No such thing as a silly questionby Ruth O’Brien
People talk about faith as being a list of rules or statements that you have to agree with. I think we can all think of plenty of examples of when religion can be used as a convenience rather than inspiration for living a bold life. The turning point for many people is when they realise through their own experiences that God is a reality, Jesus is not an invention. For some people this can be a shock. For others it is a reassurance. It’s what happens next that is hard. Finding people to talk to. Continuing to explore the implication of knowing God. Alpha has been running for over 30 years. It began at Holy Trinity, in London - how’s that for a co-incidence? Initially it was to give basic principles of the Christian faith to new Christians in a relaxed and informal setting. In 1990, one of it’s creators, Nicky Gumbel, realized this simple course could also appeal to non-churchgoers and he adapted the course to give it the kind of feel that would suit those who didn’t attend church. Alpha spread during the 1990s, initially in the United Kingdom and then internationally, as more churches and groups found it a helpful way to answer questions about Christian faith, as well as Catholicism. There are now over 69,000 courses worldwide in 169 countries and it is supported by all the major denominations. At 7.30pm on Tuesday 10 May we start the programme for Holy Trinity, in Wellington. We will be running two courses starting at the same time, helping people find answers to the questions on their mind. For parents we will be starting a five session parenting course on how to build a strong family centred on love, meeting kids’ needs. For everyone we will be starting a seven session faith course covering who Jesus is, why he died, why we have faith and pray and how God can guide us. Both courses start at the same time. Which one is going to best help you find answers to the questions on your mind? Looking forward to seeing you there. Enrol by contacting me on 027 670 0365. House to houseby David Hyland In the Parish of Holy Trinity we have a Rosary statue that is passed house to house during the course of the year. All that is asked is that you use the Rosary Statue as part of your family prayer and pass it on to the next family each week. As part of our commitment to a prayerful Catholic community in the Eastern suburbs of Wellington; drawing strength from one another to grow and become fully alive as missionary disciples. What better foundation could we build on? If you would like to be on the roster please contact the Parish Office. As encouragement the following is an extract from Saint Lois de Montfort: I should like to give you even more reason for embracing this devotion which so many great souls have practised; the Rosary recited with meditation on the mysteries brings about the following marvellous results:
Blessed is the Rosary which gives us this science and knowledge of our Blessed Lord through our meditations on His life, death, passion and glory. If by chance your conscience is burdened with sin, take your Rosary and say at least part of it, honouring some of the Mysteries of the life, passion or glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and be sure that, while you are meditating upon these Mysteries and honouring them He will show His sacred wounds to His Father in Heaven. He will plead for you and will obtain for you contrition and the forgiveness of your sins. One day Our Lord said to Blessed Alanus de Rupe: "If only these poor wretched sinners would say My Rosary, they would share in the merits of My passion and I would be their Advocate and would appease My Father's Justice." Being part of our parishby Helen Barber and Fiona D’Souza St Patrick’s Primary School As teachers we are blessed with the company of new minds, exploring the old world that is all too familiar to the rest of us. Recently, we were exploring with students at St Patrick’s what it means to be part of the parish. There was a real sense amongst the children of it helping them to be closer to God. One child went so far as to say it helped them to be part of God, which was an interesting expression of what many of their fellow students were trying to express. There was very much a sense of the social elements, of being with friends, having the support of our priests and how we can “learn more things about God and teach other people about God”. If we didn’t have a Parish we couldn’t get together and share our prayers. We wouldn’t be able to support each other. In discussing our parish with students in our school there is no doubt that they see it as a special place. We all need a special place, somewhere we can connect with God. Challenge Here’s a challenge to bring your faith to a new level. For 10 days look up one of the assigned verses for the day and