If we want to evangelise, we need a Mass to which we can invite our friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
9.00am Sunday Family Mass each week at St Mary\u2019s North Sydney offers that opportunity. In droves! It has music which is led by a combination of adults and children. The sound fills the Church and uplifts everyone\u2019s spirits. There is an excellent blend of hymns. The Mass parts for children are perfect, full or energy and so engaging. The accompanying gestures for children are well choregraphed so everyone can take part, even the somewhat uncoordinated persons like myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is very professional use of AV, with hymns, relevant elements of a Mass, ads during announcements and lots more professionally inserted in a helpful but subtle way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The homilies range from pretty good to beyond excellent. Fr Richard Leonard is of course a star, but all the priests bring current events, engaging stories and practical suggestions to enrich their opening up of the Gospel and readings. And you can hear that they are thinking of the whole audience, children and grown-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A four-year-old passed the collection plate around our pews this week, supervised by a knowledgeable eight-year-old. Children lead the prayers of the faithful. They speak at times and often lead the responsorial psalms. They gather ever so reverently around the altar to participate fully, with the safety net of a few mums and dads for those less adventurous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There isn\u2019t a cup of tea after every week, but when there is it is well-promoted, and it is a very friendly and well-catered opportunity to meet others in the community. Which is great, because those who bring their children and grandchildren along know that, along with the joyous Mass, good hospitality will help keep those kids coming back again and again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
by Martin Teulan<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If we want to evangelise, we need a Mass to which we can invite our friends. 9.00am Sunday Family Mass each week at St Mary\u2019s North Sydney offers that opportunity. In droves! It has music which is led by a combination of adults and children. The sound fills the Church and uplifts everyone\u2019s spirits. There […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":27859,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[38,45,26,44,24,55,8,32,50,41,25,51,34,54,47,31,42,39,48,46,52,40,37,35,28,43,53,36,27,33,29],"class_list":["post-27857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsletter","tag-ancient-wisdom","tag-contemplative-prayer","tag-enlightenment","tag-guided-meditation","tag-inner-peace","tag-introspection","tag-lectio-divina","tag-lectio-divina-for-beginners","tag-life-transformation","tag-meditation-guide","tag-meditation-mastery","tag-meditation-tips","tag-mindfulness","tag-mindfulness-meditation","tag-mindfulness-practices","tag-mindfulness-techniques","tag-personal-development","tag-reflect-and-transform","tag-reflective-living","tag-sacred-reading","tag-self-discovery","tag-self-help","tag-soulful-journey","tag-soulful-living","tag-spiritual-awakening","tag-spiritual-growth","tag-spiritual-guide","tag-spiritual-insights","tag-spiritual-practice","tag-spiritual-reflection","tag-transformative-journey"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t