Mersey Leven Catholic Parish
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
Weekly Homily Podcast: mikedelaney.podomatic.com
Archdiocesan Website: www.hobart.catholic.org.au for news, information and details of other Parishes.
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.
Give us the grace to see your face in one another
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.
Lead your Church into a hope-filled future,
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.
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.
Give us the grace to see your face in one another
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.
Lead your Church into a hope-filled future,
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.
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
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.
Legion of Mary: Wednesdays 11am Sacred Heart of Church Community Room, Ulverstone
Prayer Group: Charismatic Renewal – Mondays 7pm Community Room Ulverstone
Mersey Leven Catholic Parish
Christmas Mass Times
2018
OUR
LADY OF LOURDES STEWART STREET, DEVONPORT
Christmas Eve 6.00pm Children's Mass
8.00pm Vigil Mass
ST PATRICK’S, GILBERT STREET, LATROBE
Christmas Day 9.30am Mass
HOLY CROSS, HIGH STREET, SHEFFIELD
Christmas Day 9.30am Mass
ST JOSEPH’S MASS CENTRE, ARTHUR STREET, PORT SORELL
Christmas Day 8.30am
Mass
SACRED HEART ALEXANDRA ROAD, ULVERSTONE
Christmas Eve 6.00pm
Children's Mass
ST MARY’S KING EDWARD STREET, PENGUIN
Christmas Eve 8.00pm
Vigil Mass
Weekday Masses 11th - 14th December
Tuesday: 9:30am Penguin
Wednesday: 9:30am
Latrobe
Thursday: 10:30am Eliza Purton
12noon
Devonport
2:00pm
Tandara
Friday: 9:30am Ulverstone
Friday: 9:30am Ulverstone
10:30am Meercroft
Weekend Masses 15th & 16th December
Saturday Vigil: 6:00pm Penguin
6:00pm Devonport
Sunday Mass: 8:30am Port Sorell
9:00am Ulverstone
10:30am Devonport
11:00am Sheffield
5:00pm Latrobe
RECONCILIATION:
Tuesday 11th December – 7pm Our Lady of
Lourdes Church, Devonport
Wednesday 12th December – 7pm Sacred Heart
Church Ulverstone
Ministry Rosters 15th & 16th December, 2018
Devonport:
Readers Vigil: M Kelly, R Baker, B Paul 10:30am: J Henderson, J Phillips, P Piccolo
Ministers of Communion:
Vigil: T Muir, M Davies, D Peters, J
Heatley
10:30am: B & N Mulcahy, K Hull Presbytery House Mower roster, December: Tony Davies
Cleaners: 14th Dec: M & R Youd 21st Dec: M & L Tippett, A Berryman
Piety Shop: 15th Dec:
A Berryman 16th Dec: P Piccolo
Ulverstone:
Reader/s: J & S Willoughby Ministers of Communion: E Reilly, M & K McKenzie, M O’Halloran
Cleaners: V Ferguson, E Cox Flowers: M Bryan Hospitality: M Byrne, G Doyle
Penguin:
Greeters: G Hills-Eade, B Eade Readers: A Landers, E Nickols
Ministers of
Communion: M
Hiscutt, M Murray Liturgy: Penguin Setting Up: E Nickols
Care of Church: J & T Kiely
Latrobe:
Reader: S Ritchie Minister of Communion: B Ritchie Procession of Gifts: Parishioner
Port Sorell:
Reader: D Leaman, T Jeffries Ministers of Communion:
B Lee Cleaners: G Bellchambers & M Gillard
Readings this week –Second Sunday of Advent (Year C)
First Reading: Baruch 5:1-9
Second Reading: Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11
Gospel: Luke 3: 1-6
PREGO REFLECTION ON TODAY’S GOSPEL:
I try to become still in God’s presence by consciously setting aside the
things that have occupied me today and will take my time later, placing
them in God’s hands for this time of prayer.
