FOURTH Sunday of advent Year b 24th december 2017 Dear Parishioners, Thanks for coming to Church today and joining us for the last Sunday of Advent! I hope that you are excited and that Advent has been a time of renewal and re-energising for your faith! In the whole of the New Testament, Mary appears only a handful of times. She is, of course, present at the birth of Jesus and at his death. She comes looking for her son in the Temple when he’s twelve and again when he’s preaching. She lets him know that the time has come for his first miracle when he’s in Cana. She has more to say in this story of the annunciation than in any of the others, and in this one story we get more than a glimpse of the woman she would become in our memory - called on by millions, revered by all - an example of unparalleled obedience and openness to the movement of God in her life. It strikes me that, along with being the Mother of God (the Orthodox Church uses the word theotokos, which means “God-bearer”), Mary is our example of the best response to the presence of God. We let God in; we show God hospitality in our very being; we allow God to change our lives in ways we cannot even imagine yet. The reality for most of us, though, is that in many times and places we have had the chance to welcome God in. Instead, we’ve shut God out because we thought something else was more important. Maybe it was power or wealth. Perhaps God was challenging us to move on a particular path, and we didn’t want to. Maybe our question for the week is, what would happen if I do as God asks? On this Christmas Eve, let us practice saying yes to God - for in doing this, we honour the mother of us all. There are many people to thank for the year we have celebrated together: last year I was happily doing what I was told to do, and what a year it has been! So much has happened in the Ipswich Catholic Community and we have lots to be grateful for ….. please join me in thanking the Lord for all we have celebrated together in 2017. Let me thank Fr John and Fr Nicholas – I enjoy ministering with them and together we have tried to serve you the best we can – thank-you for your patience and encouragement to us. I thank Bernadette McAndrew for her extremely generous service – for the beautiful style of her practical pastoral ministry and her dedication to the Parishes. The Office Staff are the best: my thanks to Bernadette Lenihan, Maree and Kathy and in recent weeks Kate. I marvel at all they do and the wonderful way they support the ministerial life of our Parishes. Our Community is very blessed to have all these ladies ministering to us! Finally, let me thank-you for your support and the ways I have been encouraged and challenged these past months. I enjoy my ministry and love waking up each day to the great ways the Lord is born into the life of this Community. I am a better friar and priest for being with you! Fr Nicholas will be away all of January, I will be away for two weeks – Fr John will be the only resident priest until I return. Fr Peter Casey and Fr John Dobson will help out over the next three weekends. Mass times for next week and January are on the Church doors and the website! The Parish Office will be closed until 4th January and there will no Newsletter for the next two weeks. A very happy Christmas to you and your family, and I look forward to serving you in 2018 and the blessing of the New Year. May our eyes and our hearts be opened to the Holy One in our midst. Yours in Francis and Clare, Stephen ofm

WEEKEND MASS TIMES CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES SATURDAY CHURCH LOCATION

CHRISTMAS EVE—Sunday, 24th Dec- (Vigil Mass)

4.30pm—Leichhardt; 6.00pm—Rosewood; 6.00pm—St. Mary’s, Ipswich;

6.00pm—St. Joseph’s; 6:00pm—Marburg 8.30pm—OLMM

MIDNIGHT MASS at St. Mary’s, Ipswich

CHRISTMAS DAY –Monday, 25th Dec

7.30am— North Ipswich; 8.00am—Rosewood; 8.30am St. Mary’s, Ipswich

NO EVENING MASS IN THE IPSWICH

CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

4:30pm Immaculate Heart Leichhardt

5:30pm OLMM Eastern Heights

6:00pm St. Mary’s Woodend

SUNDAY Mass CHURCH LOCATION

7:30am St. Joseph’s North Ipswich

8:00am St. Brigid’s Rosewood

8:30am St. Mary’s Woodend

6:00pm St. Mary’s Woodend

SACRAMENT OF PENANCE DAY TIME CHURCH

Friday 8.30am - 8.50am OLMM

Saturday

Saturday

4.15pm - 4.25pm

5.00pm - 5.30pm

Leichhardt

St. Mary’s

OUR CHURCHES St. Mary’s - Elizabeth Street, Woodend St. Brigid’s - Matthew Street, Rosewood

Mater Dei - Cnr Ferrett Street and Rowland Tce, Sadliers Crossing St. Joseph’s - 42 Pine Mountain Road, North Ipswich Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal - Robertson Rd, Eastern Heights Immaculate Heart of Mary - 22 Old Toowoomba Road, Leichhardt

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY

Administrator Fr. Stephen Bliss ofm sbliss@franciscans.org.au

Parish Ministers Fr. John Hong

Fr Nicholas Okafor

Pastoral Associate Bernadette McAndrew

Contact 0488008817

Office Hours

Mrs Maree Coyne

Mrs Kathy Lund

Mrs Bernadette Lenihan

Monday: 10:00am—3:30pm

Tues-Thurs 8:00am—3:30pm

Friday: 8:00am—1:00pm

Ipswich Catholic Community Contact Information

Telephone 07 3281 2133

Email ipswich@bne.catholic.net.au

Fax 07 3812 3911

Post PO Box 23, Ipswich 4305.

