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 18th May, 2014 Fifth 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 9th June 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) Fifh Week of Easter
Wednesday21st May 9am Mass @ Forster 9:30am menALIVE morning group @ Forster 11:15am Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help @ Forster 5:30pm Parish Pastoral Council meetng @ Forster
Thursday22nd May Fr Andrew to Newcastle for Clergy Fund Commitee meetng. 9am Mass @ Forster 5pm Ofcial Launch of Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden @ Holy Name School
Friday23rd May Fr Andrew to Newcastle for College of Consultors and Council of Priests. 9:30am Mass @ Forster
Saturday24th May Solemnity of Our Lady, Help of Christans. 8:30am Reconciliaton @ Tuncurry 9am Mass @ Tuncurry 4:45pm Reconciliaton @ Forster (untl 5:15pm) 6pm Mass @ Tuncurry
Sunday25th May 7am Mass @ Tuncurry 9am Mass @ Forster 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 28th 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 19th June startng at Tuncurry at 8am and then on to Forster. Contact Howard 6557 6826 for more informaton.
Singing Practce The Singing Group will resume practces on Tuesday 20th May at 5:30pm at Holy Name Church, Forster. All welcome.
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. 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.
A supper will be held in the Therry Centre immediately afer the liturgy, and you are asked to bring a plate to share.
All are welcome to join the Diocesan community for this important celebraton in the life of the local Church. 3
From The Pastors Desk... Robert F. Kennedy once wrote about the kinds of works of todays Gospel, and the ones that represent the greater ones than these that the believers of Jesus can actually do in this way:
It is from numberless diverse acts and courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each tme a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustce, he sends forth a tny ripple of hope. Crossing each other from a million diferent centres of energy and daring, those ripples will build a current which can sweep down the mightest walls of oppression and resistance.
It sounds like marvellous rhetoricand indeed it wasbut Kennedys words also hold within them fundamental truths that we, as faithful followers of Jesus, need to hold on to.
Firstly, you and I, as individuals, may not be able to much about injustce and the lot of others, but the good news is that we dont have to do all by ourselves. We, as the Body of Christ, have a voice that is more powerful than the consttuent parts, and we are called to use that voice for the sake of the world in which we live and partcularly for the sake of those who fnd themselves at the margins of society...just as Jesus did.
Secondly, the focus of our works, both individually and corporately, is not inwardly focussed on ourselves but rather on those who the victms of intolerance, injustce, prejudice, victmisaton, etc. Why? Because any reading of the Gospels will show that was the focus of Jesus works, and we, as his faithful disciples, are called to do the same.
The mission of the Gospel is not just about ensuring safe entry into eternal life for ourselves. Seeking afer eternal life requires us to walk in the footsteps of Jesus which, as we read in todays Gospel, means carrying on the same works as Jesus did himself while he walked among us. It simply isnt an opton.
Untl next week Fr Andrew Our Parish Collections a) The Parish Collecton, providing for the needs of the parish and its ministry, is taken up during the presentaton and preparaton of the gifs (the ofertory). This is the envelope collecton. This money stays within the Parish.
b) The Diocesan Clergy Collecton, providing for the remuneraton and support of the clergy of the diocese, will be taken up afer communion (during the Thanksgiving Hymn or a similar tme). This money is pooled across the diocese to ensure all clergy have access to a suitable remuneraton. 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. 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. Planned Giving The Financial Year will soon come to end, and the Parish would like to thank all those who contnue to generously support the life of the Parish.
If you would like to join the Planned Giving Programme, please contact the Parish Ofce. New envelopes for 2014-15 will be available in the next few weeks. To assist in the distributon would you please write FORSTER or TUNCURRY on your envelopes so that we can have your new envelopes in the right church for you. If you will be seeking a Tax Receipt for this current fnancial year, would you please write TAX on your envelope. Thank you from Homebase Homebase Youth and Aboriginal Service have sent a leter of thanks for our Parish contributons of food and personal hygiene items. The items were given to homeless, vulnerable and disadvantage youth in the area. Sacred Scriptures When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in the work, proclaims the Gospel. GIRM 29 Sing ALLELUIA! Augustne says rightly, Singing is for one who loves, and there is also an ancient proverb, Whoever sings well prays twice over. GIRM 39 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 In my Fathers house, there are many dwelling places. Prepare a place in the Fathers Mansion by living his promises here on earth (John 14:2). 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). 2nd Spiritual Directors eConference The Conference of Spiritual Directors will be hostng their second eConference on Thursday 12th June from 9:30am to 3:30pm.
Unlike the Natonal eConference above, the CSD eConference, ttled The Trinity: A Place of Deep Listening, will have a smaller appeal: the Conference is primarily for spiritual directors, although it will be of interest to others interested in the place of the Trinity in the Gospel of John.
Tony Knight has ofered to host a small group of interested people (max 12 people) at his home at Tallwoods Village on the day.
For more informaton, or to register your interest, please contact Tony on 6559 2573 before the 8th June. 5
No to Selfishness and Spiritual Sloth At a tme when we most need a missionary dynamism which will bring salt and light to the world, many lay people fear that they may be asked to undertake some apostolic work and they seek to avoid any responsibility that may take away from their free tme. For example, it has become very difcult today to fnd trained parish catechists willing to persevere in this work for some years. Something similar is also happening with priests who are obsessed with protectng their free tme. This is frequently due to the fact that people feel an overbearing need to guard their personal freedom, as though the task of evangelizaton was a dangerous poison rather than a joyful response to Gods love which summons us to mission and makes us fulflled and productve. Some resist giving themselves over completely to mission and thus end up in a state of paralysis and acedia.