He knows and loves me – he will take care of my concerns for now.
I rest for a while in his presence.
Then I read the Gospel.
The word of God comes personally to John the Baptist at a particular historical time, one that is clearly described by Luke in the opening lines of this Gospel.
I reflect for a time on my own personal faith history, recalling the people, places and events that have shaped me.
I ponder. I share with God.
I listen to John’s proclamation: his message is for us too.
What do I need to let go of, to change, in order to allow God more fully into my life?
I speak of my thoughts and feelings with God or Jesus as I would with a close friend, knowing that he always accepts me, forgives me and loves me.
I ask for what I need.
I end my prayer slowly, giving thanks. Our Father...
He knows and loves me – he will take care of my concerns for now.
I rest for a while in his presence.
Then I read the Gospel.
The word of God comes personally to John the Baptist at a particular historical time, one that is clearly described by Luke in the opening lines of this Gospel.
I reflect for a time on my own personal faith history, recalling the people, places and events that have shaped me.
I ponder. I share with God.
I listen to John’s proclamation: his message is for us too.
What do I need to let go of, to change, in order to allow God more fully into my life?
I speak of my thoughts and feelings with God or Jesus as I would with a close friend, knowing that he always accepts me, forgives me and loves me.
I ask for what I need.
I end my prayer slowly, giving thanks. Our Father...
Readings next week –Third Sunday of Advent
(Year C)
First Reading: Zephaniah
3:14-18
Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7
Gospel: Luke 3: 10-18
Your prayers are asked for the sick:
Robert Harcourt-White, Austin Dukeson, Rose Grimes, Bill Beard, Isabelita Santos, Nestor Manundo, Vic Slavin, Lionel Faustino, Marg Stewart & …. Let us pray for those who have died recently: Jill Di Pietro, Pat Faulkner, Isabel Archery, Denise Payne, Zita Mahoney, Elaine Stivicic, Denis Bresnehan (brother of Fr Tom), Michael Furjanic, Dennis Murphy, Brendan Kelly, Laszlo Kiss, Karen Farr, Denis McCormack, Betty Croft, Margaret Clarke, Gabriella Colpo, Sr Angela Dance, Jillian Brooks
Let us pray for those whose anniversary occurs about this time: 8th – 14th December
Vera Sherston, John Davis, Guy d’Hondt, John Gibbons, Kath Last, Paul Rech, Fr Bill Egan, Mark Marshall.
Mersey Leven Parish
Community welcome and congratulate Isabella &
Mia Baxter
daughters of Trent
& Caitlin on their Baptism this
weekend.
Mersey Leven Catholic Parish Community would like to
congratulate Gwen Doyle on her recent award for life membership of the
Ulverstone Golf Club.
Gwen joined Ulverstone in 1970 and to this day is still
involved with the club in many ways.
Well done Gwen what an amazing achievement!
Weekly Ramblings
Hopefully you have managed to make some good decisions
during this past week and been able to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to some of the things
asked of you according to how you have been travelling. I have actually managed
once or twice but I still have a way to go.
This week in our Gospel we hear John the Baptist preach a
message of repentance and, quoting the prophet Isaiah, calls us to prepare a
way for the Lord. So it is appropriate that this coming week we have our Advent
Reconciliation Services – at OLOL on Tuesday and at Sacred Heart on Wednesday –
both nights at 7pm. The whole of the service is focussed on the mercy and
healing power of God’s love for us and as part of the celebration we come
forward to receive absolution. The longer form of spiritual counselling and
guidance is better suited for the individual rite of the Sacrament which is
celebrated at Ulverstone after the 9.30am Mass on Friday, 5.15pm on Saturday at
OLOL or by contacting any of the priests any day.
It is not too late to take one of the Advent Reflection
Books – I have been using mine each day and have found the different styles of
the contributors a source for deeper reflection – even as I wonder how they got
to a particular point of view. Thank God different people think differently and
give us different ideas.
