2 King St, Manly Vale 2093 phone 9949 4455

Email : parishoffice@northharbourcatholic.org.au

Website: www.northharbourcatholic.org.au

EASTER SUNDAY Yr C 21April 2019

IN THE CARE OF THE AUGUSTINIANS

The Catholic Community of North Harbour

Readings 21/4/19 Acts 10:34.37-43 Colossians 3:1-4 John 20:1-9 Responsorial Psalm : This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad

Readings 28/4/19: Acts 5:12-16 Revelation 1:9-13. 17-19 John 20:19-31

Alleluia! Alleluia! God’s love never fails! We rejoice today in the light and love of the Resurrection. From this day until Pentecost, our first readings will be drawn from the Acts of the Apostles, the book which offers insight into the formation of the early church and the thoughts and actions of the disciples after the

Resurrection. Let us rejoice and be glad that we are a part of that unfolding mystery.

PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE—THE EUREKA MOMENT

The Gospels tell us that within a few hours on Easter Sunday morn, two competing narratives had started to spread: some suspected that Jesus’s disciples had come at night to steal the body while the guards were

asleep; others, especially a group of women, claimed to have seen angels and even Jesus himself alive. It would be the ideal scenario for a Sherlock Holmes to solve the riddle. What were the clues? The empty tomb (no body), the large entrance stone rolled away and the strips of linen and the burial cloth inexplicably left behind. Holmes would rigorously separate these facts from any beliefs in a risen Christ. The lack of consistency between the accounts of the Easter story further complicates the investigation. Just how many angels were there? How many women went to the tomb? Did the disciples see Jesus in Galilee or in Jerusalem?

One other striking conundrum is that in all the Resurrection stories why was it that the people who had known Jesus best and had lived with him for a number of years, struggle to recognize him? He is mistaken for a gardener by Mary Magdalen; he walks with the two disciples to Emmaus for hours as a perfect stranger and from the shore gives fishing instructions like an intrusive know-it-all to his closest friends, John and Peter in the boat with their nets. I don’t think Sherlock would have been influenced by their claim that they felt a ‘burning of the heart’ when they met him. Feelings are notoriously unreliable. The human capacity for self-delusion is boundless.

Belief in the Resurrection, however, does not rely on deductive reasoning. The trigger is described as a moment of sudden realization, captured in some of the most moving exclamations in scripture: ‘Rabboni’

from Magdalen; ‘It is the Lord’ from John and Peter and ‘My Lord and my God!’ from Thomas. The belief that Jesus is alive is portrayed as a sudden realization prompted by some word or action on Jesus’ part – He says Mary’s name; he broke the bread at Emmaus; he gives Peter and John similar instructions as he had done once before when they first encountered Jesus by the same lake; he shows Thomas the wounds in the hands and side. These simple words and actions enable them to make sense of the profoundly disturbing events of the previous few days.

In our everyday lives we have similar experiences. After weeks of painful self-deliberation we can suddenly make a decisive breakthrough that makes sense of a baffling series of facts and events in a way that we can’t explain by rational reasoning. We call this a ‘eureka moment’ like that experienced by Archimedes as he got into his hot bath; by Newton and that falling apple and his theory of gravity and the sound of oars plying through water for Mahler’s 7th symphony. These eureka moments only happen to people who have strenuously toiled with an issue for a long time. Jesus assists this by going through the scriptures with the Emmaus disciples interpreting them all as referring to himself. And Peter does likewise when preaching in Acts such that his hearers were ‘cut to the heart’ and started to believe.

St Paul is the odd man out unless he too was struggling with himself to justify his actions against believers. ‘Why are you persecuting me?’ asks the risen Lord on that road to Damascus. And for us, the eureka moment of faith in the Resurrection should be expected not in a bathtub or under an apple tree but perhaps in the breaking of bread at our Eucharistic celebrations. I had a eureka moment when I turned on the TV Tuesday morning to hear Parisians singing a cappella a hauntingly beautiful hymn as they watched their cathedral burn before their eyes. A young 18 year old explained, “The cathedral is more than walls. It is a symbol of Catholic France.” No doubt it too will rise again. Fr John

Easter Offering envelopes are provided at the church door for those not using sets of

Thanksgiving envelopes.

