MESSAGE ON THE 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YR C)
Friday 20th December 2024.
My dear people,
What a truly wonderful evening last Sunday was! Our annual Carols by Candlelight was the event I hoped it would be. I was humbled by the number of people who attended, making it a fantastic opportunity for us to get together as a parish community while singing carols. As we can imagine, a lot of work went into the preparation and organisation of the carols. An equally great amount of work was also involved on the night. I would like to firstly thank the Carols Committee who accomplished the big task of organising everything about the evening, and all the work achieved on the night. I would also like to thank the Social Committee for all they did before and during the evening. My thanks also to the office staff for the support they provided to the Carols Committee and the Social Committee. Most importantly, I thank all those who formed choirs and the choir members themselves. We can only imagine the hours spent practising to make sure that they would regale us with high quality singing. Truly a blessing!
I am pleased to announce that the process to employ someone to share the role of Evangelisation Coordinator with Ann has been completed. Gavin Muscat has been employed as our new Evangelisation Coordinator – Discipleship. I am truly delighted to welcome Gavin to the parish team. Gavin will start with us in the week following Australia Day next year. I will invite him to come and share his story with us at that time. I invite you to pray for Gavin as he starts this exciting job in the new year and for the parish as we continue to work for missionary renewal.
On Sunday (22 December), after the 12:30pm Mass, we will have a farewell lunch for Greg as he concludes his time with us on Christmas Day. You are all invited to attend. The farewell lunch will be at the CRC cafeteria and it would be most appreciated if you all bring a plate to share. There will be much more to say at his farewell, but it is undeniable that Greg has done a truly marvellous job here at the parish during his year with us for which we are all very grateful.
The Christmas Mass times have been advertised for several weeks now and I trust that you are aware of them. If you are in ministry and have not yet signed up to exercise your ministry at the Mass you are attending, would you kindly do that this weekend? As mentioned last weekend, Bishop Martin Ashe will celebrate the 5pm Mass, Fr Frank Buhagiar will celebrate the 7pm Mass and I will celebrate the rest of the Masses. I am really looking forward to the liturgical celebrations of the Birth of Our Lord this year.
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