Holy Family Parish, Mt Druitt

13/06/2026

Reflection for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The History of God’s Love: A Kingdom Always at Hand
We all experience problems, suffering, and sorrow. At times, we feel overwhelmed by them and may even wonder: Are we destined to suffer? Are we meant to be people of misery?

The readings today remind us that our lives are not ultimately defined by suffering, but by love. We are not accidents or products of chance, nor the creation of a distant God. From the very beginning, God has remained close to his people. Salvation history is the story of his faithful, redeeming, and compassionate love.

In the first reading, God reminds Israel how he delivered them from slavery in Egypt and brought them to himself. Before asking anything of them, he first pours out his love and then invites them to respond by listening to his voice and keeping his covenant.

That love reaches its fullness in Jesus Christ. As St. Paul tells us, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God loved us first. Through Christ's death and resurrection, we are reconciled with him. The Cross reveals a love that is unconditional, self-giving, and victorious over sin and death.

The Gospel shows this love in action. Seeing the crowds, Jesus is moved with pity because they are "like sheep without a shepherd." He reveals a God who sees, cares, and responds to human needs. He then sends his disciples to proclaim that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand," bringing healing, hope, and restoration.

This kingdom is not a distant reality. From Sinai to Calvary and into our own day, God continues to draw near. Often, it is not God who moves away from us; rather, our sins, distractions, and preoccupation with many things keep us from recognizing his presence already at work in our lives.

Jesus also reminds us that "the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few." Perhaps this is because many profess faith but do not always live it. Mahatma Gandhi once observed that while many admire the teachings of Jesus, they are sometimes discouraged by Christians whose lives fail to reflect those teachings. His observation remains a challenge: people are often convinced less by what we say and more by how we live.

That is why God's reign becomes visible whenever the Gospel is lived in everyday life—in forgiveness when resentment seems justified, in compassion when ignoring another's needs would be easier, in service when self-interest is more convenient, and in courage when silence would be safer. In these moments, God's love becomes tangible, and others can encounter him through us.

The kingdom of God is among us. The question is whether we will recognize it, live it, and help others discover it through the witness of our lives. For the deepest truth of human history is not misery or suffering, but the faithful and enduring love of God.

13/06/2026

Parish Bulletin: 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time in Year A (14 June 2026)

10/06/2026

🍇 Setting up a vineyard from scratch carried a powerful reminder of the Gospel passage about the true vine.

Min Wullems, a member of JISA’s Being with God in Nature ministry, writes: “What was Jesus trying to teach me with the metaphor of the vineyard? In the Gospel reading, the Father is the vinedresser and Jesus is the vine. If we are not connected to the vine, we wither and die. If we are fruitful, the vinedresser will prune us as part of the process, so that we will produce even more fruit.”

Find out more:
👉 https://jesuit.org.au/bearing-fruit/

📸 Photo by Lucas Kulla, Unsplash

10/06/2026

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’

07/06/2026

Holy Family Parish Mt Druitt Multicultural Celebration - 7 June 2026
PART II - THE MULTICULTURAL FELLOWSHIP LUNCH

Following the conclusion of the Mass, the Parish Community proceeded to the school grounds to come together for lunch sharing cuisine of our countries of origin. Food was sumptuous and in abundance, everyone thoroughly enjoyed being with each other. What a wonderful Parish Community we have.🙏🩷

07/06/2026

Holy Family Parish Mt Druitt Multicultural Celebration - 7 June 2026
Showcasing the diversity and rich culture of our Parish, on this special feast of Corpus Christi, we celebrated our Multicultural Day.
PART I - The Eucharistic Celebration
The 10:30 am. Mass was Presided by Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv (Bishop of the Diocese of Parramatta, with Fr Cao SJ, Fr Renato SJ, Fr Martin SJ, Fr Marcus (Tongan Chaplain) as concelebrants.

07/06/2026

Holy Family Parish Mt Druitt Multicultural Celebration - 7 June 2026
Showcasing the diversity and rich culture of our Parish, on this special feast of Corpus Christi, we celebrated our Multicultural Day.
PART I - The Eucharistic Celebration
The 10:30 am. Mass was Presided by Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv (Bishop of the Diocese of Parramatta, with Fr Cao SJ, Fr Renato SJ, Fr Martin SJ, Fr Marcus (Samoan Chaplain) as concelebrants.
We had four choirs singing various parts of the mass and the Liturgy of the Word were said in various languages. It was a wonderful celebration indeed.

07/06/2026

Multicultural Celebration Corpus Christi Sunday 2026

A heartfelt thank you to His Excellency Bishop Vincent Long for celebrating our Corpus Christi Mass today. We’re so grateful to have you at our parish this morning and we thank you for making this celebration of the Body and Blood of Christ so special for our Holy Family Mt Druitt community.

Thank you to all our cultural communities for coming together to put on such a victorious event for our parish.

