Mersey Leven Catholic Parish
Parish Priest: Fr Mike Delaney mob: 0417 279 437;
email: mike.delaney@catholicpriest.org.au
Assistant Priest: Fr Augustine Ezenwelu mob: 0470 576 857
Postal Address: PO Box 362, Devonport 7310
Parish Office: 90 Stewart Street, Devonport 7310
Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday,Thursday 10am-3pm
Office Phone: 6424 2783 Fax: 6423 5160
FaceBook: Mersey Leven Catholic Parish
Weekly Newsletter: mlcathparish.blogspot.com.au
Parish Newsletter: mlcathparishnewsletter.blogspot.com.au
Secretary: Annie Davies/Anne Fisher
Pastoral Council Chair: Mary Davies
Archdiocesan Website: www.hobart.catholic.org.au for news, information and details of other Parishes.
Our Parish Sacramental Life
Baptism: arrangements are made by contacting Parish Office.
Parents attend a Baptismal Preparation Session on first Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December.
Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist: Are received following a Family–centred, Parish-based, School-supported Preparation Program.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: prepares adults for reception into the Catholic community.
Marriage: arrangements are made by contacting one of our priests - couples attend a pre-marriage Program
Anointing of the Sick: please contact one of our priests
Reconciliation: Ulverstone - Fridays (10am - 10:30am)
Devonport - Saturday (5:15pm– 5.45pm)
Penguin - Saturday (5:15pm - 5:45pm)Devonport - Saturday (5:15pm– 5.45pm)
FIRST READING
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
(R.) O God, let all the nations praise you!
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION:Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus preached the Good News of the kingdom and healed all who were sick. Alleluia!
GOSPEL: Matthew 15:21-28
PREGO REFLECTION ON TODAY'S GOSPEL:
I settle down to my prayer. I want and I choose to spend a
while in the Lord’s company.
I come to quiet trying to leave aside any worries or
problems I might have. When I am ready, I slowly read the story of the
Canaanite woman pleading for her daughter.
Perhaps I will need to read it several times as it may be
that different feelings arise within me. I acknowledge them without judging
them.
I try to enter personally into the scene, either as an
onlooker, or as one of the characters. In imagination, I can move freely from
one to the other.
What do I see? What do I hear? What is the tone of their
voices: angry, scornful, determined, resigned, grateful, or…?
Perhaps I focus on the exchange between the woman and
Jesus. What comes to the fore?
I spend time speaking to the Lord about what is in my mind
and heart.
I reflect on the way I deal with outsiders. Do I listen and
enter into discussion with them or do I cling to traditional patterns and
habits?
How do I feel when I encounter great faith, trust,
perseverance in them?
When it is time to do so, I bring my prayer to a close,
thanking the Lord for the insights he has given me and I express my gratitude
in my own words.
Weekday
Masses 19th - 22nd August, 2014
Monday: 10.00am Devonport (Funeral Mass)
Tuesday: 9:30am Penguin
Tuesday: 9:30am Penguin
Wednesday: 9:30am Latrobe
... St Bernard
Thursday: 10:30am
Karingal ... St Pius X
Friday: 9:30am
Ulverstone ... The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin
Mary
Next
Weekend 23rd & 24th August, 2014
Saturday Vigil: 6.00pm
Penguin
Devonport
Sunday Mass: 8:30am
Port Sorell
9:00am Ulverstone
10:30am Devonport
11:00am Sheffield (LWC)
5:00pm
Latrobe
Eucharistic
Adoration:
Devonport: Every Friday 10am - 12noon,
concluding with Stations of the Cross and Angelus
Devonport: Benediction with Adoration - first Friday of
each month.
Prayer Groups:
Charismatic Renewal - Ulverstone (Community Room) Every
second and fourth Monday of the month 7:30pm (In recess over winter) - Devonport (Emmaus House) Thursdays - 7:30pm
Christian Meditation - Devonport,
Emmaus House - Wednesdays 7pm.
