Mersey Leven Catholic Parish
OUR VISION
To be a vibrant Catholic Community unified in its commitment
to growing disciples for Christ
Parish Priest: Fr Mike Delaney
Mob: 0417 279 437
Mob: 0417 279 437
Assistant Priest: Fr Paschal Okpon
Mob: 0438 562 731
paschalokpon@yahoo.com
Priest in Residence: Fr Phil McCormack
Mob: 0437 521 257
Mob: 0437 521 257
Postal Address: PO Box 362
Parish Office: 90 Stewart Street
(Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10am - 3pm)
Office Phone: 6424 2783 Fax: 6423 5160
Email: merseyleven@aohtas.org.au
Secretary: Annie Davies
Finance Officer: Anne Fisher
Finance Officer: Anne Fisher
Parish Mass times for the Month: mlcpmasstimes.blogspot.com.au
Archdiocesan Website: www.hobart.catholic.org.au for news, information and details of other Parishes.
Parish Prayer
PLENARY COUNCIL PRAYER
Come, Holy Spirit of Pentecost.
Come, Holy Spirit of the great South Land.
O God, bless and unite all your people in Australia
and guide us on the pilgrim way of the Plenary Council.
and guide us on the pilgrim way of the Plenary Council.
Give us the grace to see your face in one another
and to recognise Jesus, our companion on the road.
and to recognise Jesus, our companion on the road.
Give us the courage to tell our stories and to speak boldly of your truth.
Give us ears to listen humbly to each other
and a discerning heart to hear what you are saying.
and a discerning heart to hear what you are saying.
Lead your Church into a hope-filled future,
that we may live the joy of the Gospel.
that we may live the joy of the Gospel.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, bread for the journey from age to age.
Amen.
Our Lady Help of Christians, pray for us.
St Mary MacKillop, pray for us.
St Mary MacKillop, pray for us.
Parish Prayer
Heavenly Father,
and calling us to serve as your disciples.
as we use our gifts to serve you.
as we strive to bear witness
to the Gospel and build an amazing parish.
Amen.
Our Parish Sacramental Life
Eucharistic Adoration - Devonport: Every Friday 10am - 12noon, concluding with Stations of the Cross and Angelus
Thursday: 10:30am Karingal
Friday: 11:00 am Mt St Vincent … St Apollinaris
Weekend Masses 21st & 22nd July, 2018
Saturday Vigil: 6:00pm Penguin … St Lawrence
6:00pm Devonport
Sunday Mass: 8:30am Port Sorell
9:00am Ulverstone
10:30am Devonport
11:00am Sheffield
5:00pm Latrobe
Ministry Rosters 21st & 22nd July, 2018 
10:30am: M Sherriff, T & S Ryan, D &
M Barrientos
Parish House Mower roster
July: B Windebank
Ulverstone:
Penguin:
Latrobe:
Reader: M Eden Minister of Communion: I Campbell Procession of Gifts: M Clarke
Port Sorell:
Readings this week – Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
First Reading: Amos 7: 12-15
PREGO REFLECTION ON TODAY’S GOSPEL:
Holding these gently in my mind, I slowly prepare to pray
with this text.
I allow my mind to become still in whatever way suits me best.
Reading slowly and prayerfully, I use my imagination to enter into the scene.
How do I imagine Jesus gathering his beloved disciples together to send them
out into the villages and towns of Palestine?
It may help me to enter more
deeply into the Gospel if I imagine being among the Twelve.
How do I feel
setting off without Jesus, with so little for the journey?
Am I excited … or
anxious ... or ...?
Do I feel ready for the tasks that lie ahead of me?
I
return to the Gospel, and this time maybe I am drawn to reflect on my own life.
Where is Jesus sending me?
To whom am I called to bring the Good News?
Who are
the people around me, or what situations am I aware of, that are in need of the
healing presence of Christ?
How might I bring that presence to them?
I spend
some time talking with Jesus about how this Gospel has touched me.
I draw my
prayer to a close by slowly praying Our Father...
Readings next week –Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Year B)
Your prayers
are asked for the sick:
Let us pray for those who have died recently:
Let us pray for those whose anniversary
occurs about this time:
11th – 17th July
May they Rest in Peace
Weekly
Ramblings
During this week Fr Paschal, Grainne Hendrey and John Lee-Archer (members of my Leadership Team) are at the Proclaim Conference being held in Brisbane. The theme of the Conference is ‘Make your home in me’ (John 15:4) and its aim is to engage parishes and faith communities in an ongoing conversation focusing on: leadership and culture change, engaging young people, belonging and parish renewal.