post it as your status. The whole thing as well as the address. You may post up to all three verses assigned for a day, but must post at least one. This will help you to become more familiar with and more used to reading scripture. Many blessings can be expected. Day 1: John 14:6, John 3:16, John 3:17 Day 2: 2nd Corinthians 5:17, 1st Corinthians 10:13, 2nd Corinthians 5:7 Day 3: Romans 12:2, Romans 5:8, Romans 1:16 Day 4: Philipians 4:8, Philippians 1:21, Philippians 3:14 Day 5: Psalms 139:14, Psalms 119:109, Psalms 113:3 Day 6: Jeremiah 1:7-8, Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 40:31 Day 7: Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 14:12, Ephesians 6:11 Day 8: Mark 16:15, James 1:22, John 10:10 Day 9: Matthew 22:37, Matthew 6:19-20, Matthew 5:14 Day 10: Philippians 4:4, Galatians 2:16, 1st Thessalonians 5:17 Too Cool for Schoolby Alaister Straka It's often quoted that 'humans are social beings'; indeed we tend to seek the approval of others and refrain from things that might earn disapproval. There's a logical fallacy devoted to 'appeal to popularity' (that is, that truth can be proved by popular concensus). We've all experienced peer pressure; the invisible weight that demands conformity. Our social image means a lot to each of us but as Christians we have to be careful that that pressure doesn't pull us away from what is truly important, as what happened to some of the Pharisees - Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue [John 12:42]. Donald Knuth gives what is probably my favourite snippet on the subject, "if somebody asked what advice I give to a young person, I think one of the things that would come first to me is don't just believe that because something is trendy, that it's good. I'd probably go the other extreme where if I find too many people adopting a certain idea I'd probably think it's wrong or if, you know, if my work had become too popular I'd probably think I'd have to change. That's of course ridiculous but I see the other side of it too often where people will do something against their own gut instincts because they think the community wants them to do it that way." Although wisdom dictates that there is wisdom in numbers and in learning from our mistakes, there is also wisdom in realising that we don't have to be following others to be learning from their mistakes. There are no shortage of warnings about popular teachings in the last days, Timothy includes quite a few. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. [2 Timothy 4:3-4]. This month challenge yourself and think about who and what influences you the most, and whether these influences draw you closer to God or push you away from Him. Helpingby Lucy Gijsbers St Vincent de Paul's simple but profound motto is People Helping People. You may have heard someone speak about donating time, goods or money to St Vincent de Paul at Mass recently, or been to one of the numerous Vinnies op shops around Wellington. But have you REALLY thought much about what you could do to make a difference? The Society of St Vincent de Paul was founded by Blessed Frederic Ozanam. He was heavily involved in works of charity in Paris, and believed the Church should be a source of good instead of an institution that simply preaches about goodness. In Wellington, the Society is made up of local groups helping those in the area. It does everything from visiting the lonely and ill every week to fund-raising and donating goods to those in dire need, including food parcels, clothing, furniture and other home items. St Vincent de Paul also offers pregnancy support, referrals to counseling and emergency shelter. Its social workers are available for advocacy assistance, and on its website is stated: "Our key focus, after initial help has been given, is on budgeting assistance by helping everyone achieve self-sufficiency. This varies with each individual. Sometimes all you need is one week’s worth of groceries: short term support. Other times you need to keep coming back, managing your debt, and other support." Young Vinnies is also run in schools around Wellington - if you go to St Pat's, St Mary's or St Catherine's it would be well worth checking out! “To be a part of the wider Catholic community helping the less fortunate is a privilege,” says Jack, the new co-president of the SPC Senior Vinnies. Another member, Toby, says “we have our usual events that are in the College calendar like street appeals, Easter egg and food bank collections and volunteering for Soup Kitchen. However, we hope to initiate some new ventures into the group later this year too.” So, how can you help? Well, you could donate food or goods, money, or time. Some volunteer positions currently available are - shop assistant, van driver assistant, warehouse assistant sorter, administrative assistant and support worker assistant.
