ORDAINED MINISTERS
Fr. John McSweeny
Parish Priest
Over the 40 years since his ordination, Fr John has served as Parish Priest at St Finbar’s Glenbrook, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, and Parish Priest of St John XXIII Glenwood-Stanhope Gardens. He has also spent 20 years in the Australian Navy as a reserve chaplain, and was the first Australian chaplain in Baghdad at the end of the Second Iraq War in 2003. Fr John obtained his Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, and has lectured at the Catholic Institute of Sydney and St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College. “Certainly, scripture is the way that I relate to God… My spirituality is a very scriptural spirituality”, he explains. Reflecting on life, he says that “contentment is more important than happiness, [because] contentment is something that links into the whole concept of Christian joy, whereby we can still be joyful, even in the midst of disaster”.
Fr. Peter Lamont
Assistant Priest
Fr Peter Lamont was born in St Margaret’s Hospital, Darlinghurst and grew up in Blacktown. He joined the St Patrick’s Seminary at Manly in 1981 and was ordained a priest in 1986 at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. He has served as priest in numerous parishes across Western Sydney. Prior to his current appointment, he served as priest at Holy Name of Mary Parish, Rydalmere from 2006 to 2022. Fr Peter sees first hand the joy that the sacraments, particularly the Mass and Reconciliation, brings to people. “We have to rely on God”, he says, “we can’t do it on our own.”
Rev. Allan Sofic
Deacon
I grew up in Wollongong the son of migrant parents. My father worked in the steelworks as a Fitter. I studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Wollongong, graduating in 1990 and have worked ever since as an Electrical Engineer. I started formation for the Diaconate in 2017 and am still finishing my degree in Theology. I see my function as a Deacon as being rather flexible, at the moment due to time constraints its limited to my service at Masses and conducting Baptisms but it will no doubt expand and change as time goes on.
MINISTRIES AND SERVICE GROUPS
| Annual Combined Churches Flower Festival | David Buckley | |
| Biggest Morning Tea | Frances Huckstepp | |
| Care Group | Monica Bright | |
| Catholic Church and Mission Discussion Group | Clive Kanes | |
| Church Care | Julie Hodgkinson John Tweedie | |
| Church Maintenance Team | Lance Hodgkinson (Blackheath and Megalong) Murray Stewart (Mt Victoria) | |
| Community Kitchen Garden | Brian Bright | |
| Counters | John Tweedie | |
| Cuppa’s Together | Julie O’Keeffe | |
| Earthcare Parish | Julie O’Keeffe | |
| Finance Committee | John Tweedie | |
| Flower Team | David Buckley Julie Hodgkinson | |
| Hospitality and Morning Tea (roster) | Christine Burke | |
| Liturgy (roster) | Pat Wicks | |
| Music Ministry | Barry McDonnell | |
| Parish Pastoral Council | Graham Beal | |
| Peace, Justice and Ecology | David Buckley | |
| Prayers of the Faithful | Clive Kanes | |
| RCIA | Priest or Office | |
| Readers | Priest or Office | |
| Sacraments – 1st Communion and Reconciliation | Maureen Ryan | |
| Season of Creation | Julie O’Keeffe | |
| Senior Servers and Acolytes | Priest or Office | |
| Social and Fundraising Activities | Marilyn Rowe | |
| Social Media/ Facebook | Frances Huckstep | |
| Soup Kitchen | Pamela Nash | |
| Special Religious Education | Pat Drummond | |
| Blackheath Conference, St Vincent De Paul Society | John Tweedie | |
| World Day of Prayer | Diane Stewart | |