Next Tuesday the four of us (the Leadership Team and I) will be in Melbourne for some personal coaching by Ron Huntley from the Divine Renovation Ministry Team. This session will be looking at some specific questions that we have been asked to address about our Parish. A team from the Cathedral will be meeting with Ron just after us and will be looking at similar questions that have been addressed to them. PLEASE NOTE: There won’t be Mass at Penguin on Tuesday morning.
Over the next few weeks we will be including material in the Newsletter relating to Plenary 2020. Prior to the Plenary there will be a number of opportunities for people to have an input into the material that will form the basis of the discussions that will occur as part of the Plenary. One such occasion will be a gathering on Saturday 1st September at Marist College – more details in the weeks to come.
Last weekend we included the Plenary Prayer in the Bulletin and there were copies of the prayer available at each of the Mass Centres – I would encourage you to make regular use of the prayer. It is intended that it will reprinted in the Bulletin at regular intervals and will be prayed at Mass at different times during the months to come.
On the noticeboards in each of our centres there is a copy of the letter of thanks from Fr Richard Ross to all those who have been part of his journey with cancer – if anyone wants a personal copy please feel free to see me, send me a text or an email and I’ll get a copy to you. Text: 0417 279 437 or mike.delaney@aohtas.org.au
Please
take care on the roads and I look forward to seeing you next weekend.
Mersey Leven Parish Community welcome
and congratulate ….
SEMINARIANS
SUPPORT DINNER 2018:
The 2018 Archdiocese/Parishes Seminarian Support Dinner is
being coordinated by the Knights of the Southern Cross together with the valued
support of Guilford Young College. The dinner represents a wonderful
opportunity to gather as a single community of faith to enjoy each other’s
company while also allowing us as a Catholic community to contribute much
needed funds to support our Seminarians. Your attendance in support to the 2018
Archdiocese/Parishes Seminarian Support Dinner would be most welcomed. The
event is being held on Thursday 16th August 2018 commencing 6.30pm, Guilford
Young College – Hobart Campus. The cost for the dinner is $60.00 per person and
will include a complimentary drink upon arrival followed by canapés and a
four-course meal. To secure your ticket, please speak to Fr Mike or Fr Paschal.
If you have any queries please contact the Dinner Co-ordinator Mr Les Gardner
6229:0103
FROM THE
PARISH PASTORAL TEAM:
Good communication has been identified as central to
achieving the Parish Vision of a unified community. In order to facilitate
communication, we would like to have email and/or mobile numbers for as many
parishioners as possible. We ask that you email the Parish on merseyleven@aohtas.org.au.
Please use the subject: Parishioner
Contact Details and include your name and the names of others who will
share your email (such as your spouse, children, housemates); your address; and
your mobile and/or landline numbers. This information will enable Fathers Mike
and Paschal and the office staff to notify you of important events that occur
between Sunday newsletters (such as funerals and changed Mass times) and will
also enable updating of the Parish database. Your information will be kept
private, and not be shared without your permission.
BINGO - Thursday Nights - OLOL
Hall, Devonport. Eyes down 7.30pm!
Callers for Thursday 19th
July – Alan Luxton & Rod Clark.
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE ARCHDIOCESE:
TASMANIA WORLD YOUTH DAY PILGRIMAGE TO PANAMA:
OLMC
DELORAINE RE-UNION LUNCH: for past
pupils on Friday 27th July at Pier 01 Ulverstone, 12 noon for
12:30pm start. For enquiries please
phone Mary Owen 6435:4406.
CATHOLIC FAMILY DAY – JULY 29 AT NEWSTEAD: The Archdiocesan Office of Life, Marriage and Family
will be holding an event for families on Sunday, July 29 from 1:30pm-4:30pm at
the Emmanuel Centre, 123 Abbott Street, Newstead. The event will feature
children’s activities as well as a seminar for parents entitled ‘Equipping
Catholic Parents for a Hypersexualised Culture’. The seminar will be run by
Katrina Zeno, the Coordinator of the John Paul II Resource Centre in Arizona,
USA. She will look at emerging cultural trends and how parents can pass on a
positive vision for human happiness, marriage and the family to their children.
To RSVP contact Ben Smith at ben.smith@aohtas.org.au.
