St Thomas More Parish 98 Bay Street, Brighton le Sands, NSW 2216, Australia Fr Manuel Santiago Parish Priest Peter Dowling Secretary/ Coordinator Tel: 9567 3589 Fax: 9567 7905 Email: [email protected] Website: ttp://www.thomasmorebrighton.org Mass Times: Sat: 5.30 pm, Sun: 8.00 am, 10.00 am Mon: No Mass (Communion Service) Tue-Fri: 9.00 am 1st Friday Exposition/Adoration 8.15am Confession: Sat: 4.30 pm 4th Sunday of Lent (B) 15 March 2015 FIRST READING 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23 A reading from the second book of Chronicles All the heads of the priesthood, and the people too, added infidelity to infidelity, copying all the shameful practices of the nations and defiling the Temple that the Lord had consecrated for himself in Jerusalem. The Lord, the God of their ancestors, tirelessly sent them messenger after messenger, since he wished to spare his people and his house. But they ridiculed the messengers of God, they despised his words, they laughed at his prophets, until at last the wrath of the Lord rose so high against his people that there was no further remedy. Their enemies burned down the Temple of God, demolished the walls of Jerusalem, set fire to all its palaces, and destroyed everything of value in it. The survivors were deported by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon; they were to serve him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. This is how the word of the Lord was fulfilled that he spoke through Jeremiah, 'Until this land has enjoyed its sabbath rest, until seventy years have gone by, it will keep sabbath throughout the days of its desolation.' And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfil the word of the Lord that was spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord roused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to issue a proclamation and to have it publicly displayed throughout his kingdom: 'Thus speaks Cyrus king of Persia, "The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; he has ordered me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, may his God be with him! Let him go up."' The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. RESPONSORIAL PSALM R. Let my tongue be HOLY GOSPEL silenced, if I ever forget you! John 3:14-21 SECOND READING Eph. 2:4-10 A reading from the holy Gospel according to John A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians God loved us with so much love that he was generous with his mercy: when we were dead through our sins, he brought us to life with Christ - it is through grace that you have been saved - and raised us up with him and gave us a place with him in heaven, in Christ Jesus. This was to show for all ages to come, through his goodness towards us in Christ Jesus, how infinitely rich he is in grace. Because it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith; not by anything of your own, but by a gift from God; not by anything that you have done, so that nobody can claim the credit. We are God's work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION John 3:16 God loved the world so much, he gave us his only Son, that all who believe in him might have eternal life. Jesus said to Nicodemus: 'The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believed in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved. No one who believes in him will be condemned; but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already, because he has refused to believe in the name of God's only Son. On these grounds is sentence pronounced: that though the light has come into the world men have shown they prefer darkness to the light because their deeds were evil. And indeed, everybody who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, for fear his actions should be exposed; but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.' The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. St Thomas More Primary School: Tel: 02 9597 5884 - Principal Mrs Jenny Frost President Pastoral Council: David D’Amato Chairman Finance Committee: Pat Bugden St Thomas More Church is fitted with an audio loop for the hearing impaired. LITURGY ROSTER FOR NEXT SUNDAY 5th Sunday of Lent (B) Mar 21 - 22 2015 Commentator Lectors Extraordinary Ministers of Communion Acolytes 5:30 PM (Sat) A Mackenzie A Mackenzie N Azar N Azar Y Muthuanene D Coyte 8:00 AM (Sun) B Trott B Trott T Liaw K Parajes G Thumboo T Thumboo 10:00 AM (Sun) Ave Maria Choir P McGovern A Diel R Ventura M Cencigh M Diel COUNTERS 16/3 F McManus, L Holder 23/3 A Mackenzie. G Daniel, P Harding Please pray for the Poor, the Sick and the Faithful Departed of the Parish: Recently Deceased: A.J. Jabonero (Died Thursday March 5 in United States); Tadeo Benzon (R.I.P.); Fr James Joseph Gallen (former Parish Priest at Pagewood – Died 1.3.15); Fr Lawrence Vincent Pedemont (Died 25.2.15); Michael (Mick) Comensoli (Died 16.2.15). Anniversaries: Ghassan Touma & Jannette Jabbour (Anniversaries 8th March); Mrs Catherine Banting (5th Anniv. 