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St Joseph’s Parish
106 Powderham St, Box 32, Taranaki Mail Centre, New Plymouth 4340
Phone 06-757 3682
Fax 06-757 3638 Email: [email protected]
Parish Priest: Fr. Dondon Rancho
The Stations of the Cross:
A Journey of Remembrance and Meditation
The Stations of the Cross, practiced in our parishes
during Lent, is a journey of remembrance and
meditation. We remember, believe, and see our way
forward as disciples of Christ.
An Evolving Devotion
The desire to connect with the places of the passion
occurred as early as the fourth century, when pilgrims
began to make their way to Jerusalem. From the early
thirteenth century, custody of the shrines in the Holy
Land by Franciscan friars provided stability. Stations
were first placed in Jerusalem late that century to
mark the way it was believed Jesus took to Golgotha.
These stations made the passion palpable; people
practicing the devotion could pray over each
visualized sorrowful event.
With time, stations were erected in local
communities of the faithful, and the devotion spread
across Western Europe. Franciscans promoted its
practice, and the fourteen traditional stations were
used in their communities in Spain by the seventeenth
century.
Stations were officially allowed inside churches and
chapels in 1731. Today most Catholic churches
display them as paintings, engravings, small reliefs,
sculptures, or tableaux made of materials such as
wood, plaster, marble, or metal Stations can still be
found outside along wooded paths near shrines or
roads leading to churches.
Praying the Stations
Prayers for the traditional stations have been written
by St. Francis of Assisi and St. Alphonsus Liguori. The
scriptural Stations of the Cross came into usage when
first celebrated by Pope John Paul II on Good Friday
1991. Unlike the traditional stations, which begin with
the trial condemning Jesus, the first station in the
scriptural version is that of Christ’s agony in the
Garden of Gethsemane. Still, both versions end with
Joseph of Arimathea collecting the body of the
Messiah and laying it to rest in his own tomb.
The passion accounts stir our souls. When we pray
the stations, it’s overwhelming to realise that this
22 March 2015
Fifth Sunday of Lent
sacrifice was made for our salvation. Jesus fulfilled
the work entrusted to him. In meditating on the
mystery of our redemption, we open our hearts to see
the powerless among us and to love others as God
wants us to. The stations testify to how we are to
respond to those who live in peril at the margins of our
world. We are to minister to those who are
persecuted, imprisoned, ill, mourning, poor, and in the
midst of violence, war, and famine.
Around Catholic communities today, examples of
this work is seen in Good Fridays that may begin prior
to the traditional observance with serving others in an
activity as direct as giving food to a local soup kitchen
or pantry. A Lenten walk for justice may also be held
as a contemporary Way of the Cross, fostering
Catholic social teachings like the dignity of the human
person, rights and responsibilities, and options for the
poor by relating stations to pressing social concerns.
Devotion to the passion can also be expressed in
subtle ways, such as spending an hour with someone
who needs our presence.
Living as Disciples
A prerequisite to discipleship is denying this life to
take up the cross. The passion attests to this burden,
but there is the promise of new life. Meditating on the
passion doesn’t take away the pain of the Lord’s
suffering and death, but we can walk with Jesus as if
we stood among those who lined his path to Golgotha,
witnessing the sadness and trust of that day.
By Gretchen L. Schwenker, PhD
Join us and pray the Stations of the Cross at St
Joseph’s Friday 7.00pm during Lent.
Faith Formation: CATHOLICISM – A journey to the heart of the faith.
What is Catholicism? A 2,000 year-old living tradition? A worldview?
A way of life? A relationship? A mystery? By using his distinct and
dynamic grasp of art, literature, architecture, personal stories,
Scripture, theology, philosophy, and history, Fr Robert Barron in
CATHOLICISM examines all these questions and more, bringing the
mysteries of the faith to life.
CATHOLICISM is an 11-week study based on DVD resource, study
guide and facilitated small discussion groups and will commence on
20th April. Registration forms are available at church foyer if you like
to join us on this journey.
MASS TIMETABLE Monday 23 March to Sunday 29 March 2015
Monday
8.00am Mass
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Tuesday
8.00am C/S
12.05pm Mass
First Reading
Jeremiah 31.31-34
Wednesday
12.05pm Mass
Second
Reading
Hebrews 5.7-9
Thursday
8.00am
12.05pm Mass
Gospel
John 12.20-33
Friday
8.00am Mass 12.05pm Mass
SACRAMENT
OF
RECONCILIATION
Saturday
8.30am Mass
6.00pm Vigil Mass Okato
Saturday 11.30am (or any time by appointment
Sunday
8.30am 10.30am
5.30pm (PALM SUNDAY)
Wednesday and Friday 9.00am Mass celebrated in St Philomena’s Meeting Room.
PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR DECEASED RELATIVES AND
FRIENDS: Marjorie Baker, Adolf Hardegger, Chris
Corlett, Fay Novak and Ross Ferguson.
