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
shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
GOSPEL: Matthew 25:31-46
PREGO REFLECTION :
This familiar text reveals the heart of the gospel (to love
God with all our might and our neighbour as ourselves). It also reveals the
heart of the Shepherd King. I read it slowly, happy to pause over a word,
phrase or image that moves me.
I may like to reflect on my image of Christ as King in this
passage. What image of kingship am I most at home with? Is it one of ‘glory
with all his angels with him’? Is it the reign of a humble shepherd with the
“smell of sheep” (to quote Pope Francis) on him?
I might take as my focus the place of the sheep. Perhaps
like these sheep, I have little or no recollection of my good deeds.
Alternatively, I might be drawn to reflect on the recipients
of my good deeds, those utterly unimportant brothers and sisters of Christ.
Where do I encounter the hungry, the naked, the sick ?
Is there any place in my life for the stranger and the
imprisoned? I rest, in the quiet of the Shepherd, asking him for strength so as
to be faithful to his commandment to love, which is simply a reflection of my
love for him.
Weekday Masses 25th - 28th November, 2014
Tuesday: 9:30am Penguin
Wednesday: 9:30am Latrobe
Thursday: 12noon Devonport
Friday: 9:30am Ulverstone
Next Weekend 29th & 30th November, 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 29th & 30th November, 2014
Devonport:
Readers:
Vigil: M Kelly, B Paul, R Baker 10.30am: J
Phillips, K Pearce, P Piccolo
B
Windebank
10.30am: M & B Peters, L Hollister, F Sly, B & C
Schrader
Cleaners 28th Nov: B Paul, D Atkins, V Riley 5th Dec: M.W.C
Piety Shop 29th Nov: R Baker 30th Nov: D French Flowers: M Knight, V Mahoney
Ulverstone:
Reader: R Locket Ministers of Communion: E Standring , M Fennell, L Hay, T Leary
Cleaners: B & V
McCall Flowers: M Swain Hospitality: M McLaren
Penguin:
Greeters: J & T Kiely Commentator: J Barker Readers: T Clayton, J Garnsey
Procession: Y & R Downes Ministers of Communion: A Hyland, E Nickols
Liturgy: Pine
Road E Nickols
Care of Church: G Hills-Eade, A Landers
Port Sorell:
Readers: L Post, P Anderson
Clean /Prepare/Flowers: C Howard
Latrobe:
Reader: P Cotterell Ministers of Communion: I Campbell, B Ritchie
Procession: Cotterell Family Music: Hermie & Co
Your prayers
are asked for the sick: John
Kirkpatrick, Mely Pybus, Melissa Gilbert,
Shanon Breaden,Shirley Fidler, Shirley White, Tom Knaap, Kath Smith &.....
Shanon Breaden,Shirley Fidler, Shirley White, Tom Knaap, Kath Smith &.....
Let us pray for those who
have died recently: Laurie Cleary, Corrie Kink, Jamie Griffiths, Marjorie Farruge, Ted Matthews, Jason Brook, Bill Hutton, Margaret Pratt, Gloria Woodward and Christine MacDonald.
Let us pray
for those whose anniversary occurs about this time:
Georgina Colliver, Molly Coventry, Jamie Sulzberger, Harry Wilson, Rita
Pompili, James Lowry, Stanley
May they rest in peace
First Reading
BAPTISM:
We welcome and congratulate Rose
Douglas and Erin Briggs
who are both being baptised this
weekend.
FR MIKE
Another interesting week in Paradise !
The announcement last weekend that Fr Augustine was
finishing his work in our Parish on the weekend of the 3rd/4th January came as
a shock to many – especially as there had been no real warning that he would
only be here for a three year term. As mentioned in my letter to the Parish
last weekend Archbishop Julian has decided that the arrangement between the two
Archdioceses would be concluded and, sadly for us, Fr Augustine is the first
‘casualty’ of this decision. His replacement should be here shortly – however,
I have no real information about who is coming or when he will arrive.
