From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 7th November

 

Hi everyone! Lovely to see so many of you back at the Masses last weekend!

Easing of COVID Restrictions
Having reached the magical '90% vaccinated' level in NSW, we will now be able to allow twice the number of people to enter our Churches for our services (SCB 200 people, OLQP 160). However, the Archdiocese has asked us to clarify this point: for weddings and funerals, it will be the responsibility of the funeral directors and/or families concerned to ensure that only fully vaccinated people enter the Church, as NSW Health has mandated that at funerals and weddings only the fully vaccinated may participate. What that means is that, were someone to realise that unvaccinated people were present at a particular wedding or funeral, we would have to stop the funeral or wedding until they had vacated the Church or else the numbers of people permitted to continue in the wedding or funeral mass/service would have to be reduced to a mere 5 people. Please be prepared to show your vaccination certificate if asked at these occasions. Whilst I personally feel that these are drastic measures, nevertheless the same would be demanded at venues for wedding receptions or funeral wakes, so I guess it will come as no surprise. We have informed the funeral companies concerned (we have three funerals next week at SCB) and the couple for the wedding next Friday. We apologise for any inconveniences this might cause, and hope that these restrictions will soon be lifted when NSW reaches the 95% vaccination level.

Fr. Alfredo's Farewell BBQ...
Now that some COVID restrictions are to be lifted next week, we now providentially have an opportunity to give Fr. Alfredo a fitting Parish Farewell. Whilst this is very short notice, you are cordially invited to an impromptu farewell BBQ for Fr. Alfredo next Saturday 13th November from midday onwards in the grounds of SCB School (Unfortunately Sunday 14th November is not an option, as we have two First Holy Communion Masses that day in addition to all our regular Sunday Masses).

We would have loved to be able to invite everyone to it, just as we do for the weekly and weekday Masses; but, sadly, we do not have permission to invite anyone who has not yet been fully vaccinated other than for religious services in a 'Place of Worship'. We are immensely sorry about that. However, for those of you who are not yet fully vaccinated, we trust you will have your opportunity at the end of each of next weekend's Masses to say goodbye to Fr. Alfredo, as he will be leaving on the 15th November for his beloved Mexico, en route to Moscow (he cannot get the visa from here, as a Mexican national). We will be setting up a button on the home page of our website for you to indicate if you are coming, so as to help calculate numbers for catering purposes.

We are presently thinking of serving hamburgers, like at the Ordination Big Bash, so if anyone can help us out on the day, that would be greatly appreciated. We could do with some drinks for the occasion, or maybe a few desserts. Please call the office on 9807 2966 or email them office@rgcp.org.au for more information.

Sandstone Paving Work in front of and around SCB Church.
The final sandstone paving work around SCB Church should be completed next week, weather and other unforeseen circumstances permitting!! For that reason, a few more car spaces will be taken up from today onwards with sand, along with the ones already occupied, until such a time as we can remove the cement and crushed sandstone. If anyone wants some very good clean crushed sandstone, please feel free to take as little or as much as you need; we just need to get rid of it so as to free up car spaces for the parishioners and guests to park. If you happen to have a truck or trailer at your disposal, and could do us the favour of helping us dispose of some of it, that would certainly be very appreciated! Please contact the office for further details.

And that's about it for now!

Your brother in Christ's service,

Fr. Greg