From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 21st June, 2026

Hi everyone
RGCP Dempsey Medal Recipients 2026: Mary Panetta and Gordon Inglis
Congratulations to Mary and Gordon, both being long serving RGCP parishioners, who are the recipients this year of the coveted Dempsey Medal from Archbishop Anthony Fisher. The Archdiocesan Website explains the Dempsey Medal as follows:

The Dempsey Medal seeks to encourage and to recognise outstanding contributions and service by members of the Sydney Archdiocesan community to the local Catholic Church or the wider society.

Although the Dempsey Medal is awarded for outstanding service or witness to parish, diocese or community, it is primarily intended to recognise those who have made an outstanding contribution in the context of their local parish.

Both Mary and Gordon have excelled in many different ministries and works in the Parish over the years, and we are very proud to count them among the ranks of the Dempsey Medallists of the Archdiocese. They will be receiving their Awards from the Archbishop next Sunday 28th June at the Cathedral. Congrats, Gordon and Mary!

Vinnies Winter Appeal this Weekend 20 - 21 June SCB and OLQP
This weekend we will be holding the annual "Vinnies Winter Appeal" at both of our Churches, although for slightly different 'Conferences'. At SCB we will be collecting for our Vinnies Van service, and we would welcome any "snack packs", beanies and scarves, and toiletries. Cash donations may also be received via the envelopes placed in the pews. At OLQP Church, the Gladesville Conference will be collecting at the doors at the end of the Masses for their own work to the needy of their area. Thanks for your generous help for this very worthy outreach done through the Parish.

Annual Month Retreat - Fr. Greg, Dan and Daniele
On Monday, three of your resident priests will be embarking on our annual 'month of silent retreat' as we usually do every year. We will be doing that in the Philippines both for financial reasons (is about a 1/3 of the cost of doing so here) and also because there we meet up with fellow Verbum Dei missionaries from Asia and beyond and 'exchange notes'.

The purpose of the month of silent retreat is for us to deepen in our love for God and our commitment to build up God's Kingdom through "prayer and ministry of the Word" (Acts 6, 4), which is the life long vocation we have as Verbum Dei Missionaries. We cannot "form disciples" of Jesus without first "being disciples" of his; hence the commitment of our Founder, Fr. Jaime Bonet, enshrined in our Constitutions, for us to set aside a whole month each year from this busy world (and Parish) to deepen in his calling, his voice through the scriptures, and our relationship with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit, under the watchful gaze of Mother Mary.

But don't worry - you are being left in the very capable hands of Fr. Steve during the month we three will be away, and you will have a few visiting priests popping in to help out with the workload over that time. Thanks in advance for your prayers and support both for those of us who are going and for Fr. Steve who will be staying. We should all be back, God willing, on the weekend of the 25 - 26 July, with Fr. Steve set to have his own 'month of silent retreat' from mid-August to mid-September. Br. Antonio left last week for a home visit and month of silent retreat, and will be back in time for his second semester course studies.

And that's about it for now. Please pray for us on our retreat as we pray for all of you.

God bless,

Fr. Greg