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ST PATRICK IN HISTORY
St Patrick's legacy lives on today in Wellington. St Patrick's College in Kilbirnie is the oldest Catholic Secondary School in NZ, founded by Irish Marists from Dundalk. This strong Irish presence also brought about St Patrick's Church and primary school, and on St Patrick's feast day you may see one or more of our school children with a green ice-block. St Patrick was born in Roman Britain around the year 386. When he was 16 he was captured by Irish pirates, who sold him into slavery. Patrick was forced to herd sheep, probably in Slemish, Northern Ireland. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and Pagans, and it is said that his master was a high Druid priest. Despite these influences, Patrick states that his time of captivity was crucial to his spiritual conversion. Here is a quote from 'The Confession' - The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was roused, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same. I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain. After six years he heard a voice, urging him to flee for home via ship. After a long journey, wandering lost in France for a while, Patrick was finally reunited with his family. Patrick describes this vision in his memoir: I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish". As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Folcut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us." Inspired by his vision, he decided to study for the priesthood in Auxerre, France. He was eventually ordained a bishop and sent by the Pope to Ireland to evangelise. Once he arrived in 433, he was initially met with resistance, and throughout his life he was occasionally beaten, robbed and held captive. However, he converted thousands, ordained many, and performed many miracles. Patrick recast some of the Celtic pagan beliefs and ideologies into a Christian context, to help the locals better understand and incorporate the Christian teachings into their lives. Examples of this are the Celtic cross and the shamrock representing the Trinity. OUR CHURCH FAMILY The Church is the family of God. It ought to look like a family, a Catholic family. Think of a pyramid - the bottom all beautiful babies, next lots of energetic youth, then the hard at work middle aged, finally at the top and in less numbers the wise elderly as they pass to greater things, plus more and more people of all ages joining. Now look at the church, yep we have a problem we have got it backwards. But that’s OK; a problem is just an opportunity for a solution. ____________________________ What’s your contribution to the solution we will ultimately find together? AN INVITATION “Why did you become a Sister of Mercy?” is a question students sometimes ask me. To tell you the truth it is all somewhat a mystery, a mystery of God’s love for me. I knew from a young age I wanted to do something for God, but what? I was drawn to social work, but then the lives of the sisters who taught me captured me. Poverty, chastity, obedience. I did not know the words of the vows then but now I recognise them through almost 50 years of vowed life as no money, no sex, no power. At times, as for all people, life can be difficult but God’s love is there and at some deep level I recognise I am in the right place. I once lived at Star of the Sea. I taught at St Catherine’s College. I currently live next to Holy Cross School, Miramar. The Sisters of Mercy have been in this parish at Seatoun, Kilbirnie and Miramar since the late nineteenth century and many Sisters have laboured and prayed here. These days God still calls people but the fast life often obscures the call. Might your daughter, niece or grand daughter be being called by God? Might you, if you are a younger woman be attracted to religious life? Look at www.sistersofmercy.org.nz. Talk to a Sister or enquire at vocations@mercy.org.nz Nga Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland in 1831. Over 200 sisters in Aotearoa seek to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ by engaging in the works of Mercy, according to the charism of Catherine McAuley. “together with our companions in mission, our vision is for a world where God’s generous love and mercy are experienced by all”. RCIA Continuing on from last month ….this Rite involves a process of four stages and a number of rites. The first stage is called the Inquiry phase. This is a period in which, without any obligation, adults interested in the Catholic faith are given some information about the beliefs and practices of Catholics and are encouraged to ask questions they may have. After this period if someone wishes to continue they are welcomed into the next phase, called the Catechumenate, with a Rite of Acceptance. The Catechumenate is a period of learning or catechesis aimed at the deepening of faith. The third phase, the Period of Enlightenment begins with the Rite of Election. This usually takes place during Lent and is a period of reflection and preparation. The climax of the RCIA process comes at the Easter Vigil when the catechumens, those who have not been baptised, receive the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Any candidates who have already been baptised in another church, follow a similar process with appropriate modifications. The fourth and final phase of the RCIA process called the Mystagogia period. It usually ends at Pentecost and is a time for the new members to reflect on their journey of faith to date and on how they will lead their life in future as Catholics. