Dec 25 Christmas YBDec 17/18 4th Wk Advent YBDec 10/11 3rd Wk Advent YB
Dec 3/4 2nd Wk Advent YB
Dear Parishioners,
I once went to a talk by a young girl (19) who suffered from Cerebral palsy. She was strapped into a wheel chair and intravenously fed and only had movement of her heard to left or right. Miranda was one of the most severely physically disabled people I have ever seen. Her talk was communicated through some friends using a “talking book” (a little difficult to explain if you have never seen one). At the end of the talk Miranda said through her friends- “thanks for listening to my story, and may you continue to listen to each others stories, for we all carry disabilities of one form or another - mine are just more obvious!”
I invite you to be aware that the 3rd of December is/was the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. What is our attitude and actions towards people with disabilities?
Holy God,
Open our community to be a sacred listening place where all are heard.
Open our community to be a sacred place of new vision and insight.
Open our community to be a sacred place of new attitudes, compassion and understanding of disability.
It is with joy that I announce and welcome a parishioner - Judy McMahon as the new Director of Nursing at JPV. Judy’s love for her vocation and leadership, among other things, will be a blessing for the JPV community.
Blessings to all, Fr Mick Nov 26/27 1st Wk Advent YB
Dear Parishioners,
There is a lot happening for our youth at the moment. Last weekend was a connect camp - in two weeks is our Salesian Leadership camp and this weekend is some of our senior youth on another Antioch w/e. Thanks to all involved and all the adults who support them.
I received a letter from Tony and Janis Laws during the week, I share some of it with you.
‘We are writing to let you know what is happening in Engadine Antioch. … they then mention the present weekend.
We have been the parent Couple at Engadine for 16-17 years and have been helped along the way by some other wonderful Parents both on a Sunday night and when we have had our recruit weekends.
We believe it is time for us to pass the baton, as other responsibilities are calling us. Therefore this will be our last weekend. … Antioch has been operating here in Engadine for almost 30 years and is the longest continuously operating Antioch Community in Australia, something we are very proud of.
We would like someone to step up and take over from us to help guide these young people in their Faith journey, for that is what Antioch is, mainly a Faith based community. We would remain as strong supporters of the couple who came forward.
It has been a very rewarding experience for us, watching these young people grow from adolescents to adults and in some cases marry and have children of their own. To be part of that is both humbling and awe inspiring; seeing their faith and love being passed on.
Many thanks and blessings to all those who have helped us over the years, particularly Ken and Fran Postill who have always been there for us and the Priests of our Parish who have been our Rock. Yours in Christ, Janis and Tony.
Thank you Tony and Janis and all the couples and young adults who have supported our youth via this ministry. I pray another couple will hear God’s invitation to this ministry …
Blessings Fr Mick Nov 19/20 Christ the KingDear Parishioners,
Congratulations and thanks to all involved with the first communions! It takes a lot of commitment by the parents, and support from so many parishioners, to enable our children to be part of the sacraments. For me today is similar to getting your licence to drive, or maybe your certificate for a significant step in your education, it is important but just a step. The challenge is to now ‘live’ this gift of the Eucharist; grow with Jesus and grow with our community of faith.
This Saturday night (6 pm) is/was the formal liturgical beginning of our RCIA candidates for 20011-12; their “rite of welcome”. It calls us as a faith community to open our hearts to them, and all who wish to visit or become part of our community. When was the last time you spoke to someone at church that you did not know? When was the last time you offered a hand of welcome at church? St Teresa has a prayer in which she says - Jesus spoke to her and said I have no hands but yours, I have no heart but yours … Thanks to all who let Jesus hands, heart and ‘welcome’ shine through you.
