French's Forest Catholic Parish eNews

My Dear Parishioners, This week we celebrate the sixteenth Sunday in ordinary time. The readings tell us about a very patient and compassionate God Who is hopeful that the so-called “weeds” among us will be converted, and that we should not be in a hurry to eliminate such elements from the Church, or society, or the family, on the basis of hasty judgment. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that the Kingdom of God grows in the midst of an imperfect world. The parable of the wheat and the weeds acknowledges a reality we all experience, goodness and evil exist side by side. There are times when we wish God would simply remove all that is wrong, yet Jesus teaches patience. God sees the whole picture, and in His wisdom, He allows time for growth, healing, repentance, and transformation. We are called not to spend our lives judging others, but to focus on becoming the good wheat that bears fruit through lives of faith, hope, and love. The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast offer a messa...

On Sunday, 26 July, our parish will celebrate Grandparents' Day as we honour the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus and patrons of grandparents. We warmly invite all grandparents to join us at Mass, where they will receive a special blessing in thanksgiving for their love, wisdom, faith, and the important role they play in the lives of their families and our parish community. Whether you are a grandparent, parent, child, or friend, everyone is warmly welcome as we come together to celebrate and give thanks for the gift of grandparents. "Grandparents are a treasure to our families and a living witness of faith, hope, and love."

Please note that Cuppa and Chat at St Martin’s will be held on Friday 24th July instead of Friday 31st July due to the Fashion Parade. Everyone is warmly welcome to join us at 12:30pm in the church foyer for a relaxed time of friendship and conversation. OLGC Cuppa and Chat remains on the last Wednesdays of the month .

SAVE THE DATE Sunday, 16 August 2026 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!

P lastic Free July parish action: 5Rs to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and then Recycle plastic in our churches, homes, schools and workplaces. One idea: Have 3 bins at all these places: a) Return and Earn bottles and cans with the 10c logo and donate the proceeds to the parish Vinnies Groups, b) Recycle soft plastics to Woolies and other recyclables to the Yellow Council bins, c) Sort the regular Landfill bin so that waste is reduced by composting. Please read the new God in Creation Newsletter again and share with others.

On Sunday, 26 July, we will be celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Carsko Polje, a special occasion for our Croatian community. This feast commemorates the tradition of Our Lady appearing to a shepherd girl in 1686 in the port of Cavica. Each year, a statue of Our Lady is carried in procession through the village of Čara, on the island of Korčula in Croatia, and taken to the vineyards to bless them—a symbol of deep faith and devotion. We join our Croatian friends in giving thanks and praying for the intercession of Our Lady of Carsko Polje to bless and protect Čara, the island of Korčula, and the whole world. We wish our Croatian community a joyful and blessed Feast Day!

We are excited to announce the commencement of the parish’s young adult’s group.  Our first event will be a BBQ and bonfire on the 2nd of August after the 6pm Sunday mass at the parish centre.  The young adults group will consist of anyone between the ages 18-25. Even if you are not a part of this age group but know someone who is, please invite them to join our first event.  Please RSPV to the Parish office.   We are excited to see you there.

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.

French Reflections - 2026 Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellows In “French Reflections,” the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellows present a sophisticated selection of chamber works spanning Baroque splendour to 20th Century brilliance. Lully’s regal dances open a program enriched by Saint-Saëns’ elegant Septet and Poulenc’s refined lyricism. Martinu’s La Revue de cuisine brings rhythmic vitality and modern flair, complemented by Bernovsky’s striking trio for brass. This concert showcases the Fellows’ artistry across a vivid palette of ensemble colours and historical styles. For almost 25 years, the Sydney Symphony Fellowship program has nurtured the next generation of professional orchestral musicians through a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience, providing them with a springboard to a career in music. Let the Fellows lead you through a vivid journey of sound, style, and imagination in this radiant French program. When: Sunday, 26th July, 2026 at 3:00pm Where: Our Lady of Good Coun...

Thank you to all parishioners who support our Parish through Planned Giving. Your generosity helps fund the daily operation of our churches and supports the many ministries of our Parish. The new Planned Giving envelopes for 2026/27 are available at the back of each church. Please note that some envelope numbers may have changed. If you would like to make any changes to your giving, switch to a different method of contribution, or would like a set of Planned Giving envelopes, please contact the Parish Office and we will be happy to assist. Thank you for your continued support and generosity.

Parish-based Confirmation ceremonies for baptised children who are 8 years old and in Year 3 or above will be held in September 2026.  Confirmation Ceremony Dates  Friday 4 September 2026 and Saturday 5 September 2026 Enrolments now open,  details and the enrolment link will be available on the parish website . Parent Information Session (Essential): Wednesday 29 July, 7:00–8:00pm in the OLGC Church If you would like further information, please contact Susanne Bragge. sacraments@ffcp.org.au

 

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 ...