God bless you all, have a wonderful long weekend ✨

06/06/2026

Reflection for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi Sunday)

Eucharist as “the greatest mark of God’s love.” - the key to understanding our redemption- our liberation The Feast of Corpus Christi—the celebration of the Body and Blood of Christ—is one of the most profound solemnities in the Catholic Church. It honors the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist: the source and summit of our faith.
Eucharist What do we do at the Eucharist? Basically we do two things: First, we remember and we give thanks. The word ‘Eucharist’ is derived from a Greek word for ‘thanks’. Above all, we remember with deep gratitude all that God has done for us in Jesus Christ, through his life, suffering, death and resurrection. Jesus suffering a death as Jesus greatest work. It is what he came to do. The moment at the last supper when Jesus gave his body and blood for us to eat as the greatest mark of his love. The Eucharist explains the meaning of Jesus passion and death. Eucharist tells us that Jesus holds nothing back from us in his love.
Jesus gave himself to be our food. How much does God love us? We can consume him That’s how much he loves us. The Eucharist explains the cross- a truth that the Eucharist proclaims more simply - that love costs. It takes a lot to redeem mankind. Jesus is willing to do that. He did that as the risen Jesus - he is our liberation from all that enslaves us and from the power of death.
Saint Paul says to us in today’s first letter to the Corinthians by “ the cup of blessings that we bless, is it not a sharing in the Blood of Christ? The bread that we break is it not a sharing in the Body of Christ? Because there is one bread we who are many are one body for we partake of the one bread.” The body we celebrate is the body of the Risen Jesus
Second, we come together to celebrate our being a community and a fellowship in Christ. The fellowship with the risen the Christ is the reception of his body and blood at communion. When we approach the altar table to receive communion, the priest says, “The Body of Christ.” When we say our “Amen” of assent to faith we need to be aware that the Body we are receiving is that Risen Body of Jesus, of which each one present is a part.
Our fellowship with Christ through the Eucharist “ The blessing cup we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ. And the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. ”Thus we cannot have fellowship with God unless we have fellowship with each other. And the Eucharist is the visible bond which both signifies this fellowship and helps to bring it about. Our Eucharistic communion with God and our brothers and sisters is a call to respond to those in need in our world and where we live. Like Jesus before sitting with his disciples at his last supper what did he do- he washed their feet. Asking us to day to serve. As he did. “ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me..” Matthew 25:35-6

Anima Christi, (soul of Christ) a contemporary translation
by Fr. David Fleming, S.J.

Jesus, may all that is you flow into me.
May your body and blood be my food and drink.
May your passion and death be my strength and life.
Jesus, with you by my side, enough has been given.
May the shelter I seek be the shadow your cross.
Let me not run from the love which you offer,
but hold me safe from the forces of evil.
On each my dying’s shed your light and your love.
Keep calling to me until that day comes, when, with your saints,
I may praise you forever.
Amen.

06/06/2026

Parish Bulletin: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ in Year A - Corpus Christi Sunday (7th June 2026)

06/06/2026

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

Mark 12:38-44

In his teaching Jesus said, ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted obsequiously in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; these are the men who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.’
He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal. A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.’

03/06/2026

Congratulations to our newly Confirmed young people!

Last night, our parish community gathered in great joy as our children received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

We congratulate each of them on this important step in their faith journey and pray that the Holy Spirit continues to guide, strengthen and inspire them in their lives as disciples of Christ.

We thank Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv for celebrating the Sacrament with us, together with our concelebrating priests, Fr Cao, Fr Renato and Fr Martin. We are also grateful to Marissa and our Sacramental Team, families, and sponsors, who have supported our candidates throughout their preparation.

May the gifts of the Holy Spirit—wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord—remain alive in their hearts as they continue to grow in faith and love.

Come, Holy Spirit!

02/06/2026

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

Mark 12:18-27

Some Sadducees – who deny that there is a resurrection – came to him and they put this question to him, ‘Master, we have it from Moses in writing, if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first married a wife and then died leaving no children. The second married the widow, and he too died leaving no children; with the third it was the same, and none of the seven left any children. Last of all the woman herself died. Now at the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be, since she had been married to all seven?’
Jesus said to them, ‘Is not the reason why you go wrong, that you understand neither the scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, men and women do not marry; no, they are like the angels in heaven. Now about the dead rising again, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him and said: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? He is God, not of the dead, but of the living. You are very much mistaken.’

01/06/2026

01/06/2026

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

Mark 12:1-12

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes and the elders in parables: ‘A man planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug out a trough for the winepress and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce from the vineyard. But they seized the man, thrashed him and sent him away empty-handed. Next he sent another servant to them; him they beat about the head and treated shamefully. And he sent another and him they killed; then a number of others, and they thrashed some and killed the rest. He had still someone left: his beloved son. He sent him to them last of all. “They will respect my son” he said. But those tenants said to each other, “This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” So they seized him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and make an end of the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this text of scripture:

It was the stone rejected by the builders
that became the keystone.
This was the Lord’s doing
and it is wonderful to see?

And they would have liked to arrest him, because they realised that the parable was aimed at them, but they were afraid of the crowds. So they left him alone and went away.

