Bridgeside Bulletin - Forsterforstertuncurrycatholic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/... · 2019-12-13 · Bridgeside Bulletin We acknowledge the Worimi people - the traditional custodians

Bridgeside Bulletin

We acknowledge the Worimi people - the traditional custodians of this place

Sunday 15 December 2019 Third Sunday of Advent - Year A

The weekly Bulletin of the Catholic Parish of Forster Tuncurry

Holy Name of Jesus Church 33 Lake Street, Forster 2428 NSW

Ph: 6554 6401 E: [email protected] W:www.forstertuncurrycatholic.org.au

Dear Parish Family,

I dislike watching the news most days or reading the papers but feel an obligation, a responsibil-ity to keep abreast with the world. It can be depressing some days. Some days are worse than oth-ers. I’ve spoken of feel good Friday before that the Sunrise show runs after one of its new bulle-tins; it is a very simple reminder that there is good happening, joy filled moments, people and places that are light amidst the gloom.

Today’s news was dominated by the body retrieval mission on White Island, New Zealand; a glob-al warming debate raised by both Greta Thunberg being named Times Person of the Year and Scot Morrison suggesting Climate Change might be a thing; the bush fires and the new break outs; our water crisis and the growing emergency across NSW regions and towns. Oh and let’s not forget in the midst of all that Jetstar staff is going on strike this weekend. Well it is Christmas of course! What is Christmas without an airline or baggage handlers strike?

I know whatever side of the political Global warming debate you sit on we can all agree that there are things that need to be done to simply make our world a better and cleaner place. Whether you are a pro or anti global warming person I guess we are asking the same questions: what do we want for our Country? What do we want our country to look like or be like?

I often wonder what little things I could be doing better or more efficiently in keeping with the Gospels call for good stewardship of the planet; her resources, her environment and her peoples.

I work each week to make my red bin have less rubbish in it. I try not to buy things in none reusa-ble or none sustainable bags or packets. I try and buy only what I can consume. I don’t know how much of a difference my small efforts make but I guess like the star fish on the beach that gets thrown back in the water, it makes a difference to that one. It’s better than nothing.

So who showers with a bucket? Who has a plastic tub in the sink for washing up? Who has a sepa-rate bucket to catch all that excess water that we without thinking toss: the half-drunk glass of water, the water that boiled the eggs, the run off from cooking vegies? The little things that help reuse, recycle, restore; the little things that take seriously our call to be proactive stewards.

I was listening to an interview this week with a helicopter pilot from NZ. He saw the plume of smoke from the volcanic eruption and went straight to the island to grab people whom he knew would have been trapped. Didn’t think of his own safety, he simply acted to save another. The light of Christ in another wise bleak news day! Don’t let the bleak blind you to the Christ mo-ments and actions, not only of ourselves but also in others.

Best wishes for the third week of Advent.

Kind regards,

Greg Parish Priest

_______________________________________________________________________ PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS:

Recently Deceased: Valerie Brooks, Hel-en Sharp, Joan Connell, Jack Green, De-lia Schneider, Narelle Chaffey & Yvonne Dunn

We remember and pray for those who are ill at home and in hospital at this time, may they know the healing pres-ence of Christ:

Malcolm Keys, Jenna Shaw, John Yeo, Megan Snow, Roseanne Telfer, Michael O’Hara, Marion Prescott, Roger Curry, Agnus Rutledge, Dulcie Goldsmith, Barry Bolton, Doreen Gander, Leonnie Martyn, Carol Coleman, Joseph Berzi, Kevin Malone, Norman Read, Bernard Barrett, Susan Hull, Rolana Moss, Mary Camilleri, Josephine Born, Elizabeth Thomas, Ray Vidler, John Avery, Rufino Soliano, Charles King, Ken Vote, Raelene Verlin, Cheryl Worldon, Warren Brown, Kim Salt-er, Ross Williamson, Rachal, Bette Wil-liamson, Robert Greig, Valerie D’Arcy, Janet Bezdek, Kathleen Murphy, Trevor Leon, John Tolland, Glenn Watkinson, Bronwyn Sutton, Gerry Brown, Ann Moreira, Irene Burns, Suzanne O’Sullivan, Chriss Smith, George Flower, Jorge Gon-zalez, Michelle Bellouard, John McCaig, Kerry Pickering, Pietrina Ruspandini, Bruce Gurton, Max Sciacca, Kirsty Chan, Anthony Griffiths Jnr, Marlene & Gina De Vere, Julie Sibbald, John Bianco, Linda Taylor, Lawson Rankin, Josephine Camil-leri, Zac Gogerly, Lidwine Wijtenburg Please ring the parish office if you wish to add your loved ones to the sick list and also to be taken off the list once they are well. Thank you.