Ministry Rosters 23rd &
24th August, 2014
Devonport:
Readers:
Vigil: A MacIntyre, M Williams, C
Kiely-Hoye 10.30am: E Petts , K Douglas, K Pearce
Ministers of Communion: Vigil M
Heazlewood, B & J Suckling, G Lee-Archer, M Kelly, T Muir
10.30am: G Taylor,
M Sherriff, T & S Ryan, M & B Peters
Cleaners 22nd August: M Knight, M & L Tippett, A
Berryman 29th August: K.S.C.
Piety Shop 23rd August: H Thompson 24th August: D French Flowers: M Knight, V Mahoney
Ulverstone:
Reader: E Standring Ministers of Communion: P Steyn, E Cox, C Singline, J
Landford
Cleaners: B & V
McCall, G Doyle Flowers: C Stingel Hospitality: K Foster
Penguin:
Greeters: G Hills-Eade, B Eade Commentator: M Kenney Readers: M Murray, E Standring
Procession: M & D Hiscutt Ministers of Communion: J Barker, A Guest
Liturgy: Sulphur Creek J Setting Up: F Aichberger Care of Church: J & T Kiely
Port Sorell:
Readers: P Anderson
Your prayers
are asked for the sick:
Rose Ackerley, Theda (Joan) Bates, Joy Griffiths, Nene
Reyes, Fr Jim McMahon, Fr Ray Wells, Shirley White, John Purtell, Louise
Murfet, Joan Stafford, Shanon Breaden, Tom & Nico Knaap, Kieran McVeigh, Kath
Smith, Jamie Griffiths, Anne Johnson, Lionel Rosevear, Arlene
Austria &......
Let us pray for those who have died recently: David Covington, Athol
Wright,
Teresa Maddox, Pauline Taylor, Maureen Harris,
Nancy Padman, Enis Lord, Dick Boland
and Clarrie
Byrne.
Let us pray for those whose
anniversary occurs about this time:
Beverley Graham, Philip Hofmeyer, Innocent
Ezenwelu, Colin Hodgson, Cheryl Leary, Kathleen Laycock, Rita Groves, Corazon Pascual Garcia, Len
Burton, Kay Williams,
Ellen & Stan Woodhouse and Patricia Smith. Also
Hedley Stubbs.
May
they Rest in Peace
First Reading
Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20
FROM FR MIKE:
Firstly, an apology to parishioners who attended the Vigil
Masses last weekend at Devonport and Penguin. In the busyness of the previous
week I had failed to note the Feast of the Assumption was to be celebrated
during this past week - 15th August – and thus had not included an extra Mass
at Devonport on that day in the newsletter. In the remaining Masses over the
weekend that oversight was corrected but it was impossible to contact everyone
at the Vigil Masses and for this I apologise.
This weekend the 9am Mass at Ulverstone is a celebration
involving the children of Sacred
Heart School
One of the concerns raised at the meeting at Ulverstone
last Friday evening was the lack of young people present in our churches each
weekend – this is a real concern for every Parish and we are looking at how we
might be able to address this ongoing issue. Inviting families to these Masses
is one way we can try to (re)involve them in our Parish – we take one step at a
time but we need to take a more wide ranging approach to encouraging young
people to deepen their faith and share the practice of faith within our Parish
Community.
There were a number of other issues raised at the Open
House at Ulverstone – the advancing age of our congregations (not just the
absence of younger people). How do we ensure that our wider concerns for every
member of our Parish reflects the Vision and Mission
Until next week, take care on the roads and in your homes,
Fr Mike
BAPTISM:
We welcome and congratulate Sophie Fittkau
who is being baptised this
weekend.
MACKILLOP
HILL SPIRITUALITY CENTRE:
“Remain in My Love” John 15 Presented by Lyn Young rsj
Jesus’ last evening with his friends shows his desire for them to understand
their continuing relationship with him. Tuesday
19th August 7.30pm – 9.00pm
or Wednesday 20th August, 10.30 am-12noon. Cost $15.00 Bookings necessary. Phone: 6428:3095 Email: mackillophill.forth@sosj.org.au
CHARISMATIC RENEWAL RALLY :
Join with local Catholic Charismatic prayer groups and
Ecumenical Evangelist Fr. Jack Soulsby S.M and lay Evangelist Mrs Jan Heath for
Praise, Worship, Intercession, Prophecy, Teaching and Healing. Monday
25th August 2014 Sacred Heart Church,
Community Room, Ulverstone, 7.30 pm. to 9.30 pm. All welcome, please
bring a plate for supper. For further information contact: Devonport: Celestine
6424:2043, Zoe 6426:3073, or Michael 0447 018 068. Ulverstone: Tom 6425:2442.
