Alleluia, He is Risen!

This joyful proclamation announces the most funda-mental truth of Christianity: after passion and death, after the pain and uncertainty of tomorrow, there has been a resurrection. With faith, today we stand before the empty tomb, from which flows the joyful message: The Lord is not there, he is risen. The heart of our Easter joy is Christ, “the victor of death, hell and Satan.”

“The Resurrection of Christ teaches us that no human history marked by disappointment or sin is beyond the reach of hope. No fall is final, no night lasts forever, no wound remains open forever. The Risen Lord stands beside each of us as we go through our lives and gen-tly asks us to let him ignite our hearts. He does not force himself; he does not expect instant recognition. Instead, he patiently waits for the moment when our eyes will be open to see his friendly face, capable of transforming disappointment into trusting expectation, sadness into gratitude, and resignation into hope.

Let us seek from Him the grace to perceive His humble and unobtrusive presence, so that we do not demand a life devoid of trials. Instead, let us discover that every pain, if filled with love, can transform into a joy born from the certainty that the Lord lives, walks beside us, and offers us the chance to start afresh at every moment.” (Pope Leo XIV).

Let’s share the Easter joy with everyone around us, especially those who are yet to discover the Lord’s presence.

Wishing you and your families a truly blessed and joyful Easter!

Fr Jan

EASTER SUNDAY NO 5.30 PM MASS AT JINDALEE
Easter Monday 6 April 9am Mass Jindalee Public Holiday

Thank you

Each year, the Holy Triduum presents us with the meaningful celebrations of Holy Thursday (the Lord’s Supper), Good Friday (The Passion of the Lord), and Easter Vigil (the Resurrection of the Lord). Holy Triduum
is a special time and place where God reaches out to us through the Sacraments of the Church.

Today, I thank the parishioners of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and the Twelve Apostles for their generous dedication in preparing the sacred space, rituals, and ceremonies for the Holy Triduum. Today, I want to sincerely thank everyone who generously volunteered and contributed to our parish’s Holy Triduum celebrations. So many parishioners dedicated their time and effort—whether setting up and tidying our Churches, proclaiming the Word of God (readers), administering Holy Communion, decorating with beautiful flowers, cleaning sacred vessels, playing musical instruments, singing solos or as part of the choir, serving at the altar, preparing music booklets, and handling a variety of other important tasks—both big and small.

Your kindness and dedication truly made these sacred days special for everyone, and I am deeply grateful for your help.

Fr Jan

Divine Mercy Sunday, April 12, Jindalee Church 11 am – 3.30 pm

Parishioners and visitors are invited to join us in celebrating Divine Mercy
Sunday at Twelve Apostles Jindalee. The program includes talks, adoration, confession, Benediction, praying the chaplet, and more.

Please bring your own lunch; tea and coffee will be provided. The detailed program is displayed on posters at the entrances of both our churches.

The Easter Holy Water

In every culture, water represents purification. For us Christians, water also symbolises baptism and rebirth. Holy water, which has been ritually blessed during the Easter Vigil, is regarded as a sacramental. Sacramentals are “sacred signs that bear a resemblance to the sacraments, through which the faithful gain access to the stream of divine grace that flows from the paschal mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection— the source from which all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, No. 60).

In the past, every Catholic home would have a bottle of holy water. This tradition seems to have diminished in recent years, so let us revive this lovely custom by bringing a bottle of Easter water into your home. The small bottles are located at the baptismal font in the church’s sanctuary of the Twelve Apostles, and you are most welcome to come and fill them with Easter water. You can use this blessed Easter water for special prayers
and blessings at home.

Stations of the Cross will be conducted every Saturday, immediately after the 9.00 am Mass at Darra starting Sat 21st Feb and ending Sat 28th March.

Agape Charismatic Prayer Group Meeting – Friday 6th March, AGAPE will start at 7pm at Jindalee Church with Stations of the Cross (throughout the Lenten season) to be followed by praise and worship. All are welcome.

Pilgrimage to Poland, Austria and Hungary September 9—23, 2026

Pilgrims with Fr Jan will explore the religious sites of Poznan, Warsaw, Niepoka-lanow, Black Madonna Shrine, Krakow, Divine Mercy Shrine, Wadowice, Wieliczka (salt mine), Vienna, shrines of Melk Krems, Bratislava, Budapest, St Stephens Cathedral, Hungarian Parliament, Gellert Hill and more. Mass will be celebrated daily. 25 people are required for the pilgrimage to go ahead.

The cost is 3580 euros pp excluding air fare and insurance.

All enquiries contact parish office.

24-hour Eucharistic Adoration at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, Darra.

The adoration will begin with the 6 pm Mass on Thursday March 19, the Feast of St Joseph, and conclude with Benediction on Fri-day evening at 6 pm. This offers a wonderful opportunity to spend time in front of the Blessed Sacrament during this Lent. At the back of our two churches, there are sheets/cards with the schedule to ensure at least two people are in the church during these 24 hours of adoration.

There are 30-minute intervals to maintain the continuous presence of at least two parishioners. If staying for half an hour is challenging, drop in for 10-15 minutes on your way to shopping, a medical appointment, picking up children from school, etc. During adoration, there will be an opportunity for Reconciliation (Confession).

During Lent, additional confessions will be offered on Tuesdays (Jindalee) and Wednesdays (Darra) after the 9 am Masses, when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed.

First Friday Adoration each month beginning Friday 6 February after the 6 pm Mass.

The monthly Saturday Adoration will be moved to the first Friday of each month. After the 6 pm Mass at Darra, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed until 10 pm. During the exposition, the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) will be available.