Blessings Fr Mick Nov 12/13 33rd Sun OTDear Parishioners, A
big focus of this weekend is giving thanks and congratulating Sr
Esperanza. Just reflect on 70 years of life focused on God and God’s
people as a religious sister! Wow! May her life inspire us in ways that
make a difference. Thank you Sr Esperanza and congratulations. Many
are aware that last week I heard that my dad was taken to hospital in
Melb. with an inoperable cancer, and the diagnosis is that he could die
at any time through complications or at best he has a few months. I
went down on Monday and Tuesday to see him. It is difficult to face the
end, not knowing what that means for dad, and also for my mum’s ongoing
living - she is struggling with alzheimers. I
had time with dad and my brothers on the Monday night and on Tuesday
morning b/fast with just dad and I, before his treatment. At the end of
that two hours in which we faced a number of the difficult question,
Dad who is not a religious man, ended with a tear in his eye expressing
his love and thanks, and saying maybe this was our last supper? Please
continue to keep us all in your prayers. Blessings to all, Fr MickNov 5/6 32nd Sun OTDear Parishioners,Most
know Matt Humphreys our youth minister. Matt is employed by the parish
for 30 hours a week and does far more! The quality of his ministry
is a real gift to our youth and the parish as a whole. Go to the youth
matters website to see some of the things he has helped animate for our
youth, or talk to youth about Matt. He will continue in this ministry,
but has also accepted the role as “Director of Mission for JPV” for 9
hours a week. This is a new position for JPV coming out of their
‘Strategic Plan’. I believe Matt has the heart, skills, and dedication
to take on this new role. His role is to help maintain and enhance the
spirit and vision of the John Paul Village community. Thank you Matt!
I
ask us all to continue to pray for Matt and all people in our parish
who give generously of themselves to work for the coming of God’s
Kingdom.BlessingsFr MickBread Run every
Tuesday evening -7pm, at Youth Matters. We receive the leftovers
from a generous bakery to distribute among those for whom such a gift is
appreciated. At the moment we have more bread and cakes than we can
distribute. If you know of any families who would appreciate this gift
- please tell them about it, it is a shame to throw it away! Oct.29/30 31st Sun OT
Dear Parishioners,
Congratulations to all the children who shared in First Communion last Sunday - most will be receiving their certificates this weekend. My question to the children was “What do you hope to get by sharing in the Eucharist?” and to the Parents, “what do you hope your children to become over time, through the Eucharist?” I believe they are good questions for all of us each time we share in the Eucharist.This week we begin Nov. - traditionally a month to remember and pray for our loved ones who have died. We have some extra masses on Tues. and Wed., and a special ritual in Nov. to honour those we have loved who have died.
May we connect to the communion of saints - and those on the journey to fullness of life with God. I leave you with this reflection regards those who die. “When one dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language!” We are each a letter in God’s book. Blessings and thanks, Fr Mick Oct 22/23 1st communion St JB"The Eucharist: Source and summit of the life and mission of the Church" (Church Documents) Dear Parishioners,Congratulations and thanks to all who made the JPV fete last weekend such a success.This
weekend the children from St John Bosco primary will celebrate their
first Holy Communion. We congratulate them, and wish them God’s
blessings. May they feel God’s blessings today, and every time they
share in the gift of the Eucharist! Our Y12 students began HSC exams this week - we wish them well, and may we accompany them with our prayers.A
highlight for me this week was listening to two of our younger
parishioners speak at the final SIP(Spirituality in the Pub) gathering.
The theme of SIP this year has been ‘Why bother …?’ and Annalissa Ovens
and Matt Humphreys shared “Why bother about Church?”. They both spoke
with passion, and were inspirational! There will soon be a summary on
their sharings on the parish website - search for ‘SIP’ to find it. It
will not be the same as being there - but it will be excellent food for
reflection. Why do you bother about Church?Blessings Fr Mick (Parish Priest)
Oct 15/16 29th Sun. in Ord Time Dear parishioners,The
big focus this weekend is JPV with their fete. I hope you got a chance
to drop in and support them. JPV is an amazing place - I continue to
marvel at the work that is done there. The sense of community that has
been built up by the staff, volunteers and residents. It truly is a
Salesian work that lives being a home that welcomes, a parish that
evangelises, a school that helps them to live life ot the full, and a
playground where friends meet and enjoy one anothers company.I
finish with a lovely quote I read during the week; 'All the great
spiritual leaders in history were people of hope. Abraham, Moses, Ruth,
Mary, Jesus, Gandhi, and Dorothy Day all lived with a promise in their
hearts that guided them toward the future without the need to know