In discussion with members of the Mersey Leven Parish Pastoral
Council it has been decided that we will have an Official Parish Celebration
for Fr Augustine after the 10.30am Mass at Devonport on Sunday 14th December in
the Hall. There will be further details next weekend.
The Timetable for Christmas Masses is included in today's
newsletter – please place in an obvious
place in your home.
The menALIVE Retreat last weekend was a great success and
was helped incredibly by the support of parishioners who helped with billeting,
providing salads etc for the Saturday evening BBQ and especially the local team
of men who worked for a couple of months to make it all happen – a sincere
thank you for all your efforts. Also a special thanks to Mrs Wootton and the
staff of St Patrick’s Latrobe for the use of the school and facilities for the
weekend.
In all the busyness of the Retreat last week I forgot to
mention that there will be an Anointing Mass at OLOL on Thursday 4th
Dec at 12 noon. Some invitations have been distributed to parishioners who are
house-bound but all parishioners are invited to attend the Mass.
Until next week take care in your homes and on the roads
WE BELIEVE
IN THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS
By choosing a Global Gift this year, you are helping to
spread the message that together, as one global family, we are making the world
a better place. One gift at a time, we are helping to alleviate poverty,
enabling people to create healthier, happier futures for themselves, their
children and their communities.
Our range of Global Gifts encompasses many of the most
important areas of our work – from responding to emergency situations with food
and water to supporting education programs and training farmers in new
agricultural techniques that empower and sustain communities for generations to
come. Please, choose your gift now. Your purchase of a specific gift is representative
of the type of community development work done by Caritas Australia
LITURGY PREPARATION GROUP: Change of date
You are very warmly invited to join parishioners and
members of local liturgical and musical groups to assist in the preparation of
our parish Christmas liturgy. The meeting will be held at Emmaus House as per
below:
Christmas: Sunday 7th December 2.30 pm - 4pm. Further information contact: Peter
Douglas on 0419 302 435
EDUCATION OF PRIESTS COLLECTION:
The Education of Priests collection enables the Archdiocese
of Hobart to fund training to seminarians. A person needs 7 years of study to
become a priest. The Archdiocese is responsible for the cost of tuition for each
seminarian throughout these years. This is paid to the Catholic Theological
College Victoria
Envelopes are available from all Mass Centres this weekend.
MACKILLOP HILL SPIRITUALITY CENTRE:
SPIRITUALITY IN THE COFFEE SHOPPE:
Monday 24th November 10.30 – 12 noon. Come along…share
your issues and enjoy a lively discussion over morning tea!
ADVENT CELEBRATION 2014:
Wednesday 3rd December
10.00 – 12 noon The Word of God came down to earth and lives among us … lives in our
fragile universe sharing our human fragility. Phone: 6428 3095 Email:
mackillophill.forth@sosj.org.au
Booking necessary, Cost: $15.00 / donation
KNIGHTS OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS;
Next meeting is Sunday 30th November, at Emmaus House - 88 Stewart Street
The empty crib will be in place on the first Sunday of
Advent in Our Lady of Lourdes Church Devonport. Parishioners are welcome to
place gifts or non-perishable food in the crib for distribution by St Vincent
de Paul Society with their Christmas Hampers to those less fortunate in the
community. The Society is appreciative of the kindness of parishioners
throughout the year and generosity to families needing a helping hand.
ULVERSTONE CHRISTMAS PARTY -
HELP!! - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:
The 2014 Ulverstone Christmas Party
for the elderly will be held Tuesday 2nd December. If you would
like to help in some way – perhaps posting invitations,
baking, cutting sandwiches, or helping out on the day, please ring Joanne
Rodgers on 64255818. There are many little jobs and any help will be very much
appreciated.
BAPTISMAL PREPARATION SESSION: Tuesday 2nd
December 7:30pm at Parish House, 90
Stewart Street
HOUR OF GRACE:
As Our Lady requested, the Rosary
Group will conduct an Hour of Grace at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Devonport Monday
8th December from noon to 1pm. Please come along. See Church
noticeboards for details. 