CARITAS: This week giving centres on “Helping Those
Who Help Others”. Civil war in Syria has displaced
millions. Caritas supports our partner Caritas Lebanon
who is providing healthcare, food, fuel, counselling,
blankets, clothes and shelter for Syrian refugees, from
all religious backgrounds, in Lebanon. In 2014 we
launched the Peace in the Middle East campaign to
enable New Zealanders to stand in solidarity and show
support for the most vulnerable in this region. If you
haven’t started your Lenten giving, there are envelopes
in the foyer. A gold coin donation from many will make
a difference in the lives of those supported by Caritas
CARITAS AND VANUATU: Vanuatu has been devastated
by the largest cyclone to ever hit the country. Super
Cyclone Pam has wiped out thousands of homes,
communities, livelihoods and food crops across the
island nation. Our prayers go out to all those affected by
this disaster. Caritas is on the ground and working with
the Bishop and people of the Catholic Diocese to provide
humanitarian aid. To support Caritas’ relief efforts in
Vanuatu,
you
can
donate
online
at
www.caritas.org.nz/donate or text PAM to 833 to
donate $3 to Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand relief
efforts or post donations to Caritas PO Box 12193,
Thorndon, Wellington 6144
MARIAN MOTHERS is a network of groups of women
who meet for prayer and discussion. Marian Mothers
Groups began in 1981 and have spread the length and
breadth of New Zealand and beyond. These groups have
become a focus group for mothers of all ages. Mothers
of all ages are welcome to join us for our next New
Plymouth Marian Mothers. The theme this month is
"Motherhood
is
a
Gift
from
God".
Come and join us on Thursday 26rd March at 7.00pm at
Pauline's, 101 Liardet Street, NP, Ph 758 2859.
THE PARISH MANAGEMENT AND THE FINANCE
COMMITTEE sometimes needs skills, trades and
services over a wide range area. Perhaps there are
qualified parishioners who could be interested in
quoting for these various works. For example, at present
we are looking at painting the church roof. If you would
like to join our register of contacts, please send an email
to the Parish Office: [email protected] outlining
your skills. Please note that we would expect to pay the
full going rate for any work.
ST JOSEPH’S DAY: A big thank you to all those who
joined with us at Mass on our Feast day. Thank you to
those who helped on our special day, with the liturgy,
the meal and the entertainment: singing, race calling
and harmonica. Congratulations to the children in the
choir from St Joseph’s School. Well done.
DONATIONS COLLECTION:
Sunday 15 March
Clergy Trust Fund $998.00
Parish $2,701.00
TAX RECEIPTS will be issued after Easter. If you wish to
catch up on your planned giving before the end of the
tax year, money can be put on the collection plate or
brought into the Parish Office before 31 March 2015.
.
Psalm Response:
CATHOLIC CHARITIES FOUNDATION: Catholic
Charities Foundation, The Diocese of Palmerston North,
in conjunction with the Catholic Charities Foundation of
Palmerston North, the Tindall Foundation and Catholic
Social Services, is seeking applications from parish
groups, agencies and church organisations.
We are especially looking for new applications that
support families and social services in the areas of early
years, youth development, budgeting, literacy,
Maori/cross-cultural, housing, and community service
and development.
Application forms and criteria for funding are available
from the Parish Office or the Diocesan Office, Private
Bag 11012, Palmerston North – Attention: Mrs Wendy
Silver, telephone 06 354 1780 ext 833, email
[email protected] or a copy of the application
form can be downloaded from the diocesan website
www.pndiocese.org.nz Applications are to be sent to
reach the Diocesan Office by 31 March 2015. Allocations
will be made on 12 May 2015.
CFC YOUTH CAMP 2015.
A three-day live-in
experience of life committed to the life and works of
Jesus Christ. It is a weekend full of fun, faith, freedom,
and friendship activities catered for young people in
their spiritual journey. Calling all youth aged 13-21
years to attend the CFC Youth Camp on 10-12 April
2015, at Francis Douglas Memorial College. Please ring
John 02102658207 or Eunice 0223442102 for more
information.
THE CATHOLIC INSTITUTE COURSES TERM II:
Enrol for term II SC206/RE200 The Synoptic Gospels
13-15 April. (Block Course – 9 - 4pm) Diocesan Centre,
PN. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke are known
as the “synoptic” Gospels. This course will present an
overview of the three Gospels to show how each
evangelist presents the same Christ in a different, but
not contradictory, manner from the others and how the
differences in presentation can deepen our own faith.
PM203 Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
22, 29 July 5, 12, 26 Aug 2 Sept 6.00pm-9.00pm
Diocesan Centre, PN
The aim of this course is to give participants an
appreciation of the RCIA as a process rather than a
programme. It will explore the key elements of each
period and stage of the RCIA, as well as possible ways of
on-going development.
FRANCIS DOUGLAS RETREAT. Year 11 boys from
Francis Douglas College will be at Mass 12.05pm Friday
27 March. We pray with the boys on their retreat day.
Join with us all at Mass on that day.
PALM SUNDAY: Next Sunday (29 March) is Palm
Sunday. This year the Gospel according to Mark has
been prepared as a narrative text, which has been
designed to encourage us all to participate in
remembering the story of the Passion and Death of
Jesus, a story central to our faith. Copies of the Passion
narrative will be available in the Parish Office during the
week if you wish to reflect on the Gospel before Mass.
ST PATRICK’S OKATO CORNER: Envelopes for the
Caritas Lenten collection are available in the church
today. It’s not too late to give to Caritas this Lent.
“ Create a clean heart in me, O God! ”
Psalm 51