From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 19th May, 2024

Hi everyone!
Pentecost is upon us!
Welcome to the Feast of Pentecost. This was the day the Apostles, along with Mother Mary and the other women and men who still followed Jesus, received the gift of the Holy Spirit. There wasn't that much externally to note... the sound of a rushing wind, tongues of flame coming to rest on their heads, and a capacity to speak the language the other understood so that the Great News of Jesus could be communicated to the masses. But, Pentecost marked a new beginning for each and every one of them ... they boldly started out on missions they had never imagined previously.

I hope and pray that each and every one of you this weekend will go home from our Masses and Vigil Prayer service (7.30 - 9.30 pm Saturday night) inspired and gifted to touch the world around you with the 'fire of God's love'. We've got a big year ahead of us as a Parish, so the gifts of the Spirit (Wisdom and Understanding, Knowledge and Good Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord) are all going to come in handy in the individual and collective 'missions' we undertake on behalf of Jesus. Happy Pentecost Sunday to you all!

Certificates from the Liturgy Office now ready
We have received several sets of Certificates of Attendance for those of you who have successfully completed courses with the Liturgy Office (as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and Proclaimers of Readings from Sacred Scripture.) Hence, I would ask that the following people get in touch with me to let me know which Mass you are attending next weekend, so as to give these Certificates out in the context of one of the masses you will likely be serving in the near future:

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Br. Antonio Abecasis, fmvd, Anthony Cashin, Ana Halabi, Austin Kim, Taryn Medcalf and Sandra Yamine.

Proclaimers of Readings from Sacred Scripture: Edna Aldana, Sophia Azize, Katrina Cronin, Amanda Cuneo, Sanam Dharamdasani, David Irecki, Jo-Anne Miranda, Daniel Pace and Shehana Vithana.

Walk with Christ Procession (2nd June) Update
Please 'save the date' in your diaries for the 'Walk with Christ' Eucharistic procession through the heart of the Sydney CBD on Sunday 2nd June. So far, we have had bookings for 34 out of a possible 57 places on the Bus provided free of charge by the Archdiocese on the day. Our bus will be leaving at 1 pm sharp from outside SCB Church. So, there are only 23 places left on this bus and they are filling fast. get yourself a free seat on the bus by going to trybooking:
https://www.trybooking.com/CRNLH

SCB Bollards Operating Times (Mon - Fri: 8 - 9.05 am & 2 - 3.15 pm)
One of the 'legacies' we were left from prior years are our 'beautiful silver bollards' at SCB Church (yes, I hear your groans....). They have to be used during school days for the safety of our little ones navigating the internal road from the school gates to Charles St. each day. (They sometimes have to be raised at weddings or funerals when all parking spots are taken so that no one parks on the grass or gardens, or on the roads blocking traffic). They [should!] go up each school day at 8am, and come down at 9.05 on school days and go up again at 2pm and come down at 3.15pm in the afternoons. (Apologies if for some reason this does not happen).

Some Mums and others have been 'getting around' this safety measure by entering before the bollards go up and then exiting when their kids or grandkids get out at 3.05 (when the other families are walking their kids along the internal road to Charles St.)

This is a practice which is clearly unsafe for the kids. Cars should also never be parked in front of the bollards either, as this will block access for any emergency vehicles that may need to enter.

Please note, that if for any reason you are on site at 3pm you will need to wait until after 3.15pm to leave (when the bollards come down again and the other cars enter for pick-ups).

Okay, that's about it for now! God bless, and have a lovely Feast of Pentecost!

Your brother, in Christ's missionary service,

Fr. Greg