From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 26th February 2023

Hi everyone! Once again, heaps of things happening at RGCP this week.
Welcome Br. Antonio Abecasis, fmvd - Latest Addition to the Verbum Dei 'Motley Crew' at RGCP
We are very pleased to present a new member of our Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity to the Parish. His name is Br. Antonio Abecasis,,and comes to us from sunny Portugal to spend this year with us. Antonio has been invited to accompany the Sydney Archdiocesan 'contingent' to World Youth Day in Portugal, his native country, where his local knowledge and Portuguese language skills will come in very handy indeed.
Br. Antonio is basically a 'Seminarian' of our Fraternity, as he has now completed his Philosophical studies as a forerunner to his studies in Theology, before, hopefully, being ordained as a Catholic Priest sometime in the not-so-distant-future. So please make him very very welcome, so that he wants to stay with us a little bit longer after this 'Pastoral Year' at RGCP is over!!

Catholic Weekly 'Sydney Seminarians' Article with our own Dominic Altakchy Centre stage
Check out the Catholic Weekly this week; there is an article on the 17 new Seminarians at Good Shepherd Seminary this year and our own former Sacramental Coordinator, Dominic Altakchy is there in the centre of the photo!! We wish Dom every blessing and joy in this new adventure in his life, and we look forward to being a part of his future ordination to the Diaconate, and then hopefully, as a Maronite Catholic Priest in the years ahead. Well done, Dom!!

Project Compassion Boxes and Envelopes Available at Parish Church doors
Lent is with us, and our own 'Catholic Lenten Charity' - Project Compassion is once again 'knocking at our doors'. Please give until it hurts, as Mother Teresa said, ... and then a little bit more. Maybe you could host something like a 'Friday Fish Feast' at your own home with extended family or with friends, with the proceeds going into the Project Compassion box? Could it be a really novel way of 'the Good Lords' instruction to fast, give alms and pray' more in this grace-filled season of Lent...

"The Vans are comin', ... the Vinnies Vans are comin'!!"
As reported last week, that two ‘Vinnies Vans’ we helped build for are currently on their way here, albeit on a 'Slow Boat from China' ... and we are pretty excited about it!! That's why, in preparation for that, and to get our 'Vinnies teams' organised, we have invited Josie Charbel, the Metropolitan Vinnies Van Services Coordinator for the Sydney Archdiocese, to come out and speak to us at our 'Vinnies Van Information and Registration Night' on Wed 1st March 7.30 pm SCB Hall. Josie will give us a rundown of what is needed to start 'manning the vans' and 'slicing the sandwiches', You can register on the night to begin the training necessary for the service to be up and running once the Vans are on our shores and are fully fitted out. We believe that should happen by end of June/early July. See you there on the 1st!

"Be Connected Digital Workshops" For Seniors - Coming to a Parish Hall Near You! (Wed 8th, 15th, & 22nd March 2023)
Hey, howzat for a great opportunity? As part of our Seniors' Ministry initiative, CatholicCare, in partnership with the NSW State Govt, are offering "Be Connected" workshops to help incorporate our Seniors into the Digital Age. This is an exciting opportunity for those of you who are 'over 50' [like me!!] and feel a bit 'technologically challenged' and would like to 'hone in' those incipient computer skills of yours to dizzying heights. This service is incredibly timely, particularly given recent incidents of 'scammers' targeting our elderly Parishioners. But it is also a fun way to 'get online' and shop, browse, and find out all sorts of information about virtually every topic known to humanity. (More info is on Page 7 of the Bulletin)

Open Day at Holy Cross College Ryde Sunday 5th March 2023 10 am - 1 pm
For those of you with young boys in Primary School, you will do well to learn about the new and exciting things that are happening 'across the road' at Holy Cross College Ryde. Phil Stewart, our Principal (and I say 'Our' because Fr. Steve and I are the Chaplains there, and I am also a Officer of their College Cadet Unit) has extended the invitation to you all, so that you can 'come and see' how changed Holy Cross College is, and how much of a great 'Private School Catholic' education is being offered there.

They have come leaps and bounds in the last six years or so, under Mr. Stewart's direction, and I am personally very proud to be closely associated with them. So, you grandparents, badger your children/grandchildren into getting along for the Open Day on Sun 5th March, , and 're-educate yourselves' as to the fine Catholic Secondary education being offered here on your doorstep!

Footsteps of Jesus Pilgrimage to the Holy Land: 13 - 23 October 2023
For the more adventurous, I will be accompanying a Harvest Pilgrimage to the Holy Land later on this year, and it would be great if any parishioners would like to join us. About a dozen of you have already expressed an interest in this amazing trip, and I am delighted to once again be following 'in the footsteps of Jesus' on this once-in-a-catholic-lifetime' pilgrimage. For more info, pick up a brochure from the Church or Parish Office or speak to me after one of the Masses. Jerusalem, here we come!

And that's about it for now!

Your brother, in Christ's missionary service,

Fr. Greg