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the document that describes the process, stresses that the whole faith community is to be involved in the welcoming and initiation of new members. You can be involved by inviting friends or relatives to take part, by being a Sponsor for a candidate, by praying for those involved and by generally welcoming prospective new members. PARISH COUNCIL Barry Brook arrived back from his summer holiday in Rotorua tanned and energised. Catching up with him on his return, he is full of praise for the Parish Council’s work throughout last year. The Council has worked hard to bring everyone together, to make sure they have been listened to. “I’m really excited about our parish vision” says Barry as he talks about the connections between what it is we value as a parish and how we have come to state what it is we are about in our vision statement. “It’s the people that really make this parish and it has come through in the vision statement. There is so much talent and people are so willing to give their time”. “This year is about bringing our vision alive. As a Council we are starting to concentrate on the items that will reinforce and drive achievement of the vision.” Barry points to youth, activity with our schools and getting together as a full parish to worship and celebrate, as priorities. The Council’s appointment is until May this year, when it will be refreshed. Barry is particularly keen for younger members of the parish to step forward and volunteer to go on the Council. He is in no doubt that we’ve built a great platform for future generations. “I’m absolutely delighted that this year we will be hosting a refugee family, this is right on target as to who we are as a parish and what we are about. It’s activities like this that remind me how lucky I am to be part of this parish”. DAILY GRIND As a student, or perhaps a recent graduate, you often hear the immortal advice "Do what you love doing and you'll never have to work a day in your life," commonly attributed to Confucius. I remember it well. More often than not it followed on the heels of well-meaning enquiries like "What are you studying?" and perhaps "What job do you get with that?" Two good questions to answer and an excellent goal to strive for to be sure, but possibly a bit misleading. Firstly I don't think work is the same as play and I'm sure even those who love what they do don't mistake it for such. Perhaps it's the thorns and thistles we are all warned about in Genesis 3:17-19. I enjoy programming, something that most people take some convincing is actually an enjoyable hobby, and I was incredibly fortunate to land a job doing just that. For all that I love my job however, it still isn't the same as working on my own projects, doing things my own way and in my own time. The old saying also suggests that anything you love can be turned in to something that people will pay you for, which is where the "What job do you get with that?" question can take on an awkward light. I started out studying history and classics and I've certainly felt that light. Then there are more thoughts - what the Lord wants you to do, what you might want to do, or even just how to start. It can definitely be daunting. My favourite job listing I found for a young graduate on Student Job Search required someone with "two to three years experience." Here is where I think people risk over-thinking the matter. Forget Confucius, we have a greater source of wisdom! "A man's heart plans out his way but it is the Lord who makes his steps secure," (Prov. 16:9) my advice then is "Try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord," (Eph. 5:10). Keep in mind that the Lord both has plans in mind for you (Jer. 29:11), and He wants you to be happy. You can find that in your Catechism. I think it's safe to say then that whatever His plans are, you're going to be both happier and better off by them. I don't think the Lord suffers the separation between “do what you love” and “do what needs doing,” actually I rather think He is doing what He loves. "For the LORD takes delight in his people" (Psalms 98:4) and declares that his creations are "good." My thought then is that perhaps we should consider asking "What do you think the Lord wants of you?" or perhaps "How goes the discernment?" instead. Cast some of those cares on the Lord, and He will look after you (Psalms 55:22). LIFE TEEN CAMP Life Teen Summer Camp Aotearoa took place from the 26-30 of January 2016 at Forest Lake camp ground in Otaki. Over 250 teenagers, adult chaperones, priests, seminarians, members from different religious communities and Summer Missionaries came from all over New Zealand to attend camp. Ten of these teenagers and 2 Adult Chaperones were from Holy Trinity Parish as well as a number of Summer Missionaries and a few of the Camp Organising team! The group participated in a week of faith formation, outdoor activities and community building based on the theme ‘Glorify.’ It was an absolutely amazing experience and a joy to spend it watching teenagers grow more and more in love with God and their Catholic faith. Here’s what some of them had to say: “Everything about summer camp was amazing although one of my favourite parts has to be hearing people's glory stories throughout the week about how they encountered God.” Rose “Life teen summer camp was such and awesome experience. From the moment you got there you knew it was gonna be good, but I have realised that God doesn't just stop at good he will take it so much further. I loved every bit of summer camp 2016, from the mud and mess to mass, and adoration. I felt God there from the very beginning, I could see him through every person. The whole thing was just all round a really humbling and fantastic experience. I don't think anyone left the same as they arrived.” Hannah “Being able to go to summer camp again this year, made me so excited. To see and meet new people, but also being able to get closer to God and having learnt new things and being able to express myself in different ways.” Livinia “Seeing over 200 campers fall to their knees to worship the blessed sacrament was one of several humbling highlights for me. 10/10 would go again.” David - Summer Missionary Lent is not Christmas that has just gone, nor is it Easter that has yet to come. Lent is a special season of its own. It has something profound to offer – peace. From the joy of Christmas let’s find peace in Lent so that we can fully celebrate Easter.
