Bridgeside Bulletin
We acknowledge the Worimi people - the traditional custodians of this place
Sunday 12 January 2020 The Baptism of the Lord– 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 wonder if you’ve heard the phrase ‘fake it till you make it’. It is starting to appear on a wide range of platforms like movies and including psychological magazines. Interesting phrase which I suspect began its life as part of a social media Kardashian thingy; pretend and act like you’re more than you are, till you are! It has that upmarket ambitious sense to it. That said there are ele-ments in it which have merit.
I was thinking in terms of attitude and aptitude. A positive attitude and presentation can be hard to achieve sometimes. Life throws curve balls all the time and we can be a bit swamped can’t we by the negative attitude of the media and others. In months like we’ve had it can really seem that the world is against us and that can be reflected in our day to day relationships across a whole range of people and places. It is easier to be negative. We have to find ways to turn that around. ‘Fake it’ even when we don’t feel joy, will help us be joy filled.
There are two things for us I think that help in this. Don’t forget as you approach any road block, person or situation put on a smile (even if it’s the last thing you feel like) and say an ‘Our Father’ before you begin. ‘Fake it till you make it’. Not only does prayer change the world it enhances the effect a smile has on any situation, and softens our tone, posture, language, presence. Remember negativity and positivity is as catching as each other: I know which one I would prefer.
You might hear, as I do, friends reflecting on their inability to pray properly, and how hard it is sometimes to find the right words or even to stay in the moment to pray. Practice and persever-ance is the key to any success. Hang in there. It’s a bit like ‘fake it till you make it!’
One thing I do note from the scriptures is that Jesus doesn’t say anything about being good at praying. He tells us not to babble as the pagans do, he tells us to pray using the prayer he taught us, he tells us to go off to a lonely place sometimes to pray, and he tells us to keep vigil (be silent) while he prays for us and he shows us that prayer and our relationship with the Father is founda-tional for life. We don’t have to be good at it we just have to do it, even when it’s tough, even when we don’t feel we are being heard, even when we feel completely disconnected from faith and the world around us.
What I do know is that even on those days when I feel I have failed in it the prayer I bring to the situations of my life make a difference even if only a difference in how I am.
Kind regards,
Greg Parish Priest
_______________________________________________________________________ PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS:
Recently Deceased: Jeffrey Bonner
Anniversary: Barry Barnes
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, 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 Salter, Rachal, Bette Williamson, 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, John McCaig, Kerry Pickering, Pie-trina Ruspandini, Bruce Gurton, Max Sci-acca, Kirsty Chan, Anthony Griffiths Jnr, Marlene & Gina De Vere, Julie Sibbald, John Bianco, Linda Taylor, Lawson Ran-kin, Josephine Camilleri, Zac Gogerly, Lidwine Wijtenburg Please ring the parish of-fice 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 18/19 JAN
Vigil Mass
Sacristan: Pat Hooker
Readers: Claudette Cheetham, Tricia
Winston & Geraldine Mullin
Ministers of Communion: Michael Ama-
to, Owen Carroll, Ruth Pearson, Carolyn
& David Olliffe
7am Mass
Sacristan: Cecile Malone
Readers: Maria Armitage, Fred Liack-
man & Lorraine Clark
Ministers of Communion: Mary Greig, Norm Chapman, Cushla Drake, Kay &
Graham Griffiths
9am Mass
Sacristan: Desiree Bennett
Readers: Elizabeth Sciacca, Kris Koch &
Peter Nicholls
Ministers of Communion: Sandy Ross, Greg Byrne, Monique Johnson, Anne
Hartman & Maureen Visser
5.30pm Mass
Sacristan: Gene Garth
Readers: TBA & Shanty Thomas
Ministers of Communion:
Thomas Alexander
___________________________________________________________________________________________
READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK 18/19 JAN
First Reading
Is 49:3. 5-6
Israel, a light to the nations.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 39:2. 4. 7-10. R. vv.8. 9.
