From Fr Greg's Desk: 18th April

Hi everyone!

Term 2 Begins. School is 'back' next week, so a big “welcome back" to all our teachers, staff and kids at St Charles and Our Lady Queen of Peace primary schools, as well as our friends across the road at Holy Cross College! Big term ahead, and lots of things happening. (Do I hear a ‘collective sigh of relief’ from mums and dads all over the parish?)

 

Priestly Ordination of Deacons Steve and Dan Drum, fmvd. As I hope you are well aware by now, at 10.30 am on the 29th of May, 2021 our two intrepid deacons will be ordained to the priesthood and you are all invited to this big event! We can presently fit 1200 people into St. Mary’s Cathedral itself (according to current COVID restrictions), so get your booking in ASAP on our website at www.rgcp.org.au.


Parish Ordination Luncheon. You are also all cordially invited to a 'Big Bash Parish Ordination Luncheon' with our two new priests, Dan and Steve, the next day at 12.30 pm Sunday 30th May, 2021 at Holy Cross College,Ryde.

We can’t do it at SCB due to weddings that same day at our Church, but we thank Mr. Phil Stewart, Principal of Holy Cross College Ryde, for generously offering their facilities and BBQ/food van to accommodate us all, which is a big ask, as there will be many mouths to feed that day! Out of courtesy, could you please let us know if you intend to attend the luncheon by making a booking at www.trybooking.com/rgcp, to give us an idea of numbers for the sake of catering.

We will also need lots of volunteers both at the Cathedral on Saturday 29th May and at Holy Cross College on Sunday 30th May to help us out. Please contact the Parish Office to offer your volunteer services.

We trust you will understand that, because of present COVID restrictions and the large size of their families, it isn’t possible to invite all of you all for the small luncheon to be held at the Cathedral Hall immediately after the ordination. The Deacons would have liked to have you all there, and they hope you will come and celebrate this huge milestone with them all the same on Sunday 30th May...



Huge Thank You to All our RGCP Volunteers over Holy Week! We are absolutely indebted to the small contingent of volunteers who helped make our Holy Week liturgies and celebrations so utterly inspiring and edifying. To all our helpers, organisers, ministers, altar servers, wardens, parking attendants, musicians, AV and camera operators, decorators and the like, and all the ‘behind the scenes’ office staff who made it all possible, I send a heartfelt “thank you" and pray that the Lord reward you all handsomely for your generosity of time and spirit.

I think you will all agree that, despite the COVID complications, especially the limitations on numbers inside our churches, it was a beautiful and impressive week for all of us, your Parish Priest included!


Youth Leader Retires. One of our new Youth Ministry leaders, Hannah Morson, who took up the Ignite Youth leadership just over a month ago, has had to retire due to the demands of her pressing study timetable at Uni, but she will still be with us at our Set Alight meetings. We wish her every blessing and success with her studies and future career, and thank her wholeheartedly for the work she has undertaken to date. Thank you Hannah!



And that's about it for now!!

Your brother in serving Jesus, our best friend,

Fr Greg