Parish News
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A St Bernard’s Community Event Sunday October 4, 2026 - 1-4 pm
St. Bernard’s invites you to a special parish celebration marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi. This Jubilee year calls us to reflect deeply on St Francis’ way of living: honouring creation, sharing what we have, and building a community where every person is welcomed.
The Theme
‘Living Simply, Caring Deeply’ Inspired by St Francis and the Season of Creation, this event encourages us to live lightly, share abundantly, and nurture the earth and one another.
Event Activities & Experiences to enjoy!
Each activity below reflects Franciscan values of joy, simplicity, and care for creation.
• International High Tea - share food treats from your cultural heritage
• A Sustainable Living Clothes Swap - refresh your wardrobe the eco-friendly way
• Fashion Parade - creativity meets sustainability
• Plant Swap - bring propagated plants to exchange
• Home Garden Produce Swap - celebrate homegrown goodness
• Community Book Swap - keep great reads circulating, find your next page turner
• Kid’s Fun and Activities - games and much more for the children to enjoy
• Community fun & connection - meet others, share stories, enjoy the day
Enquiries can be made to stbernardleadership@gmail.co
Synod 26
Preparations for a Synod to be held in the Archdiocese of Melbourne in 2026 are now underway. A synodal gathering is focused on pastoral renewal and can result in decrees or pastoral plans that guide the diocese in its planning. Archbishop Peter A Comensoli has invited the community to focus on three key themes for the Synod:
St Bernard’s Parish is preparing to provide opportunities for all Parishioners to participate and reflect on the key themes, please read the documents by clicking on the link.
As we reflect, we are encouraged to ponder these questions:
Where is the Holy Spirit leading our Archdiocese at this time?
Whom are we being called to accompany in faith more intentionally?
How might we reflect the face of Christ more clearly in our local Church?
If you would like to offer your reflections and insights on these themes, small group discussions will be made available in coming weeks.
The suggested process is a ‘Conversation in the Spirit’ or a Spiritual Conversation. It is based in prayer and allows people to come together to both speak and listen. Different from a discussion, it is an attentive listening process that aims to discern where the Holy Spirit is leading us.
WINTER APPEAL
This July, St Bernard's Parish will be supporting Cottage by the Sea, Queenscliff; a wonderful local charity that provides respite and enrichment programs for children and young people who may be experiencing disadvantage, hardship or challenging life circumstances.
Through programs such as the Take a Break Program, children are given the opportunity to enjoy a safe, caring and positive holiday experience while building confidence, resilience, friendships and lifelong memories.
We invite parishioners to support this appeal by donating items from the Cottage by the Sea's current Winter Wish List.
Examples of urgently needed items include:
• New clothing for children - boys & girls (sizes 8/10),
• Underwear and socks (children's larger sizes)
• Pyjamas - boys and girls (size 12)
• Boys Clothing (size 8-10)
• Single Toothbrushes, toothpaste, single soap, roll on deodorant (boys and girls), face washers and toiletries
• Sanitary items (suitable for younger teens)
• Hairbrushes, combs, hair ties and scrunchies, drawstring toiletry bags (19cm x 22cm)
• Pencil cases, stationery items, stickers, rulers, notebooks, pencils & textas
• Plastic drink bottles and travel-size games
• Beach towels, backpacks, card games and board games (ages 6–12)
• Sunscreen, hoodie beach towels
• Knitted/crocheted toys, scarves, gloves, beanies
Collection Weekend: 18–19 July
Please place donated items in the storage containers provided in the Parish foyer. If you are unable to attend that weekend, donations may be delivered during the week by arrangement with the Parish Office.
Every contribution, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your gene
NAIDOC Week Reflection
NAIDOC Week - July 5-12 - Theme ‘50 Years Deadly’. This theme promotes: cultural education, reconciliation, community pride and National unity.
We welcomed Sharelle McGuirk and her daughter, Josephine, First Nation parishioners, who offered a NAIDOC Week reflection at our three masses last weekend. We are grateful for their time and wisdom.
Sharelle spoke about being an indigenous member of the community and her work in this area. She was also able to explain that ‘deadly’ to aboriginal people means ‘amazing, excellent, wonderful, great, etc’. It was an enlightening talk helping us all understand her culture better.
Sunday July 5: Walking Together in Christ: 40 years on!
We mark 40 years since St Pope John Paul II spoke to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Alice Springs, and we celebrate 50 years of NAIDOC Week.
