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.) I love you, Lord, my strength.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! All who love me will keep my words, and my Father will love them and we will come to them. Alleluia
GOSPEL: Matthew 22:34-40
PREGO REFLECTION ON TODAY'S GOSPEL:
As I settle down to pray, I take several moments to allow
myself to relax in the presence of God, to become still in body and mind.
I may wish to make a slow sign of the cross, or another
gesture of reverence, marking my entry into prayer. When I am ready, I turn to
the Gospel text. I try to sense the emotion, the hostility, with which the
Pharisees question Jesus.
I listen to Jesus’ teaching as he sums up the Law and the
Prophets in a few short sentences.
How do I feel as I listen to Jesus’ words?
What is my reaction as I apply them to myself?
I share my thoughts and feelings with the Lord, speaking to
him from my heart.
I ask for whatever grace I need to respond to our Lord,
“with my whole heart, my whole soul, my whole mind”.
As I come to the end of my time of prayer, I may like to
recall the words of St. Ignatius, that “Love is shown more in deeds than in words”.
In what practical ways am I called this week, to show my
love of God by caring for my neighbour?
Weekday Masses 28th October - 1st November, 2014
Tuesday: 9:30am Penguin
Wednesday: 9:30am Latrobe
Thursday: 12noon Devonport
Friday: 9:30am Ulverstone
Saturday: 9:00am Ulverstone ... All Saints
9:30am Devonport ... All Saints
Next Weekend 25th & 26th October, 2014
Saturday Vigil: 6:00pm Penguin & Devonport
Sunday Mass: 8:30am Port Sorell (LWC)
9:00am Ulverstone
10:30am Devonport
9:00am Ulverstone
10:30am Devonport
11:00am Sheffield
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 1st & 2nd November, 2014
Devonport:
Readers:
Vigil: M Kelly, B Paul, R Baker 10.30am: J
Phillips, K Pearce, P Piccolo
Ministers of Communion: Vigil M Doyle, M
Heazlewood, S Innes , M Gerrand, P Shelverton
10.30am: B Peters, F Sly, J Carter, B Schrader, P Bolster
Cleaners 31st Oct: F Sly, M Hansen, R McBain 7th Nov: M.W.C.
Piety Shop 1st Nov: R Baker 2nd Nov: D French Flowers: J Cox, S O'Rourke
Ulverstone:
Reader: E Cox Ministers of Communion: M Byrne, D Griffin
Cleaners: M Swain, M
Bryan
Penguin:
Greeters: G Hills-Eade, B Eade Commentator: J Barker Readers:
T Clayton, J
Garnsey
Procession: M & D Hiscutt Ministers of Communion: M Kenney,
A Guest
Liturgy: Pine
Road E Nickols
Port Sorell:
Readers: E Holloway, P Anderson
Clean /Prepare/Flowers: C
Howard
Latrobe:
Reader: P Cotterell Ministers of Communion: M Kavic, B Ritchie
Procession: M Clarke & Co Music:
Hermie & Co
Your prayers
are asked for the sick: Joan Singline, Eloise Riley, Shanon Breaden, Shirley Fidler, Shirley
White, Tom Knaap, Kath Smith, Jamie Griffiths, Arlene Austria &.....
Let us pray for those who
have died recently:
Margaret
Williams, Leon Breaden, Catherine McLennan, Jack Miller, Frances Roberts, Anne
Johnson, Kieran
McVeigh, Helen Kent, Christine MacDonald, Fr Paul Connolly, Fr John Nagle, Sr
Stephanie OCD, John de Kievet, Zelda Wright, Sr Catherine
O'Dwyer OP, Leslie Lavelle, George Farrow, Jack Grant, Shirley Ranson, Peggy
Scanlan, Terence Doody.
Let us pray
for those whose anniversary occurs about this time:
Paul McNamara, Brenda Wyatt, Lawrence McGuire, Margaret Doody, Bernard P.
Marshall, Cyril Allford and Fe Rahinel. Also deceased relatives and friends of
the McLennan family.
May they rest in peace
First Reading
FROM FR MIKE:
Some members of the Parish Pastoral Council met this week to work through the responses to the Draft Pastoral Plan and we will be responding individually to those parishioners who responded but there are a couple of things I would like to say here.
Some additions and changes will be made to the recommendations to reflect the comments made in the responses. We were also aware that Pope Francis’ exhortation - Evangelii Gaudium - and Archbishop Julian’s document – Start Afresh From Christ – both have implications for our plan and some of the material contained there will be included in our recommendations. Another more immediate step will be to invite members of the Parish as well as members of the PPC to look at ways that we might be able to implement the recommendations regarding youth within the next few weeks.
Last weekend men of our Parish spoke about the upcoming menALIVE weekend - this will be a wonderful opportunity for men of all levels of faith to come together and journey through a process of deepening their faith and renewing the Parish.
Several significant events happen within the next fortnight. We celebrate the Feast of All Saints and All Souls – an extra Mass will be celebrated at OLOL for the Feast of All Saints (Mass was already scheduled for Ulverstone); there is the 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 (Wed 5th November at 7pm – anyone needing transport please contact the Parish House); and there will be the Open House at the Parish House, Devonport on Friday 7th November from 7pm – all welcome.