exactly what it would look like. ' May we continue to be beacons of God’s hope for the world at JPV, in our parish, YM, in our 3 schools, and in our families.BlessingsFr MickOct 8/9 28th Sun. Ordinary Time“Celebrating Gratitude” - This weekend we are reflecting on the gift of gratitude within our lives and taking time to acknowledge and say ‘thank you’ to all the parishioners who make our parish what it is. - Thank you and Blessings - Fr Mick Dear Parishioners,Sr Margaret Bentley, Provincial of the Salesian Sisters, has announced that Sr Sarah will be retiring from Bosco and moving to St Mary's in 2012. Sr Sarah has been a gift to our community for the past twelve years. Sr Sarah was one of the foundation Sisters of our primary school and has also been the Principal twice over the past 51 years. Sr Sarah will be sadly missed, but we understand that as a religious she is called to respond to the needs of the wider church mission.We look forward to celebrating the gift Sr Sarah has been to our community in late January - when we celebrate Salesian Family. More details to follow..Thanks to Matty H. and the youth who helped him, for the holiday programs for youth during these holidays. There was also 2 special days organised by a ‘kindy’ mum - (Bec Rowan) and with the help of our middle secondary youth, a great time was had by many. Thanks to her and to the youth who helped. Bec sent me the following note: “I have received some wonderful feedback from many of the mums that attended one or both of the play dates. Many commented on how mature and helpful the Youth Helpers were.Blessings and gratitude to you all,Fr MickOct.1/2 27th Sun. Ordinary TimeDear Parishioners,Congratulations to the winners, and commiserations to the losers of our major winter competitions with the NRL and AFL grandfinals this weekend! Sport is such a major part of our lives - may it continue to bless us and our children. Thanks to all those who have shared in the Youth holiday programs during the week, and if you missed out then see the Youth Matters website for some ‘cool’ activities for the second week of the holidays.Next Sunday is a special celebration in our parish - “giving thanks!” Gratitude is an amazing lens to experience life, and what a gift it is each time we pick it up or ‘clean’ it so we might view life with it. The Stewardship group have a few things organised to help us connect with this attitude - I thank them and look forward to experiencing the weekend with you all.While looking ahead - the JPV fete is two weeks away. It is a fun family opportunity and also a way to express our support to this important community within our parish. I hope to see you there. BlessingsFr Mick
Fr Chris Riley sent a thank you letter to all those who contributed to his
works. Thanks for your generous contribution that added up to $5320.Sept 24/25 26th Sun. Ordinary TimeDear Parishioners,
It is exciting that the new awning for the Engadine Church begun this weekend and hopes to be completed by early December! May it be something that binds us together a little more, and also may we see it as a gift to all parishioners that follow behind us.
Another important thing this weekend is the Social Justice statement from our bishops. I see Social Justice as the living of Jesus command to love for those beyond my physical reach. I strive to help set up ‘just’ structures that support the dignity, freedom and development of people. This year our Australian Bishops have invited us to focus on our Prisons. Are they ‘bridges or walls’?
I leave you with a short extract from the statement:
'Between 1984 and 2008, the number of Australians in prison per 100,000 people almost doubled. Over that time, however, rates of crime either stayed steady or fell. The majority of Australian prisoners come from the most disadvantaged sections of the community: indigenous people, the underprivileged, those suffering from mental illness. Given these facts, we must ask if the justice system is truly delivering justice to our community.'
- Bishop Christopher Saunders, Bishops' Social Justice Statement, 2011-2012Happy holidays to all students and families that are using this time for a vacation.
Fr Mick'I never apologize. I'm sorry, but that's just the way I am!'- Homer SimpsonSept 17/18 25th Sun. Ordinary TimeDear Parishioners,
We are moving into the last week of the school term. This weekend are presentations for a number of winter sports, I know of netball and soccer. Congratulations to all who achieved personal and team goals through their sports.
I would like to make you aware of some major ‘big picture’ things that are happening at this time. Next weekend in the city are major speakers talking about “What Difference Can the Catholic Church Make?” read more on the parish website under ‘coming events’, join us and journey in on the train if you wish. Next weekend is also “Social Justice Sunday” and the Australian bishops have put out a document: “Building Bridges, Not Walls: Prisons and the justice system.” A provocative image- ‘building bridges, not walls!’ It is also Mission Sunday next week and there will be an envelope collection to support the Catholic Missions.
Finally a book has been produced by the priest’s of the Sutherland Deanery with short snippets on the some of the priests of the deanery - they are $5 from the parish office. Three of the present Salesians made the book!