Don’t be grumpy It’s easy to snap out and be cutting when we are grumpy. It doesn’t take much to neglect family and friends when there are so many demands on our time. When negative things happen we get stuck in the opposite of peace – despair. Be prayerful Turning despair to peace takes time. Lent gives us that time. Lent is a time of going without the things that distract, giving to others, making space for prayer, finding reconciliation. We don’t find peace on our own. It comes to us with the help of God, with the help of God’s sacrament of reconciliation. Frs Gregory and Sanele are here for us. When you need them over Lent for confession, they will be there for you. Reconcile When you have identified what is not feeling right, what is bothering you and starting to contaminate you, simply tell either Fr Gregory or Fr Sanele that you would like to share what is troubling you and be reconciled. The best place for you to receive the sacrament of reconciliation may be in one or our churches, our priests’ offices or your own home. Share your troubles, share your sorrow for your sins and be ready for the peace that comes with absolution. Bloom Frs Sanele and Gregory are keen gardeners. Fr Sanele is known for his magnificant roses. Fr Gregory planted Christmas lilies just before he got sick. As he recovered they bloomed in a riot of glorious colour. Flowers need gentle nurturing, encouragement and good conditions free of contaminates. So do our souls. Fasting, works of charity, prayer and reconciliation are the things that help us to bloom. Give your life back to Him By Max Fuhrer We can boast about what we are giving up for Lent and then every Sunday indulge, as it’s a feast day! We end up kidding ourselves. Of course a time of fasting and prayer is a good chance to expel a few demons that plague us (Mk 9:29) but we must replace old habits with new ones or we will end up worse than before (Mat 12:43 – 45). Maybe the secular meaning of Lent is better - Lent: grant to (someone) the use of (something) on the understanding that it shall be returned. If we understand that our very life has been given us, “for in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Act 17:28), then we could slowly but surely give our life back to Him. In regards to our life: Jesus is either Lord of all or not Lord at all. Why did Jesus have disciples?By Julie Marshall Ever thought about why Jesus didn’t just do everything Himself? After all, He could have appeared and disappeared whenever he felt like it. He knew He could do it better than anyone and it would sure save time. So why did He tell Peter to go “feed my sheep?” the disciples to use the powers - He gave them - to heal and to cast out unclean spirits? Why did He tell the disciples to feed the crowds themselves? Why did He send them out in twos to the lost sheep to preach the Kingdom, to share their peace? And the real biggy – why at 33 years did He die, and leave His chosen job to a real mishmash of human beings? We think we have the divine authority to do all sorts of things on our own with no interference. In fact as we grow older and “even my tired is tired” we choose to do things ourselves because it saves legs as well as time. Jesus will take what food we have – like the loaves and fishes – and he will do the rest. So come on, give it a go, young or old we need you in our new parish to serve in our Ministries; to serve in Ministry of:
To get on a roster talk to Marianne Kraft at the parish office. You can call her on 388 6953 or email her at holy.trinity@xtra.co.nz The Journey to Calvary with Mary Holy Cross old girl Sr Mary Scanlon, after a nursing career that included being part of the team that established the Mary Potter Hospice, has published a book. Here she shares with us from her new book, Mission of Love. The item she has chosen to share is a reflection on John 19:25 “near the cross of Jesus stood his mother” One of the hardest things in life is to walk the journey of intense suffering with someone we love dearly. Such suffering engulfs our every part, mind and spirit as well as body, so that it is often referred to clinically as ‘total pain’; a wonderfully descriptive yet heart-wrenching term. Mary walking with Jesus must surely have experienced all the emotions that go with the journey: helplessness, overwhelming grief, the pain of anticipatory loss, and so much more. The journey also highlights our own mortality, and the acute awareness that we ourselves will walk a similar path one day. Perhaps the one experience that Mary did not have, as we may have, was that of hopelessness. It seems to me that, despite the horror and desperation of Jesus’ agony, Mary knew without a shadow of doubt that his death was not the end but a new and glorious beginning for all humankind. Thinking further about the Passion journey of Jesus and Mary, I slowly recognised one thing: Mary had to share the journey with the ‘world’. No matter how extroverted we are, we all need times to be in solitude during such a journey, and I think Mary never had that privilege. Jesus’ life was crowded with