From Fr Greg's ...err... Room: Sunday 24th April

Hi everyone!

 
Fr. Greg Still in Isolation in the Presbytery with COVID
I write to you perched up in my room overlooking St. Charles Borromeo Church, in the final days of my seven day isolation. As we informed at least some of you via the parish Blog, I tested positive to COVID on Sunday afternoon at about 5 pm, hence I did not celebrate the 6 pm Mass as planned. Fr. Steve celebrated in my place. Thanks, Fr. Steve! and with Fr. Dan also in isolation as a "close contact" the whole week before, it was left to Fr. Steve and Fr. Daniele to cover the parish during a week which saw three funerals and two weddings, and four baptisms!!Many of you have asked how I've fared with the COVID 'bug'. The truth is, I seem to have experienced only very mild symptoms, though certainly not pleasant, especially during the first three days. But I am particularly grateful to our Good Lord that I only noticed the symptoms on Easter Sunday, and really only late afternoon noticed the tell tale symptoms and got tested. I actually tested on Saturday morning and had a negative result, so I thought my sore throat was just due to the intensity of the Saturday Night Vigil Mass at St. Charles.

In any case, we had already put in place our own kind of "COVID Plan" with regards the four priests, as we worked in pairs throughout the Easter Triduum at separate sites so as to avoid all of us going down at once. It was certainly a providential move! Fortunately, due to the relaxing of COVID isolation restrictions, Fr. Dan was allowed to come back to the Parish on Friday, having consistently tested negative on the RAT tests. However, it was a very busy week, and I very much appreciate the great efforts they went to to cover in my absence.

Going forward, I intend to voluntarily stay away from all SCB and OLQP Masses until next Thursday as a further precaution for the good of the elderly at our Parish, though this is not a requirement of current NSW Health Regulations.

Huge Thank You to Everyone Who Helped Out With Holy Week
The turnout this year at the Holy Week services and Sunday masses was nothing short of marvellous at most of the SCB events, and OLQP services were also well attended. I wish to voice how utterly indebted I am to the huge support our small contingent of volunteers gave - and often repeatedly - over that time. Our Youth and their youth leaders did a wonderful job of re-enacting the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday and before a huge post COVID crowd.

We likewise had no trouble getting our 'letterbox drops' out to every street within the Parish Boundaries and in good time. Parishioners proffered all sorts of help in areas as diverse as Music and A/V ministry, and as Welcomers & Wardens, Ushers & Parish Collectors, First Aid Officers, Parking Wardens, Camera operators, Ministers of the Word, Ministers of Communion, Acolytes, Altar Servers, Flower arrangers, 'Candle makers', Altar of Repose and Easter Fire Builders, the list goes on! The volunteers in the Parish Office, along with the Office Staff, kept all the cogs moving with many more things done behind the scenes. To all of you, and to anyone I might have missed out, a huge 'thank you'!

Our Lady's Kitchen Inaugural 'OLQP Palm Sunday Luncheon' Went Very Nicely Indeed!
Another 'Big' thank you to our OLK Committee and friends for organising and putting on our first 'OLK Palm Sunday Luncheon' to which we invited all those who receive our services each week (freshly cooked dinners twice weekly) for an amazing home cooked meal on Palm Sunday. I also was in attendance and met them all. It was such a lovely lunch, and definitely not the last. Please get in contact with Judy Raumer at the Parish Office to take part in future OLK ventures!

ANZAC Day Mass and Services Monday 25th April
We will be having an extra Mass this week for our traditional ANZAC Day service at the Parish on Monday 25th April at 9.20 am SCB Church. Complete with sounding of the Last Post and Advance Australia Fare, you are invited to join us as we remember our Fallen in war, pray for the countless victims of war all around the world, and for the ongoing effects of those wars on our people, and for world peace. I will once again be giving a short address and prayer at the Ryde Ex Dawn Service, which commences at 5.30 am. Cadets from Holy Cross College will be forming a traditional Catafalque Party at the Ryde Ex War Memorial. Light breakfast is provided afterwards free of charge by Ryde Ex in the Club itself. I look forward to seeing you there!

Welcome Back to All our School and College Students and Staff.
Nice to have you all back once again next week. It certainly has been quiet around the grounds of both OLQP and SCB Churches of late! Here's hoping the second term of the year will be without major hitches as the students catch up on lost time. The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation will soon be upon us for many of our Year 6's!!

Fr. Greg Recently Appointed Dean of Northern Deanery
To add to my already rather full calendar is a new task assigned to me by the Archbishop. I have been appointed Dean of the Northern Deanery of the Archdiocese, which comprises some 14 Parishes from Lane Cove to Meadowbank, and Marsfield to Mosman. We will be having our first Deanery meeting for the year on Tuesday afternoon here at the Parish, so don't be surprised if there is a bit of an accumulation of priests here at that time. The appointment began, incidentally, on 1 April 2022, which being April Fool's day did strike me as amusing, but I am assured that it is bona fide. Pray for me as I undertake this new undertaking of my priestly life in the Archdiocese.

Lone Bollard Makes Valliant Last Stand at SCB!
Many of you have asked why one of the metal bollards remains in the 'up' position at the entrance to the SCB grounds off the Charles St. Roundabout. Don't worry, it certainly has not escaped the attention of your Parish Priest! After extensive examinations (!!!) the technicians now believe the 'culprit' for all the 'bollard shenanigans' over the last six weeks is a fatally damaged 'motherboard' within the system itself which needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, it had to be ordered in from afar, and we hope to have the situation sorted soon. Please exercise caution when driving through that area, as that 'stubborn' middle bollard cannot be lowered for the time being, and isn't made of rubber!!

And that's about it for now. Your brother, in and out of COVID isolation,

Fr. Greg!