French's Forest Catholic Parish eNews

Dear Parishioners, As we celebrate the Third Sunday of Easter we reflect upon the gospel which see the disciples walking on the road to Emmaus. The road to Emmaus is a journey many of us know well, a path marked by disappointment, confusion, and lost hope. The disciples walk away from Jerusalem carrying the weight of what they thought was the end. Yet, in the midst of their sorrow, Jesus comes alongside them, even though they do not recognise him. So often, we too fail to see Christ walking with us in our struggles. Yet he is there, in our conversations, in the quiet moments, in the Scriptures that speak to our hearts. Like the disciples, our hearts can begin to “burn within us” when we allow his word to touch our lives. It is in the simple act of the breaking of the bread that their eyes are opened. This reminds us that we encounter the risen Christ most deeply in the Eucharist, where he reveals himself and nourishes us. Transformed by this encounter, the disciples do not remain where...

Please note the following: Mass Cancellation:   there will be no Mass celebrated at St. Martin’s, Davidson, on Tuesday 21 April. Mass Time Changes: On Thursday 30 April, Mass will be celebrated at 8am in both Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) and St. Martin’s, Davidson. Thank you for your understanding.

First Eucharist Parent Information Evening We warmly invite parents of children preparing for their First Holy Communion to attend an information evening on Wednesday 29 April at 7:00pm in the OLGC Church.  

With gratitude and warm hearts, we say goodbye at our Farewell Mass for Fr. Biju Mathew As Fr. Biju prepares to return to India on 21 April, after six years of devoted service in the Diocese of Broken Bay—including two enriching years in our parish—we sincerely thank him for his faithful ministry and presence among us. We wish him every blessing in the next chapter of his journey. The farewell Mass at 10am will be followed by morning tea.

Archbishop Anthony outlines the arrangements he has made for the ongoing operations of the Diocese until the appointment of the new Bishop to Broken Bay Diocese. You can access the full letter here.    

It's time to celebrate our wonderful school and parish O.L.G.C. FORESTVILLE -  Let Your Light Shine Our School and Parish community are warmly invited to gather in celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel. This is a beautiful opportunity for us to unite together for this special Feast Day. We are delighted that the school choir will be leading the music for the Mass. Event Date: Sunday 26th April Event Time: 10am Mass followed by food and fun Come along and join in the celebrations. RSVP: Scan the QR code for catering or put names on the list at the back of the church. We would love as many volunteers to make this day special for all. Looking forward to seeing you then.

You are warmly invited to a special Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by Rev. Fr. Tan Nguyen. Date:  Sunday, 3 May Time:  10:00 AM @ OLGC Church. Please join us as we give thanks to God for the gift of Fr. Tan’s priesthood. This is a wonderful opportunity for our parish community to come together in prayer and celebration. Morning tea will follow after the Mass. Please bring a plate to share. As you know, Frenchs Forest is Fr. Tan’s home parish, so let us come together to celebrate this joyful occasion beautifully as one community. All are welcome! Fr. Satheesh Antony OSH, PP

Please read and share the Laudato Si' God in Creation Newsletter Vol 2, No 1 titled "Cycles and Seasons" Frenchs Forest Parish recognises and supports all First Nations people in our area. We invite you to comment on the new draft Statement of Recognition and Commitment which has been prepared by Northern Beaches Council and is on public exhibition. Please go to https://yoursay.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/statement-recognition-and-commitment to make your comments. The closing date is Sunday May 10th.

Ordination to the priesthood of Deacons Shayne D’Cunha,Tân Nguyen and Huy Tran will be ordained to the priesthood  on Wednesday, 29 April 2026   at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Waitara. If you would like to attend, please RSVP your attendance using the QR code attached, seating is limited.

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...

St Martins Catholic Primary School Playgroup

 OLGC Forestville Playgroup

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 ...