W eek ly Reflect ion

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark Fights with friends. Conflicts with parents. Struggles for grades. Fear of failure. Loneliness. Gangs and violence. So many things can beat us down and darken our days. Thank God Christmas Day reminds us that nothing can overcome us because Jesus, God’s promise of hope, came into our world. Christ’s light can calm our darkest fears and guide us through overwhelming problems. Christ’s strength and peace can fill us if we face rejection for doing the right thing. Remember, Christ also faced those things that beat us down, especially rejection, conflict, and loneliness. But this isn’t automatic. We must choose to let Christ’s light in. Pray daily. Take at least fifteen minutes each morning or night to talk with Jesus. Or just sit quietly, imagining him with you. Follow Jesus’ life in the Sunday Gospel readings. Take twenty minutes each week to read the Sunday Gospel and think about what it offers your life. Compare the priest’s homily to what you think is important. Learn to live like Jesus. Make your life an example of hope and goodness for others. Apologise when you hurt someone. Be patient with your Christian growth. Share your Christian successes and failures with people you trust. Reach out to fellow Christians for Christ’s love when times get dark. Ask them to help you find Christ when God seems hard to find. The world changed when Jesus entered it. Fear and despair lost their power. Remember, when times get tough, you can bask in “the true light”. Happy Christmas and blessings for 2017. Where do you need Christ’s light, or where can you offer his light right now? Copyright © 2014 GPBS, All rights reserved

T h is Par ish is C h ild Safe ty A ware and a lso co m p lies w i th A ust ra lian Pr ivacy Laws

Child Safety and Protection of Vulnerable Adults (policy): Saint Rita’s Catholic Parish takes the safety and vulnerable adults seriously.

For information please visit www.stritasparish.org and then click the “safety policy” button.

WEEKLY DIARY

Monday 26th December– Boxing Day 8:30am No Rosary 9:00am No Mass Tuesday 27th December 8:30am No Rosary 9:00am No Mass Wednesday 28th December 8:30am No Rosary 9:00am No Mass 9:30am Mothers Prayers (Chapel) Thursday 29th December Friday 30th December 8:30am Rosary (Chapel) 9:00am Mass & Ho ly Hour (Chapel) Saturday 31st December - New Years Eve 4:00-4:30pm Reconciliation (Church) 5:00pm Vig il Mass (Church) Sunday 1st January 2017 - New Years Day 7:00am Mass (Church) 9:00am Mass (Church) 6:00pm Mass (Church)

St. Rita’s Catholic Parish Incorporating Victoria Point, Thornlands South, Redland Bay, Mount Cotton,

Coochiemudlo Island and the Southern Bay Islands. Postal Address: 37 Benfer Road, Victoria Point Q. 4165

25th December 2016 - christmas day — YEAR A

Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Vattaparambil CMI Parish Secretary: Meagan Ladewig Emergency Contact: 0406 562 884 Finance Secretary: Beverley Van Schie Office/Presbytery: Ph: 07-3207 9177 School Principal: Ms Anne McKenny Email: victoriapoint@bne.catholic.net.au School Ph: 07- 3207 6628 Fax: 07- 3207 6734 Parish Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am-1:00pm Parish Website: www.stritasparish.org

17th/18th December 2016 $3912.04

Maintenance and Improvements

Recent Activities – installed new cleaners’ storage cabinet, placed order for new church sound system– installed on the 22nd of December, Multipest investigating possums in church roof Current projects – replacement or removal of gas bottle and hot water system in the church kitchen, investigating replating of tabernacle door (plating worn out by polishing), installation of new statues in Columbarium after security lights and cameras are installed (still awaiting school-funded installation of cameras) Possible Future projects depending on availability of funding – replacement of old air conditioners in Ruby Room, air conditioner in Presbytery bedroom

Second Collection and

Donations Envelopes, Loose,

Direct Debits.

Please take a moment to pray for:

All those who are ill especially Chantel Lowrey, those who seek healing in their lives and for all those who care for them. Recently deceased We commend the recently deceased to the loving embrace of God.

Parish News and Mee ngs ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: St. Vincent de Paul Christmas Cards and Columban Calendars for 2017 are now available from the Piety Stall. The price of the cards is unchanged at $2.50 per pack of 5. The cost of the Columban Calendar is $9.00 each.

PRAYER AND PRAISE GROUP: Our group is having a break for the Christmas holidays. We will be mee ng again on Tuesday 7th February 2017. From all of us at the prayer group, we wish you a safe and holy Christmas season and may the light of Christ burn brightly in your hearts.

