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Dear Parishioners and Friends,

You may remember Bishop Martin Ash’s visit to our parish in February 2024.  It was a blessed weekend during which we had numerous encounters with him, including a Parish Forum Session.  Over 60 parishioners shared their views about the parish. 

In a few weeks’ time, we will be celebrating Ascension Sunday.  We remember Jesus’ great commission spoken to his disciples...

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Mt 28:19-20)

The call to evangelise and make disciples, to be missionary in outlook, was very much on the mind of Pope Francis.  In his apostolic letter Evangelii Gaudium #27, he spoke of a missionary option which the church needs to subscribe to, if it wants to be an agent of transformation, and remain faithful to the words of Jesus.  The parish (including ours), being so close to the grassroots of the church, has every opportunity to fulfil this mission (EG #28).

On Saturday the 31^st of May ’24, we are meeting for a Mission and Vision meeting.  The purpose of this meeting is to take a good look at where we stand as a parish now.  And from there to look forward to become more missionary in outlook.

Among others, we will be asking ourselves these questions:

How vibrant is our parish?  Is our parish a live-giving community that fosters holiness and discipleship?  Are you joyfully desiring to share the gift of faith in Jesus Christ with those you encounter?

Are we a vital parish?  Do we read the signs of the times, with hope and a missionary vision?

Is our parish viable?  Do we have the necessary financial, property, and human resources, and the ability to mobilise these resources to achieve our mission? 

You are invited to this Mission and Vision meeting, and I would really love to see you involved.  You all have a lot to contribute, is some area or another of parish life, thus making our parish community more vibrant, vital and viable.  Please save the date.

God bless you.

Fr Silvio

These words of French Cardinal Mamberti echoed in St. Peter’s square on the 8^th of May 2025 at 7:12pm Rome time.  He named the Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost as the 267^th successor of St. Peter, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.  Pope Leo appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s and called out: “Peace be with you... this is the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for God’s flock”.

In this first address, Pope Leo told the crowd that God “loves all of us unconditionally” and that the Church must be open to everyone.  “We are all in God’s hands,” he said, so “without fear, united, hand in hand with God and with each other, let us go forward” as missionary disciples.

“Together we must try to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges and always dialogues, that is always open to receiving everyone like this square with its arms open to everyone, everyone in need,” he said.

With the crowd he recited the Hail Mary, and then gave his first solemn blessing. May God bless Pope Leo XIV, granting him the grace to be a great shepherd of the Church.

During October/November a Formation Course on the Mass, based on Bishop Robert Barron’s talks, was held at the Parish with the participation of 30 parishioners.  Here are a few comments and reflections...

“Bishop Barron's formation on the liturgy offers a profound opportunity to grow together as a community, deepening our collective understanding of the sacred mysteries of the Mass. By exploring the rich symbolism and significance of its parts, we come to appreciate the beauty and transformative power of the Eucharistic celebration. This shared journey not only fosters unity but also inspires us to embrace continuous learning, recognising that our faith is enriched by ongoing discovery. Such formation equips us to be more effective in our mission of evangelisation, as we are empowered to share the profound truth, grace, and joy of the liturgy with the world. In this communal endeavour, we find renewal and strength, united in our calling to be witnesses of Christ’s love.”  (Maria Vella)

“I found the course to be quite enlightening.  It gave me a deeper and more thorough understanding of the ritual and the relevant purposes of each of the segments of mass.

“While the videos (of the talks) were quite informative, I got a lot of satisfaction out of the group discussions, where people were able to discuss the topical questions and listen to people's various thoughts on the matters.

“The networking and socialising with the various parishioners before and after the session started and finished was also extremely rewarding.” (Michael Vella)

Many thanks to the course participants, Amanda, and Brendan (School Principal) for their contribution to this formation course.  Looking forward to more next year.

Fr Silvio

Saturday, 23rd November – “The Light Shines in the Darkness” (John 1:5)

The Lord works in wonderful ways to give us Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. On this blessed day, around 24 of us gathered to pray and prepare  ourselves for Advent. It was truly a special time as we awaited the coming of our Lord.

The retreat offered a serene and peaceful environment, allowing us to find stillness and listen to Him. In the quiet moments, the words of Psalm 46:10 resonated deeply within us: “Be still and know that I am God.”

This time of retreat and reflection was a precious opportunity to deepen our faith and draw closer to God. As we lit candles and shared in prayer, the light symbolized the hope and promise that shines even in the darkest of times.

We left the retreat with hearts full of gratitude and a renewed sense of purpose, ready to embrace the Advent season with anticipation and reverence. This time together was not only a testament to the power of prayer and reflection but also a       reminder of the ever-present light of God's love in our lives.

Audrey

Click on the links below to know more about the Prelature of "Santiago Apostol of Huancane'" in the South of PERU.  Thanks for being a part of their mission with prayers and support.

Be part of God's mission.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1385380002084851

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0pjTEcYGys&t=63s

Our Parish Piety Stall is now open with the help of these lovely people and a few more.  We have been blessed with wonderful Volunteers who will do their best to open the piety stall before and after every mass on Saturday 6.30pm, Sunday 8.30am, 11.00am and 7.00pm.

If you haven’t stopped to look for a while, please check out the new items, as we do try to add different things from time to time. 

Thank you for your on-going support. 

Our Scripture reflection sessions continue every Thurday at 7pm and it is a great way to connect with Parishioners during our lockdowns.  It has been great to see some new faces over the past few weeks.   These sessions are held using the ZOOM video platform so you do not need to leave the comfort of your own home to attend.

If you would like to attend these sessions, send Amanda an email to brownieab75@gmail.com  and she will send you the ZOOM link weekly.

We would love to see many more faces at our meetings!!

Normal Mass times:

Saturday 6.30pm and 8.00pm Neo-Catechumenal (Pioneers Hall)

Sunday 8.30am; 9.45am (Polish); 11.00am; 12.30pm (Vietnamese) and 7.00pm                                                                                                               

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9.15am

Wednesday Evening 7.00pm

Giờ Thánh Lễ bình thường:

Thứ Bảy 6:30pm

Chủ nhật 8:30am; 9:45am (tiếng Ba Lan); 11:00am; 7:00pm

KHÔNG CÓ THÁNH LỄ Ở TRUNG TÂM CỘNG ĐỒNG TẠI COOKE AVE

Thánh lễ tiếng Việt: Mỗi Chúa Nhật thứ nhất và thứ ba hàng tháng lúc 12:30pm

Thứ Ba và Thứ Năm 9:15am