The problem is not always an excess of actvity, but rather actvity undertaken badly, without adequate motvaton, without a spirituality which would permeate it and make it pleasurable. As a result, work becomes more tring than necessary, even leading at tmes to illness. Far from a content and happy tredness, this is a tense, burdensome, dissatsfying and, in the end, unbearable fatgue. This pastoral acedia can be caused by a number of things. Some fall into it because they throw themselves into unrealistc projects and are not satsfed simply to do what they reasonably can. Others, because they lack the patence to allow processes to mature; they want everything to fall from heaven. Others, because they are atached to a few projects or vain dreams of success. Others, because they have lost real contract with people and so depersonalize their work that they are more concerned with the road map than with the journey itself. Others fall into acedia because they are unable to wait; they want to dominate the rhythm of life. Todays obsession with immediate results makes it hard for pastoral workers to tolerate anything that smacks of disagreement, possible failure, critcism, the cross.
Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 81-82.
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. Sacramental Preparation Programme The preparaton process for our young children who will be confrmed this year is now well under way. Please remember these children, whose names and faces you can see in our churches, over the coming weeks.
The Sacrament of Confrmaton will be celebrated on Friday 13th June with Bishop Bill beginning at 7pm. All welcome. 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. I am the true vine and you are the branches, says the Lord. 6
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Communicaton at the Service of an Authentc Culture of Encounter is the 2014 theme promulgated by the Holy Father Pope Francis for the 48th World Communicatons Day. The event will be celebrated on 25th May 2014 throughout the Catholic Church in Australia. To celebrate the occasion, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Communicatons Ofce has created a digital storytelling project enttled Strring Hearts.
Each story is told using digital media, embracing our online communicaton technologies and social media to spread our good news stories to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
Each story is unique, blessed and ofentmes a challenging story of life and faith. The twelve digital stories are fve to six minute YouTube videos published on the Strring Hearts website: www.strringhearts.org.au.
Strring Hearts is a response to the Holy Fathers message that speaks of social networks as one way to experience the call to discover the beauty of faith and the beauty of encountering Christ. In the area of communicatons we need a Church capable of bringing warmth and of strring hearts, Pope Francis said.
Strring Hearts is an online resource for parishioners, local schools, youth groups and parish councils to use. In additon to the digital stories, a toolkit of educaton and parish resources including refecton questons, suggested intercessions and homily notes is available at: www.strringhearts.org.au/toolkit. Kids Corner
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Opportunities Outside The Parish 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.
Monastc Experience Weekend Tarrawarra Abbey in Victoria will host a Monastc Experience Weekend on 13th15th June this year. Do you wonder whether you might be called by God to the monastc life? Would you like to know more about the Cistercian life? If so, and you are a single Catholic male (Tarrawarra is community of monks), consider yourself invited. For more informaton contact 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.
St Catherines Catholic College Art Exhibiton St Catherines Catholic College is hostng its frst Fine Arts Exhibiton on Tuesday 17th June at 6pm in the McAuley Hall of the College. The event is expected to have great success in showcasing the wonderful talents of the College students, and is themed Art Infnite to encompass the never-ending and always changing process of art and creatvity. Opening Night Functon (entry by gold coin donaton) will feature gourmet canapes and orange juice.
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.
Proclaim Conference 2014 The 2014 Proclaim Conference on the New Evangelisaton will be held from Thursday 21st August at The Concourse, Chatswood. The theme of the Conference is Living the Joy of the Gospel in Parishes drawing on Pope Francis Apostolic Exhortaton Evangelii Gaudium. For more informaton, please visit www.proclaimconference.com.au.
The Trinity A Place of Deep Listening (Sponsored by the Conference of Spiritual Directors, Australia) eConference with Mary Coloe PBVM, Thursday 12th June, 2014 - 9am - 3.30pm. This eConference afords us an excitng opportunity, with Marys guidance, to sit with the Trinity and allow the Spirit to move us into the relatonship with God that promises fullness of life -Mary MacKillop Place, 7 11 Mount Street, Nth Sydney RSVP by 6th June to Annie Bond rsj, annie.bond@sosj.org.au Please bring a Bible.
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Ministers this 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. Ministers next Weekend... ...of the Word ...of Communion 6pm Tuncurry A: Colleen Cashman B: Bob Cashman Michael Amato, Burness Goodlet, Frank Hayman, Kathryn McCabe, Margaret Smith. 7am Tuncurry A: Mary Greig B: Tony Knight Lorraine Clark, Patricia Cornish, Cushla Drake, Mary Greig, Cecile Malone. 9am Forster A: Barbara Dolahenty B: Sharon Fowle Josi Beech, Barbara Dolahenty, Alan McCarthy, Coral McCarthy, Anne Moloney. 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 6:1-7 1 Peter 2:4-9 John 14:1-12 Monday Acts 14:5-18 John 14:21-26 Tuesday Acts 14:19-28 John 14:27-31 Wednesday Acts 15:1-6 John 15:1-8 Thursday Acts 15:7-21 John 15:9-11 Friday Acts 15:22-31 John 15:12-17 Saturday Sirach 4:11-18 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 John 19:25-27 Sunday Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 1 Peter 3:15-18 John 14:15-21 Todays Liturgy of the Word
Responsorial Psalm Response: Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Gospel Acclamaton Alleluia, alleluia! I am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father, except through me. Alleluia! In your charity, please pray for: Those recently deceased: Kevin Quirk, Marjorie Guascoine.
Those whose anniversaries occur about now: James Ferry, Thomas Meighan.
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.