22 September 2024
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday’s Readings
1st Reading –Wisdom 2.12, 17-20
2nd Reading –James 3.16 – 4.3
Gospel Reading – Mark 9.30-37
Responsorial Psalm – “The Lord upholds my life.”
Eucharistic Acclamation –“Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.”
We Pray For Our recently departed, RIP:
Bernadette Mary Humphrey (18/9), Maureen Murphy (1/9), Brendan Kavanagh (Hawera), Lynne Keogh (6/9), Vincent (Vinnie) William Carroll (1/9), Bishop Denis Browne (1/9), Maurice Dolan (31/8), Elisa Nuñez(Philippines), Teresita Sta. Ana,(Philippines), Anna Feldberg (24/8), Noeline Creighton (22/8), Fr Denis O’Hagan S.M. 14/08, Brian Tiejens, Peter Kelly (Auck.),Fr Jim Nicholas (Chch), Jacob Vijoy (Fr. Vijoy’s father-India, 1/8)
Mass Intentions/Anniversaries:
Shona Gilligan (11/9), Siemyin Rattanachatree, Cheryle & Megan Hunter (17/8), Raymond Paul Walduogel (31/10), Frank O’Brien (23/7), Colin Brown (29/7), Paula Brown (18/8)
We Pray For those in our community who need our prayers:
Nicky Burmeister, Martin Wall, Ann Toomey, Peter Waldron, Patricia Lowe, Janet Anderson, Maurice McDonald, Mikulas Oros, Rod and Mary Bennett, Betty Donaldson, Sr Helena Fouhy, Dianne Jordan, Sonya Jordan, Angela Marlow, Michael and Mary O’Connor, Maurice Takarangi, Gye Beehre, Peter Angland, Chloe Young and May Young.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to issues with the building, the Cathedral Gathering Area and Lounge will be closed for a short period of time. For mobility access to the Cathedral, please use the main front doors or the side door by the office. There will be no children’s liturgy or hospitality following the 9.30am Mass this Sunday. We apologise for any inconvenience.
WHAT’S ON
Hospitality of Cathedral – 1st Friday after the 12.05 pm Mass, we offer hospitality. Please bring some food to share.
Palmerston North Young Adult Ministry – During the term(s), Mass at Massey is happening on Wednesdays at 12:05, the Centre (opposite the bus stop). All Welcome.
Wednesday Evening Rosary – Wednesday evenings at 5pm, you are invited to pray the Rosary. For further information, contact Ian Sutherland 06- 356-7555.
Shining Stars (Pre-School Music Group) – Thursday mornings (during school terms) starting at 9:30am in the Cathedral Lounge. Come along for music fun, followed by morning tea and play.
Praying the Sunday Gospel is held every Friday in the Parish Office Meeting Room at 11.00 am. This is a time for quiet contemplation and reflection on the Gospel.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament of the Cathedral is on Monday-Friday, 7.30am to 9am and Friday, 6pm to 7pm.
Our Lady of Lourdes Mass Time Vigil is 5.30 pm Sunday, 9.30 am Wednesday-Friday, 10am Friday Rosary, 9.30 am Reconciliation after Mass & Exposition.
Where Conflict Comes From
(Mark 9:30 – 37)
Jesus sat down and summoned the Twelve. “So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all”. Jesus put a child in the middle of the room. Then, cradling the little one in his arms, he said gently, “Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me – God who sent me.” (Mark 9: 35 – 37)
You can almost overhear their conversation. Someone proposed that John was the greatest. After all, did he not recline on Jesus’ bosom when they were at table? Someone else snorted: clearly the greatest was Judas, who held the moneybag and was obviously the most trusted. Someone argued for Peter, far and away the leader of the group. Another said it was Matthew, because he always took good notes at Jesus’ best talks and would one day publish a fine book. What about James, someone else insisted. He is one of the three Jesus always takes aside with him when he prays. The discussion became heated, as more names were asserted, and by the time they got to Capernaum, they were scarcely speaking with one another.
“What were you arguing about on the way?” Nobody answers. So Jesus sets the record straight. The greatest will always be the one you least expect. The last will be first. The servant will be the leader. The one who receives the child, receives the Lord.
We can bet that’s one conversation they never dared have again.
How do you lead by your service?
