+ Wednesday 1st – check-in, a street story AND a heads-up for Palm Sunday

Wednesday wishes

A great street name story! And it was a thorough co-incidence that this was the street sign I displayed first 

Hello friends and wishing you a meaningful Wednesday. I’m a tad late with my midday posting time again – there’s so much happening!! – but here it is just before 1.00pm.

I decided on a street sign theme for the covers of our Parish Blog posts this week. Today above  is Kathleen St and Bunyarra Drive. Such pictures are meant as a simple visual way of remembering and uniting with people who are isolating in all the local streets – and indeed, in streets and homes all over the world. I’ll tell you about my photographing of the signs some other time this week BUT first, a great story. On Monday I posted the following picture on the cover of the post as the first street sign:

AND … later that day, I received an email from parishioner Carol Burke –  I’ve got her permission to share part of that message with you. Check out this co-incidence:

(from Carol Burke) 

I was really interested to see that you put the photo of the Killuran Ave street sign on your blog and wondered if you realised the significance of it. 

Killuran Ave, Emu Heights is the entrance to City Lights estate which opened approx 50 years ago. The land (acreage) was originally owned by the Hurney family (John, his mWay parish. When the land was sold to become a housing estate, John Hurney asked that the street on which his house still resided be named Killuran Ave after his old family home in Ireland. Peg and Carmel in particular were well known in the parish and lived in the house in Killuran Ave until they died. The Hurneys ran an accountancy firm for many years in Penrith. They were prominent in St Nics too before the formation of Emu Plains parish. A lovely family and our ex neighbours from Emu Heights. There are many fascinating stories to tell about them.

Kind regards – Carol

What about Palm Sunday this weekend?

We went ahead with our order of palms even though at the time it was looking like all gatherings would be ceasing. And they did that same day! The thought though was that we might be able to think of some mission-like gesture for many of us to join in who are able, using the palms.

Here’s the plan for palms

I haven’t finalised details of this yet but keep in touch with Parish Blog posts this week. In summary, palms will be spread out and organised on tables – by me and others (see help request below)  – and we’ll have a pick up point at the church. There will be also be printed cards to pick up with rubber bands or strings attached. The palms will be first blessed in a small ceremony as would happen before a Palm Sunday Mass.

You are invited to come and pick up blessed  palms for yourself, family and a parishioner you know who is isolated. AND you are invited to pick up a couple of palms and cards to drop in letter boxes or leave at neighbours’ doors. The message on the card will be meaningful and suitable for people of any faith background or for those who do not profess faith. It will be a message that both explains the use of palms AND gives a relevant message for the spectrum of humanity and belief today. The idea will be to use the rubber band or string to attach the card to a palm branch and leave it at the door or in the mailbox for the person as a gesture of meaningful goodwill. This challenge of COVID-19 isolation is a chance for excellent outreach and unity in other creative ways and hopefully this is one such idea that we can take together with enthusiasm.

Helpers needed

Can a few people help us sort the palms and outreach cards etc on Friday afternoon around 2.30pm? We’ll do so with full and respectful social distancing and hygiene. If so, kindly inform Chrissy via [email protected] (or leave a message 47351041)

Palm pick up

Watch this space for details of pick up times for palms this weekend and do kindly spread the word to others of the parish to watch this space too. 

Hopefully .. 

.. you’re finding the daily posts in the Parish Blog helpful. There were readings and a voice recorded homily yesterday and a full liturgy on last weekend with guided text, recorded pieces and images. I’m planning to do something similar for Mass for the Palm Sunday weekend ahead. And I’ll let you know about Holy Week prayer, reflection and liturgy for Our Lady of the Way in the coming days. 

I’ve found out that we have a number of people from well beyond the parish who are connecting in our Parish Blog space – including some across Sydney, a couple of parts of Australia and a few people from overseas. Greetings to you all  with our daily union in friendship and prayer for each one and loved ones – AND with thanksgiving for the many ways people are connecting with and caring for others. If anyone connecting from elsewhere wants to send a brief message to let the people here know you’re united with us etc, you’re welcome to use my email below in red or the parish office email above in red  – and if anyone local or from beyond wants to send me an example of someone’s gesture or care for others that you’ve been moved by, please also be welcome via  –  [email protected] (just as Carol let me know that story of the street sign at the start of this post) – I’ll include some of the messages across coming posts.

Happy 50th wedding anniversary

Big wishes and congrats to Kay and Ian Walker on their 50th wedding anniversary celebrated this week! They said they highly recommend the assistance of keeping a healthy sense of humour, along with tolerance and patience. Needless to say they had to postpone the extended family celebration, but were planning a glass – or two – of champagne to mark the occasion! Warmest wishes and asking God’s blessing on you and family – along with the embrace of your dear son’s prayers from the bigger picture of his real and everlasting life.

And just for fun to finish

With friendship in God’s mission – and will see you in the next post.

fr Paul