Catholic Outlook Magazine |Easter Edition | 2025 Issue

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M A G A Z I N E
DIOCESE OF PARRAMATTA NEWS AND VIEWS
What to look forward to this Jubilee Year | Bishop Vincent’s Easter message
Bridge-building cardinal to visit Parramatta | Good Sams: Living the Jubilee spirit
Students launch Project Compassion | The women at the Cross
We visit Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Kellyville
Lent & Easter | Autumn 2025

Imprimatur and Publisher:
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv
Bishop of Parramatta
(02) 8838 3400
PO Box 3066,
North Parramatta, NSW, 1750
bishop@parracatholic.org
www.catholicoutlook.org
Editor & Vicar for Communications:
Br Mark O’Connor FMS
(02) 8838 3400
PO Box 3066
North Parramatta, NSW, 1750
comms@parracatholic.org
Deputy Editor:
Antony Lawes
Head of Communications and Engagement:
Anita Sulentic
Catholic Outlook is produced by the
Communications and Engagement Team.
Contributors: Belinda Gadd, Mary Brazell,
Gelina Montierro, Mary-Jane Chemuel, and
Isabell Petrinic.
Cover image: The Madonna della Pieta (‘Our Lady of Piety’), a
marble sculpture of Jesus and Mary, by Michelangelo Buonarroti, in
St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. Image: Filipe Lopes/Shutterstock
Design:
Martin Zitricky
Nihil Obstat:
Fr Wim Hoekstra
Accounts:
accounts@parracatholic.org
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All material in this publication is copyright and
may not be reproduced without permission of
the publisher. 8,500 copies are printed and
distributed to 47 parishes, schools, before and
after school care centres and early learning
centres in Western Sydney and
the Blue Mountains.
An artwork by Bundjalung Elder Aunty Rhonda, an Aboriginal Services volunteer
at Catholic Care Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains, in Emerton.
Catholic Outlook is a member of the
Australasian Catholic Press Association.
© Diocese of Parramatta 2025
The Diocese of Parramatta reaffirms the
wise axiom attributed to Saint Augustine of
Hippo, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials,
freedom; in all things, charity.” In this spirit,
Catholic Outlook publishes a variety of
Catholic viewpoints. They are not necessarily
the official views of the Diocese of Parramatta.
Here in the Diocese of Parramatta, we gather on Country on
which members and Elders of the Darug and Gundungurra
communities and their forebears have been custodians for
many centuries and on which Aboriginal people have performed
age-old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal. We
acknowledge their living culture and their unique role in the life
of the region.

A message
from the editor
Jesus, our Saviour, came to live in a typical Middle
Eastern village called Nazareth that was home
to only a couple of hundred ‘country’ people. He
did not decide to brandish his power but spent most
of his time with the powerless and disenfranchised,
proclaiming to them a ‘Jubilee’ of hope.
In this issue, therefore, especially look out for Fr
Brandan Byrne SJ’s biblical reflection - where the
famous Australian Jesuit Scripture scholar further
explores this beautiful theme of Jubilee (on page 46).
And what is more, Christ Jesus was born, like all of
us, to a mother, Mary of Nazareth. A human woman
is the mother of God, and God is the son of a human
mother!
This simple woman of prayer and silence had to
constantly ‘let go’ in her life of faith and surrender
to the surprising paths where the Spirit took her
and her mysterious son. Mary’s journey of faith
tragically even took her to the foot of the Cross -
where in her grief and sorrow she cradled the body
of her beloved son in her arms. This is wonderfully
reflected on in Sister Janet M. Peterworth OSU’s
spiritual reflection The Women and the Cross in our
‘Looking Deeper’ section (page 50).
Her silent presence at the Crucifixion speaks of a
love that does not cling in neediness but sets free.
Mary, even at the moment when she and Jesus were
most abandoned at Golgotha, was somehow able to
‘let go’ and trust. She was indeed “full of grace”.
And so are we as the disciples of Jesus in Parramatta!
Isn’t Lent (and indeed our whole faith journey) all
about learning to ‘let go’ and allowing the Spirit to
lead us to the miracle of the Resurrection?
There are indeed so many witnesses ‘full of grace’
amongst the people of God here in Parramatta!
From the selfless priestly ministry of Fr John Hogan
(page 52), to the thriving parish of Kellyville (page
54), to the great work of all those generous souls
who year after year support Project Compassion
(page 30), not to mention the example of our
consecrated religious (page 24) and the courage of
our RCIA candidates as they journey in faith
(page 32).
Jesus’ body is removed from the Cross, 13th Stations of the Cross,
by Sieger Koder, in St Stephen’s church in Wasseralfingen, Germany.
Image: Alamy
This Easter 2025, as we celebrate this Jubilee Year of
Hope, please study our overview of diocesan Jubilee
events that you can participate in (page14).
Yes, that hope can appear to be very fragile given
the chaotic times we live in, where the Cross and
grief affect so many especially the poor and the
abandoned. But because Christ is risen, we are
forevermore an Easter people and Alleluia is our
song!
In the words of Pope Francis, in announcing this
Jubilee Year, let us pray constantly: Let us even now
be drawn to this hope! Through our witness, may hope
spread to all those who anxiously seek it. May the way
we live our lives say to them in so many words: “Hope
in the Lord! Hold firm, take heart and hope in the Lord!”
(Ps 27:14). May the power of hope fill our days, as we
await with confidence the coming of the Lord Jesus
Christ, to whom be praise and glory, now and forever.
Br Mark O’Connor FMS
Editor of Catholic Outlook & Vicar for Communications.

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PAGE 14
On the
Inside
Lent & Easter | Autumn 2025
PAGE 18
14 A Call to Hope: we explain what a Jubilee
Year means in the Catholic Church, where the
tradition came from, what is special about it and
what parishioners in the Diocese can do to get
the most out of it
18 A bridge-building cardinal: One of the
Church’s most senior leaders in Asia, Cardinal
Stephen Chow Sau-yan SJ, will be visiting
Parramatta in May for a discussion with fellow
Jesuit Fr Frank Brennan
PAGE 24
24 The ‘listening’ sisters: We talk to one of the
Sisters of the Good Samaritan about their long
history in the Diocese, their charism and why it’s
a model for living the Jubilee spirit
48 The mystery of Holy Saturday: It is that
in-between day when nothing happens, but it’s
precisely this silence and stillness we need in
our lives more than ever
52 Cuppa with a priest: Fr John Hogan has
recently taken up the reins at St Finbar’s, in
Glenbrook. We talk to him about what has made
him a better priest and what he has planned for
the parish
62 Holy Week Mass times: Find Mass times for
every parish in the Diocese of Parramatta during
Holy Week
PAGE 52
PAGE 48

Outlook Looks
18
page
Good Friday
Night Walk
Cardinal Stephen
Chow coming to
Parramatta
Red Mass marks start
of judicial year
Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-yan
SJ, Bishop of Hong Kong, will
visit Parramatta in May as part
of the Bishop Vincent Presents
series. Appointed Bishop of Hong
Kong in 2021 and elevated to
the College of Cardinals by Pope
Francis in 2023, he has played
a key role in fostering dialogue
between the Vatican and China
while strengthening ties with
Catholic communities across the
region.
Turn to pages 18-19 to read more about
Cardinal Stephen Chow and his visit in
May.
Each year, the Diocesan Good
Friday Night Walk serves as a
significant pilgrimage, drawing
hundreds of young people from
across the Diocese. Pilgrims
journey from St Patrick’s Church,
Mary Queen of the Family
Parish, Blacktown, to St Patrick’s
Cathedral, Parramatta, walking
through the night of Good Friday
into Holy Saturday, on 18 April.
With more than 1300 participants
last year, this year’s pilgrimage
is set to be the largest yet. Join
us and witness the vibrant faith
of our young people across the
Diocese!
Judges, barristers, solicitors,
professors, legislators,
government officials, and their
families gathered at St Patrick’s
Cathedral in Parramatta, in
February, for the annual Red
Mass, which marks the beginning
of the judicial year. This unique
tradition dates back to the year
1245 and has been an annual
tradition in Parramatta since
2019. This year’s Mass was
celebrated by Bishop Vincent
Long OFM Conv.
Read more about the Mass on
Catholic Outlook online.
For more information or to register,
visit parracatholic.org/events/GFNW
Photo above: Cardinal Stephen Chow SJ.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Photo above: Good Friday Night Walk pilgrims in
2024. Credit: Diocese of Parramatta.
Photo above: The Diocesan annual Red Mass was
held in February 2025 at St Patrick’s Cathedral,
Parramatta. Credit: Alphonsus Fok/ Diocese
of Parramatta.
6

Outlook Looks
Honouring Saint
Josephine Bakhita
page62
Australia Day
Honours for
FORMER OLMC
principal
Mass times over
Holy Week
On 16 February, Mary Queen of
the Family Parish in Blacktown
hosted the annual Mass for Saint
Josephine Bakhita. Canonised
on 1 October 2000 by Pope St
John Paul II, she became the first
black female saint of the modern
Catholic era. As the Patron Saint
of South Sudan, Sudan, and
victims of modern slavery and
human trafficking, her legacy
continues to inspire. The vibrant
Sudanese and South Sudanese
communities gathered to
celebrate her life, along with their
faith and cultural heritage.
Read more about the Mass on
Catholic Outlook online.
Holy Week, the week leading
up to Easter, is the most sacred
time in the Church’s calendar,
commemorating the Passion,
Death, and Resurrection of Jesus
Christ. Join your local parish
during Holy Week to explore the
meaning and events of Jesus’ last
days for our salvation.
Turn to pages 62-65 for a full list of
parish Mass and Liturgy times across
the Diocese.
This year’s Australia Day Honours saw
Ms Kathleen “Kitty” Guerin, a former
teacher and educational leader in
the Diocese of Parramatta, awarded
the Medal of the Order of Australia
(OAM) in the General Division for
her significant service to Catholic
secondary education. She served as
the first lay Principal of Our Lady of
Mercy College (OLMC) Parramatta
for more than a decade, where she
championed Mercy values, academic
excellence, and social advocacy.
Read more about the Kathleen
Guerin and her legacy on Catholic
Outlook online.
Photo above: Members of the community
celebrating their cultural heritage after Mass
at the All Saints of Africa Centre, Blacktown.
Credit: Alphonsus Fok/ Diocese of Parramatta
Photo above: Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s
Supper at St Aidan’s Church, Rooty Hill last year.
Credit: Diocese of Parramatta.
Photo above: Kitty Guerin OAM.
Credit: OLMC Parramatta.
7

page
30
page
Caritas launches Project
Compassion appeal
Caritas Australia has launched its annual Lenten
fundraising and awareness appeal for 2025. This Lent,
we are called to Unite Against Poverty, answering the
Gospels’ call to care for our global family and walk
alongside the most vulnerable.
To donate to the appeal, look out for the Project Compassion
donation boxes at your local parish, or visit the Caritas website
www.caritas.org.au.
Project Compassion hero Toefuata’iga. Image: Caritas Australia.
Bishop’s Good
Samaritan Appeal
This year’s Good Samaritan Appeal is helping those in
our prisons and hospitals, supporting those in places of
brokenness, pain and suffering. Our chaplains at Catholic
Care Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains offer
pastoral care, comfort and hope to those in need. Be a
pilgrim of hope for those suffering in our prisons and
hospitals by donating to this year’s appeal.
36
page
Turn to pages 36-37 to read more about this year’s appeal.
Chaplain Richard Korkor at Parklea Correctional Centre.
Image: Belinda Gadd/ Diocese of Parramatta.
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Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the loving service of Pope
Francis and the hope he has inspired in so many
through Your great mercy. In his time of illness,
we ask You to watch over him with compassion.
Guide the medical staff caring for him, and grant
him strength, peace, and healing.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
WHAT'S ON
in the Diocese?
14 APRIL
Office of Tenebrae, St
Patrick’s Cathedral,
Parramatta
19 MAY
Pilgrimage formation for the
Jubilee Year, Bishop Bede
Heather Centre, Blacktown
Pope’s Prayer Intentions
Each month, Pope Francis asks
us to pray as a global community
for his great concerns for
humanity and for the mission of
the Church.
16 APRIL
Feast of Saint Bernadette
Chrism Mass, St Patrick’s
Cathedral, Parramatta
17 APRIL
Holy Thursday
18 APRIL
Good Friday
Catholic Youth Parramatta
Good Friday Night Walk
19 APRIL
Holy Saturday
20 APRIL
Easter Sunday
7 MAY
Duc In Altum x FaithLIFE
Theology Short Course
13 MAY
Liturgical Ministers
Commissioning Mass,
St Patrick’s Cathedral,
Parramatta
16 MAY
Bishop Vincent Presents
Series with Cardinal
Stephen Chow, St Patrick’s
Cathedral, Parramatta
18 MAY
Annual Marian Pilgrimage,
Mount Schoenstatt Shrine &
Retreat Centre, Mulgoa
African Community Mass,
St Patrick’s Cathedral,
Parramatta
24 MAY
Feast of Our Lady Help of
Christians, Patroness of
Australia
10th anniversary
of Laudato Si’
25 MAY
Feast of Saint Madeleine
Sophie Barat
Pre-Marriage Course,
Bishop Bede Heather
Centre, Blacktown
27 MAY
National Reconciliation
Week
Natural Fertility Planning
session on Sympto-Thermal
Method, online
28 MAY
Diocesan Pentecost
Scripture Night, Bishop
Bede Heather Centre,
Blacktown
4 JUNE
Catholic Youth Parramatta
Duc In Altum Session
5 JUNE
Mass for Neophytes (RCIA),
St Patrick’s Cathedral,
Parramatta
For more events in the Diocese
of Parramatta in 2025, please go to
parracatholic.org/events
April 2025
For the use of new
technologies
Let us pray that the use of
the new technologies will not
replace human relationships,
will respect the dignity of the
person, and will help us face
the crises of our times.
May 2025
For working conditions
Let us pray that through
work, each person might find
fulfillment, families might
be sustained in dignity, and
society might be humanised.
June 2025
That the world might grow in
compassion
Let us pray that each one of us
might find consolation in a personal
relationship with Jesus and, from his
heart, learn to have compassion on
the world.
10

Gabriel’s
Annunciation
For a moment
I hesitated
on the threshold.
For the space
of a breath
I paused,
unwilling to disturb
her last ordinary moment,
knowing that the next step
would cleave her life:
that this day
would slice her story
in two,
dividing all the days before
from all the ones
to come.
The artists would later
depict the scene:
Mary dazzled
by the archangel,
her head bowed
in humble assent,
awed by the messenger
who condescended
to leave paradise
to bestow such an honor
upon a woman, and mortal.
Yet I tell you
it was I who was dazzled,
I who found myself agape
when I came upon her—
reading, at the loom, in the kitchen,
I cannot now recall;
only that the woman before me—
blessed and full of grace
long before I called her so—
shimmered with how completely
she inhabited herself,
inhabited the space around her,
inhabited the moment
that hung between us.
I wanted to save her
from what I had been sent
to say.
Yet when the time came,
when I had stammered
the invitation
(history would not record
the sweat on my brow,
the pounding of my heart;
would not note
that I said
Do not be afraid
to myself as much as
to her)
it was she
who saved me—
her first deliverance—
her Let it be
not just declaration
to the Divine
but a word of solace,
of soothing,
of benediction
for the angel
in the doorway
who would hesitate
one last time—
just for the space
of a breath
torn from his chest—
before wrenching himself away
from her radiant consent,
her beautiful and
awful yes.
—Jan Richardson
“Gabriel’s Annunciation”, © Jan Richardson,
from a forthcoming book. Used with
permission. janrichardson.com
The Annunciation, by Ivanka Demchuk
11

Bishop Vincent’s
Easter
Message
Worshippers during an Easter service at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
12