A
Combined luncheon for CWL Devonport and Ulverstone will be held at the Lighthouse
Hotel Ulverstone on Friday 12th December, 12noon for 12:30pm.
All parishioners are very welcome to join
us! RSVP 5th December to Marie Byrne on 6425:5774
BINGO
Thursday Nights - OLOL Hall,
Devonport. Eyes down 7.30pm!
Callers for Thursday 27th November are Merv
Tippett & Bruce Peters
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE ARCHDIOCESE:
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A NEW CHALLENGE?
We are looking for keen volunteers to join our team of
Catholic Visitors to provide sacramental support and emotional and spiritual
care to our patients. No experience necessary, though prior training as a
Eucharistic Minister would be beneficial. Calvary
will provide training for new team members on the 16th December 2014 to
commence work in the New Year. Volunteer Shifts for this role are Fridays and
Sundays 9-11am at our St John’s and Lenah Valley
Hospitals
Newsletter
items must be received before 12 noon Thursday – thank you.
Evangelii
Gaudium
“If we wish to
adapt to people’s language and to reach them with God’s word, we need to share
in their lives and pay loving attention to them.”
Par 158
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, we provide links on
how Catholics can engage with our economic and political leaders and
decision-makers. This is prompted by the G20 that is taking place in Brisbane
Members of churches within the Queensland Churches
Together family have compiled a resource with prayers and information to help
Christians prepare for the G20 Leaders Summit.
There are several other useful resources and links
available at the following websites:
Shine the Light Brisbane aims to raise awareness
around the impact of tax dodging and corruption on developing nations and
influence G20 leaders to take concrete action on the issue.
The Brisbane Community Action Network People’s Summit
Feast Day of the Week – St Andrew
Dung Lac, priest, martyr (November 24)
Andrew
Dung-Lac was one of 117 people martyred in Vietnam
Words
of Wisdom –St
John of Capistrano
“Those who are called to the table of the Lord must
glow with the brightness.”
Meme of the week
Who doesn’t want to turn
the baddie into a good guy? It’s the Christian way. Perhaps this little guy
should have relied less on the Force and more on the Holy Spirit...
Surrendering to Union
An article by Fr Richard Rohr
We must fully
recognize that mystics like Francis and Clare were speaking from this place of
conscious, chosen, and loving union with God, and such union was realized by
surrendering to it and not by any achieving of it! Surrender to Another,
participation with another, and divine union will be experienced as the same
thing. Once we are in this union, I can look out from a much fuller Reality
with eyes beyond and larger than my own. This is precisely what it means to
“live in Christ” (en Christo), to pray “through Christ,” or to do anything “in
the name of God.”
Such a letting go of our own small vantage point is the core
of what we mean by conversion, but also what we mean by Franciscan “poverty.”
Poverty is not just a life of simplicity, humility, restraint, or even lack.
Poverty is when we recognize that myself—by itself—is largely powerless and
ineffective. John’s Gospel puts it quite strongly when it says that a branch
that does not abide in Jesus “is withered and useless” (John 15:6). The
transformed self, living in union, no longer lives in shame or denial of its
weakness, but even rejoices because it does not need to pretend that it is any
more than it actually is—which is now more than enough!
Cynthia Bourgeault, who is on the CAC’s (Center for Action and Contemplation)
Living School faculty and who masterfully teaches kenosis and “non-clinging,”
says, “There comes a point where each of us must step outside even those places
of our most intense wounding and our most intense identification to just return
to our virgin soul,” which is to live in full contentment and peace in this
place of non-self-definition or self-assertion.
What freedom!
Adapted from Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis
of Assisi, pp. 70-71;
and God as Us: The Sacred Feminine and the Sacred Masculine
LESS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CHURCH – WHOM TO BLAME?
