LATEST PARISH NEWS

YOUNG ADULTS (The next two weeks)

ADVENT FORMATION, 6PM – SUN 24/NOV

This week the Young Adults group will be gathering after the 5pm Mass for an hour of formation and fellowship. There will be a formation session to help young adults prepare their hearts for the Advent season.

SCRIPTURE ROSARY, 6PM – WED 4/DEC

The following YA gathering will be held on Wednesday, December 4 at 6pm for a Scripture Rosary on the Joyful Mysteries for the first week of Advent.

All Year 12 and Young Adults are welcome! Contact Georgia (0451 650 042) for more details. 

HOSPITALITY

Next weekend, being the first weekend of the month, hospitality is the focus of our Sunshine Coast Catholic Family.  Across our community, parishioners and visitors alike are invited to catch up, reconnect and enjoy each other’s company by sharing some light refreshments after Mass.  A big thank you to all the coordinators—your ministry is appreciated

FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING

Thank you to all visitors and friends, who are joining us this weekend, as we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King.  This weekend marks the end of the Church’s liturgical year and next week we begin Advent, the short, four week season that leads to the birth of the Christ Child.  Welcome

A JOURNEY ENDS – A JOURNEY BEGINS 

Over the next two weeks our parish is overjoyed to welcome 24 individuals into the Catholic Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA).  While we welcome and rejoice in those who will join our faith community, we remember the other 13 “searchers and enquirers” who are continuing on their own unique journey that will hopefully lead to full communion with the Church at Easter.

The first celebration will take place this Sunday at the 9:00am Stella Maris Mass, where five catechumens and candidates will be received into the Church. Then, on Saturday, December 7th, during the 8:00am Mass on the Feast of Saint Ambrose, an additional 19 individuals will complete their journey of faith. We are honoured that Bishop Brian Heenan will preside over this special liturgy.   The entire Parish is invited to join us in this celebration.

The RCIA process has been a transformative journey for these individuals, marked by prayer, study, and fellowship. Supported by their sponsors and our RCIA team, they have prepared to receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.  We are grateful for all involved and to you, our Catholic Family here on the Sunshine Coast, who have provided the witness, been examples of faith and supported their journey by prayer.

So this weekend we welcome Alireza Pakdaman Shahri, Paraa Pakdaman Shahri, Kiarash Pakdaman Shahri, Mandana Masoudi & Kellie Stead, your journey of faith brings us joy and your witness gives us courage to “run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

OLDER CHILDREN BAPTISM

Over two thousand parishioners have already signed up and become registered members of our Sunshine Coast parish – have you?  It is easy, simply use your phone and this QR code will take you directly to the parish sign-up page.  You will receive a confirmation code, which will allow you to securely enter your family details.  Option two is to go on your computer and follow this link maroochydore.flocknote.com/register as it will also take you to our Parish Flocknote data page.    Finally, if all else fails, at the entrance to the church there is a hard copy of the registration form – please complete it and return it to the parish so that we can register you.  However you register, thank for taking the time and becoming a registered and known member of your Catholic Parish.

REGISTER TODAY

Over two thousand parishioners have already signed up and become registered members of our Sunshine Coast parish – have you?  It is easy, simply use your phone and this QR code will take you directly to the parish sign-up page.  You will receive a confirmation code, which will allow you to securely enter your family details.  Option two is to go on your computer and follow this link maroochydore.flocknote.com/register as it will also take you to our Parish Flocknote data page.    Finally, if all else fails, at the entrance to the church there is a hard copy of the registration form – please complete it and return it to the parish so that we can register you.  However you register, thank for taking the time and becoming a registered and known member of your Catholic Parish.

BETTER THAN AN INVITE TO THE CHAIRMAN’S LOUNGE!

Several times a year, our Parish Welcome Group hosts a function for new members of our Parish Family.  We live in such a mobile society and our part of the Sunshine Coast is a popular destination which means that sitting beside or in front of you might be someone new to our Parish Family – make sure that you make them feel welcome!  If you are new to the Parish, or returning after being away for a while, could you pick up a welcome pack at the entrance of the church so that we can formally welcome you to your new Parish family.  This Monday night, November 25^th, we are hosting a “New Parishioners Cocktail Party” which is really just a fancy name for a gathering at the presbytery to welcome you!  It is not too late to join us – collect a welcome pack and give a call to the Parish Office this Monday ( 5443 3488 ).

FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA 

It has never been so easy to get in touch and keep up to date with the many ministries and activities of our Sunshine Coast Parish. Why not start by visiting our Parish Facebook page?  You will receive updates on what’s happening within the parish, religious articles and content of interest. It is also a way we contact you with urgent news.  “Like” our Facebook and Instagram page.

