The Parish is also served by St Clares High School, Taree (7-12) Mr Peter Nicholls (Principal)
Davis Street, Taree NSW 2430
P: (02) 6552 3300 F: (02) 6552 3656 E: admin@tareesc.catholic.edu.au W: www.tareesc.catholic.edu.au Sunday 11th May, 2014 Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A Bridgeside Bulletin The weekly bulletn of the Catholic Parish of Forster Tuncurry Holy Name of Jesus Parish Church 33 Lake Street, Forster St Mary, Star of the Sea Church Cnr Kent & Peel Streets, Tuncurry Proclaiming Christ to the communites of Forster, Tuncurry and the surrounding districts Celebratng the Sacraments Reconciliaton is available on Saturday mornings at Tuncurry from 8am untl the beginning of the 9am Mass, on Saturday afernoons at Forster from 4:15pm untl 5:15pm, or other tmes by contactng Fr Andrew.
Baptsms are celebrated on Sundays, either during any of our Sunday Masses or afer the 9am Mass. The next Baptsmal Preparaton meetng will take place in the Parish Halls meetng rooms on Monday 12th May commencing at 7pm. Please contact the Parish Ofce for more details, or visit the Parish website.
Weddings are celebrated by arrangement and with at least three (and preferably more) months notce. Please contact Fr Andrew for more details, or visit the Parish website.
A Sacramental Preparaton process runs each year in the Parish for children wishing to complete the celebraton of the Sacraments of Initaton as part of the Parish community. Please contact the Parish Ofce for more details, or visit the Parish website.
The Parish hosts the Rite of Christan Initaton of Adults process for those adults wishing to be baptsed or be received into the communion of the Catholic Church. Please contact the Parish Ofce for more details, or visit the Parish website. The Parish can also be found online:
Search for us on Facebook as Catholic Parish of Forster Tuncurry
Follow us on Twiter: @fcatholic 2
The Parish Diary(for the week ahead) Fourth Week of Easter
Monday12th May 7pm Baptsm Preparaton Meetng @ Forster
Tuesday13th May 9am Christan Meditaton (Bob 6555 5914) 11am Anointng Mass @ GLAICA House 3:30pm Holy Hour @ Tuncurry 4:30pm Mass @ Tuncurry 5:30pm Christan Meditaton (Bob 6555 5914) 5:30pm Singing Practse @ Forster
Wednesday14th April Feast of St Mathias 9am Mass @ Forster 9:30am menALIVE morning group @ Forster 11:15am Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help @ Forster 5:30pm Parish Finance Commitee meetng @ Forster 7pm Sacramental Program (Confrmaton) Preparaton Meetng @ Forster
Thursday15th May 9am Mass @ Forster
Friday16th May 9:30am Anointng Mass @ Forster 6pm Parish Dinner @ Reef Bar n Grill Forster
Saturday17th May 8:30am Reconciliaton @ Tuncurry 9am Mass @ Tuncurry 4:45pm Reconciliaton @ Forster (untl 5:15pm) 6pm Mass @ Tuncurry
Sunday18th May 7am Mass @ Tuncurry Regular Activities in the Parish Secular Franciscan Fraternity The Secular Franciscans Fraternity will next meet on Wednesday 4th June, coming together for Mass at 9am, followed by a cuppa at 9:30am and then the meetng 10am to 12pm.
The menALIVE Groups Our Parish currently hosts two menALIVE groups. The morning group will next meet on Wednesday 14th May afer the 9am Mass, while the evening group will next meet on Thursday 5th June at 7:30pm.
Maintenance & Gardening Group The Parish is lucky to be served by a very dedicated band of volunteers who tend to the upkeep of the grounds and gardens of our two church sites. They do a fabulous job, and are always ready to welcome new members to the group. The next date is Thursday 15th May startng at Tuncurry at 8am and then on to Forster. Contact Howard 6557 6826 for more informaton.