Dear brothers and sisters,
The Resurrection isn’t simply something we look
forward to in the afterlife! The Resurrection
of Christ affects us right now, existentially and
fundamentally.
That is what happened at our Baptism. We didn’t simply
go into the water to express our intent to die to sin and
then come out of the water to express our intent to try
to live a new life anchored in Christ. There’s more to it
than that.
Jesus didn’t die a
peaceful death in his
sleep. His body was
subject to torture
and humiliation in
the last hours of his
life. On the cross, he
was naked, beaten,
tormented and
completely broken.
But in death, Jesus
underwent a total
transformation.
On Good Friday he was a wreck, and on Easter Sunday
his broken body was transfigured. As St Paul puts it,
“the perishable has been clothed with imperishable and
the mortal with immortality” (1 Cor 15:54).
The crucifixion, death and glorious Resurrection of
Jesus teach us that our human existence is not simply
extended. It is transformed by virtue of our being made
one with him. Christ emerged from the tomb with a
transformed, human, risen life. We emerged from our
Baptism with a participation in the same life Christ
received when he rose from the dead.
As we ponder and pray about our loved ones gone
before us ‘marked with the sign of faith’, we take in all
these symbols, and the full realisation comes over us,
“They’re alive, really living. They’re with God. They’re
with us in a living bond, and a love that still runs back
and forth between us.” And somewhere deep down
inside us we say, “I really believe this. I know it to
be true.”
Of course, we can only dare to believe in such a great
mystery - because of our hope in Jesus of Nazareth.
This is the only life Christ
has, and it is this life that he
gives to us: his transformed,
human, risen life.
Perhaps that is why Pope Francis calls us in this Jubilee
Year of 2025 to deepen
our hope. He wants us to
become people of hope
and encourage our fellow
pilgrims on the journey of
faith.
That’s not so easy at times!
For so many in our chaotic
world of 2025 - especially
marginalised communities
- life seems so hopeless,
unjust and unfair. And our beautiful planet is being
hopelessly damaged by those who put greed, selfinterest
and personal ambition before God.
But take heart! Christ, by his dying on the cross and his
rising to a transformed human life, has opened the door
of hope, and shown the way for us all. Let us live the
hope of the Resurrection here and now as we journey
towards its fulfilment in God’s Kingdom.
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
This is the only life Christ has, and it is this life that he
gives to us: his transformed, human, risen life.
Think about it. This is the life that is nourished within
us at every Eucharist. At the Eucharist we join with
Christ in his dying and rising. At Communion we come
forward and sacramentally unite with the Risen Christ.
What we celebrate at Easter then is too big to be put
into mere words. That’s why the main Easter celebration
- the Easter Vigil - is full of symbols: darkness, light,
fire, the Easter Candle, candles held by everyone,
water, oil, Baptisms, Confirmations, Alleluias, music
everywhere.
That’s why we have all those readings that tell the core
stories of Creation, Abraham, the Exodus, the prophets.
And to really appreciate what we celebrate at Easter
time, let’s never forget to think of the real people who
have died: our parents, grandparents, children, loved
ones, victims of war and violence.
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv
Bishop of Parramatta
Image: Alfonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
13

A Call to Hope:
the Jubilee Year 2025
BY GELINA MONTIERRO
This year, the Catholic Church is celebrating
a Jubilee Year, a sacred time of renewal and
spiritual growth. Pope Francis has chosen
the theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” calling the faithful to
embrace hope amid today’s challenges.
Now, the Jubilee of 2025, with the theme “Pilgrims
of Hope”, invites Catholics to embrace hope amid
contemporary challenges and journey in faith,
service, and communion as a testament to Christ’s
enduring presence in the world.
Amid global crises, conflicts, and
divisions, the Vatican has described
this Jubilee as a time to renew our
faith, rediscover our purpose, and
May the Church bear faithful
witness to the message of God’s
love in every part of the world!
– Pope Francis
Pope Francis opens the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican to mark the start
of the Catholic Jubilee Year. Credit: SOPA Images Limited/Alamy
WHAT IS A JUBILEE YEAR?
The concept of a Jubilee traces its roots to the
Old Testament, where it was a time of renewal,
restoration, and liberation (Leviticus 25:10). In the
Catholic tradition, a Jubilee Year is a special year of
grace and invitation to deepen one’s faith, marked
by pilgrimages and celebrations.
Jubilee Years occur every 25 years, with
Extraordinary Jubilee Years proclaimed outside
this cycle to emphasise urgent themes, such as
the recent Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2015-
2016). The Great Jubilee of 2000, proclaimed by
Pope St John Paul II, marked the beginning of the
third millennium with the theme “Christ Yesterday,
Today, Forever,” highlighting Christ’s central role
in salvation history. These Jubilees were significant
moments of faith and renewal for the Church.
journey together towards Christ, who
is the source of true hope (Romans
15:13). The Holy Father’s vision is to
encourage all Catholics to embark on
a pilgrimage - not just to physical sites
but also in their spiritual lives - by
walking together in faith, service, and communion.
Holy Doors, symbols of God’s mercy, traditionally
open in Rome’s four major basilicas. In a historic
move, for this year’s Jubilee, Pope Francis has
opened an additional Holy Door in a prison,
emphasising that God’s mercy is available to all,
regardless of circumstances.
WHAT IS THE DIOCESE DOING LOCALLY?
The Diocese of Parramatta is embracing the Jubilee
Year 2025 with local initiatives, inviting the faithful to
engage in pilgrimages, celebrations, and service.
Three pilgrimage sites have been established within
the diocese, offering places of prayer, reflection, and
renewal.
14

OUR PILGRIMAGE SITES
1. The Franciscan Shrine of the Holy
Innocents, Kellyville
2. St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta
3. Mount Schoenstatt Shrine, Mulgoa
A Jubilee Indulgence is granted to those
who make a Jubilee pilgrimage during
the year. Those who cannot make a
jubilee pilgrimage due to illness or other
circumstances are invited to take part by
offering up the sufferings of their daily
lives, and participating in reconciliation,
prayer, and the Eucharistic celebration.
The diocese will also mark several special
Jubilees in parallel with celebrations in
Rome. On Sunday 2 February, the Diocese
had its first local Jubilee celebration with a
Mass for Consecrated Life on the Feast of
the Presentation of Jesus to the Temple.
Special Masses and gatherings will honour
Eastern Churches (14 May), families (30
May-1 June), and health care workers (18
July).
A CALL TO HOPE
The Jubilee Year 2025 invites us all to
become Pilgrims of Hope. Through the
celebrations, pilgrimages, and acts of
service taking place locally and globally,
the Diocese of Parramatta calls on the
faithful to embrace this sacred time and
be bearers of hope in a world that so
desperately needs it.
In the heart of each person,
hope dwells as the desire and
expectation of good things to
come, despite our not knowing
what the future may bring.
– Pope Francis
Pilgrimage
to Rome
For those looking to experience the
Jubilee Year in a profound way, the
Diocese of Parramatta is offering two
pilgrimages to Rome. These journeys
provide pilgrims with the opportunity
to walk in the footsteps of saints
throughout Europe, visit the Holy
Doors of the basilicas, and experience
the universality of the Church.
YOUNG ADULT PILGRIMAGE
(Ages 18-35)
19 July to 5 August
ADULT PILGRIMAGE
(Ages 35+)
7 to 25 September
Both pilgrimages will immerse
participants in the Holy Father’s
message of hope, inspiring renewed
faith and a mission to share that
hope with others.
The Young Adult Pilgrimage will also
include the canonisation of Blessed
Pier Giorgio Frassati in Rome.
To find out more about pilgrimages
and the Jubilee Year, please visit
parracatholic.org/jubilee2025
15

Giving hope to women
seeking shelter
BY BELINDA GADD
(L-R) HOW representatives with Catholic Care’s community engagement team at
Springwood, Lisa Malcher and Sally Butler. Image: Supplied
Lisa Malcher is one of the community
engagement coordinators at Catholic Care
Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains, the
social welfare agency of the Diocese of Parramatta.
launched in Springwood, Lisa has seen an uptick
in the older women’s demographic who have been
turning to Catholic Care’s drop-in centre with the
hope of a better tomorrow.
It’s been six months into her new role managing
the programs and activities at Catholic Care’s
Springwood and Orchard Hills community drop-in
centres, but Lisa is
already making her
mark in the local
community.
Thanks to a new
partnership she’s
facilitated between
Catholic Care and
the Older Women’s
Network Blue
Mountains (OWN),
the Springwood community drop-in centre is now a
place of hope for women aged 55 and over, who are
sadly facing homelessness.
The Homes for Older Women (HOW) program
is the brainchild of OWN Blue Mountains, and it
aims to connect older women with compassionate
homeowners who have a vacant granny flat, house,
apartment, or bedroom for rent at an affordable
price.
‘I can see our Springwood
centre becoming over time
a safe haven for
vulnerable women.’
Lisa Malcher
“I am thrilled that the HOW program has chosen to
make Catholic Care Springwood its home,” Lisa said.
“The service they offer is vital in the Blue Mountains,
as we have an older
demographic and limited
rental stock.
“Catholic Care’s wraparound
service model
complements this
program, and I can see
our Springwood centre
becoming over time a
safe haven for vulnerable
women.”
Head of Services Brooke McGilvray explained that
the new partnership bolsters Catholic Care’s focus
on supporting women’s housing – a key focus under
its new three-year strategy.
“Our latest offering at Springwood through OWN
Blue Mountains is yet another way we’re supporting
women in today’s housing affordability crisis,”
Brooke said.
Since the HOW program launched in May last
year, it has housed 40 older women in safe and
secure accommodation. With the program recently
She said the partnership complements Catholic
Care’s existing programs, including its nationally
accredited Houses to Homes, which provides
16

transitional housing for young pregnant women
and mothers, as well as its partnerships with local
community housing providers to fast-track rental
applications and improve access to suitable local
housing.
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
Chair of OWN Blue Mountains and HOW Bronwen
Johnston said the partnership with Catholic Care
at Springwood was an exciting development in the
program’s relatively short but impactful journey to
date.
“We are delighted HOW has a new home, allowing
us to more easily support our homeseekers
and tenants connect to services, activities and
community,” Bronwen said.
HOW Program Manager Julie Nance said it felt like
such a natural fit to be working within the drop-in
centre, with like-minded staff and volunteers.
“Our main role is an accommodation connection
service for older women but it is incredibly valuable
to be able to offer our participants on-the-spot,
wrap-around support,” Julie said.
“Counselling, technology support, the women’s
circle, community garden or just a cuppa and a chat
– the list of offerings is impressive and aligns so well
with our goals.”
If you’re struggling in today’s housing market,
you’re not alone. Please contact Catholic Care on
8843 2500 for a confidential chat today.
Why it’s needed
In NSW, single women over the age of 55 are
one of the fastest-growing groups seeking
housing help due to domestic violence,
separation, death of a spouse or partner,
retirement or loss of employment, sudden
illness or injury, and more.
(Source: NSW Land and Housing Corporation)
Lu, a client of Homes for Older Women, is
now living in an affordable flat in the Lower
Blue Mountains. Image: Supplied
Meet Lu
Personal Story
Last year Lu was living in an
“extremely stressful situation” while
coping with severe chronic fatigue
syndrome. She had battled the
condition for eight years. The idea
of finding rental accommodation
in her 50s – alone and sick – was
overwhelming.
Thanks to the HOW program, Lu now
has an affordable granny flat in the
lower Mountains.
“I feel like the help I received from
HOW in finding a safe and secure
environment has had a knock-on
effect of improving not only my
mental health but my fatigue which
has lifted significantly,” Lu said.
Lu said her landlords live above the
flat and describes their kindness as
“humbling”.
“They look out for me and leave fresh
garden produce at my door,” she
said.
“I’m looking forward to regaining my
health and my life and this has been
the most significant and important
start to that.”
17

Bridge-building Cardinal
to visit Parramatta
BY ANTONY LAWES
One of the most senior Catholic church leaders
in Asia will be visiting Parramatta in May, as
part of the Bishop Vincent Presents series of
public talks in Sydney and Melbourne.
This meant rejecting the “dominant narrative”
that says only one side can be right, and allowing
meaningful dialogue between opposing ideas, he
told the students.
Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-yan SJ, the Bishop of
Hong Kong, will be in discussion with fellow Jesuit Fr
Frank Brennan SJ at the Cloister Hall of St Patrick’s
Cathedral on 16 May.
Cardinal Chow grew up in Hong Kong during British
colonial rule, joining the Society of Jesus in 1984, and
studied education and psychology before becoming
a high school
teacher.
In 1994 he was
ordained a priest
and over the next
12 years undertook
postgraduate
study, culminating
in a doctorate of
education in human
development and
psychology from Harvard University in 2006.
He has been supervisor of several Jesuit colleges in
Hong Kong, an honorary professor of education at
the University of Hong Kong and a guest professor
at the Holy Spirit Seminary, in Hong Kong. And for
three years beginning in 2018 he served as the
provincial superior of the Chinese province of the
Society of Jesus. He has been Bishop of Hong Kong
since 2021, and in 2023 Pope Francis made him a
cardinal.
At Boston College in 2024, where he was awarded an
honorary Doctor of Laws, Cardinal Chow delivered
the college’s commencement address in which he
told students that one of their biggest challenges
in the face of a world divided and degraded was to
have a hope “that stems from sincere and audacious
human efforts in collaboration with the faithful love
of God”.
“Being able to take in people as they are, not who
they ought to be, will allow us a greater capacity to
love as God loves us in every moment,” he said.
This view of the world has led Cardinal Chow to the
idea of “unity in plurality”, where it is possible to
promote “dialogue and constructive action” between
groups who have different views.
“Don’t just focus on the tensions.
Hold it first, look at the
convergence instead, the common
hope and agreement as to how we
want to move forward.”
This is most evident in the
Catholic Church’s
“bridge-building
mission for the
Church in Mainland
China”, of which he
is increasingly an
important part.
He said his recent
trips to dioceses
in mainland China
were to promote dialogue and build friendship,
“and looking for opportunities to collaborate while
supporting each other’s pastoral endeavours”.
But Cardinal Chow has said this
bridge-building was also an important part of
the recent Synod of Bishops in Rome, where
participants, including him, had to move past their
own differences to find a common path.
“That’s exactly what the assembly was teaching us.
Don’t just focus on the tensions. Hold it first, look
at the convergence instead, the common hope and
agreement as to how we want to move forward,”
he said in a video posted to The Jesuits website in
March 2024.
For more information on Cardinal Stephen
Chow’s visit to the Diocese, go to our website
parracatholic.org/events
18

A prayer for China
“Oh, the Lord of history!
In prayers I have walked with the victims and
their families in the past 35 years;
With no lack of occasional reflections and
fluctuating sadness that seems unending at
times.
Yet at the same time, I am holding fast to my
hope in the risen Lord who has gone through
death himself.
Cardinal Stephen Chow SJ. Image: Wikimedia Commons.
Now, I come before you in prayer.
In faith and hope, I entrust you, Lord, with the
country’s democratic development. You who are
forever just and wise.
Let me put on your yoke and learn from you.
That I may have a glimpse through your
goodness and humility, the eternal desire of life.
Moving forward in love, supporting each other
in addressing our contradictions, let us enjoy the
beauty of trinitarian communion.
Sunset over Guilin Yangshuo Bridge, China. Image: Shutterstock
Oh Lord, please guide us! Please walk with us,
the people of China!
Amen.
Cardinal Stephen Chow published this prayer
in 2019, on the 35th anniversary of Tiananmen
Square massacre.
19

Image: Antony Lawes/Diocese of Parramatta
BY ANTONY LAWES
How 18 months
at Bunnings
set Mike on
a new path
BY ANTONY LAWES
For Mike Schembri, the path to working for the
Diocese of Parramatta began during a “working
sabbatical” at Bunnings.
The Lead Facilitator for the new Diocesan Pastoral
Plan had had a long career as a senior manager in
large IT firms, and then as an executive advisor, but
when the last of those roles finished he
decided to step back from corporate
life and take stock of what he
wanted to do next.
Over the next 18 months he
avoided any management
responsibilities, and instead
“put away stock in aisles 16
to 18, and they were never
tidier”. At the same time
he became friends with a
Carmelite priest who he would
meet up with every so often for
a coffee and a chat.
... walks
together
... reaches to
the margins
The result was a fundamental
realignment of his priorities – from rising
through the corporate world, to searching for
something more meaningful.
... is inclusive
and welcoming
TO BE A
SYNODAL
CHURCH
that...
... is renewed
in spirit and
prayer
And what Mike realised that he wanted to do was
to continue using his skills in leadership, managing
change and “making stuff better” in organisations,
but doing it all in the “for purpose” sector.
GROUNDED IN FAITH AND COMMUNITY
... IS
committed
to humility
... LISTENS
Working for the church wasn’t all that
unfamiliar to Mike. He describes himself
as a “long-term Catholic” who
attended Catholic schools and
went to Catholic youth group. But
for more than 35 years has lived
in an ecumenical community
called The Servants of Jesus, in
Seven Hills, which is made up
of everyone from Pentecostals
to Messianic Jews and
Catholics. “The Catholic part is
its own little fellowship,” he says.
Mike joined as a young man, met
his wife there and they raised their
children alongside other members. For
nearly 10 years he was the Chairman of the
community, a governance role that gave him an
understanding of church structures and processes.
“It was that ability to actually have the time to think
that made me reconsider some things,” he says.
“You’ve got this momentum and trajectory that is
just taking you in a direction, and it’s not until you
stop do you actually really reconsider what it is that
you’re doing.”
“Within my street half the houses are people
who are in the community,” he says. “That’s what
probably drew me to it, the idea of community life.
“I got to do church with a group of people and in a
way that most people don’t get to experience.”
20

