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
Weekly Homily Podcast: podomatic.com/mikedelaney
Parish Magazine: 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)
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
FIRST READING
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: (R.) The
Lord is my light and my salvation.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! This is the will of my Father, says the Lord, that I should
lose nothing of all that he has given to me, and that I should raise it up on
the last day.
GOSPEL: Matthew 11:25-30
REFLECTION :
Today, we remember and celebrate the lives of those who
have gone before us–"that great cloud of witnesses who surround us"
(Heb 12:1) and support us with their prayers. Of course, there is sadness
when a friend or family member dies but, in the end, it is faith that enables
us to surrender our mourning and be joyful in our memories. That faith is
reflected and eloquently expressed by the author of Wisdom. Although, it may
not be immediately evident, this text is quite remarkable in that it exhibits
the development of Israel
In today's second reading from his letter to the house
churches in Rome
Since the life-giving renewal of the Second Vatican
Council, Catholic funerals also reflect a more hope-filled and positive
attitude! Up until 1967 black vestments were required and the liturgy was
called the Mass of the Dead. Now, white vestments are permitted for celebrating
the Mass of Resurrection. Songs are also joyful as the entire congregations
joins together to give one of their own a worthy and prayerful "send
off". When one of our own, whom we know today as theologian and pastor
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, was about to be martyred by the Nazis in 1945, said
"This is the end. For me, the beginning of life." Amen.
Weekday Masses 4th - 7th November, 2014
Tuesday: 9:30am Penguin
Wednesday: 9:30am Latrobe, 10:30am Eliza Purton Ulverstone
Thursday: 12noon Devonport
Friday: 9:00am Ulverstone, 9:30am Devonport
Next Weekend 8th & 9th November, 2014
Saturday Vigil: 6:00pm Penguin & Devonport
Sunday Mass: 8:30am Port Sorell
9:00am Ulverstone
10:30am Devonport
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 - Devonport (Emmaus House) Thursdays - 7:30pm
Christian Meditation - Devonport, Emmaus House - Wednesdays 7pm.
Ministry Rosters 8th &
9th November, 2014
Devonport:
Readers:
Vigil: A McIntyre, M Williams, C Kiely-Hoye
10.30am: E Petts , K Douglas, J Barber
Ministers of Communion: Vigil B & B
Windebank, T Bird, J Kelly, T Muir, Beau Windebank
10.30am: J DiPietro, S Riley, B Schrader, F Sly, M Mahoney, M
Sherriff
Cleaners 7th Nov: M.W.C. 14th Nov:
P
Shelverton, E Petts
Piety Shop 8th Nov: H Thompson 9th Nov: P Piccolo Flowers: A O'Connor
Ulverstone:
Reader: E Standring Ministers of Communion: M Byrne, D Griffin
Cleaners: K Bourke Flowers: M Bryan Hospitality: M & K McKenzie
Penguin:
Greeters: J Garnsey, S
Ewing Commentator: M Kenney Readers:
Y Downes, J
Barker
Procession: A Landers, A Hyland Ministers of Communion: J Garnsey,
S Ewing
Liturgy: Penguin Setting Up: E Nickols
Care of Church: G Hills-Eade, A Landers
Port Sorell:
Readers: M Badcock, G Duff Ministers of Communion: B Lee, E Holloway
Clean /Prepare/Flowers: C Howard
Latrobe:
Reader: Ministers of
Communion: I
Campbell, H Lim
Procession: Cotterell Family Music:
Jenny & May
Your prayers
are asked for the sick: Melissa Gilbert, Joan Singline, Shanon Breaden, Shirley
Fidler, Shirley White, Tom Knaap, Kath Smith, Jamie Griffiths, Arlene
Austria &.....
Let us pray for those who
have died recently:
Maurie Tate, Jack Rheinberger, Michael Clarke, Helen
James, Lemuel Macapil, Margaret Williams, Leon Breaden, Jack Miller, Frances
Roberts, Anne Johnson, Kieran McVeigh, Helen Kent, Christine MacDonald, Fr John
Nagle and Jack Grant.
Let us pray
for those whose anniversary occurs about this time:
Bill Stuart, David Murray, Allan Fay, Win Casey, Kevin
Tolson, Annie Hood, Dean Turnbull, Froilan E.P. Garcia, Romeo Macapil, Glynn James and all
those named in our November Remembrance Book.