PRAY
We come to this place, O God, at your invitation. You welcome us all, and challenge us to welcome one another in Christ’s name. Help us to recognise in each person here the wonderful greatness that you receive and to celebrate each one’s worth – for Christ’s sake. Amen.
Ponder
Live well, live wisely, live humbly, as James tells us this week. Our lives are always a more compelling witness than our words.
KID’S CORNER
Jesus sat down and summoned the Twelve. “So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all.” (Mark 9: 35)
Imagine you’ve been waiting in line for an hour to ride the new roller coaster at your favourite amusement park. You reach the front of the line, and suddenly there’s an announcement: Everyone at the back of the line gets to go on first! You’d feel pretty cheated, wouldn’t you?
It’s okay to feel that way about a ride, but here’s what God wants us to remember about the really important things in life: When we put the needs of others first and begin to care about them as much as we care about ourselves, we are living and acting like Jesus.
Jesus, help me put others first. Amen.
12 September 2024
Dear Members of the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish
I want to update you on progress since the two consultation meetings we had last month to discern a way forward for the Lady of Lourdes community. The two meetings were well attended and those who wanted to speak at that time were given that opportunity. Others in the community have written to me directly. I thank everyone who was able to attend the meetings or take part in some other way with this first round of consultation.
Several themes came out of the dialogue we had. Firstly, a strong and unanimous view that parishioners are proud of their community of faith and want it to continue as a Catholic place of worship. Secondly, recognising how few priests we have, there was support for establishing more structures for lay leadership. Thirdly there was an acceptance that the current mass timetable is serving the parish well but an understanding that having the same mass time as the Cathedral parish on the Sunday morning is untenable. Finally, there was a desire to make good use of the parish presbytery now that it is vacant.
Again, I thank you all for these good and reasonable conclusions. I would like to respond with the following.
It is my thinking, as I expressed at our meetings, that the family of faith at Our Lady of Lourdes should be encouraged and fostered by maintaining a regular mass timetable there and providing for the reception of the sacraments in this community. There is no intention from me to close down the church or restrict the provision of mass. I think that it is possible for this community to be served by a collaborative relationship between our priests and the already functioning and new lay leadership structures.
My current thinking is to bring our parishes and communities of Foxton, Shannon, Rongotea, Our Lady of Lourdes, and the Cathedral together as one. This would mean a single mass timetable and the sharing of administrative resources. My hope is that this will allow us to serve our communities with the small number of priests that will soon be our reality. Before any decisions are made, I wish to speak with each of these faith communities so to hear the wisdom of parishioners as to how we may move forward in an anointed and effective way. My intention is to speak with each community before the end of this year.
Upon my return from Rome, we will plot our way forward via a series of community meetings. The status quo will be in place until the end of the year. I will keep you posted as to further developments as we move forward from here.
Yours faithfully in Christ
NEWS & INFORMATION
Celebration of the Cathedral – 100 years! A BIG THANK YOU to the St Peter’s students from class 9A for creating this amazing logo for our centenary celebrations. Following a class focus we received 11 logos to choose from. They were all amazing and the final decision proved to be difficult. Thank you to all the students involved and for sharing your talents with the parish community.
How can you help – we are asking for parishioners to now sign up as volunteers to assist over this weekend 21-23 March 2025. Today you will also hear about how we will celebrate our beautiful 100 year old building which will also include a request for sponsorship to help meet the costs of the celebrations.
Youth
- Senior Youth Group is back on Thursdays at St Peters College Wherein Term 3!! Contact Justin ugonehigano@gmail.com
- Massey Mass and Meal resumes on Wednesdays. Contact Massey Chaplain Nick nwilson@pndiocese.org.nz
- UCOL Chaplain is Lynette van Hutten. Please contact her on lynette.chaplain@gmail.com
- Young Church is going to The Send! See thesend.org.nz, which is about activating your missional call! Email Nick
- Young Church is going to Festival One, NZ’s biggest Christian music festival! Email Nick
- The Chaplain at St. Peters is Emma Whitson! Email her on whitsone@stpeterspn.school.nz
- Young Catholic Leader 2024 is a servant leadership programme for year 12 students returning to school for Year 13. Dates are 16-20 December 2024. Email Nick.
