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St. Patrick’s Parish, Church Hill
“A spiritual oasis in the midst of the city”
Under the Pastoral Care of the Marist Fathers
since 1868
St Patrick’s Church
St Brigid’s Church
“To think as Mary, judge as Mary, feel and act as Mary in all things”
(Marist Fathers’ Constitutions)
16th November, 2014
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
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Taking Risks in Proclaiming and Living the Gospel
The Gospel passage this Sunday deals with one of Jesus’ most
popular and challenging parables.
Though on the surface it is a story of a master, his slaves and their
talents, the evangelist wrote it with the intention of showing how
Jesus expected his disciples to conduct themselves as they
awaited the coming of God’s Kingdom. From that perspective, it
provides us with much food for thought as we reflect upon our
relationship with God particularly our call to stewardship.
At the time of Jesus, a talent was a measure of weight. Its value
depended on whether it was made out of copper, silver or gold.
And as silver was the most common metal used for coins, a talent
was something of great value. In fact, it would have been the
equivalent of a day labourer’s wage for fifteen years! This large
amount of money indicates the wealth entrusted to the servants
and testifies to the gracious generosity of the master.
When we apply the moral of this story to our own lives, we might
think firstly about the unique talents and special gifts that each of
us has. Do we appreciate them as being unique and of “great value” or do we take them for granted? Do we see
them as being something given to us solely for our own purposes or do we see them as being connected to the
unfolding of God’s plan for the world?
Secondly, which of the servants best describes us? When it comes to living our relationship with Jesus and
bringing glory to God, are we anxious and fearful? Do we display the cleverness and entrepreneurial skills of the
first two servants or do we tend to ‘play it safe’ with our faith? We know that Jesus never ‘played it safe’. When it
came to living his faith, he was always willing to take risks regardless of the consequences.
Finally, can we say that we live our lives in a spirit of deep gratitude for all the blessings and gifts that God has
given us? The parable can remind us that the ‘master’ is extraordinarily generous. Our celebration of the Eucharist
each week presents us with a wonderful opportunity to express and to celebrate with joy our gratitude for all that
God has done for us in and through Jesus.
Ray Chapman, SM
Parish Priest
The parish of St Patrick’s acknowledges the Cadigal tribe of the Eora people as the traditional
custodians of this place we now call Sydney.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: program
commenced recently and is going well. However, we
are in urgent need of some sponsors. If you or
someone you know is interested in walking with a
candidate seeking to join our Catholic community,
please call Sister Fidelis 9254 9804 as soon as
possible.
Book of Remembrance: Those whose names are
written in the Book of Remembrance are remembered in
a special way during the Masses at St Patrick’s and St
Brigid’s this month. There are also special November
Mass Offering envelopes at the rear of the church if
you would like to make a special offering during this
month.
Improvement to Services: For some time, we have
been concerned about the poor quality of the
conveniences at St Patrick’s.
Finally, after much
discussion and planning, we are pleased to announce
that the Archdiocese of Sydney has approved our plans
to improve the toilets.
The changes consist of
improving the quality of and increasing the number of
the facilities. Below you will find a plan of the new
conveniences. The total cost of the project is $175,000
and we expect to begin work within two weeks.
Temporary facilities will be set up during the course of
the renovations which we expect to take six to eight
weeks. Special Appeal envelopes (yellow) have been
placed in the church if you wish to contribute to this
significant project. The envelopes can be placed in the
St Patrick’s restoration box (blue) at the rear of the
church.
they’ve had difficulty with their mental health. Compeer
needs volunteers to spend an hour a week catching up
with a new friend. Friends meet for simple social
activities such as having coffee, going for a walk, or
visiting a local attraction. Training and ongoing support
is provided, and you will be connected to a welcoming
community of volunteers through social events and
catch-ups. Your friendship can make a big difference to
your new friend’s quality of life, and help reduce the
isolation and stigma associated with mental illness. We
welcome all applications from men and women aged
18+, however we are particularly in need of male
volunteers aged 40 – 70 at this current time. “Compeer
is a simple, meaningful way of making a difference.” –
Volunteer
Smile: A couple was Christmas shopping on Christmas
Eve and the whole place was heaving, packed with
other last-minute shoppers.
