Church News 15 December 2024

15 December 2024

3rd Sunday of Advent – (Gaudete Sunday)

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Sunday’s Readings
1^st Reading –Zephaniah 3.14-18a
2^nd Reading –Philippians 4.4-7
Gospel Reading –   Luke 3.10-18
Responsorial Psalm – “Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.”

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: 

Fr Don Cowan (Auckland), Mary Therese Brownley, Fr Geoff Gray (ChCh, 29/11), Sr Mary Tait (PBVM), Dorrie Lewis (Whanganui), Fr Mervyn McGettigan (Dunedin 28/11), Melville Webb (11/27), Maureen McArdle (21/11), Anne Beckett (7/11), Julie McDonald (5/11)

Mass Intentions/Anniversaries: 

Ashvin Rohit, Ian Matson (13/12), Vanessa Bishop (2/12), Darren Wright (30/11), John O’Brien (4/11), Dan O’Donoghue (25/11)

We Pray For those in our community who need our prayers:

Judith Wall, Kathleen Sheridan, Bishop Owen Dolan, Harvey Gunn, Belinda Blackler, Nicky Burmeister, Ann Toomey, Patricia Lowe, Janet Anderson, Maurice McDonald, Mikulas Oros, Rod and Mary Bennett, Betty Donaldson, Sr Helena Fouhy, Dianne Jordan, Angela Marlow, Michael and Mary O’Connor, Maurice Takarangi, Gye Beehre, Peter Angland, Chloe Young and May Young

WHAT’S ON

There will be prayer teams offering prayer after each Cathedral Mass during Advent on Sundays.  They will remain in the church after the liturgy and will be wearing name badges so you can identify them easily.  Please feel free to remain in the Cathedral after the Mass if you wish to receive prayer from the team.

• We want our parish to be known as a “Welcoming Parish”– Christmas Masses provide us with an ideal time to demonstrate our commitment to this. We invite all parishioners to come on board with this initiative. We need People to:
  • 1) Welcome people at the door.
  • 2) Experience our outstanding hospitality during and after Mass,
  • 3) To take home a package of gifts to express our love.

To make this a success we need you all to sign up to either be a part of the Welcome Team, the Hospitality Team, or the Welcome Package Team. There are sign up sheets in the foyer to fill in today.

• Wednesday Evening Rosary – Wednesday evenings at 5 pm, you are invited to pray the Rosary. For further information, contact Ian Sutherland 06- 356- 7555
• Praying the Sunday Gospel is held every Friday in the Parish Office Meeting Room at 11 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, 7.30 am to 9 am and Friday, 6 pm to 7 pm.
• Anointing Masses: Our Lady of Lourdes Wednesday, 4 December at 10 am followed by hospitality.
• Our Lady of Lourdes Mass Times: Saturday Vigil 5.30 pm Sunday 9.30 am Wednesday-Friday 10 am Friday Rosary, 9.30 am Reconciliation after Mass & Exposition until 12 pm.
• Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Mass Times: Sunday 7.30 am, 9.30 am and 6pm, Tuesday – Friday 12.05 pm, Tuesday 5.30 pm and Saturday 9 am. Reconciliation before Mass on Friday and after Mass on Friday and after Mass on Saturday.
• Christmas Mass Timetable – Copies available online or in the church foyer.
• PLEASE MARK YOUR DIARIES – Rite 2 city-wide Reconciliation, Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Thursday 19 December at 7 pm.

Desert Voices

(Luke 3: 10 – 18)

The people around John are odd. What seems to attract them is who he is not: not the anointed Saviour of Israel, not Elijah come to announce the end of the world, not the great prophet the Samaritans were expecting. But the evangelist John also tells us who the Baptist is: the testimony to the great light to follow.

What is your life’s testimony? Does it proclaim fidelity, honesty, generosity? If you had to name ten things you stand for, would any of them be holy? These are hard questions. If I pose them to myself, my answer is wishy-washy: depends on when you ask. Some days are less exemplary than others. Sometimes I’m a shining example of Christian virtue, and I wish my Mum were here to see me. Other times I’m grateful she isn’t and wish no one was. John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus and the fruit of a miracle birth, may have had a head start on his testimony. Or maybe he had to work out all the bugs like the rest of us in the years before he turned up at the Jordan.

But the truth is: whatever our origins, they can’t be an excuse for who we are or are not, “what we’ve done, or failed to do.” John’s desert voice summons me to train mine, to learn to present another clear testimony to the light.

Describe one element of your Christian witness that is particularly strong. What part of your witness needs work?

Pray

Spirit of the living God, speak your word to us in this time of worship. Fill us with true joy – the joy that comes from knowing you; the joy that comes from feeling your justice come to life in our midst; the joy that comes as we truly prepare our hearts as a dwelling place for the Messiah. Amen.

Ponder

How do you refine your “desert voice,” your independence from the temptations of a secular worldview? Consider a time of retreat, an afternoon of recollection, or a regular practice of prayer and meditation to keep you “in the desert.”

Kid’s Corner

“Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” (Luke 3: 11)

Do you have some good clothes that you can spare or that you no longer need? Go on a treasure hunt in your cupboard and drawers, and see what you might give away. Somewhere, there is a child you needs what you have. Somewhere, someone doesn’t have a coat to keep them warm or shoes to protect their feet. Will you help by sharing what you have? Share your joy with someone this week.

Thank you, Jesus, for teaching me how to love. Amen.

Christmas and New Year Mass Timetable (Link)