LITURGY ROSTER W/E 21/22 DEC

Vigil Mass

Sacristan: Pat Hooker

Readers: Michael Siddle, Maureen Ste-

vens & John O’Donnell

Ministers of Communion: Frank Hay-

man, Michael Amato, Claudette Cheeth-

am, Ruth Pearson & Maureen Pye

7am Mass

Sacristan: Cecile Malone

Readers: Fred Liackman, Maria

Armitage & Cushla Drake

Ministers of Communion: Mark Mow-bray, Norm Chapman, Mary Greig, Kay &

Graham Griffiths

9am Mass

Sacristan: Anne Hartman

Readers: Maureen Visser, Kit Hornibrook

& Marie Keep

Ministers of Communion: Monique Johnson, Shiony Neal, Anne Hartman,

Greg Byrne & Elle Cairns-Cowan

5.30pm Mass

Sacristan: Gene Garth

Readers: Monica Hunt & Cheryl Gibson

Ministers of Communion:

Thomas Alexander

___________________________________________________________________________________________

READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK 21/22 DEC

First Reading

Is 7:10-14

Prediction of Immanuel, born of a virgin.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 23:1-6. R. see vv 7. 10

(R.) Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.

Second Reading

Rom 1:1-7

Paul spreads the news of the Son of God.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

A virgin will give birth to a son; his name will be Emmanuel: God is with us. Allelu-ia!

Gospel Mt 1:18-24 An angel visits Joseph, who takes Mary as his wife.

THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE ZONE

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 145:6-10. R. see Is 35:4

(R.) Lord, come and save us.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he sent me to bring Good News to the poor.

Alleluia!

Memorial Acclamation

We proclaim your Death, Oh Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

Weekday Masses

Dec 16 - Dec 21

Tuesday: 4.30pm

Wednesday: No Mass

Friday: 9.30am

Saturday: 9.00am

Parish Timetable

Tues

17 Dec

9.30am Christian

Meditation– Church

3.30pm Holy Hour

Wed

18 Dec

11am Novena Our Lady of

Perpetual Help

Thu

19 Dec

10am Social Group Meet

at Sicilian Restaurant

Sat

21 Dec

8.30am & 4.45pm

Reconciliation

10am Social Group Meet

at Sicilian Restaurant

*Everyone welcome, old

and new parishioners!

Text: Excerpts from the English Translation of the Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL); Music: From the Mass of St Francis © 2010, Paul Taylor. © The scriptural quotations are taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton Longman and Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Co Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. The English translation of the Psalm Responses, the Alleluia and Gospel Verses, and the Lenten Gospel Acclamations, and the Titles, Summaries, and Conclusion of the Readings, from the Lectionary for Mass © 1997, 1981, 1968, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

2020 Columban Art Calendars

are on sale for $8 each.

Christmas Mass Times

Christmas Eve

Tuesday 24 December

6.30pm and 9.00pm

Christmas Day

Wednesday 25 December

8.00am & 10.00am

Singing Practice will resume in January

2020.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE

PARISH AND SURROUNDS

*Don’t Forget!*

Christmas Liturgy: If you would like to participate in the liturgy for Christ-mas Eve or Christmas Day, could you please write your name on the Christ-mas Mass time sheets which can be

found on the church doors. Thank you. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Christmas Lunch

There will be a Christmas lunch in the parish hall on Christmas Day. Doors open at 11.30am, lunch will be served at 1pm. Optional: bring a plate of food to share. Everyone is welcome.

Contact Greg Byrne on

0427 918 568

Simbang Gabi

In preparation for the Solemnity of the Lord's birth, novena Masses will be celebrated at 7.15pm from 15 December to 23 December at Sa-cred Heart Cathedral, 841 Hunter St, Newcastle West. The Christmas novena Masses, also known as Sim-bang Gabi to Filipinos, is a long tra-dition brought by the Spanish Friars in the Philippines in 1669. They are in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Expectant Mother of God, and serve as a preparation for the commemoration of the Birth of Our Lord and Saviour. All are welcome.

Supper follows each Mass.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2020 Catechists Mass

Bishop Bill invites you to an annual celebration of the wonderful work of catechists on Saturday 22 Febru-ary at 2pm, at Sacred Heart Cathe-dral, Newcastle West. Celebrate the ministry of Special Religious Educa-tion, Sacraments of Initiation, RCIA

and Children’s Liturgy.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

National Pastoral Ministry Conference

Save the Date for the National Pas-toral Ministry Conference Thursday

9th to Saturday 11th July 2020.

Keynote Speaker: Leisa Anslinger from the United States of America and a Nat ional Leader in StrengthsFinder work and in Parish

Engagement & Stewardship.

The Conference will be held at St Mary, Star of the Sea College, Har-

bour St, Wollongong.