‘COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION’
Mike joined the Diocese as Lead Facilitator of
the Pastoral Plan in December. In announcing
his appointment, Sr Ailsa Mackinnon RSM, the
Chancellor for Ministries in the Diocese, described
him as having “a strong understanding of the
mission of the Church in Parramatta and Western
Sydney and the synodal culture of participation,
mission and communion that Pope Francis has
called for, and Bishop Vincent is striving to develop”.
Mike says that what drew him to the role was
the ability to use his God-given gifts, corporate
experience along with his faith background. He also
liked that the Diocese was not looking for someone
with “a defined plan”, but rather someone who
would engage in a lot of dialogue and spiritual
listening, something he admits will be quite a bit
different to how he’s operated in other jobs. “It’s
not my natural place, but I’m very much enjoying
learning,” he says.
He’s started this process of listening by meeting
with parishes, deaneries and agencies around the
Diocese to learn how each is starting to think about
its response to the Diocesan Plan - in particular the
priorities and their associated commitments, as well
as the broader objectives.
Some parishes, for example, are saying that they will
concentrate on one or two areas of action for the
next year, which Mike says is a “really strong way to
go about it”.
“I think trying to do it all risks doing nothing, whereas
doing one or two things really well is a great way to
start.”
Mike says his job will be to facilitate decision making,
through dialogue, discernment and spiritual listening
with the Holy Spirit, so that all these pieces of the
diocesan puzzle – the parishes, deaneries, religious
communities and agencies – feel as though they fit
together with the rest.
“The biggest part of this role is communication and
collaboration,” he says, which will often involve
providing linkages between different parishes and
agencies, helping them to share ideas and resources.
He says the more people that know about what he is
doing and how he can help their parish, or agency or
community fully benefit from the Diocesan Plan, the
better and more successful the plan will be.
And he is not just thinking about the faithful.
“My real goal is the 1.3 million people of the
Parramatta Diocese. I don’t want to turn them all
into Catholics – although I’m not going to be against
it if that’s where they’re all led.
“But I do want them to engage with us and see
that we’re answering Pope Francis’ call to build a
‘civilisation of love’ in our area synodally and coresponsibly!”
If you or your parish, deanery, agency or
community has a question about the Diocesan
Pastoral Plan, contact Mike at
mike.schembri@parracatholic.org
To read the Pastoral Plan, go to
parracatholic.org/synodality
21

New Principals
Lead with Hope and Action
BY SAMANTHA RICH
CSPD’s new Principals for 2025, seated (L to R): Dr Gavin Hays, Joanne Digwood, Naomi Crowley,
standing (L to R): Attila Lendvai, Robert Muscat
As the Catholic Church enters its Jubilee Year, which Pope Francis describes as an opportunity to
“contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust”, five new principals have taken up their
leadership roles in schools across the Parramatta Diocese. These new school leaders are heeding
the call to action highlighted by Jack de Groot, CEO of Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD), who
emphasises, “Hope is not some vague optimistic statement, it’s about action.”
By embracing their roles, these principals are not just dreaming of a better future—they are actively working
to create it, ensuring their schools reflect the spirit of hope, trust, and excellence in education.
DR GAVIN HAYS, PRINCIPAL PARRAMATTA MARIST HIGH SCHOOL
Dr Gavin Hays begins his tenure as Principal of Parramatta Marist High School,
returning to the school where he spent 13 years in various roles, including Acting
Principal, after serving as Principal at Marian Catholic College Kenthurst. As a secondary
school leader Gavin is aware of the vital role schools play in creating leaders of
tomorrow who are filled with hope. “By fostering a supportive community where faith,
learning, and service come together we nurture resilience and a love for knowledge…
encouraging students to see their future as part of God’s plan, we empower them to
face challenges with confidence and optimism.”
ROBERT MUSCAT, PRINCIPAL ST JOHN PAUL II CATHOLIC COLLEGE SCHOFIELDS & NIRIMBA
Robert Muscat, formerly Principal of Corpus Christi Catholic High School Oak Flats, has
returned to the Parramatta Diocese to lead St John Paul II Catholic College Schofields
& Nirimba. Reflecting on his leadership, Robert emphasises the importance of trust
within the school community: “A Catholic school community is only as strong as
the relationships that exist between the people that make up the community… if
relationships are strong, then it is a high trust community. Without trust, communities
will wither and fall away.”
22

ATTILA LENDVAI, PRINCIPAL HOLY CROSS PRIMARY GLENWOOD
Attila Lendvai, the new Principal of Holy Cross Primary Glenwood, hopes for his
students to “feel safe and supported in coming to school” and to grow in both their
academic and spiritual journeys. He explains, “At Holy Cross, we want our students
to recognise and experience the love of Jesus through others. Jesus’ holy cross is our
symbol of unconditional love that inspires our mission, to bring a welcoming, Catholic
education to all in our vibrant community.”
JOANNE DIGWOOD, PRINCIPAL OUR LADY OF LOURDES PRIMARY BAULKHAM HILLS
Joanne Digwood, who now leads Our Lady of Lourdes Primary Baulkham Hills, reflects
on her hopes for the school community: “I hope to continue building the community
spirit at OLOL, creating strong, authentic community connections, and supporting our
students’ learning. It is my hope that together, OLOL Baulkham Hills can take action to
turn all our hopes into reality.”
NAOMI CROWLEY, PRINCIPAL ST AIDAN’S PRIMARY ROOTY HILL
Naomi Crowley, stepping into the role at St Aidan’s Primary Rooty Hill, envisions a
future where “every student can thrive” in a learning environment that fosters curiosity,
confidence, and compassion. “Together, we will empower our students to become
curious, confident, and compassionate leaders ready to shape tomorrow’s world,”
she says.
These appointments reflect CSPD’s ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of transformational
leadership, where action-driven hope becomes the cornerstone of Catholic education.
Attila Lendvai
Principal Holy Cross
Primary Glenwood
you be a pilgrim
Will
hope for people
of
in our
suffering
and hospitals?
prisons
In places of brokenness, pain and suffering, our
chaplains at Catholic Care Western Sydney and
the Blue Mountains offer pastoral care, comfort
and Christian companionship that can bring
healing and transformation.
Your generosity can support them to be beacons of
hope, providing loving, personal encounters with the
compassionate face of Jesus.
Attila Lendvai, the new Principal
of Holy Cross Primary Glenwood,
hopes for his students to “feel
safe and supported in coming to
school” and to grow in both their
academic and spiritual journeys.
He explains, “At Holy Cross, we
want our students to recognise
and experience the love of Jesus
through others. Jesus’ holy cross
is our symbol of unconditional
love that inspires our mission,
to bring a welcoming, Catholic
education to all in our vibrant
community.”
Scan to give to the Bishop’s Good Samaritan Appeal
parracatholic.org/appeal
23

‘Listening’ sisters who
live the Jubilee spirit
BY ISABELL PETRINIC
The Sisters of the Good Samaritan -
affectionately nicknamed the Good Sams
- offer a clear model for living out the Jubilee
spirit. Since 1859, the Good Sams have lived among
and served the Parramatta and greater western
Sydney community, challenged by the parable of the
Good Samaritan, to ‘see’ the neighbour and respond
to their needs in a practical and hope-filled way.
“As Benedictines, Good Sams understand that
whatever is happening –
the good and the bad – is
always a word of God, if we
can hear,” said Catherine
Slattery SGS, one of 10 Good
Samaritan Sisters in the
Diocese of Parramatta.
“As a community, our
primary occupation, our
work, our shared commitment, is to be faithful to
prayer, to the practice of lectio, which opens our
hearts to recognise God’s work in us individually and
together.”
Living the Jubilee is about putting the heart at the
centre of their lives and, according to Sr Catherine,
the ancient Rule of St Benedict “has wonderful
application beyond a religious community”.
“The essence of the Rule is summed up in the
opening exhortation: ‘Listen!’,” she said.
“As a Benedictine my ‘work’ is the faithful
commitment to lectio divina, by which I learn to hear
the Word of God spoken to me in the Scriptures, in
The essence of the
Rule [of St Benedict] is
summed up in the opening
exhortation: ‘Listen!’
Sr Catherine Slattery SGS
the other person, in nature, in what is happening
around me, and which calls me to respond with
inner equilibrium and a spirit of reconciliation,” said
Sr Catherine, who has lived a life in the service of
Christ as a Sister of the Good Samaritan since 1972.
Much of her ministry has been in Catholic schools,
as a teacher and principal. More recently, her focus
has been on governance, working with others to
establish Good Samaritan Education – a group
of committed lay women and men, with a deep
knowledge and love of the
Benedictine charism, now fully
responsible for the governance
of 10 Good Samaritan schools
previously owned and
conducted by the sisters.
In this Jubilee Year of Hope and
renewal she and her sisters,
through their commitment
to being a community of prayer, as well as by their
deeds, demonstrate how to be a pilgrim, not a
tourist in this life.
“We are a world in great need of hope,” Sr Catherine
said.
“I am ever encouraged by St Benedict’s vision of
a community where everyone and everything is
inherently valued and has something unique to
contribute.
“When we consider the patterns of the last 40 to 50
years, of gradually declining membership across
religious congregations in the western world, there
can be no doubt that religious life as we currently
know it is in transition.”
24

Today, there are about 150 Good Samaritan Sisters
in the congregation, including 10 in the Diocese of
Parramatta: Catherine Slattery, Julie O’Regan, Jacinta
Shailer, Veronica McDougall, Elizabeth Murray,
Maree Nash, Veronica Griffith, Monica Armstrong,
Kawi Arebonto (visiting from Kiribati, where there
are seven sisters), and Tokarerei Matiera (a novice
from Kiribati who has been living in the Novitiate at
Lawson).
Good Samaritan Sisters at the Diocesan Jubilee Mass for Consecrated Life, at
St Patrick’s Cathedral, in February. Back row (L to R): Julie O’Regan, Elizabeth
Murray, Catherine Slattery, Kathleen Spokes, Veronica McDougall.
Front row (L to R): Maree Nash, Monica Armstrong, Veronica Griffith.
Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
“Our call is to pay attention and respond to that
timeless question of the parable: ‘Who is my
neighbour?’” Sr Catherine said.
The Good Sams, like most congregations, “are being
called to a period of deep discernment, listening to
the whispers of God in our own hearts and keeping
our minds and hearts open to the promptings of the
Spirit, nudging us towards the new and the as-yetunknown
expressions of our charisms.”
As a community the Good Sams share the gratitude
expressed by Pope Francis in his recent Lenten letter:
thanks to God’s love in Jesus Christ, we are sustained
in their hope that does not disappoint (cf. Rom 5:5).
A LONG HISTORY IN WESTERN SYDNEY
The Sisters of the Good Samaritan were founded in
Sydney in 1857 by Archbishop John Bede Polding
OSB, to work particularly with the many abandoned
women who were unskilled, without support and
forced onto the streets to survive.
The early sisters were formed in Benedictine
spirituality by Polding and in the ways of religious
life by Mother Scholastica Gibbons, an Irish Sister of
Charity, and ran an industrial laundry, provided food
and shelter and taught the women skills towards
future employment. The sisters also ran schools in
the colony.
“Parramatta features significantly in our early
history,” Sr Catherine said.
“In 1859, three inexperienced and unprepared sisters
were sent to assume responsibility for the Roman
Catholic Orphan School which accommodated
hundreds of children, many of whom were
abandoned during the gold rushes. The conditions
were appalling – open sewers, overcrowded
buildings, rising damp, infestations – but the sisters
stayed and eventually thrived in this ministry of
service for 27 years.”
Good Sams being
‘neighbours’ to the earth
Today, there are communities of Good
Samaritan Sisters in Australia, Japan,
Kiribati, and the Philippines, with the
focus of their hope-filled ministries
reflecting the particular needs of their
local communities. For example:
AUSTRALIA: Biobanking large tracts of
land at Wivenhoe, Camden, to counter
past misuse of land and promote
conditions for the regeneration of
soil, flora and fauna; offering crisis
accommodation and ongoing support
to women and children fleeing family
and domestic violence in Melbourne;
liturgical formation and teaching English
to refugees.
JAPAN: Visiting the sick and lonely in
Osaka.
KIRIBATI: Offering preschool
opportunities for children from
Abaokoro and nearby villages at The
Good Samaritan Early Childhood
Centre; working with young people with
disabilities; counselling; prison ministry;
hospital visitation; lecturing in teacher
education.
PHILIPPINES: Running cooking classes
at The Good Samaritan Outreach Centre
in the squatters’ area of Bacolod City and
building teams of volunteers to provide
hundreds of nutritious meals each week.
25

Children at Our Lady of the Rosary Kellyville explore
the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s life-sized replica plane. Image: Supplied
Vacation care helps families
with the holiday ‘juggle’
BY ZOE CARTWRIGHT
School holidays are often a time of relaxation,
but they also bring unique challenges for
families as they juggle work and caregiving
responsibilities. Many families within the Diocese
turn to vacation care offered by Ambrose, for
support.
Anthony Goonan, CEO of
Ambrose, highlights the vital
role that Ambrose plays in
the community to support
families.
“We launched our vacation
care program in 2021 with
14 services. We have now
expanded to 21 vacation
care services and have
experienced a steady rise in bookings, which have
nearly doubled over the past four years,” he said.
This is a structured
environment where
children...can make
friends and develop
social skills.
Mabel Osei, senior manager
“The programs go beyond mere entertainment; they
offer countless opportunities for personal growth.
Children can form meaningful social connections
with new friends and gain a variety of experiences.
The programs cultivate independence, encourage
learning, promote physical activity, and nurture
creativity,” she said.
“This is a structured
environment where children of
varying ages can make friends
and develop social skills. This is
particularly beneficial for those
entering kindergarten as it helps
them build confidence and form
new friendships before starting
big school.”
Working parents at St Angela’s Castle Hill appreciate
the support.
“This growth is driven by the increasing demand for
high-quality, inclusive, and structured play-based
education and care. Ambrose has built a strong
reputation for its dedicated and compassionate staff
and the engaging and diverse programs we offer.
We are about providing Catholic services to all in the
community, and we welcome children from all faiths
and schools to join us,” he added.
“I love the excursions and activities. It benefits me as
I can focus on my work,” one parent said.
Ambrose Senior Manager of School Age Care Mabel
Osei said Ambrose Vacation Care services provide
a safe and nurturing environment for children,
allowing them to thrive, explore, and develop
essential life skills.
26
The children at St Joseph’s Schofields enjoy a day of jumping, bouncing, and
sliding at Inflatable World. Image: Supplied

