From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 29th October, 2023
.jpg)
Back after a Week Away
I am just back from a week of "R'n'R" (Rest and Recreation) after having had the planned Pilgrimage to the Holy Land understandably cancelled (hence my absence last weekend at all the Masses). My thoughts and prayers also go out, however, to all our Christian brothers and sisters who are now doing it incredibly tough throughout the Holy Land, - not only in Israel itself -, as they depend primarily on pilgrims for their livelihood, and the proportion of Christians in the Holy Land is on the decrease. Let's keep on praying for peace there and everywhere war is going on in our very troubled world.
RGCP Feast Day and International Lunch November 5th - St. Charles Primary School grounds
We have a wonderful line up of food from our Filipino, Italian, Mexican and Argentinian, Lebanese, not to mention authentic Aussie Burgers and chips! So, come along for a fun day with us, starting after the 10 am Mass next Sunday 5th November. 'Early Bird' specials (20% off) for entrance tickets will close on Monday 31st October, so get in quick and make the most of this offer. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet people from the 'other Masses' whom you might not normally get a chance to see. There will be entertainment from our local schools and colleges, face painting, jumping castle and energetic games (provided by our youth leaders) for the kids. See you there and then.
Please note that there will not be the usual parking available in the school grounds at SCB due to the Feast day event. We will also need quite a few volunteers after the 8 am Mass next Sunday to help set up tables, chairs and marquees. Any takers? Please email me at pp@rgcp.org.au to let me know.
Changes to Upcoming Christmas Mass Schedules at SCB/OLQP/HCC
We are making some changes to this year's usual Christmas Mass schedule, particularly with regards to the 6PM Christmas Lawn Mass at Holy Cross College (HCC).
The difficulty in prior years has been that, due to a number of changes beyond our control, the venue at HCC is no longer as appropriate or comfortable as it once was. On the one hand, I have been told that it was originally chosen by Fr. Paul Monkerud because of its 'visibility' to passers by, as the hedge was still quite low. That is now no longer the case! On the other hand, the afternoon sun has been particularly hot, (especially since the large gum tree was cut down two years ago) and so a large gap happened between the altar and the participants over the last two years. This has made the pastoral experience of the Mass a bit 'distant'. We have also had to frequently weather afternoon storms, with the threat of damage to sound systems and the like.
Added to this we are currently experiencing a bit of a 'volunteer drought' on Christmas Eve to set up for our outdoor Masses and clean up afterwards, partly because of the success of the addition of the 4.30 pm 'Family Mass' at St. Charles Primary School Grounds (a hangover from COVID changes). This added Mass has been incredibly popular for our young families, as it gets the children back home for dinner and into bed early on Christmas Eve. It also has encouraged more of our Primary School families to participate at the 'Children's Pageant' as angels, wise men, sheep and shepherds. We think it right to continue on with this earlier Family Mass.
Hence, we have decided to no longer hold our 'traditional' 6pm Christmas Mass at Holy Cross and change the venue back to SCB Church (to be held within the Church itself), with the overflow outside (as we do with the 8am and 10am Christmas Masses there).
As for the timing of this Mass, the resulting logistical nightmare, if the Mass were to be at 6pm at SCB Church, would be the inevitable clash of the influx of cars/parishioners at both the beginning of a 6 pm Mass at SCB Ryde, at much the same time as the outflow of families leaving the 4.30pm Mass, along with the need to clean up afterwards while parking cars in the same school grounds. Get the picture? Hence, after discussing this at the last Parish Pastoral Council last Wednesday, it was decided to place the new SCB Christmas Mass at 7pm and thus avoid the potential congestion between the two Masses.
Possible Change of Time for OLQP Christmas Vigil Mass??
A second proposal is this: what if we brought forward the usual 8 pm Christmas Mass at OLQP to 6PM instead of the 8 PM time in previous years? Do those of you who usually attend the 8 pm Christmas Mass at OLQP Church prefer the later time, or would an earlier 6 pm start suit better? The advantage of offering this Mass at 6 pm is that it might also serve to help catch any families that might turn up at Holy Cross College looking for the usual 6PM Christmas Lawn Mass there. I think that this in itself would be a good reason for changing the OLQP Vigil Mass to 6PM. Let me know your thoughts: write me an email to pp@rgcp.org.au with any further suggestions. Forgive the short notice, but we will need to fix the Christmas Mass times by next week.
