Priestly Ordination
Bishop Anthony has announced that Deacon Rosan Mathew will be Ordained a Priest at OLR Cathedral Waitara on Wednesday 19 March at 7.30pm.We are also pleased to announce that Deacon Rosan has also been appointed to continue serving in our parish as Assistant Priest. Please keep him in our prayers as he prepares for this important occasion.
Fr Joshi
Fr Joshi has been appointed as Assistant Priest at Warnervale starting from 31 January. We thank him for his fine ministry with us since his appointment in August 2023 and wish him well and continue to pray for him as he begins a new chapter at St Mary of the Cross MacKillop community.
Further details regarding Dcn Rosan’s Ordination and Fr Joshi’s farewell will follow as available.
Memorial Garden Statues
Our new statues of St Patrick and St Mary of the Cross MacKillop are now in residence in the Memorial Garden. This completes the garden and we now have a patron for each of the walls. Thank you to those who contributed so generously to the purchase of these statues.
Two New Junior Altar Servers
On Saturday, 30 November, at the 5pm Vigil Mass, Deacon Rosan officially welcomed and blessed our two newest Junior Altar Servers, Jaggar and Pearl White. It is encouraging to witness the participation of our younger children in this important role, contributing to the service at our Parish Masses.
First Friday of the Month Cuppa
On Friday 6 December after 11:45am Mass, we’re excited to celebrate our monthly cuppa with a Christmas theme, and we warmly invite everyone to bring a plate to share. They may be dropped off at the parish hall before the Mass. It’s a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones, before the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season starts in earnest. We hope to see many of you there. And if you have a bit of extra time to help out with serving or cleaning up on the day, your generosity would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to a festive
gathering together.
Christmas Family Mass
The end of the year is closing in fast and before we know it Christmas will be on our doorstep so it’s a good time to remind families of our Parish Christmas Mass times. Our Family Mass will be at 5pm on Christmas Eve and we invite children to participate in this Mass. Roles will include the re-enactment of the Gospel (no speaking parts), readers, offertory procession, Gospel procession and of course, we welcome children to dress up for the Mass as angels, shepherds, kings etc. More details will follow in the coming weeks but you may like to ask your children now if they would like to participate in the Mass. Rehearsals will be at 10am on Monday 23 December at the church, so mark it in your diary.
Advent Reflection Days
You are welcome to join Deacon Rosan for Advent Reflection Days on Wednesdays during Advent after 9am Mass, in the Reynolds Room. We will be using the reflection journal from the diocese "A Journey of Hope".
Final Date: 18 December Time: 9.30am Where: Reynolds Room
Congratulations Rory!
Last Sunday at the 8am Mass Rory Stacey was received into full communion with the Catholic Church. Pictured (left to right) are Deacon Paul, Rory, Fr Joshi, Peter Brunker (Rory’s sponsor) and Fr Brian. A very big welcome to you, Rory!
Catechist Awards
Service Awards were presented to our Catechists by the Vicar General, Fr David Ranson, in recognition of their years of teaching Special Religious Education to Catholic children in our public schools. Mary Evans was honoured with a 25-year award, while Johanna Hall and Deacon Rosan both received 15-year awards. Also acknowledged was Desmond Ho, presented with two CCD Diplomas in Special Religious Education for completing CCD Level 1 and Level 3 Ministry courses. We would like to extend our gratitude to all of them for their outstanding contributions to this ministry.
Volunteers Thank You Happy Snaps
Night of Light Thanks
Thank you to all who came along to Night of Light on 31 October. It was a great success with many families and parishioners joining us for games, activities, craft, Adoration, and a BBQ dinner. Special thanks to all those who helped on the night.
Anniversary of Priesthood
Congratulations Fr Joshi! Next Thursday 7 November marks the 8th anniversary of Fr Joshi’s Priestly Ordination. We wish you many blessings!
Family Mass
All families are warmly invited to attend our Family Mass next Saturday 26 October at 5pm. These Family Masses have proved to be very popular and children, parents, grandparents and parishioners are all welcome! Refreshments will be available after Mass in the parish hall. Please RSVP to the QR code or 4332 2216 for catering or enquiries.
