French's Forest Catholic Parish eNews

Dear Parishioners, I hope that you had a wonderful Easter. The second Sunday of Easter is known as the Divine Mercy Sunday. The readings for this Sunday show us our need for God’s Divine Mercy, offered to us through the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of our sins, and through each celebration of the Sacraments (all instituted to sanctify us), when we receive them in trusting Faith. God revealed His mercy, first and foremost, by sending His only begotten Son to become our Saviour and Lord by His suffering, death and Resurrection. In this week’s Gospel, we meet the disciples locked in fear, yet it is into that fear that Jesus comes, bringing peace. He does not wait for them to be brave or ready, he meets them where they are. His first words, “Peace be with you,” remind us that God’s presence is not dependent on our strength, but on his love. Thomas often gets remembered for his doubt, yet his story is also one of honesty and transformation. He dares to voice what others m...

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.   

With gratitude and warm hearts, we invite you to a Farewell Mass for Fr. Biju Mathew  on Sunday, 19 April at 10:00am , followed by morning tea.  Please bring a plate to share. 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.  Those who wish to offer a gift are most welcome to do so.

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.

Rosary for those enduring hunger. Each year, more people around the world are going hungry, despite there being enough food in the world to feed everyone. Cafod UK(Caritas' sister agency) offer these luminous Joyful mysteries, uplifted by our faith in Jesus, Light of the World. In this way we nourish our commitment to dispel the darkness of poverty and tackle the causes of hunger in our world. Guided by Mary, mother of Jesus and mother of all, may we be open to let these mysteries penetrate deep within us and respond with compassion to the scandal of hunger and poverty in our world. We invite you to use these luminous mysteries to reflect and pray on your own or in the parish or community. https://cafod.org.uk/pray/pray-the-rosary/rosary-for-an-end-to-hunger

At Easter, we hear a simple message that feels especially important this year: peace be with you. In many parts of our world right now, there is uncertainty, conflict, and fear. Many people are watching events unfold with a sense of anxiety about what comes next. Closer to home too, amongst the peoples of Oceania, there are communities carrying pain and longing for stability and dignity. Easter speaks quietly but clearly into all of this. The Good News of the risen Jesus begins not with triumph or grand speeches, but with a gentle greeting of peace offered to people who were worried and unsure. It is a reminder that peace is not just an idea from the past — it is something real, something we still need, and something we can share. Whatever our background or beliefs, most of us recognise the deep human desire for peace — in our hearts, in our relationships, and in our world. "This Easter invites us to hold onto hope. Even in difficult times, new life and new possibilities can emerg...

Please remember to bring back your Project Compassion boxes over the coming weekends.  Thank you for your generous support of Caritas Australia and the important work they do in communities around the world.

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 ...