Mass Times 07 3281 0707

New Media - Evangelisation

Website www.ipswichcatholic.com

Find us by searching for ‘ipswichcatholic’ on Facebook YouTube Twitter iTunes

Schools and Colleges in our Community St. Mary’s Primary School Woodend 07 3281 1998

Immaculate Heart School Leichhardt 07 3812 1077

St. Joseph’s School North Ipswich 07 3201 6188

St. Brigid’s School Rosewood 07 5464 1563

St. Mary’s College Woodend 07 3432 5444

St. Edmund's College Woodend 07 3810 4400

PLEASE PRAY FOR …. RECENTLY DECEASED: Beryl Ekner, Noel McCool, Dr Terry Mulhern, Sai Polisi, Margaret Jeffs, Brian Toohill.

ANNIVERSARY: Anthony Hogan, Terry Hughes, Margaret Ryan.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK: Vince Elmore FOR ALL THOSE WHO ARE HOUSE-BOUND AND RECEIVE COMMUNION AT HOME.

MASS TIMES FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS

MONDAY, 25TH DECEMBER - SEE FRONT PAGE Tuesday, 26th December 9.00am Immaculate Heart of Mary Leichhardt Wednesday, 27th December 9.00am St. Mary’s Woodend Thursday, 28th December No Morning mass in Parish Friday, 29th December 9.00am OLMM Eastern Heights SATURDAY, 30th December 4.30pm Immaculate Heart of Mary Leichhardt 5.30pm OLMM, Eastern Hts, 6.00pm St Mary’s Woodend SUNDAY, 31st December 7.30am St Joseph’s North Ipswich 8.00am St Brigid’s Rosewood 8.30am St Mary’s Woodend, 6.00pm St Mary’s Woodend MONDAY, 1ST JANUARY NEW YEAR’S DAY 9.00AM ST MARY’S WOODEND Tuesday, 2nd January 9.00am Immaculate Heart of Mary Leichhardt Wednesday, 3rd January 9.00am St. Mary’s Woodend, 6.30pm St Boniface Marburg Thursday, 4th January 9.00am St. Mary’s Woodend Friday, 5th January 9.00am OLMM Eastern Hts SATURDAY, 6th January 4.30pm Immaculate Heart of Mary Leichhardt 5.30pm OLMM Eastern Hts, 6.00pm St Mary’s Woodend SUNDAY, 7th January 7.30am St Joseph’s North Ipswich 8.00am St Brigid’s Rosewood 8.30am St Mary’s Woodend, 6.00pm St Mary’s Woodend Monday, 8th January 7am St Joseph’s North Ipswich Tuesday, 9th January 9.00am Immaculate Heart of Mary Leichhardt Wednesday, 10th January 9.30am St Brigid’s Rosewood Thursday, 11th January 9.00am St. Mary’s Woodend Friday, 12th January 9.00am OLMM Eastern Hts SATURDAY, 13th January 4.30pm Immaculate Heart of Mary Leichhardt 5.30pm OLMM Eastern Hts, 6.00pm St Mary’s Woodend SUNDAY, 14th January 7.30am St Joseph’s North Ipswich 8.00am St Brigid’s Rosewood 8.30am St Mary’s Woodend, 6.00pm St Mary’s Woodend

NEWSLETTER WILL RESUME ON WEEKEND OF 13/14 JANUARY

Administration Staff

MAY THIS CHRISTMAS BRING YOU THE GIFT OF FAITH, THE BLESSING OF HOPE, AND THE PEACE OF LOVE.

… What’s happening in the Ipswich Catholic Community ...

Throughout this season we have lived, waited, and remembered the hope, peace, joy, and love of God found in Christ. We have named the good within us, in our families and in our Parishes. These days now, we gather together in honour of the Christ Child. With the birth of Christ, salvation has drawn near. The God who ordered the chaos of the universe has come down into the chaos of our world. The Word which was with God at the beginning came down and lived with us. While we were yet living in the valley of the shadow of death, the light of new life burst forth. We proclaim with joy in our hearts, God has come in the Christ Child. How are you going to proclaim this to those you meet over these coming days …. And in the New year?