Our Lady of the Rosary Statue Blessing
On Friday 18 October after 11:45am Mass, the congregation joined the Clergy for the blessing of our new Our Lady of the Rosary statue. The statues of St Mary of the Cross and St Patrick have now been ordered and should arrive in 6-8 weeks. If you would like to contribute towards the cost of the remaining statues please let us know at the office 4332 2216.
Public Square Rosary Team
Well done to our Public Square Rosary Crusaders who attended on a very blustery day, to stand up for the faith!
Vigil of Prayer for Peace
At this very difficult time in our world, Bishop Anthony, from Rome, has asked that we gather as a Diocese and pray for peace. He urges us to invoke the intercession of Mary, Mother of God, by praying the Rosary individually, in families, groups and communities. A Vigil of Prayer for Peace will be held at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Waitara on Monday 7 October at 8pm, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Please all join us.
Grandparents Blessing
There will be a special blessing of Grandparents at the 9:30am Mass next Sunday 13 October, followed by the Parish Morning Tea.
Thank You from Deacon Rosan
Deacon Rosan would like to thank all those who attended his diaconate ordination, especially the many helpers who assisted with the organisation of the Mass and the refreshments before and after (too many to name). It was a joyous occasion for the whole community and one that will not be forgotten. A special thank you must be made to Saigon Chopstix for their catering of some of the hot food, and Michayla Meilak for her piano accompaniment at the supper. Be assured we are all in Deacon Rosan’s prayers.
Tribute to Anne Allen
One very special person who has departed from us will not be forgotten. Anne Allen has been an enormous part of this parish over the years, with involvement in many ministries. Anne was a Catechist Coordinator, Sacramental Coordinator, Pastoral Associate, RCIA Programme Coordinator, flower arranger, Reader, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Pastoral Council member, Social Committee member, Sacristan and more. With great devotion and dedication she worked tirelessly to make this parish a welcoming community to all, and was always helping at any event that was held by the parish. You would always find Anne in the kitchen, in the Church, or in the Prayer Room during Adoration. She will be missed.
Harry & Vince Show them how it's Done!
Our very good natured bricklayers, Rob and Dave, generously allowed our old-timer brickies, Harry 92, and Vince 99, a little brick laying on the new Memorial Wall.
New statues will be installed on each wall, putting them under their patronage. A beautiful statue of our parish patron, Our Lady of the Rosary, will become the main feature.
Rob and Dave have also been doing some major restoration work on the parish centre, where the bricks and mortar have deteriorated due to salt damage. We thank them both for their generosity and professionalism.
Happy Priestly Anniversary
Congratulations Fr Brian on your 41st Anniversary of Ordination 20 August 2024!
Silver Wedding Anniversary
We congratulate our Pastoral Associate, Colleen Smith and her husband Wayne who were married in this Church by Fr Kelly 25 years ago.
KidsClub
You’re invited to KidsClub on Saturday 7 September 3-4:45pm in the Reynolds Room. KidsClub is a Parish social group for children aged 5-12 (and their siblings) who want to make new friends, have fun, and learn more about Jesus! Free entry, games, craft and activities as well as snacks! Parents are welcome to stay or you can drop off and pick up (parents must stay for children under 5 yrs). Our group leaders have WWCC. We encourage all to join us at 5pm Mass after KidsClub.
Vocations Sunday
At the conclusion of Vocations Week let us pray for more devoted priests, deacons, and consecrated men and women as we recognise the role of families in fostering vocations. May all find courage in Christ, draw strength from our united faith, and embrace the precious gift of their vocation.
As we take time to pray for those discerning their vocation, let us not overlook the importance of lay vocations and the significance of dedicated laypeople in the Church. May the Lord offer them divine guidance and the courage to embrace his call. Each of us has a unique calling, whether it be to marriage, consecrated life, priesthood, or a dedicated single life. Let us seek the strength and perseverance to follow God's plan for our lives.
Parish Works
On Tuesday and Wednesday, we will be taking down the old screen on the sanctuary and the old projector. On the sanctuary we will be replacing the spotlights which are mainly not working with new spotlights to complete the work begun last month.
At present we also have the bricklayers at work in the parish with two important projects. They are replacing many of the lower bricks at the back of the parish centre as the mortar has come out and they are badly affected by the weather.
