French's Forest Catholic Parish eNews

Dear Parishioners, This week we celebrate the special Gospel of the loaves and fishes. When Jesus sees the crowds waiting for him, his compassion moves him to set aside his own sorrow to care for those in need. He heals the sick and, later, feeds the hungry with just five loaves and two fish. This Gospel reminds us that God's generosity is never limited by what we think we have. The disciples saw only scarcity, but Jesus saw an opportunity for God's abundance to be revealed. When the little they had was placed into Jesus' hands, it became more than enough for everyone, with twelve baskets left over. We too can sometimes feel that we have little to offer, a little time, a little patience, a little faith, or limited resources. Yet Jesus asks us, as he asked the disciples, to bring what we have to him. When we offer our gifts with trust, he blesses them, multiplies them, and uses them to nourish others in ways we could never imagine. As we gather around the Eucharistic table e...

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

There is no place like home – but for many having a home is not a reality.  The causes may be diverse, but the impact is the same – a loss of dignity and a sense of hopelessness . A donation drive will take place during Homelessness Week on 8 & 9August.  Thank you in advance for supporting this important Diocesan initiative. 

Young People Caring for God's Creation Students keen on Caring for the Wildlife and Plant Community, come and join in the Youth Landcare Afternoon at St Anthonys Kierans Creek Youth Landcare Day, 46 Myoora Rd, Terrey Hills, this Sunday Aug 2nd, 2.30-4.30pm.  Families Welcome.   Wear sturdy shoes, long pants, long sleeves, sunhat, sunscreen and bring your own water bottle.Tools and refreshments provided. .

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

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  

Do you have questions about the Catholic Faith? Would you like to know about our Rite of Christian Initiation (R.C.I.A.)? Please feel welcome to come along to our Enquiry session on Sunday August 9, 11.30 am in OLGC church Ring: 9451 5097 or Email: rcia@ffcp.org.au

Young People Caring for God's Creation Students keen on Caring for the Wildlife and Plant Community, come and join in the Youth Landcare Afternoon at St Anthonys Kierans Creek Youth Landcare Day , 46 Myoora Rd, Terrey Hills, Sunday Aug 2nd, 2.30-4.30pm. Families Welcome. Wear sturdy shoes, long pants, long sleeves, sunhat, sunscreen and bring your own water bottle.Tools and refreshments provided.

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 PASTORAL LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN THE DIOCESE OF BROKEN BAY ON RECENT EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA Letter introduction: full letter can be accessed via link at end of this news item. Over the coming weeks, a number of matters will attract considerable public attention:  the commencement in Perth on Tuesday 21 July of a 15-day trial by jury of Bishop Christopher Saunders, formerly of the Diocese of Broome, for multiple historical sexual offence charges;  the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) inquiry involving Catholic Schools NSW (CSNSW) commencing in Sydney on Monday 27 July;  and the continuing scrutiny of the liability of the Religious Congregation of the Christian Brothers in Australia. The events to unfold over the coming weeks touch different dimensions of ecclesial life. Some concern questions of personal conduct and accountability; others concern governance and stewardship; still others remind us of the changing face of Relig...

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 .

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.

 

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 ...