11.3.15); Mrs Erina Ulivelli (Died 2.3.2010). Deceased: James Reid; Maria Nguyen Thi Mat & Phero Nguyen The Tho; Orazio & Rosa Di Pasqua, Vincenzo & Carmela Camuglia, Maria Catena Sicarek, Giovanna Di Pasqua, Gary Green and all my relatives; James & Angela Vassallo; Ron D'Astoli; Susan Elizabeth Gore; Giuseppe Currenti; Bartolo [Bob] Natoli; Charlie Pisani, Charles Baldacchino; Jim Pisani; Sam Pisani; Frank Rozmus, Maxwell Szpoper; Herbert Fenech. Other: Holy Souls in Purgatory. Prayers for the Sick: Bishop Geoff Robinson; Greg Doyle; Betty Borg; Peter Miller; Robert Collaro; Colleen Cartner (East Gosford); Giuseppe Di Pasqua; Les Spiteri; Joe Vizzone; Lachlan Vella; Zac Mullens; George Kent; Hilda Das Neves; Anthony Attard; Japeth Ryan Tolentino; Brigida Moniz; Anita Wong; Geoffrey Goodwin; Angela Formosa; Josi Duarte; Rose Carlos-Cruz; Mitchelle Fisher; Maguy & Christian Ajaka; Jose De Ocampo Jnr.; Marie Kean; Brandon Bell; Mark Squires; Neville Roper; Kelly Fox; Jimmy Wells; Joseph & Barica (Barbara) Kos; Paul Marvyn Villanueva; Billy Kennedy; Louis Saadeh; Allen Ajaka; Josephine Albany; Joyce Barbuto; Fernanda Rosso; Joyce Martin; Yvonne Hoskins; Doris Borg; Jaro Kolla; Nelly Swarez; Jean & Jack O’Brien; Pat & Brian Hutchinson; Frank Dannaher [senior]; Alfred [Fred] Spiteri]; Pauline Sciberras. Mass Intentions: To avoid secretarial errors, please indicate clearly the purpose of your Mass Intention. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ PROJECT COMPASSION APPEAL 2015. By supporting Project Compassion you are helping to improve the life of some of the world’s poorest people. Your donation will support programs around the world that provide vulnerable people with the skills and opportunities they need to establish sustainable food sources for life. Please take home a Project Compassion box and/or a set of Lenten donation envelopes and give generously to the appeal this Lent. You can donate through Parish boxes and envelopes, by visiting www.caritas.org.au/projectcompassion or phoning 1800 024 413. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Seniors Group News: Next trip 13 April to Penrith area. Cost $35.00 pp incl. lunch. Departure 8.00 am sharp. For tickets or further info. Ring John D’Amato 9588 2732 or Susan Barakat 0405 706 050. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Parish AGM 2015 For your Diary. This year’s AGM will take place on Sunday 3rd May 2015 following the 10.00 am Mass. Nomination forms for the new Pastoral Council are available from the benches at the main church entrance _________________________________________________________________________________________________ GRACES OF EASTERN EUROPE – PILGRIMAGE – Pilgrimage Chaplain: Fr Manuel Santiago HARVEST PILGRIMAGES ‘GRACES OF EASTERN EUROPE”. Dates 17 June 2015 – 2 July 2015. Harvest Pilgrimages 9390 5460. e-mail: [email protected]. Mass Times for Holy Week Passion Sunday Reconciliation for Lent Holy Thursday 28-29 March Normal Sunday Mass Times 31 March 7.00 pm 2 April Mass of the Lords Supper 7.00 pm, after Mass, Adoration until 10.00 pm Good Friday 3 April Holy Saturday 4 April Stations of the Cross 10.00 am (parish Community) Fr Manuel will be available for confession between 11.00 am & 12 noon) Celebration of the Passion of the Lord 3.00 pm Office of Readings & Morning Prayer 9.00 am: Easter Vigil 6.00 pm 5 April Mass 8.00 am & 10.00 am Mass 5.30 pm Easter Sunday NOTES FOR THOSE WILL HELP DURING HOLY WEEK Reminders to all Readers & Holy Communion Ministers who will volunteer on Holy Week Services; please arrive at the Sacristy early and present yourselves to the priest for some instructions in the NARRATION OF THE PASSION (on Palm Sunday, Good Friday), and in the Readings of EASTER VIGIL MASS and in the distribution of Holy Eucharist. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Confirmation 2015 Confirmation this year will take place on Tuesday 2nd June in the Church at 6.30 pm. Parents who wish to enrol their children are advised that applications for Enrolment will be available in the next few weeks from your child’s class catechist or from Parish Office by phoning 9567 3589. On Tuesday 28 April a Parent Teacher meeting will take place at 7.00 pm. This meeting will set out teaching program and provide all necessary information for parents. On the next Sunday 3rd May children will be enrolled at the 10.00 am Mass. On the Friday (29 May), prior to Confirmation the children will be required to attend a Retreat Day to help the children prepare properly for the Sacrament of Confirmation. ________________________________________________________________________________________ 