Some additions and changes will be made to the recommendations to reflect the comments made in the responses. We were also aware that Pope Francis’ exhortation - Evangelii Gaudium - and Archbishop Julian’s document – Start Afresh From Christ – both have implications for our plan and some of the material contained there will be included in our recommendations. Another more immediate step will be to invite members of the Parish as well as members of the PPC to look at ways that we might be able to implement the recommendations regarding youth within the next few weeks.
Last weekend men of our Parish spoke about the upcoming menALIVE weekend - this will be a wonderful opportunity for men of all levels of faith to come together and journey through a process of deepening their faith and renewing the Parish.
Several significant events happen within the next fortnight. We celebrate the Feast of All Saints and All Souls – an extra Mass will be celebrated at OLOL for the Feast of All Saints (Mass was already scheduled for Ulverstone); there is the 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 (Wed 5th November at 7pm – anyone needing transport please contact the Parish House); and there will be the Open House at the Parish House, Devonport on Friday 7th November from 7pm – all welcome.
Take care on the roads and in your homes. Until next week
Fr Mike
October edition of Faith families
is available now from all Mass Centres.
CATHOLIC MISSION WORLD MISSION
Thank you for helping Jamaicans turn away from violence and
crime through your kind gifts and prayers. Your generosity is making is
possible for local priests and sisters to continue to offer life-saving
practical, spiritual and emotional support to the people of Jamaica
Freecall: 1800 257
296 catholicmission.org.au/Jamaica
CARITAS AUSTRALIA
Pat O'Halloran, the retiring Tasmanian Director of Caritas, wrote recently advising us that Caritas received $444,000 from Tasmania
ANOINTING MASS MEETING:
A meeting will be held at Emmaus House on Thursday
30th October at 2 pm to make arrangements for OLOL Anointing Mass.
WORLD COMMUNITY DAY:
Will be held in the Baptist Church
CWL NEWS:
At the recent conference and handcraft exhibition held in Hobart
MACKILLOP HILL EVENTS:
Tuesday 4th November - BBQ, salads and sweet lunch - BYO drinks (glasses
provided). Best Cup Day Hat - female or male - Lucky Saddle. $15 per person,
bookings essential by 28th October - 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
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!
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.
MERSEY LEVEN ROSARY GROUP:
The Mersey Leven Rosary Group would like to thank our bus
sponsor Dr. Eugene Edillo, our volunteer driver Kerry Whittle and all those involved
in making the Pilgrimage a great success.
BINGO Thursday Nights - OLOL Hall, Devonport. Eyes down 7.30pm!
Callers for Thursday 30th October are Rod
Clark and Alan Luxton.
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE ARCHDIOCESE:
MEMORIAL MASS - Fr John Nagle:
Mass for the Late Fr John Nagle will be celebrated at Fr
Nagle's old Parish, Church of the Incarnation at Lindisfarne
on Tuesday
28th October at 7pm. All friends and parishioners of Fr Nagle are
warmly invited.
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
Evangelii Gaudium
“Dialogue is much more
than the communication of a truth. It arises from the enjoyment of speaking and
it enriches those who express their love for one another through the medium of
words.”
Par 142
from Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis,
Nov. 24, 2013
A
will to shape the future
In this section, we have
been highlighting various Catholic charities that your parishioners may like to
consider supporting, particularly by leaving a bequest. Some of these charities
may already be recipients of the generosity of members of your community. Previously,
we drew attention to the St Vincent de Paul Society, Aid to the Church In Need,
Rosies, the St Columban Mission Society and Centacare.
This week, we focus on
Catholic Mission (disclaimer: this is the organisation I work for, in Queensland
“By providing a source
of future funds, you allow missionaries to pursue their work with greater
confidence today - helping them to work harder to bring aid to the poor, care
to the sick, freedom to the oppressed and God's salvation to the world. And you
are ensuring there will be others to follow in their footsteps.”
Feast
Day of the Week – St Patrick – the place and the person
If you want to
alert your parish to a particular feast day, let them know that the apostles,
Saint Simon and Saint Jude are celebrated on Tuesday, October 28. However, this
week, the Ordo tells us that it also is the anniversary of the dedication of
the Cathedral in Melbourne
For information about St Patrick, the Patron Saint
of Ireland, go to: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/446636/Saint-Patrick
For information about St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne
For information about St Simon and St Jude, go to: http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/Saint.aspx?id=1182
Oct 28 Sts Simon and Jude, Apostles
The name of Simon occurs
in all the passages of the Gospel and Acts where a list of the Apostles is
given. To distinguish him from St Peter he is called the Zealot meaning that he
had zeal for the Jewish Law which he practised before his call.
Jude, known as
Thaddaeus, was a brother of James, son of Alphaeus. Jude was the one who asked
Jesus at the Last Supper why he would not manifest Himself to the whole world
after His resurrection. He is the author of a short letter which forms part of
the New Testament. Tradition has it that Simon and Jude preached in Persia
where they were martyred.
