Dear friends,

These days, life moves very quickly. A month’s holiday flies by, a year as the Parish Priest of Clayfield goes by in the blink of an eye, and the last weeks of 2016 are rushing towards us. Firstly, my thanks to Fr. Kevin, Rosemary, Jane and Peter for keeping the parish going over the last four weeks. My thanks, also, Fr. John Grace and Fr. Orm Rush for their weekend supply during my holidays. I’m back now and ready to focus on the busy end of year celebration circuit and the all-important cricket season.

This Sunday, at the 7 and 9am Masses, we welcome Mark Taylor (as I said, it is “cricket season”) and Apande Gong from MDA’s Work and Welcome program which supports short-term work placements for refugees. I have mentioned previously that the parish is planning to work in unison with St. Rita’s College and St. Agatha’s School to offer a work placement to a refugee during the first term next year. The aim is to help the re-settlement of a refugee and his or her family by offering work experience and support. It will mean that our parish needs to raise about $6000-7000 to fund the work placement. Mark Taylor will be here to explain the program and outline how you might be able to help the parish reach this fund-raising goal. This is a worthy project and my hope is that this parish community will be generous in supporting this program. More details are in the newsletter. Mark and Apande will be available after Mass if you wish to ask them further questions.

Looking back to last Sunday, about 15 parishioners shared in our parish retreat at Holy Spirit Seminary. The morning was expertly led by Natalie L’Huillier from Australian Catholic University and focussed our attention on the concept of “mercy” during this “Year of Mercy”. My thanks to our new parish Community and Mission Council chairperson, Erin Bledsoe and our former chair, Eileen Duncan, for their initiative and organisation of the day. Also, my thanks to Fr. John Grace, Rector of the seminary, for his openness to our utilisation of the seminary facilitates. It was an excellent space for a parish retreat. I am hoping that this will become an annual event and I look forward to even more people taking part next year.

November is the month in which we prayerfully remember the faithful departed. Our Book of Remembrance is placed near the Paschal Candle during this time, as a sign of our prayers and our continued affection for our deceased relatives and friends. Please contact the parish office if you wish to have name or names included in the Book of Remembrance.

I hope that you are still spending your winnings from the Cup. If not, better luck next year!

Fr. Anthony