1st first sunday of advent (b)
TRANSCRIPT
PARISH NEWSLETTER
ST MARY STAR OF THE SEA
26/27 November 2011
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PARISH NEWSLETTER
26/27 November 2011
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PARISH AND OTHER NOTICES
Blessing of the Remembrance CrossImmediately before or after this Sundays Mass, there will be a brief blessing ceremony of the Remembrance Cross that has been placed to the left of the front entrance of the church. This cross stands as a memorial to the early parishioners of St Marys who remain buried in the vicinity of the Victoria Markets and whose graves are otherwise unmarked. Some detailed background has been prepared by Mr Tom Hazell AO, Coordinator of the Restoration and is on sheets at the rear of the church (on tables). Requiem aeterna dona eis Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Join us after Sunday Mass for refreshments, and some conversation - an opportunity to get to know fellow parishioners and friends of St Marys. No beer this time. If the weather is good we will gather in the garden of the Parish House, otherwise in the St Marys Crypt (accessed at the far end of the church. coming through the schoolyard). On Sunday, December 11the Third Sunday of Advent, we are having a post Mass BBQ! With something special beforehand (to be announced).Roland Joffes film There Be Dragons , is a partly fictionalized drama centred around events in the life of St Josemaria during the Spanish Civil War. It will have a once only premiere showing in Melbourne on Saturday, December 11 at the Kino Cinema, Collins St. Tickets can be pre-booked via leaflets at the rear of the church.
ST MARY STAR OF THE SEACATHOLIC CHURCH33 Howard Street, West Melbourne 3003 Telephone: 9328 3474 Fax: 9328 3203 Email: [email protected]
An open door to Christ through Mary www.stmaryswestmelbourne.orgPARISH INFORMATION Parish Priest: Fr Max Polak Assistant Priest: Fr Joseph Pich Catechetics Coordinator: Fr Edward Barry Restoration Coordinator: Thomas Hazell AO Parish Administrator: Linas Kalade Administrative Officer: Birute Janina Kymantas Sacred Music Centre: Jeremy Fletcher Office hours: Mon-Fri: 10am 2pm For urgent matters, contact Fr Max on 0438 942 043 and Fr Joseph on 0427 238 933. MASS TIMES Saturday Vigil: 6.30pm Sunday: 10.30am, 12 noon (Lithuanian) Monday-Friday: 12.30pm CONFESSIONS Saturday: 11am 12 noon, 5.45 6.15pm Sunday: 9.45 10.15am Mon-Fri: 12 noon 12.25pm, 1.05 1.30 pm BAPTISMS, WEDDINGS, AND FUNERALS By appointment.
First Sunday of Advent (B)Lord, make us turn to you, let us see your face and we shall be saved These words taken from todays Psalm (79), summarize the sentiments expressed in the first reading of the Mass. The prophet Isaiah laments a feeling of Gods absence felt by the more devout during a time of hardship or exile. He acknowledges that Gods apparent drawing away is due to the earlier rebelliousness of his people. But their sinfulness threatens to become worse through a hardening of their hearts. Only God can save them from this spiralling into the depths of evil far from the His ways. One verse in particular stands out in the prophets prayer Oh, that you would tear the heavens open and come down at your Presence the mountains would melt. This heartfelt cry is like that found in another place in the Book of Isaiah: Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain Our Lady of the New Advent down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation Icon commissioned for the may spring up. We can see why the Church recalls at Archdiocese of Denver this time the beginning of Advent - these exclamations of ancient times. They express the hunger for a Saviour that could only be God himself. With the coming of Christ this longing would be answered in a way that hardly could have been expected by the Son of God taking on human flesh and blood. That is why the Churchs Latin Vulgate version of the Bible translated the latter cry as follows: Rorate coeli desuper et nubes pluant justum (Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just) and Aperiatur terra et germinet salvatorem (Let the earth be opened and send forth a Saviour"). From above there came down the divine Person and nature. From here below in the womb of Mary there rose up to meet them the humanity of Jesus. Though Our Lord has indeed come and lived amongst us, establishing the whole new order of grace and the Church, we continue to hunger like the prophets and devout men and women of former times for the full revealing of his power, justice and mercy. Advent intensifies our awareness of a certain absence of God and the consequences in the world around us of this absence. It reawakens our hunger for Him. It begins with references to Jesus Second Coming. So, for instance, we have Our Lords words in the Gospel today asking us to be watchful, not to fall into neglect or to be deadened through indifference and distraction. Later when we enter into the final days before Christmas, Advent encourages our hope by helping us relive what the first ones to know of Christs conception would have felt, especially Mary and Joseph, Elizabeth and Zachary. Their sense of expectation was so great. When in fact He was born, their joy was beyond words. We too can capture these sentiments if we live this season well. Advent will pass quickly. We need to take it to heart. We should try to have our own personal way of living it. It may not be easy this time of year to find some minutes in the day when we can pause to do mental prayer, to say a Rosary and/or to read a spiritual book the Scriptures or writings of one of the saints. However, in the end, it is simply a matter of making up our mind to do something specific. As Christians we owe this to ourselves, to our families and to the people we influence in one way or another. We must not give in to superficiality, anxiety or materialism. The Church counts on us being calm, cheerful and wise witnesses to the world. Have a wonderful Advent!
