Good Shepherd Sunday on 17 April 2016

Universal call to holiness
The Rector of Holy Spirit Seminary, Fr John Hogan. with 13 seminarians for the Diocese of Parramatta. Photo: Alphonsus Fok.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter on 17 April this year is World Day of Prayer for Vocations. In addition to praying for your own vocation, the worldwide Church invites you to pray for those you might know whom God may be calling to a priestly or religious vocation and would benefit from your prayers.

“Every vocation is an exodus from self

“… it leads us on a journey of Adoration of the Lord

“… and service to Him in our brothers and sisters”

Pope Francis

Good Shepherd Sunday_Universal Call

To find out more about priesthood in the Diocese of Parramatta you are welcome to contact Fr Warren Edwards, Director of Priestly Vocations, tel 02 8883 4064 or send him an email

Know Your Saints Competition

To mark Good Shepherd Sunday, the Diocese of Parramatta has a Know Your Saints Competition featuring the lives of 10 inspirational Saints.

The competition is open to young people aged 25 and under in the Diocese of Parramatta. Be in the running to win 1 of 3 tablets by submitting your entry here Competition closes on Friday 29 April 2016.

Holy Hour for Vocations on 21 April 2016

Everyone is welcome to join the Holy Hour for Vocations from 7pm-8pm on the 3rd Thursday of each month for an hour of adoration, prayer, music and quiet time in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in St Patrick’s Cathedral, 1 Marist Place, Parramatta.

To find out more about priesthood contact Fr Warren Edwards, Director of Priestly Vocations, tel 8883 4064, vocations@parra.catholic.org.au

Permanent Deacons bringing Christ to the World

An information afternoon for married and single men wanting to know more about this God-given calling to ordained ministry will be on Sunday 1 May 2016.

The Second Vatican Council reinvigorated the ancient order of deacons, reinstituting the permanent diaconate. By calling and ordaining deacons the Church is saying something fundamental: that service is at the heart of the human and divine mystery.

In their active involvement in the community, their outreach to the poor and marginalised, and their fostering of Eucharistic communion, deacons sacramentalise the Church’s service.

Information afternoon from 2.30pm-5pm at St Anthony’s Parish Hall, 27 Aurelia Street, Toongabbie.

For further details contact Rev Fr Arthur Bridge, Director of Vocations to the Permanent Diaconate, tel (02) 9631 3316, arthur.bridge@parracatholic.org

Ordination of George Bryan on Sunday 8 May 2016

On 8 May, George Bryan will be ordained as a permanent deacon for the Diocese of Parramatta. George and his wife, Kaye, have been preparing for diaconal ministry for a number of years; and when Bishop Peter Comensoli, Bishop of Broken Bay, lays hands on George’s head and confers the Sacrament of Orders on him, it will be a significant moment in the couple’s life – and will signal the beginning of public ministry by George for the people of God.

Everyone is invited to the 11am Mass in St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta.

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