Hi everyone!

"Nice to Be Back!"

We're in the thick of winter, but as you can see, we have all now safely returned from our month of retreat overseas: Fr. Daniele, Fr. Dan, Br. Antonio and myself, and it is so nice to be back! Thanks for all your prayers during the last month, and your kind support of Fr. Steve in our absence (he certainly didn't die of hunger!!). We are now back ‘into the swing of things’ and there are a lot of things happening at the Parish over the next few months. But firstly, I need to communicate to you an important 'liturgical' announcement from the Liturgy Office of the Archdiocese:
Solemnities of St. Mary Mackillop (8 August) and the Assumption (15 August)

Being our very own (and 'one and only') Australian Saint, St. Mary MacKillop has her own Feast Day on the 8th of August, and it is for us a Solemnity here in Australia. As such, all day Saturday the 8th, the Masses at our churches will be devoted to her Solemnity (including the 5 & 6 pm Vigil Masses) with the Sunday Masses being those of that Sunday (9th August). For the Feast of the Assumption (15th August), we will be having a special Vigil Mass on Friday 14th August at 6 pm at SCB Church, in addition to the 8 am, and 5pm / 6 pm Vigil Masses on Saturday 15 August. All these Masses will be devoted to the Feast of the Assumption, which is itself a Holy Day of Obligation. The Masses for Sunday 16th August will all be for the Sunday Mass. You are obliged on that weekend (14 - 15 August) to attend Mass both days due to the special nature of the Feast of the Assumption.

Hope that helps!

New Awning Extension Completed at SCB

As you can also see, there is a new extension to the existing awning outside our Parish Centre at SCB Ryde. The awning was principally installed to provide some protection for our kids from the possibility of branches falling from the 'white gum' above, where they wait for their parents to pick them up of an afternoon, but it will also serve as a covered extension of our 'hospitality area' immediately outside the Parish Office and our Noah's Ark Cafe, where we gather on Sunday mornings after Mass. Hope you like it!!

RGCP Parish Picnic Initiative - Putney Park Sunday 20 September 2026

One of the initiatives we are taking this year is to have a "Parish Picnic" for us all to get together and get to know each other a bit better. This year we have booked "Gazebo 4" at Putney Park for the afternoon, which will be a BYO set up (food and drinks). Our Youth Team will be along, however, to organise games and activities for the kids so that it be a very family friendly event with (hopefully) beautiful weather (which we will leave in the Good Lord's hands). So, 'Save the Date' in your calendars, and invite your family and friends along for the afternoon. Starts at 12 pm, so bring along your rugs and folding chairs for a great afternoon together.

RGCP International Feast Day - Sunday November 8 2026

As we do every second year, in the intermittent year between the SCB Primary School Fetes, we will once again be hosting our own "RGCP International Food Day" on Sunday 8 November 2026. We are currently looking for 'Culinary & Cultural' Teams to enhance the list of international offerings on the day. We currently have European (Italian, Croatian) Middle Easten (so far ... 'only' Lebanese), South American (Mexican, Colombian, Ecuadorian and Argentinian), Asian (Filipino, Indonesian, Vietnamese), and South African offerings, with our friends from SCB Primary P&F organising the Traditional Aussie BBQ Hamburgers. Are there any others among your good selves who would like to add their own 'country of origin' to the culinary offerings already on the list? If so, please contact Judy at ea@rgcp.org.au, or call the Parish Office.

This year we will have the desserts at each international food section, so you can also offer these in each cultural category, if available. Please 'Save the Date' for that one as well. Yummee!!

And that's about it for now. May the Good Lord keep blessing you all ... and keep warm!!



Fr. Greg