From Fr Greg's Desk: 18th December 2022

Hi everyone!
Well, this will probably be my last column for the year. Next Sunday is Christmas Day and, due to the numbers of people at our Christmas Masses, the bulletins will most likely be 'one-pagers', and I hope to be away after Christmas for a short break.

Introducing our New Staff at RGCP
As you know, our Sacramental Coordinator, Dominic Altakchy, is leaving us this year to enter Good Shepherd Seminary as a candidate for the Priesthood, and we wish him every blessing in this noble gift of his life to God in all its entirety.We have selected a new Sacramental Coordinator, Arran O'Brien, who will be working in this role from now on. We have also offered a new part-time position of a 'Pastoral Associate' to work at extending our Parish pastoral outreach into new areas. His name is Luis Serna. I greatly value their wealth of accumulated experience and formation, and I am positive they will both be great assets to our Pastoral Team.

Please make both Arran and Luis very welcome when you see them around the Parish. We thank them both for joining our Parish Team and look forward to a long association with them.

Letterbox Drop Postcards Now Available for Distribution

Our Christmas 'Letterbox Drop' postcards are now ready for distribution near the entrances to both Parish Churches. Please make sure you only distribute them in the street indicated in the bundle you collected so as to avoid us doubling up on some addresses and missing others completely. If you happen to live in a 'gated' community (i.e., an apartment complex where the letterboxes are inside and there is no public access), please get in contact with us to get an extra bundle for distribution there as well. Thank you in advance for helping us to 'get the message out'.

Christmas Rosters
As mentioned last week, the Christmas rosters are now out and are available both in this Bulletin and, as indeed, on our website. If you find yourself unable to assist us at your allocated time with any rostered ministry, please contact the parish office ASAP so that someone else can be found to replace you in good time.

Please Invite People Back to Our Christmas Masses
We look forward to seeing you all at one of the many Christmas Masses on offer at the Parish next weekend, and to invite others to come back to Church this Christmas.

Maybe you could invite them to our 'open air' Christmas Eve Mass at St. Charles Primary School grounds at 4.30 pm next Saturday? This Mass particularly caters for young families that want to get the kids 'fed and into bed' before Santa and his 'helpers' get to work! Or perhaps to the 'Youth led’ 6 pm Mass at Holy Cross College grounds. Then there is our more traditional Midnight Mass (at 12 am) held at SCB Ryde, along with the usual 8 am, 10 am and 6 pm Masses on Christmas Day. The Masses at OLQP Gladesville will be at 8 pm on Christmas Eve and 9 am on Christmas Day, with the Italian Christmas Mass at 10.45 am led by Fr. Daniele.

Office Closure
Please note that our Parish Office will be closed from end of business on Friday 23rd December and reopening on Tuesday 3rd January, 2023

And that's about it for now. God bless, and all the best this week in our final sprint in the lead up to Christmas!

Fr. Greg