FR GREG'S DESK: SUNDAY 16TH MAY

Hi everyone!

Confirmation time is fast approaching, and our formations for both candidates and sponsors and parents are well underway. Thank you for all your support of our candidates and for accompanying them to Mass each week. Next Thursday is our zoom evening with parents and candidates so please make sure you login for this important encounter. It should also be a nice moment to deepen in your own faith with some of the questions being raised by our kids ... yes, an evening full of unexpected insights awaits us all (Fr. Greg included!)!

Ordinations at St. Mary's Cathedral Saturday 29th May, 2021 at 10.30 am.  As you should all be well aware by now, our two intrepid Deacons, Steve and Dan, are going to be ordained to the priesthood in just under two weeks' time! There is space at the Cathedral for virtually anyone who would like to come, so don't hold back, thinking you ought to give up your spot for someone more deserving of a place!

It is an extraordinary event in the life of our Parish and we want you to be there. We now have a fairly good idea of numbers, and they are well within the 1200 limit imposed on us because of current COVID 19 restrictions (please God, and 'fingers crossed', these won't change in the next two weeks!) If you have never experienced something like this, then now is your chance to do so.

Priestly Blessings from our new Priests.  Immediately after the Ordination rite in St. Mary's Cathedral, and in accordance with ancient tradition, our two new priests will be imparting their priestly blessings on all those present, so don't miss out on the opportunity to be among the first to receive one from the new Fathers Dan and Steve Drum, fmvd. They will also be imparting blessings after their first Masses on Sunday 30th May at 10 am and 6 pm at St. Charles Borromeo Church, Ryde.

Ordination Big Bash Luncheon (Holy Cross College Grounds Sunday 30th May 2021 at 12.30 pm).  Once again, you all very warmly invited to join the parents of our 'ordinands' Nola and John Drum, in celebrating this noble and highly significant act, of surrendering up their lives to Jesus in order to be your priests and pastors here in our Ryde Gladesville Parish. Lunch, barista coffee and even 'slushies' for the kids will be provided free of charge to all who would like to come along. Bookings for the Big Bash Luncheon for catering purposes is much appreciated, please go the Website to book in Big Bash Luncheon Button. If you would be willing to contribute to the Big Bash Luncheon go to the Website to the Donate Button.

We are organising a small army of volunteers to set up tables and chairs, prepare the meal and to serve, clean up and disassemble everything afterwards. To sign up to volunteer at the Big Bash Luncheon go to the Website and hit the 'Volunteer for Big Bash lunch' Button.

Let's make this a big event in the life of our Parish and show our support for these two brothers of ours, Dan and Steve, in this important milestone in their religious lives. If you could please RSVP at www.rgcp.org.au to help us calculate numbers for catering purposes, that would be greatly appreciated! It is a very different thing to calculate for 500 than for 1000 people!!

 

And that's about it for this week. God bless you all!

Your brother, in Christ's, missionary service,

Fr. Greg