50th anniversary of the first Papal Mass in the vernacular Pope Francis has appealed for Catholics to increase their “love for the house of God” as he marked the 50th anniversary of the first Papal Mass in the vernacular, reports The Catholic Herald. Celebrating Mass in Ognissanti (All Saints) church in Rome, where Blessed Pope Paul VI celebrated his first public Mass in Italian, rather than Latin, he said: “The Church is calling us to have and to promote an authentic liturgical life, so that there may be harmony between what the liturgy celebrates, and what we live in our daily existence.” Source. CathNews.com.au ________________________________________________________________________________________ ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL PRIMARY OPEN DAY. Primary boys and their parents are invited to the Open Day from 1.30 – 3.00 pm on Friday, 13 March. Enrolments are open for boys in Year 3 for choir and also as musicians. Years 4 - 6 enrolments are open for musicians only. Entry into the primary classes is conditional on audition and committing to a choral and / or music and instrument study. ___________________________________________________________________ SENIORS MASS AT ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL 19 MARCH 2015, 10.30am: You are invited to attend the Seniors Mass celebrated by Fr. Geoffrey Plant with concelebrant Fr. Paul Hilder Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral. This Mass is supported by Life Ascending Australia and concentrates on Spirituality, Friendship and Loving Service for senior or retired people. Everyone Welcome! For more information telephone: Roy Cooke 9771 3609. 4th SUNDAY OF LENT (B) 15 MARCH 2015 Invitation to the Youth this Easter Light to the Nations Easter Youth Pilgrimage (http://www.lttn.org.au/) which has been organized by Disciples of Jesus Community. The Pilgrimage Walk is an opportunity to join a tradition as old as Christianity, combining journeying to a holy place with time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, spiritual reflection and companionship with one’s fellow travellers. The walk leaves North Sydney on Saturday 28 March and arrive in Appin on Wednesday 1 April in time to join the Light to the Nations Easter Youth Pilgrimage. The Nations Youth Camp will be from 2 April (Holy Thursday) to 5 April (Easter Sunday) at Cataract Scout Park near Appin. Camp under the stars and celebrate the Easter Liturgies in a huge marquee as well as receive other spiritual input in the form of prayer, personal sharings, drama and music. The intention is to provide an opportunity for young people’s faith to be renewed and bring them to a personal experience of the gospel. Contact Anthony Ringrose-Voase for further questions Tel: 02-6296 1734 [email protected] _________________________________________________________________________________________ WE ARE FOREVER LOVED BY GOD Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul. -St. Augustine The most deeply moving truth that the Church preaches is that we are forever loved by God. Christianity rests on the firm conviction that God’s love reaches down into our sick, bruised and hurt world in the person of Jesus. For every faithful heart this is the very essence of the gospel story. No passage in Scripture puts in better than the words which Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, “God so loved the world that he sent his only son, so that whoever believes in him may not die, but may have eternal life.” Our love for others comes nowhere near the kind of love God has for us. Such is the extent of his love for the world, that he offers life to all and excludes nobody. God loves each of us as if there is nobody else to love. He is the father who wants to walk with his family as they go through life and who can be satisfied until all his wandering children have come safely home. We begin to realise the magnitude of God’s love for us by looking at the crucifix. This portrays the image of the suffering Christ lifted upon the cross, absorbing the full brunt of the evil of our sins. All life’s cruelties, hatreds and injustices are concentrated in that cross planted on the hill of Calvary. One of the amazing facts about the passion and death of Christ is that it has become the supreme proof of God’s love. When all else fails, the down and out, the despairing, and the lonely are drawn towards that far off cross on the hillside, aware that there is someone to turn towards. The upright cross, once the sign of shame and humiliation, becomes a channel of healing grace. The tree of death becomes the tree of victory. [Reflections from: Desmond Knowles, Voicing a Thought on Sunday, Homilies and Prayers of the Faithful for the Three—Year Cycle, 2002 Daughters of St Paul] Fr Manuel Santiago