Church News 8 December 2024

8 December 2024

2nd Sunday of Advent

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Sunday’s Readings
1^st Reading –Baruch 5.1-9
2^nd Reading –Philippians 1.3-6, 8-11
Gospel Reading –   Luke 3.1-6
Responsorial Psalm – “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”

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: 

Mary Therese Brownley, Fr Geoff Gray (ChCh, 29/11), Fr Mervyn McGettigan (Dunedin 28/11), Melville Webb (11/27), Maureen McArdle (21/11), Anne Beckett (7/11), Julie McDonald (5/11), Martin Wall( 31/10), David Marriott (29/10), Peter Waldron (20/10), Gerard Fouhy, Terence Brosnahan (6/10, Taupo), Sister Mary Emmanuel (Eileen Frances Brosnahan), Timothy Hood (4/10, Adelaide), Louraine Nilsson, Josefina Serrano (Philippines), Sister Kathleen Fitzsimmons RSM (ChCh)

Mass Intentions/Anniversaries: 

Vanessa Bishop (02/12), 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:

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

Hope on the Horizon

(Luke 3: 1 – 6)

Imagine the valleys of your life. Those times when yawning need was met by silence. When the desire for companionship found only absence. When there were bills to pay and only holes in your pockets.

Now reflect on the mountains. The tasks that seemed insurmountable. The illnesses that dragged on and on. The hurt that seemed to grow rather than diminish with time. The challenges that seemed to have been designed with someone bigger and stronger than you in mind.

The way of the Lord is the smooth way. No valleys, no mountains, just a journey through pleasant country. Never been there? Neither had Jesus on this earth. Jesus sums up his experience with a rather sad evaluation: “My kingdom is not of this world”. This world has a rough topography, complete with sin, death, and crucifixion. Yet we trust the word of Jesus because he’s travelled these same valleys and mountains on the road to salvation. We’re never so lost that we can’t be found on these wild roads.

Map out the prominent valleys and mountains of the past year. Where do you see hope in the smooth way?

Pray

Comfort us, O God, with a comfort that strengthens us for the world. Comfort us, O God, with a comfort that encourages us to trust you. Comfort us, O God, with a comfort that inspires us to be messengers of hope that our world may be transformed, and that it may begin here, in this place and among these people. Comfort us, O God, with a comfort that renews our living and our worship. Amen.

Ponder

Give a little comfort this season. Listen to someone who has a story to tell. Include the lonely at your table. Remember the poor and forgotten. “Thunder in the desert! Prepare God’s arrival! Make the road smooth and straight!”

Kid’s Corner

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight all paths.” (Luke 3: 4)

Have you ever seen a plane land? It needs a long, clear runway without any potholes, sharp turns or objects in the way. When we invite God into our hearts, that’s the kind of path we want to create. Sometimes, though, the path to our heart becomes cluttered with all sorts of things. Advent is a good time to check the runway. Has anything come between you and God? Now is the time to tell God you are sorry for the wrong things you have done, ask for forgiveness and promise to try again.

Lord, help me clear a path to my heart for you! Amen.

Christmas and New Year Mass Timetable (Link)