Church Readers' Formation Courses
This Saturday we will be hosting the second of two formation series for Church Readers, care of the Sydney Archdiocesan Liturgy Office. So many people responded from our Parish that they had to offer two sets of two-day sessions instead, with over 40 people from our Parish participating (thank you, Team RGCP!). As a happy outcome of this wonderful response, we should now be in a position to roster up to three people as readers at each of the Sunday (and Sat night vigil) Masses, with one person being rostered for the Prayer of the Faithful. This would permit everyone the opportunity to read at least once a month, if not fortnightly.
A huge 'Thank you' from your Priests for being such a proactive Parish when it comes to supporting ministries at our Masses and other liturgies.
'Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist' Sought for All Weekday Masses
We will also be opening up the rosters for a 'Special Minister of the Eucharist" (or Acolyte) to help out at each of the weekday Masses, so that we can continue to offer both our Lord's Body and Blood, from a chalice located at either side. This is also happening at the 6.30am Masses (Tues/Thurs) at OLQP. So, when the rosters go out this week for the coming two months, please let us know of your availability for ministering at these weekday Masses as well.
Home Visitations with 'Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist on "P" Plates'
Having many new Acolytes and 'Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist' (EME) available, thanks to the courses run recently by the Liturgy Office, we would like to 'ease you all into' the ministry of Home Visitations (which all Acolytes and Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist are expected to do at least 5 times a year). With this in mind, all new EME's will be required to be accompanied by someone who regularly goes out, to get a feel for this ministry. We think two accompanied visits should be enough of an introduction for you all. Thanks for your patience as we get this 'up and running'.
And that's about it for now. God bless, and please, please, pray for peace in our world.
Fr. Greg
It is with sadness that I advise of the death of Fr John Alt.
Fr John passed away at 4.30am today, 27 October 2023, at Calvary Ryde Residential Aged Care. He was 85 years of age.
Fr John was born in Yass on 11 December 1937. He was ordained to the priesthood on 15 July 1961 at St Mary’s Cathedral by Cardinal Gilroy.
He served as Assistant Priest at the Parishes of Penshurst (1961), Meadowbank (1963), Bass Hill (1967), Darlinghurst (1970), and Chatswood (1974). He was then appointed Parish Priest of Meadowbank (1988) and Lidcombe (2000) before retiring to lesser duties in November of 2006.
Details of the Funeral Mass will be advised once they are known.
Please join me in praying for the repose of the soul of Fr John and for all the faithful departed.
We have a wonderful line up of food from our Filipino, Italian, Mexican and Argentinian, Lebanese, not to mention authentic Aussie Burgers and chips! So, come along for a fun day with us, starting after the 10 am Mass next Sunday 5th November. 'Early Bird' specials (20% off) for entrance tickets will close on Monday 31st October, so get in quick and make the most of this offer. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet people from the 'other Masses' whom you might not normally get a chance to see. There will be entertainment from our local schools and colleges, face painting, jumping castle and energetic games (provided by our youth leaders) for the kids. See you there and then.
Please note that there will not be the usual parking available in the school grounds at SCB due to the Feast day event. We will also need quite a few volunteers after the 8 am Mass next Sunday to help set up tables, chairs and marquees. Any takers? Please email me at pp@rgcp.org.au to let me know.
Changes to Upcoming Christmas Mass Schedules at SCB/OLQP/HCC
We are making some changes to this year's usual Christmas Mass schedule, particularly with regards to the 6PM Christmas Lawn Mass at Holy Cross College (HCC).
The difficulty in prior years has been that, due to a number of changes beyond our control, the venue at HCC is no longer as appropriate or comfortable as it once was. On the one hand, I have been told that it was originally chosen by Fr. Paul Monkerud because of its 'visibility' to passers by, as the hedge was still quite low. That is now no longer the case! On the other hand, the afternoon sun has been particularly hot, (especially since the large gum tree was cut down two years ago) and so a large gap happened between the altar and the participants over the last two years. This has made the pastoral experience of the Mass a bit 'distant'. We have also had to frequently weather afternoon storms, with the threat of damage to sound systems and the like.
Added to this we are currently experiencing a bit of a 'volunteer drought' on Christmas Eve to set up for our outdoor Masses and clean up afterwards, partly because of the success of the addition of the 4.30 pm 'Family Mass' at St. Charles Primary School Grounds (a hangover from COVID changes). This added Mass has been incredibly popular for our young families, as it gets the children back home for dinner and into bed early on Christmas Eve. It also has encouraged more of our Primary School families to participate at the 'Children's Pageant' as angels, wise men, sheep and shepherds. We think it right to continue on with this earlier Family Mass.