To complement NAIDOC week, The National Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) offers a theme for Sunday July 5: Walking Together in Christ: 40 years on!
We have highlighted this theme with a display in the church foyer.
First Nation Catholics are the youngest and fastest growing demographic in the Australian Catholic Church.
NAIDOC Week - July 5-12 - Theme ‘50 Years Deadly’.
This theme promotes: cultural education, reconciliation, community pride and National unity.
We welcome Sharelle McGuirk and her daughter Josephine, First Nation parishioners who will offer a NAIDOC Week reflection at our three masses this weekend. We are grateful for their time and wisdom.
Two Fun ways to enjoy NAIDOC week!
Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Geelong
Monday 6th July - 11 am - 2 pm
Join us to officially kick off our NAIDOC Week celebrations!
Booln Booln Cultural Centre
410 Surf Coast Highway, Grovedale
FREE Event - All Welcome to get together and celebrate our culture.
Kids Activities - BBQ - Mob Market
Celebrate NAIDOC week and watch That Blackfella Show with Jessica Mauboy from July 8 on ABC-TV.
Reflection Day Insights
The participants at the Reflection day were gently guided to pause and spend quality time reflecting on their relationship with God.
The day offered meaningful experiences in a beautiful setting at Clonard College, allowing us to truly rest and be restored. I truly value the opportunity to experience this wonderful day.
Anne Thomas
We extend our thanks to Angela De Grandi and her team for hosting this parish event, which brought together twenty parishioners.
Outreach & Engagement in Faith
First Eucharist Celebrations
Congratulations to the many children from both Clairvaux Catholic School and from the parish Sacrament class who celebrated receiving the Eucharist for the first time on the 13/14th June. We pray that they may continue to welcome Christ into their lives.
The Parish Outreach and Engagement team are organising a
Prayer and Reflection Afternoon.
'Come away and rest a while’
• Sunday 21st June, 1 - 4pm.
• Clonard College, Geelong West
Sign-up sheets in the Foyer or
St Bernard’s Youth Group (18+)
Come hang out with our St Bernard’s Youth Group on Friday June 5th from 6 till 7:30pm for a chill night of community, good company, and free dinner.
We’d love to have you there!
Please RSVP by texting 0489 067 884 or emailing stbernardleadership@gmail.com to assist with catering.
Scan the QR Code to Register!
For Reconciliation Week we are being asked to go ‘all in’ in our commitment to Reconciliation and building respectful relationships.
National Sorry Day commemorates the launch of the 1997 Bringing Them Home Report on the forced removal of Indigenous children from their families. Reconciliation Week bookends two dates: the 1967 Referendum and the 1992 Nabo Judgment. The memory of these events and the celebration of the week promote reconciliation. The theme of Reconciliation Week this year is ‘All In’. It marks the need for everyone to participate in building respectful relationships and reminds us that reconciliation is not a spectator sport.
Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week are also important days for our Church. Our mission as Jesus’ followers is to witness to God’s love by seeking reconciliation with one another. This involves healing the wounds of the past and recognising the parts of our history that we have become ashamed to remember.
Pope Leo’s first Encyclical has been released
Marking the 135th anniversary of Rerum novarum*, Pope Leo XIV releases his first encyclical, entitled ‘Magnifica humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence.’ He appeals for the safeguarding of humanity, promotion of truth, dignity of work, social justice, and peace.
Read more on our Sharing Faith page.
BOOK FAIR 2026
Fr Tho and St Bernard’s Parish would like to acknowledge the wonderful work of
Peter & Marg Wills
who not only work hard on the day, but also all year round to make the Book Fair incredibly successful.
A wonderful amount was raised to support our parish – a remarkable achievement and great parish event!
Last Sunday, the people were queued up outside Clairvaux Hall on a very cold morning, as the doors opened at 8.00am for the annual Book Fair. With the huge array of books on offer, the crowd did not diminish throughout the busy day and thousands of books went out the door with very happy customers.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the fair through donating books, working at the set up and pack up, putting up road signs, putting brochures in letter boxes, making scones and coming along on the day.
Our sincere thanks to Helen Brislane, Joanna Wills, Marie Hutchinson, Anna Fletcher & Karen Marshall for all their work, and special thanks to Deb Jackson and the students at Sacred Heart College who baked for the cake stall.
This is our big fundraiser for the year and it would not be possible without all their hard work, so we say a very big THANK YOU.
Peter and Margaret Wills
National Volunteer Week -
18–24 May 2026
Thankyou!
