GOOD SHEPHERD Monthly NEWS-Jan 2018

Parish Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8.00am – 4pm

Office Email: parishof@tpg.com.au

ROSTERS: parishrosters@tpg.com.au

Website www.goodshepherd.org.au

Facebook: goodshepherdplumpton

Parish Schools:

St Clare’s Catholic High School (7-10)

175 Buckwell Drive, Hassall Grove

9832 2400

email clare@parra.catholic.edu.au

Principal Mr Shane Morris

St Francis of Assisi Primary School (K-6)

1 Stone Street, Glendenning

9832 3062

email: stfrancis@parra.catholic.edu.au

Principal Mrs Jenny Bellenger

Good Shepherd Primary School (K-6)

134 Hyatts Road, Plumpton

9832 4461

email: goodshepherd@parra.catholic.edu.au

Principal Mrs Trish Carr

Other Schools:

St Agnes Catholic High School (7-10)

Evans Road, Rooty Hill

888 0700

email: stagnes@parra.catholic.edu.au

Principal Mr Peter Brogan

Loyola Senior High School (11-12)

91 North Parade, Mt Druitt

email: loyola@parra.catholic.edu.au

Principal Mrs Cathy Larkin

GOOD SHEPHERD PARISH

Capuchin Franciscan Friars

PO BOX 91 Plumpton, NSW 2761

Tel 9832 4461

PARISH TEAM: Parish Priest Fr. Vincy D’COSTA ofmcap

Assistant Priest Fr Joshy PARRAPULLY ofmcap

Parish Secretary Mrs Socorro MORGAN

Musical Director Mr Jacob WIELGOSZ

Parish Council Chairperson Mr Owens REYES

What’s happening in JANUARY

1st (Mon) New Years Day 7th (Sun) EPIPHANY 8th (Mon) Baptism of the Lord 16th (Tues) Fr Vincy returns from holidays 17th/18/19 Santo Nino Triduum begins 21st (Sun) Fr Bollar’s Farwell Morning Tea after the 9am Mass

21st (Sun) Santo NINO Mass @ 2:30pm 25th (Thur) Conversion of St Paul 26th (Fri) AUSTRALIA Day 27th (Sat) Feast Day of Ursuline Sisters (St Angela Merici)

28th(Sun) BAPTISM Seminar @ 2pm 29th (Mon) Mass for SacProg/SRE/teachers these Mass is to dedicate all educators of faith to our parish children. All invited

Farewell and Welcome

We thank Fr. Bollar for his dedication and

service at Good Shepherd Parish Plumpton for

the Last one year. We were truly enriched by

his spirit of prayer and concern towards every

parishioner he encountered. We wish him all

the best for his next assignment. There will be

an official farewell for him on the 21st of

January at the 9:00am mass followed by a

Special Morning Tea.

Fr. Joshy Parrapully will arrive somewhere mid

January as the New Asst Parish Priest of Good

Shepherd. We welcome him.

Fiesta Sinulog 2018 Sunday 21st Jan 2018 Mass @ 2:30pm

Main celebrant Bishop of Parramatta

Vincent Long Van Nguyen ofmConv

Triduum Mass in preparation 17/18/19 Jan at

7:00pm for further information contact

Mila Alforque 0478 707 516

Parish Focus for 2018

‘Rediscovering the JOY of our CATHOLIC faith’.

The Catholic Diocese of Parramatta Office of Safeguarding If you or someone close to you has suffered any abuse by a representative of the Catholic Church (school, parish, other Catholic group) in Western Sydney and the Blue mountains we invite you to contact us. Our professional staff will listen to your experience, respect your confidentiality and discuss all available options. Phone (02) 9933 0233.

For any complaints that may relate to criminal conduct we encourage you to contact NSW police on 1800 333 000

New to the Parish: Be sure to collect a

“New Parishioner Information Booklet” from

the ‘Information’ trolley after Mass.

Our welcomers are ready to assist with

enquiries.

Looking forward to 2018: January: 21st Santo Nino Feast.

February: 14th Ash Wednesday

March: 25th Palm Sunday 29th Holy Thursday 30th Good Friday 31st Holy Sat/ Easter Vigil

April: 1st Easter Sunday 3rd Alpha training begins 17th Alpha Prog begins 22nd Good Shepherd Sunday

May: 14th Training for new Readers/ Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion begins (runs for 3 Wks) 19th X’Min’s recollection day 20th Pentecost Sunday 27th CLProgramme begins (CFCA) ends July 15.

June: 14th/21st/28th Cantor Training Programme

July: 5th/12th/19th/26th Cantor training continues

August: 24th-26th Marriage Enrichment Retreat.

September 5th St. Theresa of Calcutta

October: 20th 30th Anniversary of the dedication of the Church (6pm Sat. Mass with Bishop Vincent)

In a couple of days’ time, many of us will make resolutions

about things like losing weight, being more patient, saving

money, etc. Perhaps this might be a good time for us to make

some liturgical new year resolutions too.

“In the liturgy the whole public worship is performed by the

Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by the Head and his

members.” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy #7)

“The Church earnestly desires that all the faithful be led to

that full, conscious and active participation in liturgical cele-

brations called for by the very nature of the liturgy.” (CSL

#14)

As these quotes indicate, we all have a responsibility for the

liturgy, not just the priest or the organist or the liturgy com-

mittee. Here are six questions we might use to assess our

own participation in the celebration of Mass:

Am I hospitable and attentive towards those with whom I

worship? Do I extend a welcome to everyone, not just

people I know? Am I ever guilty of taking up the whole

pew by hogging the end seat?

Sharing at the Lord’s Table makes us one body of Christ.

Do I sit as near as possible to the Table of the Word and

the Table of the Eucharist at Mass, or do I prefer to sit at

the back of the church where I can say my prayers in

peace and make a hasty exit when Mass is over? People

scattered around a large church, with front seats empty

and back pews taken, make it look like we are there as

individuals rather than as an assembly.

Liturgy is the public prayer of the Church and work of the

people. Do I take responsibility for my part in the ‘work’

of worship by listening attentively, joining in the respons-

es and singing, sharing the sign of peace and by taking

notice of the symbols, sounds, smells and tastes of the

celebration?

We should pray our parts of the Mass as though every

prayer depended upon our words. Do I participate in the

Lord’s Prayer, the Creed and other prayers of the Mass in

a way that gives glory to God and honours the presence

of Christ in the liturgy?

Singing is one way in which everyone can fully partici-

pate in the liturgy and join in the celebration of faith. As

an occasional cantor in my own parish, I find it extremely

demoralising to see some people make absolutely no at-

tempt to join in the singing at Mass, to the extent of not

even bothering to pick up a hymnbook. Are you one of

the guilty ones?

Our celebration of Mass continues as we extend our min-

istry as a worshipping assembly into the rest of our lives.

Using the words of Leo Watt’s well-known hymn, do you

go forth to live what you proclaim and show the world

On behalf of all the Capuchin friars at

Good Shepherd Church I wish you all

Merry Christmas. May the timeless

message of Christmas fill your heart

and home with joy now and through-

out the coming year.

We thank Fr. Gerard O Dempsey ofmcap

Provincial Minister of Capuchin Australia for

his gracious presence and help during this

busy Christmas weekend.