PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE – ‘Towards a Fresh View of Church!’ - II
Dear Friends,
For a Church that usually changes very slowly, our modern challenge is often how to cope with the rapidity of change – the experience of every one of us as technology makes today’s inventions redundant tomorrow. As a result, a week can be a long time in the life of the Church especially when people of good will who are accustomed to change want more change.
Last week I mentioned the ‘disconnect’ some experience in their encounters with the Church. This is often associated with our greater awareness of shortcomings in the Church which have been compounded by an unhealthy clericalism, limitations of the hierarchical model, a culture of silence, at times a too simplistic outlook on the world, slowness to change, attitudes to women, failures of our leaders and some of those we admired but who failed badly in ministry.
Keeping things in perspective is a major challenge and I draw great hope from the emphasis of Pope Francis on the theme of Joy in his Apostolic Letters: Evangelii Gaudium – The Joy of the Gospel; Amoris Laetitia – The Joy of Love – on Love in the Family; Gaudete et Exultate – Rejoice and Be Glad – on the Call to Holiness; Laudato Si – Praise be To You – on Care for Our Common Home; Christus Vivit – Christ is Alive! – on Ministry to Young People.
Information about the current Sacramental Program
- Welcome to the Sacramental Program 2019-2020
- Registration Form 2019-2020
- Photocard
- Parish News
- Baptism of Young Children Program
- Nurturing Faith
- Stations of the Cross
Practice for First Reconciliation Tuesday 10 March at 4pm in SK Church OR Wednesday 11 March at 7pm in SC Church;
The next Baptism of Young Children Program (for children aged 7 – 11 years) will commence in March 2020, prior to the beginning of the 2020 – 2021 Children’s Sacramental Program;
For further information please contact Janette on 0408 866 521 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PARISH LENTEN PROGRAM – ‘Grace’
Interested parishioners are invited to join the 2020 Lenten Program to be held on either Monday or Thursday evenings during Lent. This year we are using ‘Grace’, a program prepared by the Diocese of Wollongong. Program booklets are available for a small donation. Please sign the list on one of the clipboards in the church foyers by this Sunday 23 February or phone the Parish Office to register.
Hospitality Volunteers required for 9:30am Mass at St Kieran’s Church
We are looking for volunteers to serve tea, coffee and bickies after the 9:30am mass at St Kieran’s Church. You are welcome to volunteer just once a year or more if you can manage it. It is a very easy way to volunteer and keep the community spirit alive in our parish. Setting up takes 15 minutes before mass and serving/cleaning up after mass takes about 30/40 minutes.
It is very easy and everything is provided, including training!
I hope to hear from some parishioners as it is a lovely part of our Sunday morning gathering as well as a great way to meet more parishioners.
Have a wonderful day Ursula 0423 595 204 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Friends of St Augustine
Friends of St Augustine
Next Gathering
Thursday 5 March 7.30pm Parish Centre
Exploring the themes that emerged from last year’s Joy In Believing Congress join us as we focus on God’s love in Scripture and in Augustine’s writing. Always asking:
“What can we learn from Augustine about living in the 21st century?”
All Parishioners Welcome
Are you looking for a real-world unit in THEOLOGY?
Fr Paul Maloney osa and Paul Wilson are offering 2 online post graduate courses in Theology over the next 2 trimesters through Broken Bay Institute commencing this week. As these are online courses, they can be done in your own time. Details are available on posters around the church and on the parish website. You stand to gain 2 units of a Grad Cert/Masters in Theological studies.
As a result of the partnership between the Augustinians and BBI, your registration fees for these courses return in part to the Augustinians. Here is a chance to improve your appreciation of a: CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING (trimester 1) and
b: AUGUSTINIAN SPIRITUALITY FOR JUSTICE (trimester 2) Fr Paul and Paul are keen to welcome interested parishioners to their courses. Book by phoning Broken Bay Institute on 9847 0030 or Paul Wilson 0438 646 294 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PARISH LITURGY RENEWAL
TRAINING FOR READERS - REGISTRATION INFORMATION!
All readers and other parishioners interested in joining the roster in 2020 are invited to ‘Speaking Awesome Words’, an inservice program for Readers being offered to our Parish by Australian Catholic University’s Centre for Liturgy on Saturday 29 February. Session Times and venues are as follows:
10.00am - 12 noon – St Kieran’s Church
2.00pm – 4.00pm – St Cecilia’s Church
Please sign up for one session only by contacting the Parish Office. We are keen to balance the numbers at each session.
NATIONAL BIENNIAL LITURGY CONFERENCE – 12-14 MARCH 2020
The National Biennial Liturgy Conference will be held at the Novotel Sydney Parramatta Hotel, 12-14 March 2020. Interested parishioners are encouraged to attend. Fr Paul Turner from the USA will be keynote speaker and there will be a variety of workshops.
Registration is $370 (Ex GST) before 1 February or $450 (Ex GST) after 10 February). Some subsidy will be available from the Parish – please contact Fr Dave for details.
For more information, consult the posters in our churches or the Conference website or google “national biennial liturgy conference”
Children's Liturgy - new volunteers needed
Children's Liturgy 2020 will begin on Sunday March 1st.
