French's Forest Catholic Parish eNews

Dear Parishioners, This Sunday is twentieth Sunday of ordinary time. This week’s Gospel gives us a beautiful and challenging example of faith. The Canaanite woman comes to Jesus with one simple prayer: “Lord, help me.” She is desperate for her daughter and refuses to give up. Even when Jesus seems to ignore her, even when the disciples want her to go away, and even when she is faced with what sounds like rejection, she continues to trust. What is remarkable is that she does not walk away. She keeps coming to Jesus. Her faith is stronger than her disappointment, and her love for her daughter gives her the courage to persevere. There are times in our own lives when we may feel that God is silent. We pray, but the answer does not come when we expect it. We may wonder whether God has heard us or whether our prayers are making any difference. The Gospel reminds us not to give up. The Canaanite woman teaches us that faith is not always about having all the answers. Sometimes faith simply me...

Join us at the upcoming Cuppa & Chat Group meeting for a special visit from our local Fire Fighters! As the weather head into spring, it brings fresh beginning and new seasonal fire risks. From getting garden equipment ready, to safely checking smoke alarms and clearing dry growth around the home, our local firefighters will be dropping in to share quick, essential tips to keep you and your loved ones safe. When: Wednesday 26 August What: Cuppa and Chat from 12 Midday then Firefighters visit and talk at 1pm Where: Parish Centre at OLGC Bring: Yourselves, lunch and any fire safety questions! Enjoy a warm cuppa, friendly chat, and practical safety advice before spring arrives.  We can’t wait to see you there!  All are welcome.

The Parish remains very grateful for the very generous donations received to help cover the costs of the OLGC car park. To date these donations, amount to approximately $20,000. You might recall that before construction could start there were a number of issues to be resolved relating to trees and some engineering matters raised by the certifier. The good news is that with the Arborist and NB Council, we have resolved the questions about trees, although this will require minor reorganisation of the car parking layout. The engineering issues are being worked on and will take a little while yet. Once these matters are completed, we expect to be in a position to proceed with the construction phase.  We will keep you informed.

WHEN: on Thursday 3 September 2026 WHERE: at 7.00pm at Our Lady of Dolours, Chatswood.  

This weekend we continue to support the Catholic Homelessness Appeal, which helps people experiencing homelessness and those at risk of becoming homeless across our local community. Your generous donation can provide practical support, dignity and hope to people doing it tough. Every contribution, no matter how small, can make a difference. Please give generously and help us reach out with compassion to those who are most vulnerable in our community. Envelopes can be found in the churches.

Social Justice Statement August 2026,  “Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division” August 30th is Social Justice Sunday. This week Bishop Tim Harris launched the bishops' Statement which invites us to see our current social climate of division and conflict as an opportunity to really live the Gospel. We are called to be a community where every person feels at home and all are encouraged to use their gifts to build a more just, peaceful and cohesive Australia. The bishops urge all Christians, all people of goodwill, all people of faith, and all people across this country – to reach out with friendship, listen to one another, embrace one another, appreciate the gifts of each other, show some empathy and compassion to one another. They call for a culture of encounter. Please read, pray and act on the message. See https://mediablog.catholic.org.au/bishops-seek-focus-on-social-cohesion/

We are so excited to announce that Expressions of Interest are now open for our WYD27 Broken Bay Pilgrimage: 26 July – 12 August 2027 Japan – Seoul – Incheon LEARN MORE WYD - SeoulFest Join us for SeoulFest — the official launch of our pilgrimage to World Youth Day 2027! Celebrating the Feast of Saint Andrew Kim Taegŏn, Patron of World Youth Day, we’re beginning the countdown to an unforgettable pilgrimage to Japan, Seoul and Incheon in 2027. Come and experience a taste of South Korea with Korean food, music, culture, games and activities, while meeting other young people, young adults and families from across the Diocese. Whether you’re already dreaming about joining us for WYD 2027 or you’re simply curious about what it’s all about, SeoulFest is the place to start! This is intended for young people, young adults and families. Date: Sunday 20 September 2026 Time: 3.30pm – 5.30pm Location: The Light of Christ Centre, 29 Yardley Avenue, Waitara Enquiries: mission@bbcatholic.org.au Regi...

All parishioners are warmly invited to join us as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation. · Vigil Mass – Friday, 14 August 7:30pm – Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Forestville Masses – Saturday, 15 August 8:30am – St Martin de Porres Church, Davidson 9:30am – Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Forestville 10:00am – St Anthony in the Fields Church, Terrey Hills Come and honour our Blessed Mother as we celebrate this beautiful and significant feast in the life of the Church.  All are warmly welcome.