The annual collection for the upkeep of the Holy Places in Jerusalem will follow the 3pm

Liturgies in both churches on Good Friday.

You may return your Project Compassion boxes Holy Thursday or at Easter.

Scripture Teachers needed for this year!

Our Scripture teachers have been busy preparing the students for Easter and have been encouraging our students to follow in

Jesus’ footsteps by showing kindness and love to all. Having said that, children have such beautiful hearts that we often end

up learning from them. Definitely a gift to us as scripture teachers!

If you think you could spare an hour a week (30 mins teaching time and 30 mins prep), school terms only, we would love you

to consider becoming part of our Scripture team, either as a helper or teacher. There are a number of classes that need

teachers for this year. The preparation is very easy and the teaching manuals and workbooks are very easy to follow and the

rewards are many!

Below are times and days of the week where help is needed:

BALGOWLAH HEIGHTS PS: Tuesday 11:30am-12:00pm Year 5

MANLY VALE PS: Wednesday 9:00am-9:30am Kindergarten

ALLAMBIE HEIGHTS PS: Wednesday 12:20pm-12:50pm Year 3

BALGOWLAH NORTH PS: Thursday 10:00am-10:30am Kindergarten

BROOKVALE PUBLIC SCHOOL PS: Friday 11:30am-12:00pm Year 1/2 combined and Years 3/4 combined.

Please contact Ursula Halloway on 0423 595 204 or email catechist@northharbourcatholic.org.au

SACRAMENTAL NEWS

Congratulations to Greg Smith, Jackie Wang, Melissa Solomon and Tony Webster who become members of our North Harbour Catholic Community at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.

Welcome to their sponsors, family and friends who will join them for the celebration and thanks to all who have supported them on their journey over the last 6 months.

Sacramental Program Term 2

2019 – 2020 Sacramental Program for Children in Year2 (and older)

Parents of children in Year 2 (and older) who wish to participate in the 2019/2020 program are reminded that the program will commence the second week of Term 2 with a Sacramental Program Information Meeting for Parents on either Tuesday 7 May at 9.30am OR Wednesday 8 May at 7.00pm in St Kieran’s Church.

Information presented at this session will include what parents need to know to accompany their children on their sacramental journey.

All documentation including the Program, Photo Card and Registration Form can be downloaded from the parish website at http://www.northharbourcatholic.org.au/sacraments/sacrmental-program/for-parents and from the back of both Churches.

First Holy Communion for children in Year 3 (and older)

Parent Information Meetings will be held the third week of Term 2 on either Tuesday 14 May at 9.30am OR Wednesday 15 May at 7.00pm both in St Kieran’s Church.

Please contact Janette Davidson on 0408 866 521 or at sacraments@northharbourcatholic.org.au if you have any questions about the programs.

St Augustine “We are an Easter people and ‘Alleluia’ is our song!"

" Now therefore, brethren, we urge you to praise God. That is what we are all telling each other when we say Alleluia. You say to your neighbour, “Praise the Lord!” and he says the same to you. We are all urging one another to praise the Lord, and all thereby doing what each of us urges the other to do. But see that your praise comes from your whole being; in other words, see that you praise God not with your lips and voices alone, but with your minds, your lives and all your actions.” [On Ps 148 ]

HEAVEN ON EARTH

Thursday 9th May 9am – 10.30am, St Cecilia’s School Hall

Three short steps along the pathway into Meditation We are excited to have our own Fr Paul facilitate our ‘Heaven on Earth’ morning. It is a time for parents to come together for gentle meditation, interactive discussion, engaging resources plus coffee and cake to revive the spirit. There will be time to listen to Fr Paul’s initial input, time to experience each of the movements into prayer, and time to share and discuss with one another what our experience has been like. Please consider this as an opportunity for you to unwind and replenish your own spiritual nourishment. All parents, grandparents and parishioners are invited.

