French's Forest Catholic Parish Notices and News

For the agrarian Jews of Jesus’ time the sacrifice of a lamb demonstrated how serious they were about atoning for their sins. Jewish law dictated that a lamb had to be killed at least once a year, at Passover. Such a sacrifice cost the shepherd big time. Lambs were currency. This was tithing writ large. Saying Jesus is the Lamb of God is a shorthand way of telling us two things. The first is that Jesus is God’s most precious gift; God’s own self, given to the world that we might know how serious God is about us. God can give us nothing more than Jesus. As a result of Jesus’ innocent suffering and death there is no need for any lambs to be religiously slaughtered ever again. We need to keep hearing this message because some Christians get caught into glorifying Jesus’ suffering so much they get trapped in their own world of pain and go looking for more. Jesus never sought out suffering. He bore what came his way. And the same must be true for us. Christians are not meant to be smiling m...

Three young men from the Diocese, Nicholas Gomez (Cathedral Parish), Joseph Nicholls (Gosford Parish), and Bryce Gonlin (Chatswood Parish), will begin formation at the Seminary of the Good Shepherd in the next few weeks. Please keep them in your prayers as they enter the Seminary and begin their formation. They will join current seminarians Alfred Soliman, Matthew French and Victor Atahura. There are a number of other men and women within the Diocese discerning whether God is calling them to a religious or priestly vocation. Please keep them all in your prayers as well.

World Interfaith Harmony Week invites people of faith to reflect on how our beliefs shape the way we relate to one another, especially in a world marked by division, conflict, and fear. For Catholics, this week calls us back to the heart of the Gospel: love of God and love of neighbour. In Dilexi Te, Pope Leo XIV reflects on love as the starting point of all authentic Christian action A love that sees the other not as an idea, label, or threat, but as a person created in the image and likeness of God. When we focus on love as our lens, we are drawn beyond ideology and fear toward encounter, responsibility, and care. Interfaith harmony does not ask us to set aside our Catholic faith. Rather, it invites us to live it with greater depth and integrity. Pope Leo XIV reminds the Church that love rooted in truth resists dehumanisation and calls us to uphold human dignity wherever it is threatened. From this foundation, dialogue, respect, and peace can grow. We are encouraged to mark this week...

Antioch Weekend Retreat 2026 Through the Garden Just as every plant begins as a small seed, our faith grows stronger as we nurture it with prayer, community, and through God’s love. This year’s theme, Through the Garden, invites us to journey together through the stages of growth, discovering how God cultivates our hearts and helps us flourish into the beautiful creations we are meant to be. To book, click  here . Download the flyer  here .