Another said: “We both were working so it helped us
to have care provided for him.”
A distinctive feature of Ambrose services is the
Catholic ethos. The programs encourage children to
embody values of respect, encouragement, and care
in their interactions and play.
Senior Manager Mabel said: “We guide the children
to be mindful of these core values, when they
engage with each other”.
This nurturing approach not only fosters a
supportive environment but also instils important
life principles that the children carry with them.
The success of Ambrose Vacation Care is largely
due to its dedicated and compassionate staff, who
function like an extended family.They are deeply
committed to understanding each child and invest
significant time in developing engaging and diverse
programs that incorporate the children’s interests.
Ambrose Area Coordinator Fionn Byrne said: “We’ve
had visits from the Royal Flying Doctor Service with a
life-sized plane, aquariums with live marine animals,
dinosaur visits, reptile encounters, mini golf and
cinema excursions, music and magic days, coding,
baking, sports and more.”
“It’s always exciting to see familiar faces, build new
friendships, and create memorable experiences
together,” he said.
So what do the children think? They love Ambrose
Vacation Care for a range of reasons:
• “The activities” - Josephine
• “Making friends with the Santa Sophia kids and
playing basketball” - Matteo
• “I love when I can go to places and do stuff. I love
when people come and do stuff with us” - Erica
• “I love the surprise when someone comes and
does stuff” - Ayen
EASTER HOLIDAY VACATION CARE
During the Easter school holidays, vacation care
is available at 21 Ambrose services, offering a
fun and varied program of activities every day.
Highlights include exciting excursions to the
Wanderers Football Park, where children can enjoy
action-packed football activities led by experienced
Wanderers coaches.
For details on Ambrose Vacation Care, go to
www.ambrose.org.au/vacation-care
“These activities are both fun and educational,
offering children the chance to explore new interests
and hobbies. Often community based, they help
children connect with their surroundings and foster
a sense of belonging.”
Acknowledging the financial burden holiday activities
can impose on families, Fionn adds: “Ambrose
Vacation Care services are Child Care Subsidy
approved, potentially reducing fees by up to 90% for
eligible families.”
Joshua Wood, Service Coordinator at Ambrose
School Age Care Chisholm, Bligh Park, enjoys
working in the vacation care program.
Celebrating
the Jubilee
of 2025
The children at Ambrose Activities St Luke’s Marsden Park learn all about farm
life, thanks to Skye the farm dog. Image: Supplied
CRICOS 00004G | PRV12008

The Compassion
of Mary
BY BELINDA GADD
The World Day of Prayer for the Sick Mass at
Mary Queen of the Family Parish, St Patrick’s
Catholic Church in Blacktown on 11 February,
brought together people facing illness, old age,
and frailty for a special service that included the
anointing of the sick.
The Mass coincided with the Feast of Our Lady
of Lourdes and was celebrated by Vicar General
and Episcopal Vicar of Social Welfare, Fr Fernando
Montano, Parish Priest of St Bernadette’s Catholic
Church, Castle Hill.
Patients from Catholic Healthcare’s St Hedwig
Village, Blacktown, and Southern Cross Care
attended alongside carers and healthcare workers.
Ministers of Communion to the Sick were also
present.
In his homily, Fr Fernando drew attention to
the significance of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
He reminded the congregation that Mary, in her
compassionate role as a mother, intercedes for us in
our times of need.
“In the story of Cana, Mary, the mother of Jesus,
is the one who remains aware of the needs of her
children,” Fr Fernando said.
“Mary gives us the last lesson: ‘Do whatever He tells
you’.”
Fr Fernando also reflected on the message of
this Jubilee Year, and its connection to the Gospel
reading of the wedding of Cana.
28
Images: Alphonsus Fok/ Diocese of Parramatta

“This year as a Church, we have been invited to be
‘pilgrims of hope’, and the biblical text that we have
been given to reflect this year comes from the
letter to the Romans.”
Fr Fernando said in his message on the World Day
of the Sick this year, the Holy Father says while
these are comforting words, they can also prove
perplexing, especially for those who are suffering.
“How can we be strong, for example, when our
bodies frail with severe and devastating
Childcare Services
illnesses?” he said, adding that some illnesses
require built hospital on treatment Catholic that “we values
may not be
able to afford”.
He said there are times when we sense a need for
strength “greater than our own”.
“We realise that we need God’s help, His grace, His
prominence and the strength that is the gift of His
Spirit,” he said.
On a personal note, Fr Fernando shared the
struggles his own family was facing, as his sister
had recently been diagnosed with the recurrence
of thyroid cancer, and the fear and uncertainty
that goes along with such a diagnosis.
“Hope does not disappoint, and this is something
we as a family have been reminding ourselves, as
we pray not only for her but for all those who are
sick, those who care for them, and the families
of those who find it hard to hope and trust in the
privilege of care of her loving God.”
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Students from Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) took part in a water
pouring ceremony as part of Caritas Australia’s 2025 Project Compassion launch.
Image: Stuart Matters/CSPD
Students step up for
Project Compassion
30
Moved by the hardships faced by vulnerable
communities worldwide, hundreds of
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
(CSPD) students and staff pledged to raise funds and
awareness after attending Caritas Australia’s 2025
Project Compassion launch.
More than 200 students, along with 60 teachers
and staff, from more than 20 schools attended the
launch at St Andrews Primary
School, Marayong. During the
event they heard about the
individuals and communities
supported by Caritas Australia
and brainstormed fundraising
initiatives they can implement at
their schools during Lent.
“To have that many schools and
children involved in launching
Project Compassion is so inspiring,” said Nicole
Chehine, Caritas Australia Acting Advancement
Director.
“We are always incredibly motivated by children all
over the country engaging with the need overseas,
and how they instinctively identify and empathise
with global inequality. That was on full display at
the Parramatta launch.The ideas, enthusiasm and
commitment from the children, and the teachers,
was so heartening.”
BY STUART MATTERS
To have that many
schools and children
involved in launching
Project Compassion is
so inspiring.
Nicole Chehine, Caritas Australia
Project Compassion runs for the six weeks of Lent
and calls on us to “Unite Against Poverty” through
education and fundraising.
This year sees the introduction of new events, the
Long Walk for Water, a 40-day walking challenge for
individuals, and The Big Walk for Water, designed
specifically for school communities to come together
and walk six kilometres (or any goal) around an oval,
local park or circuit at school.
These events will see participants
walking in solidarity with people
in Africa, Asia and the Pacific who
walk long distances to collect clean
water every day. Every dollar raised
will create lasting change and help
empower people to lift themselves
out of poverty.
“One third of the world’s population has no access
to clean, safe water so I think it’s something we need
to be conscious of,” said Bishop Vincent Long OFM
Conv, Bishop of Parramatta.
“And in the spirit of solidarity, we seek through our
Catholic agencies, like Caritas Australia, to do all we
can to bridge the gap and enable people without
access to clean and safe water to have a better life.”
Students were moved by the personal stories of
three vulnerable people Caritas Australia supports.

Samoan teenager
Toefuata’iga, whose
school now has access
to fresh water thanks to
Caritas. Lam, a young
disabled man from
rural Vietnam, was
supported by Caritas
to train in graphic arts,
leading to him finding
employment. Lastly,
Irene, a single mother in
the Democratic Republic
of the Congo (DRC)
who received a sewing
machine and training
and is now a skilled
seamstress.
“It was inspiring to hear
their stories and how
Project Compassion
helped,” said St Angela’s
School Captain Jessica Guirreri.
“They explained the importance of little things that
we take for granted like access to clean water.”
Bishop Vincent said seeing these stories “reminded
me of my own experience as a refugee”.
Bishop Vincent (centre) with Chelsea McEntee, Year 3 Teacher and FIAT Coordinator at St Angela’s
Primary School, Castle Hill (second from right), with St Angela’s students. Image: Stuart Matters/CSPD
prayers. They wanted to show how important God
was to them.”
Students from St Angela’s Primary, Castle Hill, and
St Andrews College, Marayong, spoke at the launch,
giving examples of successful fundraising initiatives
they had undertaken in previous years.
“I lived in a refugee camp with no fresh water. The
only drinkable water that we could use was the water
ferried across from the mainland. I knew what it was
like walking to the point of water distribution, waiting
in line and carrying containers of water back to our
tent.”
CSPD Executive General Manager Mission Mark
Smith also shared his reflection. “My dad was a
prisoner of war during World War II and he taught
me to value water more than food or anything else,”
he said.
“He only had a small ration of water each day and it
was everything. He was amazed that some prisoners
used some of the water to wash their hands for their
“We put on a students vs teachers lunchtime
basketball game and raised money by selling
popcorn and asking students to pay entry to watch,”
said Olivia Tan, Faith in Action teacher at St Andrews
College.
“We also have events such as karaoke, a photobooth,
bake sales, Mario Kart, Amazing Race/Scavenger
Hunt, even a stall where you can buy trinkets and
charms for your Crocs.”
To unite against poverty this Lent,
schools are invited to join CSPD’s
‘The Big Water Walk Week’ from
7 April to 11 April. Scan the QR code
to go to their website.
Mark Smith (centre) with students from Emmaus Catholic College, Kemps Creek, and a teacher, arriving
at the 2025 Project Compassion launch. Image: Stuart Matters/CSPD
31

Image: Alphonsus Fok/ Diocese of Parramatta
RCIA candidates prepare for
baptism on Holy Saturday
BY ANTONY LAWES
32
As all Catholics around the Diocese prepare
for Holy Week, the most significant time in
the Church calendar, one group is perhaps
looking forward to it more than most.
For those catechumens who are preparing to
be accepted into the Catholic Church, the past
months have been a gradual process of growing,
understanding and solidifying their faith as they
completed the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
(RCIA) program through their local parish.
This program, which takes catechumens sometimes
up to 12 months to complete, gives a comprehensive
understanding of the Catholic faith and culminates
in participants receiving the sacrament of Baptism at
the Easter Vigil. This year has seen a record number
of catechumens undertake the program.
We spoke to three catechumens about their journey
to becoming a Catholic this Easter.
Sue Johnson
The catalyst for Sue Johnson
to take the plunge and sign
up for the RCIA program
was watching her daughter
complete the program and her
grandchildren attend Catholic school
and go through the sacraments.
She had grown up attending church regularly and
Sunday school every week, through the influence of
her mother, who was a Baptist.
But over the years she had drifted away from church
and felt a yearning to return.
“I have always had a longing to go back to church, I
felt it was something I was missing in my life,” she
says.
“Watching my grandchildren and my own daughter
take the journey made me realise it was something I
would like for myself.
“Doing the course has reaffirmed my beliefs and I
have no doubt at all that I am doing the right thing.”
Since moving down to Sydney a few years ago to
be closer to family, she has joined St Michael’s
Baulkham Hills Parish and attends Sunday Mass
there every week. She always looks forward to Mass
and seeing other parishioners who have “become
my extended family”.
She says becoming a Catholic “will be nice, but it
won’t change the way I live my life or the core values
I live by”.
One thing she is particularly looking forward to is
being able to participate wholly in the Mass and
receive the Eucharist.
“I have enjoyed my journey to becoming a Catholic,
and look forward to my future with the parish and
giving back where I can,” Sue says.
“I feel like I am home and very much welcome and
content. My soul is very much nourished.”

Konrad Haddadi
Much like Sue Johnson’s
experience, Konrad Haddadi,
25, was influenced by a close
family member to become a
catechumen.
His older brother undertook the RCIA program and
was baptised last Easter. And what started out as
Konrad wanting to support his brother, ended with
him realising that he too had a calling.
“Seeing the process and wanting to support him
on his journey to become baptised, I saw what the
religion was focused on,” he says.
“The support that everyone had for those getting
baptised and how everyone genuinely cared.”
So he started reading the Bible and exploring
Catholicism on social media, until one day he read
something that moved him to act.
He says it was a quote that described how God knew
everything everyone has ever done before they are
born – including all mistakes, hurtful actions and
sin – and still he wants us to be in this world.
Konrad says when he read this he was filled with
“such a genuine sense of love and care that I could
only get from honest unconditional love.
“That feeling is how I describe entering the Church
when I went to support my brother and now on my
own journey.”
Like his brother, Konrad is a member of Our Lady
of the Rosary Parish, Kellyville, where he attends
Sunday Mass.
He is “so excited” about his coming baptism, but also
“almost sad that I’ve missed out on this for my whole
life.
“I always felt like I was doing good by people and
trying my best to be a good person,” Konrad says.
But he has realised that being Catholic isn’t just
about doing good – it’s about your intentions too.
“My intentions now are to serve God in the best way
I can and any opportunity I have to be of use is an
opportunity I’m so excited to take on.
Janine Jensen
For Janine Jensen the decision
to become Catholic was a
matter of responding to the
Lord’s calling.
“He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and I could
no longer ignore His invitation to follow Him,” she
says.
Janine, who is in her early 40s and has attended
Mass at St Nicholas of Myra Parish, in Penrith, for
about eight months, had had “small seeds of faith”
planted when she was young – attending weekly
scripture class in primary school and spending
some time at a Catholic high school. It was only
much later that she truly opened her heart and
began to seek Christ.
With her heart set on becoming a Catholic she
joined the RCIA program and has seen her
understanding increase and her relationship with
Christ deepen.
“The journey has been one of grace, guided by
those whose kindness, wisdom and unwavering
faith have enriched my own,” she says.
“It’s a continual unfolding, revealing the richness of
the Church and its teachings.”
Now, with her baptism rapidly approaching Janine
says she is looking forward to it with “joy and
anticipation”, but above all a “profound peace
knowing I am stepping fully into the life God has
prepared for me.”
She is especially looking forward to receiving the
Eucharist.
“That moment will be one of deep grace and
profound intimacy with Jesus, and it is something I
long for with all my heart,” she says.
One passage from Matthew (11:28-29) has
particularly resonated with her on her journey:
“Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and
learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for your souls.”
“Being able to call myself Catholic means more to
me because I’ll have that duty, that accountability I
didn’t before.”
33

Participants of the The Girls’ Summer Camp held at
Mount Schoenstatt, Mulgoa, over the summer holidays.
Image: Supplied.
Girls’ Camps:
where spiritual growth and friendship flourish
BY SR. M.RITA BAYSARI
This year’s annual Girls’ Summer Camps at
Mount Schoenstatt in Mulgoa offered a
transformative experience – blending faith,
fun and friendship.
Some girls reunited with old friends while others
attended for the first time. One thing was for certain,
everyone joyfully left feeling very pleased to have
participated in the camp.
“I liked walking to the shrine and walking back in the
dark with our torches,” said a participant.
“My favourite part of the camp was the bushwalk
rosary,” another girl said.
There were two camps held this year to cater for the
different age groups, and both were nearly full!
The first camp ran from 11-13 January for girls aged
14 and over. The second ran from 14-16 January for
younger girls aged 10-13.
A MARIAN FOCUS
Both camps took on the theme of what it means to
be an apostle of Mary, with the Marian Apostle logo a
key part of the input sessions.
A good mix of times for singing, prayer, input and
games ensued over the days.
“My favourite thing was singing our camp theme
song in the shrine,” one participant said.
It wasn’t just a social experience. There were also
indoor and outdoor activities, including a rosary
bushwalk and pilgrimages to the shrine – one of the
official pilgrimage sites for the Year of Jubilee in the
Diocese of Parramatta.
The next Girls Day Out at
the Shrine will be after
Easter:
TUESDAY 22 APRIL 2025
(for girls aged 15-18)
WEDNESDAY 23 APRIL 2025
(for girls aged 11-14 years)
WEEKEND CAMP 22-23 APRIL
(for girls aged 15+)
Registrations close 15 April
2025. Fees apply.
34