More information contact: Lisa Bright [email protected] or

0448 652 720

Taree Community Kitchen

We are in need of the following items to create Christmas Ham-pers for Diners at the Taree Com-munity Kitchen:

✔ Cereal; long life milk ✔ Tins of ham (Plumrose) ✔ Fruit mince pies; small puddings (Aunt Betty’s) ✔ Fruit juice; tins of stewed fruit ✔ Crackers; Jatz; Shapes ✔ Tins of baby potatoes; beetroot ✔ Tins of corn; four bean mix; peas; tomatoes ✔ Tea bags; small jars coffee; hot chocolate ✔ Sugar ✔ Jam; jars of cranberry or apple sauce ✔ Coles

or Woolies Christmas bags.

These will be distributed at our Christmas Lunch in the park on Friday 20th December.

Help us help those in need this Christmas. The little you give will go a long way to spread Hope and Joy

to those who need it most.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Save The date:

Stephen Bromhead, Member for

Myall Lakes presents...

Myall Lakes Seniors Festival Concert 2020

Club Taree’s Auditorium, 121 Wing-

ham Road, Taree

Monday 16th March 2020

10.30am-2.00pm

&

Club Forster’s Auditorium, Strand

Street, Forster

Tuesday 17th March 2020

10.30am-2.00pm

Tickets are Free and limited to 2 per household. tickets available Mon 6th January 2020 from Club Forster and

MidCoast Council Office

(Myall Lakes Electorate Residents

Only)

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN

THE DIOCESE

Vinnies Bushfire Relief

In an emergency Vinnies can pro-

vide support such as:

Food vouchers

Clothing & bedding

Toiletries

Financial assistance

Interest free loans

Emotional support

Referrals to other services

For more information on local assis-tance and support call us on (02)

4967 6277.

Pamphlets can be found at the side

of the church.

The Parish Office will be closed from Wed 25 Dec & reopen Thurs 2 Jan. The office will also be closed Tue 17 Dec from 11.30am– 1pm .

SUNDAY MASS TIMES

Sat. 6.00pm

Sun. 7.00am, 9.00am & 5.30pm

RECONCILIATION

Saturday 8.30am & 4.45pm

YOUTH MASS

3rd Sunday of the month at 5.30pm.

AGED CARE MASSES

(Subject to change)

Glaica House:

2nd Thurs 10.30am

Estia Forster: 3rd Tues

10.30am

Christian Meditation Forster Tues 9.30am

Monica 6555 7038

Hallidays Point Wed 10am

John 0417 249 466

Social Justice Group Last Wed 5.30pm Meeting Room

Tim Prescott 6555 8517

Maintenance and Gardening

Group 3rd Thursday of the month, 8am Church grounds. Howard 6557

6826

Family and Friends Group Meets monthly, contact Carol and

Terry Pearson on 0408768729.

Singing Practice Ken Heffernan 6554 6304

(see parish timetable)

Holy Hour Tues 3.30pm in the Church

Finance Council 3rd Wednesday of the month, 5pm

Meeting Room

Pastoral Council 2nd Wednesday of the month,

5.30pm Meeting Room

Novena to our Lady of

Perpetual Help and Rosary Wed 11.00am in the Church

Shiony 0411 493 086

Secular Franciscan

Fraternity 4th Sunday of the month after the

9.00am Mass

menALIVE Group 4th Wed after 9am Mass in the

meeting room. Michael Amato 6554

5284

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Holy Name Catholic School K-6

41 Lake Street, Forster

Ph: 6554 6504

E:[email protected]

W: www.forster.catholic.edu.au

Principal: Brooke Stephens

St Clare’s High School 7-12

Davis Street, Taree

P: 6552 3300

E:[email protected]

W: www.tareesc.catholic.edu.au

Principal: Peter Nicholls

PARISH TEAM

Fr Greg Barker - Parish Priest

[email protected]

Emergency Contact 0417 321 209

Ms Danielle Kingdom

Admin Assistant

[email protected]

Office Hours:

Mon-Thurs 9.00am- 3.00pm

Fri– 9.00am– 5.30pm

Phone: 6554 6401

Website:

www.forstertuncurrycatholic.org.au

Follow us on facebook: @catholicparishofforstertuncurry

PARISH GROUPS

BAPTISMS

Celebrated most Sundays.

Bookings via the Parish website

MARRIAGE

Celebrated by arrangement with at least 3 months notice. Bookings via

the parish website

SACRAMENTAL PROCESS

Enrolment via the Parish Website

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS

(RCIA) Parish Office 6554 6304

CATHOLIC CARE

Phone: 6539 5900 for services

provided in Forster

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with the Diocese. The activities or services of the advertisers are not supervised or controlled in any way by the Diocese. The Diocese is not in a

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any responsibility for the advertisers or the activities or services that are the subject of these advertisements.