St Bernard’s Parish leadership are deeply grateful to the many amazing volunteers who do so much for our parish. Your selfless giving of time, talent, and care makes a real difference, enabling our community to thrive, serve one another, and remain connected in faith.
From Hope to Action: Laudato Si’ Week 2026
May 17 - 24
Laudato Si’ Week 2026 is an invitation to move from reflection to transformation—turning hope into concrete action for our common home. Because hope is lived through action.
Take one step—and join a week of global actions in caring for our common home.
Read the review of our Parish Goals on our Laudato Si’ page.
VALE : Fr Peter Foley RIP
Dear Parishioners,
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of Fr Peter Foley, our long-serving former Parish Priest of St Bernard’s. He has passed away peacefully and his family would appreciate our continued prayers for him and for them at this time.
May God grant him eternal rest.
Yours in Christ
Fr Tho Tran
It is with great sadness that we share that our beloved Fr Peter Foley, has this morning, passed away, and entered into eternal life in the heavenly kingdom.
Having recently celebrated his 90th birthday, Fr Peter will always remain a larger than life figure in our community. His legacy is one of devoted ministry, visionary leadership, commitment to service, and compassionate pastoral care.
We pray for the repose of his soul, for his family, and for all those who knew and loved him in our community.
Fr Emma
Fr Emma has written a beautiful tribute to Fr Peter. It is available to read on our Mannya page.
May the Month of Mary
The month of May is a special time when Catholics honor the Blessed Virgin Mary with prayers, crownings and processions. While several months throughout the year observe Marian celebrations, May is known as the Month of Mary. The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of May to the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of God and spiritual mother of all. Mary, the most humble of all women, is a model for everyone, today, in the here and now. Pope Francis called Mary “the first disciple of Jesus” and reminded us that “Mary is there, praying for us, praying for those who do not pray.
May 1 – Our Lady, Queen of May. While this is not an official feast day, it is the start of the month honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary, often including a May Crowning ceremony.
May 13 – Our Lady of Fatima
May 24 – Mary, Help of Christians
May 31 – The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
During the month of May please visit our Marian devotional area in St Bernard’s church. Small tea candles are available for people to light, for their own prayer intention.
The 25 April 2026 marks the 111th anniversary of the landing of ANZAC troops, under fire on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
ANZAC Day is a day of remembrance. Each year, thousands of people come together to pay tribute to and remember our brave ANZAC sons. On this day RSL branches and service groups host commemorative services to honour and remember all those who have or are serving in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.
We pray with Pope Leo for peace in our homes, our communities and our countries throughout the world.
St Bernard’s Church Annual BOOK FAIR
Sun 17th May, 8am to 2pm
Clairvaux School Hall, Reynolds Rd. Belmont
Come along & browse through a huge selection of second-hand books
- fiction, non-fiction & children’s - all at bargain prices.
Plus : Jigsaw puzzles, DVDs & CDs
Freshly baked goods from the Cake Stall.
Relax with tea & coffee in between browsing!
Something for everyone.
St Bernard’s Youth Fellowship
This is an invitation to come and belong to our Youth Team
RSVP by email to stbernardleadership@gmail.com
or TEXT Francis 0489 067 884
Happy Easter!
Parishioners celebrated the Easter season with wonderful liturgies beginning with the Lenten Penitential Service. This service focused on Thanksgiving for the Gift of the Earth as a connection to the Year of St Francis. Palm Sunday began Holy Week with the church decorated in red and palms adorning the entrance of the church reminding us of Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem. Our Holy Week continued with a prayerful Tenebrae service. Holy Thursday celebrated the institution of the Eucharist and saw Fr Tho ‘Washing the Feet’ of 8 people who represented those who provide service and hope to others in our community. Good Friday was marked by a remarkably relevant and meaningful Stations of the Cross. We would like to thank the CCS staff for providing these stations and assisting with delivering them in a prayerful way. Also thanks to Lachlan Scully for carrying the cross. The Veneration of the Cross and the Passion liturgy drew in a large crowd, recalling the suffering and sacrifice of Christ at his crucifixion. The Easter Vigil included the Blessing of the fire and lighting of the new Pascal candle while also welcoming three new parishioners into the catholic faith. Finally we celebrated with large numbers and joyful music the Resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday morning giving recognition to our salvation and the divinity of Christ.
We wished Fr Tho a Happy Birthday and hope he now has time to celebrate with family and friends.
The Liturgy Pillar hope that you all had a joyous and Holy Easter and thank all involved in preparing and operating the liturgical services.