The junior leaders and some young women stayed
on an extra day after the final camp had finished.
This was a time for prayer, bonding and reflection,
where the growth of each individual as a leader was
discovered.
A special moment of the day was saying a
thanksgiving rosary overlooking the Nepean River at
the Rocks lookout.
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
SPIRITUAL LEADERS
Thanks to Fr Sheldon Burke CRS from Glenmore
Park Parish, and Fr Pawel Barszczewski OP from
Kingswood Parish, each group of participants
enjoyed the opportunity of receiving the Sacrament
of Reconciliation and celebrating Mass in the shrine.
It was beautiful to witness three girls ‘sealing the
Marian Apostle Consecration’ – the Covenant of Love
and the core of Schoenstatt’s spirituality.
ASK ME ANYTHING
Another element of the camp program, which
was very well received, was the “Ask me Anything”
sessions with the group participants.
This was a unique and valuable opportunity for
participants to write down any burning questions
about their faith, for discussion.
It was truly amazing to see the depth of the
conversations that took place during this time.
A TALENTED LOT
The fun night under the title of ‘Schoenstatt’s Got
Talent’ allowed the participants to really express
themselves and their hidden talents. This night in
particular was overflowing with plenty of fun and
laughter.
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Email: jobs@ambrose.org.au
Visit: ambrose.org.au/find-a-job
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The good Samaritan in Grace Church Chiangmai, Thailand
Originally by unknown artist. Image: Shutterstock
Like the Good Sam
chaplains are called to be beacons of love and hope
BY ISABELL PETRINIC
Chaplains are a vital service to many in the
Diocese who are dealing with hardship.
Ten religious and four lay staff work in the
Diocesan Chaplaincy Support team run by Catholic
Care with support from the Parramatta Catholic
Foundation.
The chaplains provide comfort and hope to adults
and to children and their families through faith and
prayer at Blacktown, Cumberland, Hawkesbury, Mt
Druitt, Nepean and Westmead hospitals, and The
Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
They also work in the following correctional facilities,
offering support through conversations, liturgies,
and the Eucharist:
• Parklea, one of New
South Wales’ largest
prisons, housing
remand, minimum- and
maximum-security male
offenders.
• John Morony, a mediumsecurity
facility for male
offenders.
• All-female maximum-security facility Dillwynia,
which includes Emu Plains Correctional Centre.
“A chaplain will normally visit 10 to 20 people a day,”
said Bernard Ellis, Chaplaincy Coordinator, Catholic
Care Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains.
“Add to this a Mass celebrated once a week in the
hospitals, which usually has 10 to 15 people present.
In the prisons, chaplains will offer prayer services
and Bible studies, which can attract up to 40 inmates
at a time. These occur two to three times a week,
depending on the size of the facility.”
Through ongoing training, professional support
and self-care, they minister with resilience and a
formidable spirit.
Being present is one
of the most important
things, just being there,
being available.
Joseph Wehbe
“We can all be Good Samaritans by supporting our
chaplains as disciples of Jesus Christ,” said Bishop
Vincent Long OFM Conv.
“Just as the Good Samaritan came to the aid of the
man left half-dead by the side of the road and gave
him comfort and a place to recover, Catholic Care
chaplains help people in their time of need.”
MEET OUR DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST
Among the chaplains working in the Diocese
of Parramatta are Joseph Wehbe and Richard
Korkor. But few people know the courageous and
heartwarming story behind their compassion.
Joseph and his sister were born
with hypotonia, a condition that
causes low muscle tone, and later
developed scoliosis, a sideways
curving and twisting of the spine.
Much of their childhood was
spent in The Children’s Hospital
at Westmead undergoing
treatments and surgeries.
Joseph has memories of loneliness, isolation, and a
desire for company in the wards. So, working as a
chaplain in the children’s hospital is a great fit.
“I believe that it’s definitely a grace from God
because He’s allowed me to carry that and to be
able to connect with families, to be able to be
36
Joseph Wehbe, a Chaplain at The Children’s Hospital, Westmead.
Image: Supplied

aritan,
Chaplain at Parklea Correctional Centre Richard Korkor, with Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv,
giving Holy Communion to inmates. Image: Supplied
more vulnerable and compassionate to listen,”
said Joseph, who holds a masters degree in
chaplaincy studies. “Despite this, nothing can
prepare you for the trauma that you encounter
in hospitals.”
Joseph supports children, their families
and hospital staff during short-term, longterm
and end-of-life care, helping people
deal with grief, loss and change.
Richard’s career trajectory included
a 15-year stint in investment banking
and funds management. It was later, while
studying theology and concurrently running his
own company, that “a few beautiful mentors,
spiritual directors, that had accompanied me,
suggested ‘Have you thought of chaplaincy?’ ”
After completing the Clinical Pastoral Education
Program at St. Vincent’s Hospital, he now works
as a chaplain at Parklea Correctional Centre.
To support God’s ambassadors,
as they bring comfort, faith and hope
where it is needed most go to:
parracatholic.org/appeal
Great Saints of Italy
With Fr Adam Carlow
“You are exposed to a broad spectrum of
human pain and suffering in prison, but also all
that healing, all the joy that happens with this
work,” said Richard.
“The fact that they want to receive and be in
your presence is God calling them,” he said.
“As I say in the liturgy, ‘The Lord has invited you
to his table, to share in the body of Christ.’ In
some ways my Catholic faith is allowing me,
actually giving me permission, to see ‘the Christ’
in all people and that everyone is worthy to be
fed.”
Be a Pilgrim of Hope for people who may
break in the face of suffering. Your gift
towards Catholic Care’s Chaplaincy Support
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our brothers and sisters, both in prison and
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In this dedicated Jubilee year, be inspired to encounter the pathways of
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Participants at the recent LIFTED Launch at West HQ,
Rooty Hill. Image: Alphonsus Fok/ Diocese of Parramatta.
LIFTED LAUNCH
marks the beginning of fun, faith-filled year
BY SEBASTIAN DUHAU AND ELEANOR BONWICK
On the evening of Thursday, February 27,
2025, about 150 youth, young adults,
families, clergy, and both new and current
youth leaders from parishes across the Diocese of
Parramatta gathered for the annual LIFTED Launch at
West HQ in Rooty Hill.
As the doors opened, young people eagerly greeted
one another, many reconnecting for the first time
this year. The excitement in the room was palpable
as old friends reunited, and newcomers arrived with
open hearts, ready to listen to the call of the Holy
Spirit for their mission and service in the local and
wider Diocesan community in 2025.
LIFTED Launch marks the beginning of an exciting,
faith-filled year for the Diocese, bringing together
enthusiastic attendees for a night of worship, music,
friendship, and a deeper sense of community.
This year’s event was especially significant, as it
coincided with the announcement that 2025 would
be a Jubilee Year, as declared by Pope Francis.
The Jubilee Year invites young Catholics across
the Diocese to discover how Christian hope can
radically transform their lives, while answering the
Holy Father’s call to become ‘Pilgrims of Hope.’ This
journey involves deepening their faith, renewing
friendships, and embracing their mission as disciples
throughout the year.
To unpack the theme of being a ‘Pilgrim of Hope,’ the
night featured a panel of local leaders who shared
their personal experiences of pilgrimage, both
abroad and in daily life. The panel included Rachel
Kama (MET Facilitator, Diocese of Parramatta), Anna
Amos (Youth Ministry Leader, St Andrew the Apostle,
Marayong), and Fr Sheldon Burke CRS (Assistant
Priest, St Padre Pio Parish, Glenmore Park).
Anna Amos had the audience laughing as she shared
her stories from youth ministry, while Rachel Kama
emphasised that “young people do not need to travel
abroad to become pilgrims of hope; they can become
pilgrims by extending mercy and forgiveness to their
families, friends, and wider community.” Fr Sheldon
Burke also shared his insight, urging everyone to
view their entire lives as a pilgrimage of faith. Each
panellist offered unique wisdom, helping attendees
reflect on the deeper meaning of pilgrimage in their
own lives.
The evening was filled with powerful moments of
prayer and reflection, encouraging participants
to reflect on how they could answer the call to be
‘Pilgrims of Hope’ within their own communities
in 2025. The excitement was radiating from the
audience as key initiatives for the year were
announced: including the Good Friday Night Walk
(April 2025), a powerful opportunity to prayerfully
reflect on Christ’s passion; LIFTED Retreat (July 2025);
and LIFTED Live in the Forecourt (October 2025),
which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year!
LIFTED Launch also set the stage for major events in
the Catholic Youth Parramatta calendar, such as the
Jubilee Youth Pilgrimage to Rome - a transformative
experience that will invite young people to journey
together in faith, following the footsteps of Saint Paul
and the Early Church, and joining the Jubilee of Youth
celebrations in Rome from 19 July to 5 August, 2025.
Alongside this was the announcement of the
Australian Catholic Youth Festival in Melbourne from
30 November to 2 December, 2025, which seeks to
draw thousands of young people between the ages
of 18 and 25 for a festival style opportunity with
38
Image: Alphonsus Fok/ Diocese of Parramatta

Image: Alphonsus Fok/ Diocese of Parramatta
large-scale worship, formation, and connection with
the wider Catholic Church in Australia.
The night culminated in a powerful time of prayer
and worship, led by the dynamic LIFTED band.
The room came alive with voices lifted in unison,
joyfully singing “Jesus Christ, my living hope,” from
Phil Wickham’s song “Living Hope”. Music, as always,
played a central role in Catholic Youth Parramatta’s
initiatives, serving as a vibrant force that unites
young people in worship, celebration, and prayer.
LIFTED Launch perfectly encapsulates Catholic Youth
Parramatta’s unwavering commitment to creating
opportunities for young people to deepen and live
out their faith. With the year now unfolding, the
Diocese eagerly anticipates the profound impact of
these initiatives on the spiritual journeys of its youth,
inspiring them to embrace their roles as active
participants in the mission of the local, national, and
global Church.
Join our Diocesan family! Follow the journey
online by connecting with us on Instagram and
Facebook at @catholicyouthparra
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99 Albert Road, Strathfield NSW 2135
39

Future teachers at the CSPD Teacher Scholarship Induction Day. Image: Gene Ramirez/CSPD
So you want to
be a teacher…
BY SAMANTHA RICH
Recent data from the Department of Education
shows a surge in students applying for and
receiving offers for teaching degrees. Tertiary
admission centres report a
7% increase in applications
and a 14% increase in offers
compared with 2024.
To understand what’s behind
this renewed interest in a
career as a teacher, we spent
some time with the newest
intake of Catholic Schools
Parramatta Diocese (CSPD)
Teacher Scholarship students. We discovered it’s
a whole lot more than a naive view of “generous
holidays” and a familiar environment that’s driving
these students to pick teaching degrees. As one
student put it, “there’s more to teaching than meets
the eye”.
At the CSPD Teacher Scholarship induction event,
about 90 students anonymously shared why
they chose teaching. The anonymity encouraged
refreshingly honest responses that were
simultaneously heartwarming, surprising, hopeful
and inspiring.
Heartwarming answers included wanting to “inspire
the next generation,” “help students be their best
selves”, and “shape young minds”. However, a
deeper theme also emerged: a strong sense of
Helping others grow
brings a unique
satisfaction. A good
teacher always impacts
someone’s life.
Teacher Scholarship student
social justice, rooted in their Catholic education,
particularly the desire to enact positive change.
One student shared: “To inspire and empower future
generations to do good, believe in themselves, and
make a difference in our world.”
For many, teaching is seen as a
personally fulfilling career. One
student explained: “Teaching is
one of the careers where both the
employee and the students feel
a sense of belonging.” Another
said: “Helping others grow brings
a unique satisfaction. A good
teacher always impacts someone’s life.”
The supportive and nurturing environment in CSPD
schools clearly resonates with these future teachers.
In the words of one student: “I want to be a teacher
because of the support I received growing up in the
CSPD system.”
Some of the responses at the Induction Day from future teachers about why
they want to join the profession. Image: Gene Ramirez/CSPD
40

Another credited their Catholic primary school
teachers with “inspiring my love for learning”.
Several students mentioned the diverse learning
needs in Western Sydney, driven by “generational
trauma and inequality”. They are motivated to
provide “guidance and a safe space” for students
who may lack stable home support.
“I’ve been inspired by teachers who connect with
diverse students and make them feel seen,” one
student said.
It was also encouraging to note that the teachers of
tomorrow are driven by a passion for their chosen
subject, keen to kindle that same spark in their
students.
“I have a passion for literature and ancient history
and would love to share that passion, as well as
encourage my students to find and pursue their own
passions,” another said.
The CSPD Teacher Scholarship makes pursuing a
teaching degree more accessible, offering financial
support, opportunities for paid employment in
schools, and mentoring support.
Jane Nethery, CSPD Early Talent Manager, at the 2025 Induction Day.
Image: Gene Ramirez/CSPD
Sienna, a 2024 scholarship recipient, said: “We’ve just
finished our HSC, we all want to teach, and there’s
a community here that understands what I’m going
through.”
CSPD remains committed to supporting these future
educators on their journey to becoming teachers.
Visit the website to learn more about the CSPD
Teacher Scholarship: parra.catholic.edu.au
WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME AUSTRALIA
Embrace your dreams.
Embrace knowledge.
Flourish at the university
that puts students first.
FIND OUT MORE
notredame.edu.au
CRICOS: 01032F
41

‘Beautiful and
serene’: new
cemetery to open
in Western Sydney
BY ANTONY LAWES
Macarthur Memorial Park will be the first crown cemetery to open in
Sydney in 80 years. Image: Supplied
The newest cemetery in Sydney will also be one
of the largest when it opens in April 2025 – a
move that will help ease the critical shortage
of burial space in the city.
Located in Varroville, just north of Campbelltown,
Macarthur Memorial Park will be the first crown
cemetery to open in Sydney in 80 years. At 113
hectares, it will be the largest greenfield memorial
park to be built since Rookwood cemetery nearly
160 years ago.
This comes as Sydney is fast running out of burial
space. A recent study found that the city’s current
cemetery capacity will be exhausted by 2051, with
some religious and cultural groups facing a critical
shortage of burial space within the next three years.
Another study found that 283,000 burial spaces
will be needed across the metropolitan area
within the next 30 years.
There will be 136,000 burial spaces at Macarthur
Memorial Park to accommodate the diverse
religious and cultural groups in Western Sydney,
including Catholic, Anglican, Baptist, Uniting,
Orthodox, Jewish, Muslim and other religious
organisations, as well as those from non-faith
backgrounds.
The operator of the memorial park, Catholic
Cemeteries and Crematoria, has allocated
35 hectares of the site for publicly accessible
parkland, featuring walking tracks, lakes and
lookouts, while new onsite buildings will include
a multi-denominational chapel, function centre
and café. Several heritage-listed buildings on the
site will also be restored for public use.
The memorial gardens are designed to
accentuate the natural landscape, with
dedicated community lawns available in unique
‘burial rooms’ that provide privacy for visitors.
Each lawn will have distinct landscaping that
ensures headstones are not visible from the
road.
The chief executive of Macarthur Memorial
Park, Lauren Hardgrove, said the park had been
designed with future generations in mind.
“We are committed to providing a multidenominational
solution that addresses the
city’s burial space crisis, while also creating
a beautiful and serene environment for the
community.”
To find out more about Macarthur Memorial
Park, contact them on 1300 086 689, or go to
their website mmpark.com.au
An artist’s impression of one of the buildings at the
new cemetery. Image: Supplied
42

Aid to the Church in Need provides vital help to Christian refugees in the Dominican Republic, who have fled from Haiti. Image: Supplied
Diocese supports Church
charity that cares for
Christian refugees
BY ANTONY LAWES
The Diocese of Parramatta is supporting an
international Catholic charity in helping
Christian refugees who have fled violence
and religious persecution in one of the world’s most
lawless countries.
Aid to the Church in Need, a pontifical foundation, is
supporting refugees in the Dominican Republic who
have fled across the border from neighbouring Haiti
seeking safety and refuge. In particular, it is helping
these refugees to keep practicing their faith after
fleeing violence in their homeland.
The charity’s on-the-ground project partner in the
Dominican Republic, Sr Jean Baptiste, said this
support included providing catechetical courses,
Bibles and religious visits to the communities in
which the refugees live.
“We have just celebrated with great success the
Feast of Perpetual Help, with the participation of
more than 400 migrants from all the communities
that make up the zones of the Archdiocese of Santo
Domingo (the capital of the Dominican Republic),”
she said.
Armed gangs have increasingly taken over much of
Haiti in the past 12 months, following the resignation
of the country’s president, and in that time have
carried out a wave of mass killings that has forced
thousands to flee their homes. Women and children
especially have been affected.
“We need to support the whole person, and when
it comes to our Catholic brothers and sisters in
particular, our projects are to ensure that they
are able to live and practice their faith amidst the
circumstantial difficulties around them,” he said.
Mr Toutounji thanked Bishop Vincent Long OFM
Conv, the Bishop of Parramatta, and the rest of the
Diocese, for donating $5000 towards the project
in the Dominican Republic “to keep the faith
alive amongst those refugee families who will be
strengthened by this gift”.
Bishop Vincent expressed his strong support for Aid
to the Church in Need.
“Aid to the Church in Need has long been described
as a school of love,” he said.
“Countless people have discovered and learned the
essence of Christianity as they make spiritual and
material offerings to help build a bridge enabling the
suffering and persecuted Church to live and witness
their own faith.”
Aid to the Church in Need is the only international
Catholic charity dedicated to the service of suffering
Christians wherever they are persecuted, oppressed
or in pastoral need.
Founded in 1947, it provides vital aid for pastoral
projects, religious education, and emergency relief
in many areas of the world affected by conflict and
poverty. It operates solely on benefactor donations,
with no funding from church or state.
To donate to Aid to the Church in Need, go to
their website – www.aidtochurch.org
The charity helps refugees to keep practicing their faith. Image: Supplied
The National Director of Aid to the Church in Need
in Australia and New Zealand, Benard Toutounji,
said support for refugees must be more than just for
their physical needs.
43

