Solemnity of The Assumption of Our Blessed Mother
15 August

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Holy day of obligation. This year the Solemnity falls on Saturday 15 August.
There will be three Masses celebrated in the Parish.
St Benedict’s Shrine Smithfield:
Friday 14th August Vigil of the Solemnity at 7:00 pm and
Saturday 15th August at 10:30 am
St Therese Church Fairfield West
Saturday 15th August at 8:00 am

NSW Health Recommendation:
Wearing face Masks Recently, the NSW Premier has now recommended that people wear masks when they are in crowded places and social distancing is not easy to maintain. She cites as examples public transport and places of worship.
I thank our parishioners for their great efforts maintaining their social distance, but because people remain together there for 40 or more minutes, it would seem that masks will provide an additional safeguard.
It is not compulsory in NSW but strongly recommended. The primary precautions remain hand sanitising and distance.

Thank you!
The Parish extends sincere thanks and gratitude to all Parishioners who generously gave donations for the purchase of the Liturgical Items for both St Benedict’s Shrine Smithfield and St Therese Church Fairfield West (including those who requested to remain anonymous)

Parish Pastoral Council
The Parish Pastoral Council met on Tuesday 11th August. The main focus of the meeting was to discuss the results of the Parish Mass timetable Questionnaire.
The results of the questionnaire favoured that 7:30am Parish Mass to be celebrated in English at St. Therese and 9:00am Parish Mass in Italian at St. Benedict’s Shrine.
More details regarding the questionnaire and other items that were discussed at the PPC will be presented by a Council member at Mass this weekend.

Upcoming Celebrations:
Solemnity of Our Lady of Jasna Gora
The Solemnity of Our Lady of Jasna Gora will be celebrated on Wednesday 26th August. Tradition tells us that the original Icon, which is in the Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa Poland, was painted by St. Luke the Evangelist.
The Pauline Fathers are custodians of the Icon and it holds a very special place in the spirituality of the Order.
There will be two Masses celebrated on the Solemnity: St. Therese at 7:00am and at St Benedict’s 7:00pm Wednesday evening.