From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 26th March 2023
.jpg)
Thank You Vaughan and Gay!
This weekend Vaughan Kelly and Gay Walsh will both be 'hanging up their cassocks' as Acolytes at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church Gladesville, after many years of faithful service. Gay has also been serving in music ministry, which she has also now concluded. We thank you both for the huge service you have given our Parish over the years, and as a priest, I can well appreciate the security it gives to know you have an Acolyte looking after everything. Please join me in thanking them each personally when you next see them.
Easter Volunteers Still Needed!
Easter and Holy Week are just around the corner, so please give me a hand to make the Easter Experience not just good, but superb for those coming back to the Parish during this most significant of weeks on the Catholic Christian Calendar. For that to happen, we need lots of friendly and helpful volunteers. Some ministries and times are already filled (thank you ladies and gents!!!), whilst others are still insufficiently covered. So I am sending out an Easter S.O.S. for help. Please consider going to one Mass with your family, and then serving at another. Some of the areas and times we still particularly need to cover are these:
'Parking Wardens' at SCB for all Masses - we usually need about four to five for each Mass/liturgy (OLQP tends to be less chaotic in terms of parking, as the parking areas are relatively small, and so no wardens are presently needed there); 'Welcomers' (outside) ‘Wardens’ and 'Ushers' (inside) at all SCB and OLQP Masses; and 'Letterbox Droppers' next week/weekend to get the word out about Mass times during Holy Week to our surrounding suburbs. (More areas of volunteering are mentioned in the info box on the opposite page)
Vinnies Van 'Progress Report'
I had a phone call this week from Josie Charbel, Vinnies NSW Van Services Manager, to give us a quick rundown on where we are with the new ' Vinnies Vans' service. I am told that the 'home base' of one of the two vans we have managed to purchase altogether (thank you to all our benefactors!!) will definitely be located in the Ryde area. All that remains right now is for them to complete a risk assessment for the sake of gaining insurance cover to clarify exactly where that Ryde Vinnies Van will be parked overnight. We hope to have that bit of news to you in the very near future.
Meanwhile, Josie says that an email will be coming out on Monday 27th March to all those who registered last Wednesday week at the meeting we had in the Parish Hall at St. Charles at Ryde. In it there will be information for 'on-boarding' the new Van service. For those of you who couldn't be there at the meeting, you can still register your expressions of interest to take part in this invaluable ministry at the new email of rydevv@vinnies.org.au. For information regarding 'Corporate Sponsorship' or 'Corporate Volunteering Days' please email Josie direct at josie.charbel@vinnies.org.au.
Volunteers Needed for Our Lady's Kitchen (OLK) Food Deliveries
We are now in need of a few volunteers for our 'OLK' food delivery service to needy people in the Gladesville area. We need people who can drive to both pick up food at Strathfield each Tues and Thurs (between 12 pm - 1 pm), pack the containers into bags (from 3 - 3.30 pm) at OLQP Hall, and then deliver the food to just under 40 needy households (from 4 to 5 pm). I have had to do some deliveries of late, and could sure use your help.
Please contact Judy at the Office on 9807 2966 or email olk@rgcp.org.au for more info.
Sacrament of Reconciliation at RGCP and in Neighbouring Parishes
The Catholic Church encourages everyone to avail of the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a year, to maintain a minimum level of spiritual life within us. We offer many opportunities for that during the year, along with a special Reconciliation Service each Lent and Advent. Our Parish will be offering a Reconciliation evening at SCB Church at 7.30 pm on Wed 5th April. (Our regular times are mentioned on page 8).
Our neighbouring Parishes also offer much the same service, and we priests usually support each other by confessing at multiple sites to cater for the large numbers that come along. Please check out the info box on page 5 for alternative places and times at neighbouring Parishes.
Sacrament of Confirmation for Catholic Adults
For those of you who have been baptised, have even received your First Holy Communion, but for some reason have never been confirmed, Fr. Dan is offering a 'crash course' to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation straight after Easter, once the RCIA sessions are over. If you complete the whole course, you would be eligible to receive your confirmation at St. Mary’s Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday, May 28th. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please let them know. (See info box on opposite page for more details.)
BBQ and Cake Stall with 'Democracy Sausages' this Sat 25 Apr at both SCB and OLQP Primary schools.
Remember, voting for NSW State elections is this Saturday 25th March, is compulsory and is available at both SCB and OLQP Parish Halls from 8 am - 6 pm. There is a BBQ and Cake Stall with 'Democracy Sausages' at both venues. Please support them if you can (great excuse for a fundraiser!).