EXCERPT FROM THE SYDNEY

MORNING HERALD:

St Kieran’ School: My 1961 kindy friend Tui Wurth will be in Sydney in June. I am searching for Narelle Tonkin, Narelle Smith, Cathy Swan, Cheruyl Cook, Louise McDonald, Helen Molloy, Marie Archer, Glenda Watkinds and others from Miss Kelly’s kindy class at the Manly Vale school. Also interested in making contact if you continued on to Stella Maris. I am organised a gathering at Pittwater RSL on Sunday June 2. Contact Cathy 0439 631 192, cathrine.rossiter1@bigpond.com

At the Parish Centre of North Harbour 2 King St Manly Vale in June date & time to be confirmed

Like us on Facebook @ Catholic Community of North Harbour ALPHA

to find out more, or contact Lea on 0418645653 or Judith on 0412115332

Alpha is a series of free, interactive sessions exploring life, faith and meaning. Everyone is welcome, and you can ask whatever you

want. Seriously. Join us for food and a video, as we discuss ‘Is There More to Life Than This?’

REGULAR PARISH mass times REGULAR PARISH mass times St Cecilia’s, Balgowlah SUNDAY 9.00AM WEDNESDAY 9.00AM St Kieran’s, Manly Vale Saturday vigil 5.30pm SUNDAY 7.30am, 9.30am & 6.00pm Weekdays 8.30am except Wednesdays St Augustine’s Chapel, Brookvale Wednesdays 8.15am during term time

reconciliation St Kieran 5 – 5.30pm Saturday or by appointment.

Baptisms St Cecilia 10.30am Sun. by appointment 9.00am Mass on 1st Sundays of the month St Kieran 11.30am Sun. by appointment 9.30am Mass on 1st Sundays of the month

Baptism preparation is required for 1st baptisms. Contact parish office 9949 4455 marriages Require 6 months notice and include Pre-marriage Course as part of the preparation

ANNIVERSARIES

Edmond Maher Frank Trimboli

RECENTLY DECEASED

Warwick Jones Raffaele Siciliano

Concetta Zaccone

PRAYER REQUESTS

“Come to me! I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28)

For those with ILLNESS

Anne Harris Elsa Wunder Elisabeth Comport Pat Reen

Audrey Murphy Helen Richardson Louis Hilton Rafael Stachon

Beryl Duncan Irene Hurrell Louise Allara Sean Bellenger

Catherine Saltwell Sheenagh O’Brien Lyn Wagland Simone Young

Chris McAuliffe Joe Corroto Margaret Anderberg Stella Brown

Daniel Lister John Ardill Maria Kogovesk Stephen Ward

Daniella Takchi John Killick Maria Teresita Sue Caulfield Dave Miles John Ziegler Nicholas O’Bryen Vandhna Deep Don Jackson Kath Ivor Collins Norma Hayman Veronica Laverty

Dorothy Smith Kath Zenetic Olga Buggy Yvonne Hickey Elaine Smith Kathleen Bunting Pam Lynch Jean Marcel Guerin

Elsa Monsour Kevin Smith Norma, Aurora & Bruno Kogovsek

NEED A PRIEST URGENTLY Please call 0490 898 464 If the matter is not urgent, please contact Priests

via the Parish Office 9949 4455.

CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF NORTH HARBOUR PERSONNEL

Office (Mon – Fri: 9am – 4pm) 9949 4455

Clergy:

Fr David Austin OSA Parish Administrator Fr Paul Maloney OSA Assistant Priest and Prior Fr John Sullivan OSA Assistant Priest Fr Senan Ward OSA Chaplain – St Augustine’s College Fr Abel van der Veer OSA Retired Fr Peter Jones OSA Provincial—In Residence Pastoral Ministers (contacted through Parish Office 9949 4455) Janette Davidson Sacramental Co-ordinator Ursula Halloway Catechist Co-ordinator Rosemary McKinnon Counsellor 0400 495 076

Marianne Deveza Music Ministry Coord 0404865241 Administration: Jacky Worthington Parish Manager Anne Ross Parish Secretary Jane Filacuridi Parish Secretary

THE EXULTET (from the Vigil Mass) Rejoice, heavenly choirs of angels. Rejoice, all creation around God's throne. Jesus Christ, our King, is risen! Sound the trumpet of salvation. Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendour, Radiant in the brightness of your King. Christ has conquered! Glory fills you! Darkness vanishes forever. This is the night when Christ broke the chains of death and rose triumphant from the grave. This is the night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth, and all creation is reconciled with God. Therefore, Father, in the joy of this night, receive our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Let us join the mighty chorus of all God's people singing with joy: Alleluia!

Gluten free hosts are always

available but must be requested

ahead of time so the priest will

know in advance.