This Sunday and next Sunday only!
Olive wood carved items, including Nativity Scenes (Christmas Cribs) will once again be on sale at St Marys after the Early Bird Christmas Cards available Sunday Attractive high quality cards are available for purchase in the Church Masses on Foyer after the Sunday November Mass. 27 and Price: 8 cards per pack December (4 different images) 4.Carved by Bethlehem craftsmenCost $10 per pack Proceeds to Heathgrove Study Centre Building Fund
Lourdes Day Mass 2011St Patricks Cathedral Saturday, December 3 10.30am Principal Celebrant His Grace Archbishop Denis Hart DD
MATINS OF ADVENT SUNDAY CONCERT THIS SUNDAY AT ST MARYS 7.30PM by e21 vocal group e21 vocal group has built a reputation for its stylistic versatility and has garnered great praise for its performance of the Gregorian repertoire. Stephen Grant will perform a reconstruction of monastic Matins for Advent Sunday according to the Dominican use. Presented by St Marys Sacred Music Centre together with e21. By donation.
DEVOTIONS AND REGULAR ACTIVITIES Eucharistic Adoration: Thursdays 1 2pm Saturday 11am 12 noon Legion of Mary: Meets on Fridays at 6:30pm in the presbytery. Family Catechism: Each Sunday of school term, after Sunday Mass. Other activities as posted in church entrance.
Organised annually by the Knights of Malta
PARISH NEWSLETTER
ST MARY STAR OF THE SEA
26/27 November 2011
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PARISH NEWSLETTER
ST MARY STAR OF THE SEA
26/27 November 2011
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TEXTS FOR TODAYS MASSEntrance hymn: Sat & Sun 171 First Reading:
Gospel Acclamation :
Ideas for Advent Here aresome suggestions for preparing for Christmas.
Australian Bishops Letter introducing the Year of GraceWe call the Catholic people in Australia a Year of Grace, to span the time from Pentecost 2012 to Pentecost 2013. Like the disciples at the first Pentecost, we commit ourselves to start afresh from Christ. Full text of the letter included in this weeks newsletter.St Marys farewells Jeremy Fletcher as our founding director of the Sacred Music Centre and Schola and congratulates him for an outstanding contribution to this church and parish. We wish Jeremy success in his future endeavours. He hopes to keep close to St Marys on now a less formal basis. Thank you, Jeremy, for all you have done!
O Come, O Come EmmanuelGospel:
Responsorial Psalm: Response: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Memorial Acclamation: Save us, Saviour of the the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free. Communion hymn: Sat & Sun: 48 Come Thou Long Expected Jesus Recessional hymn : Sat & Sun: 228 Sing Of Mary Pure and Lowly Offertory hymn: Sat & Sun:
Try not to stress! This is a spiritual time for those who live life with Christian faith. Get to Mass more often. Make a good confession. BE MODERATE. Christmas functions are fine but can be the undoing of good resolutions. If you are a TV watcherwatch less. Read more and read well. How about including 10 minutes of spiritual reading (Scripture or other) a day? Send joyful and meaningful Christmas cards to friends and relationsget back in touch with people you havent seen or spoken to for some time. Visit someone who is housebound before or after Christmas.
to
At St Marys this weekend: Baptisms:Pray for these newly baptised children Gustav Frederik Salkunas Aleksandar Tomislav Zalac Zadok Ramiro Lawson Paddy Francis Brayshaw Ashley Zoe Smith Levi Paul Zammit Thomas James Preston Edward James Elson
135 Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending
Kids Spend less time on computer games or give them up for Advent. Try making or helping to make or set up a nativity scene (Christmas Crib) for Christmas or making an Advent wreath. Help out more with the chores at home. Read some good books or stories (A Christmas Carol?). Go bushwalking or bike-riding with Dad or Mum or both. Dont neglect your
Weddings:And pray for these newly married couple:
Jeffrey Joseph Zammit and Carla Marie Battistella Holy Mary, Star of the Sea, intercede for them.
prayers. Dont be greedy or narky! And as for Christmas Cards! A simple way to keep alive the true meaning of Christmas is by buying tasteful cards that contain the symbols and message of Christmas. Even the City Council seems to be doing better this year. We are promised a Nativity Scene in Federation Square and all the banners around town actually say Merry Christmas!Mon 28th
Weekday Mass 28 Nov 2 Dec, 2011
Monday of the 1st Week of Advent
Pg 387-88
Second Reading:
Tue 29th
Tuesday of the 1st Week of Advent
Pg 3388-89
Wed 30th
St Andrew, Apostle Feast
Rdgs Pg 389-90
Thu 1stExcerpts from the English translation of the Roman Missal 2011, International Commission on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Scripture readings are taken from the Jerusalem Bible 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday and Company Inc. Used by permission.
Thursday of the 1st Week of Advent
Pg 390-91
Fri 2nd
Friday of the 1st Week of Advent
Rdgs Pg 391-92