Walking through the
shopping centre, the surprised wife looked up from a
window display and noticed her husband was nowhere
to be seen. She knew they had lots still to do and she
became very upset. She rummaged in her handbag and
found her mobile phone and then used it to call her
husband to ask him where he was. The husband in a
calm voice replied: "Darling, you remember the jewellery
shop we went into five years ago, where you fell in love
with that diamond necklace that we could not afford and
I told you that one day I would get it for you...?" His
wife's eyes filled with tears of emotion and she began to
cry softly and stifling a sob she whispered: "Yes, I
remember that jewellery shop..." "Well," he said, "I'm in
the pub next door to it."
Scripture Readings for the
33 rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
First Reading: Book of Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
Second Reading: First letter of St Paul to the
Thessalonians 5:1-6
Gospel: Mathew 25:14-30
Fr. Mac’s Puddings
Fr. Mac’s traditional Puddings are now
available at the Coffee shop for
personal or even corporate gifts.
Beautifully wrapped you may purchase
them directly at the Coffee shop
Sunday to Friday 10.00 am - 2.00 pm
or phone 9254 9824 for orders.
Society Ball: The combined Catholic Chaplaincies of
the archdiocese of Sydney invite young adults to the
Annual Society Ball which will take place at the refectory
in the Home Building, Science Road, at the University of
Sydney, on Saturday, 6th December. The ball will start
at 7.00 p.m. The cost of tickets is $70 (group 10+), $75
students, and $80 adults. RSVP is 27th November. You
can book your tickets by visiting www.societyball.org.au
For more information, phone 9518 6415.
St Patrick’s Christian Mediation Group: The final
session for the St Patrick’s Christian Mediation group
this year will take place on 16th December. The
members of the group wish everyone a Happy
Christmas and New Year and thank you for your support
throughout 2014. The mediation group will resume on
Tuesday, 20th January, 2015.
Friendship Volunteers Needed: Compeer volunteers
provide friendship to someone who is lonely because
PARISH DIARY THIS WEEK:
th
Mon, 17 Nov:
St Elizabeth of Hungary, religious
Tues, 18th Nov:
Marist Brothers Darlinghurst Mass, 10.30 a.m.
Christian Meditation,
Crypt 12.15 - 12.55 p.m.
Legion of Mary, Level 3,
141 Harrington Street, 6.15 p.m.
Young Adults Branching,
Crypt 6.30 p.m. - 9.00 p.m.
Wed, 19th Nov:
Novena, 12.30 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Bible Study Discussion,
Crypt 7.00 p.m.—8.00 p.m.
Thurs, 20th Nov:
Rosary in the Crypt at 12.30 p.m.
st
The Presentation of Blessed Virgin Mary
nd
St Cecilia, virgin, martyr
Frid, 21 Nov:
Sat, 22 Nov:
rd
Sun, 23 Nov:
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
“The crib is a school of life, to learn the secret of true joy”Pope Benedict XVI
The third Sunday of Advent is often referred to by its Latin name, Gaudete ("rejoice" in Latin) Sunday, which indicates that it is a day of
‘rejoicing.’ Every year thousands of children gather in St Peter's Square for the blessing of the "Infant Jesus", "Benedict XVI told them that the
crib, as it was for St. Francis, is to discover that Jesus is the centre of life, and that the love of God urges us to "make a gift of ourselves to
others” even in the midst of “discomfort”, "poverty”, "exclusion".
The Nativity Scene (Christmas Crib), the dramatic representation of the birth of Jesus is not just a repetition of a traditional gesture, but "a
school of life where we can learn the secret of true joy," which "does not consist in having many things": this was Benedict XVI’s message to
the thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter's Square for the third Sunday of Advent. Among the faithful there were at least 2 thousand children who
had brought their statues of the Infant Jesus to be blessed by the Pope, before they place them in the manager this Christmas Eve.
The pontiff spoke to them directly: "I see here in St. Peter's Square so many children and teenagers, along with parents, teachers and
catechists. Dear friends, I greet you all with great affection and I thank you for coming. It gives me great joy to know that in your family the
tradition of the Nativity Scene is still kept. But it is not enough to repeat a traditional gesture, however important. Try to live in the reality of
every day what the crib is, the love of Christ, his humility, his poverty. This is what St. Francis did in Greccio: he created a living Nativity
scene, to be able to contemplate and adore it, but above all to know how best to put into practice the message of the Son of God who for our
sakes was stripped of everything and became a little child”.