Secondly, they are constructing 64 new niches at the side of the church. When complete the statue of St Therese will be placed on top of this new section. The parish will then have some 389 niches. So far, we have a total of 314 niches with the ashes of loved ones in them or prepurchased for future use. Please contact the office if you are interested in purchasing one of the 75 niches that will be still available.
Fr Hill's 60th Anniversary of Ordination
Last Sunday we celebrated Fr Hill’s gift of 60 Years of Priesthood, with Mass and morning tea. Congratulations again Fr Hill!
Vinnies Thanks OLR School Children
A big thank you to the children from OLR School who contributed hampers and gift cards to the Vinnies Winter Appeal. Well done all!
NAIDOC Week 7-14 July
National NAIDOC Week is a time when all Australians can come together to celebrate and recognise the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across Australia. Go to: naidoc.org.au
Please enjoy the beautiful artworks on display in the Church, produced by our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at OLR Primary School.
PECs - Working with Parents & Parishes
On Friday, 28 June 9 Parent Engagement Coordinators (PECs) from 11 out of 14 Central Coast Broken Bay Catholic Schools gathered for a lunch meeting with Jo Spek from Catholic Schools Broken Bay at our parish hall. The schools represented were: Naomi Hepplewhite (St Brigid’s), Victoria Price (St Brendan’s & St Mary’s), Kate Benton (St John Fisher), Joanne Helm (St Peter’s & St Cecilia’s), Jo Spek (Catholic Schools Broken Bay), Lucy Marien (Mary MacKillop), Colleen Smith (Our Lady of the Rosary), Lauren Malek (Our Lady Star of the Sea), Nichola Dunn (St John the Baptist), and Maria Nardi (St Joseph’s). The meeting was very productive and enjoyable, with plenty of idea-sharing and collaboration. It was a great way to wrap up Term 2 and prepare for Term 3.
New Audio Visual System
We are very pleased to have our new TV screens up and running after the old projector failed. The screens may not be visible from everywhere in the Church, so please move to where your can see them clearly. We have plenty of room in pews with good views. This was the best positioning possible for the screens to be located.
New OLR School Building
You may have noticed much building activity at Our Lady of the Rosary School. We have been blessed with the construction of a new 15 classroom building with lots of shared spaces and a fabulous undercover area. This is a long-awaited, and very much needed, project. When the building is complete, we will also finally see the portable classrooms removed and a much larger oval.
We can’t wait until it is finished and look forward to inviting our Parish family to see the new building.
Congratulations First Eucharist Candidates!
Last weekend two groups of children received their First Eucharist. The children were beautiful and very excited for this special day in their lives. We have loved having so many young families in the Church on these occasions. Congratulations to all and thank you to Colleen and the OLR Teachers for their preparation of the children, and the parents and families for their support and participation in the programme! We look forward to seeing you all again in the near future.
Safe Places for Faith Communities Grant
Our security fencing is now complete thanks to the grant we received under the Multicultural NSW Safe Places for Faith Communities Programme. We are very grateful to Multicultural NSW and Steve Kamper MP for this grant, which contributes to the safety and wellbeing of our parish community. If you would like to show your appreciation: safeplacesgrants@multicultural.nsw.gov.au
First Friday Cuppa
Our First Friday Cuppa is on again next Friday after the Anointing Mass. Come along to the Parish Centre for tea, coffee, biscuits and nibbles (provided). BYO sandwich or lunch if you prefer. Relax for a while in great company instead of rushing off home! Everyone welcome! Enq: 4332 2216.
New Hand Rail
We have recently installed a new hand rail on the steps of the Sanctuary leading to and from the Lectern. This addition is to provide safety for Readers and Ministers. Please make good use of it.
Parish Celebrations
Last weekend we had much celebrating with a Family Mass at the Saturday Vigil, First Eucharist Candidates being presented, and new Altar Servers who have completed their training, followed by supper. And on Sunday Family Groups celebrated their 30th Anniversary in our parish followed by Morning Tea. Congratulations to all!
Our Family Groups Celebrate 30 Years!
