French's Forest Catholic Parish eNEWS

The disciples did not purge their group of ‘doubting Thomas’. They remained his companions, waiting for something or Someone to be revealed to him with them. Doubt and questioning are a normal and proper part of being human. We should allow for this within the community of the Church. A point may come where a person may no longer remain in the Church with any integrity. But a dismissive, excluding Church is not the Church of this gospel story. Within the companionship of the Church a doubter may hear the words: ‘Peace be with you.’ What sort of peace? It is that inner assurance that, in the midst of all the tribulations and the turmoil and the myriad precursor deaths which we suffer on all sorts of levels, the Conqueror of Death wants to be with us. How can the Risen Lord be with us? In Holy Communion, and in those counted as least in the world. According to Matthew 25, He is those without the necessities of life: food, shelter, medical care, comfort in distress. We could pause for a mome…

Join the Celebrations for Divine Mercy Sunday This Sunday 28th April
Join us on Sundayas we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday at OLGC. 2.30pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Reconciliation 3.00pm Divine Mercy Novena Followed by tea & coffee

St Vincent de Paul would like to thank those people that have generously donated towels to The Matthew Talbot Men’s Hostel.
SVdP is continuing to collect towels so if you have any spares you would like to donate please leave at the back of the OLGC or St Martin’s churches.

Welcome back to our Parish Catechists, term two lessons begin on Tuesday 30th April, we wish you all a happy term.

Term 2 Meeting is being held on Tuesday 14 May at 12 midday at OLGC Parish Centre.Please bring a small plate to share for a light lunch.Tea and Coffee will be provided.

Parent information night for the Sacrament of First Eucharist is being held on Thursday 2 May at 7.30pm in OLGC Church.It is essential that all parents who wish their child to take part in the Program attend this meeting.We look forward to seeing you all there.

Do you keep meaning to come to Taize Prayer but haven’t done so yet? Please join us…..
Friday 3 May at 8pm, St Martin de Porres
All Welcome

MUSIC PRACTICE next Wednesday 1st May OLGC at 7.00pm  New Singers and Musicians
needed and always welcome

Ways of Christian Meditation Friday mornings
May 3, 10 & 17 10 am – 12 pm OLGC Parish Centre
In a small group setting(8-12 participants) you are invited to take some time out  for conversation, listening & reflection.

Please register by ringing parish office 9451 5097

Thank you for supporting Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion 2019 Lenten appeal.
Please return your Project Compassion Boxes to the baskets at the back of each church, thank you.

Good Friday: 19 April 10.00 am - Stations of the Cross - OLGC Forestville10.00 am - Stations of the Cross – St Martin’s Davidson10.00 am - Stations of the Cross – St Anthony’s Terrey Hills3.00 pm - Passion of Our Lord – OLGC Forestville 3.00 pm - Passion of Our Lord - St Martin’s Davidson 3.00 pm - Passion of Our Lord - St Anthony’s Terrey Hills
8.00 pm - Taize Prayer around Cross - St Martin’s Davidson Holy Saturday: 20 April9.00 am - Morning Prayer—OLGC Forestville7.30 pm - Easter Vigil OLGC Forestville Easter Sunday: 21 April8.30 am - St Martin’s Davidson 9.00 am - St Anthony’s Terrey Hills 10.00 am - OLGC Forestville   No evening Mass on Easter Sunday

A man was driving along the road when he saw the Easter Bunny hop into his lane. He swerved to avoid hitting the bunny, but couldn’t do so. The basket of eggs went everywhere. The driver felt guilty and began to cry. A woman saw the man and pulled over. ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked. ‘I accidentally killed the Easter Bunny’, he explained. The woman knew exactly what to do. She went to her car, pulled out a spray can, walked over to the bunny, and sprayed the entire contents over the little furry animal. Miraculously the Easter Bunny came back to life, jumped up, picked up his eggs, waved at them and hopped on down the road. Not far away the Easter Bunny stopped, turned around and waved again. He kept doing this for as far as they could see.

The man was astonished. ‘What in heaven’s name is in that can you sprayed on the Easter Bunny?’ The woman showed the man the label. It said: ‘Hair spray. Restores life to dead hair. Adds permanent wave.’

OLGC 9.15amSt Martin’s 9.15amSt Anthony’s 10.00am
“They shall grow not old,  as we that are left grow old;  Age shall not weary them,  nor the years condemn.  At the going down of the sun  And in the morning  We will remember them"

Parent information night for the Sacrament of First Eucharist is being held on Thursday 2 May at 7.30pm in OLGC Church. 
It is essential that all parents who wish their child to take part in the Program attend this meeting. 
We look forward to seeing you all there.

The Matthew Talbot Men’s Hostel is in .

If you have any towels at home you would like to donate please leave at the back of the OLGC or St Martin’s churches.

Thank you for supporting Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion 2019 Lenten appeal.
Please return your Project Compassion Boxesto the baskets at the back of each church, thank you.

