On Sunday 15 May, Carmelite Blessed Titus Brandsma will be canonised at a Mass led by Pope Francis in Rome. Titus was a martyr of the Second World War, one of ten Carmelites killed at the Dachau Concentration Camp.
The Carmelites of Australia and Timor Leste have prepared a series of articles about the Carmelite family’s newest saint. The buttons below will allow you to access these materials on their website.
If your child is baptised, and you believe that you and your child are ready to prepare for, and participate in their celebration of the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Communion or Confirmation this year, then you are invited to enrol in this process.
Further easing of COVID-19 restrictions took effect on 18 February. This means that Masses and other parish activities may return to pre-COVID arrangements in large part, and that Service NSW Check In is no longer required. If you have stayed at home since the last lockdown, we are ready to welcome you back to church.
If, however, you are displaying COVID symptoms, please stay at home until you have recovered. We ask this to ensure the safety of you and our whole community.
The wearing of face masks at church remains mandatory for another week. From Friday 25 February, the wearing of face masks is encouraged (especially when physical distancing is not possible) but no longer mandatory.
We understand that some people may still need to celebrate Sunday at home (for example, people who are sick or whose health makes them vulnerable). We will continue to share resources for praying at home on our website from The Carmelites of Australia and Timor-Leste, Mass for You at Home, and our diocesan cathedral.
In 2020, when COVID-19 restrictions were first put in place, Bishop Vincent Long temporarily suspended the obligation of Catholics in the Diocese of Parramatta to participate in Sunday Mass. Since attendance limits were lifted in New South Wales in December, the Sunday Mass obligation has been restored. You at not required, however, to participate in Mass if you are unwell, and Communion can be brought to those who are sick or housebound. Contact us if you require this support.
Yesterday, the NSW Government reinstated requirements for face masks to be worn in indoor venues. As such, everyone must wear a mask while in the church and parish centre. All other requirements for places of worship, including mandatory check in on arrival, remain in place.
Further easing of COVID-19 restrictions took effect on 15 December.
Last year, when COVID-19 restrictions were first put in place, Bishop Vincent Long temporarily suspended the obligation of Catholics in the Diocese of Parramatta to participate in Sunday Mass. Now that all attendance limits have been lifted in New South Wales, the Sunday Mass obligation has been restored.
Recent changes to the COVID roadmap by the NSW Government mean that additional easing of restrictions for places of worship took effect from Monday 8 November.
As places of worship need to comply with government regulations, anyone coming to Mass will need to abide by the following:
Attendance at weddings and funerals where attendees are fully vaccinated is now limited to 1 person per 2 square metres. Strict limits still apply if there are unvaccinated attendees.
From 15 December, or when 95% vaccination rate is reaches (whichever comes first), all members of the assembly may sing.
We look forward to seeing parishioners back at Mass when they are ready to return.
As the 80% vaccination rate in New South Wales has been reached earlier than anticipated, the next easing of COVID restrictions will take effect from tomorrow, Monday 18 October.
As places of worship need to comply with government regulations, anyone coming to Mass will need to abide by the following:
Restrictions will ease further on 1 December, allowing increased capacity and singing.
We look forward to seeing parishioners back at Mass when they are ready to return.
Recently the NSW Government announced its “roadmap” for the easing of restrictions. These are expected to begin during the course of this month, once 70% of people in NSW aged 16 and over have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Further easing of restrictions will take place when the double-dose vaccination rate reaches 80%, and again at 90%.
At the 80% rate, Masses can resume for all who wish to attend (in keeping with capacity limits). So that no one is excluded from participating in Mass if they so wish, the church will remain closed for Masses until that point, which is expected to occur by November.
This is in keeping with today’s request by Bishop Vincent Long. The Archdiocese of Sydney, the Diocese of Broken Bay and the Diocese of Wollongong (which, along with our diocese, cover all the parishes in Greater Metropolitan Sydney) will also resume the celebration of Mass at that time. The Bishops of NSW are concerned that any earlier resumption of Masses, while permissible, would exclude those who are not fully vaccinated at that time.
We thank you for your continued patience and support, and we look forward to being able to welcome you back to the church soon.
In the meantime, if you have not received a COVID-19 vaccination, we strongly recommend that you do so as soon as possible. Our Carmelite Community and our parish office staff are fully vaccinated, and recommend that everyone does the same for the protection of themselves, their loved ones, and our whole community.
Our bishop, Most Rev Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv, has today released a pastoral letter about COVID-19 vaccination. In the letter, he affirms that receiving the COVID-19 vaccination is in accordance with Catholic teaching, and encourages all eligible people within the Diocese to get vaccinated.
Particularly as our state is challenged by the highly contagious delta variant of the virus, everyone is urged to get vaccinated. Parishioners wanting to get the COVID-19 vaccine should consult the NSW Government website for information about clinics set up in the local area, or speak to their doctor.
Information current as at 28 July 2021
Today, the NSW Government has announced a further extension to stay-at-home orders for the whole for the Greater Sydney area. The lockdown now remains in effect until 12:01 am on Saturday 28 August.
As such, all Masses are still cancelled, and the church remains closed.
Funerals may be celebrated, but under specific restrictions. Please contact the parish office should you need to discuss the options that are possible.
Provided these restrictions do not change, Mass will resume again on Saturday 28 August.
Thank you for your cooperation with these government requirements.
As parishioners cannot attend Mass, we have returned to providing our Celebration of the Word for God for use at home in its original, Sunday-specific format while stay-at-home orders are in place. Masses are being live streamed from St Patrick’s Cathedral via the Diocesan YouTube Channel and St Patrick’s Cathedral Facebook page. Mass for You At Home can be viewed on Channel 10 (Sunday 6:00 am), or on demand via 10play, YouTube, or the Mass for You at Home website.
While restrictions remain in place, Bishop Vincent’s dispensation from the obligation to participate in Sunday Mass remains in place in the Diocese of Parramatta.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Wentworthville 