Hence, we have decided to no longer hold our 'traditional' 6pm Christmas Mass at Holy Cross and change the venue back to SCB Church (to be held within the Church itself), with the overflow outside (as we do with the 8am and 10am Christmas Masses there).
As for the timing of this Mass, the resulting logistical nightmare, if the Mass were to be at 6pm at SCB Church, would be the inevitable clash of the influx of cars/parishioners at both the beginning of a 6 pm Mass at SCB Ryde, at much the same time as the outflow of families leaving the 4.30pm Mass, along with the need to clean up afterwards while parking cars in the same school grounds. Get the picture? Hence, after discussing this at the last Parish Pastoral Council last Wednesday, it was decided to place the new SCB Christmas Mass at 7pm and thus avoid the potential congestion between the two Masses.
Possible Change of Time for OLQP Christmas Vigil Mass??
A second proposal is this: what if we brought forward the usual 8 pm Christmas Mass at OLQP to 6PM instead of the 8 PM time in previous years? Do those of you who usually attend the 8 pm Christmas Mass at OLQP Church prefer the later time, or would an earlier 6 pm start suit better? The advantage of offering this Mass at 6 pm is that it might also serve to help catch any families that might turn up at Holy Cross College looking for the usual 6PM Christmas Lawn Mass there. I think that this in itself would be a good reason for changing the OLQP Vigil Mass to 6PM. Let me know your thoughts: write me an email to pp@rgcp.org.au with any further suggestions. Forgive the short notice, but we will need to fix the Christmas Mass times by next week.
Church Readers' Formation Courses
This Saturday we will be hosting the second of two formation series for Church Readers, care of the Sydney Archdiocesan Liturgy Office. So many people responded from our Parish that they had to offer two sets of two-day sessions instead, with over 40 people from our Parish participating (thank you, Team RGCP!). As a happy outcome of this wonderful response, we should now be in a position to roster up to three people as readers at each of the Sunday (and Sat night vigil) Masses, with one person being rostered for the Prayer of the Faithful. This would permit everyone the opportunity to read at least once a month, if not fortnightly.
A huge 'Thank you' from your Priests for being such a proactive Parish when it comes to supporting ministries at our Masses and other liturgies.
'Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist' Sought for All Weekday Masses
We will also be opening up the rosters for a 'Special Minister of the Eucharist" (or Acolyte) to help out at each of the weekday Masses, so that we can continue to offer both our Lord's Body and Blood, from a chalice located at either side. This is also happening at the 6.30am Masses (Tues/Thurs) at OLQP. So, when the rosters go out this week for the coming two months, please let us know of your availability for ministering at these weekday Masses as well.
Home Visitations with 'Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist on "P" Plates'
Having many new Acolytes and 'Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist' (EME) available, thanks to the courses run recently by the Liturgy Office, we would like to 'ease you all into' the ministry of Home Visitations (which all Acolytes and Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist are expected to do at least 5 times a year). With this in mind, all new EME's will be required to be accompanied by someone who regularly goes out, to get a feel for this ministry. We think two accompanied visits should be enough of an introduction for you all. Thanks for your patience as we get this 'up and running'.
And that's about it for now. God bless, and please, please, pray for peace in our world.
Fr. Greg
REST IN PEACE OUR BELOVED REV JOHN ALT
Sadly, we learned just before the Bulletin was to be printed of the death of our own dear Fr. JohnAlt up at Calvary Ryde Retirement Village. Fr. John served here at this parish for many years before he became unwell and had to give that away. Details of his funeral were not known at the time of printing, but this is the message we priests received from the Vicar General. May he rest in peace in the arms of the Good and Loving Lord whom he served so well and for so long.
It is with sadness that I advise of the death of Fr John Alt.
Fr John passed away at 4.30am today, 27 October 2023, at Calvary Ryde Residential Aged Care. He was 85 years of age.
Fr John was born in Yass on 11 December 1937. He was ordained to the priesthood on 15 July 1961 at St Mary’s Cathedral by Cardinal Gilroy.
He served as Assistant Priest at the Parishes of Penshurst (1961), Meadowbank (1963), Bass Hill (1967), Darlinghurst (1970), and Chatswood (1974). He was then appointed Parish Priest of Meadowbank (1988) and Lidcombe (2000) before retiring to lesser duties in November of 2006.
Details of the Funeral Mass will be advised once they are known.
Please join me in praying for the repose of the soul of Fr John and for all the faithful departed.
Comments
Post a Comment