The children’s liturgy ministry is always looking for new mums, grandparents and carers to be involved in this wonderful and rewarding ministry. Being a volunteer in this ministry involves helping with children’s liturgy that takes place on Sundays at the churches of St Cecilia and St Kieran’s. You will be placed on roster alongside another volunteer who is currently doing children’s liturgy to help out about once to twice a term.
Children’s liturgy only takes place within the school term and doesn’t take place when year family masses are scheduled. All information, resources and activities are printed off and provided by the children’s liturgy co-ordinator on a weekly basis. All volunteers will be required to obtain a working with children check number, but this is simple to do, and this is something that I can help you obtain.
Vinnies Bushfire Appeal
Thank you for your thoughtful and compassionate prayers and donations to the Vinnies Bushfire Appeal held over the Australia Day weekend. Donations can still be made online. A link is included on https://www.bbcatholic.org.au/give/bushfires
There are additional prayers, reflections and resources available including a link to the Catholic Emergency Relief Australia website at https://www.bbcatholic.org.au/give/bushfires/resources for those wishing to volunteer or provide additional assistance.
The Vinnies Bushfire Appeal has raised $12.5 million to support people impacted by bushfires in NSW, Queensland, Victoria, SA and the ACT. Vinnies has distributed more than $2.4 million nationally with a further $250,000 already processed for distribution in the coming days – totalling $2.65million from the Appeal funds already distributed. In addition, we have disbursed significant amounts of material goods including food, water, clothing and bedding. No administration fees are taken from this appeal, meaning the money raised goes directly to the relief and recovery effort.
The Vinnies BushFire Appeal has reached $4,560—an excellent result!
PLENARY COUNCIL 2020 – INVITATION TO ‘CONVERSATION’
Our conversation dates for the Plenary Council 2020 continue and we are considering the themes of God’s call to us to be a Christ-centred Church that is:
A Joyful, Hope-filled and Servant Community - Sunday 8 March 2020
All are Welcome
Message from Bishop Anthony re Novel Coronavirus
In light of the risks associated with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Bishop Anthony has issued some temporary guidelines relating to reception of Holy Communion until the end of February. For the time being, the chalice will not be shared at any Masses but is reserved for the Celebrants only. All Ministers of Communion are to ensure that they use hand sanitizer prior to the distribution of Communion.
Guidelines regarding the outbreak of the novel coronavirus from Bishop Anthony
HELPING THE AUGUSTINIANS—DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS
AUGUSTINIAN APPEAL
Each year, supporters of the Augustinians from our ministries and elsewhere contribute generously to the work of the Province, particularly to the formation of our seminarians and our social justice outreach. Augustinian Seminary Trust Fund – These funds are used exclusively for the ongoing provision for our seminarians. Envelopes are available in our parishes and you can make a donation by cash, credit card, or direct deposit to
BSB: 082-146 Account No: 13-610-4220.
Other ways you can support the Province’s ministries are by donations to:Augustinian Volunteers Australia Trust Fund, or Bequests. Mailing address is:
Order of St Augustine , PO Box 7278, Warringah Mall, Brookvale NSW 2100.
For further information, please contact the Province Office on (02) 9938 0200 or Anna Heath at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Thank you for your generous support!
Donations are tax deductible
He Who has given us the gift of being also gives us the gift of being good. He gives it to those who have turned back to Him. He even sought them out before they were converted and when they were far from His ways. [St Augustine, On Psalm 103 (4), 2]
From St Augustine
St Augustine—
My God, let me remember You with thanksgiving and proclaim
Your mercies to me.
Confessions 8, 1
Low Gluten Communion Bread
Low gluten hosts re now available on the table with the offertory gifts in both churches. Parishioners wishing to receive a low gluten host are asked to place a low gluen host in the pyx or glass dish marked low gluten before Mass. These hosts will be consecrated at Mass and available from the priest at Communion time. Alternatively, parishioners are welcome to follow our current practice and speak to the priest or senior server ahead of time to request a low gluten host.
Gluten Intolerant? - The Coeliac Society NSW has issued the following advice about low gluten Communion bread.
The low gluten hosts contain traces around 6 parts per million (ppm) and in Australia, the Food Advisory Board say that no detectable gluten must be found in order to label foods gluten free which is why the communion wafer is called low gluten. If low gluten products were on the supermarket shelves we wouldn’t be able to consume them.
Because communion is taken in such a tiny amount, it is an exception to the rule and therefore safe for Coeliac’s.
If you are gluten intolerant, low gluten hosts are available at the church. Let the priest know prior to Mass to receive one at Communion.
Children's Liturgy - we need more volunteers
The children’s liturgy ministry is always looking for new mums, grandparents and carers to be involved in this wonderful and rewarding ministry. Being a volunteer in this ministry involves helping with children’s liturgy that takes place on Sundays at the churches of St Cecilia and St Kieran’s. You will be placed on roster alongside another volunteer who is currently doing children’s liturgy to help out about once to twice a term. Children’s liturgy only takes place within the school term and doesn’t take place when school class family masses are scheduled. All information, resources and activities are printed off and provided by the children’s liturgy co-ordinator on a weekly basis. All volunteers will be required to obtain a working with children check number, but this is simple to do, and this is something that I can help you obtain.