May they rest in peace
Readings Next Week; Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
First Reading
FROM FR MIKE:
The Parish Pastoral Council meets this week to progress the
work of addressing the responses to the Draft Pastoral Plan. Again, my thanks
to those parishioners who responded.
At the beginning of the year I had asked the members of the
Pastoral Council if they would be able to continue during this year as I
settled in. However, like all groups of people, there have been some changes
and now we need to seek new members for 2015 and following. This weekend there is a nomination form
available at all Mass Centres inviting parishioners to reflect on assisting the
Parish by either nominating another person or themselves to this important role
within our Parish.
Again this weekend men of our Parish will be speaking about
the upcoming menALIVE weekend - this is a 30 hour opportunity for men of all
levels of faith to come together and journey through a process of deepening
their faith and renewing the Parish. I know there are many demands on our time
and energy but this 30 hours can be a life changer.
Please note:
· Wed 5th
at 7pm – Our Lady of Lourdes Church - Mass for the recently Deceased of the
Parish as well as relatives and friends from other communities who have died
during the past twelve months (anyone needing transport please contact the
Parish House); and
· Friday 7th
from 7pm - Open House at the Parish House, Devonport – all welcome.
Take care on the roads and in your homes. Until next week
Fr
Mike
THE NEW CATHOLIC STANDARD:
Don’t forget to grab your copy of The Catholic Standard at Mass this weekend and each fortnight. And if there’s
anything or anyone outstanding or new in your parish you think would make a
great story, be sure to let us know at Catholic Standard@aohtas.org.au
MACKILLOP HILL EVENTS:
Tuesday 4th November at 12:30pm - BBQ, salads and sweet
lunch - BYO drinks (glasses provided). Best Cup Day Hat - female or male -
Lucky Saddle. $15 per person, bookings essential Phone 6428:3095 or Mary Webb
6425:2781
JULIAN TENISON WOODS Facilitator: Sr Carmel Jones rsj
A glimpse into the heart of this eloquent, educated
co-founder of the Sisters of St Joseph. Thursday 6th November 7.30-9pm. Donations gratefully accepted. Bookings please by Monday 3rd November Ph: 6428
3095 Email: mackillophill.forth@sosj.org.au
OLOL LITURGY COMMITTEE MEETING
The liturgy committee will meet on Thursday, Nov 6 at 4.15 pm
at Emmaus House. If you have an item that you would like discussed at this
meeting, please contact Kath Pearce (Chairperson) on 6424 6504 or Felicity Sly
(Secretary) on 0418 301 573.
ST MARY'S CHURCH - PENGUIN:
All Parishioners, families and friends are warmly invited
to help with a garden tidy up at St Mary's Church Penguin on Saturday
8th November, 9am - midday. Please bring gardening tools!
LITURGY PREPARATION GROUP:
You are very warmly invited to join parishioners and
members of local liturgical and musical groups to assist in the preparation of
our parish Advent and Christmas liturgies. Meetings will be held at Emmaus
House as set out below:
For Advent: Sunday 9 November from 2.30 pm - 4.00 pm
For Christmas: Sunday 30 November from 2.30 pm -
4.00 pm
For further information contact: Peter Douglas on 0419 302 435
menALIVE BILLETING:
Help is needed to accommodate the five Team members
(presenters) of the menAlive Weekend on Fri 14th & Sat 15th Nov, also with
breakfast on Sat & Sun mornings.
Anyone able to assist is asked to contact the Parish Office ASAP.
BINGO
Thursday Nights - OLOL Hall,
Devonport. Eyes down 7.30pm!
Callers for Thursday 6th November are Jon
Halley and Peter Bolster.
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE ARCHDIOCESE:
RELIC TOUR OF ST. ANTHONY:
It is hoped to have the Relic of St Anthony tour Tasmania from 16th June at the Cathedral in Hobart Australia , New
Zealand and Asia .
Donations can be sent to D Mortimer, 15
Thornleigh Street, West
SAINTS OF THE WEEK:
Nov 1 All
Saints
The Feast Day was instituted to honour all the saints,
known and unknown, and, according to Urban IV (c.1195-1264), to make up for any
deficiencies in the faithfuls celebration of saints' feast days during the
year.
In the early days the Christians were accustomed to
solemnize the anniversary of a martyr's death for Christ at the place of
martyrdom. In the persecution of Diocletian the number of martyrs became so
great that a separate day could not be assigned to each. But the Church,
feeling that every martyr should be venerated, appointed a common day for all.
