Community and Serving

Please select your area of interest below:

Vocations to the Priesthood or Religious Life
Extraordinary Assistant Ministers of Communion
Extraordinary Assistant Ministers of the Word
Parish Choir
Rosebank Chamber Choir
Altar Servers
New Parishioners and Welcoming Group
PARISH FINANCE COMMITTEE (PFC)
LITURGICAL COMMITTEE
Adult Faith Formation
Praise and Worship Evenings
Rosary Group
Society of St. Vincent De Paul
Scripture and History of the Church Classes
AIDS Orphans Project
Shelter for the Homeless
Justice and Peace
Soul Workshop
Spiritual Development Programme 2009

Vocations to the Priesthood or Religious Life

Should you feel that you have a vocation to the Priesthood or the Religious Life you are very welcome to discuss this with your Parish Priest, Fr. Harry Wilkinson.

The Parish Pastoral Council has a sub-committee for Vocations which can also assist in addressing any questions and providing further information. The Vocations Committee of the Diocese arranges monthly meetings for those who feel they may have such a vocation. This offers an ideal opportunity to explore your vocation, find out more about the priesthood and religious life and discuss with others who similarly feel they have such a calling. The Vicar for Vocations can be contacted on Tel. 011 402 6400.  Please click on the links below for valuable reading material:

Hearing The Call

Searching For Answers

I Like Women

Parent's Concerns

A Nun's Life

The problem being faced by the Church, due to the increasing shortage of priests, is addressed in the Discussion Document generated by a working committee of the Parish Pastoral Council.  Click here to view the Rosebank Parish Priests For Tomorrow Discussion Document.

Extraordinary Assistant Ministers of Communion

These Assistant Ministers play a very important and integral part in the life of the Parish by assisting at Mass with the distribution of the Blessed Eucharist and by conducting Communion Services in the absence of Holy Mass. They also visit the sick and housebound in order to bring the Blessed Eucharist to those who are unable to attend Mass.

This is a very special Ministry which requires much dedication and a true devotion to the Blessed Eucharist. If you feel you have the calling and attributes to fulfil this role, please contact Fr. Harry Wilkinson on 011 788 5226/7.

Extraordinary Assistant Ministers of the Word

These Assistant Ministers again play a most important role in the Mass with the Liturgy of the Word, the Prayers of the Faithful and announcements before and at the end of Mass. They also assist with the readings at the Communion Services.

If you are blessed with a good voice and the ability to read well, please contact Michael Callanan on Tel. 011 783 3812 or 083 399 9395 or leave your name and contact details for him at the Presbytery.

Choirs

Parish Choir

The Parish Choir rehearses each Sunday morning from 09h00 to 10h00 and leads the singing at the 10h30 Mass, except on the second Sunday of the month when they sing at the 8h00 Mass.

For aspiring choristers, an ability to read music would be an advantage but is not essential as training will be given. However, an ability to sing in tune and a firm commitment are required.

From time to time the choir also sings at weddings and other special services.

For further information, contact Norman Buckle on Tel. 011 793 5184 or 082 602 0538 or see him after the Sunday morning Masses.

Rosebank Chamber Choir

The Rosebank Chamber Choir sings at the 10h30 Mass on the last Sunday of every alternate month. The purpose of this choir is to retain some of the vast and rich heritage of the Church’s music in the context and purpose for which it was originally intended – to praise God within the Mass. It is essential that aspirant choristers have the ability to read music for participation in this group which rehearses only once a month, at 20h00 on the last Tuesday of every month.

For further information contact Norman Buckle on Tel. 011 793 5184 or 082 602 0538.

Altar Servers

All children who have received their First Holy Communion are encouraged and urged to offer their services to the Parish as Altar Servers. This is a wonderful way of getting to know and love God through the Liturgy of the Church. What can be better than being right there on the Altar when the bread and wine are consecrated and become the Sacred Flesh and Blood of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. It is awesome to be an integral part of the liturgy at Mass and on special occasions such as over the Christmas and the Easter seasons.

Parents who encourage their children to participate in the liturgy as Altar Servers are doing wonders for those children’s spiritual development. So give Chris Busschau a ring on Tel. 011 442 3172 (H) or 083 3783006 or leave your name and contact details for him at the Presbytery.

New Parishioners and Welcoming Group

Members of the ‘welcoming group’, established by the PPC, are tasked with building a greater sense of community in the parish as a whole, working in conjunction with all the other activities on offer in and through the parish. Currently, the group’s main focus is on identifying new parishioners and promoting opportunities for them to become more closely integrated into parish life. We are also looking at ways in which to broaden the ‘welcoming ministry’, for example by way of a roster of welcomers at the doors of the church at every mass.