Following the 10:00am Mass at OLGC Forestville, on the lawn beside the church. Our parish is blessed with people from many different cultures, and we would love to celebrate this wonderful diversity together. Join us for a joyful Multicultural Celebration & International Food Festival, where we can share our traditions, food, and friendship as one parish family. If you have traditional clothing from your country, we encourage you to wear it with pride. We also invite you to bring a plate of your favourite traditional dish to share, giving everyone the opportunity to experience the delicious flavours and rich cultures that make up our community. Let's come together to celebrate the many cultures that make our parish such a welcoming and vibrant community. Everyone is warmly welcome – bring your family, friends, and neighbours!  

This year we celebrate the Franciscan Jubilee Year to mark the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. All are welcome to our Pause & Reflect gatherings during which we are invited to renew the Franciscan way of living simply, caring for creation and becoming peacemakers in our communities. Our gatherings offer us the opportunity to spend time reflecting on our call to be a church that reaches out to the margins, giving priority to mission and prayer. When: Tuesdays - August 11,18, 25 10am – 12pm Where: St Martin’s Davidson

Volunteer Catholic Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion visit hospitals throughout the Diocese of Broken Bay providing comfort and care to Catholic patients. Our Diocese and NSW Health require that 40 hours of training is completed to perform this important role. The I.P.C.C. meets this requirement, is FREE and is open to those who might be deciding if they are suited to this ministry. The course runs for five consecutive Mondays: 31st August, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th September at Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonard’s, between 9:00am and 3:00 pm. Morning tea and lunch will be provided. Recruitment and training of EMHC is the responsibility of the parish; those who are wanting further information may refer to poster displayed in churches; parish E News; speak with/or email Leonie Puckeridge rcia@ffcp.org.au ; contact Parish Office 9451.5097, parishoffice@ffcp.org.au at your earliest convenience.

A Ministry of Welcome and Hospitality for Parishes Presented by Kelly Paget, this Formation Day is grounded in the Gospel witness of Martha and Mary and our calling to be a people of welcome. This gathering is designed to support parishes in cultivating a consistent, intentional, and Christ-centred culture of radical hospitality within their local communities and across the Diocese. This is a planned two part-series of Saturdays designed for Clergy, Parish Pastoral Council Members, Parish Ministry leaders and all interested parishioners. Date: Saturday 1 August and Saturday 22 August 2026 Time: 9:30am – 3pm Venue: Caroline Chisholm Centre Register: Via: Formation Session: Martha & Mary: Saturday 1 August and 22 August.

Dear Parishioners, Please be aware of a scam currently targeting parishes. Scammers are creating fake Gmail and other free email accounts using the names of our Parish Priest and parish staff. They use these accounts to send messages asking people to make urgent payments or buy gift cards on their behalf, often giving a plausible reason for the request. Because the display name shows a familiar name, it can look genuine at first glance. However, if you examine the actual email address, you will find that it does not come from our official parish domain: ffcp.org.au . Please Keep This in Mind: ·          Verify Before You Act: If you receive an email, text, or message of any form asking for money, gift cards, or financial details, do not respond or make any payments . ·          Double-Check: Always contact the parish office directly, or speak to the person you think it is from via a known, trus...

A Journey of Faith Frenchs Forest Catholic Parish and Ku-ring-gai Chase Catholic Parish warmly invite you to join us on a 14-day Pilgrimage through some of the most beautiful and spiritually significant places in Central and Eastern Europe. The pilgrimage will be accompanied by Fr Satheesh Antony OSH and Fr Biju Jose OSH. Dates: 8 – 22 September 2026 Destinations: Vienna, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Plitvice Lakes, Split, Medjugorje, Mostar, the Island of Korčula, Dubrovnik and Montenegro (Kotor & Perast). This pilgrimage offers a wonderful opportunity to visit sacred places, deepen your faith, experience rich Catholic heritage, and enjoy fellowship with fellow parishioners. Cost: Twin Share (Air & Land): $9,650 AUD Single Room Supplement: $1,850 AUD Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. T o secure your place, a deposit of $3000 per person will be required. For more information or to register your interest, please contact the Parish Office: parishoffice@ffcp.org.au or 02 94...

Parish Office will be open on Tuesdays to Fridays 8:30am to 2:30pm

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. 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 join our Planned Giving program which is easily arranged ...