Congratulations to Fr Peter Foley
Fr Peter recently celebrated his 90th Birthday with family and friends at Star of the Sea in Torquay.
Archbishop Anthony Randazzo
Bishop Anthony Randazzo of Broken Bay has been appointed to the Vatican as Prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, with the personal title of Archbishop. He is the first Australian appointed to the Vatican since Cardinal Pell. Read more on our Church News page!
Welcome!
Pavlina Solcova - Has accepted the role as Administration Officer in our Parish Office!
Please make Pavlina welcome on your visit to the Office!
YOUTH GROUP - SAUSAGE SIZZLE
The Parish Youth Group will be holding a sausage sizzle following the 5:00pm Mass on 11 April and after the 10:30am Mass on 12 April. The group would love to meet more members of our parish community, so please come along, enjoy some food, and share in a little free entertainment and friendly conversation.
Holy Week & Easter Liturgies 2026
Wed 25th Mar 7:00 pm Penitential Service
Tues 31st Mar 7:00 pm Tenebrae Service of Light & Darkness
Wed 1st April 10-11am Individual private confession
Holy Thursday 2nd Apr at 7:00 pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper
(followed by 1 hour at Altar of Repose)
Good Friday 3rd Apr at 10:00 am Stations of the Cross (in the church)
Good Friday 3rd Apr at 3:00 pm The Passion of our Lord
Holy Saturday 4th Apr at 7:00 pm Easter Vigil (welcoming three new Catholics)
Easter Sunday 5th Apr at 9:00 & 10:30 am Mass of the Resurrection
As Christians, we often call ourselves the People of Hope as we have faith in a God of mercy and compassion; a God who became human, so that humans can participate in the divine life. It is that same God, who is not only willing to share in the human sufferings of Good Friday, but above all, promises the greatest hope of new life, through His Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Easter is a time for us to renew our hope in the promise of God, that His Son will always accompany and endure with us, and that after the Cross is the Blessed Resurrection.
In this special Jubilee Year of St Francis of Assisi, we pray particularly for a spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness in our own lives, our communities, our country, and in all the situations of suffering in our world.
We extend a very warm welcome to all who come to celebrate with us this year and wish everyone a blessed and hopeful Easter
Fr Nestus
Over the weekend, we welcomed back Fr Nestus who concelebrated Mass with Fr Tho. He presented a PowerPoint display and spoke about his current parish in Uganda.
Fr Nestus will be here for a few weeks.
PRAYER FOR PEACE
A statement from Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Archbishop of Perth:
In this season of Lent, Pope Leo has encouraged us to pray for peace, to “fast from words and acts of hatred and conflict” and to rediscover the peace Christ offers.
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference joins Pope Leo XIV and many world leaders in expressing deep alarm at the escalating violence now engulfing the Middle East.
The loss of life and the fear and uncertainty experienced by ordinary people and the destabilisation of an already fragile region weigh heavily on our hearts.
As Pope Leo warned this week, we stand “faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions”.
His appeal is one we wholeheartedly echo: that all parties “assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss”.
Violence only multiplies suffering; war is not the answer and is always a defeat for humanity.
The current hostilities have already caused immense harm.
As Pope Leo reminded us: “May diplomacy recover its role and may the good of peoples be promoted, peoples who long for peaceful coexistence founded on justice.”
We are also mindful of the Australians currently in the region, including personnel serving in peacekeeping and humanitarian roles. This is an anxious time for their families, friends and communities. We assure them of our prayers and our pastoral concern.
Above all, we pray for the innocent: for those already killed, for the injured and traumatised, for families separated or displaced and for communities living in fear.
We pray too for leaders at every level: that their decisions be grounded in respect for human dignity, the common good and solidarity with the suffering.
We ask all people of faith and goodwill in Australia to join us in praying for peace and the healing of a region that has suffered too much for too long.
THANK YOU!
Fr. Tho and the Parish Leadership Team gratefully acknowledge
Marg & Peter Wills’
amazing commitment to the Mill Market project over the
last 5 years, making a significant contribution to
the Parish finances. They have decided not to continue with this venture.
We are grateful for their long term commitment,
especially during recent health challenges. Their
service to the Parish through the Mill Market and their
continuing effort with the Book Fair is an inspiration!
RCIA
On Ash Wednesday, our RCIA candidates signed a scroll, which will be submitted to the Archbishop, enabling their names to be inscribed in the Book of the Elect. The start of Lent signifies the next stage in their journey and as a symbol they were presented with a wooden cross.
