MESSAGE ON THE 18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YR C)
Friday 1st August 2025.
My dear people,
It was truly a delight to welcome Bishop Martin Ashe, Regional Bishop for the western region of the archdiocese, to our parish last weekend. Bishop Martin spent time with many stakeholders of the parish; those of our community who keep our parish running. On Friday, after morning Mass, he met with the two Principals of the primary schools of the parish. In the afternoon, he met with the parish staff and in the evening, he met with the PLT and the Finance Committee and had dinner with them.
On Saturday morning, he met with volunteers involved in ministries at 10am. That meeting was followed by a morning tea at 11am with an open forum at 11:30am to which every parishioner was invited. The open forum concluded after 1pm with a lot of engaging conversations among those who were there. In the afternoon, Bishop Martin visited some of our parishioners who are housebound and then he met with the young people of the parish. The day finished with Bishop Martin celebrating the 6pm Mass and having dinner with the Ministry Coordinators. Bishop Martin’s pastoral visitation concluded on Sunday 27th July with him celebrating the three parish Masses and taking the opportunity to meet people between Masses. Upon his departure on Sunday afternoon, Bishop Martin said that he had a wonderful time with us, that we were on the right track and that he wished us all the best. He will prepare a report about his Pastoral Visitation which will be made available to all of you.
I am pleased to share with you the news that the next fundraising activity in our parish will be a Grand Final Fundraiser. The newly formed Fundraising Committee met for the first time on Wednesday 23rd July and that was a decision made by all the members. At this stage, I ask you to kindly keep the afternoon of Grand Final Day free (27th September 2025) and more details about the fundraiser will be shared with you as soon as they become available.
The next Healing Mass in the parish will be on 10th August at 5pm. It will be preceded by the rosary at 4pm and Praise and Worship at 4:30pm. You are all most welcome to attend. Fr Colin Xavier will be the Principal Celebrant.
It is wonderful that from this weekend, we will start celebrating our younger parishioners receiving Holy Communion for the first time. First Holy Communion will take place over the next four weekends and I invite you to continue praying for our first communicants and their parents. We pray particularly that these children and their families realise how awesome it is to be receiving Holy Communion for the first time and to make sure it is not an isolated event in their lives but one which ignites in their heart a great love for Jesus and for his Church.
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