31/05/2026

30/05/2026

Reflection for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Today we celebrate a special feast day, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. What does this really mean for us?

In our Second Reading (2 Cor 13: 11-13, Paul offers some simple, sound advice to the Corinthians and succeeding generations (including us!): “try to grow perfect, help one another, be united, live in peace” (v11).

Paul then adds this blessing:
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (v.13).

These words, which we often hear as a greeting at the beginning of Mass, sum up Christian faith in the Trinity. Truly, they are food for deep reflection, and motivation for daily living.

When we were baptised, we became part of the COMMUNITY OF GOD. We were immersed into relationship with the Trinity... Father, Son and Holy Spirit: we were invited to imitate this interpersonal, divine communion not only on the day of our baptism but throughout our lives. Hence, today’s feast day reminds us of Trinitarian love. We give thanks to God’s love for each one of us. We endeavour to be open to the action of God’s Spirit in and among us. We strive to live in harmony with one another and with all of creation.

Loving God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
you have made yourself known to us,
a God of tenderness and compassion,
a God who lives in us and through us.
May our ready kindness to those whose lives we touch
remind the world of your love for us and for all creation.
Amen.

30/05/2026

Parish Bulletin: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Sunday in Year A (31st May 2026)

30/05/2026

Hi everyone,
Please come to mass tomorrow. Atalliah will be here with us he has a lot of beautiful Catholic items to sell in order to raise much needed funds for the Catholic families in Bethlehem.

All items are from the Holy Land. Hope to see you there. God bless you all.

www.bethlehemolivewood.com.au

30/05/2026

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

Mark 11:27-33

Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem, and as Jesus was walking in the Temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? Or who gave you authority to do these things?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you a question, only one; answer me and I will tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: did it come from heaven, or from man? Answer me that.’ And they argued it out this way among themselves: ‘If we say from heaven, he will say, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?” But dare we say from man?’ – they had the people to fear, for everyone held that John was a real prophet. So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’

29/05/2026

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

Mark 11:11-26

After he had been acclaimed by the crowds, Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the Temple. He looked all round him, but as it was now late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
Next day as they were leaving Bethany, he felt hungry. Seeing a fig tree in leaf some distance away, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it, but when he came up to it he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs. And he addressed the fig tree. ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again’ he said. And his disciples heard him say this.
So they reached Jerusalem and he went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling and buying there; he upset the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling pigeons. Nor would he allow anyone to carry anything through the Temple. And he taught them and said, ‘Does not scripture say: My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples? But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.’ This came to the ears of the chief priests and the scribes, and they tried to find some way of doing away with him; they were afraid of him because the people were carried away by his teaching. And when evening came he went out of the city.
Next morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered to the roots. Peter remembered. ‘Look, Rabbi,’ he said to Jesus, ‘the fig tree you cursed has withered away.’ Jesus answered, ‘Have faith in God. I tell you solemnly, if anyone says to this mountain, “Get up and throw yourself into the sea,” with no hesitation in his heart but believing that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. I tell you therefore: everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours. And when you stand in prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your failings too. But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your failings either.’

27/05/2026

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

Mark 10:46-52
Go; your faith has saved you

As Jesus left Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and to say, ‘Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.’ And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him here.’ So they called the blind man. ‘Courage,’ they said ‘get up; he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. Then Jesus spoke, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Rabbuni,’ the blind man said to him ‘Master, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has saved you.’ And immediately his sight returned and he followed him along the road.

26/05/2026

This week is National Reconciliation Week, a time for all Australians to reflect, learn, and continue walking together towards a more just and hopeful future.

As our Diocesan Pastoral Plan reminds us, we are called to engage in meaningful dialogue with local Aboriginal communities, to listen deeply, share stories, and learn from their wisdom and connection to Country (Resolution 2B).

Through the work of our Parishes, Schools and agencies such as Catholic Care Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains, we continue to walk alongside First Nations peoples in support of stronger, healthier, and more equitable futures.

May we continue to build bridges of understanding and respect across our communities.

Learn more at parracatholic.org/ATSI-support

26/05/2026

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

Mark 10:32-45

The disciples were on the road, going up to Jerusalem; Jesus was walking on ahead of them; they were in a daze, and those who followed were apprehensive. Once more taking the Twelve aside he began to tell them what was going to happen to him: ‘Now we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the pagans, who will mock him and spit at him and scourge him and put him to death; and after three days he will rise again.’
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached him. ‘Master,’ they said to him ‘we want you to do us a favour.’ He said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ They said to him, ‘Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.’ ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus said to them. ‘Can you drink the cup that I must drink, or be baptised with the baptism with which I must be baptised?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I must drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I must be baptised you shall be baptised, but as for seats at my right hand or my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted.’
When the other ten heard this they began to feel indignant with James and John, so Jesus called them to him and said to them, ‘You know that among the pagans their so-called rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all. For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’

25/05/2026

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

John 19:25-27

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.