This Sunday’s Rite of Election is a decisive moment for those on the journey to joining the Catholic Church. The catechumens and candidates, known as the ‘elect’, come forward with their sponsors and make public their intention to receive the sacraments of initiation at Easter.
All are welcome to this ‘good news’ moment in the life of our local church! We pray for our candidates, Lisa, Alexandra and Shaun.
This Lent…….
Christians know that to believe in Jesus means a radical commitment. Our hearts must love what he loves and break for what breaks His. The poor, our least brothers, are suffering from a climate crisis that they did little to create and have few resources to combat, Yet they are bearing the brunt of the affects which are devastating and unrecoverable in many circumstances.
Greener Lent encourages participants to do the following:
Intensify prayers, especially for the poor whose livelihoods are being destroyed by the climate crisis and that we may follow Christ more closely.
Sacrificially reduce the amount of meat eaten by choosing a fasting level which expands the established days of abstinence for Catholics during Lent, and provides a Biblically based penance for all Christians. Reducing or eliminating meat significantly impacts the participants carbon footprint during Lent.
Give alms to the poor who have suffered the worst effects of the climate crisis.
Lent is not easy, but it is incredibly meaningful. We believe that when works of mercy are done as a community, our loving Saviour will grant us the conversion of heart we desire. Some simple ways of Caring for Creation are suggested in the Lenten Calendar for you to download or pick up a copy in the Church foyer.
Congratulations!
The Pastoral Health Care Network are celebrating their 20th Anniversary this Friday 20th February at 12 followed by a light lunch. Maureen Zampatti and a team of amazing volunteers make heartfelt keepsakes to offer people in need of comfort and support. If you have spare time perhaps you could lend them a hand!
Bishops Social justice Statement 2026
Australia’s Catholic bishops have urged courage and tenderness in addressing the nation’s cost-of-living crisis. This year, the bishops have chosen to release two statements – one in February and another in August ahead of Social Justice Sunday (August 30).
The February statement is entitled The Cost of our Living: Economic and Social Justice for the Common Good.
Read more on our Church News page.
Message of Pope Leo XIV for Lent 2026
Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion
In his message, the Holy Father explains that “Lent is a time in which the Church, guided by a sense of maternal care, invites us to place the mystery of God back in the centre of our lives.”
“Our parishes, families, ecclesial groups and religious communities are called to undertake a shared journey during Lent, in which listening to the word of God, as well as to the cry of the poor and of the earth, becomes part of our community life,” the Holy Father emphasizes.
“Let us strive to make our communities places where the cry of those who suffer finds welcome, and listening opens paths towards liberation, making us ready and eager to contribute to building a civilization of love,” he wrote.
https://www.vatican.va/.../20260205-messaggio-quaresima.html
The Journey Home
Our Lenten program begins this week in St Bernard’s church
for those attending the group sessions.
Lenten Reflection Invitation
The Journey Home - Lent is not merely a period of sacrifice or reflection; it is a pilgrimage - a journey towards paradise, our eternal home.
We are never alone on this journey. As a synodal people, we walk side by side, listening, discerning and supporting one another in faith. The Journey Home is marked not only by personal prayer and penance, but by our shared commitment to building a community where every person is valued and included.
Our 2026 Lenten program at St. Bernard’s has been developed for both individual prayer and small groups. Lenten small groups are an opportunity to gather together to share life, faith and to pray with one another.
You are invited to participate in this program in one of the following ways.
A weekly reflection meeting in the church, led by a member of our team, using the Lenten resource, The Journey Home.
A daily self-directed reflection, using the Lenten resource, The Journey Home.
If this invitation appeals to you, could you please use the signup sheets after Masses on the weekends to follow or contact the Parish Office on 5243 2739 during office hours or email belmont@cam.org.au.
· Five Morning Sessions commence on Friday 20/2 at 11.00 am
· Five Evening Sessions commence on Tuesday 24/2 at 7 pm in the church
· $5 to be paid for the book, can be paid via cash/EFTPOS
after mass on 31/1 or at the office. Books are in stock.
· You can download the program as an eBook
https://archdiocesanministries.org.au/lent-resource
Ash Wednesday falls on February 18 this year – so please signup or contact the parish office before Sunday February 15th 2026.
Once we have gathered this information, we will inform you of details of how the program will proceed.
Australia Day Reflection
Mannya Update 2025
The update is available on our Mannya page
under the About Us tab at the top of the screen.
