French's Forest Catholic Parish Notices and News

My Dear Parishioners, This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of St Peter and St. Paul, apostles. They are the principal pillars of the church. The Gospel reading this week highlights the pivotal question Jesus poses to his disciples: "Who do you say I am?" While others may have seen him as a prophet or a revived figure from the past, Peter's inspired confession – "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" – marks a turning point. This declaration is not a human insight but a divine revelation, affirming Jesus' unique relationship with God and his identity. It underscores that true understanding of Christ comes not merely through human intellect, but through spiritual discernment gifted by the Father. Furthermore, Jesus entrusts Peter with "the keys of the kingdom of heaven," granting him the authority to "bind and loose." This symbolism signifies a profound spiritual authority – to forgive sins, to teach, and to govern in a way that...

All are warmly invited to join us in celebrating the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua, our beloved patron, at St. Anthony in the Fields Church, Terrey Hills on Sunday, 6 July 2025 at 9am . Let us come together as a parish family to honour St. Anthony and give thanks for his powerful intercession and example of faith, charity, and humility. Following the Mass, please stay and join us for a special morning tea. It will be a wonderful opportunity to connect with one another and celebrate our community spirit. We look forward to celebrating this special day with you!

Over the coming weeks a series of brief articles & reflections will be included in the bulletin offering us, as Pilgrims of Hope, the opportunity to appreciate the significance of this Holy Year and actively share this time of joy, renewal and hope, both within and beyond our communities. “ The time has come for a new Jubilee, when once more the Holy Door will be flung open to invite everyone to an intense experience of the love of God that awakens in hearts the sure hope of salvation in Christ……. Jubilee is a special year that is considered ‘sacred’… that is… set apart and reserved for the Lord.” Pope Francis Pastoral message to the Clergy and Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Broken Bay The Jubilee Year 2025 calls us to rediscover the centrality of Jesus Christ in our lives and to deepen our relationship with Him, not as a distant figure, but as the door through which we enter into the fullness of life. As the community of the Church in Broken Bay, our mission, then, is to open t...

This weekend we join with other Parishes across the world in taking up the Vatican’s annual Peter’s Pence Collection. The Peter’s Pence Collection provides for the charitable works of mercy identified by His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, including emergency assistance to those in need due to natural disaster, war, oppression and disease. Your generosity allows the Holy Father to respond to those suffering with love and compassion. You can make a gift using the Peter’s Pence collection envelope available in the pews. Thank you for your generosity.

As NAIDOC (National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) week begins on 6th July, NATSICC, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Council, shares this message: "Our Catholic Church is a tapestry woven from many cultures. From the enduring wisdom of the world’s oldest continuing cultures — the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples — to those who have journeyed from distant lands, we are one Body in Christ. In our diversity, we discover richness. In our unity, we find strength. And in every heart, we see the Spirit of God at work. Saint John Paul II once reminded us:“The Church herself is enriched by the development of different forms of culture… she takes them up in her evangelising mission and adopts them.” Today, we honour that truth. We celebrate the living story of faith and culture walking hand in hand — of ancient traditions alive in Christ, and of a Church made more whole when all are welcomed, seen, and heard."  Please don't forget to register...

Dear Parishioners, As we all know, on-street car parking in Currie Rd has become very limited as it is increasingly used as permanent all-day parking by commuters, nearby commercial businesses and, occasionally, their trucks, boats and buses. Many parishioners and visitors who attend at OLGC are forced to park much further from OLGC facilities which creates increasing difficulties for parishioners, especially the elderly. In 2024 the Parish wrote to Northern Beaches Council seeking the introduction of time restricted parking in Currie Rd including on weekdays. Council is yet to formally respond, however informally the Parish understands that the request will not be approved. In the meantime, parishioners and visitors are increasingly parking in the gardens and grassed areas in the front of the OLGC Church which have become badly disturbed and are progressively washing away during heavy rain, exposing tree roots which in turn creates a tripping hazard for those who park there or access ...

The ladies of Frenchs Forest Parish and their friends are warmly invited to a delightful High Tea and Fashion Parade at St Anthony’s on Friday, 25th July at 11:30am . Join us for an elegant afternoon of fashion, fun, and friendship. Tickets: $50 (cash only) Available for purchase after Sunday Mass — see Sheila Fitzpatrick (TH), Carmel Smith (SMDP), or Virginia Clark (SMDP). Tickets are also available from the Parish Office. We hope to see you there!

Ignite Youth are looking for talented individuals to perform on the Conference festival stage. Whether you are a solo artist or part of a group, they would love you to join them.  Parish Youth Music Ministers,  it’s your time to take the Stage!   To apply, simply click the link below and fill out the application. Ignite Conference 2025 - Festival Stage submission

Dear Parishioners, As we welcome the new financial year 2025/26, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank you for your continued support and generosity through the Planned Giving Program. Your commitment remains essential to the ongoing mission and ministry of our Parish. The new Planned Giving envelopes are now available at the back of each church. Please note that some envelope numbers have been updated due to the consolidation of unused numbers. If you cannot find your envelopes at your usual church, they may have been sent to another location by mistake. Please contact the Parish Office and we will resolve the issue promptly. We also have a limited number of spare envelope sets available. If you are not currently part of the Planned Giving Program and would like to begin using envelopes from this financial year, we warmly invite you to contact the Parish Office to arrange collection. If you're considering switching to monthly or fortnightly credit card giving, or would like t...

‘many hands make light work’ Dear Parishioners, we are looking for volunteers to help with various ministries in our parish: Laundering the church linen at OLGC. You will be on a rotating roster. The linen is collected on Sundays. Readers for the 6pm mass at OLGC. The new roster will begin in June. Please contact the parish office —9451 5097.

Dear Parish Family, Thank you so much for your incredible generosity and ongoing support! Because of you, our parish continues to thrive and serve the community. As you know, this vibrancy relies on your generosity for which there are now many different ways of giving using modern technology. In recent times we have introduced Tap’n’go machines in our churches. We have now added a new, easy, and secure way to make a contribution to support our parish—through a simple scan of a QR code which is the “SCAN ME” symbol in our parish bulletin . This small code allows you to give a single gift directly from your phone at any time, wherever you may be. All you need to do is open your camera, scan the code and you'll be taken directly to our secure giving page. It’s fast, easy, and helps the parish to continue the great work we’re doing together. Of course, like Tap’n’go, contributions by QR code are a once only gift. If you would like your donation to be regular and automatic, please joi...