GRIEF TO
GRACE – HEALING THE WOUNDS OF ABUSE: is a spiritual retreat for anyone who
has suffered degradation or violation through physical, emotional, sexual or
spiritual abuse. The retreat will be held May 26th – 31st
2019. To request an application contact Anne by emailing info@grieftograceaus.org.au or phone 0478599241. For more information visit www.grieftograce.org
Love Endures
It’s easy to look at marriage as the culmination of love—the
end point of the journey that begins with “falling in love.” . . . [But]
marriage is not the culmination of love, but only the beginning.
Cynthia Bourgeault, Love Is Stronger than Death: The
Mystical Union of Two Souls (Monkfish Book Publishing: 2014, 2007, 1999, 1997),
171-174.
CONSECRATED CELIBACY – AN APOLOGIA
This article is taken from the Archive of Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI. You can find the original article by clicking here
Huston Smith, the renowned commentator on world religions, submits that you should not judge a religion by its worst expressions, but by its best, its saints. That’s also true in terms of judging the merits of vowed, consecrated celibacy. It should be judged by its best, not perverse, examples, as is true too for the institution of marriage.
I write this apologia because today consecrated celibacy is under siege from critics in almost every circle. Celibacy is no longer understood or deemed realistic by a culture which basically refuses to accept any restrictions in the area of sexuality and in effect sees all celibacy, lived for whatever reason, as frigidity, naiveté, or a misfortune of circumstance. Our culture constitutes a virtual conspiracy against celibacy.
More critical still is how consecrated celibacy is being judged in the wake of the clerical sexual abuse scandal. More and more, there’s a popular conception both within society and within church circles that sexual abuse in general and pedophilia in particular is more prevalent among priests and religious than in the population at large and that there’s something inherent in consecrated celibacy itself that makes priests and vowed religious more prone to sexual misconduct and emotional ill health. How true is this? Are celibates more prone to sexual misconduct than their non-celibate contemporaries? Are celibates more likely to be less healthy and happy in general than those who are married or who are sexually active outside of marriage?
This must be adjudicated, I believe, by looking at the deepest intentions of sex itself and, from there, assessing where both married persons and celibates for the most part tend to end up. What’s the ultimate intention of sex? What is this powerful archetypal energy meant to do in us? Generically, the answer is clear: Sex is meant to lead us out of ourselves, out of aloneness, out of selfishness, into altruism, into family, into community, into generativity, into mellowness of heart, into delight, into happiness, and ultimately (perhaps not always this side of eternity) into ecstasy.
Viewed through the prism of this criterion how do marriage and vowed celibacy compare? Mostly we see parallels: Some people get married, become healthily generous and generative, remain faithful to their spouses, and age into wholesome, happy, forgiving persons. Others write a different chronicle. They get married (or are sexually active outside of marriage) but do not become more generous and generative, do not remain faithful to their commitments in love, and age instead in sullenness, bitterness, and unhappiness.
The same is true for vowed celibates: Some make the vow and become healthily generous and generative, remain faithful to the vow, and age into wholesome, happy, forgiving persons. For some others, most everything in their lives belies the transparency and fruitfulness that should stem from their celibacy and they do not become more selfless, generative, mellow, or happy. Instead, like some of their sexually active contemporaries, they also grow sullen, bitter, and unhappy. Sometimes this is the result of breaking their vow and sometimes it’s the result of an unhealthily repressed sexuality. In either case, their vow isn’t fruitful and generally leads to unhealthy compensatory behaviors.
Celibacy, admittedly, comes fraught with some extra dangers because marriage and sex are the normal path that God intended for us. As Merton once put it, in celibacy we live inside a loneliness which God, himself, has condemned: It is not good for the man to be alone! Sex and marriage are the norm and celibacy deviates from that. But that doesn’t mean celibacy cannot be highly generative, meaningful, and healthy and make for wholesomeness and happiness. Some of the most generative and wholesome people that I know are vowed celibates, aging into an enviable mellowness and peace. Sadly, the reverse is also true for some celibates. Of course, all of this is equally true, both ways, for the married people that I know.
By their fruits you shall know them. Jesus offers us this as a criterion for judgment. But in judging celibacy and marriage (just in judging religions) we might add Huston Smith’s counsel that we should judge each by its best expressions, by its saints, and not by its unhealthy expressions. Looking at marriage and celibacy, we see in each both healthy and unhealthy manifestations; and it doesn’t seem that either side trumps the other in terms of manifesting sanctity or dysfunction. That’s not surprising since, in the end, both choices demand the same thing, namely, a willingness to sacrifice and sweat blood for the sake of love and fidelity.