Year of St Francis
By decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary issued on January 10, 2026, at the request of Pope Leo XIV, the Church has solemnly proclaimed a special Year of Saint Francis of Assisi, running from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027.
This Jubilee Year commemorates the 800th anniversary of the passage into Heaven of Saint Francis of Assisi († Oct 3 1226), the Seraphic Patriarch and one of the most beloved saints in Christian history.
New Bishop of Ballarat
CONGRATULATIONS to Fr Mark William Freeman whose appointment as the 9th Bishop of Ballarat was announced by Pope Leo XIV in Rome on Wednesday night 7/1/2026.
Fr Freeman, 66, currently serving as Parish Priest in Bellerive-Lindisfarne (Catholic Archdiocese of Hobart) will succeed Bishop Paul Bird CSsR.
Read more on our Church News page
Popes Prayer Intention for January 2026
For prayer with the Word of God.
Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.
Jubilee Year of Hope, comes to an end!
The Holy Door of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran—the Cathedral of the Pope—was solemnly closed, marking the end of this stage of the Jubilee of Hope. As the door is sealed, the faithful are reminded that Christ Himself remains the true gate to mercy and salvation. On the Feast of the Holy Family, His Eminence Cardinal James Harvey closed the third Holy Door of the Jubilee Year at the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls. This ends the Jubilee Year in the particular Churches and leaves the last remaining Holy Door open at St. Peter’s Basilica, which Pope Leo will close on January 6th. This door will remain closed until 2033, when the Church will celebrate 2,000 years of the Resurrection of Christ. Two Holy Doors remain open in Rome: at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls and at St. Peter’s Basilica. Read more on our Church News page.
Did you enjoy our Christmas Photo frame?
There’s still time to take your photo with family and friends at St Bernard’s. Thank you to Francis and the team who brought the extra cheer this Christmas.
Prayers for the Bondi community.
Loving God, we remember and hold in our hearts all who have been, and are, in any way involved in the tragedy at Bondi.
We entrust those who have died to your love and mercy, and pray for their families and friends, and for all who have been injured. May those who struggle to make sense of this event find support, comfort and understanding in the months ahead.
We pray for the police and paramedics who gave assistance at the scene as well as members of the community who came to the aid of the injured. May they be given resilience to continue to serve their communities.
We pray for our country that people of all faiths will recommit themselves to being peacemakers in their families, amongst their friends and in our wider society.
Let us be people of light bringing Peace and hope to others. May their memories be a blessing.
REFLECTIONS OF CHRISTMAS
The birth of Jesus holds myriad promises and has many meanings.
Can you describe a time when you discovered for yourself the message of Christmas?
These are some of the responses from our Parishioners!
“I discovered the deeper message of Christmas when I noticed how my family gathered, sharing foods, laughter, gifts and prayers. It felt like the love we celebrated was the same love Jesus brought into the world. Christmas became a reminder of meaningful connection, of belonging. Christmas is the most joyful time of the year.”
“I was at one of our wonderful St. Bernard’s outdoor masses with a crowd of grandparents, parents and children so excited and the Clairvaux students were acting out the amazing story of Jesus’ birth. The message was to cherish children and family and community with joy, peace and hope.”
“As a young child, the rich atmosphere of baby Jesus born in a stable carried with it a mystic enchantment, together with the excitement of Santa Claus and presents, family celebrations and traditions which emphasised the season’s importance. The excitement remains with me in living the presence of Christ here today.”
“Seeing homeless people and children in need during festive seasons moves me deeply. I long to help, though I sometimes question if donations truly reach them. For me, Christmas means love in action – small acts of kindness and presence that brings hope and joy.”
Christmas at St Bernard’s
Youth lead decorations can be seen in the foyer of our church! They have been really well received with many parishioners delighting in the home made crafts! Thank you Francis!
Youth Group Christmas Craft!
Come and join the fun!
Help us make some Christmas decorations.
Saturday 6th Dec, 11:30 - 12:30
St Bernard’s Church
Kids and Youth of all ages Welcome
Would you like to register your contact details with the Parish? Even if you’re not new but you haven’t made contact or you need to update your details, please complete a CONNECT CARD here or one available in the foyer of the Church.
Parish Bulletin
The Archdiocese is is installing a new computer system which requires us to change the way we do things. We will stop using ‘Mailchimp’ from now on. If you would like to continue to receive our St Bernard’s Parish Bulletin by email you will need to subscribe using the button above. This is a FREE subscription. Click the Button above and follow the simple prompts. The information you provide will not be provided to any third party.
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