Sunset over the Sea of Galilee
Northern Israel. Image: Shutterstock
44

Looking Deeper
Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has risen
from the dead and now he is going ahead of you to
Galilee; that is where you will see him.”
Matthew 28:7
45

God’s love
is calling
BY FR BRENDAN BYRNE, SJ
The Holy Jubilee Year of Hope
2025 draws from three key
themes in Scripture: Jubilee;
Pilgrimage, and Hope itself.
JUBILEE
The remote origins of the Holy Year
that the Church celebrates every 25
years stem from a very attractive social
institution in Israel. According to
the Book of Deuteronomy (15:1–18)
every seventh (“sabbatical”) year the
land had to lie fallow and there had to
be remission of all debts and release
from the bond of slavery. The Book
of Leviticus 25 went beyond this to
prescribe that the 50th year (that is,
seven times seven plus one) was to be
a “great jubilee”: not only was there to
be release from debt and slavery, but
all land that had been alienated from a
family or clan through hardship had to
return to its original owners.
46

These two very humane institutions ensured that no
family was trapped for ever in an endless cycle of
poverty and bondage; everyone got a fresh start. We can
imagine how different our world would be if practices
like this were still in place today.
Beginning his ministry in Nazareth according to St
Luke (Luke 4:16–22), Jesus picks up the sense of “release
from debt” involved in this requirement of the Jubilee
and applies it metaphorically to the “year” of release
from the debt of sin that he is about to proclaim and
enact in his ministry: the “year of the Lord’s acceptance”
(v. 19).
Of course, the “year” that Jesus was inaugurating at
Nazareth did not cease with his death. Through the
power of the Holy Spirit it continues in the ministry
of the Church. The reconciliation with God that Jesus
brought into the world is there for us to access at all
times, not just in a holy year. What the Jubilee provides
is a special impetus to take advantage of this ever
present outreach of God’s grace and mercy.
PILGRIMAGE
From its beginnings in medieval times, pilgrimage
- especially to Rome - has been central to the holy
year celebration. The Christian practice of pilgrimage
has its origins in the regular pilgrimages that devout
Israelites (the family of Jesus included [Luke 2:41]),
made to the temple in Jerusalem. Many of the Psalms
are in fact songs sung by pilgrims as they made their
(often dangerous) way “up” to the holy city. Particularly
attractive are some lines from Psalm 83 (84) in this
respect:
They are happy, whose strength is in
you, in whose hearts are the roads to
Sion. As they go through the Bitter
Valley they make it a place of springs
(vv. 5-6)
HOPE
Finally, let us consider hope itself. Pope Francis in
this connection, right at the beginning of his Letter
promulgating the Jubilee, cites a phrase from a key
sentence of St Paul:
“and hope does not disappoint us,
because God’s love has been poured
into our hearts through the Holy
Spirit that has been given to us”
(Rom 5:5)
For Francis, as for Paul himself, hope does not rest on a
conviction that the external circumstances of our life are
on the improve. Hope often, as particularly today, has to
confront the likelihood that such things may get worse
or at least stay the same. For Paul hope is the gift of the
Holy Spirit. The experience of the Holy Spirit engenders
hope because what it communicates is the sense that we
are loved by God and that nothing can separate us from
that love. Towards the end of chapter 8 of Romans Paul in
fact lists a number of things that might well be thought to
bring about such separation and then defiantly rejects that
possibility in every case (8:38–39).
Ultimately, then, hope, like faith and love, is a gift, a gift of
God, for which we must pray.
Those who go on pilgrimage to Rome for the Jubilee of
Hope will personally put into practice all three aspects
mentioned above: the jubilee; the pilgrimage; hope itself.
But because all are so central to Christian life even those of
us who remain at home can become pilgrims of hope.
Fr Brendan Byrne, SJ (DPhil, Oxford), is professor emeritus
at the University of Divinity in Melbourne, and a member of
the Australian Academy of the Humanities. He taught New
Testament for over four decades at Jesuit Theological College
and has been a former member of the Pontifical
Biblical Commission.
The “bitter valley” is presumably some particularly
barren or dangerous part of the journey. Life is indeed
a bitter valley for many people. The psalm seems to
suggest that something of the hope that pilgrims have
because “in their hearts are the roads to Sion” rubs off
on those they meet along the way; they turn the bitter
valley into “a place of springs” for them.
For believers, life is not just one day after another
without pattern or purpose. For us, life is a journey, a
journey that began in God and will end in God. In this
sense we are all pilgrims with hope in our hearts. The
Jubilee reminds us of that.
47

Jesus really died and was buried. There is nothing
more certain. It was not a ‘pretend’ moment. Grief
overwhelmed his disciples’ hearts. The wonderful
priest poet Malcom Guite movingly reflects on the first
disciples’ soul shattering experience of laying the body of
the dead Jesus in the borrowed tomb:
XIV Jesus is laid in the tomb
Here at the centre everything is still.
Before the stir and movement of our grief
Which bears its pain with rhythm, ritual,
Beautiful useless gestures of relief.
So they anoint the skin that cannot feel
Soothing his ruined flesh with tender care,
Kissing the wounds they know they cannot heal,
With incense scenting only empty air.
He blesses every love that weeps and grieves
And makes our grief the pangs of a new birth.
The love that’s poured in silence at old graves
Renewing flowers, tending the bare earth,
Is never lost. In him all love is found
And sown with him, a seed in the rich ground.*
That bleak day when God literally lay entombed and dead,
hope seemed to have extinguished forever. Death and
nothingness seemed to be in total control. In the apostolic
witness, the first ‘Holy Saturday’ is saturated with the divine
absence.
What Jesus experienced during that time we can only
imagine. He had suffered humiliation, brutal physical abuse
Holy
and even physical death. All this after having had the most
extraordinary success as a teacher and healer, with such a
large following of disciples and others who believed that he
was ‘the chosen one of God’ whom the Jewish community
had expected.
What a reversal! And in the tomb, what then, on Holy
Saturday? How did the mysterious transformation occur? We
are not told. Only silence.
Some aspects of our own personal transitions in life also
remain rather mysterious, even to us.
Mostly, it seems to me, our lives are lived precisely in this
type of ‘Holy Saturday’, where joy and sorrow, bondage and
liberation, life and death tangle; a day that unfolds forever
between the cross and the rising Son.
Saturday
BY BR MARK O’CONNOR FMS
48

Jesus laid on the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Detail of mosaic
in the Holy Sepulchre Church, Israel. Image: Shutterstock
Holy Saturday is simply the day when nothing happens. Holy
Saturday, that in-between day, is perhaps the day we know
best, if we are honest.
When we are going through our own internal Holy Saturday
experiences, we know we need to be still and to trust in
the Spirit to get us through to the other side of whatever is
happening. Remembering the mystery of Holy Saturday,
remembering that somehow, beneath the surface of what we
know or can imagine, hidden from our ego’s sight, miracles
can happen. We can be transformed.
We all have ‘seasons’ in our lives when there is nothing we can
‘do’ except choose to lie ourselves down in the tomb next to
Jesus and trust, however blindly, that something mysterious,
beyond our current capacity to describe or define, will bring
about a new future.
We follow the way of Jesus when we choose to become his
disciples, and this means we follow him through the grave.
‘There is nothing in this world that resembles God as much as
silence,’ wrote Meister Eckhart.
Holy Saturday is a day of rest, of silence. Even God - or
especially God, it seems - was silent that day.
We live in a noisy world where mercy and tenderness are in
short supply. A conflict-driven and sensationalist social media
culture bombards us with a cacophony of distracting voices.
Our spirits are so easily perturbed.
That is why, more than ever, we Catholics need enter into the
mystery that God in Jesus really died and was buried.
We are called to live with the holy silence of our God, whose
Spirit will never abandon us. For: The love that’s poured
in silence at old graves, Renewing flowers, tending the bare
earth, Is never lost. In him all love is found.
Br Mark O’Connor FMS is Vicar for Communications and Editor
of Catholic Outlook.
* used with permission: Sounding the Seasons Poetry for the
Christian Year, Malcolm Guite, Canterbury Press, Norwich, 2012
49

Station Thirteen: Jesus’ Body is Taken Down from the Cross, by Jen Norton
The
Women at
the Cross
BY SR JANET M. PETERWORTH OSU
50

They did not think it was going to end this
way. The women did not dream they would
be standing at the foot of a cross. But death
is women’s work. Blood is women’s mark. While the
other Evangelists mention women at a distance, it
is John alone who notes that the women - Mary, his
mother; her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas; and Mary
from Magdala were standing near the cross, perhaps
under the cross. And they were courageous, and they
stood there because perfect love casts out fear.
Women are not afraid of death. In many cultures and
down through the ages, it is women who prepare
bodies for the grave and women who wash and clean
the bodies and wrap them for burial processions. And
more recently, it is sometimes women who accompany
death row inmates to their final chamber.
The women near that cross
were not afraid to look
upon the bloodied head of
Jesus nor the blood that
spurted from the hands
and feet when spikes were
hammered through them.
Women are not afraid of blood either, for it is the flow
of blood that turns a little girl into a young woman,
and it is the stopping of that flow of blood that turns
a mature woman into a wisdom-filled crone. Women
give birth in blood and water and thereafter stop
bloody noses and tend to bloody knees and elbows.
The women near that cross were not afraid to look
upon the bloodied head of Jesus nor the blood that
spurted from the hands and feet when spikes were
hammered through them. These women did not turn
away or swoon when blood and water came from the
pierced side of Jesus. Women stood under that cross
and from then on, women understood that cross.
They didn’t think it was going to end this way, but
it had to. Jesus died this way because of the way he
lived. Jesus lived a life of love and service and devotion
especially to those who were on the margins -
a woman who wanted only the scraps from the table,
a woman who believed enough that she just needed
to touch his hem, a little girl who was dead but
then stood up and ate, a woman who had had five
husbands, and a shunned woman who washed his feet
with her tears and dried them with her hair. Those
women knew Jesus as a compassionate friend, liberator
from burdens, consoling friend in sorrows, and ally of
women’s strivings.
The blessing that women find in their relationship with
Jesus today is no longer just private and spiritual, but it is
moving them into public and social domains -
it inspires in them the struggle for freedom from
structures of domination in every dimension of life. It
is women’s relationship to Jesus that gives them courage
to call the Church and society to conversion of hearts,
minds, and structures that can reflect the reign of God
through Jesus.
It wasn’t supposed to end this way. These women were not
supposed to be standing under a cross, but thanks be to
God, Good Friday did end this way so that some women
could find an empty tomb on Easter Sunday and go tell
the men, “He is risen, He is not here.”
Standing by the cross of Jesus
were his mother and his mother’s sister,
Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother
and the disciple there whom he loved
he said to his mother,
“Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple
ook her into his home.
After this, aware that everything
was now finished,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
Jesus said, “I thirst.”
There was a vessel filled with common wine.
So they put a sponge soaked in wine
on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth.
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,
“It is finished.”
And bowing his head,
he handed over the spirit.
Jn 19: 25–30
Used with the permission of Sister Janet M. Peterworth, OSU, and
the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
51

Fr John Hogan is the new Parish Priest at St Finbar’s, in Glenbrook,
in the Blue Mountains. Image: Mary Brazell/ Diocese of Parramatta
CUPPA with a PRIEST
Fr John Hogan
BY ANTONY LAWES
52
Fr John Hogan knew he wanted to be a priest
at the age of 12 when he joined the junior
seminary near to where he grew up in
Yorkshire, in the UK.
Now, with 43 years as a priest under his belt, he has
just taken the reins of his second parish.
He started as Parish Priest of St Finbar’s at
Glenbrook, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains,
in November and is still
finding his feet, especially
learning the names of
the many volunteers
who make up the vibrant
parish ministries.
“It’s a tremendous
resource to have such
interest and people volunteering,” he says.
A PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION
Fr John came to St Finbar’s after 14 years as the
Rector of Holy Spirit Seminary, in Harris Park, a role
that he says transformed him as a priest.
“The best thing to do is
keep away from the thing,”
he says of social media.
At the seminary he was in charge of the
propaedeutic program for first-year seminarians,
which lays the groundwork for priestly formation.
For three mornings a week, for three hours on each
of those mornings, he taught human formation,
an expertise he had developed over decades in
specialised ministries in the UK, leading retreats and
religious adult education, and then as a rector at a
seminary in England.
“Every time I taught, I picked
up new things I needed
to attend to, and that just
changed me as a person, and
hopefully for the better,” Fr
John says.
Over time he says he became
more mature, “putting myself in charge of how
I think and how I feel, and integrating those two
things, which is what I try to pass on to the people
here now at the parish”.
Already he has introduced human formation into
his weekly column in the parish newsletter – “the

way we need to approach other people and help
them out as part of evangelisation” – and is planning
a 12-week course for interested parishioners on
emotional development.
“Emotional life is probably the most misunderstood
aspect of our human living. What I want to teach
is especially to do with the so-called negative
emotions, which we don’t like because generally
we’re then out of our control. They are so valuable
that we must pay attention to them, because they
have a message, and the key is understanding that
message.”
He says human beings have been bad at dealing
with these negative emotions “since the fall from
grace”, but that our use of social media amplifies
them and “keeps it running”.
“The best thing to do is keep away from the thing,”
he says of social media.
then Assistant Priest at Castle Hill and from there
was transferred to Richmond where he served six
years as Parish Priest. He says parish life was a “very
different way of doing things” to what he had been
used to.
In parishes “you’re far more involved with a whole
variety of people and their needs”, than the
“seminarians or people coming on retreat who
tend to be good Catholics…already geared for the
spiritual”.
‘CULTURE OF ENCOUNTER’
And because of this variety, a Parish Priest needs all
sorts of skills, he says.
The first thing they need is a rich prayer life “because
he is dependent on the Lord Jesus Christ for doing
the work”.
Fr John is also aiming to give talks in the parish
on the seven main areas of social teaching of the
Church – “what John XXIII described as the Jewel of
the Church” – and a course on different elements of
Scripture – “we’ve already got a Scripture course on
the Book of Exodus coming up”.
A LIFE-CHANGING DECISION
Fr John recently celebrated 30 years of being in
Australia, a move that was initially meant to be a
short stay during a period of personal upheaval
in his life – “a mid-life crisis where I no longer had
meaning and purpose” - but which turned into a
lifelong, and life–changing, decision.
The longer he stayed, the better he felt and the more
he enjoyed being here.
“The church in Australia was much bigger and much
busier than back home in England,” he says.
“At the time it was far more culturally diverse than
what I was used to, which I enjoyed very much,
learning about other ways of doing things and
looking at life.
“I’ve been on the up and up ever since, I love
Australia.”
It was here that he was properly introduced to
parish life. Back in England he had spent little time
in parishes, but here he was assigned to Guildford
Parish as Assistant Priest as soon as he arrived.
From there he became Assistant Priest at Penrith,
Another important skill is empathy, in which “a
person feels that he has been heard and understood
with no judgement”.
“This is a way of enacting what Pope Francis calls
‘the culture of encounter’, and that’s a key skill and
there’s many facets to it for a Parish Priest,” Fr John
says.
Another is to be in charge of “your own emotional
life and cognitive life”.
“Human formation is absolutely vital,” he says.
53

The Franciscan Shrine of Holy Innocents in Kellyville. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta.
PARISH PROFILE:
Our Lady of the Rosary Kellyville
BY BELINDA GADD
A haven of faith, devotion and community.
Nestled in the heart of Kellyville, Our Lady of
the Rosary Parish has become a beacon of
faith and community. The parish, with its
deep historical roots, continues to thrive, enriched
by its connection to the nearby Franciscan Shrine of
the Holy Innocents, an official pilgrimage site for the
Jubilee Year.
TRADITION AND COMMUNITY
The parish is known for its inclusiveness and
warmth. Fr Christopher Shorrock OFM Conv, who
has been the Parish Priest since 2023, sees the
balance between long-time parishioners and new
families contributing to its vibrancy.
“When I returned to Kellyville as Parish Priest, I was
amazed by the changes,” he said.
Our Lady of the Rosary Parish is home to many sacred relics.
Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta.
“So much of the land that was once market gardens
has been transformed into urban development.
But what hasn’t changed is the strong sense of
community, with a mix of long-time parishioners
and new families contributing to the vibrancy of the
parish.”
Having ministered in Kellyville in the 1990s, Fr
Christopher noted the changes and is focused on
serving the growing and diverse community.
“My priority has been to listen to the people and
see how we can continue to serve them in this new
chapter,” he explained.
“The parish is so diverse, and it’s been important to
ensure that we continue to embrace that diversity
while staying grounded in our Catholic faith.”
Paul Cashman, a Parish Council member, highlighted
the parish’s strong Franciscan charism.
“My wife Jeanne and I are readers. Jeanne is about to
become a Special Minister bringing Communion to
the sick and dying. I’m on the Finance Council, assist
with money counting, and am an RCIA sponsor,”
he said.
Paul invited others to experience the parish’s beauty.
“Come visit our beautiful parish church, renovated
and rededicated two years ago, and the nearby
Franciscan Shrine of the Holy Innocents – one
of three Jubilee year 2025 shrines in Parramatta
Diocese,” he said.
54