Some celibates are unfaithful, and some are pedophiles, but some become Mother Teresa. It’s worth mentioning too that Jesus was a celibate. Some married persons are unfaithful, some are abusive, and some murder their spouses, but some give tangible, embodied, holy expression to God’s unconditional love for the world and Christ’s unbreakable bond with his church.
Sexuality is a reality that can be lived out in different modalities, and both marriage and celibacy are holy choices that can, sadly, go wrong.
Divine Renovation 18: A WIN-WIN
This is taken from Fr Simon Lobo CC PP found in the Monthly Magazine from Saint Benedict Parish, Halifax. You can read the complete magazine here
It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost a month since the Divine Renovation conference. Several of our guests came up to me saying things like, “I can’t get over your parishioners… they are amazing!” I beamed like a proud father.
After one of the sessions at the church, a delegate asked where they should go to wait for a ride. I had a blank look which communicated, “Don’t ask me, I just work here.” When I asked a more knowledgeable parishioner, they pointed out the window – and my jaw dropped. Cars were lined up along Radcliffe Drive in a makeshift taxi stand. A delegate could step up to a car,
and one of our parishioners would drive them to their destination of choice. It was like a free SaintBP Uber! The creativity and generosity of this blew me away. This is one example of the ways that hundreds of parishioners served, making DR18 an amazing experience for our guests. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!
In the last few weeks, I’ve asked several of the parishioners who volunteered at DR18 about their experience. Every single person I’ve spoken with felt blessed by the opportunity to serve and to meet impressive leaders from all over the globe. New friendships have been formed. Even though we were the host venue, I think it’s fair to say that DR18 has been a real boost for Saint Benedict Parish.
and calling us to serve as your disciples.
as we use our gifts to serve you.
as we strive to bear witness
Amen.
Our Parish Sacramental Life
Baptism: Arrangements are made by contacting Parish Office. Parents attend a Baptismal Preparation Session organised with a Priest.
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)
Eucharistic Adoration - Devonport: Every Friday 10am - 12noon, concluding with Stations of the Cross and Angelus
Benediction with Adoration Devonport: First Friday each month.
Prayer Group: Charismatic Renewal – Mondays 7pm Community Room Ulverstone
Weekday Masses 17th - 20th July
Tuesday: No Mass
Wednesday: 9:30am Latrobe
Thursday: 10:30am Karingal
Thursday: 10:30am Karingal
Friday: 11:00 am Mt St Vincent … St Apollinaris
Weekend Masses 21st & 22nd July, 2018
Saturday Vigil: 6:00pm Penguin … St Lawrence
6:00pm Devonport
Sunday Mass: 8:30am Port Sorell
Saturday Vigil: 6:00pm Penguin … St Lawrence
6:00pm Devonport
Sunday Mass: 8:30am Port Sorell
9:00am Ulverstone
10:30am Devonport
11:00am Sheffield
5:00pm Latrobe
Ministry Rosters 21st & 22nd July, 2018
Devonport:
Readers Vigil: V Riley, A Stegmann, B Suckling 10:30am: E Petts, K Pearce, K Douglas
Ministers of Communion:
Vigil: M Heazlewood, G Lee-Archer, M Kelly,
P Shelverton
10:30am: M Sherriff, T & S Ryan, D &
M Barrientos
Parish House Mower roster
July: B Windebank
Cleaners: 20th July: K.S.C. 27th July: M & R Youd
Piety Shop: 21st July:
L Murfet 22nd July: K Hull
Ulverstone:
Reader/s: S Lawrence
Ministers of Communion:
P Steyn, E Cox, C
Singline, M Barry
Cleaners: M McKenzie, M Singh, N Pearce Flowers: A Miller Hospitality:
K Foster
Penguin:
Greeters: S Ewing, A Landers Commentator: J Barker
Readers: A Landers, Y Downes
Ministers of
Communion: M
Hiscutt, M Murray Liturgy: Pine Road Setting Up: A Landers
Care of Church: M Murray, E Nickols
Latrobe:
Reader: M Eden Minister of Communion: I Campbell Procession of Gifts: M Clarke
Port Sorell:
Readers: P Anderson, L Post Minister of Communion: B Lee Clean/Flowers/Prepare: A Hynes
Readings this week – Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
First Reading: Amos 7: 12-15
Second Reading: Ephesians 1: 3-14
Gospel: Mark 6: 7-13
PREGO REFLECTION ON TODAY’S GOSPEL:
Before I reflect on the Gospel, I continue to ponder the
blessings in my life.
Holding these gently in my mind, I slowly prepare to pray with this text.
