Details for Live Streaming of Mass and Holy Week Liturgies
for
Our Lady Help of Christians Parish - Rosemeadow

My Dear Parishioners

Since all public Masses and Liturgies are now suspended until further notice, I have arranged for them to be live streamed from our Parish church so that you may participate spiritually in them. I ask you to join with me as I offer the Divine Liturgy each day in our Parish church, humbly beseeching Almighty God, through the intercession of His Blessed Mother and ours, Our Lady Help of Christians, to bring a speedy end to this evil that has befallen us. Let us pray also for those who have contracted coronavirus, and especially for those who have died.

I will be praying for you in my Holy Mass each day for your intentions that God may continue to nourish you with His grace, and strengthen you with His Holy Spirit in your faith and steadfastness during this sad time. Please remember to also pray for me. Together, with Our Lady’s help, may we come through this “dark night of the soul” stronger and more committed to our Catholic Faith, and especially in our appreciation and love of the incomparable treasure we have in the Most Holy Eucharist, Our Lord Jesus Christ truly present among us, and to never take It for granted.

I wish to thank Mr. Kirk Duncan, ‘TheAppsMan’, a parishioner who has worked tirelessly to get our Parish YouTube Channel up and running. I thank Mr. Frank Bugeja, also a parishioner, for all his work on our Parish Website and linking it to our YouTube Channel.

The channel is known as Our Lady Help of Christians Parish Rosemeadow and can be found by clicking the YouTube Channel button on the Parish Website Home Page, or by clicking the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClQhkeubtYCBu_elfcglmaw

At the moment a weekday Mass and the Stations of the Cross have been uploaded. This weekend, Sunday Mass will also be uploaded for you to watch from 6pm on Saturday, and any time Sunday. This will include a homily from me for your spiritual help and reflection for the 5th Sunday of Lent.

Commencing from Palm Sunday, I will then be live streaming. That is, you will be able to watch me celebrating Mass in real time as I say it. Below is a list of the Holy Week Ceremonies and Masses, which you will be able to watch and unite yourself with me, and every other person watching, spiritually. From that point onwards, I will also be celebrating Mass in the church each day according to the normal parish roster - also listed below. You will also be able to find all these Masses and ceremonies to watch at any time in the future, in the Playlist tab on the YouTube channel under the following titles: Weekend Masses, Weekday Masses, Holy Week Ceremonies.

When you go into our YouTube channel for the first time, I ask you to please press the “SUBSCRIBE” button. This helps to show “Google”, who runs YouTube, that the channel is being patronized and wanted by people.

HOLY WEEK CEREMONIES 2020

All Masses and Ceremonies will be live streamed from the Parish church on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClQhkeubtYCBu_elfcglmaw

PALM SUNDAY 5 April
10.00am - MASS

HOLY THURSDAY 9 April
7.30pm – SOLEMN MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

Following Mass, I will be present before the Blessed Sacrament in the church from 9pm until 12midnight. With sadness I must do this alone this year. I ask you, if possible, to spend some time together at home uniting with me in prayer- perhaps praying the Rosary or reading the Scriptures or in prayerful silence. I will unite my prayer with Our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane, offering it for each of you, for the Church and the world. These 3 hours will also be live streamed, which will be enable you therefore to adore Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament spiritually from your home. At 12 midnight I will give a solemn Blessing with the Blessed Sacrament, asking Our Lord to specially bless each person who is watching at that moment with all the graces and mercy that flow from His Most Sacred Heart, and to pour forth upon the Church and the world, his purifying mercy and healing love. Fr. Sarkis.

GOOD FRIDAY 10 April
10.00am - STATIONS OF THE CROSS
3.00pm - SOLEMN COMMEMORATION OF THE LORD’S PASSION AND DEATH
Good Friday is a day of both fast and abstinence

HOLY SATURDAY 11 April
7.00pm – SOLEMN EASTER VIGIL and MASS OF THE LORD’S RESURRECTION
NOTE CHANGE OF TIME THIS YEAR FOR VIGIL MASS

EASTER SUNDAY 12 April
10.00am - SOLEMN MASS OF THE LORD’S RESURRECTION

NORMAL MASSES

Tuesday: 6.30pm
Wednesday: 9.00am
Thursday: 9.00am
Friday: 8.20am
Saturday: 6.00pm
Sunday: 10.00am (NO Mass at 8.30am)