The pope emphasized the value of this simple tradition: "The crib is a school of life where we can learn the secret of true joy. This does not
consist in having so many things, but in feeling loved by the Lord, in becoming a gift for others and loving one another.
On December 14th (third Sunday of Advent), the Blessing of the crib will take place at St Patrick’s at every Mass. Please bring
your cribs along to Mass so that they can be blessed before you set them up in your home. If you have difficulty in bringing the
complete crib, it will be quite sufficient to just bring along the baby Jesus. Pope Francis says about the custom of placing a
Nativity scene in the home: surely it lies so close to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Please be sure to have a nativity scene in your home (available at the Piety Stall/Coffee Shop). You may even consider making
this your gift to family and friends this Christmas.
Let us look at the Nativity Scene:
The Virgin Mary and St. Joseph do not seem like a very lucky family, they had their first child in the midst of great hardship, and yet are filled with
deep joy, because they love each other, help each other and, above all, are certain that in their history God is at work, present in the Infant Jesus.
And the shepherds? What reason would they have to rejoice? That baby will not change their condition of poverty and marginalization. But faith helps
them to recognize in the 'infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger', the 'sign' of the fulfilment of the promises of God for all men 'whom
he loves' (Luke 2,12.14), even for them!”
"This, dear friends - concluded Benedict XVI - is what true joy is; the feeling that our personal and community lives are visited and filled by a great mystery,
the mystery of God’s love. We need more than things to rejoice, we need love and truth: we need a God close at hand, who warms our hearts, and
responds to our deepest yearnings. This God was manifested in Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary. So that Child, that we put in the manger or cave, is the
centre of everything, He is the heart of the world.
We pray that every man, like the Virgin Mary, may accept as a centre of their lives the God who became a Child, the source of true joy".
(www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=17107)
And Pope Francis said:
Is this not just such a beautiful, simple, pious and profoundly Catholic custom? ….It cannot be comprehended by the secular, worldly crowd, who would see
this custom as childish*. For many in the West “Christmas” is no more than an excuse to drink and party, to buy, buy, buy (would you just look at how busy
our shops are at this time of year) without a thought given to what we are really celebrating, the true meaning of this ‘holiday’ (holy day). But even for
Christians who want to live this precious time in a fitting way for the coming of Our Saviour but get caught up in all the bustle, if we carry Jesus in our heart,
trying to set a little time aside for prayer and reflection on the beautiful liturgical readings, the business of Advent can be spiritually fruitful.
*”Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)
Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, Second Person of the Holy Trinity, True God and True Man, is born in the little town of Bethlehem. What Love and Trust the
Son of God has shown Mankind by becoming Flesh for our redemption!
(catholicismpure.wordpress.com/.../pope-francis-blessing-of-the-bambelli….)
33 rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
RESPONSORIAL PSALM:
Happy are those who fear the Lord.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Live in me and let me live in you, says the Lord;
my branches bear much fruit.
Alleluia!
33 rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Entrance: Sing a New Song, 398
Acclamation: Save us, Saviour of the World, for by your
Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
Communion: The Beatitudes, 489
Thanksgiving: Where there is Charity and Love, 323
Recessional: City of God, 498
(Two Verses Only)
MASS PROGRAM
RECONCILIATION PROGRAM
SUNDAY:
(Vigil, Saturday 6 p.m.)
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 noon (Choir), 3, 4,
5, 6 and 8 p.m.
SUNDAY:
7.00 a.m. - 1.00 p.m.; 3.00 p.m. - 6.30 p.m.;
8.00 p.m. - 8.30 p.m.
St. Brigid’s, Millers Point: 9.00 a.m.
WEEKDAYS
8 a.m., 10.30 a.m., 12.05 p.m. 1.05 p.m.
and 5.30 p.m.
SATURDAY
8 a.m., 12 noon and 6 p.m. (Vigil)
COFFEE
SHOP
is open from
Sunday to Friday from 10.00 a.m. to
2.00 p.m. Closed public holidays.
Volunteers are always welcome!
PIETY STORE
is open every
Sunday from 10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.