The Story of Christmas at Grec-cio

What better way to prepare for the arrival of the Christ Child than to take a brief journey to Greccio, the spot in central Italy where Saint Francis of Assisi created the first Christmas crib in the year 1223. Francis, recalling a visit he had made years before to Bethlehem, resolved to create the manger he had seen there. The ideal spot was a cave in nearby Greccio. He would find a baby (we’re not sure if it was a live infant or the carved image of a baby), hay upon which to lay him, an ox and an ass to stand beside the manger. Word went out to the people of the town. At the appointed time, they arrived carrying torches and candles.

One of the friars began celebrating Mass. Francis himself gave the sermon. His biographer, Thomas of Celano, recalls that Francis “stood before the manger…overcome with love and filled with a wonderful happiness…” For Francis, the simple celebration was meant to recall the hardships Jesus suffered even as an infant, a saviour who chose to become poor for our sake, a truly human Jesus.

As we pray around the Christmas cribs in our homes, we welcome into our hearts that same Saviour.

“In the birth of Jesus was life, and the life was the light

of all people”.

John 1,4

“Christmas isn’t just a temporal celebration or a memory of a beautiful event,

Christmas is something more: Christmas is an encounter with the Lord.”

(Pope Francis, 2017)

May each one of us meet and encounter the Lord through persons and events of our lives for Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.

Wishing you

A Happy and Holy Christmas and

a New Year

filled with the blessings of

LOVE, HOPE, PEACE AND JOY.

I would like to acknowledge and thank the Catholic Women’s League for all they do in our Community. These women give us wonderful witness of service and prayer. I thank them for their recent donation to the Parish of $1000.00. This money will be put towards the Parish Sacramental Program and to purchase Bibles for people enquiring about the Catholic Faith. Also at some of the Churches over Christmas they will provide Christmas Cake: thank-you ladies so much for your care and prayerful support! Stephen ofm

The 2018 Break Open the Word is now available at the Parish Office for those people who ordered one. They can be collected from the Parish Office after 4th January 2018. The Christmas edition of TALKABOUT is available this weekend. Please collect a copy, take it home with you, and read about the exciting happenings in our parishes. A gold coin donation to cover printing costs would be appreciated.

MIDNIGHT MASS SINGERS NEEDED: If you would like the experience of singing from St Mary’s Choir loft then please come along and join the choir to assist with leading the singing for the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. The hymns are well known , you will be more than welcome.

ST. MARY’S ICED CAKE RAFFLE was won by FAY SMITH. Congratulations Fay, and thank you everyone for your support.

RECYCLING ROUNDUP: This recycling initiative at Leichhardt and North Ipswich began in 2004. It’s aim is to collect items which can be recycled to provide funds or support for the disadvantaged in our society and for our brothers and sisters overseas. Start collecting Aluminium cans, Used postage stamps, Jars with lids of 500g and less, Hear-ing aids, Unwanted spectacles/sunglasses, Used Christmas cards, Calendars and Hotel toiletries. The next collection day is 27/28 January, 2018. We looking forward to the support of the Ipswich Catholic Community . Linda Allen (Leichhardt parishioner)

NEWS FROM AROUND OUR COMMUNITY

During the month of January, CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD will not be celebrated. We look forward to commencing again in February. If you would like to help in this ministry, please phone the Parish Office.

Pope Francis says: "Christmas is usually a noisy party: we could use a bit of silence, to hear the voice of Love." Christmas is you, when you decide to be born again each day and let God into your soul. The Christmas pine is you, when you resist vigorous winds and difficulties of life. The Christmas decorations are you, when your virtues are colours that adorn your life. The Christmas bell is you, when you call, gather and seek to unite. You are also a Christmas light, when you illuminate with your life the path of others with kindness, patience, joy and generosity. The Christmas angels are you, when you sing to the world a message of peace, justice and love. The Christmas star is you, when you lead someone to meet the Lord. You are also the wise men, when you give the best you have no matter who. Christmas music is you when you conquer the harmony within you. The Christmas gift is you, when you are truly friend and brother/sister of every human being. The Christmas card is you, when kindness is written in your hands. The Christmas greeting is you, when you forgive and re-establish peace, even when you suffer. The Christmas dinner is you, when you sated bread and hope to the poor man who is by your side. You are, yes, Christmas night, when humble and conscious, you receive in the silence of the night the Saviour of the world without noise or great celebrations; you are a smile of trust and tenderness, in the inner peace of a perennial Christmas that establishes the Kingdom within you. A very Merry Christmas for all those who look like Christmas.

OUR SINCERE THANKS MUST BE EXTENDED TO

THE WONDERFUL PARISHIONERS WHO

HAVE PREPARED EACH OF OUR CHURCHES

SO GLORIOUSLY DURING ADVENT AND

CHRISTMAS. YOUR GENEROSITY IN SHARING YOUR TIME,

ENERGY AND TALENT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED

BY ALL.