From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 4th July

Hi everyone!

COVID Lockdown Still in Force. Well, nothing much has changed [at time of printing at least!!] from last week to this week. Let's keep hoping that the current lockdown will be over by next Friday, 9th July, but judging from the new infections each day, it looks likely that the restrictions may be extended. We will continue to serve you nonetheless! 

Masses will still be live-streamed each day for you to at least participate 'remotely' at our weekday and weekend Masses online. Our 'Buddy' system has also been reinstated to get the bulletin out to any parishioner who cannot download it from our website. Please contact our Parish Office to let us know if you could need this service or know of a parishioner who could likewise benefit from it.

 
Parish Office Still Open For Enquiries. Our Parish Office is still going strong, even if on skeleton staffing at present. We are still taking bookings for baptisms, weddings and the like, and funerals can still currently proceed with up to 100 mask-wearing attendees, including all essential personnel and assistants. Please visit our website at www.rcgp.org.au, call the Parish Office during office hours on 9807-2966, or email us at office@rgcp.org.au for all your enquiries.


Planned Giving Envelopes. Planned Giving Envelopes are ready for the 2021 - 2022 financial year. If you would like to collect your envelopes from the Parish Office, please call ahead and we will leave them in the Parish Office Foyer for you. Please note, the office itself is closed to visitors, and you must wear a face mask indoors and check in with the QR code upon arrival.

If any of you could set up a weekly or monthly payment in your bank account instead of using the envelope system, that would be of great help to us, as it reduces time and associated costs. Information about this is available on the last page of the bulletin or you could contact the parish office for further help.


WWCC & Parish Compliance Audit. The planned audit of our 'Safeguarding' records has been postponed due to the current lockdown, so there is still a little time to get your SALT online training done. We have had to postpone the face-to-face course due to the lockdown for now, but this will be offered once again when the lockdown is over. . There are still a few people who have not yet filled out their 'Volunteer Registration Form', and 'Volunteers Code of Conduct' which the Archdiocese insists is mandatory for anyone volunteering at the Parish.


Who needs to do the 'SALT training'? Basically, anyone involved in volunteer work where children are present has to do this training, like it or not. This includes teachers and others who have done their own SALT training in other jurisdictions, as aspects of the training are customised for a Parish setting. Whilst it might appear to some to be 'overkill', especially for our seniors, I would simply ask you to do it anyway out of Christian charity. The amount of time we spend explaining this to volunteers who wish to be exempted would easily exceed the amount of time spent doing the training and filling out the forms in the first place! I assure you, it won't take a lot of time and it will help ready as many people as possible for volunteer work at the Parish, so please, help us out by getting this done as soon as possible.


SCB Sandstone Steps and Walkways. For those of you driving past the Church at Ryde, you will have noticed that upgrading work is underway on the paths and steps leading to the Church. Large sandstone pavers are being laid to make the entrance and pavements leading up to the Church even more beautiful. This work was planned for the school holidays so as to minimise the disruptions to parents and students alike. Even partly finished, they already look magnificent. Our thanks to Jim and Keith who are getting the job done on our behalf.



Alpha Online Course Begins next Thursday 8th July. The next Alpha Course will begin 'online' due to the current COVID lockdown. We would encourage you particularly to invite someone who is not of the faith, or perhaps hasn't graced the pews of a Church in a long while, as it is designed especially for them. Please see the information box on page 7 of this bulletin for further details.


Our 'Verbum Dei' School of the Word continues every Tuesday evening from 7.30 - 9 pm with Fr. Steve Drum. It will, however, need to be done via Zoom for the time being while COVID lockdown restrictions are in force. For those of you who feel called to further ministries, our School of Apostle is also running every first Saturday of the month, from 10 am to 12.00 noon, with lunch together afterwards. Here you will be taught how to prepare testimonies and give talks on a range of topics concerning the Catholic Faith. It is a really good preparation for all sorts of ministries. Please contact Fr. Steve for more details at frsteve@rgcp.org.au.



And that's about all for now.

Fr Greg