If you would like to join the welcoming group, please contact Douglas Irvine on 082 330 3043 or e-mail douglas@sbp.org.za

PARISH FINANCE COMMITTEE (PFC)

This committee exists according to a Diocesan rule that also requires it to manage the financial affairs of the Parish.

The members of the committee are:

Father Harry Wilkinson (Parish Priest)
Charles Rowlinson (Chairperson)
David Lawrence (Deputy Chairperson)
Andrew Brady
P J Fourie
Philip Hourquebie
Erich Kien
Steve Kruger
Mark McCreedy
Andrew Moffat

LITURGICAL COMMITTEE

This committee oversees all the liturgical functions in the Parish, including the number, timing, content and composition of all the services. The members of this committee are:

Adult Faith Formation

Classes for adults who are considering joining the Catholic Church or those who wish to learn more about their faith are held in the Community Centre after the 8am Mass on Sundays. All are most welcome to attend.

For further information please contact the Presbytery on 011 788 5226.

For information on spiritual enrichment for adults who cannot cope with normal classes please see SPRED below.

SPRED Group: The Rosebank SPRED Group provides spiritual enrichment for children and adults who cannot cope with normal catechism classes. SPRED uses a totally different method of catechesis - a liturgical symbolic process.

Parents and friends may contact Michael Howes on tel. 011 453 2493 or 082 572 9435 for further information.

Praise and Worship Evenings

These take place every first and third Friday of the month, usually in the Community Centre, from 19h30 to 21h00. Please check the weekly bulletin for details. Everyone, young and old, is invited to join in this hour and a half of praising and worshipping God through the gift of music.

For further information contact Stef Kruger on 073 189 0295 or just come along.

Rosary Group

Parishioners meet every weekday evening at 17h30 in the Church to recite the Rosary. All Parishioners are most welcome to join them.

Society of St. Vincent De Paul

The Society of Saint Vincent De Paul

Conference of Mary Immaculate in Johannesburg

The Society provides assistance to the poor and anyone in need regardless of creed, ethnic or social background, health, gender or political opinions.

The Society provides any form of personal help that alleviates suffering or deprivation and promotes human dignity and personal integrity.

In Rosebank, the Society works closely with the Immaculata Centre to give help to the homeless and others in need in our parish. It gives food and educational assistance on an on-going basis to an orphan family in CosmoCity and takes on many other short term projects. Monthly collections on the first Sunday of each month support this type of assistance.

Special collections are held in the parish to distribute blankets in the winter and food hampers at Christmas to a number of different centres in Gauteng.

If you feel you can contribute in any way to this work, the Society can be contacted through the Presbytery or by e-mail at svp.rosebank@telkomsa.net

Scripture and History of the Church Classes

Classes are held on a regular basis. For further details please contact the Presbytery or consult the Parish Bulletin.

Required positions Parish Office
Community projects

AIDS Orphans Project

If you feel you can help please give Sally Nicholl a ring on 082 927 4362 or e-mail her at Sally.Nicholl@REMZA.co.za

Shelter for the Homeless

The Sisters of Mercy operate a number of shelters for the homeless including one from the Immaculata Hall at the back of the Church. There is always a need for second hand clothing and regular supplies of produce.

If you feel you can help in any way please contact Jacob Modise on Tel 011 325 0329 or 011 447 4399.

Justice and Peace

Do you want to work with fellow Catholics to learn more about the social teachings of the Church; help the Church to respond actively to unjust situations – whether in our the parish, our diocese, our city, our country, or the wider world; and build a more just and peaceful society as part of your Christian commitment?

If you are interested in the activities of the Rosebank J&P group, which functions under the Parish Pastoral Council, please contact Douglas Irvine on 082 330 3043 or e-mail dmirvine@mweb.co.za.

The J&P ministry is an integral part of the Church’s social action, and is rooted in the message and way of life of Jesus: “The Spirit of the Lord has been given to me, and God has anointed and sent me to bring the good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to the captives, to the blind give new sight and set the downtrodden free and to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour” (Luke 4: 18�� / Is 61: 1��). The Vatican, the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference and the Archdiocese of Johannesburg all have official J&P structures and programmes.

Read More On:
The Justice and Peace Social Teachings
The Justice and Peace Social Issues Series

Soul Workshop

Defrag Your Soul!  This group meets every Thursday evening in the Parish Community Centre between 18h30 and 19h30.  The meeting begins with some quiet centering music and a meditation on the gospel of the day.  This is followed by the reflection, a period of silent prayer and then a brief discussion and Q&A session.A weekly group meeting for anyone interested in meditation.  Please contact Rev Brent Chalmers on 082-892-2222 or brent@xlr8com.com