1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

The Catholic Cathedral of
The Immaculate Conception
Parish Bulletin
Liturgy
May 2015
(Year B)
Vol. XIII No. 5
Meditation
The Pope
Reflections
Parish News
Fifth Sunday of Easter – 3 May 2015
First Reading (Acts 9:26-31). This tells us about some of the trials Paul endured after his conversion.
Second Reading (1 Jn 3:18-24). Here John is reflecting on Christ’s commandment of love.
Gospel (Jn 15:1-8). Jesus uses the image of a vine and its branches to illustrate how close are the ties that bind him
to his disciples.
Sixth Sunday of Easter – 10 May 2015
First Reading (Acts 10:25-26.34-35.44-48). The baptism of Cornelius, the first pagan to receive the grace of baptism,
shows that God’s salvation is offered to all.
Second Reading (1 Jn 4:7-10). This contains what is probably the most important statement ever made about God.
Gospel (Jn 15:9-17). Jesus leaves his friends the supreme commandment of love.
Seventh Sunday of Easter (The Ascension of the Lord) – 17 May 2015
First Reading (Acts 1:1-11). This describes the ascension of Jesus into heaven, and his promise to send the Holy
Spirit to his disciples.
Second Reading ( Eph 1:17-23). Here Paul describes the meaning of the ascension: God raised Jesus above all earthly powers, and made him head of the Church and Lord of creation.
Gospel (Mk 16:15-20). Before ascending to his Father, Jesus commissions his apostles to preach the Gospel to the
whole world.
Pentecost Sunday – 24 May 2015
First Reading (Acts 2:1-11). Luke describes the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, and the effect it had on them.
Second Reading (1 Cor 12:3-7.12-13). The Holy Spirit gives different gifts to different people, for the good of the
Church, the Body of Christ.
Gospel (Jn 20:19-23). The risen Jesus gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples and inaugurates the mission
of the Church.
Trinity Sunday – 31 May 2015
First Reading (Deut 4:32-34.39-40). Moses reminds the people of the close and loving relationship God established
with them, and of the obligations and blessings that flow from such a relationship.
Second Reading (Rom 8:14-17). Through the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, we have become children of God and
co-heirs with Christ his Son.
Gospel (Mt 28:16-20). In his last appearance to his apostles, Jesus commissions them to preach the Gospel to all
peoples, and promises to be with them to the end of time.
Liturgy - Relevant Websites:
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For meditation, prayer, spirituality — Bible, Prayer & Homiletic Resources (www.frtommylane.com)
For evangelization and life in the Spirit — Christ is the key (www.christkey.com)
For Marian devotions and prayers — Immaculate Heart of Mary (www.immaculateheart.com)
For prayers on line — It's PC to Pray - Sacred Space (www.sacredspace.ie)
The Parish Bulletin is also available on the Cathedral website: www.cathedral.catholic.org.hk
For Parish info., please contact : (852)2522-8212 or fax: (852)2521-7957 or email: [email protected]
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by Fr. Fio Mascarenhas, SJ
A study of the Bible reveals that the word “grace’ (Gk. charis, Hb. hen) is a specifically New Testament term. If something similar appears a few times in the Old Testament [e.g. “God of tenderness and of graciousness (hen)” (Ex.34/6);
“be gracious (hen) to you” (Num.6/25); “graciousness (hen) is poured upon your lips”(Ps.45/2)], still, it is the New
Testament which has fixed the rich and full meaning of the word “grace”. It is found for the first time in the Letters
of St Paul, and it signifies a combination of several divine attributes” God’s hen (his favourable inclination towards),
hesed (faithful and generous covenant love), ‘emet (steadfast love) and rahamin (tender love). In Rom.8:32, Paul calls
“grace” the gift of God which contains all other gifts, namely, the giving of his Son. The coming of Jesus Christ shows
how far the divine generosity can go: the source of this unheard-of action is the combination of God’s tenderness, fidelity, love and mercy which the New Testament calls “grace”.
“Grace” characterizes the new order begun by Jesus Christ, as opposed to the old “economy of salvation” which was
governed by the Law. The initial gratuity of election marks the whole of Christian existence: “So too, at the present
time, there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace” (Rom.11:5,6). Salvation is the gift of God and not the reward due to work done (Rom.4:4). Where sin
proliferated, grace abounds more than ever (Rom.5:15-21). Without reserve, grace opens up the inexhaustible wealth
of divine generosity (Eph.1:7,2:7). Out of a total of 155 times, the word “grace” is found 100 times in Paul’s writings (and several times in John’s writings, yet never in the Synoptics)!
Most importantly for Paul the special meaning of “grace” is “a personal sharing in the death and resurrection of
Jesus..” Grace is not a commodity to be quantified and distributed piecemeal, but it is a personal relationship with
God’s Beloved Son! Each of us becomes truly a Christian only when we are blessed with three realities, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, leading to a personal relationship with the Father of Jesus Christ, ad to a personal relationship with the
Holy Spirit. These graced relationships with three Persons who constitute one God is the starting point of Christianity!