MT ST VINCENT AUXILIARY: will be holding a cake stall at Mt
St Vincent Nursing Home Friday 5th September starting at 9am.
Donations of cakes, etc would be greatly appreciated. All welcome!
URGENT REQUEST FOR VOLUNTEERS
Where: MacKillop Hill Spirituality Centre, Forth
Why: Raise funds to support the Centre through
various catering events.
Who:
- Anyone
who can assist with cooking, washing up, setting up tables, etc
- Someone
with expertise in coordinating catering
When: Thursday
21st August at 10am there will be information session (with morning
tea) at the MacKillop Hill Spirituality Centre, Forth .
Contact: For more
information or if you are interested but unable to attend this session please
call Judy McIver on
6425:4816.
CWL ULVERSTONE - INVITATION:
Catholic Women’s League is an organisation who have made a
difference in our Ulverstone Community since 1944. To help us celebrate our 70th
birthday we invite any women of the parish and our Catholic Schools communities
to join us at 11am Mass on Tuesday 2nd September followed by lunch at the Lighthouse Hotel
Ulverstone. For catering purposes or any enquiries please phone Marie Byrne
6425:5774.
SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMENT:
“We, the Catholic bishops of Australia Australia
The consistent calls for justice for
members of our own First Nations and for people who come to our shores seeking
protection from violence and danger are two immediate challenges Australia
From the Australian Catholic Bishop’s Social Justice
Statement 2013-2014: Lazarus at our Gate: A critical moment in the fight against
world poverty.
FOOTY MARGIN: Round 20 Richmond
BINGO Thursday
Nights - OLOL Hall, Devonport. Eyes down
7.30pm!
Callers for Thursday 21st August are Rod
Clark & Tony Ryan
HELP REQUIRED .....WE NEED MORE CALLERS.
If you able to assist in any way please contact the Parish
Office.
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE ARCHDIOCESE:
“SCRIPTURE, CHRIST, AND LIFE EVERLASTING” SEMINAR SERIES: Dr.
Christine Wood, Archdiocesan Office of Evangelisation (ph. 6208-6236) will be
offering a series of 2-hour seminars at the West Tamar Parish hall on August
25-28. Morning and evening seminars; come to one or all. Suitable for
sacramental preparation and RCIA catechists, and for any adult parishioners
wishing to deepen their Catholic faith.
CATHOLIC WOMEN'S LEAGUE TASMANIA
& THE ANIMA WOMEN'S NETWORK: Invite all women to the official launch of the Anima
Women's Network in Tasmania 108 Bathurst Street , Hobart
Newsletter items must be
received before 12 noon
Thursday – thank you.
Evangelii Gaudium
‘Popular piety enables
us to see how the faith, once received, becomes embodied in a culture and is
constantly passed on...popular piety “makes people capable of generosity and
sacrifice even to the point of heroism”...’
-
Para
123 from Evangelii
Gaudium, Pope Francis, Nov. 24, 2013
How
is the Christian moral life bound up with faith and the sacraments?
‘What the symbol of faith professes, the sacraments
communicate. Indeed through them the faithful receive the grace of Christ and
the gifts of the Holy Spirit which give them the capacity of living a new life
as children of God in Christ whom they have received in faith.’
From:
Compendium of the Catechism of the
Catholic Church: Paragraph 357 (Catholic
Enquiry Centre www.catholicenquiry.com)
Feast Day of the Week – St Bernard
of Clairvaux (August 20)
As well as having a deep devotion
to Mary, St Bernard was instrumental in re-emphasising the importance of Lectio Divina and contemplation on
Scripture within the Cistercian order. He observed that when Lectio Divina was neglected monasticism
suffered. St Bernard considered Lectio
Divina and contemplation guided by the Holy Spirit the keys to nourishing
Christian spirituality.