BARGAINS GALORE

You might remember that this time last year we welcomed the Sisters of Mary Morning Star to our parish family and they had a stall containing some of their crafts.  Well, they are coming back!  Next Sunday, December 1^st, the Sisters will be at Stella Maris and will have a stall containing a wide a variety of handmade crafts and goods. So after the 6:30am, 9am and 5pm Masses, why not take a moment and explore what is on offer and in doing so support the sisters’ mission, while perhaps finding unique gifts for the holiday season!

WE ARE WHO WE ARE BECAUSE OF YOU!     

Our Parish Family is blessed with an extraordinary number of volunteers who keep everything bouncing along – they are literally the mortar that holds us all to gather!  Quietly, behind the scenes, fellow parishioners clean our churches, put their hand up to be part of the music ministry, lead our children’s church, take Holy Communion to those who can’t join us for Mass, coordinate our celebrations, are part of different groups and ministries – the list goes on and on!  Every year, before the craziness of the holiday season really kicks in, we try and gather all volunteers for a Christmas Thank You party.  So, if you are a faithful volunteer, up front or behind the scenes, whether your ministry is either easy or time consuming, a grateful Parish would like to extend to all volunteers a warm invitation to this year’s Christmas Thank You party on Monday, December 2^nd, from 6pm to 7:30pm.  Everyone is invited!

WHY NOT GIVE IT A GO?

Traditionally during each of the school holidays, we have a one-day junior youth gathering called Fun Days with God.  On Monday, December 16^th at Stella Maris Church, all primary school children are invited to  Fun Days with God – Advent  Adventures.  It promises to be a fun and rewarding day.

However, with possibly over 50 children we have a major problem!  We need adult help, otherwise we will have to turn some of the children away!  We don’t have the NET team to fall back on!  We need some adults to help – you don’t have to be young, just young at heart, enthusiastic, and eager to make a difference.  We’d love for you to join us in this inspiring ministry! Your involvement can help bring more joy and connection to our parish family.  If you are interested in giving your time from 8:45am-3:00pm on that day, it would be greatly appreciated.  To be a part of this wonderful opportunity, reach out to Bernie Baillie at [email protected]

MAKE THE MOST OF ADVENT

Advent Starts next weekend and it is a short, focused season of expectation – waiting for Emmanuel – God is with us!  A great way to help prepare is by spending a little time reflecting on the approaching birth of the Christ Child as part of an Advent programme.  Each Wednesday during the 4 weeks of Advent, commencing November 27^th, you are invited to join our Advent programme at St Catherine’s.  Please call Helen Matchett on 0403 617 512 for more details.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

During school term, each Sunday afternoon our Junior Ministers gather from 3 to 5pm at Stella Maris. While there are plenty of fun and games, this term we have also focused in on ministry and being aware of our responsibility to be of service.  The ministries they were involved in last Sunday evening at Mass included being Welcomers, Readers, Altar Servers,  Computer Operators, Singers including soloists, Offertory and Money Collectors – in fact they were involved in everything!  This Sunday is our final gathering for the year and our Christmas party is next weekend and we resume when school recommences in 2025.

Thanks for your support throughout the year.

CONTAINERS FOR CHANGE

A practical way of supporting the different youth ministries of your parish – Youth Group 10:10,  Young Adults, Junior Ministers and our Fun Days with God holiday programme – is by saving up your bottles and utilizing the “Container for Change” scheme.  Our parish has a “Container for Change” account.  When you drop off your recyclable cans, beer, wine, and spirit bottles, as well as poppers and small flavoured milk containers, please quote our parish Scheme ID number C10193859.  Put it in your mobile under “Containers for Change” so you’ll always have it.  Thanks for your support!

Available at the entrance of all our four churches, we have new information envelopes containing details about our Parish Planned Giving programme and the many ways you can support your Parish and our Endowment Fund, which will provide your Parish Family with financial security into the future.  For new and returning members of our Parish, there is a Welcome Pack.  It contains valuable information about your new Parish Family.  Please feel free to take an envelope home with you today.

Your continued generous financial commitment makes all our ministries possible – thank you

PLANNING AHEAD

As a community that also has to welcome many holiday makers and visitors ,we have to plan ahead.

For your information, our Christmas schedule is as follows:

Communal Rite of Reconciliation, Caloundra Saturday morning December 21, 9am

Communal Rite of Reconciliation, Maroochydore Monday evening December 23, 5pm

Christmas Eve: Maroochydore 4pm, Coolum 5pm, Sippy Downs 5pm, Maroochydore 6pm, Maroochydore, Midnight

Christmas Day: Maroochydore 6:30am, Coolum 7:30am, Maroochydore 9am, Buderim 9:30am

Stella Maris Parish Office

• Adjacent to the Stella Maris Church
• Office Hours 9am—2pm Weekdays
• Telephone: 5443 3488
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: maroochydoreparish.com.au

At Your Service

• Fr Peter Brannelly
• Fr Isaac Falzon
• Deacon Michael Khoury
• Bishop Brian Heenan
• Bishop Emeritus