French's Forest Catholic Parish eNEWS

Dear Parishioners, The rich young man wanted to be assured of salvation too. He was a good man; an observant Jew and someone Jesus looked on with love. But he was hoping the law would save him. He wanted to be sure of gaining heaven by jumping through the right hoops, at the right time, for the right reasons. Jesus doesn’t reject the importance of faithful and good living, but he offers the young man a relationship that would make sense of the choices involved in following him. Without a loving relationship with God, who calls us to live the best life we can, the fulfilment of any law, civil or moral. We do not believe in a tyrannical God. We do believe, however, in a God who makes demands of us, who often challenges us in the places where we are most vulnerable. For the young man, his money was an obstacle. He could not embrace a relationship with Jesus because this would have placed in peril his wealth and the comfort that his many possessions afforded him. This week I would like to

This Sunday's readings confront us with the need to make choices in life, choices for God. They also remind us that no significant choice is without its price. However, if we make the right choice, we are assured that we will be richly rewarded. We all want to be happy in life. We just don't always know which doors to open, and how far to enter them. We need wisdom for that. The more options that are open to us, the more difficult it is to choose, but choose we must. To choose one option is to relinquish the others. The young man in the gospel wanted eternal life. Surely there is nothing more worthy than that. However, the price he was asked to pay was more than he had expected, and he went away saddened. To choose is to face the consequences of the word of God, and sometimes this is as sharp as a two-edged sword. One of the mysteries of faith is the incomprehensible generosity of God. We choose wisdom instead of all of the good things of the world, and we receive these good th

This weekend we will have the Catholic Mission Appeal. In this appeal, we are invited to support the Church in Mongolia on their journey to provide more support for vulnerable people in need. Your kindness will ensure that more of our brothers and sisters can receive the assistance they need to get back on their feet. In Mongolia, vulnerable people requiring social services often face stigma for using them. Those in need are often impacted by domestic violence or homelessness. Unfortunately, support services are limited in number and the demand for them is growing. This means some of our brothers and sisters in Mongolia are going without the help they need.

Everyone is invited to come and enjoy the celebrations of St Martin’s feast day with Mass and BBQ  Where: at St Martin’s Church and Playground - When: 5:00 pm Saturday 2nd November Please feel welcome to come and enjoy the celebrations. For catering purposes please RSVP using the QR code or write your name on the lists at the back of the churches.

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each of you who generously contributed to the Oblates of the Sacred Heart (OSH) appeal. We raised $8030 till today. Your support is a powerful testament to the compassion and commitment of this community. Through your kindness, we are able to continue the important work of the Oblates, serving those in need and spreading the love of Christ. May God bless you abundantly for your generosity, and may the fruits of your support continue to grow in the lives of those touched by the mission of the Oblates. Thank you, and may God’s peace be with you. Fr. Satheesh OSH & Fr. Joseph OSH

I am excited to invite you to a special Altar Server Formation Session on Saturday, 9th November 2024, 10.30 am to 11.30 am at OLGC Church, Forestville. Deacon Peter McCulloch will facilitate the session. This session is open to both our senior and junior altar servers, and it will be a wonderful opportunity to deepen your understanding of your role in the liturgy and enhance your skills in serving at Mass. If anyone wishes to become an Altar Server you are welcome to attend this session. We look forward to getting new people to serve at the Altar. We kindly request that all participants confirm their attendance by Tuesday 5th November by contacting the Parish Office on parishoffice@ffcp.org.au or call on 94515097. Fr. Satheesh Antony OSH, PP

The month of November each year is a time when we especially remember in our prayers all those who have died. What is the purpose of Mass intentions for the dead? Mass intentions can be applied to living persons, but why pray for the dead? As Catholics, we believe the Mass is the highest act of worship — the greatest form of prayer. We know the practice of Masses for souls of the dead dates to the early church. Praying for the dead is a great act of mercy. Praying for the dead, lighting a candle which symbolizes this prayer and offering a Mass for these souls is a beautiful and powerful way to live our faith. And we care for each other by our prayers. If you wish to offer a Mass for your departed dear ones, please you may collect the November Mass envelope and write the names of your loved ones you wish to pray for. You are welcome to bring back those Mass offerings and give to the priests or place them in the collection bag or bring it to the parish office. A daily mass will be offere