This year as we showcase the many ways we work around the world with our local partners to offer hope to people most vulnerable to extreme poverty and injustice. Caritas is working with communities providing hope for a just and fair world for all generations, backgrounds, cultures and communities, who are part of one human family. You are empowering communities to break free from the cycle of poverty whilst ensuring they are the architects of their own development. Lives change when we all give 100%.

Our Listening & Dialogue covered almost 10 months and culminated in a flurry of late submissions, but the Listening and Dialogue phase of the Plenary Council has yielded a remarkable foundation from which the people of God can move forward. Late last week, the National Centre for Pastoral Research (NCPR) completed the statistical analysis and reported that more than 17,500 submissions had been lodged -- thousands of which represented groups. In all, more than 222,000 people either made an individual submission or participated in a group discussion that culminated in a submission.

Even though the Listening and Dialogue stage for the Plenary Council is closed, I encourage all people to continue the habit of dialogue. Continue speaking with one another, sharing your stories of faith, courageously asking questions to understand one another more deeply and letting God guide our decisions for mission. Doing this can bring about deep encounters with Christ, it can transform and form cul…

In this final Lenten Sunday we look again at the significance of Christ in our lives. We recognise him as our saviour, but we look more closely in order to discover just what kind of saviour he is. He has taken the form of a slave; he has been glorified with a name above all other names; he continues to suffer with us. We have not been saved through military power, but through the self-offering humility of Jesus. Though he was really in the form of God, Jesus came in the form of a slave. We have a saviour who was crushed for our iniquities, nailed to a cross as a convicted felon, and there endured the sense of abandonment. In the face of this, we must ask a fundamental question: Why does God love us with such abandon? We have a savior who was lifted up and exalted precisely because he emptied himself of his divine prerogatives. He became one of us in order to show us how we are to live. Unlike conquerors who triumph by putting down their opponents, Jesus was raised up because he himself…

A new driveway is being poured in the April school holidays and therefore there will be no parking available in the school car park (located directly out the front of the school office on Currie Road)
This should only impact parking on Saturday 27th April and Sunday 28th April

Wishing all our Parish Catechists a restful school Holidays and many blessings for Easter.
Term 2 Meeting is being held on Tuesday 14 May at 12 midday in theOLGC Parish Centre.Please bring a small plate to share for a light lunch.Tea and Coffee will be provided
Our task is to perceive the call of God and then to do His will.But in order to do His will we must ask ourselves ‘what is God’s will in my life?’Pope Francis

Parent information night for the Sacrament of First Eucharist is being held on Thursday 2 May at 7.30pm in OLGC Church.  It is essential that all parents who wish their child to take part in the Program attend this meeting.  We look forward to seeing you all there.

Ways of Christian Meditation Friday mornings
May 3, 10 & 17 10 am – 12 pm OLGC Parish Centre
In a small group setting(8-12 participants) you are invited to take some time out  for conversation, listening & reflection.

Please register by ringing parish office 9451 5097

The annual collection for the support of the church in the Holy Land takes place on Good Friday. This collection promotes missionary work of the church in the Holy Land by providing welfare assistance to local Christians in areas such as health, education, employment and housing. parishes, schools, orphanages and medical centres throughout the Holy Land also rely on the assistance from this collection. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Envelopes are available in your planned giving envelopes and at the back of each church.

Come and join together with our clergy and people across Broken Bay for the blessing and consecration of the Holy Oils for our parishes.
Tuesday 16 April at 7.30pm
Our Lady of the Rosary, Waitara
Soup and bread will be served in the courtyard from 6.00pm with tea and coffee afterwards.

Alpha Youth is a series of interactive sessions exploring the Christian Faith. We are running Youth Alpha for the Year 6 students at OLGC and St Martin’s. Across both schools, we have more than 80 students, 8 facilitators and 4 helpers.
This week our focus question is “Why did Jesus die?” Let us pray that this course brings an abundance of God’s grace, love and closer relationships with God.
As part of the program the students are given a small refreshment and they will also be involved in a retreat day. We need your generous prayers and also financial support of this program. If you are able to contribute financially please use the Alpha box at the back of the churches or alternatively contact the Parish Office.

Our Elect, Marcus and Garth, receive the Our Father and the third scrutiny this weekend.We pray for them as they near the Easter Vigil that the Holy Spirit will guide them and give them Grace and Strength for their Journey.

Our Listening & Dialogue covered almost 10 months and culminated in a flurry of late submissions, but the Listening and Dialogue phase of the Plenary Council has yielded a remarkable foundation from which the people of God can move forward. Late last week, the National Centre for Pastoral Research (NCPR) completed the statistical analysis and reported that more than 17,500 submissions had been lodged -- thousands of which represented groups. In all, more than 222,000 people either made an individual submission or participated in a group discussion that culminated in a submission.
Even though the Listening and Dialogue stage for the Plenary Council is closed, I encourage all people to continue the habit of dialogue. Continue speaking with one another, sharing your stories of faith, courageously asking questions to understand one another more deeply and letting God guide our decisions for mission. Doing this can bring about deep encounters with Christ, it can transform and form cultu…

Our Music Practice for Easter will be held on WEDNESDAY 10TH APRIL   7.00PM at OLGC As this will be our only practice for Easter please make every effort to attend.