Words of Wisdom –from Saint Pope John Paul II
‘[Speaking
of marriage and family] In this entire world there is not a more perfect, more
complete image of God, Unity and Community. There is no other human reality
which corresponds more, humanly speaking, to that divine mystery.’
Meme of the week
A bit of inspiration from the ‘sisterhood’ (and no, they
are not some new street gang but rather, a group of nuns who use contemporary
media to evangelise).
‘Be the beautiful SAINT that you were created to be’ is
the message from their Facebook page, along with this beautiful meme (punctuation
mistake included).
WALKING ON WATER AND SINKING LIKE A STONE
An article by Fr
Ron Rolheiser OMI, the original can be found at
http://ronrolheiser.com/walking-on-water-and-sinking-like-a-stone/#.U-2GMPmSzAY
Faith isn’t something you ever simply achieve. It’s not
something that you ever nail down as a fait accompli. Faith works this way:
Some days you walk on water and other days you sink like a stone. Faith
invariably gives way to doubt before it again recovers its confidence, then it
loses it again.
We see this
graphically illustrated in the famous story in the gospels of Peter walking on
water. The story goes this way: The disciples had just witnessed a major
miracle, Jesus feeding more than 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two
fishes. Having just witnessed a miracle, their faith was strong. Soon
afterwards they get into a boat to cross a lake. Jesus is not with them. A few
miles out they run into a fierce storm and begin to panic. Jesus comes walking
towards them on the water. Initially they’re frightened and take him for a
ghost. But he calms their fear by telling them, right from the center of the
storm, that he is not just Jesus but that he is God’s very presence.
Peter is
immediately buoyed up in his faith and asks Jesus to let him too walk on the
water. Jesus invites him to do so and Peter gets out of the boat confidently
and begins to walk on the water. But then, realizing what he was doing and the
incredulous nature of it, he immediately starts to sink, cries out for help,
and Jesus has to reach out and rescue him from drowning.
What we see
illustrated here are two things that lie at the heart of our experience of
faith, namely, that faith (literally) has its ups and downs and that it works
best when we don’t confuse it with our own powers.
Faith has its
ups and downs: We see this, almost pictorially illustrated, in the incident of
Peter walking on the water. Initially his faith feels strong and he confidently
steps onto the sea and begins to walk. But, almost immediately upon realizing
what he was doing, he starts to sink. Our own faith works exactly like that, at
times it lets us walk on water and at other times we sink like a stone. The
gospel-image of Peter walking on the sea speaks for itself.
However if we
feel discouraged because our faith vacillates in this way, we can take
consolation from these words from Julian of Norwich. Describing one of her
visions, she writes: “After this He [Jesus] showed a most excellent spiritual
pleasure in my soul: I was completely filled with everlasting certainty,
powerfully sustained without any painful fear. This feeling was so joyful and
so spiritual that I was wholly in peace and in repose and there was nothing on
earth that would have grieved me. This lasted only a while, and I was changed
and left to myself in such sadness and weariness of my life, and annoyance with
myself that scarcely was I able to have patience to live. … And
immediately after this, our Blessed Lord gave me again the comfort and the rest
in my soul, in delight and in security so blissful and so powerful that no
fear, no sorrow, no bodily pain that could be suffered would have distressed
me. And then pain showed again to my feeling, and then the joy and delight, and
now the one, and now the other, various times.” (Showings 15)
Julian of
Norwich was a renowned mystic with an exceptional faith and, yet, like Peter,
she too vacillated between walking on water and sinking like a stone. Her
confident feelings came – but they also left.
As well,
faith works best when we don’t confuse it with our own efforts. For example,
Donald Nichol, in his book, Holiness, shares a story of a British missionary
working in Africa
The Sufi
mystic, Rumi, once wrote that we live with a deep secret that sometimes we
know, and then not, and then we know it again. Faith works like that, some days
we walk on water, other days we sink like a stone, and then later we walk on
water again.
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