ALPHA runs here!
Curious to know more about Jesus? Do you ever wonder if there is more to life than this? Then ALPHA is for YOU! Join us and be part of the conversation!
AT ALPHA, YOU CAN ASK ANYTHING! ALPHA IS A SAFE SPACE WHERE YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE, FAITH AND MEANING. AND THE GREAT NEWS IS, ALPHA RUNS HERE! A SEAT AT THE TABLE HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR YOU. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS COME!
Monday nights, 7pm to 9pm from May 6th – July 22nd in the parish hall. For more info email: [email protected]
To register your interest click here.
BAKE SALE!
Our parish will have another BAKE SALE on Sun 5th May after the 8am and 9:30am Mass!!! Proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards future parish projects and events. Thank you for your support!
Didaskō Adult Faith Formation:
ARE YOU KEEN TO EXPLORE MORE ABOUT YOUR FAITH, THE SCRIPTURES AND THE TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH? Join us for the Didaskō Adult Faith Formation courses organised by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney Parish Renewal Team, together with the University of Notre Dame Australia. Our parish has registered for these online courses and we encourage parishioners and young adults (18yo and up) to join us in the parish hall for an in-person gathering, with reflection and discussion. Cost: FREE! Coffee, tea & biscuits provided. To register, Ph: 9874 2533 or email the parish office: [email protected] .
The monthly topics include:
- 2024 Mon Apr 15, 22 & 29, 7:30pm-8:45pm: Introduction to Christology
- 2024 Thu May 9, 16 & 23, 7:30pm-8:45pm: Moral Theology
If you wish to take the online course privately, the cost (per short course) will be $35 per person (plus booking fees). Register at: https://gomakedisciples.org.au/didasko/
Parish News:
- Our first Charitable Works Fund Appeal this year will held be on May 4 and 5.
- Let us commemorate ANZAC Day by praying for those who had faithfully served & sacrificed their lives for our country. ANZAC day Mass will be held on Thu 25th April at 7.30am. All are invited to attend. Please bring a plate to share (or Anzac biscuits) for morning tea after Mass. Thank you.
- Our parish will have another BAKE SALE on Sun 5th May after the 8am and 9:30am Mass!!! Proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards future parish projects and events. Thank you for your support!
- For families living within the parish boundaries and/or with children attending St Kevin’s school or our local public schools, we will be running a Baptism for Older Children Program in May. If you would like your child (7-12yo) to receive the sacrament of Baptism, please send us an email to express your interest. Email: [email protected] .
- Sacrament of Confirmation Program Information Evening for Parents/Guardians will be held on Wed, 1st May at 7pm in the church. Child must be in Year 6 or above and have received the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. For more info visit: https://www.stkevinseastwood.org.au/confirmation/ .
- NEW DONATION POINT TAP DEVICES NOW AVAILABLE IN THE CHURCH FOYER. These two new donation points have user-friendly touchscreen interface that offers multiple preset donation amounts. The old 3G tap devices will be phased out soon. Thank you.
- Fit & Well Exercise Class for Parishioners has recommenced. Classes are held Tuesdays at 4:15pm in the Haseler Centre. For more info contact the parish office.
- St Kevin’s Playgroup meets every Wednesday from 9:30am to 11:30am in the parish hall during school terms. All parents/carers and little ones are welcome to join in the fun! For info grab a flyer from the church foyer or email our new St Kevin’s Family Educator: [email protected] . We welcome Anne to our parish community!
- Italian Prayer Group: Wednesdays, 12:30-2:30pm in the church. All are welcome to join us in praying the rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, reflection on the gospel, praise and worship. For more info contact the parish office.
- Men’s Midweek Gospel Reflection: Tuesdays 7pm in the Holy Family Chapel in the church. For info contact the parish office.
- St Kevin’s Men’s Choir – is rostered to sing at the following Masses each month: Sat 5:30pm 1st Week, Sun 9:30am 2nd Week, Sun 6pm 4th Week. Interested in singing or playing an instrument with the Men’s Choir? Contact the parish office.
- Children’s Liturgy: Sundays at 9:30am. The Children’s Liturgy is run by parent volunteers during school term. NEW Children’s Liturgy Volunteers Needed: No experience required, just a love for sharing Scripture with children. Training provided. You will be rostered once or twice per school term. To find out more, contact the parish office.
- If you know a parishioner who would like to receive Holy Communion at home because they are sick and/or unable to go to Church, please contact the parish office 9874 2533.
- Altar Flower Donors/Arrangers Needed: If you are interested to help with the altar flowers or donate flowers for weekend Masses, please contact the parish office 9874 2533.
- If you wish to offer a Mass for the sick, deceased, and other occasions, please collect an envelope in the church foyer. Please include the date when you want the Mass to be said, the name of the person who you wish to pray for and the intention, (tick the box ’For Publication’ if you wish for the name to be mentioned in the parish bulletin) and then place them in the weekend collection bags.
Queen of the Most Holy Rosary (QMHR) Jamaican Appeal:
While grocery shopping please consider buying extra items that can be donated to the Missionaries of the Poor Lenten Appeal in Jamaica. The Missionaries of the Poor have dedicated their lives to care for disabled & abandoned children, adults & elderly. See poster for details. Please place your donations in the church foyer by 12 May 2024. Thank you!
BREAKFAST FOR THE HOMELESS at St Patrick’s Church Hill:
Every Saturday & Sunday morning, St Patrick’s Church Hill opens its doors to the homeless community, providing them with breakfast that has been labelled as a “King’s breakfast”. To know more of what’s involved, watch the video.