THE FRANCISCAN SHRINE OF THE HOLY
INNOCENTS: A ‘PILGRIMAGE OF HOPE’
Adjacent to the parish stands the Franciscan Shrine
of the Holy Innocents, a place of reflection and
prayer, especially during the Jubilee Year. Designated
as an official pilgrimage site by Bishop Vincent Long
OFM Conv in 2024, the Shrine remains a focal point
for both the Franciscans and the local community.
“It’s a beautiful place for reflection and prayer,” Fr
Christopher said.
“The Shrine and its garden offer visitors the chance
to pray for the protection of life and for reparation
for the tragedy of abortion in our world.”
This Jubilee Year, pilgrims are invited to partake in
Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and other
devotions; deepening their faith and reflecting on
God’s grace and mercy.
“The Shrine is a source of hope for everyone who
visits,” Fr Christopher said.
“It’s a place where people can experience God’s love
and mercy in a very tangible way.”
Many pilgrims also walk among the Stations of
the Cross: almost life-sized statues that have
been erected in recent years – offering a powerful
reminder of Christ’s sacrifice.
“The Stations of the Cross are a Franciscan devotion,
and it’s something that really connects us to the
suffering of Christ and the beauty of His sacrifice,” Fr
Christopher said.
THE FRANCISCAN INFLUENCE
Fr Christopher’s ministry at the parish is deeply
influenced by the Franciscan way of life, which
focuses on simplicity, prayer and service. After
more than 40 years as a member of the Conventual
Franciscans, he has brought a unique perspective to
his role as Parish Priest.
JOURNEYING THROUGH LENT
For Lent and Easter, Fr Christopher and the parish
community are making special preparations.
“Lent is a time for penitence, reflection, and
preparation for the joy of Easter,” he said.
The parish offers several opportunities for devotion
and reconciliation, including the Stations of the
Cross and special reconciliation services.
“We have a number of parish choirs that enhance
the liturgical celebrations, and there’s a strong sense
of community,” he said.
“Whether you’re here for Mass, devotions, or just to
be part of the community, you’ll find a welcoming
and prayerful atmosphere.”
WALKING TOGETHER IN FAITH
Fr Christopher is committed to adapting to the
needs of the parish and community by walking
together.
“Listening to the people is essential,” he said.
“Our parish has changed, and we need to be open
to that change. But what remains constant is our
commitment to serving God and each other.”
The parish continues to serve those on the margins
through outreach programs, such as the annual
collection for David’s Place – a centre for the
homeless.
Its vision is clear: to be a place where all are
welcomed, where the faith is lived out in action, and
where the community carries forward the Franciscan
tradition of service, prayer, and simplicity as they
walk together in faith.
The parish community is both dedicated and diverse.
Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta.
“Being a Franciscan allows us to serve the people
where they need us,” he explained.
“There’s no set ministry – it’s about responding to
the needs of the community.”
This spirit of service is a strong part of parish life.
From devotions to St Anthony of Padua, to the
Blessing of the Animals on the Feast of St Francis,
these moments help parishioners connect with the
simplicity, care for creation, and deep devotion to
God – hallmarks of the Franciscan charism.
55

Engagement
and encounteR
key toTV Mass
BY AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE
For Fr Chris del Rosario, Mass for You at Home
is all about “engagement” and “encounter”.
The longest-running program on Australian
commercial television is back on air in 2025 after the
Diocese of Wollongong announced it would continue
the award-winning production.
Fr Chris, the parish administrator at St Thomas
Aquinas, Springwood, is among the clergy who
celebrate Mass for the program.
“Mass for You at Home is an engagement project,”
he said.
“It’s an opportunity for those unable to attend the
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to
engage and encounter
the Lord.”
Fr Chris says the world is in
“desperate need for Christ”.
“This program aids
that need especially to
the marginalised and
housebound,” he said.
When he first began working with director Daniel
Hopper, Fr Chris said he was a bit nervous.
“It’s an opportunity for
those unable to attend the
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
to engage and encounter
the Lord.”
Mass for You at Home is produced by the Diocese
of Wollongong in partnership with the Australian
Catholic Bishops Conference.
Despite the ongoing challenges of raising funds to
keep the program on-air, Wollongong Bishop Brian
Mascord announced in December that Mass for You
at Home would continue for 2025.
“For 54 years, Mass for You at Home has been a vital
link to the source and summit of the Christian life for
those who are unable to attend in person, including
parishioners in prisons, nursing homes, those who
are sick or housebound, and the deaf community
who appreciate the presence of AUSLAN interpreters.
It also reaches those
flicking through the
channels on a Sunday
morning - reminding them
that they are always seen
and loved by God,” Bishop
Mascord said.
He expressed heartfelt
gratitude for the
outpouring of support
from viewers, dioceses, religious orders, and
sponsors, including major sponsor Catholic Mission,
that has enabled the program to continue.
“The lights and cameras seemed to evoke a
production rather than a celebration of the
Eucharist,” he said.
“However, after speaking with Daniel, he reminded
me that this indeed is Mass for those unable to
attend at their local parish – an opportunity to
engage with the Risen Lord. With that in mind I have
happily assisted Daniel for several Masses.”
In his announcement, Bishop Mascord referred to
the parable of the barren fig tree (Luke 13:6–9) where
the patient gardener asks for one more year to care
for a fruitless tree before deciding its future.
“Like the gardener, I feel the Spirit asking for one
more year to nurture this ministry,” Bishop Mascord
said. “While the financial targets for Mass for You
at Home weren’t fully met in 2024, we believe that
56

with continued care and support,
the program can flourish. Just
as the gardener tended to the
tree, we ask our community to
nurture Mass for You at Home in
2025 with your prayers and
financial help, trusting that this
year will allow it to further grow
and become sustainable.”
“And most importantly, thank
you to our cherished Mass
for You at Home community
who faithfully engage with
the program each week. Your
prayers, encouragement, and
generous donations have been
the foundation of this mission.”
The half-hour Mass for You at
Home airs on the Ten Network
every Sunday from 6am.
It can also be viewed on Foxtel’s
Aurora channel or streamed
at any time through 10play or
YouTube.
Donations to help cover
the significant cost of
broadcasting fees and
production can be made
through the website
massforyou.com.au or
by calling 1800 627 749.
Fr Chris del Rosario during one of the Mass for you at Home
broadcasts. Image: ACBC
57

Watch
Mary
2024, Rated M, 1hr 52m
This lavish film from director D.J.
Caruso, a practicing Catholic, follows
the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus,
from her birth in Nazareth, to the
birth of Jesus and her courage in
saving His life at all costs.
Starring young actor Noa Cohen as
Mary, one of many Israeli actors in
the film, and Ido Tako as Joseph and
Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins as
Herod, the film has been praised
for elevating the story of Mary to
mainstream cinema, while some have
criticised it for straying from Catholic
teaching, for its historical inaccuracies
– such as the use of horses instead
of donkeys – and for fictionalising
elements of Mary’s life.
Listen
Watch on Netflix >>>
The film begins with the angel Gabriel
appearing to Joachim, Mary’s father,
and telling him that after many years
of praying for a child he and his wife
Anne will have a daughter. It follows
Mary through her early years in the
temple, meeting Joseph and him
asking for her hand in marriage, and
Gabriel appearing to tell her that she
will give birth to a son.
It purports to depict how the news
of Mary’s pregnancy was received by
those around her, especially Joseph,
and how she is sent to live with her
cousin Elizabeth. Then after Joseph
and Mary get to Bethlehem - they
finally find a stable for Mary to give
birth - the couple are forced to flee to
Jerusalem and hide their baby from
King Herod, who believes Jesus is a
threat to his throne.
58

Listen
Pray As You Go
podcast
Jesuits
in Britain
In 2006, Jesuit
Fr Peter Scally
developed a daily
prayer website
where people
could download
a prayer that
they could then listen to later while
commuting to work, or while on the go.
The first public trial of the website was so
successful, with 250,000 downloads, that
it was decided to continue it indefinitely.
In 2014 the Jesuits in Britain brought out
an app that is now used more than 30
million times a year in 180 countries.
Each daily prayer session is based on
Ignatian spirituality – developed by St
Ignatius of Loyola more than 500 years
ago – and is mixture of Scripture, music
and short questions, and is less than
15 minutes long. Listeners are then
encouraged to continue their reflection in
silence once the prayer has ended (if they
have time).
The app also has meditations for specific
periods of the Christian calendar, such
as Lent and Easter – with a series on
Stations of the Cross and a longer prayer
for Good Friday.
For those who do have more time, there
are other longer meditations, as well as
special prayers for children, and guides
on ‘How to pray with Lectio Divina’ and
Making Space for Prayer at Home’.
For more information go to the
website – pray-as-you-go.org - or
download the app from the App Store,
or on Google Play.
Read
Hope: The Autobiography
By Pope Francis
Viking Non Fiction, 320pp, 2025
The first thing to know
about his book is that
it was supposed to be
published after the
Pontiff’s death. “However,
with the Jubilee Year of
Hope coming in 2025
and the pressing needs
of our times have urged
Pope Francis to share his
personal legacy now,” the
publishers say.
It is the first autobiography
to be published by a sitting
Pope, they say.
Given the recent poor state of Pope
Francis’s health, this decision to bring the
book forward will be doubtless greeted
with enthusiasm by many eager to know
more about a man who has unwaveringly
preached the Gospel and been fearless in
reminding the church that it must reform
itself and be closer to ordinary people.
The book recounts Pope Francis’s early
life in Buenos Aires, to his decision to
enter the priesthood, through his entire
papacy, and his views on the Church and
important world events. But there are
also many small vignettes about the man
himself that will be just as interesting
to readers. It is a good introduction for
those with little knowledge of the Pope’s
life and teachings.
More from Pope
Francis...
DILEXIT NOS
(HE LOVED US)
Encyclical letter
on the human and
divine love of the
heart of Jesus Christ
St Pauls Publications
Australia, 112pp, 2024
stpauls.com.au
59

Kids
Corner
BY CCD
Easter in an Eg
JOURNEY TO RESURRECTION
BY MERILYN HANCOCK
HEAD, CONFRATERNITY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE,
DIOCESE OF PARRAMATTA
EGG NO. 1
TOKEN: PIECE OF BREAD
EGG NO. 2
TOKEN: COINS
EGG NO. 3
TOKEN: SMALL FLOWER
The Last Supper (Mt.26:26-30)
Pray together:
Lord, you have brought us
together so we can give you
thanks and praise for all the
wonderful things you have
done. Amen.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus
(Mt.26:14-15)
Pray together:
Lord, give us courage to live our
lives faithfully in ways that reflect
the good news you bring.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
Jesus prays in the Garden of
Gethsemane (Mt.26:36-46)
Pray together: Lord, grant us
your strength and wisdom, that
we may seek to follow your will
in all things.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
EGG NO. 4
TOKEN: IMAGE OF A ROOSTER
EGG NO. 5
TOKEN: WATER
EGG NO. 6
TOKEN: THORN
Peter denies Jesus 3 times
(Mt.26:69-75)
Pray together:
Lord, grant us the gift of
honesty so that we will not be
afraid to speak the truth even
in difficult times.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
Jesus is judged by Pontius Pilate
(Mt.27:1-2,11-24)
Pray together:
Lord, may we see as you see,
not as the world sees. Amen.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
Jesus is crowned with thorns
(Mt.27:27-29)
Pray together: Lord, grant us
patience in times of suffering.
Amen.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
60

g Carton
You will need:
1 egg carton
12 fIllable hollow
plastic plain
coloured eggs
Available at
Spotlight)
Number your eggs 1 to 12.
For the 11 days prior to Easter
Sunday, open one of the eggs,
starting with Egg No. 1 on 9 April 2025.
EGG NO. 7
TOKEN: CROSS (MAKE WITH 2 MATCHES)
EGG NO. 8
TOKEN: NAILS
EGG NO. 9
TOKEN: IMAGE OF MARY
Simon, the Cyrene, carries the
cross for Jesus (Mt.27:32)
Pray together:
Lord, grant that we may be willing
to be your instruments to
help others on earth. Amen.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
Jesus is crucified at Golgotha
between 2 thieves (Lk.23:39-43)
Pray together:
Lord, grant us mercy and peace
that we may be forgiving too.
Amen.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
Jesus speaks to Mary, his mother
and John (Jn.19:25-27)
Pray together: Lord, make
us willing to stand by those in
need. Amen.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
EGG NO. 10
TOKEN: TORN MATERIAL
EGG NO. 11
TOKEN: ROCK
EGG NO. 12
TOKEN: EMPTY EGG
Jesus dies on the cross.
(Mt.27:50-52)
Pray together:
Lord, You loved us so much that
you gave your life for us and
promised us a place with you in
heaven. Amen.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
Jesus is placed in the tomb.
(Mt.27:58-60)
Pray together:
Lord, help our feet to go in the
way you will show and our hands
to be loving kindness for all.
Amen.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
Jesus has risen. (Mt.28:1-7)
Pray together: Lord, you have
risen to give us the gift of eternal
life, we thank you. Amen.
Response: Lord Jesus, help us
walk in your steps.
Based on Jennifer Beckstrand Blog. www.jenniferbeckstrand.com/easter-in-an-egg-carton/
(used with permission) and St John Paul II’s Stations of the Cross.
61

Holy Week
Mass times across the Diocese of Parramatta
The observance of Holy Week and Easter is a time for reflection, renewal, and celebration, deeply
rooted in the spiritual heritage of the Catholic Church. We invite you to join your local faith community
throughout Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains for this special time of renewal and hope.
BAULKHAM HILLS PARISH
St Michael’s, Baulkham Hills
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 8am, 10am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am
Our Lady of Lourdes, Baulkham Hills South
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 9am
Good Friday: 11am (Stations), 5:30pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 9am
BLACKHEATH PARISH (SACRED HEART)
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 9:30am
St Paul’s, Mt Victoria
Holy Week Masses held at Sacred Heart
BLACKTOWN PARISH
(MARY, QUEEN OF THE FAMILY)
St Patrick’s, Blacktown
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 7am, 10am, 5:30pm
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6:30pm
Easter Sunday: 7am, 10am, 5:30pm
St Michael’s, Blacktown South
Palm Sunday: 8am, 9:30am, 6pm
Good Friday: 3pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 9:30am
CASTLE HILL PARISH (ST BERNADETTE’S)
Palm Sunday: 5pm Vigil, 7:30am, 9am,
10:30am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 9:30am, 12pm, 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 7:30am, 9am, 10:30am, 6pm
CRANEBROOK PARISH (CORPUS CHRISTI)
Palm Sunday: 7:30am, 9:30am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 7:30am, 9:30am
DOONSIDE PARISH (ST JOHN VIANNEY)
Palm Sunday: 6:30pm Vigil, 7:30am, 9:30am
Holy Thursday: 8pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 7:30am, 9:30am, 11am (Melkite)
DUNDAS VALLEY PARISH (ST BERNADETTE’S)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 8am, 10am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7:30pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am
EMU PLAINS PARISH (OUR LADY OF THE WAY)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 8am, 9:30am
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 9:30am
GLENBROOK PARISH (ST FINBAR’S)
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 7:30am, 9:30am
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7:30pm
Easter Sunday: 7:30am, 9:30am
GLENMORE PARK PARISH (ST PADRE PIO)
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 8am, 10am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am
GLENWOOD-STANHOPE GARDENS PARISH
(ST JOHN XXIII)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 7.30am, 9am,
10.30am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am Stations, 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7.30pm
Easter Sunday: 7.30am, 9am, 10.30am, 6pm
GRANVILLE PARISH (HOLY CROSS PARISH)
Holy Trinity, Granville
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 10am
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10:30am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 8pm
Easter Sunday: 10am
Holy Family, East Granville
Palm Sunday: 4:30pm Vigil, 8:30am, 5pm
Holy Thursday: 6pm
Good Friday: 9:15am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 5:30pm
Easter Sunday: 8:30am, 5pm
GREYSTANES PARISH
(OUR LADY, QUEEN OF PEACE)
Palm Sunday: 5pm Vigil, 7am, 8:30am,
10:30am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 8pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 8pm
Easter Sunday: 7am, 8:30am, 10:30am, 6pm
GUILDFORD PARISH (ST PATRICK’S)
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 8am, 10am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am
HARRIS PARK PARISH (ST OLIVER PLUNKETT)
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 8am, 10am
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7:30pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am
KELLYVILLE PARISH
(OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 7am, 9am, 11am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 11am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 8pm
Easter Sunday: 7am, 9am, 11am
KENTHURST PARISH
(ST MADELEINE SOPHIE BARAT)
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 8am, 10am, 5:30pm
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 5:30pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am, 5:30pm
62

