From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 13th February

Hi everyone!

Fr. Greg Away from 15 Feb to 2 Mar 2022
I will be away from the Parish for the next two weeks (beginning Monday), so I apologise if you won't be able to book an interview with me during that time. I will be back at RGCP on the 2nd of March. Please contact Judyif you need me in any way before then or to get an appointment after that date. Believe me, my diary is very full!

In case you are wondering, I am going to Spain to participate in a much needed 'Symposium on Administration' for the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity to which all four of us priests belong. As many of you know, I served as the 'General Administrator' of the Fraternity in Rome for some six years from 2003 to 2009, during which time I developed their administrative and accounting practices. I am now needed to help establish some administrative procedure manuals, among other things. And so, err no, I won't be basking in the sun on the Costa del Sol or watching Bullfights in Madrid!! Besides, it is more likely to snow than it is for the sun to shine!! (Although the discussions taking place there could get a little heated!!) See you again on the 2nd!



Dropping People Off at the Charles St. Bollards
It has come to our attention that a small number of parents, carers and others are persisting in dropping off children at the 'pop up bollards' on Charles Street, before trying to reverse out, with all the traffic chaos that causes. Others are unashamedly parking their cars at the bollards and walking in to pick up their kids! Someone is also regularly parking outside the metal bollards adjacent to the front of the Church, which we use almost exclusively for funerals and weddings.. Please feel free to let them know (politely, of course) that this is completely unacceptable behaviour as they are blocking the entry into the Parish for School and Office staff, and for emergency vehicles, should they be required (as happened this past Thursday).




Readers Formation Session on 19 Feb 2022 at OLQP Church at 8:45 for a 9 am start
Fr. Dan will be giving a formation session for all new readers at our Parish (both SCB and OLQP) and those who could use a refresher course. We already have enough instructors so please don't come if your aim is to instruct them! RSVP via Trybooking.com. For more details, see the info box in the bulletin on Page 5.


Acolytes Information Evening
Wednesday 23rd Feb 2022 at SCB Parish Hall 7.30 pm (Coffee/tea from 7.15 pm). There will be an information evening hosted by Fr. Dan and Andrew McLachlan (who is our new Acolyte coordinator at the Parish). It will take place at the SCB Parish Hall at 7.30 pm on Wed 23rd Feb. It is especially offered for all those who wish to undertake Acolyte ministries at our Parish. For more details see the info box in the bulletin on Page 5.




Lenten Groups
This year we will once again be following the Sydney Archdiocese Lenten Program, whose booklets will be provided to you free of charge. If anyone wants to either join a group or create their own group, please contact the Parish Office at office@rgcp.org.au or phone 9807 2966 to order the booklets for your group. There will also be a Friday Morning Lenten Group offered at the SCB Hall after Mass each Friday during Lent beginning 4th March 2022. More info in future bulletins.

Altar Server Refresher Course
We have noticed that many of our Altar servers who have done their initial Altar serving training over the last two years, urgently need a refresher course. That is entirely understandable, as COVID lockdowns intervened to prevent them getting enough opportunities to practise what they had learned. Hence we are offering the following Altar Server Refresher Courses:

SCB Church: 21st Feb, 2022 from 3.30 - 5pm
OLQP Church: 1 March 2022 from 3.30 - 5pm

I expect all our newly minted Altar Servers who have begun over the last two tears to kindly attend. It should be fun, anyway!!



From Russia with Love from Fr. Alfredo!
I greeted Fr. Alfredo this past Friday on the occasion of his birthday and asked him how things were going in Russia. This was his reply (translated by me from the Spanish!):

I am fine, thanks, adapting progressively to this new land. Despite the fame the Russians have for being a bit distant, the ones I have come to know, both from the community and in general, are actually quite nice and approachable.

I have begun to work with the Latin Americans as was expected. With them I have prayer groups, spiritual direction, liturgies etc. I have also been asked to help out with masses in English at our Retreat House at Dodovsk on the outskirts of Moscow, and in the Cathedral, as well as with Mother Teresa's sisters.

The climate is not so bad after all... so long as you are well clothed you don't feel the cold, even though it is sometimes minus 15 degrees Celsius here. I think I felt the cold more in Mexico and in Sydney than I am at present!! I arrived in Moscow at an opportune moment, as Fr. Eusebio was recently operated on, and I was able to help him in his recovery period of late. Even with the Russian speaking part of the local community, celebrating the weekly masses in Spanish but with a Russian translator on hand (thank God for that!!)

Thanks to everyone for their birthday wishes to me, they were much appreciated! Please say hello to everyone at the Parish for me. Oh, and the photo below is of me shovelling snow outside our Retreat house in Dedovsk on the outskirts of Moscow.

Ha! If I had known that Fr. Alfredo would wind up shovelling snow in Moscow, I would have given him some 'prior training' shovelling sand and dirt at SCB! Missed opportunity, Fr. Greg!!

And that's all for now! See you on Sunday and then when I'm back on the 2nd of March! In the meantime, the other priests - Fr. Daniele, Fr. Dan and Fr. Steve will no doubt be of great service to you!!




Your brother in Christ,
Fr Greg