Words of Wisdom – Brandon Vogt, author of The Saints Favourite Books, blogger and commentator on social media
“If our aim is evangelization, then like Cyril and
Methodius we must study today’s language. And by ‘language’ I don’t just mean
words; I mean the tone, the style, and the form. For it’s only once we
understand and speak the language of modern man that we can evangelize him.”
http://brandonvogt.com/memes/
(NB. scroll down to the third paragraph of his opening comments, at the
beginning of his interview, to find this particular quote).
Meme of the week
This week’s meme was
found as part of a collection, available in an interview conducted by the
author and commentator mentioned above (in Words
of Wisdom), Brandon Vogt. His dialogue with the creator of numerous memes,
Ryan Scheel, offers a fascinating glimpse into the mindset of someone who
recognises that the meme – that particular combination of image and humorous
text – is a powerful tool for evangelisation. It is, as the two acknowledge, a
contemporary form of
(To access the full
interview, go to http://brandonvogt.com/memes/)
THE GODDESS OF CHASTITY
An article by Fr
Ron Rolheiser OMI. The original can be found at http://ronrolheiser.com/the-goddess-of-chastity/#.VErQ-PmSzAY
Ancient Greece
And many of these
myths are centered on gods and goddesses. They had gods and goddesses to mirror
virtually every aspect of life, every aspect of human behavior, and every
innate human propensity. Moreover, many of these gods and goddesses were far
from moral in their behavior, especially in their sexual lives. They had messy
affairs with each other and with human beings. However, despite the messiness
and amorality of their sexual behavior, one of the positive features inside
these myths was that, for Ancient Greece, sex was always, somehow, connected to
the divine. Even temple prostitution was somehow related to accessing the
fertility that emanated from the divine realm.
Within this
pantheon of gods and goddesses there was a particular goddess name Artemis.
Unlike most of their other goddesses, who were sexually promiscuous, she was
chaste and celibate. Her sexual abstinence represented the place and the
value of chastity and celibacy. She was pictured as a tall, graceful figure,
attractive sexually, but with a beauty that, while sexual, was different from
the seductive sexuality of goddesses like Aphrodite and Hera. In the figure of
Artemis, sex is pictured as an attractive blend of solitude and integrity. She
is frequently pictured as surrounded by members of her own sex or by members of
the opposite sex who appear as friends and intimates, but never as lovers.
What’s implied here
is that sexual desire can remain healthy and generative even while abstaining
from sex. Artemis represents a chaste way of being sexual. She tells us
that, in the midst of a sexually-soaked world, one can be generative and happy
inside of chastity and even inside celibacy. Perhaps even more importantly,
Artemis shows us that chastity need not render one anti-sexual and sterile. Rather
she shows that sexuality is wider than sex and that sex itself will be richer
and more meaningful if it is also connected to chastity. Artemis declares that
claiming your solitude and experiencing friendship and other forms of intimacy
are not a substitute for sex but one of the rich modalities of sex itself.
Thomas Moore, in
describing Artemis, writes: “Although she is the most virginal of the
goddesses, Artemis is not asexual. She embodies a special kind of sexuality
where the accent is on individuality, integrity, and solitude.” As such, she is
a model not just for celibates but also for people who are sexually active. For
sexually active person, Artemis is the cautionary flag that says: I want to be
taken seriously, with my integrity and independence assured.
As well, Moore
suggests that, irrespective of whether we are celibate or sexually active, we
all “have periods in life or just moments in a day when we need to be alone,
disconnected from love and sex, devoted to an interest of our own, withdrawn
and remote. [Artemis] tells us that this preference may not be an antisocial
rejection of people but simply a deep, positive, even sexual focusing of
oneself and one’s world.”
What’s taught by
this mythical goddess is a much needed lesson for our world today. Our age has
turned sex into a soteriology, namely, for us, sex isn’t perceived as a means
towards heaven, it is identified with heaven itself. It’s what we’re supposed
to be living for. One of the consequences of this is that we can no longer blend
our adult awareness with chastity, nor with the genuine complexity and richness
of sex. Rather, for many of us, chastity and celibacy are seen as a fearful
self-protection, which leave one dry, sterile, moralistic, anti-erotic,
sexually-uptight, and on the periphery of life’s joys. Tied to this too is the
notion that all those rich realities so positively highlighted by Artemis (as
well as by the classical Christian notion of chastity), namely, friendship,
non-sexual forms of intimacy, non- sexual pleasures, and the need for integrity
and fidelity within sex, are seen as a substitute for sex, and a second-best
one at that, rather than as rich modality of sex itself.
We are
psychologically and spiritually impoverished by that notion and it puts undue
pressure on our sexual lives. When sex is asked to carry the primary load in
terms of human generativity and happiness it cannot help but come up short. And
we are seeing that in our world today.
Of course, as
Christians, we have our own goddesses of chastity, Mary, the mother of Jesus,
and many women saints. Why not draw our spirituality of chastity from these
women, rather than looking towards some pagan, mythical goddess? Well, for the
most part, we do look to Christian models here. Moreover, I suspect that
both the Virgin Mary and all of our revered virgin saints would, were she
actually a real person, very much befriend Artemis.
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