Your support of the Vinnies Christmas Appeal and the empty
Crib in our Mass Centres is greatly appreciated – every little bit helps. The
delivery of hampers will happen on 20th December so please ensure
that any donations are made before then.
Please
take care on the roads and I look forward to seeing you next weekend
FROM THE
PARISH PASTORAL TEAM (FELICITY SLY – CHAIR)
On Sunday Dec 16 the Parish Pastoral Team will hold our
final meeting for 2018. We have spent a lot of time in discussing the future of
our Parish, and where to focus our energies in realising our Vision of being a vibrant Catholic Community unified in its commitment to growing
disciples for Christ. Your thoughts on the plenary direction, as submitted
via the offertory bowl during our 30 Days of Prayer, were shared at the
feedback and discernment session held on Friday, Nov 23rd in
Ulverstone.
The PPT felt that your submissions worked well with our Vision and the focus areas identified for development of our Parish: Prayer and Sacraments (Surrendering), a Healthy Organisation (Belonging) and Learning and Sharing the Good News (Growing).
We selected the areas we wished to discuss and each group had some valuable discussions about how the submissions impacted on our community. We will discuss this further at our next PPT meeting, and hopefully in 2019 as a community, we will be able to start creating the future we wish for our Parish.
As part of my personal Advent preparation, I complete an Advent Kindness Calendar. Each day in December, I am challenged to do something for a friend or stranger. I find this process helps me to consider others, in a time which can be very busy and self-centered. For example today (Dec 5) I’m challenged to give someone my full attention! May your Advent be a time of prayerful preparation.
The PPT felt that your submissions worked well with our Vision and the focus areas identified for development of our Parish: Prayer and Sacraments (Surrendering), a Healthy Organisation (Belonging) and Learning and Sharing the Good News (Growing).
We selected the areas we wished to discuss and each group had some valuable discussions about how the submissions impacted on our community. We will discuss this further at our next PPT meeting, and hopefully in 2019 as a community, we will be able to start creating the future we wish for our Parish.
As part of my personal Advent preparation, I complete an Advent Kindness Calendar. Each day in December, I am challenged to do something for a friend or stranger. I find this process helps me to consider others, in a time which can be very busy and self-centered. For example today (Dec 5) I’m challenged to give someone my full attention! May your Advent be a time of prayerful preparation.
EMPTY STABLE - OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH:
Parishioners are invited to place
gifts, non-perishable goods in the empty stable at all Mass Centres.
The items
donated will be placed in the many Christmas Hampers St Vincent de Paul Society
will be distributing in the communities.
Your kindness and generosity is
appreciated and will make life a little more joyful for families and isolated
people.
OLOL READERS:
The new Readers book for 2019 is
now available, please ring Kath to order on 6424:6504 cost $22. Readers are
reminded of the silences before readings and the Fraction Rite is read during
Advent.
LUNCH: This Sunday 9th December at Furners Hotel Ulverstone 12noon-12:20pm
All welcome!
SACRED HEART CHURCH
CHRISTMAS EVE MASS:
‘Calling all children’ to
participate in the nativity play at the 6pm Christmas Eve Mass at Sacred Heart
Church Ulverstone.
Practise will take
place during 9am Mass at Sacred Heart Church this Sunday 9th, 16th,
and 23rd December.
For more info phone Charlie Vella 0417 307 781.
SACRED
HEART CHURCH:
A raffle to raise money for a project in the Philippines
called “Pedaling to Life” sponsored by the Columban Fathers was recently held
in Ulverstone. This raffle will be drawn Tuesday 11th December 7pm
for 7:30pm start in the Community Room Ulverstone. During the evening there
will be a DVD playing called Christmas in London by Andre Rieu. All welcome for
a cuppa and biscuit and don’t forget to bring a friend.
