News in Brief 145

WANT TO HELP PEOPLE IN THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THEIR LIVES?
Baptisms, funerals, weddings, hospital visits, and family crises are all privileged opportunities where people seek the spiritual and pastoral care of a priest. Does this way of life speak to you? To know more contact your Parish Priest or Fr Richard Healey on priesthood@dow.org.au or 0401 621 591, or visit http://dow.org.au/priesthood

ENCOUNTER – WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Take time out to consider God’s call for your life and what each of the vocations offer: single life, marriage, ordained ministry and consecrated life. Guest Speaker: Peter Gilmore, involved in youth and young adult ministry, as well as music ministry for over 11 years in the Wollongong Diocese and works as a Regional CCD Coordinator. The evening will include a Q&A panel of members from particular vocational choices as well as time for prayer, reflection and reconciliation at “The Venue”, 18 Cawley Street, Bellambi; Wednesday 10 October, 7.00pm - 9.30pm (includes dinner).
Who’s invited: young men and women wanting to deepen their relationship with God and reflect on where they are going in life. Cost: Free. RSVP: Cameron Smit | cameron.smit@dow.org.au | (02) 4253 0822

PRO-LIFE PARISH SEMINAR.
Family Life International will be hosting a seminar day on “The Defence of Life and Family in the 21st Century – a Christian Response” at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, 80 Demetrius Road, Rosemeadow on Saturday, 22 September 2012. The day will commence with Mass at 10.00am followed by talks, and conclude at 5.00pm. Speakers will be: Paul Hanrahan, Executive Director of Family Life International (Australia); Eamonn Keane, Teacher, university lecturer, author; and Wanda Skowronska, registered psychologist, counsellor. The focus of the day will be ‘Life, Marriage and Family’ with special attention to the protection of life from conception to natural death. An invitation is extended to all parishes in the Macarthur Deanery and anyone else who may be interested. BYO lunch. Tea and coffee provided.

SOCIAL JUSTICE SUNDAY
is on 30 September. This year’s Statement is titled: ‘The Gift of Family in Difficult Times: The social and economic challenges facing families today’. The Bishop’s Statement this year celebrates the vital role of family in our society and examines the pressures that threaten its stability. Work demands, living costs and forces of consumerism are some aspects of our society that impact on families. For more information go to http://www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au/

HOMESTAY FOR YOUTH MINISTERS. In two weeks our diocese will host Youth Ministers from around the country at the Australian Catholic Youth Ministry Convention, being held at Campbelltown Catholic Club. If you're able to host a couple of delegates in your home (just bed/mattress and breakfast) from Thursday, 20 September (evening) to Sunday 23 September (morning) please contact Loretta at youth@dow.org.au .

STEWARDSHIP CORNER – 23rd Sunday Ordinary Time
The good steward does not show favouritism. The rich may have many material gifts to share, but St James reminds us in the second reading that God has chosen the world’s poor to be rich in faith and inheritors of God’s kingdom.

PRAYER AROUND THE CROSS
– drawing inspiration from the prayers and music of Taize in France, Friday, 28 September 2012 from 7.00pm at St Brigid’s Catholic Church, 115 Gipps Road, Gwynneville. For further information contact Gabrielle Fogarty on 4232 2735 or Pat Boniface on 4232 1034.

CONSOLING MASS
will be celebrated at 12noon on Friday, 14 September 2012 at Mater Dolorosa Church, Balmoral Street, Balgownie. Parishioners, parents, families and friends who wish can gather together and remember and honour those who have died as a result of suicide and other tragic circumstances.