Blessings and live Jesus,
Fr Mick
Sept 10/11 24th Sun. Ordinary TimeFrom
SJB Stewardship Group: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have
received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its
various forms.” (1 Peter 4:8-10) Dear Parishioners,As always a lot of things happening around our community. The
artistic/musical talents of both the primary school and the college
students were displayed in full force during the week. The primary
school with their J-Rock at the Entertainment Centre and the college
with their creative arts at Sutherland. Congratulations to the
students and teachers for such amazing performances. The
new awning on the Engadine church will now commence on 28/09/11 and be
completed early December. This is a big project and I thank the members
of the finance committee for helping to make this happen. (Read More ... .)I
welcome 4 new members to the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC); Phil
Frisardi, Ruth Werner, Jo Simpson and Peter Strudwick. I thank the
council members whose term of involvement has ended. May
our weekly Eucharist continue to gather us as a community, and deepen
our faith in Jesus as our source of strength, and light to guide us to
God’s Kingdom.Blessings and may we continue to live Jesus,Fr Mick (Parish Priest)Sept 3/4 23rd Sun. Ordinary TimeFathers Day: Dear Parishioners,I once had a little boy (about 6) whose father had died, ask me “Fr Mick, will you be my dad?”I
struggled with a tear in my eye, to answer him in a way that was
honest, but also in a way that wouldn’t hurt such a special request.
Dad’s of the parish “will you be the best dad you can be to your
children?” They need it and deep down long for it! Will you also be
a dad to kids who have lost their fathers, or for some reason their
dad’s are not fulfilling that role?Happy
Father’s day to all the dad’s and men of our parish (that gets us
priests into the mix as well!). I would love to be present at each of
the parish masses to hear the different sharings on fatherhood from the
dad’s of our parish. What has been the gift of fatherhood to you?
May we hold those gifts in our hearts and in our prayers of gratitude
to God. What are your hopes for fatherhood? Let those hopes be also part of our prayers this weekend.I
pray for God’s blessings to be upon all men, to empower them to live
the gift of fatherhood for their family and us the parish community. For the kingdom, Fr Mick (Parish Priest)August 27/28 22nd Sun. Ordinary TimeFamily mass 9.30am followed by picnic.Dear Parishioners,Welcome
back to our WYD pilgrims .. we look forward to hearing some of your
stories and the ways the experience shaped your hearts!!Congratulations to the 140+ young people who celebrated the sacrament of reconciliation for the first time (Aug 20/23/25). Many thanks to the parents, teachers and catechists who guided them.Janette
Joseph retires from before and after school care after 16 years of
service in that ministry. Congratulations, thanks and best wishes.Blessings to all, Fr MickAugust 20/21 21st Sun. Ordinary TimeDear Parishioners,I
encourage us all to keep asking the question within today’s gospel -
‘Who do you say Jesus is?’ How we answer that determines many of our
responses to God and how we live life!This
week, the young people of our parish will be answering the question in
the context of the sacrament of reconciliation - Jesus as God’s
forgiveness of sin. My prayer is that they will come to know Jesus as I
have, as the forgiving love of God. Often
I invite and call people to be part of ministries within our parish -
who they say Jesus is, influences their responses and their level of
commitment to those responses. My prayer is that they will come to
know Jesus as an initiator and presence of God’s Kingdom among our
community and world - and inviting us to share with Him, cost what it
may!Who do you say Jesus is? How you live your faith and life within our parish community flows from this question …. Blessings and as St Francis de Sales use to end his letters, Live Jesus! Fr Mick
August 13/14 20th Sun. Ordinary TimeDear Parishioners, I have always been moved by Martin Luther King Jnr’s speech “I have a dream …” What is your dream for our parish community? What is your dream for your own faith life, for the faith life of our community? During the week a number of gatherings were fostering my dreams. Thanks to the families who gathered for the building family night around reconciliation. They were invited to reflect on the targets they are aiming for as a family - and how we often miss the mark! They were invited to say sorry and ask for forgiveness.
The baptismal team couples also gathered to reflect on their ministry. I thank all those involved with this ministry, they do a great service to God and our community. I invite other couples who would like to share in this ministry of nurturing and helping couples with children to be baptised, to come forward and support us. See me if God moves your heart towards this ministry. I also invite people who would like to help explore ways we can support and develop the gifts of the Spirit within the children who are confirmed to come forward. There is an initial exploration meeting next Tuesday 16th Aug at 7.30 pm. This week I received some invitations for events in Sept. that can fan our dreams and deepen our faith formation. I have placed them on the parish website under events coming. When was the last time you consciously nurtured your faith? I am glad you said at the Sunday Eucharist :). Would you like to come to a special banquet of faith? That is how I see these formation events. Blessings, Fr Mick.August 6/7 19th Sun. Ordinary TimeDear Parishioners, Thanks to everyone who contributed to the Confirmations last weekend; from the parents, to the teachers, to the parishioners who did things to enhance the experience — like the cards and those beautiful banners. To the musicians and the singers, to the servers and acolytes, to the admin people who helped logistically make the preparation and celebration of Confirmation a powerful experience for many of the youth. To Bishop Terry Brady and his warm, Jesus centered, and personal way in which he administered the Sacrament to the children. To the children for their prayerful and respectful participation - may you live the gifts of this Sacrament for the rest of your lives!