Singing Practce The Singing Group will resume on Tuesday 13th May at 5.30pm at Holy Name Church, Forster.
Collecton of Foodstufs for Homebase On the frst Sunday of each month we undertake a collecton in order to support Homebase. The next collecton will next take place on Sunday 1st June.
Holy Hour The Parish community observes a Holy Hour each Tuesday afernoon in the Tuncurry Church from 3:30pm untl the beginning of Mass at 4:30pm.
Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help The Novena is prayed every Wednesday in the Forster church commencing at 11:15am and is followed by a cuppa in the Parish Hall. Contact Shioney (6554 9468) for more informaton.
Evening Prayer & Benedicton The Parish community celebrates on the frst Sunday of each month at 5:30pm in the Tuncurry church. It will next be celebrated on Sunday 1st June. All welcome. Sacramental Preparation Programme The frst preparaton meetng for the celebraton of the Sacrament of Confrmaton will take place on Wednesday 14th May in the Parish Hall commencing at 7pm. For more informaton please see the Parish Website, or contact the Parish Ofce.
The Sacrament of Confrmaton will be celebrated on Friday 13th June with Bishop Bill. Ordination of Peter Street Bishop Bill will ordain Peter Street to the Order of Deacons on Friday 30th May at St Josephs Church, East Maitland at 7:30pm.
All are welcome to join the Diocesan community for this important celebraton in the life of the local Church. 3
From The Pastors Desk... Because of the Gospel that is proclaimed on the Fourth Sunday of Easter it is ofen referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday and is ofen an occasion for menton to be made, in a partcular way, of the need to pray for and foster vocatons to the ordained ministries of Priest and Deacon.
This is always something worthy of prayer and discernmentand maybe even the odd suggeston to something you think might ft the bill of these specifc vocatons in the life of the local Churchyet I thought I might update you on where things stand in our Diocese at this point in tme.
As you will read elsewhere, our Diocese is about to ordain a deacon, Peter Street, as part of his journey towards priesthood. This will be frst ordinaton of a transitonal deacon in about seven years! It is a joyous occasion to be sure, but there is some more good news.
The Diocese had two men start their seminary formaton this year in Sydney, another will begin his in Rome later in the year, and yet another will begin his formaton in Brisbane either mid-year or in 2015. It is looking likely that at least one and maybe two will begin their seminary formaton in 2015 as well.
This all looks very promising I think you would agree.
The bad news is that before all of these men fnish their formaton and are ordained, the number of priests stll actve in ministry in our Diocese will almost halve through retrement. God forbid any of the currently actve priests should take ill and have to cease ministry early, although that is entrely in Gods hands.
This dire situaton cannot be solved by simply invitng more priests into our local Church from overseas (although that too is being considered as part of a short term soluton)if the Diocese is going to be sustainable in terms of parish life going forward local vocatons need to be fostered. The ability to place a priest in every parish of the Diocese is already under strain, and we cant simply ordain men and immediately make them parish priests.
So on this Good Shepherd Sunday, as we hear the Gospel proclaimed in our midst, perhaps we might resolve to contnue to pray for and foster vocatons to the ordained ministries of the Church, so that we can contnue the mission of making the Good News of Jesus known to the wider world.
Untl next week Fr Andrew Parish Dinner This years event will be held at the Reef Bar & Grill on Wharf Street, Forster at 6pm on Friday 16th May. Our guest speaker is Brendan Guiney from Mid Coast Water who will talk about Twinning and Water Aid in Samoa.
Tickets are $30 and include a 2 course meal. They are available for purchase today outside the churches afer Mass, or, alternatvely, you can contact the Parish Ofce. Monastic Experience Weekend Tarrawarra Abbey will host a Monastc Experience Weekend on 13th-15th June this year.
Do you wonder whether you might be called by God to monastc life? Would you like to know more about the Cistercian life? If so, and you are a single Catholic male (Tarrawarra is a community of monks), consider yourself invited.
