Church News 21 April 2024

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21 April 2024

4th Sunday of Easter – Good Shepherd Sunday

Sunday’s Readings
1st Reading – Acts 4.7-12
2nd Reading – 1 John 3.1-2
Gospel Reading – John 10.11-18
Responsorial Psalm “The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
Eucharistic Acclamation “When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.”

We Pray For Our recently departed, RIP:  Claire Cole (7/4), Noel Consedine (ChCh, 3/4), John Green (29/3), Peter Meyer (24/3), Elizabeth Hurley (8/3)

Mass Intentions/Anniversaries:
Beverley Toomey (1/4), Leonard Toomey (19/3), Karen Wendy Quin (7/3), Vivian Simcock (6/3), Fr Dominic Heslin (3/3); Charles Enerio

Memorial Mass for Glenys Proffer – Friday, 26 April at 9am, St Mary’s, PN.

We Pray For those in our community who need our prayers:
His Excellency Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa, Belinda Blackler, Ann Toomey, Peter Waldron, Patricia Lowe, 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, Willow TePaki and May Young

Cathedral Open Hours – Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 1pm.

ANZAC DAY (Thursday, 25 April)  Mass will be held at 9am in the Cathedral.  Please note – there will be 10am Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes but no 12.05pm Mass at the Cathedral.

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.

Bloke’s morning tea – Tuesday, 23 April at 10am in the Cathedral Lounge – all welcome.

Hours of Mercy – Each Friday from 5 April – 17 May, 9:45am – 1pm at St Mary’s Catholic Church and weekdays 7.30am to 9.00am and Friday 6 to 7pm at the Cathedral .  The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for you to come and pray in the presence of Jesus Christ.

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.

Diocesan Library – Tuesday and Friday, 10:30 – 11:45am, friendly personnel are available to help you find books/resources.  To visit the Library, please access it through the Parish Office and make sure to sign in on the Visitor’s Log.

News & Information

Fr Joe Grayland – A letter from Bishop John has been disseminated via email detailing Fr Joe’s delayed return and sharing that he is expected to return to us sometime in August 2024.  Please pray for Fr Joe, that his endeavours in Germany will be fruitful and he will return to us safely later this year.

Pentecost – Falls on Sunday, 19 May this year.  Since that is the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit’s Patronal Feast Day, we will be celebrating, not only on the day but, for the Octave (following week) as well.  Please watch this space for days and times of events that are being planned for Sunday, 19 May to Sunday, 26 May.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations and Seminarian Appeal 21 April 2024
On the 4th Sunday of Easter Time, 21 April 2024, we are invited to pray for those called to serve through priestly vocation. The day also marks the beginning of our National Vocations Awareness Week.  We are greatly blessed by the generosity and enthusiasm of our men training for priesthood.  Currently, we have one seminarian Dung Manh Phan at Holy Cross Seminary in Auckland. After returning from Vietnam, in July 2022 Dung studied papers for his degree.  In 2023 he joined the year one cohort for his formation year 1 and this year, he is in year 2, studying fulltime towards his theology degree.  Lam van Nguyen, Hung van Nguyen, and Duy Pham, from Vietnam, arrived in New Zealand in 2022 to learn English before hopefully joining the seminary. However, it was with sadness that Duy returned to Vietnam early this year, due to health reasons.
For young people, remember that being a priest is always another option for your life.  If you are thinking about it, please talk to any of our diocesan priests you may know. Parents, if your children are interested in the vocation of priesthood, please encourage them, and pray for them. Please feel free to contact our Diocese of Palmerston North Director, Fr Trung Nguyen on 022 062 6726 or email vocations@pndiocese.org.nz

We ask you to please support our Seminarians with financial support and prayer. Please continue to pray for more candidates.  Thank you in advance for your contribution no matter how small. There are specially marked envelopes in the foyer, or alternatively please pay by direct credit BNZ 02-0630-0288037-01 (Cathedral); BNZ 02-0630-0288037-18 (OLOL) and BNZ 02-0630-0288037-017 (Foxton) – your name as payee, and ‘Seminary Appeal’ as reference.

