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Living a Life in Grace
Our Lenten program starts this week on Wednesday night in the Cottage at 8pm (after 7.30pm mass). If you are interested in joining a group, please write your name on the list provided at the doors of the Church. [Normally 7.30] Due to lack of numbers there will be no daytime meetings.

Join the Choir for the Easter Ceremonies
Practice will be held on the following Monday nights in the Church from 7.30pm to 9.00pm:-
Monday 12th March
Monday 19th March
Monday 26th March
Monday 2nd April.

Lectio Divina
Take home a Lectio Divina booklet to guide your reflections on the Sunday readings.

The Harp.
What do you appreciate most about our parish? Is it really just about coffee? Take a few moments to think about this and send your thoughts to ansyg@iprimus.com.au or write a response on the cards available at the door. Responses will be published in the Vox Pop column of the Easter edition of The Harp Closing date: 4 March 2012.

Attention University Students
Heading back to Uni soon? Don't forget that many Universities have a Catholic Chaplaincy! The chaplaincies offer support for students by hosting many activities including Mass on campus, Bible studies, seminars, retreats and great social opportunities.

Trainee Administrative Assistant
The Uni of Notre Dame is seeking applications for the role of Trainee Administrative Assistant suitable for a Year 12 graduate and offers opportunity to gain a Business Administration Certificate III whilst learning the broad range of office skills. More info www.nd.edu.au/jobs/sydneyjobs.shtml or 8240 4145 .

Mobile Phones
Don't forget to turn off your mobile phone before coming into Mass.

Altar Servers
This is an important ministry in our liturgical celebrations and is open to children and adults. If you have been an altar server and would like to assist again or if you would like to begin to assist at the altar, please see Fr Gerry.

Liturgy Update
At a meeting with Lay Ministers, we were able to clarify a few issues in our celebrations of the liturgy. Most importantly, we agreed that we should follow the Church's custom and refrain from dipping the host into the chalice in order to receive the Blood of Christ. There several reasons for NOT doing this: we should " receive" the Blood of Christ (rather than "take" it for ourselves); "drinking" (not "dipping") is the true symbol of sharing in the Blood of Christ; and there are practical concerns about hygiene (fingers in the chalice) and splashing.

So ... We are all invited to receive communion by drinking from the chalice; there is no obligation to do so, and we still receive Christ fully when we receive him under the form of bread. Drinking adds (only) to the full symbolism of our sacramental sharing. Lay ministers will ensure that the chalice is wiped properly and turned after each communicant.

MEETING NOTICES (new members welcome)
Scripture Reflection Group: 4th Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm
Social Justice: 1st Sunday of each month at 9am
St Vincent de Paul: 2nd & 4th Sundays or each month at 9am
CWL: 3rd Sunday of each month at 9am.

ST BENEDICT'S MONASTERY, ARCADIA. Christian Meditation.
Introduction and Renewal Days for 2012 to be held at the monastery - Sundays: 19 February, 20 May, 19 August and 18 November. For more information please refer to the attached or contact the following;
Ann Bergman 9498 2625, anniebergman@hotmail.com
or Ann Lomas 9456 4775, atlomas@bigpond.com.

Catholics in Coalition for Justice and Peace: Sunday Seminar
Date: 19 February 2012 Time: 9.45am to 12.00 noon Place: 9 Alexandra Ave Croydon. Speaker: Mr Mick Gooda, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.
More information phone Cecily May on 9745 0820. All Welcome!

A morning of quiet reflection at the Grail Centre
You are invited to a morning of quiet reflection at the Grail Centre, 22 McHatton St, North Sydney, on Tuesday 21 February 10am to 12 noon. The theme God the Creator. There will be time for silent meditation on scripture and the opportunity to share thoughts in a group. We ask for a small donation to cover costs. For more information or to register your interest, please contact Tricia Gemmell 9436 3447 or pgemmell@tpg.com.au or the Grail Centre 9955 3053.

Reading the Classics in Spirituality:
Wednesday nights 29 February to 28 March 7pm to 9pm at CIS, Strathfield. Topic: Venerable Bede: Ecclessiastical History of the English People. Further Inquiries contact the Registry on 9752 9500 or check out the website at www.cis.catholic.edu.au.

St Patrick's Day - 17 March
Keep this night free. Parish Celebrations for St Patrick's Day. Details to follow in the coming weeks.

CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS.
2 day intensive course at Lidcombe – with David Schütz (Executive Officer of Ecumenical & Interfaith Dialogue for the Melbourne Archdiocese). Dates: 19 & 20 March. For more information contact the Catholic Adult Education Centre: 9646 9010, study@caec.com.au or www.caec.com.au.

The first Marriage Encounter Weekend for married couple for 2012
Is on 23 – 25 March at St. Mary's Towers Retreat Centre, Douglas Park, (NSW).

The Catholic Guy: One day Lenten retreat. A special Lenten Retreat
well be held to enable you to get the most out of this important time in the Catholic calendar. Step back from life for just 8 hours and take your faith to a whole new level. When: Saturday 24 March 2012. Where: Harrington Hall at OLOD, Chatswood
Cost: $20 includes Morning and Afternoon tea.
Time: 9.30am to 5.00pm.
Register online: www.TheCatholicGuy.com

"The Way"
Umbrella Entertainment will be releasing in National Cinemas on 26 April ? "The Way". This is an inspirational story of a group of people walking the Camino de Santiago and how they discover the difference between ?the life we live and the life we choose.

Catholic pilgrimage tour of Malaysia 7 to 18 May 2012.
This 12 day pilgrimage journey will be a very Catholic tour with daily Mass, prayer and spiritual input. Its primary focus will be to view and better understand the various non-Christian religions present in Malaysia, but also incorporating Catholic sites and shrines. There will be visits to shrines of Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Sikhism and perhaps Shamanism-Animism. The tour will be led by Fr Ted Tyler and Fr Jan Bieniek CSMA. For further information or details please contact Fr Ted at frejtyler@live.com or at P O Box 526 Katoomba for further details.

Volunteers Needed to Assist Trained Staff in Providing Recreational, Living Skills and Pre-vocational Training Programs
Mary MacKillop Outreach is a Special Work of the St Vincent De Paul Society located at Lewisham. The service provides a range of recreational, living skills and pre-vocational training programs for people having a disability, the majority of who live in licensed boarding houses throughout Sydney's Inner West.

Volunteers are warmly invited to assist trained staff in the provision of such activities, which are run primarily between 10am and 2pm Monday to Friday. Volunteers are needed to help run daily bus outings, implement knitting, arts and crafts and gardening groups, provide games such as bingo, assist with introductory cooking or computer instruction, support participants in basic woodwork or simply sit and chat to clients.

Are you interested to assist? For more information, contact Yamandú Baldovino on (02) 9568 0247 or by email yamandub@sydneyvinnies.org if you can commit a couple of hours each week or fortnight. We would love to see you.

Summer Hill Conference of St Vincent de Paul meets in the Cottage Meeting Room on 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month at 9 a.m. New members are always welcome. Please remember the poor boxes.

St. Vincent de Paul Shop, Summer Hill
Can you spare a morning or an afternoon? If so, please call in at the shop.

Recently deceased: Georgina Lim, Azmeralda Martinez, James Ingold, Brian Ayers, Adonis Khoury

Remembrance: Marjory Skinner, Rosa & Antonio Defrancesco, Brian Keogh, John, Gregorio Giannini, Antonio Pruscino, Seamus White,, Purgatory souls,

Anniversary: Antonio Pruscino, Nellie Singleton, David Viney, David Brady

Special Intentions:Mark & Gemma O'Halloran, Nancy Maher and Joan Tobin

Those who are sick: Michael von Mengersen, Terry Golds, Graham Newling, Kevin Cooper, Mary Fitzpatrick, Colleen Ridgeway, Thelma Topple, Dannalea Sloan, Hayley Camp, Jeanette Humphries, Boulos Sleiman, Marilou Veran, Giovanni Tringali, Norman Stephenson, Kay Parsell, Thelma Campbell, Jo Eaton, Gabrielle Smith, Frank Spiteri, Ian Boland, Fran Miller, Peter Wells, Betty Cutcliffe, Emma de Silva, Paul Brock, Pat Brock, Margaret Austin, Raymond Thompson, Nicholas Ong, Bill Triggs, Harry Balchin, Raymond Khoury, Hazel Bartley, Gary Kigma, Ron Check, Margaret Curr, Caterina Tumminello, Grace Favaloro, Thomas Biviano, Patrick Maher, Justin Child, Margaret Brady, George Topple, sick members of our Parish.

Remember in your prayers those people who are caring for the sick, elderly and disabled.