This weekend, join our Combined Family Groups for morning tea in the Parish Hall after 9:30am Mass, to help them celebrate their 30th Anniversary in our parish. Congratulations to our Family Groups, ‘Pelican Blue’, ‘Simply the Best’ and ‘Ambrosian’ and all their members.
What is a Family Group? A family group is for all who wish to belong, whether they are young or old, church-going or not, married, single, widowed, separated or divorced. There is acceptance for everyone, and everyone is welcome to join. The family group's aim is to get to know each other and support one another through good times and bad, sharing each other’s joys and sorrows.
Family groups are usually made up of 10-15 families including all ages, just like an extended family. They have activities which are varied and organised by the members of the group… picnics, BBQ’s, special celebrations and weekends away.
The Passionist Family Group Movement was established in 1972 by Fr Peter McGrath cp at St Anthony in the Fields Catholic Church, Terry Hills in the northern suburbs of Sydney. From humble beginnings, the movement has now spread to New Zealand, USA, UK and Ireland.
If you would like to know more about our family groups please contact our Coordinators, Anne and Des Little, on 4334 1642, or for more information about the Passionist Movement go to https://www.pfgm.org/
Children's Liturgy of the Word
Jesus said "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them." Matthew 19:14
Are you looking for a chance to make a real difference in the lives of children while spreading the Gospel message? Then we have some fantastic news for you! Starting in term 3, we're thrilled to announce that we'll be hosting Children's Liturgy of the Word at the 5pm Vigil Mass. But we can't do it alone - we need your help! We're on the hunt for enthusiastic volunteers to lead and assist the children, who range from 4-12 years old, in learning about faith. Ideally, we would like at least 8 people to go on a 4-week roster basis (team of 2 each week) and don't worry, all materials will be provided and training will be given. Plus, you'll get to work with some of the most amazing kids around! So what are you waiting for? If you're interested in this exciting opportunity, please speak with Fr Brian or email Colleen Smith (Pastoral Associate) at colleen.smith@bbcatholic.org.au. Remember, volunteers will need to comply with the Working With Children Check (WWCC) requirements. Let's make a difference together!
Presentation of New Altar Servers
This weekend our new Altar Servers will be presented to the parish as they complete their service training. Rosan has been working with the children for the past 6 weeks, instructing them in all areas of assisting at Mass. We congratulate the children and appreciate their presence at the Masses. A big thank you also to the families who support them on their journey of faith.
Our Local Heroes
This Anzac Day was celebrated with some of our local heroes attending the 9am Mass. Pictured here are Michael Rhodes, Richard Drover, Fr Brian Moloney, Vince O’Sullivan, Alan Fletcher and Peter Drinan.
OLR School Staff Spirituality Day
On the last day of Term 1, which was Friday 12 April, we hosted the staff from Our Lady of the Rosary Parish School, Shelly Beach. The staff had organised their spirituality day here, where Fr. Brian spoke about our history and took them on a guided tour of the church and facilities. Those present at Friday Mass witnessed Fr Brian bless the staff, who found the day enjoyable and beneficial, as they got to spend time in the parish and work with Fr. Brian to prepare school Masses for the children. Please continue to pray for our teachers and staff as they educate our children and guide them to know the love of Jesus.
Central Coast Atrium
The newly opened Central Coast Atrium is running Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for 3-6-year-olds. The aim is to help the child nurture their own personal relationship with God. Sessions run Saturdays 9-10:30am, in the new Atrium (behind the CCD Office).
For information or to join our waitlist contact centralcoastatrium@gmail.com or call Ashleigh on 0466 255 033.
Family Groups Morning Tea
One of our Family Groups hosts the Morning Tea each month, on the second Sunday after 9:30am Mass. The Morning Tea is for all parishioners and friends and is held in the Parish Centre. It is a lovely time to catch up with or meet new parishioners. Group members are asked to bring a plate and leave it in the centre prior to Mass.
Men's Social Group
The Men’s Social Group has expanded to include wives and friends. They have a lovely lunch and a chat at one of the local venues like this one at Shelly Beach Golf Club. Everyone is welcome to come along on the third Wednesdays of the month at 12 noon. (Watch this space for venue details.) Just turn up or for more information call Lui 4388 9510.