You can obtain more informaton and/or book by contactng Fr Joseph Chua ocso, Vocatons Director, Tarrawarra Abbey, Yarra Glen, Victoria 3775. Alternatvely, email Fr Joseph on vocatons @cistercian.org.au or phone him on 03 9730 1306. We would love to have you come and see. Tri-Diocesan Covenant Service The Tri-Diocesan Covenant Ecumenical Service will be held on Thursday 29th May beginning at 7:45pm at St Peter's Anglican Church, East Maitland. All are very welcome to atend this joyful and popular service. Leaving Mass Early At the risk of making myself unpopular (again!?) I would like to suggest that habitually leaving Mass immediately afer receiving Communion is defnitely too early to be leaving Mass.
Please consider your actons. Fr Andrew Women of Faith Lunch The Women of Faith group (of the Anglican Parish of Forster Tuncurry) will be holding a lunch on Saturday 17th May at 12 noon at St Albans Church Hall, St Albans Place, Forster. The speaker will be Wendy Ballard of Green Cathedral Ministries.
There will be good fellowship, delicious food and an interestng speaker. The cost is $10 a head, and everyone is welcomewomen of any faith or none. 4
Catholic Newspapers Available Both The Catholic Leader (Brisbane) and The Catholic Weekly (Sydney) newspapers are available at a cost of $2 each from our churches. Parish Social Functions for 2014 The dates for the remaining Parish Social Functons for 2014 are:-
INTERNATIONAL LUNCH to be held on Saturday 2nd August. BLESSING OF THE FLEET/PARISH BBQ will be held this year on Sunday 5th October.
Please claim these dates in your diary now and watch for further details as they are released closer to each event. Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Official Opening The ofcial opening of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden at Holy Name Primary School will take place on Thursday 22nd May from 5pm.
Holy Name Primary School has been building an organic garden since mid 2013, and the opening is an opportunity for the wider community to learn about and experience the Kitchen Garden Program for themselves.
The evening will feature special guest appearance by Carly and Tresne from My Kitchen Rules, along with musical performances by Holy Name students.
Please RSVP to Kellie Spinks on 6554 6504 or by email to kellie.spinks@mn.catholic.edu.au. Vocation View Repent and be baptsed! Our life as followers of Jesus is a constant conversion to the Lord; we must at all tmes live out the commitments made at our Baptsm (Acts 2:38). For more informaton regarding Vocatons contact Fr Brian Mascord on 4979 1112 or by email to vocatons@mn.catholic.org.au. 10th National eConference The 10th Natonal eConference hosted by Broken Bay Insttute will be held on Wednesday 11th June from 10am to 3pm.
Once again the Parish will hostng partcipaton in the eConference, which has the ttle Pope Francis: Modelling the Ministry of St Peter, and featuring as presenters Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, Sr Monica Cavanagh rsj, Fr Gerard Kelly, Ms Selina Hasham, and Fr Noel Connolly ssc.
You are invited to bring along a small plate of food to share or your own lunch. Cofee and tea will be provided.
Registratons for the eConference to the Parish Ofce or by email to Loreta Hefernan at loreta.hefernan@ mn.catholic.org.au Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults On Pentecost Sunday 8th June 2014 the Chisholm Region will hold a reunion to celebrate over 20 years of RCIA ministry!
If you have experienced RCIA in the parishes of the Chisholm Region - East Maitland, Morpeth, Maitland, Rutherford, Lochinvar, Beresfeld, Dungog and Gresford, we hope you will bring along your family and join us for a Reunion Mass at 11.00am in the Immaculate Concepton Church George St Morpeth.
We will then enjoy a BYO picnic lunch in the Corcoran Centre and church grounds afer Mass. If you have been a sponsor you might like to make contact with the person you sponsored. Contact: Loreto Lynch Ph: 49337425 or Email: loreto.lynch@exemail.com.au Association of Catholic Professionals The next Assembly of Catholic Professionals Luncheon with guest speaker Phil Glendenning will be held on Thursday 29th May beginning at 12pm at The Newcastle Club, 40 Newcomen St, Newcastle.