Daylight Saving Ends Next Weekend 2-3 April
Remember to set your watches back an hour next weekend, 2-3 April, so that you get to Mass at the right time.
And that's about all for now! God bless you all!
Your brother in Christ's missionary service,
Fr. Greg
Easter and Holy Week are just around the corner, so please give me a hand to make the Easter Experience not just good, but superb for those coming back to the Parish during this most significant of weeks on the Catholic Christian Calendar. For that to happen, we need lots of friendly and helpful volunteers. Some ministries and times are already filled (thank you ladies and gents!!!), whilst others are still insufficiently covered. So I am sending out an Easter S.O.S. for help. Please consider going to one Mass with your family, and then serving at another. Some of the areas and times we still particularly need to cover are these:
'Parking Wardens' at SCB for all Masses - we usually need about four to five for each Mass/liturgy (OLQP tends to be less chaotic in terms of parking, as the parking areas are relatively small, and so no wardens are presently needed there); 'Welcomers' (outside) ‘Wardens’ and 'Ushers' (inside) at all SCB and OLQP Masses; and 'Letterbox Droppers' next week/weekend to get the word out about Mass times during Holy Week to our surrounding suburbs. (More areas of volunteering are mentioned in the info box on the opposite page)
Vinnies Van 'Progress Report'
I had a phone call this week from Josie Charbel, Vinnies NSW Van Services Manager, to give us a quick rundown on where we are with the new ' Vinnies Vans' service. I am told that the 'home base' of one of the two vans we have managed to purchase altogether (thank you to all our benefactors!!) will definitely be located in the Ryde area. All that remains right now is for them to complete a risk assessment for the sake of gaining insurance cover to clarify exactly where that Ryde Vinnies Van will be parked overnight. We hope to have that bit of news to you in the very near future.
Meanwhile, Josie says that an email will be coming out on Monday 27th March to all those who registered last Wednesday week at the meeting we had in the Parish Hall at St. Charles at Ryde. In it there will be information for 'on-boarding' the new Van service. For those of you who couldn't be there at the meeting, you can still register your expressions of interest to take part in this invaluable ministry at the new email of rydevv@vinnies.org.au. For information regarding 'Corporate Sponsorship' or 'Corporate Volunteering Days' please email Josie direct at josie.charbel@vinnies.org.au.
Volunteers Needed for Our Lady's Kitchen (OLK) Food Deliveries
We are now in need of a few volunteers for our 'OLK' food delivery service to needy people in the Gladesville area. We need people who can drive to both pick up food at Strathfield each Tues and Thurs (between 12 pm - 1 pm), pack the containers into bags (from 3 - 3.30 pm) at OLQP Hall, and then deliver the food to just under 40 needy households (from 4 to 5 pm). I have had to do some deliveries of late, and could sure use your help.
Please contact Judy at the Office on 9807 2966 or email olk@rgcp.org.au for more info.
Sacrament of Reconciliation at RGCP and in Neighbouring Parishes
The Catholic Church encourages everyone to avail of the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a year, to maintain a minimum level of spiritual life within us. We offer many opportunities for that during the year, along with a special Reconciliation Service each Lent and Advent. Our Parish will be offering a Reconciliation evening at SCB Church at 7.30 pm on Wed 5th April. (Our regular times are mentioned on page 8).
Our neighbouring Parishes also offer much the same service, and we priests usually support each other by confessing at multiple sites to cater for the large numbers that come along. Please check out the info box on page 5 for alternative places and times at neighbouring Parishes.
Sacrament of Confirmation for Catholic Adults
For those of you who have been baptised, have even received your First Holy Communion, but for some reason have never been confirmed, Fr. Dan is offering a 'crash course' to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation straight after Easter, once the RCIA sessions are over. If you complete the whole course, you would be eligible to receive your confirmation at St. Mary’s Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday, May 28th. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please let them know. (See info box on opposite page for more details.)
BBQ and Cake Stall with 'Democracy Sausages' this Sat 25 Apr at both SCB and OLQP Primary schools.
Remember, voting for NSW State elections is this Saturday 25th March, is compulsory and is available at both SCB and OLQP Parish Halls from 8 am - 6 pm. There is a BBQ and Cake Stall with 'Democracy Sausages' at both venues. Please support them if you can (great excuse for a fundraiser!).
Daylight Saving Ends Next Weekend 2-3 April
Remember to set your watches back an hour next weekend, 2-3 April, so that you get to Mass at the right time.
And that's about all for now! God bless you all!
Your brother in Christ's missionary service,
Fr. Greg
Comments
Post a Comment