From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 1st December, 2024

Hi everyone!

 
Welcome to Advent!
Christmas is almost 'on our doorstep', and so this weekend we begin the season of Advent. We will be lighting the first of our Advent candles at the beginning of each Mass at both Churches, with a particular virtue or quality each candle seeks to portray. Hope is the virtue for this week, which is a virtue particularly dear to Pope Francis as we near the opening of the 2025 Jubilee Year (which officially begins on Christmas Eve 24th Dec 2024 and finishes 6 Jan 2026).

St. Vincent de Paul ('Vinnies') Appeal at all Masses this Weekend
This weekend we will be having our annual Christmas Appeal for Vinnies at both Churches. There will be some speakers involved with the Vinnies Van Service coming to talk for a few minutes at all SCB Masses about the service this weekend, and envelopes have been distributed there for this year's appeal. Members of our Gladesville Vinnies Conference will be at all OLQP Masses as well, to collect for their own services. Please support them as much as you can. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Rite of Acceptance/Welcome for 12 RCIA Candidates @ Sat 6 pm Mass SCB
The participants in our RCIA programme [read: 'Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults'] are taking a special first step on their journey to get to know the Catholic faith this Saturday evening. Those not yet baptised will pass through what is known as 'the Rite of Acceptance' into the 'Order of Catechumens' on their way through to receiving the 'Sacraments of Initiation' (Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation) at the Easter Saturday Night Vigil Mass.

Please keep the following nine 'Catechumens' (who will be receiving all three Sacraments) in our prayers: Rozhina, Lina, Garcia, Kristy, Thy, Aileen, Demi, Belle and Peter, along with these three who are already baptised (in other Christian Churches): Christina, Tara and Sophia. These last three will pass through what is called 'the Rite of Welcome' on the way to being welcomed into full communion with the Catholic Church, alongside the other nine. The group is the largest we have had in a long time, which is the fruit both of all our outreach work at the Parish, and of your own personal invitations. Please join me in enthusiastically welcoming them 'into the fold' this weekend.

Please 'Give Me a Hand' On Christmas Eve/Day!!
We are going to be very busy on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so I really need helpers for this 'annual challenge'. As Jesus said, "the harvest is plenty, but the labourers are few" (Mt 9, 37) and this is particularly true of our Christmas Mass attendees. We usually get in excess of 2500 at the eight Masses we will be celebrating this year ... so could you please 'have mercy on me' and get in contact with the Parish Office (and ... earlier rather than later!) on 9807 2966 or ea@rgcp.org.au so that we can get things organised ahead of schedule? Thanks in advance for your support.

SCB Concourse Area - Perfect for a Free Cuppa, bikky and a Chat.
I warmly Invite all our elderly Parishioners to come up to the concourse outside the offices at SCB, for a free cup of tea, biscuits, and a chance to have a chat with like minded others! There are tables and chairs there, you could play cards together or read a book alone. Why not call a few of your friends and make the most of the lovely weather? Little Noah's Cafe is also open Tues to Fri in the mornings during school days for excellent coffees and hot chocolates which, at $2, is a steal.

And that's about it for now! Happy Advent to you all.

Fr. Greg