Last Sunday night we farewelled the Youth going to WYD in Spain. Please hold them in your prayers. “A trip fills your mind with memories and empties your pockets. A pilgrimage fills your mind with memories, empties your pockets and transforms your heart.” I pray it is a pilgrimage for our 11 young people who are lucky enough to experience it.
First Reconciliations are less than 3 weeks away … again please hold these children in your prayers and hearts. May they know the love of God and their sin. Then may they know how God always forgives when we are sorry, and encourages us to start again.
This weeks readings are partly about hearing God and also about learning to cope with that ‘sinking’ feeling that overwhelms all of us at times. What wisdom did Elijah and Peter bring to your experiences of these aspects of life? Blessings Fr Mick July 30/31 18th Sun. Ordinary Time
First of all our hearts and prayers are with the children receiving the sacrament of confirmation. May God’s Holy Spirit bring ‘fire’, ‘commitment’ and the ‘gifts of the Spirit’, to your lives this weekend, and for the rest of your lives. We also bless and farewell the young people from the
parish who are going to World Youth Day in Spain at the 6 pm Sunday night mass. Again may your hearts be open to the ‘graces’ that are
offered to you through this special experience.
¡Buen viaje! I had a very interesting time in Qld at a conference for religious education teachers and then a week at an indigenous boarding school - a couple of hours from Townsville. If you get a chance to watch this Y-tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxshWurbBsk made by the boys from the school you will get a little insight and also help them as they are striving to get 10,000 hits on their Y-tube rap song about them and their school. It is good to be home … Blessings Fr Mick
The Liturgy Committee would appreciate
feedback about the nature of the implementation of the New Translation of the Mass.
Could you please put your feedback in writing
for the committee to consider it at
their next meeting.
The committee also warmly welcomes
anyone who would like to become
involved in the committee. Perhaps, if you have strong opinions about
how liturgy is conducted at Engadine
the Holy Spirit is calling you to become a
member of the Committee.
The parish gives thanks to all those involved in organising the liturgical life of the parish
and deeply appreciates the time they spend
each week in attempting to provide a
rich liturgical life for the parish. Blessings. Fr. Marc
July 23/24 17th Sun. Ordinary Time
Fr Chris Riley—Youth off the Streets Will be speaking at Engadine Masses on 23rd/24th July
please make him feel welcome and
prepare to give to this wonderful Ministry. “Feast of the Sacred Heart” Thankyou to all the teachers and staff, boys and girls and parents who generously donated all the food and money which went to
St Vincent de Paul. Winter Appeal raised Approximately $8,000.00 Fr Mick was away
July 16/17 16th Sun. Ordinary Time
We pray for all our deceased family and friends, especially Dorothy Bulgin and
David Millwood (husband of Maria Millward from the College and father of Alex and Anna Grace). Fr Mick was away
July 9/10 15th Sun. Ordinary Time
"Thanks to all the parishioners who generously support the parish through the sacrificial giving envelopes, our main form of income."
Catechist Raffle—date for the draw has been changed to 7th September and not what is stated on the ticket. Thanks to those who have already purchased tickets. Fr Mick was away July 2/3 14th Sun. Ordinary TimeDear parishioners and friends,We
begin the new translation of the mass this weekend. What changes
will/did you notice? How do you feel about the changes? It will take
a while to get use to some things - but may we use this experience to
break through some of our complacency and to connect more with the gift
of our Eucharistic Liturgy. Thanks
to all the parishioners who were commissioned as Eucharistic ministers
last weekend! I got to see and experience parts of the Antioch w/e for
our youth. I cannot express my thanks enough to Tony and Janice Laws
for all they do for our youth through Antioch. I also thank all the
parishioners who helped out, including the past Antioch youth, Fr Marc,
and to the youth themselves, for giving up their time to form community
and to grow in their faith! Thanks to the College for their hospitality
and providing their physical resources so generously.I
also thank Matty H. and his team of helpers and performers for last
Wed. night. What a gift you gave us as a community with the cabaret!