Interfaith
Interfaith relations is an important aspect of our Catholic life and work. The Palmerston North Interfaith Group works together to foster friendship between people of other faiths, working towards social cohesion and whakawhānaungatanga in our space. Since Vatican II, Interfaith Dialogue has such an importance that it has its own designated Vatican Dicastery. We are running visits to various sacred spaces in our area. All are welcome to come along and visit these spaces. If you are interested in finding out more about Interfaith collaboration, friendship and work here in Palmy, please talk to Julie Randall or Nick Wilson.
Youth Group – Senior Youth Group: There are two more senior youth groups this term. 12 and 19 September from 5:30pm @ St. Peter’s College Whare. Dinner provided.This youth group is from Year 9 and older. All are welcome. Email Justin for more information! ugonehigano@gmail.com
The Send: Activate your Missional Call! We are going to The Send! The send is a national animation of the Great Commissioning from Matthew 28. Feeling sluggy with living your discipleship – then The Send is for you!! Expressions of interest to Nick. Tickets are limited. More at www.thesend.org.nz
Calling all young musicians!: Festival One is New Zealand’s biggest and premier Christian Music festival. See some international and local acts on the stages of this festival! Powerful Christian witness! We are taking two vans of young people in late Jan 2025. Year 9-13. Expressions of interest to Nick!
Lifeteen Aotearoa Summercamp 2025: We are taking people to this awesome camp in mid Jan 2025! Only 270 places nationwide. Year 9-13. So, if you want in, get an expression of interest to Nick ASAP!
Pope Francis’ message for 2024: Search under Prayer for Creation at www.vatican.va
Catholic Diocese of Palmerston North: Applications are now open for the next funding round. Applications close 30 Sept 2024. The aim of the Catholic Charities Allocation Committee is to assist with funding Catholic and community organisations who are working in areas identified as priorities by The Tindall Foundation as aligned with diocesan goals. We are charged, by the Diocese of Palmerston North, with the support of groups committed to social, pastoral, charitable and educational needs in our diocesan region. Applications are judged on the basis of need, resource availability and the fulfilment of set criteria. Drawing from its funding base, the Catholic Charities Allocation Committee allocates resources based on criteria as outlined on the criteria information page. Send applications to: The Secretary Catholic Charities Allocation Committee PO Box 5279 Terrace End PN 4414 or contact phone 06 3547180 Ext 842 Website: www.pndioce.org.nz.
Blokes Morning Tea: 10 am at the newly renovated parish hall.
Daylight saving next weekend, Saturday night clocks go forward 1 hour.
Monsignor Dave, Jennie, and Stuart Poskitt are giving a talk about the Sacrament and Vocation of Marriage, theologically and practically. The location is the St. Patrick’s Hall, from 10am-12pm on Saturday 21 September. For young adults and anyone interested in the parish community. A light lunch will be provided. For more information or questions, please email pycmanagementteam@gmail.com.
St. Mary’s Parish Fund Raiser Concert & Meal: Saturday, 5 October. Tickets are on sale before and after mass on Sunday, cash or internet banking payment. Tickets can also be purchased through the Parish Office, 69 Ruahine Street or online ticket, here’s the link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VNVSGTP . Adult $25, Child (10 and under) $15, child under 5 is free.
The Rosary will be prayed at the Cathedral at 3pm on Friday 13 September, and again on Sunday 13 October to commemorate the Apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima. For further information contact Ian Sutherland Ph 06-3567555.
Our Lady of Lourdes Guild: The next meeting is on Wednesday 2 October 1 30 p.m. Fr Vui and Donna will talk to us about their recent trip to England and the programme for parishes they studied. Usual flower competitions, sales table and afternoon tea. All welcome.
Renaissance Singers Concert: ‘Sing & Swing’ with the Chris Dann Trio of Chris Dann on piano, Berndt Reiss on bass, and Ralph Simms drums. Saturday 21 September, 3pm Pathways at St Andrews, Church St, Palmerston North, featuring the Bob Chillcott A Little Jazz Mass, and some time honoured jazz standards of the mid-twentieth century, collated by Musical Director Christine Archer Lockwood. Choir soloists will step forward into the spotlight for some of the jazz items. Tickets available from choir members or at door: $25, Concession $20, 12 & under free. Delayed streamed video recording $15 – email to order – pnrenaissancesingers@gmail.com
St. James’ Catholic School Quiz Night, Saturday 28 September 6pm to late: St James’ Catholic School 304 Albert St. $25pp. teams of 6-8, drinks for sale, cash & EFTPOS available, raffles, auctions, spot prizes, prize for best-dressed team. All proceeds go towards a playground upgrade. Register your team at https://forms.gle/gSVXXBimUDH7htme6.