I allow my mind to become still in whatever way suits me best.
Reading slowly and prayerfully, I use my imagination to enter into the scene.
How do I imagine Jesus gathering his beloved disciples together to send them out into the villages and towns of Palestine?
It may help me to enter more deeply into the Gospel if I imagine being among the Twelve.
How do I feel setting off without Jesus, with so little for the journey?
Am I excited … or anxious ... or ...?
Do I feel ready for the tasks that lie ahead of me?
I return to the Gospel, and this time maybe I am drawn to reflect on my own life.
Where is Jesus sending me?
To whom am I called to bring the Good News?
Who are the people around me, or what situations am I aware of, that are in need of the healing presence of Christ?
How might I bring that presence to them?
I spend some time talking with Jesus about how this Gospel has touched me.
I draw my prayer to a close by slowly praying Our Father...
Holding these gently in my mind, I slowly prepare to pray with this text.
I allow my mind to become still in whatever way suits me best.
Reading slowly and prayerfully, I use my imagination to enter into the scene.
How do I imagine Jesus gathering his beloved disciples together to send them out into the villages and towns of Palestine?
It may help me to enter more deeply into the Gospel if I imagine being among the Twelve.
How do I feel setting off without Jesus, with so little for the journey?
Am I excited … or anxious ... or ...?
Do I feel ready for the tasks that lie ahead of me?
I return to the Gospel, and this time maybe I am drawn to reflect on my own life.
Where is Jesus sending me?
To whom am I called to bring the Good News?
Who are the people around me, or what situations am I aware of, that are in need of the healing presence of Christ?
How might I bring that presence to them?
I spend some time talking with Jesus about how this Gospel has touched me.
I draw my prayer to a close by slowly praying Our Father...
Readings next week –Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Year B)
First Reading: Jeremiah
23:1-6
Second Reading: Ephesians 2: 13-18
Gospel: Mark 6: 30-34
Your prayers
are asked for the sick:
Maureen Gale, Madeleine Simpson, Edgar Nool, Mary Webb, Kasia Hoffler,
Rosalinda Grimes, Rose Kirk-Patrick & ….
Let us pray for those who have died recently:
Laurie Guest, Doreen Whitchurch, Caterina Girdauskas, Molly Snare, Sr Luke McMahon SSJ, Valentine Daug, Lyell
Willcox, Kath Jamieson, Dawn Beamish
Let us pray for those whose anniversary
occurs about this time:
11th – 17th July
11th – 17th July
Clarrie Byrne, Joy Stephenson, Jean Somers, Mavis Cassidy, Neville Batepola, Mick Nolan, Richard Kelloyne-Lawrence, Bill Scott, Gwen McNamara, Roy O’Halloran,
Greta Cooper, John Mason, Gwen McCormack, Lawrence Corbett, Jim Landers, Janice Dyson, Michelle Sherriff, Allen Menzie, Susanne Dooley, Suzanne
Grimshaw, John Monaghan.
May they Rest in Peace
Weekly Ramblings
During this week Fr Paschal, Grainne Hendrey and John Lee-Archer (members of my Leadership Team) are at the Proclaim Conference being held in Brisbane. The theme of the Conference is ‘Make your home in me’ (John 15:4) and its aim is to engage parishes and faith communities in an ongoing conversation focusing on: leadership and culture change, engaging young people, belonging and parish renewal.
Next Tuesday the four of us (the Leadership Team and I) will be in Melbourne for some personal coaching by Ron Huntley from the Divine Renovation Ministry Team. This session will be looking at some specific questions that we have been asked to address about our Parish. A team from the Cathedral will be meeting with Ron just after us and will be looking at similar questions that have been addressed to them. PLEASE NOTE: There won’t be Mass at Penguin on Tuesday morning.
Over the next few weeks we will be including material in the Newsletter relating to Plenary 2020. Prior to the Plenary there will be a number of opportunities for people to have an input into the material that will form the basis of the discussions that will occur as part of the Plenary. One such occasion will be a gathering on Saturday 1st September at Marist College – more details in the weeks to come.
Last weekend we included the Plenary Prayer in the Bulletin and there were copies of the prayer available at each of the Mass Centres – I would encourage you to make regular use of the prayer. It is intended that it will reprinted in the Bulletin at regular intervals and will be prayed at Mass at different times during the months to come.
On the noticeboards in each of our centres there is a copy of the letter of thanks from Fr Richard Ross to all those who have been part of his journey with cancer – if anyone wants a personal copy please feel free to see me, send me a text or an email and I’ll get a copy to you. Text: 0417 279 437 or mike.delaney@aohtas.org.au
Please
take care on the roads and I look forward to seeing you next weekend.