You will find a selection of religious
objects, books and lots more.
MONDAY, TUESDAY. THURSDAY:
7.30 - 8.00 a.m.; 10.00 a.m. - 12 noon;
12.30 - 1.00 p.m.; 5.00 p.m. - 6.00 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY:
7.30 - 8.00 a.m.; 10.00 a.m.- 6.00 p.m.
SATURDAY:
7.30 - 8.00 a.m.; 10.00 - 11.00 a.m.;
5.00 p.m. - 6.00 p.m.
Sunday First Collection:
Support of the Marist Priests at
St Patrick’s.
Sunday Second Collection:
General Parish Expenses.
NOVENA OF OUR LADY OF
PERPETUAL HELP
Wednesday: 12.30 p.m., 5.00 p.m.
ANOINTING OF THE SICK
Every 2nd Thursday of the month,
10.30 a.m.
Second Rite of Reconciliation
1st Friday of the month, 9.45 a.m.
PUBLIC HOLIDAY PROGRAM
Masses:
8.00 a.m., 12.00 noon, 5.30 p.m.
Reconciliation:
7.30 a.m.- 8.00 a.m., 11.30 a.m. 12.00, 4.30 p.m. - 5.00 p.m.
Marriages: Refer to website:
http://www.stpatschurchhill.org
Baptism: 3rd Sunday of each month
at 1.15 p.m. Refer to our website:
http://www.stpatschurchhill.org
Historical Tour: Every 1st and
3rd Monday of the month. Bookings
are made via the Coffee Shop.
PASTORAL GROUPS
Sacramental Program:
Fr. Fred Kado, SM 9254 9855

RCIA:
Sister Fidelis SM, 9254 9804
Young Adults:
Mr Tony Neylan, 9254 9855
Extraordinary Ministers of
Holy Communion & Readers:
Sister Fidelis SM, 9254 9804
Welcomers:
Sister Fidelis SM, 9254 9804
St Brigid’s Contact:
Beryl Prescott, 9667 3171
Coffee Shop Manager:
Val Fisher, 9254 9824
Marist Laity Group:
Margaret Woods, 0417 682 822
Andrew Dumas, 0423 785 362
Christian Meditation:
Each Tuesday, 12.15 - 12.55 p.m.
Mike Cummins,9580 5928
Legion of Mary:
Each Tuesday, 6.15 p.m.
Kris Lijanto, 0413 413 672
Rosary Group:
Each Thursday, 12.30 p.m.
Rosa, 0404 700 257,
Alec, 0406 786 273,
Marinko, 0424 442 652
World Apostolate of Fatima
Prayer Group:
1st Saturday of each month
12.30 p.m.
Rosetta, 0403 578 994
St Patrick’s Social Club for
Seniors:
2nd Sunday of each month,
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Marion Dowd, 9953 4909
St Vincent de Paul:
Joe Fitzpatrick, 9252 4646,
Jolita Benjamin, 9692 8633
Liturgy Committee:
Sister Fidelis SM, 9254 9804
Choir Director:
Adrian Bendt
[email protected]
Principal Organist:
Godelieve Ghavalas, 0404 837 363
Sunday 12.00 noon Mass
Choir Rehearsal 11.00 a.m.
menALIVE:
Paul Quirk, 0412 216 589
PARISH OFFICE
Address:
Office hours:
141 Harrington Street, Sydney
9.00 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri.
Thur. 9.30 a.m. - 2.30 pm.
Telephone:
Email:
Website:
9254 9855 Fax: 9252 3431
[email protected]
www.stpatschurchhill.org
St Patrick’s Church:
St Brigid’s Church:
20 Grosvenor Street, Church Hill
14 - 16 Kent St., Millers Point
PARISH STAFF
Fr. Ray Chapman, SM Parish Priest
John Attneave, Parish Business Manager
Fr. Neville Byrne, SM
Andy Carter, Maintenance Coordinator
Rita Di Napoli, Parish Secretary
Br. Terry Garrett, SM
Fr. Fred Kado, SM
Fr. Bernard McFadyen, SM
Sr. Fidelis McTeigue, SM
Van Duy Nguyen, Sacristan
Mona Redito, Parish Secretary
Fr Garry Reynolds, SM
The church is fitted with an audio loop for the hearing impaired.