There is no cost for ACP members; guests cost $99 (plus GST). For bookings please contact the Diocesan Fundraising Ofce by phone (4979 1124), by email (acp@mn.catholic.org.au), or by visitng the ACP webpage (www.mn.catholic.org.au/acp). Sacramental Program The Sacramental Programme has commenced once again as families prepare their children to receive the Sacraments of Confrmaton and First Holy Communion. Parents will be assisted in preparing their children by a Parish Sacramental Team. This year we have a strong Team of Genevieve Williamson, Natasha Brotherton, Lee Sullivan, Rhiannon Lacey and Greg Byrne.
This weekend children and their families will be presented to the Parish Community who will be asked to support these families during the preparaton period and the childrens recepton into our worshipping community. In this regard you may like to add your name to the list of children at the rear of both churches. 5
Receiving Communion So that we might receive Communion in a ft and proper way, please be aware of the following:
When we process forward to receive Communion, we have been asked by the Australian Bishops to adopt a common and unifed gesture of reverence before doing so. In Australia that gesture is a bow of the head and shoulders (GIRM, 160). Any other form of reverence, including a genufecton, is no longer permited, and you are asked to refrain from doing so. When the minister of communion presents the Host or Chalice to you, they say The Body of Christ or The Blood of Christ. Please ensure that you respond with Amen. Communion by self-intncton (self-dipping) is never permited, since we receive Communion and never take Communion. Please refrain from this inappropriate acton. We regret that we do not have the physical facilites to ofer communion while kneeling, and respectully ask you to refrain from kneeling to receive Communion while part of the procession, since this is contrary to the nature of the Communion procession itself. Your cooperaton in honouring this request is very much appreciated, and we thank you for your consideraton.
Yes to the Challenge of a Missionary Spirituality Today we are seeing in many pastoral workers, including consecrated men and women, an inordinate concern for their personal freedom and relaxaton, which leads them to see their work as a mere appendage to their life, as if it were not part of their very identty. At the same tme, the spiritual life comes to be identfed with a few religious exercises which can ofer a certain comfort but which do not encourage encounter with others, engagement with the world or a passion for evangelizaton. As a result, one can observe in many agents of evangelizaton, even though they pray, a heightened individualism, a crisis of identty and a cooling of fervour. These are three evils which fuel one another.
At tmes our media culture and some intellectual circles convey a marked sceptcism with regard to the Churchs message, along with a certain cynicism. As a consequence, many pastoral workers, although they pray, develop a sort of inferiority complex which leads them to relatvize or conceal their Christan identty and convictons. This produces a vicious circle. They end up being unhappy with who they are and what they do; they do not identfy with their mission of evangelizaton and this weakens their commitment. They end up stfing the joy of mission with a kind of obsession about being like everyone else and possessing what everyone else possesses. Their work of evangelizaton thus becomes forced, and they devote litle energy and very limited tme to it.
Pastoral workers can thus fall into a relatvism which, whatever their partcular style of spirituality or way of thinking, proves even more dangerous than doctrinal relatvism. It has to do with the deepest and inmost decisions that shape their way of life. This practcal relatvism consists in actng as if God did not exist, making decisions as if the poor did not exist, setng goals as if others did not exist, working as if people who have not received the Gospel did not exist. It is striking that even some who clearly have solid doctrinal and spiritual convictons frequently fall into a lifestyle which leads to an atachment to fnancial security, or to a desire for power or human glory at all cost, rather than giving their lives to others in mission. Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of missionary enthusiasm!
Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 78-80.