MT ST VINCENT AUXILIARY: Mt St
Vincent Auxiliary will be
holding a Christmas craft and cake stall at Mt St Vincent
commencing 9am Wednesday 19th December. Bring a friend or two and your
spare change and buy some goodies to help support this great fundraiser!
CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL TASMANIA - Mount Zion Prayer Group
Please note: regular Monday meeting in recess and
recommences on Monday 4th February at 7pm Community Room, Sacred Heart
Church Ulverstone. The next Healing Mass will be at St Mary’s Church, Penguin
on Thursday 14th February commencing at 7pm. If you have any urgent
prayer requests please contact Celestine Whiteley 6424:2043, Michael Gaffney 0447 018 068 or
Tom Knaap 6425:2442.
Thursday Nights - OLOL Hall, Devonport. Eyes down 7.30pm!
Callers Thursday 13th December, Merv Tippett & Graeme Rigney
RECLAIMING JESUS
This article is taken from the Daily Emails from Fr Richard Rohr OFM and the Center for Action and Contemplation. You can subscribe to receive the emails here
Earlier this year, I collaborated with a group of Christian
leaders in the United States to write a statement to our churches, “Reclaiming
Jesus: A Confession of Faith in a Time of Crisis.” [1] I invite you to meditate
on three of our affirmations:
The church’s role is to change the world through the life
and love of Jesus Christ. The government’s role is to serve the common good by
protecting justice and peace, rewarding good behavior while restraining bad
behavior (Romans 13). When that role is undermined by political leadership,
faith leaders must stand up and speak out. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
said, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of
the state, but rather the conscience of the state.” [2]
I. WE BELIEVE each human being is made in God’s image and
likeness (Genesis 1:26). That image and likeness confers a divinely decreed
dignity, worth, and God-given equality to all of us as children of the one God
who is the Creator of all things. Racial bigotry is a brutal denial of the
image of God (the imago dei) in some of the children of God. Our participation
in the global community of Christ absolutely prevents any toleration of racial
bigotry. Racial justice and healing are biblical and theological issues for us,
and are central to the mission of the body of Christ in the world. We give
thanks for the prophetic role of the historic black churches in America when
they have called for a more faithful gospel.
II. WE BELIEVE we are one body. In Christ, there is to be no
oppression based on race, gender, identity, or class (Galatians 3:28). [I would
add sexual orientation as well.] The body of Christ, where those great human
divisions are to be overcome, is meant to be an example for the rest of society.
When we fail to overcome these oppressive obstacles, and even perpetuate them,
we have failed in our vocation to the world—to proclaim and live the
reconciling gospel of Christ.
III. WE BELIEVE how we treat the hungry, the thirsty, the
naked, the stranger, the sick, and the prisoner is how we treat Christ himself.
“Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are
members of my family, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). God calls us to
protect and seek justice for those who are poor and vulnerable, and our
treatment of people who are “oppressed,” “strangers,” “outsiders,” or otherwise
considered “marginal” is a test of our relationship to God, who made us all
equal in divine dignity and love. Our proclamation of the lordship of Jesus Christ
is at stake in our solidarity with the most vulnerable. If our gospel is not
“good news to the poor,” it is not the gospel of Jesus Christ (Luke 4:18).
[1] See http://reclaimingjesus.org/.
[2] Martin Luther King, Jr., “A Knock at Midnight,” Strength
to Love (Fortress Press: 2010, ©1963), 59.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF BUCKET LIST
This is an article from the archives of Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI. You can find the original article here
What’s still unfinished in your life?
Well, there’s always a lot that’s unfinished in everyone’s life. Nothing is ever really finished. Our lives, it seems, are simply interrupted by our dying. Most of us don’t complete our lives, we just run out of time. So, consciously or unconsciously, we make a bucket-list of things we still want to see, do, and finish before we die.
What do we still want to do? A number of things probably immediately come to the fore: We want to see our children grow up. We want to see our daughter’s wedding. We want to see our grandchildren. We want to finish this last work of art, of writing, of building. We want to see our 80th birthday. We want to reconcile with our family.
