From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 23rd, 2025

Hi everyone!
"Day of the Unborn" With Archbishop Anthony Fisher and Cardinal Mykola Bychok at the Cathedral Sunday 23 March
It was nice to see so many people turn out in support of Archbishop Anthony Fisher's call to rally against the proposed Bill before NSW Parliament to force Catholic Hospitals (like our own St. Vincent's and Mater Dei) to provide abortion services, and force doctors unwilling to do so to have to refer the patients to someone who will.

I personally saw over 50 of our Parishioners there that afternoon, which was edifying to see. Some had taken time off work to be there, seeing the gravity and urgency of the matter. Thank you to all who made the effort to be there and made your presence felt. It is a very powerful gesture and one that Jesus himself takes note of, even more than our politicians for, as he himself has said: "Whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, that you do unto me" (Matt 25, 40). You couldn't get 'littler' than those who do not live to see the light of day ... the 'unborn'..

This Sunday is "Remembrance Day for the Unborn", and a reminder to us all that we have a moral obligation to defend the defenseless. You are invited to be a part of this, and to pray and act so that those contemplating and carrying out the tragic work of deliberate abortion - especially those performed close to the moment of birth - be moved and given the means necessary to avoid such a terrible loss of innocent little lives.

Please take note of the personal invitation Archbishop Anthony has made to each and every one of us:

"I also invite you to give public witness to the sanctity of human life at this year’s Day of the Unborn Child, which will be held on Sunday, 23 March 2025.
The day will begin with Holy Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral at 10.30am, followed by the Angelus at midday and a prayerful procession to NSW Parliament House and an address by Australia’s newest cardinal, His Eminence, Cardinal Mykola Bychok. We will then return to the Cathedral for Benediction."

We provided a bus to go in for last Wednesday's rally outside NSW Parliament House, due to the high cost of parking during the week in the city. Sundays, however, are easier days for city parking, and so we will be relying on parishioners to provide their own means to travel into the city for either the Mass at 10.30 am or the prayerful procession and addresses afterwards in front of Parliament House. I will be going into the city straight after the 10 am Mass at SCB Ryde, to participate once again in such a vitally important event. I look forward to greeting as many of you as possible on the day. More information can be found in the info box on page 3.

Collection of Non-Perishable Items and Toiletries for Our Lady's Kitchen
We are once again be launching an appeal this Lent for canned foods, non-perishable items and toiletries for the needy whom we serve (see info box on page 3). This has been a really positive way of our showing Christian love to our neighbouring poor, even if we not have the time, health or availability to do so directly. Please drop off your contributions either to the Parish Office during Office Hours, or to the entrances of our Churches during opening times, and we will get them to people in need. Thank you in advance for your help!

New Opening Hours for SCB Church on Mondays
We are pleased to announce that our SCB Church will now be open seven days a week, 7 am to 5 pm, with the addition of Mondays (though we do not intend to 'expose' the Blessed Sacrament on Mondays). As we now have surveillance cameras on our entrances and on the Sanctuary of the Church round the clock (introduced this year after the attacks on clerics of other Christian Churches last year), we can keep SCB Church open through the day, even if there is no Warden present.

As long as the Wardens are present, however, and whilst no other activity is going on in the Church, the Blessed Sacrament will continue to be 'exposed' on the main altar at SCB Church for personal adoration and prayer (from Tues - Sun). We ask all our Wardens to please notify the Parish Office if there is no one to 'man the Church', so that one of our Priests or Acolytes may come and place the Blessed Sacrament back in the Tabernacle, until such a time as a Warden is available to accompany the 'exposition' once again. I ask that the Warden kindly wait until such a time as a Priest or Acolyte arrives before leaving, in order to ensure that the sanctity and silence around the 'exposed' Blessed Sacrament be upheld by all present.

Need for Volunteers as Wardens in SCB Church
We also need more Wardens for certain 'slots' (Tues - Sun) when the Church is unattended and the Blessed Sacrament is 'exposed. Please contact the office to let us know if you could help fill in the gaps, and keep the 'exposition' available to parishioners and 'passers by'.

Need for Volunteers for Our Lady's Kitchen to cater for new people
Our 'meals-on-wheels' service (which we call 'Our Lady's Kitchen)', has been going on now for just under 4 years, and the number of 'clients' we serve has gradually grown over that time. We have recently split one of the 'runs', which had grown so much that some of the volunteers needed just under 2.5 hours to do the 'run'. That's a great sign of both the growing needs of our neighbours and the growing impact of the service, but it also places greater stress on the volunteers who currently run the service (a huge 'thank you' to all of you!).

Hence, we urgently need more volunteers to bring the food to our 'clients' - and believe us, they are really needy - living in our area. These happen every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon between 4 to 6 pm. This is to ensure that none of the 'runs' take any more than 1.5 hours to complete (there are three separate itineraries each day). We also have vacancies to package and label the packages for the 'runs', from about 2 pm onwards, and which shouldn’t take more than a half an hour to accomplish, and for drivers to pick up the cooked food beforehand from Strathfield on Tuesdays and from Hornsby on Wednesdays.

This is both a noble and practical way of helping needy people in our area, and the volunteers tell us it is a very beneficial venture both for them and for the 'clients' we serve. If you would like to know more about this, get in contact with the Parish during office hours: Mon - Fri 8.30 am - 4.30 pm.

And a Notice Regarding Anonymous Correspondence Received at the Parish Office.
From time to time, we receive 'anonymous' correspondence at the Parish Office addressed to me, delivered either by hand or via our letterbox. As I have explained in past bulletins, I regret to inform you all such anonymous correspondence, including messages from "A Parishioner" will, unfortunately, end up in the shredder without being read. I do ask the courtesy that all letters, (be they compliments or complaints!!), addressed to me or to Office Staff be signed off by the person concerned, so as to identify who they are. Apologies in advance for any offense caused by this policy, or due to lack of attention given to the matter being raised.

And that's about it for now. God bless you all, as Holy Week approaches.

Fr. Greg