St Paul sums it up best with the familiar greeting: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit be with you” (2Cor13:13). Here grace, love, and communion are not three vague blessings, but each connotes a relationship with the Divine Person concerned. Moreover, Paul mentions “the grace of Jesus”
first became as Christians, our relationship with God as Father is always “through Christ, with Christ and in Christ,”
and only through Jesus’ saving death and resurrection can we receive the Holy Spirit as indwelling Paraclete (John
7:37-39), and thus be united in the deepest way with God.
“Grace, therefore is intimately connected with, and draws its inner power from, the Paschal Mystery! This “grace”
privileges a Christian to be in four special relationships: a first set of relationships with three Divine Persons (Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit); a second set of relationships with fellow disciples in a new existential reality called the Body of Christ,
the Church; a third set of relationships with all human beings (humankind); and finally, a relationship with creation
and the cosmos itself. Note that the first two sets are “special” relationships, new relationships, not yet available to
non-disciples, because they require one to be “born again, or born from above” through Baptism. Note also that these
special relationships are not gained through personal merit or worthiness, but are gratuitously gifted to the Christian
in baptism.
A Christian finds his/her self-identity only and always “through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ!”. That is why every
year Christians celebrate a whole week, a “Holy Week,” with great detail, depth and solemnity, so that they might
share better, and in an ongoing way, in Jesus’ Paschal Mystery. Without it, “grace” would be emptied of its New Testament meaning and richness.
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by Kimberly Baker
So begins the Regina Coeli prayer, which replaces the noon-time Angelus during the Easter season.
Because the Easter season extends well into May, we are able to use this special prayer to Mary
during much of the month traditionally dedicated in her honor. Marian devotion is one of the
Vatican’s recommendations for observing the Year of Faith.
It can also be a wonderful help in pro-life efforts.
Mary has many beautiful titles: Patroness of the Americas, Patroness of the New Evangelization and Patroness of the
Unborn, to name a few. There are also many inspiring examples from Mary’s life that serve as a model for authentic
Christian living. We see her immense faith and total gift of herself at the moment of the Annunciation, when she
agrees to be the Mother of God. We see her sensitivity and her spirit of charity when she visits her pregnant older
cousin Elizabeth. We see her love and maternal care for new life when she shelters her infant son Jesus in the stable
at Bethlehem. We see her conviction in pointing to Christ at the Wedding at Cana when she says, “Do whatever he
tells you” (Jn 2:5). We see her at the foot of the Cross, even there opening her heart to be the mother of all humanity. And we see her quiet strength and support for the apostles in the Upper Room during the time leading up to
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The significance of Mary as a role model for all women was highlighted by Blessed Pope John Paul II in his 1987 encyclical Redemptoris Mater (Mother of the Redeemer). He wrote that “women, by looking to Mary, find in her the secret of living their femininity with dignity and of achieving their own true advancement. In the light of Mary, the
Church sees in the face of women the reflection of a beauty which mirrors the loftiest sentiments of which the human heart is capable: the self-offering totality of love; the strength that is capable of bearing the greatest sorrows; limitless fidelity and tireless devotion to work; the ability to combine penetrating intuition with words of support and
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Mary’s example is especially important to remember in pro-life efforts. She can be a tremendous source of inspiration
and hope for women in today’s society, where there is so much woundedness resulting from the culture of death.
Modern culture encourages a self-centered, materialistic and utilitarian view of the person, promising instant satisfaction, but ultimately leading to emptiness. The Christian view of the human person offers a very different way of life
that is at once challenging and rewarding. Mary’s example of authentic Christian living speaks especially to a model
of womanhood that is life-giving and love-affirming, and therefore very relevant to the pro-life message.
In addition to praying the Rosary and the Angelus (and the Regina Coeli), there are many ways to remember Mary’s
example as we reach out to others with the pro-life message. Especially important is the hope we can offer to women
everywhere who have been deceived and hurt by the anti-life mentality of our culture. We have a beautiful message
to share, a message of life, love and true freedom. During this Year of Faith and as part of the New Evangelization,
let us remember the Queen of Heaven -- not only during the month of May, but throughout the year -- as we share
the Gospel of Life.
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PRAYING FOR THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS ( MAY 2015 )
Universal: That, rejecting the culture of indifference, we may care for our
neighbours who suffer, especially the sick and the poor.
Evangelization: That Mary's intercession may help Christians in secularized
cultures be ready to proclaim Jesus.
REFLECTIONS
PENTECOST - THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
"Knowledge of faith is possible only in the Holy Spirit: to be in touch with
Christ, we must first have been touched by the Holy Spirit. He comes to
meet us and kindle faith in us." (CCC, 638)
"Come, Holy Spirit!" Yes, in any discernment of God's call, we need to call
on the Holy Spirit to come to fill and inspire us. Do we think to call on the
Holy Spirit? Pentecost reminds us to do this not just on one feast during
the year . . . but every day.
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire
of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You
shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the
faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever
enjoy His consolations, through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit :
Wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of
the Lord. (CCC 1831)
The fruits of the Spirit :
Perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal
glory. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: “Charity, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness,
modesty, self-control, chastity.” (CCC 1832)
PARISH NEWS
Baptised (March 12, 2015):
Law Sin Yan Acacia
Wedded (March 21, 2015):
Lamb Ruairi Stephen
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Vaze Divya