Gregory IV (827-844) extended the celebration on 1 November to the entire
Church. The vigil, known as ‘Hallowe’en’ seems to have been held as early as
the feast itself.
Nov 2 All
Souls
‘All Souls Day commemorates the faithful departed, those
baptized Christians believed to be in purgatory. Purgatory still exists in
Church teaching – it is “the state of those who die in God’s friendship,
assured of their eternal salvation, but who still have need of purification to
enter into the happiness of heaven”. (Compendium of the Catechism, n.
210). The day purposely follows All
Saints Day in order to shift the focus from those in heaven to those in
purgatory.’
Nov 3 Martin de Porres
According to the sources, God endowed St Martin de Porres with many graces and wondrous gifts, such as, aerial flights and bi-location. He also possessed spiritual wisdom, demonstrated in his solving his sister's marriage problems, raising a dowry for his niece inside of three day's time, and resolving theological problems for the learned of his Order and for bishops. A close friend of St. Rose of Lima, he died on November 3, 1639 and was canonised on May 6, 1962.
Nov 4 Charles Borromeo 1538 - 1584
Receiving the clerical tonsure at age of twelve, Charles
studied in a Benedictine monastery. In 1559 his uncle was elected Pope Pius IV
and in 1560 named him at the age of 24 his Secretary of State and created him a
cardinal and administrator of the See of Milan. Ordained in 1563, he was
created Bishop of Milan the same year.
Due to his enforcement of strict ecclesiastical discipline, some
disgruntled monks attempted his murder in 1569 - he was shot at, but was not
hit. He helped re-open the Council of
Trent and fervently enforced its decrees. He oversaw the catechism, missal, and
breviary called for by the Council. One of the towering figures of the Catholic
Reformation, he used his position with humility and personal sanctity.
Newsletter
items must be received before 12 noon Thursday – thank you.
Evangelii Gaudium
“...people prefer to listen to witnesses: they ‘thirst for authenticity’ and ‘call for evangelisers to speak of a God whom they themselves know and are familiar with, as if they were seeing him.”
Par 150 from Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis, Nov. 24, 2013
Where the rubber hits the road
In this section, we turn our attention to a Catholic response, or perspective on significant societal pressures, including economic and cultural forces. This week, with the Melbourne Cup imminent, we provide several links on how Catholics could respond to the issue of gambling.
First up, here’s an article by Bishop Thomas Tobin, of the Providence Diocese, Rhode Island, USA. It’s aptly titled ‘The Catholic Church and Gambling’.
http://www.ascensioncatholic.net/TOPICS/misc/Gambling.html
Another US publication, The Arlington Catholic Herald, addresses the question of whether gambling is a sin (http://catholicherald.com/stories/Is-Gambling-a-Sin,3367).
In an editorial on independent news site No Fibs late last year, Errol Brandt argues that the challenge for the Church is its reliance on money raised from gambling, particularly through clubs owned by the Church. As he puts it: “Gambling is not inherently wrong. However Sydney’s ‘Catholic casinos’ are based on a business model that depends on problem gambling for their survival, and the Church in Australia does itself a massive disservice through its tacit support.”
(http://nofibs.com.au/2013/12/06/can-pope-francis-stop-catholic-casinos-australia-errol-brandt-e2mq173-reports/)
For a different perspective, here’s how The Catholic Guy, Bruce Downes, marked a recent Melbourne Cup and what he learnt from the experience.
(http://thecatholicguy.com/message/melbourne-cup-part-2/)
Words of Wisdom –St Peter Julian Eymard
“He loves, He hopes, He waits. If He came down on our altars on certain days only, some sinner, on being moved to repentance, might have to look for Him, and not finding Him, might have to wait. Our Lord prefers to wait Himself for the sinner for years rather than keep him waiting one instant.”
http://quotecatholic.com/index.php/forgiveness-sin/st-peter-julian-eymard-he-loves/#more-1316
Meme of the week
Captures the "cool" factor
of Pope Francis.
“He loves, He hopes, He waits. If He came down on our altars on certain days only, some sinner, on being moved to repentance, might have to look for Him, and not finding Him, might have to wait. Our Lord prefers to wait Himself for the sinner for years rather than keep him waiting one instant.”
http://quotecatholic.com/index.php/forgiveness-sin/st-peter-julian-eymard-he-loves/#more-1316
Meme of the weekCaptures the "cool" factor
of Pope Francis.
