From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 17th November, 2024

Hi everyone!

Christmas at the Cathedral Thursday evening 12th December
Christmas is just around the corner, so we have a lovely way of getting in the true 'Christmas Spirit" with our annual pilgrimage to the Cathedral, to see St. Mary's lit up with scenes and music depicting the birth of Jesus. The Archdiocese is once again kindly providing us with a free bus service (arrive 4:30 for a 5pm departure) to get you there and back again, and we hope to organise people to take you home afterwards if need be, as it would probably be around 9 pm when we all get back to the Parish. Check out the info box on page 4 of the bulletin for more details.

Volunteers Thank You Mass and 'Classic' Morning Tea Saturday 7 December 8 am
Our volunteers are the real 'stars of our show', and we want to celebrate the gift of your time to us with a special Mass of Thanksgiving and a 'classic' morning tea, (that's 'Fr. Greg Speak' for "It'll be awesome!!"). We soooo appreciate the long hours of service you give to the Lord and to the people of this Parish in so many ways.

That's why we have this annual event, so please 'save the date'.

The morning tea is for all those who help out in our huge range of activities, from Church ministries (Acolytes, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, music ministry, kid's liturgy, readers, A/V and camera operators, wardens and welcomers, morning tea providers, liturgical decorators etc), catechists, RCIA and youth team volunteers, 'Green Fingers' team, Young at Heart Craft/Social Group organisers, 'Little Noah's' baristas, Baptismal 'prep-ers', Alpha helpers, Our Lady's Kitchen and Vinnies Van people, counters, and among many others. The list just goes on and on (apologies if for some reason I forgot to mention yours!), because there are more than 250 of you extending our pastoral outreach far and wide. See you then and there!

Youth Car Wash on next Sunday Morning 24 November
Our intrepid Youth team are once again organising their annual camp (Jan 17 - 21 2025) and, as a way of reducing the costs, have organised another 'car wash' coinciding with the 8 am and 10 am Masses at SCB next weekend. Please support them by letting your car(s) get a wash, $20 per car. This service starts at 7.30 am and finishes when the last cars are washed after the 10 am Mass (and I am told is 'guaranteed to leave your car at least as clean as it was beforehand'!). Thanks in advance for your support of our youth...

Altar Servers Training Sessions SCB Thurs Dec 5, 3.30 pm - 4.45pm
Now that we are just about finished with our First Holy Communion Masses (last three this weekend at SCB Church), our very young parishioners can begin a life of service to God and others by serving at the Altar at our weekend Masses. Training sessions for SCB Church are on Thurs 5th Dec, after school, from 3:30 to 4:45 pm. We will have some further sessions later on for OLQP Church goers, as the specifics of each Church merit special attention. We also organise quarterly games day's and outings for them, which have been a lot of fun, and are great team building events, catered especially for them.

Charitable Works Fund (CWF) Appeal this Weekend at all Masses.
As you are probably aware, there are three CWF appeals across the Archdiocese every year, to support the principal charities run by the Archdiocese on our behalf. All donations are 100% tax deductible. (See the info box on the opposite page for more details). Our Parish has been assigned a quota of about $60,000 each year; if that amount is not reached from your donations, we need to meet the shortfall with Parish funds, so if you could give generously, avail of the tax deduction, this would be the most beneficial outcome for everyone. Envelopes can also be taken home and brought back in coming weeks. Thank you for all your wonderful support in both past appeals and for this one as well.

That's about it for now. God bless!

Fr. Greg