In the last few months leading up to Christmas, the number of parishioners who would stay behind after the 6 pm Saturday Mass dropped significantly. The first Friday of the month holds a significant place in the Catholic tradition, and I believe more parishioners will stay behind to spend time with the Lord. Another reason is the Sacrament of Reconciliation celebrated on the first Saturday of the month. Most of the time, there are many penitents for Confession after the 9 am Mass. Also, on Saturday at 11 am, the Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated, and it is often challenging to be back on time for the Baptism at Jindalee.

Having extra time for the Reconciliation on the first Friday during Adoration will reduce the number of penitents on Saturday morning.

God Bless Fr Jan

Honouring the Memory of Fr Dan

As we reflect on the incredible legacy of Fr Dan, who faithfully served as our parish priest, we are inviting all parishioners to help us build a lasting tribute to his memory.

We are currently gathering photos, audio/video recordings, printed materials, and personal stories that capture Fr Dan’s time in the parish. Whether it’s a photo from a special Mass, a recording of his homilies, a bulletin he wrote, or a story you remember—every piece helps tell the story of his impact on our community.

Please email to Valentinaslozada@gmail.com. Every contribution—no
matter how small—helps us build a meaningful archive for current and future generations.

Let’s come together to honour Fr Dan’s life and the incredible role he
played in shaping our parish family.

DARRA JINDALEE PARISH MEDIA
The Darra Jindalee Parish take and use images and videos to celebrate
achievements, promote works and events, and other purposes to help achieve the Church’s mission.

Images may appear in, for example, newsletters, bulletins, posters, on
the Parish/Archdiocesan website, on social media platform, on a live streaming video platform and other promotional media/materials.

The parish has appointed Luisa Laughren and Natania Butler of NatImage to capture images and media files which are then respectfully stored and managed on behalf of the parish as per Archdiocesan media protocols.

Should you not wish to be in any of the future parish media images and videos please advise the parish office at ym.darjin@bne.catholic.net.au.

This Franciscan Jubilee Year, is considered a gift for the entire
Church and an occasion for authentic spiritual renewal.

Until Jan. 10 of next year 2027, the faithful can obtain this grace under the usual conditions — sacramental confession, Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the pope — by making a pilgrimage to any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship dedicated to St. Francis anywhere in the world.

Furthermore, the elderly, the sick, and those who, for serious reasons, cannot leave their homes can obtain the plenary indulgence by spiritually joining in the jubilee celebrations and offering their prayers, pains, or sufferings to God.

In a world where “the virtual takes over the real, disagreements and social violence are part of everyday life, and peace becomes more insecure and distant every day, this Year of St. Francis spurs all of us, each according to our possibilities, to imitate the poor man of Assisi, to form ourselves as far as possible on the model of Christ,” the decree states.

St. Francis reminds us that “peace with God, peace among people, and peace with creation are inseparable dimensions of a single call to universal reconciliation.”

Dear Parents,

Every year, the parish Sacramental Programs prepare your children and your families for the Sacraments of Eucharist, Confirmation and Reconciliation. These programs are one of the most important pastoral activities of the parish. Many thanks for your generous participation in this program.

Over the last 4 years, we have followed the sequence outlined in the archdiocesan policy: (1) Confirmation; (2) Eucharist with “little” Reconciliation, and then, in Year 5, the “full” (3) Reconciliation.

In this frame, Reconciliation was addressed twice: First, at the time of the Eucharist and then, a year later, on its own. This format caused considerable confusion and impracticability for the parents and the parish.

Taking this experience and some comments from the parents into account, I have decided to simplify and clarify the existing format.

From this year onwards, the 2nd Reconciliation in Year 5 will be brought forward and incorporated into the program that prepares children for the Eucharist. This year, 2026, the Sacrament of the Eucharist will be combined with Reconciliation. It will start with the Parents’ Information Evenings on Monday, 9 February (Darra), and Tuesday, 10 February (Jindalee), both at 6:30 pm.

Registration for Reconciliation/Eucharist will commence on Monday, 19 January 2026. (Reconciliation) and Monday, March 9, 2026 (Eucharist), The Parents’ Information Evenings will outline the parents’ role and the timetable for activities leading up to the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

The Sacrament of Eucharist will be celebrated on – (1) Sunday, 14 June, at 11:00 am, at Darra and on (2) Sunday, 21 June, at 11:00 am, at Jindalee.
The registration for the Sacrament of Confirmation will commence on Monday, 3 August 2026, with Parents’ Information Evenings on Monday, 7 September at Darra and Tuesday, 8 September at Jindalee, both sessions at 6:30 pm.

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Tuesday, 3 November, at 6:30 pm at the Church of the Twelve Apostles, Jindalee.

Having outlined the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation, there is an additional program for children who celebrated Eucharist in 2025. Since they have not yet celebrated the full Sacrament of Reconciliation, an additional program will prepare them for this Sacrament by exploring the full meaning of God’s mercy and the reality of sin.

This program will begin with the Parents’ Information Evening on Monday, 20 July, and Reconciliation will be celebrated on Tuesday, 1 September, for students of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School (during school hours) and Wednesday, 2 September, for children outside the Parish school.

I pray in the hope that this new format will simplify and be more beneficial for the children as they grow in the faith given to them at Baptism.

Thank you for your understanding as we face this transitional phase of our Sacramental Program setup in Darra Jindalee.

The Sacramental Program team and I look forward to this journey with you, your children, and the Parish School.

God Bless,
Fr Jan Bialasiewicz
Parish Priest

Flocknote Get Connected!

Have you registered online as a member of our parish? All parishioners are invited to register using Flocknote, our new church designed, Australia-wide data programme. One way to register is to use your phone and scan the QR code below. It will take you directly to the parish sign-up page. You will then receive an email with a confirmation code that allows you to securely enter your family details.