THREE KINDS OF SPIRITUALITIES
An Article by Fr Ron Rolheiser omi. The original can be found at http://ronrolheiser.com/three-kinds-of-spiritualities/#.VFP2vfmUfAY
All of us
struggle, and we struggle in three ways. First, sometimes we struggle simply to
maintain ourselves, to stay healthy and stable, to stay normal, to not fall
apart, to not have our lives unravel into chaos and depression. It takes real
effort just to maintain our ordinary health, stability, and happiness.
But, even as this is going on, another part of us is forever
reaching upwards, struggling to grow, to achieve higher things, to not waste
our riches and gifts, to live a life that is more admirable, noble, and
altruistic.
Then, at another level, we struggle with a threatening darkness
that surrounds and undergirds us. The complexities of life can overwhelm us
leaving us feeling threatened, small, excluded, and insignificant. For this
reason, a part of us is forever conscious that we stand one season, one
breakdown, one lost relationship, one lost job, one death of a loved one, or
one thing that we cannot even foresee, away from a descent into paralyzing
depression, an illness, or a dark chaos that we cannot control.
In short, we struggle to maintain ourselves, struggle to grow,
and struggle to keep depression and death at bay. Because we struggle at these
three levels, we need three kinds of spiritualities in our lives.
At one level, we need a spirituality of maintenance, that is, a
spirituality that helps us to maintain our normal health, stability, and
ordinariness. Too often spiritual teachings neglect this vital aspect of
spirituality. Rather we are forever being challenged to grow, be better
persons, to be better Christians, to simply be better than we are at present.
That’s good, but it naively takes for granted that we are already healthy,
stable, and strong enough to be challenged. And, as we know, many times this
isn’t the case. There are times in our lives, when the best we can do is to
hang on, not fall apart, and fight to regain again some health, stability, and
strength in our lives, to simply get one foot in front of the next. At these
times in our lives, challenge isn’t exactly what we need, rather we need to be
given divine permission to feel what we’re feeling and we need to be given a
warm hand to help draw us back towards health and strength. The challenge to
grow comes later.
And that challenge comes with an invitation that invites us
upwards, towards a spirituality of the ascent. All spiritualities worthy of the
name, stress the need to make a certain ascent, to grow beyond our
immaturities, our laziness, our wounds, and the perennial hedonism and
shallowness of our culture. The emphasis here is always to reach upward, beyond,
towards the heavens, and towards all that is more noble, altruistic,
compassionate, loving, admirable, and saintly. Much of classical Christian
spirituality is a spirituality of the ascent, an invitation to something
higher, an invitation to be true to what is deepest inside of us, namely, the
Image and Likeness of God. Much of Jesus’ preaching invites us precisely to
something higher. Confucius, one of the great moral teachers of all time, had a
similar pedagogy, inviting people to look to beauty and goodness and to forever
reach in that direction. In our own time, John Paul II used this very
effectively in his appeal to young people, challenging them always to not
settle for compromise or second-best, but to look always for something higher
and more noble to give their lives to.
But the challenge to growth also needs a spirituality of
descent, a vision and a set of disciplines that point us not just towards the
rising sun, but also towards the setting sun. We need a spirituality that
doesn’t avoid or deny the complexities of life, the mad conspiracy of forces
beyond us, the paralyzing losses and depressions in life, and the looming
reality of sickness, diminishment, and death. Sometimes we can only grow by
descending into that frightening underworld, where, like Jesus, we undergo a
transformation by facing chaos, diminishment, darkness, satanic forces
(whatever these may be), and death itself. In some ancient cultures this was
called “sitting in the ashes” or “being a child of Saturn” (the archetypal planet
of depression). As Christians we call this undergoing the paschal mystery.
Whatever the name, all spiritualities worthy of the name will, at some time in
your life, invite you to make a painful descent into the frightening underworld
of chaos, depression, loss, insignificance, darkness, satanic forces, and death
itself.
Life reveals itself above us and below us and on the flat plain
of ordinariness. None of these may be ignored. And so we need always to
maintain and steady ourselves, even as we reach upwards and sometimes allow
ourselves to descent into darkness.
And there’s still time to do all of this. As Rainer Marie Rilke
once wrote:
You are not dead yet. It is not too late
To open your depths by plunging into them
And drink in the life
That reveals itself quietly there.