Mersey Leven Parish Community welcome
and congratulate ….
Eleanor
Klousia
daughter of James & Stacey on her
Baptism this weekend.
SEMINARIANS SUPPORT DINNER 2018:
The 2018 Archdiocese/Parishes Seminarian Support Dinner is
being coordinated by the Knights of the Southern Cross together with the valued
support of Guilford Young College. The dinner represents a wonderful
opportunity to gather as a single community of faith to enjoy each other’s
company while also allowing us as a Catholic community to contribute much
needed funds to support our Seminarians. Your attendance in support to the 2018
Archdiocese/Parishes Seminarian Support Dinner would be most welcomed. The
event is being held on Thursday 16th August 2018 commencing 6.30pm, Guilford
Young College – Hobart Campus. The cost for the dinner is $60.00 per person and
will include a complimentary drink upon arrival followed by canapés and a
four-course meal. To secure your ticket, please speak to Fr Mike or Fr Paschal.
If you have any queries please contact the Dinner Co-ordinator Mr Les Gardner
6229:0103
FROM THE PARISH PASTORAL TEAM:
Good communication has been identified as central to
achieving the Parish Vision of a unified community. In order to facilitate
communication, we would like to have email and/or mobile numbers for as many
parishioners as possible. We ask that you email the Parish on merseyleven@aohtas.org.au.
Please use the subject: Parishioner
Contact Details and include your name and the names of others who will
share your email (such as your spouse, children, housemates); your address; and
your mobile and/or landline numbers. This information will enable Fathers Mike
and Paschal and the office staff to notify you of important events that occur
between Sunday newsletters (such as funerals and changed Mass times) and will
also enable updating of the Parish database. Your information will be kept
private, and not be shared without your permission.
Please take the opportunity to talk to your Parish Pastoral
Team: Felicity Sly (Chair), Fr Mike Delaney, Fr Paschal Okpon, Jenny Garnsey,
Carol Seager, Mandy Eden, Glenys Lee Archer, Mike Hendrey, Christine Miller and
the Leadership Team: John Lee Archer and Grainne Hendrey.
FOOTY
TICKETS:
Round 14 (Friday 6th July) Richmond by 47 points.
Congratulations to the following winners; Jan Peterson, Lucy McLean. For some
fun why not help support our Parish fundraiser and buy a footy ticket (or two)
$2.00. There are three prizes of $100.00 each week.
You’ve got to be in it to win it!!
BINGO - Thursday Nights - OLOL
Hall, Devonport. Eyes down 7.30pm!
Callers for Thursday 19th
July – Alan Luxton & Rod Clark.
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE ARCHDIOCESE:
TASMANIA WORLD YOUTH DAY PILGRIMAGE TO PANAMA:
Tasmania is going to Panama! Millions of young people,
eighteen days, two countries one faith… The Archdiocese has just finished
developing Tasmania’s pilgrimage to Panama and applications for the pilgrimage
are officially open! We invite all young adults between the ages of 18-35 to
consider what will surely be a once in a lifetime opportunity. The pilgrimage
will include time in both Costa Rica and Panama City and will give you the
opportunity to grow in your relationship with God and others. All the details
of the pilgrimage including: cost, itinerary, registration, dates, highlights
etc. can be found at hobart.catholic.org.au (click on WYD link) or if you have
any questions, please email Tomasz at youth@aohtas.org.au
OLMC
DELORAINE RE-UNION LUNCH: for past
pupils on Friday 27th July at Pier 01 Ulverstone, 12 noon for
12:30pm start. For enquiries please
phone Mary Owen 6435:4406.
CATHOLIC FAMILY DAY – JULY 29 AT NEWSTEAD: The Archdiocesan Office of Life, Marriage and Family
will be holding an event for families on Sunday, July 29 from 1:30pm-4:30pm at
the Emmanuel Centre, 123 Abbott Street, Newstead. The event will feature
children’s activities as well as a seminar for parents entitled ‘Equipping
Catholic Parents for a Hypersexualised Culture’. The seminar will be run by
Katrina Zeno, the Coordinator of the John Paul II Resource Centre in Arizona,
USA. She will look at emerging cultural trends and how parents can pass on a
positive vision for human happiness, marriage and the family to their children.
To RSVP contact Ben Smith at ben.smith@aohtas.org.au.