other people – those who hated him, those who loved him, those who depended upon him, those who admired him and those that didn’t, the critical, the tolerant, the sick, the needy, the depressed, the oppressed, the plain old curious. Never really alone. Surely Mary’s suffering was compounded by this crowd. To return to her intrinsic hopefulness and joy in the midst of all the suffering, we ourselves can only turn to her for direction when our journey is at its hardest. What is Alpha? In last year’s parish survey people said they wanted a more outward looking church. Critical feedback included interest in greater involvement of younger parishioners, hope and support for future generations’ involvement, greater support to our two colleges and praise for their achievements, youth participation in music groups, encouragement for families to pray together, and a strong focus on evangelization. Alpha is a starting point for these things. Alpha is simply an idea, a story and a tool. A proven format to running successful Alpha sessions includes: food, a short video or live talk about parenting and faith, and a space to share thoughts in small groups in open discussion with trained hosts facilitating the conversation.
27 million people have done Alpha in 169 countries and 112 languages. If that many people have done it, it must be time to try it out at Holy Trinity. Three teams have been coming together to run the Alpha programme. One team for each of our communities. When the programme is up and running there will be two discussion streams. For parents there will be discussion on mastering the most important job on earth: raising children. At the same time there will be discussion on exploring the depths of the faith dimension. Alpha has brought faith to many people and helped many others deepen their faith. However, Alpha is not RCIA. …so what’s RCIA? By Gary Finlay One of the Values identified by parishioners for our new Holy Trinity Parish is ‘Missionary’. To be missionary is to spread the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. This is not something that only happens in far-off lands. It is happening right here, right now and we can all be involved. We are all used to the baptism of infants and the programmes in each parish for children making their First Reconciliation and Holy Communion. What we may forget is that every year many people throughout the world join the Catholic Church as adults. Since 1972 the Church has provided a process for such people. It is called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). This Rite involves a process of four stages and a number of rites. But, more on that next month. Free to you By Clare Sullivan “Where love and loving kindness are together, God is in their midst.” Students of St Catherine’s College would like to offer their services free of charge to assist parishioners of Holy Trinity Parish, College families and the wider community, whatever their need – gardening, lawn-cutting, tidying and general housework, stripping wallpaper, painting fences, Church working-bees, washing windows, delivering a meal to families with a new-born, grocery-shopping or visiting the sick or elderly, etc. Please contact the College office or the Capuchin Friars with any requests or suggestions. We have a very large number of enthusiastic students waiting eagerly to be of assistance. At the beginning of last year, I initiated a new group at St. Catherine’s College, with the sole aim of helping those in our community in any way we could. Immediately many girls were on board, so many in fact that there were not enough tasks to give everyone! This group of almost 30 girls offered their time to carry out tasks which would otherwise have proved too difficult or burdensome. Between us we have been grocery shopping, washing windows, spring cleaning, vacuuming cars, gardening and even made sandwiches to help cater for a church event. It has been wonderful meeting people in our community. In many instances it was the elderly who required our assistance and we cherished the opportunity to bridge the age gap. Our SCC girls gave of their time generously and cheerfully, and appreciated the kindness, hospitality and conversation from the people they helped. Often it was ‘word of mouth’ from those who received help, which provided us with more opportunities to help others, and it was always lovely to receive such positive feedback from those whom we had helped! I would like to particularly thank Fr. Ephrem and Fr. Gregory for their wonderful and continuous support throughout last year, and for the prayerful support of the parish. A big thank you also to all of the wonderful parents who transported their daughters to the various places where help was needed. Finally, I thank all those girls who gave up their free time to help others in need, and with such a cheerful spirit! God bless you all. A family that raised a child