While on the youth scene, at last count I heard that 60 kids had
enrolled for the winter camp! Blessings to all involved. Thanks
to those who gathered to pray for the adoration - there are so many
forms of prayer - but each enhances us as individuals and us as a
community of faith.Thanks
to the primary school staff and to the children for the ways you
celebrated the Sacred Heart of Jesus during the week - you are an
inspiration.I
will be away for most of July - I begin with my yearly retreat - please
pray for me regards that. Then I have some time with my family in
Melbourne and hope to see an AFL match!! Then I return to Sydney to
share in a Marriage Encounter w/e before going to Brisbane to be part of
a Conference for Assistant principals. I finish off my break with some
rest time with some friends up north. Holding you in my prayer while away,Fr Mick (parish priest)NB Called and Gifted w/e. See coming events on Parish website - it is not too late to register.Mass to Farewell our WYD youth on 31st July 6 pm.Confirmations in the parish 30/31st July - including 6pm mass on the 30th July.
June 25/26 Body and Blood.Dear Parishioners,There
are at least two major things happening for the parish this weekend; 1)
we will commission our parish ministers of the Eucharist, and 2) the
Antioch w/e. Thank you to all who have taken on and live being
Eucharistic ministers, and all who support our youth. A
central statement that came from our church’s documents (Vat. 2) was
that “The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian lives.”How
true is this for you? How do we as a parish make this real and live
it? What is the ‘source’ from which we understand, are nourished and
inspired, in our Christian lives?I
think the intellectual answer would be Jesus! Yet Jesus shared with us
a ritual by which we might continue to ‘re-member’ and live through
Him, with Him and in Him. What
is the ‘summit’ we are aiming for in our Christian lives? Again the
intellectual answer would be Jesus - yet the Eucharist ritually invites
and empowers us to be Jesus as we learn to understand and live the four
movements of Jesus’ life and of the Eucharist - “offering”, “blessed”,
“broken”, and “shared”. I
invite the new Eucharistic ministers and us the ‘parish community’ to
dream of what it would be like if we all could all live Eucharist.
Imagine us becoming what we celebrate with Jesus - us becoming
Eucharist for each other, for God and for the world. How would
‘offering’ be experienced and lived out? How would ‘blessing’ be
experienced and lived out? How would ‘broken’ and then ‘shared’, also
be experienced and lived out?I
look at people such as Bryan and Jan who lead the Ministers of the
Eucharist, and Tony and Janice who lead Antioch - and I see ‘offering,
blessed, broken and shared’ in real life! Thank you.BlessingsFr MickParish
Cabaret for the whole family. 6.30pm - 9.30 pm on Wednesday 29th June
in the New primary school hall! A celebration of community.
18/19 June - Trinity: Dear Parishioners,
Many
in our community give of themselves to help community happen. The
Bosconian recognises many of them by sharing stories of things happening
around us. Thanks to all who contributed and put together the
Bosconian for June, and a special thanks to John Casey for his central
role. Be sure to get your copy!!
Congratulations to Fr Frank Bertagnolli who received a Medal of the Order of Australia
for service to youth, and for his contributions to us Salesians of Don Bosco.
While
noting achievements, Rev Rod Harding has been the Pastor of St John's
Sutherland (Anglican) for the past 28 year and is retiring at the end of
June 2011. There is a farewell dinner on July 16. See me if you would
like more info. or would like to attend.
This
week some parishioners made special prayer cards for the 130+ children
who have enrolled for confirmation!! They are quite stunning … We are
inviting parishioners to be “prayer buddies” for them as they move
towards their confirmation. At masses over the next few weekends many
of these children will be present and you will be invited to adopt one
as a prayer companion.
Thanks to Danielle, Jo and Matt for last weekend’s sacramental focus session with the children preparing for confirmation :)
For
those who hunger to grow, and are looking for ways to help others grow,
there is a great opportunity on the horizon, July 15/16. There is a
workshop entitled: “Called and Gifted”. A number of parishioners are going, if interested see me or the website under “coming events” for more details.
Blessings
Fr MickUpdated on Parish Website:
I see the website as a means to help parishioners have ‘windows’ and
even ‘doors’ to all our parish groups! In the long term, my hope is for
it to become a two-way means of “connection and communication” for our
parish family and beyond!In
“Parish News” on the website (using google analytics), I have put
statistics up of the number of people who have visited the parish
website in the last month - and how many from different countries and
different cities in Australia. The big picture? There have been about
1,800 visits from about 900 different people. Parish
Cabaret for the whole family. 6.30pm - 9.30 pm on 29th June in the
New primary school hall! A celebration of community. Contact Matty H.
for more details.
