Catholic Communication Notices 8th December 2021

Lights of Christmas 2021, St Mary’s Cathedral forecourt, 9-25 December Join in Sydney’s favourite free Christmas tradition, uniting families, locals and tourists with a display of digital storytelling projected onto St Mary’s Cathedral. Find out more: https://lightsofchristmas.com.au/ Cathedral Christmas Celebration 17 December 2021 11am and 7pm The St Mary’s Cathedral Choir and the Sydney Youth Orchestra perform some of the most loved Christmas music at two concerts that have become an annual tradition. Tickets available online: www.cathedralchoir.sydney/concerts ​ Advent Companion Available Now – Prepare to Join or Lead a Group in your Parish Churches have reopened, and Advent is here. With gratitude in our hearts, let us gather in our parishes to prepare a welcome for the newborn Jesus at Christmas and to be channels of His peace and joy to those around us. Joining or leading an Advent group is a great way to do this.  ‘Rejoice! Receiving and Sharing the Gift of the Good News’ contains Gospel readings for Sundays and Christmas Day, spiritual reflections, and other resources for Advent. For individual or group prayer, in-person or online gatherings. Available for download on the Go Make Disciples website. The third reflection in the series for the 3rd Sunday of Advent features a Gospel Reflection from Parish Renewal Manager, Elizabeth Arblaster. Reclaiming Evangelisation Series Continues with Dr Mary Healy Live Online, Saturday 12 February 2022, 10 – 11:30 AM You are invited to attend Dr Mary Healy’s live online address to the faithful of Sydney on the topic ‘Why Make Disciples? What Scripture tells us about calling and forming disciples.’  Dr Mary Healy is a professor of Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, as well as an accomplished author and international speaker. Places limited. Registrations essential via  www.gomakedisciples.org.au  The Catholic Weekly In this week’s edition: Labourers for the vineyard. New priests fruit of Neocatechumenal Way. Death by a thousand cuts. Activists target religious exemptions. The cross behind bars. Prison Memoirs Vol 3. Pick up your copy for $2 after Mass. To order call Rita on (02) 9390-5411 Coffee Conversations for the Synod The Synod of Bishops consultation has now commenced and parishioners are invited to gather in small groups to discuss one or more of the topics for the Synod. This is a low key discussion with responses invited to the National Team by February 27. The Coffee Conversation leaflet will be available in parishes for interested parishioners to assist in the conversation. If you require more information can you please contact Sr Jo Brady RSJ Plenary Council/Synod Liaison Support Officer at [email protected] EthicsFinder.com EthicsFinder is a free, global, digital resource which will be of immense value to interested parishioners. Please feel free to include a link to www.ethicsfinder.com on your parish and school websites. Explore www.ethicsfinder.com. Wish you could easily find Church teaching and the best articles, books and videos on bioethics, business ethics, cancel culture, human rights, marriage, subsidiarity, and 100+ other topics? Try ACU’s free digital tool www.ethicsfinder.com.  Catholic Mission: India COVID-19 Appeal The aid agency, Catholic Mission, has launched an urgent appeal to provide immediate help for vulnerable communities devastated by COVID-19 in India.  Well over 300,000 people have died from the illness in India and hospitals have been struggling to cope. Through donating to Catholic Mission, you will be playing a key role in supporting the valuable work of mission hospitals in the country. Donate online via the Catholic Mission website here.   Become a Catechist or Helper in 2022 Half of Catholic children in Sydney are in public primary and high schools.  Share the hope and joy that Jesus brings with them and become a catechist or helper, ready to start in Term 1, 2022. Starting off as a helper, you’ll receive easy step-by-step lessons and hand out activity books in primary schools. Find out more about the work catechists do here, whether at primary or secondary level: https://ccd.sydneycatholic.org/ “Being a catechist is the most spiritually fulfilling thing I’ve done”- Rose. Talk with Fr Emmanuel Seo – Parish Priest or Catechist Coordinator Cynthia Matusiak (contact email [email protected]) Support for the House of Welcome The House of Welcome works with people seeking asylum and refugees to provide critical casework, housing, employment, food bank and emergency living assistance. During COVID-19 the demand for financial assistance has risen. HoW has increased the Emergency Living Package program by 216% to respond to the amplified levels of distress and hardship amongst their clients. In the last few months House of Welcome has delivered emergency assistance and been able to support clients to maintain their tenancies and assisted those who have come to the centre homeless. There are a number of ways that you can help such as donating to the Emergency Relief Package or donate staple food items to the House of Welcome foodbank (see attached flyer for items needed). Applications for Sumner House 2022 are still OPEN! The Sumner House program runs for 12 months and incorporates the four pillars of Intellectual, Spiritual, Pastoral and Human formation. It will provide you with many unique and profound shared experiences with 9 other men who will journey together in discovering what the Lord wants of you. “Whether you are already on the cusp of an important vocational decision, perhaps the seminary or engagement, or just looking to begin discerning in a more intentional way, Sumner House may be a good start” – Fr. Daniele Russo (Sumner House Chaplain & Assistant Director of Vocations) If you are interested in applying, please visit the Sumner House website here. Hartford College – new Independent Boys School in Sydney Hartford College is an independent Catholic school for boys opening in 2022 in Daceyville. Commencing in Year 5, Hartford will offer personalised education through to the HSC. Hartford’s educational mission educates the whole person, combining the quest for academic excellence with the development of the student’s character and faith. For more information and to lodge your expression of interest for 2022, please visit hartfordcollege.com.au. Read a message of support for the new school from Archbishop Fisher here.