From Fr Greg's Desk: 22nd November

Hi everyone, and ... Happy Feast of Christ the King to you all!

Christmas Mass Times: The big news this week is that the NSW Government will be increasing the numbers of people permitted to attend religious gatherings, including those held outside, though we are still waiting on the specifics from the Archdiocese. As soon as we get the official advice we will let you know. We have, however, made the following tentative arrangements for Christmas Masses. (Note that there are a few changes to prior years)

Christmas Eve, Thursday 24th December, 2020:

4.30pm Children's Mass - SCB Ryde Primary School grounds

6:00 pm Mass - Holy Cross College (middle oval)

7:00 pm Mass - SCB Ryde

8:00 pm Mass - OLQP Church

9:00 pm Mass - SCB Church

12:00 am Midnight Mass - SCB Church


Christmas Day, Friday 24th December, 2020:

8:00 am - SCB Church

9:00 am - OLQP Church

10 am - SCB Church

10:45 - Italian Mass - OLQP Church


For these Masses to happen, we will definitely need many volunteers spread out across all the Masses with welcoming, ushering, parking and all the other ministries! We will be meeting to discuss these arrangements with the ministries involved over the next two weeks.

In the meantime, if you are able to volunteer at any of our Masses or in delivering flyers, please sign up here: https://forms.gle/hk3bagFRzy3Fry2u7 or complete the form on page 7 of the Bulletin and return it to the Parish Office as soon as possible.

 
First Holy Communions: This weekend marks the end of our First Holy Communion celebrations, and we had a total of 141 children partake of them over seven separate Masses, held on Saturday and Sundays over the past three weeks. A huge thank you to Dominic, our Sacramental Coordinator, who did an amazing job at creating a renewed sacramental preparation programme and did all the heavy lifting during the past six month since joining the RGCP Parish Team. Thanks as well to Peter Watkins and the teachers of SCB and OLQP primary schools, the volunteers who did the music, A/V and live streaming etc. and their being ready willing and able to help out.

Live Streaming Ministry: A huge thank you has to be given as well to the many volunteers who are taking on the live streaming ministry in the Parish. Last Thursday night, about a dozen parishioners participated in the camera/live streaming training evening, and we thank them so much. There are many funerals and weddings that need to be live streamed due to the COVID 19 limitations, in addition to our regular live streaming of RGCP Masses from SCB Church at Ryde, so there is plenty of work to go around.

OLQP Mass Places: Now that numbers are increasing at OLQP Church we will be enhancing the limit on attendees to 80 people on condition that nine (9) persons be willing to be seated both upstairs in the choir loft (9), and five (5) in the foyer at the back of the Church. We are presently limited to 66 people in the body of the Church.

Holy Cross Cadet Camp - Singleton Army Base

Deacon Steve and I were privileged to spend two days at the inaugural HCC Cadet Camp after more than three decades! It was a marvellous camp, and as you can see from the Photo, the Mass was held in the shade of a large Eucalyptus tree after a very hot day of activities. HCC Cadets rocks!!




Property Update.

There is a lot of repair and upgrade work being carried out around our Churches and properties.



SCB Church: We have carried out desalination work on the lower sandstone slabs inside and outside the SCB Church where necessary. As a result of discussions with the sandstone experts, the two large wooden cabinets containing musical instruments and equipment near the organ have been relocated to the back part of the Choir loft, to allow ongoing maintenance work to be done on the sandstone walls, which date back to 1857. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to our musicians!

A/V System: We have also recently installed another screen and upgraded the A/V system of the SCB Church, to enhance visibility of responses in our A/V network.

Line Painting: The pedestrian crossing, directional arrows, centre-lines and parking markings are all in the process of being repainted.

Cement work: A small section of concrete has been removed and temporarily repaired with 'road base' outside the SCB Church, as it had been identified as a trip hazard.

Step Upgrade: The steps leading up to SCB Church at both the front and back of the Church will be replaced with sandstone pavers to match those currently outside the front door of the Church.,which will also be repaired, cleaned and sealed over the Christmas/New Year break.

Street Lamps: The SCB internal street and parking area lights will be replaced with brighter and more economical LED lights,as will the two large spotlights currently lighting up the facade of SCB Church.

OLQP Church: Major 'pointing' and remedial cement/brick work will be made to fix large cracks in facades of OLQP Church, and the large brass Cross on top will be removed for repairs and cleaning over the Christmas/New Year's eve break.

And that's all there is for now. 

Your brother, in Christ's service, 

Fr. Greg