I
need help! The children need support! Someone with teaching skills,
who would be willing to lead the children from State Schools, in
preparing for Reconciliation on Sundays (5 pm to 5.45pm) over 5 weeks
(July 17 to Aug. 20) We have the admin side covered. Please contact
Fr Mick asap.
11/12 June - Pentecost:Dear Parishioners and visitors,It has been a significant week of parish formation. Fr Frank Moloney shared with the Dunlea Staff, the College Staff and the Salesian Community. The Liturgy Committee continued to deepen our understanding of the Eucharist with their night, and Sr Jan Barnett gave a most inspiring presentation of Social Justice as an imperative of the Gospel of Jesus on Wed. night.
There is a saying among doctors - you become what you eat! Most can relate to that ...
It is also true in terms of our hearts and spirits! What are we feeding our hearts and spirits? Private prayer is bread and water, Community prayer and fellowship are our vegetables, good reading and formations are our protein and the above opportunities are feasts for growth!
Fr Marc takes a short well earned break (2 weeks) - so we wish him well.
Finally on the feast of Pentecost I invite us to become more aware of the 132 children in our parish who have enrolled for confirmation. Let us pray for them - and live the gift of our own confirmation to inspire and challenge them.
Blessings of the Spirit upon you all ...
Fr Mick (Parish Priest)
4/5 June- Ascension - Dear Parishioners and visitors,I
take this opportunity to welcome Fr Frank Moloney among us for a few
days. Those involved with our works (some of the schools and JPV) and
those at the 6 pm Sunday night mass will get a chance to meet with him. There are a number of opportunities happening this week and I encourage people to be involved. We grow by being involved. - On Tuesday night the
Liturgy Committee continues to unfold the New Translation of the mass.
I will be using this night to deepen my understanding of the Eucharist -
which is the source and summit of our Catholic faith. 7.30 pm in the
Mazzarello Hall.-
On Wednesday night Sr Jan Barnett who comes highly recommended, will
share with us and awaken within us special dimension of the gospel
vision. This is a special opportunity and I encourage you to again
join us and listen to God’s Spirit through her sharing. Again 7.30 pm
in teh Mazzarello Hall.-
The following week is the start of the Eucharistic Ministers Course.
Those who are accepting the call to this ministry will be there, and
those who wish to re-fresh. I remember how powerful I found Bryan
Coupland’s presentation on this ministry, and I know I will be attending
again with the hope that more of that wisdom will ‘stick’ within me and
deepen my own living of the Eucharist. - On the 15 - 17 July I
will be involved with three married couples in presenting a Marriage
Encounter Weekend at Douglas Park. I have shared in this ministry for
over 25 years, and next to my Salesian tradition it has the most impact
on forming me to be the priest I am today. For those who are married -
your marriage is your most important asset. How much do you
nurture, reflect on, and support this gift? The weekend is focused on
rekindling the sources of your love, communication, and fundamentals in
regards to your marriage. It is a very personal and private
experience; no group discussions. Those who are interested can find
more info from the parish website or I am happy to answer any questions
about it. -
Finally on September 17 & 18 Fr Marc and a few parishioners will be
attending a seminar in Ballarat, Vic. on Stewardship. I invite as many
parishioners as possible to join Fr Marc in attending the seminar. See
the Stewardship section of the Parish website for more details or talk
to Fr Marc.BlessingsFr Mick (Parish Priest)21/22 May- 6th Sunday of Easter-Dear Parishioners,It
is with joy that I welcome and thank our 4 new acolytes who are being
installed at the 9.30am Engadine mass. Last week we had 10 altar
servers begin their training course - and in a few weeks we have many
people stepping forward to begin their training to be Eucharistic
Ministers. I also thank all the regular ministers of our liturgies who
gathered on Thursday to explore the implications of the new mass
translation to their ministries.Whenever
people step forward I hope it encourages us and challenges us to ask
how am I responding to how God has gifted me? To know we are gifted
by God, and from that to have an ‘attitude of gratitude’ that wishes to
share with others, is central to a mature and healthy faith life. I
encourage all of us to keep noticing, naming and thanking God for our
gifts. The next step is to ask “How can I best share my gifts from God,
with the parish and the wider community?”BlessingsFr Mick21/22 May- 5th Sunday of Easter-Thanks to all the students, parishioners, parents and teachers who
helped with the confirmation retreats during the week. - Please pray for
these children.