If you would like to read more of Evangelii Gaudium, copies are available for purchase ($10) or borrowing from the Parish Ofce. The Exhortaton is also available for downloading from the Vatcan website. Palliative Care Week The Forster Palliatve Care Team will be holding their Annual Memorial Service at 10am on Friday 30th May at Blackhead Surf Club, Hallidays Point. The aim of the service is to help people with their healing process and to feel a sense of community as people join with others in a similar situaton. It is also an opportunity for professional carers to give thanks and to be supported.
If you are interested in atending or partcipatng in this service, or if you would like to ofer a venue for services in the future, please contact either, Deidre Stokes, Trish Lowe, Margaret Fitzgerald or Robyn McIntosh at Foster Community Health on 6539 6300. Raising Awareness of Palliative Care You are invited to a proposed walk across the Tuncurry Forster Bridge at 10am on Friday 23 May 2014 as a forerunner to Palliatve Care Week, 25 to 31 May. This year, at the suggeston of Mayor Jan McWilliams, you are invited to wear something blue.
A brief discourse on the role of palliatve care will be delivered prior to the bridge walk. Morning tea will be served on the foreshore afer the bridge crossing is complete. 6
Parish Singing Group - Easter 2014
7
Opportunities Outside The Parish TWEC Mums Night Out TWEC "Mum's Night Out" will be held on Wednesday 14th May beginning at 5:30pm at Holmesville Hotel, 21 George St, Holmesville, and will be hosted by Sally Lavis & Benita Tait (Mums and Seasons for Growth facilitators). Please RSVP by 9th May to the TWEC Secretary by phone (4930 9601) or by email (twec@ssjl.org.au). A donaton is appreciated.
An Evening with Dr John Irvine Dr John Irvine is one of Australias most prominent child psychologists, and will be presentng a public lecture enttled Anxiety K-12: Red fags & what parents can do to support their children on Wednesday 14th May from 6:30pm at The Factory, St Pius X High School, Park Avenue, Adamstown. Please RSVP to Cath Garret-Jones, Parent Liaison and Resource Ofce by phone to 4979 1303 or by email to cath.garret-jones@mn.catholic.org.au.
CatholicCare Masquerade Ball The 2014 CatholicCare Masquerade Ball will be hold on Saturday 17th May beginning at 7pm at Wests Leagues Club, New Lambton. The event is a fundraiser for CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Mannings Child & Family Services, and coincides with Natonal Families Week (15th-21st May). The Ball is a great way to celebrate the vital role families play in our community. Tickets are $140ea (plus booking fee) and are available from www.stckytckets. com.au/14972 or by phoning 4979 1120.
Mass of Celebraton with Neophytes Come celebrate with our new Catholics (Newphytes) on Sunday 18th May beginning with Mass at 9:30am at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Newcastle West. All parishioners, family members, parish RCIA teams, sponsors and godparents in the Diocese are invited to join with Bishop Bill in welcoming these new Catholics into the Diocesan family. A morning tea will follow in the Diocesan Centre.
Charismatc Renewal Weekend Newcastle Catholic Charismatc Renewal Healing Weekend will be held on Saturday 24th May at St John Parish Hall, Dickson St, Lambton. Newcastle Catholic Charismatc Renewal invites all people who are interested to a Healing Weekend with Sr. Margaret Scully. Both days start at 9am and fnish at 4pm. This will include Mass. Morning and afernoon tea will be provided, please BYO lunch. Cost is a donaton. Contact Margaret Abdoo 0425260925 or Wayne Caruana 0466 631394 for more informaton.
Week of Prayer for Christan Unity 2014 This year the Week of Prayer for Christan Unity will be held in Australia from 1st to 8th June, with the theme Has Christ Been Divided? (1 Cor 1:1-17). Guidelines, an Order of Worship, Sermon Notes, Daily Prayers and Biblical Refectons, as well as a Poster, are available on the website of the Natonal Council of Churches in Australia (www.ncca.org.au).
DioSounds Evening Performance 2014 The evening performance of DioSounds 2014 will be held on Wednesday 11th June commencing at 6:30pm at the Civic Theatre, Hunter Street, Newcastle. Tickets are available at the Civic Theatre or via Ticketek (phone 4929 1977 or visit www.tcketek.com.au) and cost $30 for adults, and $15 for students and concessions.