KINGSWOOD PARISH (ST JOSEPH’S)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 8:30am, 10am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 11am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6:30pm
Easter Sunday: 8:30am, 10am
LALOR PARK PARISH (ST BERNADETTE’S)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 8am, 10am
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 9:30am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6pm
Easter Sunday: 8:30am, 10am
LAWSON PARISH (OUR LADY OF THE NATIVITY)
Palm Sunday: 5pm Vigil, 8:30am
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6pm
Easter Sunday: 8:30am
LUDDENHAM-WARRAGAMBA PARISH
(SACRED HEART)
Holy Family, Luddenham
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 7:30am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 10am
Sacred Heart, Warragamba
Palm Sunday: 9:30am
Good Friday: 10am
Easter Sunday: 8:30am
MARAYONG PARISH
(ST ANDREW THE APOSTLE)
Palm Sunday: 5pm Vigil, 7:30am, 8:45am, 10:30am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7:30pm
Easter Sunday: 8:45am, 10:30am
MARSDEN PARK PARISH (ST LUKE’S)
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 10am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 10am
MERRYLANDS PARISH
(ST MARGARET MARY’S)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 7:30am, 9am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6:30pm
Easter Sunday: 7:30am, 9am, 10:30am, 6pm
MOUNT DRUITT PARISH (HOLY FAMILY)
Holy Family Church, Emerton
Palm Sunday: 6:30pm Vigil, 9am, 10:30am
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 9am, 10:30am
Willmot Community Hub, Willmot
Palm Sunday: 7:30am
Easter Sunday: 9am
MOUNT DRUITT SOUTH PARISH
(SACRED HEART)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 7:30am, 9am
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7:30pm
Easter Sunday: 7:30am, 9pm
NORTH ROCKS PARISH (CHRIST THE KING)
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 8am, 10am
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 5:30pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am
PARRAMATTA PARISH
(ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 8am, 9:30am, 11am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6:30pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 9:30am, 11am, 6pm
NORTH PARRAMATTA PARISH
(ST MONICA’S)
Palm Sunday: 5pm Vigil, 9am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am, 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6pm
Easter Sunday: 9am, 6pm
PENRITH PARISH (ST NICHOLAS OF MYRA)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 7am, 8:30am, 10am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6:30pm
Easter Sunday: 7am, 8:30am, 10am, 6pm
PLUMPTON PARISH (THE GOOD SHEPHERD)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 7am, 9am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7:30pm
Easter Sunday: 7am, 9am
QUAKERS HILL-SCHOFIELDS PARISH
(MARY IMMACULATE)
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 7:30am, 9am, 10:30am,
12:30pm, 5:30pm
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7:30pm
Easter Sunday: 7:30am, 9am, 10:30am, 12:30pm,
5:30pm
PARISH OF RICHMOND
St Monica’s, Richmond
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, Sunday 7:30am,
9:30pm, 5:30pm
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 7:30am, 9:30am, 5:30pm
St Gregory’s, Kurrajong
Palm Sunday: 8am
Good Friday: 10am (Stations)
Easter Sunday: 8am
RIVERSTONE PARISH
(ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST)
Palm Sunday: 7am, 9am, 11am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 7am, 9am 10:30pm
ROOTY HILL PARISH (ST AIDAN’S)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 7:30am, 9am,
10:30am, 5:30pm
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 7:30am, 9am, 10:30am, 5:30pm
ROUSE HILL PARISH
(OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS)
Our Lady of the Angels, Rouse Hill
Palm Sunday: 5pm Vigil, 8:30am, 10am, 5:30pm
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 8:30am, 10am, 5:30pm
Santa Sophia Catholic College, Box Hill
Palm Sunday: 11:30am
Good Friday: 3pm
Easter Sunday: 11:30am
RYDALMERE PARISH (HOLY NAME OF MARY)
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 8am, 10am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 5:30pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am
SEVEN HILLS PARISH (OUR LADY OF LOURDES)
Palm Sunday: 8am, 9:30am
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 9:30am
SPRINGWOOD PARISH (ST THOMAS AQUINAS)
Palm Sunday: 5pm Vigil, 8am, 9:30am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 9:30am
ST CLAIR-ERSKINE PARK PARISH
(HOLY SPIRIT)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 8am, 9:30am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6:30pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 9:30am
ST MARYS PARISH
(OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 7:30am, 9am, 10:30am,
5:30pm
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 11am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 8pm
Easter Sunday: 7:30am, 9am, 10:30am
63

TOONGABBIE PARISH (ST ANTHONY OF PADUA)
Palm Sunday: 5:30pm Vigil, 8am, 10am, 5:30pm
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am
UPPER BLUE MOUNTAINS PARISH (ST MARY OF
THE CROSS MACKILLOP)
St Canice’s, Katoomba
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 10am
St Bonaventure’s, Leura
Good Friday: 10am (Stations)
Easter Sunday: 10am
St Francis Xavier, Wentworth Falls
Good Friday: 9am
Easter Sunday: 8am
WENTWORTHVILLE PARISH (OUR LADY OF
MOUNT CARMEL)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 8am, 10am, 6pm
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 9am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7:30pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 10am
WESTMEAD PARISH (SACRED HEART)
Palm Sunday: 6pm Vigil, 8am, 9:30am
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 7pm
Easter Sunday: 88am, 9:30am
KOREAN CATHOLIC COMMUNITY (OUR LADY OF
LOURDES CHURCH, BAULKHAM HILLS)
Palm Sunday: 1pm
Easter Sunday: 1pm
LATIN MASS CHAPLAINCY
CROATIAN CATHOLIC CENTRE, BLACKTOWN,
UNLESS SPECIFIED
Palm Sunday: 7:15am (St Mark’s Coptic Catholic
Church, Prospect) 10:30am, 4pm (Our Lady of the
Nativity, Lawson)
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 8:30pm
Easter Sunday: 7:45am (St Mark’s Coptic Catholic
Church, Prospect), 10am, 11am (Our Lady of the
Nativity, Lawson)
SAMOAN CATHOLIC COMMUNITY (SACRED
HEART PARISH, MT DRUITT SOUTH)
Palm Sunday: 11am
Good Friday: 7am
SLOVENIAN CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
(ST RAPHAEL’S SLOVENIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH,
MERRYLANDS)
Palm Sunday: 9:30am (Slovenian)
Holy Thursday: 5pm (Slovenian & English with
Adoration)
Good Friday: 3pm (Slovenian)
Holy Saturday: 6pm (Paschal Vigil)
Easter Sunday: 8am
VIETNAMESE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
Good Shepherd Church, Plumpton
Good Friday: 6pm
Easter Sunday: 12pm
WINDSOR PARISH (ST MATTHEW’S)
Palm Sunday: 7:30am, 9am, 5pm
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10:30am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6pm
Easter Sunday: 7:30am, 9am
WINSTON HILLS PARISH
(ST PAUL THE APOSTLE)
Palm Sunday: 5pm Vigil, 8am, 9:30am, 5pm
Holy Thursday: 7pm
Good Friday: 10am (Stations), 3pm
Holy Saturday: 6pm
Easter Sunday: 8am, 9:30am
CHAPLAINIES
CHINESE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
St Monica’s Parish, North Parramatta
Palm Sunday: 11:30am (Cantonese)
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm (English & Cantonese)
Good Friday: 11:30am (Cantonese), 3pm (Cantonese
in Church Hall)
Holy Saturday: 8:30pm (Cantonese)
Easter Sunday: 11:30am (Cantonese)
Our Lady of the Angels, Rouse Hill
Palm Sunday: 3pm (Mandarin)
Easter Sunday: 3pm (Mandarin)
64
These Holy Week Mass times are correct as of the time of print. Please visit our website parracatholic.org for more information.

65

Directory of services
66
Chancery Office
www.parracatholic.org
(02) 8838 3400
diocese@parracatholic.org
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv
(02) 8838 3400
bishop@parracatholic.org
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
parra.catholic.edu.au
(02) 9840 5600
communityliaison@parra.catholic.edu.au
Community Ventures
(Catholic Diocese of Parramatta Services
Limited)
1300 2VENTURES (1300 283 688)
enquiries@cdpsl.org.au
www.communityventures.org.au
Ambrose Early Years Education
and School Age Care
1300 4AMBROSE (1300 426 276)
enquiries@ambrose.org.au
www.ambrose.org.au
Catholic Care Western Sydney
and the Blue Mountains
(02) 8843 2500
catholiccarewsbm.org.au
Mission Enhancement Team
(MET Parramatta)
Catholic Youth Parramatta;
Peace, Justice, Ecology; Marriage; Natural
Fertility; Worship; MET Facilitators
met@parracatholic.org
parracatholic.org/connect
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
(02) 8838 3486
ccd@parracatholic.org
Tribunal Office
(02) 8838 3480
tribunal@parracatholic.org
Vocations
(02) 8838 3460
vocations@parracatholic.org
Parramatta Catholic Foundation
(02) 8838 3482
yourfoundation@parracatholic.org
Diocesan Development Fund
(02) 8839 4500
enquiries@parraddf.org.au
Holy Spirit Seminary
(02) 9296 6300
Office for Safeguarding
(02) 8838 3419
safeguarding@parracatholic.org
(02) 8843 2500 or visit catholiccarewsbm.org.au
Catholic Care Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains is the Diocese of Parramatta’s social
welfare agency. It exists to do Christ’s work in the community to support people who need it
most. Catholic Care provides a range of services to support people in Sydney’s west, including:
Family and children’s services
Family support programs include positive parenting workshops in Blacktown to help
vulnerable and disadvantaged families, as well as counselling and caseworker support for
families, parents and carers.
Supporting women and young mothers
Houses to Homes provides holistic support and temporary housing across Blacktown and
Parramatta for pregnant women and young mothers aged between 16 and 25 with children, who
are homeless or at risk of homelessness due to financial, family, domestic and sexual violence.
Project Elizabeth provides trauma counselling, pregnancy and practical parenting support for
women and their families who are expecting a baby, have lost a baby, have had an abortion, or
who need support with a child aged up to three years. Homes for Older Women (HOW) supports
women aged 55 and over with housing insecurity and homelessness in the Blue Mountains.
General counselling
Confidential counselling for individuals and families experiencing life’s challenges, including
grief and loss, parenting, financial issues, relationships and trauma, including domestic,
family and sexual abuse.
Early learning and childcare services
Through the HIPPY program, a family day care service in 50 locations across Western Sydney,
and a creche centre at Mamre House and Farm in Orchard Hills, Catholic Care provides
essential care and support for children, with engaging activities to promote child development
during their first years of life.
First Nations support services
A range of social services and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Community engagement
Catholic Care’s community drop-in centre workshops, activities and programs support people
from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as those experiencing disadvantage
and/or social isolation. Programs include wellness, English classes, reading groups, food banks,
student homework clubs, art and craft groups, men’s health groups, community garden working
bees and more.
COMMUNITY DROP-IN
CENTRES
Blacktown
All Saints of Africa Centre
63 Allawah Street
Blacktown NSW 2148
All welcome: Tuesdays (9am-1pm)
Emerton
Holy Family Parish, Aboriginal Catholic
Services
13 Emert Parade
Emerton NSW 2770
Contact Catholic Care for details.
Orchard Hills
Mamre House and Farm
181 Mamre Road
Orchard Hills 2748
All welcome: Mon-Thu (9am-3pm)
Springwood
Unit 3
163 Macquarie Road
Springwood NSW 2777
All welcome: Mon-Thu (10am-4pm)
VOLUNTEER
WITH US
Interested in using your skills to
support Catholic Care’s ministry
in Sydney’s west? Scan here to
become a volunteer.

Latest appointments
Most Rev Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv, Bishop of
Parramatta, has confirmed these appointments in the Diocese
of Parramatta:
Rev Father Bartholomew Chukwu
Chaplain to the Nigerian Community and
Assistant Priest at St John XXIII Stanhope Gardens,
from 14 February 2025
Rev Taliai Hausia
Chaplain to the Tongan Community
and Assistant Priest at Sacred Heart Mount Druitt South,
from 3 February 2025
Rev Jeemon Sebastian Francis Thekkinieth CMI
Assistant Priest at Our Lady Queen of Peace Greystanes,
from 22 February 2025
Rev Menard Gaspi
Assistant Priest at St Bernadette’s Castle Hill,
from 14 February 2025
Fr Pio Yong Ho Jang
Assistant Priest at Our Lady of the Angels Rouse Hill,
from 5 March 2025
Serving the Catholic
community for over
150 years.
› Dedicated Catholic lawns at Rookwood,
Liverpool, Kemps Creek & Macarthur.
› Sydney’s only Catholic crematorium
› Monthly and special event masses
for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and
All Souls Day
› Grief Care support and workshops
Call Rookwood Catholic Cemetery
on 1300 114 997 or visit
www.catholiccemeteries.com.au
for an appointment.

“The new digital payment system organised by
the Diocesan Development Fund has allowed us to
reach a diverse range of givers on a wide range of
payment platforms. It makes fundraising events easier
to organise. Payments for facilities hire, donations
for weddings and other sacraments are received
promptly.” – Mili Lee, Manager, St Patrick’s Cathedral Parramatta
MAKING DONATIONS EASIER
THROUGH DIGITAL PAYMENTS
The Diocesan Development Fund (DDF) is offering digital payment systems to all parishes.
Making it easier for people to donate to parishes in today’s cashless society, they reduce
the amount of cash you need to keep on premises and make reconciling easier.
DDF can help with online payment platforms including tap to donate solutions such as
CommBank Smart Tap to Donate and CommBank Bpoint a secure online payment system.
Merchant facilities are provided through the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
The Diocesan Development Fund (DDF) provides financial services that helps to promote
the continued growth and development of a vibrant and evangelising Catholic Church in
the Diocese of Parramatta.
The DDF’s services include:
• Providing loans to assist Catholic agencies to further their Mission. Loans are available for any worthwhile purpose including
construction, renovation, land purchase, furnishings, and equipment.
• Facilitating transactional services to Catholic agencies such as parishes and schools.
• Operating efficiently to generate income for the Diocese to support the Mission of the Church, pastoral priorities, and ministry
programmes.
• The development of deep long-term relationships with all Catholic entities within the Diocese.
To contact the DDF please phone (02) 8839 4500 or email enquiries@parraddf.org.au
Visit the DDF website at www.parracatholic.org/ddf
Disclosure Statement: The Diocesan Development Fund Catholic Diocese of Parramatta (DDF) (the Fund) is required by law to make the following disclosure.
The Fund is not prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities
and Investments Commission. An investor in the Fund will not receive the benefit of the financial claims scheme or thedepositor protection provisions in the
Banking Act 1959 (Cth). Investments in the Fund are intended to be a means for investors to support the charitable, religious and educational works of the
Catholic Diocese of Parramatta and for whom the consideration of profit are not of primary relevance in the investment decision. The investments that the
Fund offers are not subject to the usual protections for investors under the Corporations Act (Cth) or regulation by Australian Securities and Investments
Commission. Investors may be unable to get some or all of their money back when the investor expects or at all and an of the Fund are not comparable to
investments with banks, finance companies or fund managers. The Fund’s identification statement may be viewed at https://parracatholic.org or by contacting
the 68 Fund. The Fund does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence.