News & Events Weekly Update

21 September 2020

 

News and Events across the Diocese of Parramatta and beyond

 

Diocese of Parramatta Notices

 

Diocese of Parramatta COVID-19 update

Parishes across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains have COVID-Safety plans in place requiring social distancing, maximum attendance figures and other safety measures. We also highly recommend wearing masks to Mass and other services. You are encouraged to check with your parish on what measures they have in place before attending. For more information, please visit the Diocesan website www.parracatholic.org/covid19

Catholic Outlook Magazine September Edition

Look out for copies of the next edition of the Catholic Outlook Magazine in your local Catholic Church, Catholic school or Catholic office from early September. Catholic Outlook is an A4 magazine published quarterly with a focus on Catholic faith formation, spirituality and a look at what is happening across the agencies and ministries of the Diocese of Parramatta.

Welcome to The Well

The Diocese of Parramatta proudly announces its latest initiative – The Well. In what can be described as ‘Netflix for Catholics’, The Well is a new online platform that provides free, ‘on-demand’ inspiration for families, children, young people and faith communities. Explore fresh offerings every week on topical issues that inform, entertain and challenge. Check it out at www.thewell.org.au

Diocese of Parramatta celebrates the Season of Creation

The Diocese of Parramatta is celebrating the Season of Creation (1 September – 4 October) by creating a video to be released on 4 October, the Feast of St Francis of Assisi. We invite all parishioners to be involved. Send your photograph, video, art or poetry of your favourite nature spot in the Diocese to comms@parracatholic.org by 25 September. Details can be found at https://www.parracatholic.org/socialjustice/

CatholicCare is still open and operational

CatholicCare Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains services remain open and operational during the current COVID-19 outbreak. Individual offices have been closed to clients, but the service continues to operate with care and support offered via phone, video conferencing/telehealth and online. Some programs are continuing to run groups via video conference. To make a referral, call (02) 8843 2500 (Mon-Thu 8.30am-8pm, Fri 8.30am-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm), email – enquiries@ccss.org.au or visit ccss.org.au.

Natural Fertility Services is still open

Following COVID-19 restrictions, Natural Fertility Services has reintroduced face-to-face instruction. We will, however, continue with Zoom meetings as this has enabled more couples access to information. We have educators available to teach any of the three methods of Natural Family Planning. If you would like more information, or to book an appointment, please contact Catherine via email catherine.bourne@parracatholic.org or call 0400 427 605.

Office for Worship Resources available

The Office For Worship has a range of resources available for purchase for individuals and parishes. Resources such as parent material for a child’s baptism and a collation of prayers can be purchased from the Office For Worship by contacting (02) 8838 3457.

Catholic Youth Parramatta engaging young people in new ways

Catholic Youth Parramatta has established a dynamic schedule of networking opportunities, formation and resources to support ministry and engagement with young people of the Diocese in new ways. From inspiring quotes and scripture references on Mondays, to faith-filled live performances on Wednesday to launching new home-grown resources on Friday. Check out CYP’s Facebook and Instagram pages and https://www.parracatholic.org/cyp/ to download and share the resources.

Diocese of Parramatta Tribunal remains open

The Tribunal of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Parramatta remains open and committed to assisting anyone who has questions regarding marriage annulments. Please direct all enquires to the Tribunal office on 8838 3480 or email tribunal@parracatholic.org. The office is open Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm.

Out of School Hours Care accepting enrolments

The Diocese’s network of 27 Catholic Out of School Hours Care services are all open and accepting enrolments for children in Years K-6 for Term 3. Significant subsidies on child care fees are available depending on your family circumstances. For more information and bookings, please contact eyec@parra.catholic.edu.au

SRE learning from home

During the school shutdown, CCD designed some faith resources for families to access for their children as they learned from home. These lessons, which are fun and prepared specifically for each age group 5-13, are a good way to encourage children to converse about topics of faith at home. These lessons which affirm that we are loved by God can be found at https://www.ccress.org.au/learning-from-home-sre-lessons/. For more information contact cecilia.zammit@parracatholic.org

St Bernadette’s Lalor Park Wednesday Evening Devotions

St Bernadette’s Parish, Lalor Park, is hosting weekly devotions to Mary Immaculate and St Bernadette every Wednesday evening at 7pm, followed by Mass at 7.30pm. All are welcome. For more information, contact the parish office on 02 9672 4037 or admin@stbernadetteslalorpark.org.au

Social Justice COVID-19 Food and Toiletries Drive

Jesuit Refugee Service and House of Welcome are dealing with a 400% increase in emergency assistance calls and are needing to feed over 1,000 people facing destitution each week. You can help by running a food and toiletry drive or donating yourself. For more information, contact Patrice Moriarty 0409 399 505 or, House of Welcome office@houseofwelcome.com.au or JRS amelia.savage@jrs.org.au

Blessing of the Bells of St Patrick’s Cathedral

The 167-year dream of a peal of bells in St Patrick’s Cathedral has been realised. On 8 September, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv blessed the bells in a pontifical ritual from the 16th Century. You are invited to re-watch the momentous occasion via yourcatholicfoundation.org.au/bellsappeal

Pastoral Planning Celebrating and Sharing Our Gifts: 9 – 23 September

The Pastoral Planning Office are offering an opportunity for prayerful discernment about the spiritual gifts God has given us to bring to life God’s mission. The final session will be held this Wednesday 23 September from 7.30pm to 9pm. Join us for an evening of prayer, input and discussions. You can register your attendance at www.tinyurl.com/celebrate-and-discern.

