoria Road entrance to St Charles Borromeo Church to permit the Church to remain open six days a week, Tuesday to Sunday, from 7am to 5pm

• We also need volunteers in the parish office for light duties from 9 am to 12 Midday, or 12pm Midday to 3pm, Monday to Friday. 

Please email us at office.manager@rgcp.org.au to register your preferences for either volunteering activity.


Fobs to enter the Churches (for all parishioners other than staff and specific personnel) will remain deactivated until such a time as Government regulations no longer require recording of people entering Churches and constant cleaning. That might sound a bit unfair, but we cannot risk losing the recent privilege of reopening the Churches. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.



The Catholic Weekly is now available online, using the same link every week: https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/catholic-weekly-newspaper-online/



RGCP Green Finger Club will be meeting Saturday morning (5/6/20) from 8 to 11am, and we will be engaged in putting wood chips on our Agapanthus among other things. Thanks in advance for all your help!



And that's it for now! Your brother in Christ's service,

Fr Greg