GRIEF TO
GRACE – HEALING THE WOUNDS OF ABUSE: is a spiritual retreat for anyone who
has suffered degradation or violation through physical, emotional, sexual or
spiritual abuse. The retreat will be held May 26th – 31st
2019. To request an application contact Anne by emailing info@grieftograceaus.org.au or phone 0478599241. For more information visit www.grieftograce.org
Love Endures
This is taken from the daily email sent by the Center for Action and Contemplation. You can subscribe to recive the emails by clicking here
CAC core faculty
member, Cynthia Bourgeault, beautifully describes growth in “conscious love” in
her sermon, given at her daughter’s wedding. I hope you will find it quite
profound, as I did.
It’s easy to look at marriage as the culmination of love—the
end point of the journey that begins with “falling in love.” . . . [But]
marriage is not the culmination of love, but only the beginning.
Love remains and deepens, but its form changes. Or, more
accurately, it renews itself in a different way. Less and less does it draw its
waters from the old springs of romance, and you should not worry if over time
these dimensions fade or are seen less frequently. More and more, love draws
its replenishment from love itself: from the practice of conscious love,
expressed in your mutual servanthood to one another. . . .
It will transform your lives and through its power in your
own lives will reach out to touch the world. . . . But how to stay in touch
with that power? At those times when stress mounts and romance seems far away,
how do you practice that conscious love that will renew itself and renew your
relationship? . . .
Here is the one [practice] that works for me . . . :
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all
things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7).
“Love bears all things.” This does not mean a dreary sort of
putting-up-with or victimization. There are two meanings of the word bear, and
they both apply. The first means “to hold up, to sustain”—like a bearing wall,
which carries the weight of the house. . . . To bear [also] means “to give
birth, to be fruitful.” So love is that which in any situation is the most
life-giving and fruitful.
“Love believes all things.”. . . . [This] does not mean to be gullible, to
refuse to face up to the truth. Rather, it means that in every possible
circumstance of life, there is . . . a way of perceiving that leads to cynicism
and divisiveness, a closing off of possibility; and there is a way that leads
to higher faith and love, to a higher and more fruitful outcome. To “believe
all things” means always to orient yourselves toward the highest possible
outcome in any situation and strive for its actualization.
“Love hopes all things.”. . . In the practice of conscious
love you begin to discover . . . a hope that is related not to outcome but to a
wellspring . . . a source of strength that wells up from deep within you
independent of all outcomes. . . . It is a hope that can never be taken away
from you because it is love itself working in you, conferring the strength to
stay present to that “highest possible outcome” that can be believed and
aspired to.
Finally, “love endures all things.” . . . Everything that is
tough and brittle shatters; everything that is cynical rots. The only way to
endure is to forgive, over and over, to give back that openness and possibility
for new beginning which is the very essence of love itself. And in such a way
love comes full circle and can fully “sustain and make fruitful,” and the cycle
begins again, at a deeper place. And conscious love deepens and becomes more
and more rooted. . . .
Cynthia Bourgeault, Love Is Stronger than Death: The
Mystical Union of Two Souls (Monkfish Book Publishing: 2014, 2007, 1999, 1997),
171-174.
CONSECRATED CELIBACY – AN APOLOGIA
This article is taken from the Archive of Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI. You can find the original article by clicking here
Huston Smith, the renowned commentator on world religions, submits that you should not judge a religion by its worst expressions, but by its best, its saints. That’s also true in terms of judging the merits of vowed, consecrated celibacy. It should be judged by its best, not perverse, examples, as is true too for the institution of marriage.
I write this apologia because today consecrated celibacy is under siege from critics in almost every circle. Celibacy is no longer understood or deemed realistic by a culture which basically refuses to accept any restrictions in the area of sexuality and in effect sees all celibacy, lived for whatever reason, as frigidity, naiveté, or a misfortune of circumstance. Our culture constitutes a virtual conspiracy against celibacy.
More critical still is how consecrated celibacy is being judged in the wake of the clerical sexual abuse scandal. More and more, there’s a popular conception both within society and within church circles that sexual abuse in general and pedophilia in particular is more prevalent among priests and religious than in the population at large and that there’s something inherent in consecrated celibacy itself that makes priests and vowed religious more prone to sexual misconduct and emotional ill health. How true is this? Are celibates more prone to sexual misconduct than their non-celibate contemporaries? Are celibates more likely to be less healthy and happy in general than those who are married or who are sexually active outside of marriage?