Thanks to all who celebrated the family mass last
week - and were able to share in the picnic following. A group from
that part of our community are going to gather after every family mass with their families - all are welcome. Email
Michelle if you wish to know more, and be reminded where and when it is
on. (derrigs@optusnet.com.au)
Thanks to the catechists who gathered on Friday - this is a special ministry. Thanks to the PPC and Boys Town board who met during the week steering parish bodies. Thanks to the new alter servers starting their training on Friday.
Thanks for the suggestions regards the parish website - I know it is improving thanks to people's contributions and suggestions. Thanks to those who entered into the pilgrimage walk on Saturday. I look forward to the Antioch reunion and us continuing to grow as a faith community.
Blessings
Fr Mick
14/15th May - 4th Sunday of Easter - Dear Parishioners,
There are many key groups in our parish and one
is the Stewardship Group. They are exploring ways to help us grow as a
welcoming community, this is also a goal in our parish mission-vision
statement and it is at the heart of the Gospel! They will be doing
certain things to awaken us to this Gospel call, however fundamentally
it is an attitude within each of our hearts. I invite us to grow and
expand our welcoming hearts.
Imagine the characteristics of a
welcoming heart? I see it as warm, listening, regular, finding time
for others, reaching out rather than waiting for others, what else?
Imagine your heart growing in these characteristics, imagine our whole
parish being like this.
Let us examine our hearts and ask Jesus to guide us to dream and live with welcoming hearts.
At
many of the masses last weekend a few people gifted mothers with heart
shaped cookies individually wrapped! This email echoes others I
received, and also things people said to me directly: "Just a note of
thanks on behalf of mothers at mass last weekend. Father it was such a
lovely gesture and a surprise. Please thank those wonderful people who
arranged this little gift, such a lot of time would have gone into our
little heart biscuits and it was really appreciated." Thanks to those
special people.
Blessings for the journey,
Fr Mick
7/8th May - 3rd Sunday of Easter - Dear Parishioners,
Many
thanks to all the mothers and to all the women who share with us a
motherly heart. We celebrate, honour and thank you today.
I had my
first experience of praying some of the new translation of the mass
during the week. It was in the context of the beautiful masses
celebrating the Resurrection by the Primary School. That context was so
special and the children prayed and sung in such a way that it was
difficult to comment on the translation explicitly.
Over a long
period of time much work has been done on the parish website as a
vechile of communication for us as a parish. There is now a new base on
which the parish website stands - it now uses 'google-sites'. I ask
as many parishioners as possible to have a look - and go to the
"suggestions" tab along the top dialogue boxes, and leave a comment
regards clarity, attractiveness, user-friendly, and any suggestions to
improve. If you are able to help with the maintaining of the website
information - I would like to hear from you.
The resurrection has
great implications for how we live our lives. The event has happened -
but we need to grow into it and live with the resurrected Jesus. What
does this really mean in our lives? Following Easter is 6 weeks of
Easter-tide where we as a church community explore that question
explicitly.
Blessings
Fr Mick
News Items:
Coming on Sat. 21st May a Pilgrimage Walk from Sutherland to Engadine in
the 'spirit' of Fr Tom Dunley. Email Phil Frisardi at
phill_frisardi@optusnet.com.au if you are interested and if you have any
questions. Departing Sutherland at 1.30pm sharp - to 4.30 pm. Click for a reflection on the
meaning of a Pilgrimage - hope you can join us.
30th April/1st May - 2nd Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday
Dear Parishioners,
My
sincere thanks to all those who helped and participated in the Easter
Liturgies; from musicians, to liturgists, to ministers of reading,
communion, alter servers and acolytes, to actors, to preparers of the
practical, to cleaning and to the active parishioners who came to pray!
Together we become the Body of Christ, and grow in responding to God's
personal call in our lives.
The experience of Easter is an amazing
gift God has given to us through, with and in Jesus. It is not an
event but a 'life'; where we also learn to live, die and rise in and
with God over and over again. May we continue to unpack it and learn
to live it. The Church will invite us to do this very explicitly over
the next 6 weeks.
What is your experience of resurrection?
Imagine your life living the 'resurrection' with Jesus - what would it
look like? I invite you to pray with me that this vision for
ourselves, and for us as a parish family will be true. Lord your
Kingdom Come!
Blessings and gratitude,
Fr Mick
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