Beyond these, more important things, we generally have another list of things we were too busy, preoccupied, or economically disadvantaged to do earlier in life: We want to walk the Camino, travel to the Holy Land, see the historical sites of Europe, back-pack through parts of Asia, travel the country with our grandkids, enjoy our retirement.
But in fantasizing about what’s unfinished in our lives there’s the danger of missing out on the richness of what’s actually going on in our lives and our real task in the moment. The better question is: How do I want to live now so as to be ready to die when it’s my time?
In a wonderful little book on contemplation, Biography of Silence, Spanish author, Pablo d’Ors, stares his mortality in the face and decides that this is what he wants to do in face of the inalienable fact that he’s one day to die. Here’s his bucket list: “I have decided to stand up and open my eyes. I have decided to eat and drink in moderation, to sleep as necessary, to write only what contributes toward improving those who read me, to abstain from greed, and never compare myself to others. I have also decided to water my plants and care for an animal. I will visit the sick, I will converse with the lonely, and I will not let much time go by before playing with a child. In the same manner I have decided to recite my prayers every day, to bow several times before the things I consider sacred, to celebrate the Eucharist, to listen to the Word, to break bread and share the wine, to give peace, to sing in unison. And to go for walks, which I find essential. And to light the fire, which is also essential. And to shop without hurry, to greet my neighbors even when I do not like seeing their faces, to subscribe to a newspaper, to regularly call my friends and siblings on the phone. And to take excursions, swim in the sea at least once a year, and to read only good books, or reread those that I have liked. … I will live for those things according to an ethics of attention and care. And this is how I will arrive at a happy old age, when I will contemplate, humble and proud at the same time, the small but grand orchard that I have cultivated. Life as cult, culture, and cultivation.”
Life as a cult, culture, and cultivation: I’m a two-time cancer survivor. When first diagnosed with cancer seven years ago, the prognosis was good. I had a scare, but time still stretched out endlessly before me. But when the cancer returned four years ago, the doctors were less optimistic and told me, in unequivocal terms, that my time was probably short, no more endless days. That prognosis clarified my thoughts and feelings as nothing ever before. Stunned, I went home, sat down in prayer, and then wrote this mini-creed for myself, with a different kind of bucket-list:
I am going to strive to be as productive as long as I can.
I am going to make every day and every activity as precious and enjoyable as possible.
I am going to strive to be as gracious, warm, and charitable as possible.
I am going to strive to be as healthy as long as I can.
I am going to strive to accept others’ love in a deeper way than I have up to now.
I am going to strive to live a more-fully “reconciled” life. No room for past hurts anymore.
I am going to strive to keep my sense of humor intact.
I am going to strive to be as courageous and brave as I can.
I am going to strive, always, to never look on what I am losing, but rather to look at how wonderful and full my life has been and is.
And, I am going to, daily, lay all of this at God’s feet through prayer.
Not incidentally, since then I have also begun to water plants, care for a feral cat, and feed all the neighborhood birds. Life as cult, culture, and cultivation.
ADVENT EXAMEN
St Ignatius of Loyola, in his Spiritual Exercises, encouraged a form of prayerful reflection on our experiences and feelings, known as the Examen, as a way of discovering how God is at work in our lives. Thinking Faith invites you to let this Ignatian way of praying guide you in this season of preparation, as we undertake an Advent Examen. Ruth Holgate helps us to take the first step of the Examen, ‘Thanksgiving’. Why is it important for us to say ‘thank you’ to God? This series will continue throughout the weeks of Advent - further information can be found by clicking here and by accessing the PDF on that page
EXAMEN PRAYER
You can find a deeper explanation of the Examen Prayer on the ThinkingFaith.org website and which links to the Pray As You Go website. For a complete experience of the Examen Prayer and process click here.
This site contains audio links explaining the Examen Process and is particularly useful.
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