PILGRIMAGE OF GRACE 23-25 SEPTEMBER 2012
As part of the Year of Grace, the Church in Australia has organised a pilgrimage of a relic of Saint Francis Xavier throughout Australia. The pilgrimage aims to help us contemplate and imitate Christ by contemplating the life of Saint Francis Xavier, one of the foremost Church missionaries and evangelisers and a significant exemplar of the imitation of Christ. The pilgrimage will visit St Francis Xavier Cathedral Wollongong, St Thomas More Ruse, St Francis Xavier Berrima, St Patrick’s Port Kembla, Mary Mother of the Church Macquarie Fields and St Paul’s Camden. For details of the pilgrimage, please see the flyer on the Church noticeboard.

RACHEL’S VINEYARD RETREATS
- a Catholic healing retreat for women and men affected by abortion. The next weekend retreat will be held at Pennant Hills (Sydney) on Friday 19 – Sunday 21 October, 2012. Confidential enquiries can be made by contacting the Sydney office on 0400 092 555 or emailing info@rachelsvineyard.org.au. More information on Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries can be found on the website: http://www.rachelsvineyard.org.au/

MINISTRY TRAINING OCTOBER – NOVEMBER.
Please make a note of the Diocesan Ministry Training days listed below. More details and registration information will be published four weeks prior to the training days.
“Preparing the Sacred Mysteries” – A Course for Sacristans
Saturday 20 October 2012, 10am – 2.30pm, St Columbkille’s Church, 99 Princes Hwy, Corrimal
“Proclaiming the Word” – A Course for Readers
 Illawarra: Saturday 27 October 2012, 10.00am – 2.30pm, St Brigid’s Hall, 115 Gipps Road, Gwynneville
 Macarthur and Southern Highlands: Saturday 3 November 2012, 10.00am – 2.30pm, St John the Evangelist Parish Hall, Campbelltown
 Shoalhaven: Saturday 17 November 2012, 10.00am – 2.30pm, St Michael's Parish Centre, Nowra

PARISH PASTORAL COUNCILS’ REGIONAL GATHERINGS
 Albion Park, Wednesday 24 October 2012, 7.30pm – 9.00pm, St Paul’s Parish, Tongarra Road
 Varroville, Tuesday 30 October 2012, 8.00pm – 9.30pm, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, St Andrews Road
 Bellambi: Thursday 8 November 2012, 7.30pm – 9.00pm, Xavier Resource Centre, 2 Bond Street.
Clergy and Parish Pastoral Council members are invited to the next round of regional gatherings. The focus will be ‘Developing Youth Ministry’. These sessions offer the opportunity to continue sharing about the good work happening in your parish as well as discussing ways to develop ministry within the parish. Attendance at any one of the gatherings is most welcome. Please RSVP your attendance by contacting Jane Edwards on 4253 0899 or jane.edwards@woll.catholic.org.au

WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER
– a weekend for married couples on 19 – 21 October, 2012 at Winbourne, Edmund Rice Retreat Centre, Mulgoa (near Penrith). Take time out of your busy schedule to invest in your most precious asset... your marriage! This is a unique opportunity to recharge your relationship batteries, refocus on each other and fall in love all over again! Bookings: Ardell and Bill Sharpe on (02) 4283 3435 or wsharpe@bigpond.net.au.  For information visit www.wwme.org.au

SELECTING MUSIC FOR SUNDAY MASS (Wollongong)
NEW DATE & LOCATION!
Sunday, 11 November 2012 from 1.30pm – 4.00pm
St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Harbour Street, Wollongong
Music directors, choir directors and music coordinators, please put this date in your diary! This workshop will review the available resources and proven processes for developing a coordinated parish liturgical music repertoire to meet the needs of the various assemblies at Sunday Masses, including children, youth and young adults. Topics include: the new Diocese of Wollongong PSALMIST Music Program, establishing the music director and music coordinator ministries; reviewing the functions and genres of the different songs in the Mass; practical application of the concept of "progressive solemnity" in a Mass; sources for repertoire; copyright considerations and developing repertoire for various assemblies across parish and school, including children, youth and young adults. RSVP ESSENTIAL to Helen Bennett on 02 4253 0934 or email helen.bennett@woll.catholic.org.au by Monday, 5 November.