PRO LIFE ROSARY GROUP: We will be having a break over Christmas from the 15th December and resume on MONDAY the 16th of January 2017 at 9:30am, as we are changing to Mondays.

MARIAN ROSARY GROUP: The Monday Marian Rosary Group will finish for a break from the 12th December and resume on Tuesday 17th January 2017 at 9.30am, as a Tuesday Marian Rosary Group.

We wish you a Blessed and Happy New Year filled with health, happiness and prosperity.

REA DIN GS FOR CHRIST M AS D AY – YEAR A

1ST READING (JB): ISAIAH 9:1-7 RESPO NSORIAL PSALM : PSALM 95 2ND READING (JB): ST PAUL TO TITUS 2:11-14 GOSPEL (JB): LUKE 2:1-14 REA DIN GS FOR M ARY THE H OLY M OTHER OF GO D – YEAR A

1ST READING (JB): NUMBERS 6:22-27 RESPO NSORIAL PSALM : PSALM 66:2-3, 5, 6, 8 2ND READING (JB): GALATIANS 4:4-7 GOSPEL (JB): LUKE 2:16-21

St. Rita’s Catholic Parish Victoria Point

We would like to thank all those that have helped so

generously with all the preparations for our Christmas Masses.

It is sincerely appreciated.

Please no te that the Parish O f f ice will be closed from 26 /12/2016 and will re-open on M onday 02 /01/2017.

In the case of an emergency please contact Fa ther Joseph on 0406 562 884 .

The Christ Candle Final Advent Candle

At Christmas we light the final candle on the Advent Wreath. The Christ Candle is the white candle in the centre of the wreath. This candle is a reminder of why we must love one another and that Christ is our greatest gift from God who was sent with love to save us. So, this is why we give presents on Jesus’ Birthday. We light this candle with great joy and celebration because Christ is born in Bethlehem. God’s Son has come into the world to be our Saviour and He will come again in glory!

Reserves

Sat 5pm Reader: Help needed Communion: May Richardson Sun 7am Reader: Communion: Help needed Sun 9am Reader: Cheryl Lawie Communion: Shelley & Joseph Singh Sun 6pm Doris Williamson

Mass Co-ordinators

Anne Maree Reed

Shaun Hennessy Bernie Sturdy

Jennifer Fielding

Amanda Hosking

Ministers of the Word

Angela Cooper Ross Cooper Anne Maree Reed

Kay Grieve Madonna Hennessy

Jennifer Fielding Angela Clarke

Jan Simpkins Amanda Hosking

Communion

Ministers

Edith Thieme Marilyn Duggan Moya Taylor

Marlene Corbin Stephen Croyden Barbara Elliott

Julie Steel Carmel Taylor

Mike Quilty Leanne Dyer

Altar Servers Christopher Tucker Rhylee Ball

Christopher Tucker

Maddi Egan Tyla Clarke

N/A

Projector Operators

Justin Ball

Bernie Sturdy

Eslyne Hunter

Ashis Thomas

Children’s Liturgy

Saturday: n/a Sunday: n/a

Ministers to the Sick

Group 1: Elaine Pascoe Group 2: Jan Simpkins

Church Cleaning : Team 1

Office Volunteer : n/a

“This Christmas, let us ask Mary, Mother of

Jesus and our Mother, to help us see in our

neighbour the face of Jesus, God made man.”

Pope Francis

Wishing you and your families a very Me r r y Chr is tmas, filled with love,

laughter and light!

A SINCERE THANK YOU FROM ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

To all our fellow Parishioners and friends who donated food, gifts, toys and finance towards our Christmas Appeal. A special thankyou to those who donated their time to help sort the donations and make up and deliver the Christmas hampers to 69 families and individuals in need, both on the mainland and the Bay Islands. God Bless you all! We will be giving you a more detailed report when final figures are available in the New Year and in the meantime wish you all a Blessed and Safe Christmas.

ST RITA’S PARISH MASS MINISTRY ROSTER 2017 31st December/1 January

Saturday 5:00pm

Sunday 7:00am

Sunday 9:00am

Sunday 6:00pm

STEWART & RAY MILLIGAN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

FOR ALL ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS & REPAIRS ALL AREAS

DOMESTIC * COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL

Transient Electrical Pty. Ltd. 74 Avalon Road, SHELDON. Qld. 4157.

Ph: 3206-3174 Mobile: 0408 198 228

Sunny Side Painting Call for a free quote

0407 185 444 Mick Clarke

michael.clarke@y7mail.com Interior & Exterior Painting

Roof repair & repaints

Happy to paint 1 room at a time!

JOHN DUNNE