To help St Patrick’s with their mission, we will have a grocery drive – non-perishable items only! Such as:
- Milo
- long life milk/juice
- Cordial
- Cereal
- Pancake mix
- Biscuits
- Rice
- Cooking oil
- Oyster sauce
- tomato/BBQ sauce
- Tinned beans/corn/tomatoes
Kindly place donated items in the plastic tub in the church foyer.
We also need NEW SOCKS for the homeless. If you wish to donate socks please place them in the collection box n the foyer. Thank you for your support!
Original Baptismal Font Restored!
When Fr Pawel Kopczynski discovered that the original baptismal font from the old St Kevin’s Church, built in 1919, has been safely stored and kept for many years in the parish hall, he took it upon himself to give it a second life.
With the help of Fr Pawel’s friend, Jacek Luszczyk, sculptor and skilled restorer, the baptismal font has been carefully cleaned, polished and repaired, to return it to its former glory.
Finally, on Tuesday 19th December, the baptismal font has been installed in the Church.
A relic from the original St Kevin’s Church found its rightful place, back inside our beloved parish, for everyone to see and once more hold the baptismal water for the solemn administration of the Sacrament of Baptism.
Something old but looks new, ready to welcome the New Year! A wonderful achievement indeed! Thanks Fr Pawel!
Click here to see more photos.
Around the Archdiocese:
Hartford College 2025 Scholarships:
Hartford College is a new independent Catholic school for boys which commenced in 2023. Hartford is offering academic scholarships for students going in to years 5 to 9 in 2025. The scholarships provide assistance to families of boys seeking a
Catholic liberal arts education tailored to develop the whole person and the attainment of academic excellence. Applications close by 30 June 2024 and candidates are encouraged to apply early. To express your interest please visit hartfordcollege.nsw.edu.au or Tel: 9184 8840
Oremus: Living the Year of Prayer 2024:
Our Holy Father has asked the entire Church to dedicate 2024 as a Year of Prayer in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee, ‘in order to foster a renewed ardour for evangelisation’. Join us online for a 3-week short course in which we will consider practical approaches to prayer as the font of renewal and mission in our parishes.
DATES: Thursdays 4 April, 18 April, 2 May, 2024
TIME: 7:30 – 8:45 pm
For more information and to register, go to gomakedisciples.org.au/cas-events
Stamps for Mary Mackillop Today:
Did you know that STAMPS can transform lives? Help Mary Mackillop Today by collecting your stamps, new or used, and send them to: Mary Mackillop Today Reply Paid 88663 North Sydney NSW 2059. For more information visit: https://www.marymackilloptoday.org.au/stamps
Donate to Charitable Works Fund:
Help keep alive vital ministries of the Church in service to those who need it most. In hospitals, churches, schools, communities and families, your donation is making our world a loving, caring and compassionate place. Give generously. Your tax-deductible gift changes lives. Thank you!
Safeguarding and Child Protection
Guided by the policies of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney (CAS), it is mandatory for selected parish volunteers, age 18+, to have a current WWCC. To check the list of parish roles that requires WWCC visit https://stkevinseastwood.org.au/becoming-volunteer/ . To apply/renew your WWCC go to: https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/working-children-check/applicant . Once your application has been processed, please forward your WWCC number and Expiry Date to the parish office for verification.
Thank you to all the parish volunteers who have completed the Online Safeguarding Induction Training. To maintain our current safe working environment, it is required that all parish volunteers in a child-related role must complete a Safeguarding Induction Training. Training can be completed online, to register click here. To those who have completed the Safeguarding Induction Training in 2019/2020, you are now due for a refresher. To register for a Safeguarding Refresher Training, click here. The archdiocese requires safeguarding refresher training every 3 years.
A MESSAGE FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY:
Child sexual abuse is a crime. The appropriate people to deal with crimes are the police. If you or anyone you know have been abused, please contact the police. Alternatively, contact the Safeguarding and Ministerial Integrity Office at (02) 9390 5810 or [email protected]. You may also want to speak to your Parish Priest who will be able to provide support and guidance. The Archdiocese has a legal obligation to report crimes to the police.
SAFEGUARDING COMMITMENT STATEMENT: The emotional, physical and spiritual safety, well-being and dignity of Children and Adults is an integral part of the teachings and values of the Catholic Church. The Archdiocese is wholly committed to ensuring the safety, well-being and dignity of all Children and Adults at Risk, and acknowledges its important legal, moral and spiritual responsibility to create a safe and nurturing environment for those Children and Adults. To access the Commitment Statement from Catholic Church Leaders, click here.
CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY CHILD AND ADULTS AT RISK SAFEGUARDING POLICY
Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney Code of Conduct for Working with Children and
Adults at Risk
PROTOCOL FOR MANAGING SAFEGUARDING COMPLAINTS
SAFEGUARDING INFORMATION & RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE.
CLICK HERE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND IDEAS ON SAFEGUARDING PRACTICE.
Welcome to St. Kevin’s Parish, Eastwood
The Catholic Parish of St Kevin’s Eastwood is a welcoming and supportive community situated approximately 17 kilometres from the Sydney CBD, and 8 kilometres from Parramatta. St Kevin’s is the most western parish within the Archdiocese of Sydney and is part of the Ryde Deanery.
Our vision is to make Christ present in our parish, in our local community and in our world.
Our mission is to know Christ and to make him known; to be a community committed to discovering Christ present in every person through our ministry to each other, our service to the wider community, the joyful celebration of the Eucharist and other sacraments, and our active concern for social justice.
The first Church was established here in 1919 and our current Church was completed in 1994. St Kevin’s Primary School and Marist College Eastwood are both integral parts of our parish community and are located on either side of the Church.
