Fr Tom, Fr Damian and the Parish Council welcome you to the Our Lady of Lourdes parish website. We hope that in the months and years to come it will prove a great resource for us all.
So, what can you find here? On the home page you will find the newsletter, news stories and, on the right-hand column, the newest and most popular items on the site, the readings from Sunday's Mass and people who need our prayers. From the home page you'll find links to the other sections of the website, so take a few minutes and browse around. There's a gallery of pictures from parish events and outings (and a friendly wave - scroll down a little to see it); the times of Masses and prayer groups; details of all the many ministries that go towards running the Parish; and information about the many social and prayer groups in the Parish. Until I set about compiling this website I had not the slightest idea of the range of activities that go on here, so this is your chance to explore some of them (and then, don't forget to bookmark the site).
But that's not all. Fr John McDade has agreed to answer questions submitted to him in a regular 'Ask the Theologian ' feature (sadly, the intention was there, but time has proved unstretchable, so this is currently on hiatus); there's a comment column; the first in a series on the sacraments ; a fine article on why and how to pray from Fr Damian (if you want to know how to pray, ask a Carmelite); and a directory to the many people who help in the running of the Parish. Now I know there are people and groups I've missed out and if you're one of them, please contact me so I can put that right.
Other notable articles I would like to point out include Stephen Coleman's memories of the parish from the 1930s and '40s, what Mothers' Prayers means to one woman, a young parishioner's experiences at Sydney WYD, a gallery of photos from the old days of the parish, some classic religious bloopers and a short film on what the Catholic Church is.
One thing you'll notice as you browse around the site is that my name appears as the author of far too many articles. I hope that you will change that. This website is for and by the parish and we need people to write and photograph for it. You don't have to be a Thomas Aquinas or a Charles Dickens: we are looking for people of all backgrounds and abilities. Suppose you entered the Church through the RCIA programme, then why not write about it? Did you see Kolbe's Gift recently? Post a review . Is there an event coming up that you'd like advertised? Then let us know. And if you'd like to write comment or news stories , we'd be delighted to hear from you. In the weeks to come we plan to introduce further features, so keep coming back for updates.
Remember, a website is only as good as the material that is produced on it and, in this digital age, a website that is not frequently updated is a website that dies. There's a great deal of talent and good will in this Parish, let's put it to use.