This must be adjudicated, I believe, by looking at the deepest intentions of sex itself and, from there, assessing where both married persons and celibates for the most part tend to end up. What’s the ultimate intention of sex? What is this powerful archetypal energy meant to do in us? Generically, the answer is clear: Sex is meant to lead us out of ourselves, out of aloneness, out of selfishness, into altruism, into family, into community, into generativity, into mellowness of heart, into delight, into happiness, and ultimately (perhaps not always this side of eternity) into ecstasy.
Viewed through the prism of this criterion how do marriage and vowed celibacy compare? Mostly we see parallels: Some people get married, become healthily generous and generative, remain faithful to their spouses, and age into wholesome, happy, forgiving persons. Others write a different chronicle. They get married (or are sexually active outside of marriage) but do not become more generous and generative, do not remain faithful to their commitments in love, and age instead in sullenness, bitterness, and unhappiness.
The same is true for vowed celibates: Some make the vow and become healthily generous and generative, remain faithful to the vow, and age into wholesome, happy, forgiving persons. For some others, most everything in their lives belies the transparency and fruitfulness that should stem from their celibacy and they do not become more selfless, generative, mellow, or happy. Instead, like some of their sexually active contemporaries, they also grow sullen, bitter, and unhappy. Sometimes this is the result of breaking their vow and sometimes it’s the result of an unhealthily repressed sexuality. In either case, their vow isn’t fruitful and generally leads to unhealthy compensatory behaviors.
Celibacy, admittedly, comes fraught with some extra dangers because marriage and sex are the normal path that God intended for us. As Merton once put it, in celibacy we live inside a loneliness which God, himself, has condemned: It is not good for the man to be alone! Sex and marriage are the norm and celibacy deviates from that. But that doesn’t mean celibacy cannot be highly generative, meaningful, and healthy and make for wholesomeness and happiness. Some of the most generative and wholesome people that I know are vowed celibates, aging into an enviable mellowness and peace. Sadly, the reverse is also true for some celibates. Of course, all of this is equally true, both ways, for the married people that I know.
By their fruits you shall know them. Jesus offers us this as a criterion for judgment. But in judging celibacy and marriage (just in judging religions) we might add Huston Smith’s counsel that we should judge each by its best expressions, by its saints, and not by its unhealthy expressions. Looking at marriage and celibacy, we see in each both healthy and unhealthy manifestations; and it doesn’t seem that either side trumps the other in terms of manifesting sanctity or dysfunction. That’s not surprising since, in the end, both choices demand the same thing, namely, a willingness to sacrifice and sweat blood for the sake of love and fidelity.
Some celibates are unfaithful, and some are pedophiles, but some become Mother Teresa. It’s worth mentioning too that Jesus was a celibate. Some married persons are unfaithful, some are abusive, and some murder their spouses, but some give tangible, embodied, holy expression to God’s unconditional love for the world and Christ’s unbreakable bond with his church.
Sexuality is a reality that can be lived out in different modalities, and both marriage and celibacy are holy choices that can, sadly, go wrong.
Divine Renovation 18: A WIN-WIN
This is taken from Fr Simon Lobo CC PP found in the Monthly Magazine from Saint Benedict Parish, Halifax. You can read the complete magazine here
It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost a month since the Divine Renovation conference. Several of our guests came up to me saying things like, “I can’t get over your parishioners… they are amazing!” I beamed like a proud father.
After one of the sessions at the church, a delegate asked where they should go to wait for a ride. I had a blank look which communicated, “Don’t ask me, I just work here.” When I asked a more knowledgeable parishioner, they pointed out the window – and my jaw dropped. Cars were lined up along Radcliffe Drive in a makeshift taxi stand. A delegate could step up to a car,
and one of our parishioners would drive them to their destination of choice. It was like a free SaintBP Uber! The creativity and generosity of this blew me away. This is one example of the ways that hundreds of parishioners served, making DR18 an amazing experience for our guests. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!
In the last few weeks, I’ve asked several of the parishioners who volunteered at DR18 about their experience. Every single person I’ve spoken with felt blessed by the opportunity to serve and to meet impressive leaders from all over the globe. New friendships have been formed. Even though we were the host venue, I think it’s fair to say that DR18 has been a real boost for Saint Benedict Parish.
Thank you Mike for giving us wonderful articles from across the Catholic world.
ReplyDeleteThe message of the well of love from which we can all renew our relationships was very poetic and very practical at the same time. The intentional use of the word 'all' I find very comforting and inspiring. So much power. It is such a different message from the sad statistic on broken marriages and the even sadder lived experience that many have. I pray for the single people.