Pastoral Planning Plenary Council Engagement Sessions: 12 – 24 September

You are invited to join with others online to be informed about the next steps for the Plenary Council 2020. You will experience how to use a simple guide to animate your local community to engage with the Thematic Writing Papers, and to develop Good News Stories in the spirit of Plenary.

Please register for one of the following sessions:

Parish of Baulkham Hills Adult Catechesis: Commencing 14 September

The Parish of Baulkham Hills is conducting a series of catechesis for teenagers and adults every Monday and Thursday evenings at 7.30pm from 14 September for eight weeks. Sessions will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Hall in Baulkham Hills, and are free. For more information, please contact Lucas Neira on 0428 831 256 or the parish office on 02 9639 8385.

Migrant and Refugee Sunday: 27 September

All are invited to celebrate Migrant and Refugee Sunday on 27 September. “Like Jesus Christ, Forced to Flee” is the theme for this year, and resources including videos, prayers and actions so that we can be in solidarity with migrants and refugees are available at www.parracatholic.org/mrsunday2020 or through contacting Social Justice Coordinator Patrice Moriarty on patrice.moriarty@parracatholic.org

‘A Time for Grace’ – Migrant and Refugee Sunday webinar: 27 September

Bishop Vincent will give an introduction to an online webinar on Migrant and Refugee Sunday. The webinar, hosted by Jesuit Refugee Services, on 27 September from 5pm will explore how the pandemic can be a time as a nation and individuals to extend grace to the most vulnerable. To register for the free webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/33Pex8A.

 

Other Notices

 

Positions Vacant:

  • Religious Education Coordinator – St Francis Xavier Catholic School – Daly River, Northern Territory – Applications close Monday 21 September
  • Full-Time Teacher (Years 5/6) – Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School – Zuccoli, Northern Territory – Applications close Friday 2 October

For more details, please visit https://www.ceont.catholic.edu.au/employment/current-vacancies/

ACBC Social Justice Statement 2020-21

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the mental health of many members of our parishes, schools and communities. In the Social Justice Statement 2020-21, To Live Life to the Full: Mental health in Australia today, the Bishops invite us all to reject stigmatisation and to call for policies and service provision that meets the needs of the poorest and most marginalised members of our community. Download the Statement at http://bit.ly/SocialJustice_2020

St Mary’s Towers Retreat Centre Staged Reopening

St Mary’s Retreat Centre in Douglas Park, NSW, is commencing a staged re-opening of its facilities from 3 August, as a lead up to their advertised retreat program commencing on 2 October. As places will be limited for the time being, all appointments and visits will need to be booked through the Administrator: contact@towersretreat.org.au or phone (02) 4630 0233.

54-Day Rosary Novena for the Coronavirus

The National Rosary Crusade 54-Day Novena invites you to join them in prayer for a nation-wide 54-day rosary novena to Mary Help of Christians, the national patroness. The novenas will be run between 15 August, the Feast of the Assumption through to 7 October, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page.

Rachel’s Vineyard Healing after Abortion

Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat offers women and men a sanctuary in which to rebuild and redeem hearts broken by abortion in a safe, supportive and non-judgmental environment. The next healing retreat will be held 4 to 6 December 2020. Rachel’s Vineyard has created a confidential free online individually guided reflection at a time to suit you. To enquire about these programs, call their confidential number (voice mail): 0400 092 555 or visit www.rachelsvineyard.org.au

Catholic Theological College Engaging Your Catholic Faith Sessions: 14 September – 31 October

The Catholic Theological College in Melbourne is presenting a series of sessions on Engaging Your Catholic Faith from 14 September to 31 October. The lectures, exploring topics such as meditation and prayer, women in the early church and interfaith relations, will be delivered online via Zoom and are $20 per session. Enrol now by visiting www.ctc.edu.au/

End Child Detention Coalition Webinar: 29 September

The End Child Detention Coalition, which advocates for the release of children from immigration detention, is hosting a webinar on Tuesday 29 September at 6pm. During ‘State of Play: The Mental Health Perspective’, Psychiatrist Dr Sarah Mares will be presenting her findings from current research on the social-emotional wellbeing of children in detention. Register at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_P6dk4NKfTvG0OQnAfzt64w

Online Discernment and Prayer Afternoon: 10 October

The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, Schoenstatt Sisters and the Missionaries of God’s Love Sisters warmly invite women aged 18-35 for an enjoyable afternoon of sharing and prayer on 10 October from 4pm. Each congregation will share who they are and impart wisdom on how to discern and pray. For more information, and to register, contact Sr Paula on 0449 656 406 or vocationscsfn@gmail.com

ACU Online Public Lecture with Sr Prof Julia Upton: 12 October

The ACU Centre for Liturgy is hosting Sr Prof Julia Upton rsm from St John’s University in New York in a free online public lecture. Titled “Liturgy, Prayer, Pastoral Care and Pandemics,” it will be broadcast live from New York on Monday 12 October from 10am AEST via Zoom. Registration is essential by 7 October 2020. Register by visiting www.acu.edu.au/LectureUpton

Worldwide Marriage Encounter Marriage Enrichment Weekend: 20 – 22 November

The Worldwide Marriage Encounter are hosting a Marriage Enrichment Weekend from 20 to 22 November at the Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, Varroville, NSW. Learn to become the best version of yourselves together and live your best life in love. Book online at www.wwme.org.au or contact Christine and Terry Mahony on 0490 774 419 or nswbookings@wwme.org.au

 

For more events please go to: parracatholic.org/events

Please note, some of these notices have been provided to the Diocese of Parramatta, with the request they be made available to parishes and parishioners. The Diocese of Parramatta makes these notices available for information purposes only and does not expressly endorse any of this material, unless otherwise specified. The Diocese of Parramatta cannot be held responsible for any inaccurate or defamatory content.

 

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