St Vincent de Paul Society – The next meeting, AGM, will be held on Tuesday, 23 April at 5:15pm in the Cathedral Lounge.  All welcome.

St Vinnie’s Op Shop – We are still in need of children’s toys and games, furniture, beds and bedding.  Remember, for all needs, please phone 06 357 6779.

Manawatu Workers’ Memorial Day Ceremony – Monday, 29 April, 12’noon at Memorial Park (Fitzroy St entrance, PN).  The day we remember workers who have been killed, injured or made ill at work.  There will be a welcome, prayer, speeches and music.  This is a public event.  All are welcome to attend.

Our Lady of Lourdes Guild – May is ‘Birthday month’ and to celebrate we will gather on Wednesday, 1 May at 1pm, the Manawatu Golf Club.  All welcome.

Fr Craig Butler – Congratulations to Fr Craig (Whanganui Parish Priest) who will represent the Catholic priests of Aotearoa New Zealand at a gathering of 300 priests from around the world at the Vatican, the “Parish Priests for the Synod: An International Meeting” in Rome from 28 April to 2 May.  Fr Craig was nominated by the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference to attend the gathering, which is being held as part of the countdown to October’s second session of the Synod on Synodality.  Further information: https://www.catholic.org.nz/news/media-releases/300priests/

The Fifth Gospel Project – Father John O’Connor’s Food for Faith forum is collecting and collating for publication stories of personal experiences with God.  If you have an experience and would like to share it with Fr O’Connor and this mission, please email your story to john@fff.org.nz before the end of April.  Stories can be up to 400 words. For more information on this mission, visit https://foodforfaith.org.nz/2024/03/telling-the-story/

Palmerston North Young Adult Ministry

Mass at Massey is happening on Wednesdays at 12:05, the Centre (opposite the bus stop).  All Welcome.

Heaven Come Young Adult Festival – 25-27 April in Hamilton.  If you are interested, contact Nick: nwilson@pndiocese.org.nz

Catholic Parish Summit – 12 – 14 June 2024

Later this year a small group of parishioners will be traveling to an international gathering of those interested in Parish Renewal. This ‘Parish Summit’ has the following theme : “Your parish matters now more than ever.  Sending disciples. Equipping leaders. Launching transformation.”  The conference is being held in June 2024, United Kingdom, in the town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire and will be hosting Catholic parish groups from all over the world.

Bishops John is offering to pay the conference registration fees of any parishioners who would like to join our small group of leaders. Airfares are available from under $2,000 return, plus some additional accommodation costs. If you would like to attend this event, please make further enquiries to the Bishop’s office – phone: 06 357 1980 or bishop-pa@pndiocese.org.nz .



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.

NZ Catholic – $4.00     Latest edition headlines – Some headlines for this issue: Call to reduce pressure on costs for integrated schools. Gaza solidarity pilgrimage in Wellington. Universal safeguarding framework published. Feeling at home in a Christian ‘ethos’.

Tui Motu – $7.00

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No Faith in Fossil Fuels Climate Action Week | 3 – 12 May
Following on from the immensely successful ‘E tū te Mana o Te Ao – Building a Climate of Hope’ Webinar Series and Palmy Climate Conversation Starters held in June last year, the Religious Diversity Centre’s Climate Action Group have partnered with Greenfaith and other local groups to organise and promote ‘No Faith in Fossil Fuels week’ in Palmerston North. Everyone is welcome to attend the organized events below, no registration needed.

Friday, May 3rd, 10am-1pm
A Solidarity March at Te Marae o Hine, in The Square with MP Teanau Tuiono as guest speaker, organised in conjunction with Extinction Rebellion Manawatu. Participants are invited to carry banners that call attention to the urgent need for a just transition to renewable energy, a sustainable future, an end to fossil fuels, and a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty.

Sunday, 5 May, 7:30pm
A Multi-faith Prayer Vigil at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit on Broadway organised in conjunction with Palmerston North Interfaith Group with the theme: “Hear the Cry of the Earth! Hear the Cry of the Poor!”