While participating spiritually in Mass from home, I invite you to pray with me the following prayer for Spiritual Communion:

Prayer of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
Come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there
And unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

I also invite you to pray the Prayer to St. Michael, Protector of the Church:

St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle; be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into Hell, Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl through the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

May God Bless you all, and Our Lady Help of Christians protect you.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Christopher G. Sarkis
Parish Priest
25 March 2020
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – DIOCESE OF WOLLONGONG - 25 MARCH 2020

The following is the latest directives given Bishop Brian Mascord, Bishop of Wollongong, and are now effective immediately as of Wednesday 25 March 2020 in the Diocese of Wollongong and will remain in force until we are permitted to lift them:

Mass: Public Masses and liturgies—both indoor and outdoor—are suspended until further notice (as in the Bishop’s previous directive on 19 March 2020).” Accordingly, the Catholic faithful are dispensed from the obligation to physically attend Mass on Sundays until further notice. The faithful are encouraged to spend time within the home in prayer, such as reading the Scriptures, watching Mass on television or online, praying the Rosary together, etc. Priests will continue to say Mass privately on behalf of the faithful every day.

Mass Live Stream: In view of the dire restrictions we have now been placed under by these directives, I have decided to live stream Mass at the usual times that I would normally celebrate Mass in the church each day. Details will be forwarded to you as soon as it is finalised.

Weddings:“Weddings can continue to be held with a maximum of five people in attendance. The five people consist of the celebrant, bride, groom and two witnesses. Under no circumstances can this limit be exceeded.”

Funerals: “Funerals can continue to be held with no more than ten (10) people in attendance including the celebrant. Under no circumstances can this limit be exceeded.”

Baptisms:“Baptisms should be delayed. If there is a risk of death, the child should be baptised with not more than six (6) people in attendance which includes the parents, two godparents, the celebrant and the child being baptised.”

Confession:“Following legal advice, under no circumstances should the sacrament of Confession be advertised and it is to be celebrated only by appointment in emergencies. Please follow the existing directives when administering the sacrament. The faithful have been advised the sacrament has been suspended during the pandemic and to make their own act of contrition when the sacrament is unavailable. On all occasions when administering these sacraments, hygiene and physical distancing protocols should continue to be strictly observed.

“The Sacrament of Confession will be suspended during this time of pandemic. Physical and moral impossibility excuses a person from confession, in which case reconciliation may be attained by other means, for example an act of perfect contrition. (Canon 960) An act of perfect contrition can be made by saying these or similar words, “My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. I should love you above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.”

Confirmation: Is postponed and will NOT occur in June as planned. A future date will be announced when decided.

Communion to the Sick: For Viaticum please call Fr. Sarkis.

Anointing of the Sick: Fr. Sarkis will continue to administer the Anointing of the Sick and the Last Rites as needed, and will take the precautions necessary as set out in the Bishop’s previous directives. Please call Fr. Sarkis for this.

Parish Collections: In the current situation it is imperative that you please keep up your weekly contributions, as the Parish runs on a limited budget and without these regular contributions to both the First and Second Collections, we will be in real financial difficulties. For this reason, I strongly encourage parishioners who currently give by envelope to change to Direct Debit or Credit Card contributions to ensure the regular income of the parish continues. Please contact the parish office to arrange this. THANK YOU. Otherwise, please drop your Planned Giving Envelope Contribution into the secure letter box at the front entry to the Parish Office each week. Please don’t forget the first collection for the sustenance of the clergy (as we still have to live too!) For this collection please place your donation in a plain envelope and mark it ‘FIRST COLLECTION” and drop it in the letter box at the parish office. THANK YOU AGAIN.

For details about making Direct Debit contributions, click HERE

Parish Gatherings: All non-essential gatherings within the Parish are cancelled, effective immediately. These include:

Morning and Evening Tea
Lenten Group
Alpha Group
Neo-Catechumenate Group
Young Adults Group
Choir Group Practice in Church
Latin Schola Choir Group Practise in Church
Bell Ringing Group
Parish Social Groups including Craft, Social, and Getting To Know You Groups
Church Cleaning Groups

Parish Bulletins: Will continue to be uploaded each week to the Parish Website.

The Catholic Weekly: Since the church can no longer be opened, I will cut this supply down to 6 copies only which can be purchased directly from the Parish Office during office hours.