(R.) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Second Reading
1 Cor 1:1-3
Paul sends greetings to the people of Corinth.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. He enabled those who accepted him to become the chil-dren of God. Alleluia!
Gospel Jn 1:29-34 John the Baptist points to Jesus.
THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE ZONE
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 28:1-4. 9-10. R. v.11
(R.) The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
The heavens were opened and the Father’s voice was heard: this is my beloved Son, hear him. Alleluia!
Memorial Acclamation
We proclaim your Death, Oh Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
Weekday Masses
Jan 13 - Jan 18
Tuesday: 4.30pm
Wednesday: 9.00am
Friday: 9.30am
Saturday: 9.00am
Parish Timetable
Tues
14 Jan
9.30am Christian Medita-
tion-Church
3.30pm Holy Hour
No Singing Practice
Wed
15 Jan
11am Novena Our Lady of
Perpetual Help
Fri 17 Jan
11.00am Funeral Service–
Jeffrey Bonner
Sat
18 Jan
8.30am & 4.45pm
Reconciliation
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.
Columbarium
Columbarium application forms and pamphlets can be found on the ta-bles at the side of the church for those interested in securing a
place.
Liturgical Ministers Roster
Weekend Roster: the next week-
end roster is about to be drafted.
Can you please contact the parish
office if you will be away from 1 Feb
– 4 Apr. Thank you.
Weekday Roster: the weekday
readers roster has been sent out.
Copies are available in named en-
velopes at the side of the church for
those who don’t have email.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE
PARISH AND SURROUNDS
Please help support our Com-
munity Care Pantry
CatholicCare is experiencing an in-
creased number of people present-
ing at our Pulteney St office who are
in need of food.
We would like to respond to this
need but we need your help to do
so.
Preferably, we would be looking for
items that do not require much prepa-
ration, as many of the people asking
for our assistance do not have cooking
facilities. We are hoping to provide
them with nutritious, filling and basic
food items such as:
Cereal; long life milk
Tins of casseroles
Baked beans; spaghetti
Small tins of tuna; spam
Crackers; Jatz; rice cakes
Two minute noodles; soups –
tins or sachets
Tins of corn; four bean mix;
peas; tomatoes
Tea bags; small jars coffee; sug-
ar
Cans of stewed fruit
If you would like to help us assist
people in need, please leave food
donations in the bins at the side of
the church. Thank you for your kind
consideration.
FIELD DAY
Informed by Aboriginal cultural knowledge and modern ecological
science
Following the devastating bushfires that tore through the Mid North Coast in late 2019, a field day has been planned to show landholders ways in which they can manage and use fire
in the landscape.
Organised by Karuah and Great Lakes Landcare (KGLL) in conjunc-tion with MidCoast Council and TIDE, the event has been scheduled for Fri-day, January 31 at Wards River from 9:30am-1pm.
The field day will cover a wide range of topics including fire in its cultural context, ecological baselines and monitoring, ecological and cultural principles of cool burning, and fire
permits.
Morning tea will be provided. Please RSVP to Mr Dunn on 0401 932 533
A Prayer for Our Earth
All-powerful God, you are present
in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your crea-
tures.
You embrace with your tenderness
all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your
love, that we may protect life and
beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no
one.
O God of the poor, help us to res-
cue the abandoned and forgotten
of this earth, so precious in your
eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and
not prey on it, that we may sow
beauty, not pollution and destruc-
tion.
Touch the hearts of those who look
only for gain at the expense of the
poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of
each thing, to be filled with awe
and contemplation,
to recognise that we are profoundly
united with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite
light.
We thank you for being with us
each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our
struggle for justice, love and peace.
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.
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
W: www.forster.catholic.edu.au
Principal: Brooke Stephens
St Clare’s High School 7-12
Davis Street, Taree
P: 6552 3300
W: www.tareesc.catholic.edu.au
Principal: Peter Nicholls
PARISH TEAM
Fr Greg Barker - Parish Priest
Emergency Contact 0417 321 209
Ms Danielle Kingdom
Admin Assistant
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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