Save the date” for the 2024 New Zealand Catholic Medical Association retreat Retreat Date: 15 & 16th November Location: Home of Compassion Wellington Details and registration: This link https://www.newzealandcatholicmedical.co.nz/2024-retreat-wellington Accommodation: On site with limited spaces (use booking ref BGRP- 21024) Schedule for event: List on the event page.
Divine Renovation Open House ‘Save the Date’ 22 & 23 November 2024:‘ Save the Date’ to the Divine Renovation Open House, being hosted by the Catholic Parish of New Plymouth. An ‘Open House’ is about building up your parish and your surrounding community and reigniting your passion for mission.
St Vincent de Paul: All are invited to join with members at the 12.05 pm Mass on Wednesday, 25 September to celebrate the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul. If you would like to join us for lunch please phone Rose Semmens 021 1534810.Our food store is short of noodles, rice and tinned veggies. Thank you for all your generous donations.
St Vinnie’s Op Shop: We have a continuing need for permanent volunteers (3 hour shifts) on the shop counter, beds, winter bedding, men’s shoes in good condition as well as clothing for all ages – thank you for your donations. For more information on volunteer work and requests for need Ph 06 357 6779.
ATTENTION: THIS CONCERT HAS BEEN MOVED ON 28 SEPTEMBER 2024.
Fill the World with Love | Music for the Soul and Spirit | Saturday 28 September, 7pm at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. Come along and experience an evening of music and song, featuring Kathi Craig Mnzm and Voices of Inspiration, Entry by Koha.
Hearts Aflame Catholic Summer School | 3 – 12 Jan 2025 Hearts Aflame Catholic Summer School is back again this summer with ten days of world-class lectures, uplifting prayer and authentic community! Registrations are NOW OPEN: we sell out fast so be in quick! Visit heartsaflame.org.nz to register or find out more: Open day on 16 August or contact office@hatopaora.school.nz
Free Parenting Courses: The Triple P Positive Parenting Programme at ACROSS has the following scheduled free 2-hour parenting courses coming up in Term 3 that parents/caregivers may be interested in: ‘Fears’(Helping parents support their children to overcome fears) Thursday 22nd August at 7pm. (In-person Venue: ACROSS office 294a Church St, Palmerston North)Friday 6th September 12:15pm (via Zoom)‘Cooperating with Instructions’(Teaching our children to listen and follow instructions and managing difficult behaviours)Friday 16th August at 12:00pm (via Zoom)Tuesday 20th August at 9:30am (in-person Venue: ACROSS office 294a Church St, Palmerston North) Thursday 19th September at 9:30am or 7pm (via Zoom) ‘Hassel-free Mealtimes’ (Supporting our children with learning good mealtime habits) Thursday 22nd August at 9:30am or 12:15pm (in-person Venue: ACROSS office 294a Church St, Palmerston North)Friday 23rd August at 9:30am (via Zoom) Friday 13th September at 9:30am or 12:15pm (either in-person or Zoom)‘Positive Parenting’(A general introduction to Positive Parenting strategies parents can choose from) Thursday 15th September at 12:15pm (in-person Venue: ACROSS office 294a Church St, Palmerston North)‘Bedtimes Routines’ Supporting our children to develop healthy, independent sleep patterns) Thursday 29th August at 9:30am or 12:30pm (via Zoom or in-person) Friday 27th September at 12:15pm (via Zoom)‘Toilet Training’(Supporting our children with toilet training) Thursday 5th September – 9:30am or 12:15am – (either Zoom or in-person) ‘Screentime’. Friday 23/8/24 at 12:15pm (In-person Venue: ACROSS office 294a Church St, Palmerston North) ‘Expressing Feelings without Aggression’ (Fighting & Aggression)(Helps caregivers teach children to interact positively and manage aggressive behaviours)Tuesday 27th August at 9:30am or 12:15pm (either Zoom or in-person).
For Sale – Items available to purchase are located in the Cathedral foyer and/or OLOL foyer (by the TV). Please place your money in the slot provided. Thank you.
Tui Motu – $7.00
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