French's Forest Catholic Parish eNews

Dear Parishioners, The readings this Sunday explain how we should practice true, dynamic Christian discipleship. The Gospel passage reminds us that Christian discipleship demands self-control (“Deny yourself”), the willingness to suffer (“take up your cross”), the readiness to follow Jesus by obeying his commandment of love, and the ongoing surrender of our whole being to God (“to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God” (Rom 12:1) In this week’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that following Him is not always easy. Peter wanted to protect Jesus from suffering, but Jesus reminds him that God’s ways are often different from our own. When Jesus calls us to “take up our cross and follow me”, he invites us to live with courage, faith and love, especially when life is difficult. Our crosses may be found in caring for others, forgiving someone, facing challenges with patience, or simply remaining faithful when we do not understand God’s plan. Jesus reminds us that a truly meaningful life is n...

Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division The Australian Catholic Bishops invite us to reflect on the divisions we see within our society and, as followers of Jesus, to consider how we can respond with truth, compassion, courage and a commitment to the common good. Let us look beyond division, listen to one another, stand alongside those who are vulnerable or excluded, and work for a more just and compassionate society.

The 6:00pm Mass at OLGC on Sunday 6 September will feature a Choralschola, with music centred on Gregorian chant and timeless sacred liturgical traditions.  Come and experience the beauty and richness of sacred chant as part of the celebration of the Mass  

A Healing Mass will be celebrated at OLGC on Wednesday, 2 September at 9:15am. All are warmly welcome to join us in prayer and receive God’s healing and blessing.

Please join us for Taize ‘Prayer Around the Cross’ next Friday,4th September 7.00pm at St Martin’s Church.    All are welcome.

Save this date - 10th October Join us at (OLGC) on Saturday October 10 for a beautiful evening of timeless and sacred music. Following the 5:30pm Mass, there will be a BBQ until 7:00pm, followed by an inspiring concert of timeless sacred music.   More details to come 

You are invited to join us for the FESTIVAL OF CREATION IN THE FOREST   We look forward to celebrating the beauty of creation with you as we gather for a special Festival of Creation event! Together, we will rejoice in God's gift of the Earth through the celebration of Mass, followed by engaging activities that deepen our understanding of how to care for our common home. Join us in prayer, learning, and community as we respond to Pope Francis' call to ecological conversion and stewardship of creation. As part of our time together, we will also share a meal in community. We invite you to bring a plate of food with an aim to minimise waste and plastics to share as we continue our celebration in fellowship. WHEN: Saturday, 12th September 9:30am –1:30PM WHERE: St Anthony in the Fields Church

As we celebrate the Year of St Francis of Assisi parishioners are warmly invited to join us as we share the inspiration that surrounds the Franciscan Shrine of the Holy Innocents, promoting the sanctity of human life from birth till natural death. This enriching day will include: Reflecting on Franciscan Spirituality. Strolling through the peaceful gardens of this Shrine modelled on the 14 Stations of the Cross and the Mysteries of the Rosary. Mass in the chapel. BYO Lunch Cost $40. Bookings essential (Limit 40) Ring: Parish Office 9451.5097. Email: parishoffice@ffcp.org.au

Listen, Reflect, Act Date: 3–4 September 2026 Time: 10:00am – 4:30pm Location: Online Cost: $20 (includes both days) Register Here

Celebrating 150 Years - Of Faith, Community and Service. 1876—2026 Manly Freshwater Parish is celebrating their 150 years with a gala dinner at the Manly-Pacific hotel on Friday the 4th of September. Cost $170 includes 3 course dinner and welcome drinks. Seating is limited so book early. Scan the QR to book or go our Parish News Blog for more information.  

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

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...

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.

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...

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 ...