An article by Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI. The original can be found at http://ronrolheiser.com/less-people-are-going-to-church-whom-to-blame/#.VG5zQvmUfAY
It’s no secret that today there’s been a massive drop-off in church attendance. Moreover that drop-off in church-going is not paralleled by the same widespread growth in atheism and agnosticism. Rather, more and more people are claiming to be spiritual but not religious, faith-filled but not church-goers. Why this exodus from our churches?
The temptation inside religious circles is to blame what’s happening on secularity. Secular culture, many people argue, is perhaps the most powerful narcotic ever perpetrated on this planet, both for good and for bad. It swallows most of us whole with its seductive promises of heaven on this side of eternity. Within our secularized world, the pursuit of the good life simply squeezes out almost all deeper religious desire. Interestingly, this is also the major criticism that Islamic extremists make of Western culture. For them it’s a drug, which once ingested, has no cure. That’s why they want to block their youth from Western influences.
But is this true? Is secular culture the enemy? Are we, church-goers, the last true remnant of God and truth left standing, prophetic and marginalized in a society that’s shallow, irreligious, and godless? Many, including myself, would argue that this conclusion is far, far too simple. Secular society can be shallow, irreligious, and godless, there’s more than sufficient evidence for that; but, beneath its shallowness and its congenital allergy to our churches, real religious desire still burns and the churches must ask themselves: Why aren’t more people turning to us to deal with their religious desires? Why are so many people who are seeking spirituality not interested in looking at what the church offers? Why, instead, are they turning to everything except the church? Why, indeed, do so many people have the attitude: “The church has nothing to offer me: I find it boring, irrelevant, caught up inside its own petty issues, hopelessly out of step with my life.”
Secularity is, no doubt, partly to blame, but so too are the churches themselves. There’s an axiom that says: All atheism is a parasite off of bad theism. That logic also holds regarding attitudes towards the church: Bad attitudes towards the church feed off bad church practices.
The great Jewish scholar, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, would agree. In his book, God In Search of Man, he writes: “It is customary to blame secular science and anti-religious philosophy for the eclipse of religion in modern society. It would be more honest to blame religion for its own defeats. Religion declined not because it was refuted, but because it became irrelevant, dull, oppressive, insipid. When faith is completely replaced by creed, worship by discipline, love by habit; when the crisis of today is ignored because of the splendor of the past; when faith becomes an heirloom rather than a living fountain; when religion speaks only in the name of authority rather than the voice of compassion – its message becomes meaningless.”
Novelist Marilynne Robinson (who has both a deep sympathy for and a commitment to the church) echoes Heschel. For her, as churches today, we are not radiating the immensity of God and the larger mystery of Christ. Rather, despite our good will, we are too much subordinating the mystery of Christ to tribalism, resentment, fear, and self-protection. This is one of the major reasons for our marginalization. Christianity, Robinson submits, “is too great a narrative to be reduced to serving any parochial interest or to be underwritten by any lesser tale.” It is our narrow attitudes, she believes, that denigrate the Christian message and leave the churches, for good reason, marginalized: “Undignified, obscurantist, and xenophobic Christianity closes the path for many” to enter the church.” Blaming the world for our problems, she argues, does nothing to enhance the respect the world has for religion or for Christianity. The drop-off in church attendance is very much our own fault because far too often we are not radiating a church with a compassionate embrace and we are not in fact addressing the real energies that are burning inside people. For Robinson, the secular world isn’t, per se, irreligious. Rather it sees our churches as self-absorbed, non-understanding, and non-empathetic to its desires, its wounds, and its needs. And so her challenge to us, church-goers, is this: “It behooves anyone who calls himself or herself a Christian, any institution that calls itself a church, to bring credit to the faith, at very least not to embarrass or disgrace it. Making God a tribal deity, our local Baal, is embarrassing and disgraceful.”
Some years ago, I heard an Evangelical minister state the problem this way: As Christian churches we have the living water, the water Christ promised would quench all fires and all thirsts. But, this is the problem: We aren’t getting the living water to where the fires are! Instead we are spraying water everywhere, except where it’s burning!
He’s right. The answer to the mass exodus from our churches is not to blame the culture; it’s to make better churches!
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