2014 TWEC Dinner The 2014 TWEC Dinner will be held on Friday 13th June 2014 at The Therry Centre, East Maitland, 6:30pm for 7pm. The special guest speaker will be Mr Tim Fischer, former Deputy Prime Minister and more recently the frst resident Australian Ambassador to the Holy See, well known train enthusiast, writer and much more! The cost for hors doeuvres, drinks, main meal and dessert is $60 per person For more informaton call 4930 9601 or email twec@ssjl.org.au.
Marriage Encounter Weekend A Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend will be held beginning Friday 13th June at Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, Varroville. The weekend ofers married couples a special kind of tme out, a diferent kind of weekend getaway. Contact Ardell or Bill Sharpe on 4283 3435 or wsharpe@bigpond.net.au for more informaton.
2014 Diocesan Youth Retreat Be, Grow, Show is the ttle of the 2014 Diocesan Youth Retreat which will be held from Friday 27th June to Sunday 29th June at Camp Elim, The Lakes Way, Forster. Save the date! For more informaton email youth.ministry@mn.catholic.org.au.
Bonhoefer Conference 2014 The 2014 Bonhoefer ConferenceUsed and Abused: Bonhoefer for All Causeswill be held on Thursday 31st July at St Josephs Spirituality Centre, Kincumber. For more informaton contact Wendy Grant on 4921 5880 or Bonhoefer-conference@ newcastle.edu.au. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved 8
Ministers this Weekend... ...of the Word ...of Communion 6pm Tuncurry A: Valarie Ross B: Monica Hunt Lou Hope, Ruth Pearson, Maureen Pye, Neil Pye, Valarie Ross. 7am Tuncurry A: Kay Grifths B: Maree Gapps Maria Armitage, Lorraine Clark, Patricia Cornish, Cushla Drake, Kay Grifths. 9am Forster A: Kris Koch B: Genevieve Williamson Josi Beech, Elle Cairns-Cowan, Anne Moloney, Robert Moran, Robyn Ryan. Ministers next Weekend... ...of the Word ...of Communion 6pm Tuncurry A: Frank Hayman B: Valarie Ross Owen Carroll, Burness Goodlet, Frank Hayman, Maureen Stevens, Tony Stevens. 7am Tuncurry A: Anne-Marie Greene B: Cecile Malone Lorraine Clark, Patricia Cornish, Cushla Drake, Tony Knight, Edna Tucker. 9am Forster A: Kyla Loring B: Marion ONeill Sharon Fowle, Barbara Kermode, Anne Moloney, Trevor Turner, Genevieve Williamson. Please note: The above informaton refects the rosters as originally published, and doesnt take account of any swaps that may have been organised between individuals. Scripture Readings This Week
Today Acts 2:14, 36-41 1 Peter 2:20-25 John 10:1-10 Monday Acts 11:1-18 John 10:11-18 Tuesday Acts 11:19-26 John 10:22-30 Wednesday Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 John 15:9-17 Thursday Acts 13:13-25 John 13:16-20 Friday Acts 13:26-33 John 14:1-6 Saturday Acts 13:44-52 John 14:7-14 Sunday Acts 6:1-7 1 Peter 2:4-9 John 14:1-12 Todays Liturgy of the Word
Responsorial Psalm Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want..
Gospel Acclamaton Alleluia, alleluia! I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep and mine know me. Alleluia! In your charity, please pray for: Those recently deceased: Evelyn Matthews (Mother of Ted Doherty)
Those whose anniversaries occur about now: Don Burton.
All those in our community who are sick. Text: Excerpts from the English Translaton of the Roman Missal 2010, Internatonal Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL); Music: From the Mass of St Francis 2010, Paul Taylor. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Australian AgentWord of Life Internatonal Licence no 195E.