MESSAGE ON THE 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YR A)
Friday 19th December 2025.
My dear people,
I would like to start my message this week by sincerely thanking you for all your messages of support to my family and me on the death of my mum’s partner. The funeral was celebrated last Tuesday and we returned to Melbourne yesterday. May I please ask you to continue to pray for the repose of the soul of Ghislain Pierre and for my mum and my family at this difficult time.
This is my first message since ACYF occurred from 30th November to 2nd December. My experience of this ACYF is that it was a truly wonderful event which showed young people that it is okay to believe in God and to have a relationship with him. The Praise and Worship sessions were the highlight for me. Over the next few months, I will invite the participants to write down their experiences and share them with us.
Many of you from the community of Christ the Priest Catholic Primary School know that Michelle Cassar has been appointed as the new Principal. I would like to congratulate Michelle on her appointment and wish her God’s choicest blessings on her new appointment. Many of you would know Michelle from her role as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion in our parish. I look forward to working with Michelle and invite you to pray for her as she embarks on this new mission to which God is calling her.
Yesterday, I received communication from the Archbishop’s Office that the petition which Fr Alex Clemente and I had presented to him about the change in parish boundaries has been approved. From 12th of January 2026, the boundaries of the parish will change as per the information shared with you back in October. This is an exciting time for our parish, and we trust that God will accompany us as we seek to understand more clearly what the change in boundaries will mean for the future. One thing for sure is that most Catholics in the new area of the parish come here to Mass. The change in boundaries also means that from next year, there will be a third school in the parish as St Marianne Cope, Mount Atkinson, will fall within our boundaries.
I would like to thank all the people who have worked hard to make our annual Carols by Candlelight a success. I would like to thank everyone who sang and the musicians, members of the Carols Committee, members of the Social Committee, our sponsors, those who helped in the preparation and with the activities held on the day, and Mr Jamie Madigan, Principal of CRC CS for allowing us to use the facilities. Most importantly, I thank you for having taken the time to come to the carols and enjoy this very important parish event.
A reminder that the Mass times over Christmas are:
Christmas Eve – Wednesday 24th December: 5pm, 7pm, and 9pm and
Christmas Day – Thursday 25th December: 12am (Midnight), 8:30am and 10:30am.
Please note that there will be NO 12:30pm Mass on 25th December.
We continue turning to our patron saint and we ask for her intercession.
St Catherine of Siena, Pray for us.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Fr Richard Rosse PP