She was a solo mother. As for the guy hanging around her and the new baby, no one was quite sure how he fitted in. So the family life of Jesus began. “Isn’t that the whole thing about family?” asks Holy Cross Principal Celeste Hastings. “There is no such thing as the perfect family. Each has its strengths and challenges. Let’s celebrate the realness of families.” Holy Cross School certainly does that. In their community garden children, parents and grandparents are all digging and cultivating together. Celeste talks about the gift of time. When parents take the time to be part of their children’s sport, share their favourite stories and be together, great things happen. Director of Religious Studies at St Anthony’s Denise Johnson agrees. “Everyone is busy, it comes down to what we prioritise”. Denise says the families that stand out are those that know how to love one another, know how to care for one another. Love knows no bounds. “Families that see the bigger picture, see that it’s also not just about their unit. They reap what they sow”. She has noticed how “families that get involved in community, get to value the fact that they are not on their own”. Generation after generation gets to relearn the old truth that it takes a whole village to raise a child. The staff at St Patrick’s nod their heads in agreement. In their discussion it is interesting to hear a number of families mentioned as standouts. The consensus seems to be that families that pray together, play together and work together. These are people that also have a sense of community and understand the idea that we can achieve more working together than working apart. The bell is about to go for classes to start. There is a final comment that the best present you can give at Christmas, or any other time, is your own presence. As we come to prepare for Christmas, thinking of Mary and Joseph preparing for the very first Christmas, Fr Ephrem hopes that we will be open to transformational celebration of the birth of Jesus. Merry Christmas to Frs Ephrem, Gregory and Sanele. Fr Gregory has not been well, special blessings of Christmas to him as he recovers. To you also the blessings of Christmas, most particularly it’s peace. Maybe it’s been a tough year for you and your family, relax and enjoy the peace of this special time of year. A family that raised a child Calls to action: Beach clean-up Join St Patrick’s School on Wednesday 2 December at Lyall Bay as they work hard to clean up the beach for everyone to enjoy this summer Life-teen events this month St Patrick’s Church, 3 Childers Tce, all welcome 5.30 pm Mass, Life Night for Teens 6.30 pm
Test our new parish website www.holytrinity.parish.nz The new computer/smart phone website is for you. It aims to make it easier for you to know what we are thinking and doing together as a parish, and who to contact to get involved. Your feedback on how the website can do this better is very welcome. Please send your ideas to holytrinity.wgtn@xtra.co.nz before 15 December. End of school Mass Join our students and teachers as they celebrate the end of another successful school year:
Express yourself Your suggestions on how this magazine can be improved and articles for future editions would be most appreciated. Please send articles for our Lent issue to: holy.trinity.editorial@gmail.com 2015 Synod on the Family The 2015 Synod on the Family met in Rome from 4-25 October. New Zealand was represented by Cardinal John Dew, Bishop Charles Drennan from Palmerston North, Dr John Kleinsman, Director of the Nathaniel Centre, the Catholic bioethics agency in New Zealand, and Sharron Cole, who is Midwifery Council CEO and chairs the Boards of Parents Centres NZ. Parishioners have been praying the prayer for the success of the Family Synod. There is much to read about on the Synod in the Catholic papers. Indeed it is quite interesting to get different perspectives from the NZ participants as they have written articles which appear in NZ Catholic and Wel-com. We also filled in questionnaires earlier in the year and this was hoped would provide information for our bishops to reflect our views in the discussions in Rome. Now at the conclusion we expect to read of may be big decisions by the Synod meeting in the final document. According to the popular press the main areas of interest were the issues of divorced and remarried persons receiving the sacraments and the Church’s attitude to homosexuals. From comments which appear in overseas catholic websites it seems that the final document is a “consensus” document and reflects the views of all participants. Pope Francis said in his speech at the conclusion of the Synod the Church’s “first duty is not to hand down condemnations or anathemas, but to proclaim God’s mercy, to call to conversion, and to lead all men and women to salvation in the Lord.” There are no definite outcomes from the Synod on the topics highlighted by popular media, but the final document when it is available in English – although quite lengthy – will be worth reading – especially the paragraphs dealing with these issues. These are problems which we encounter regularly in our daily lives and we look to the Church to give us guidance dealing with these challenges in a positive Christian way. - Eileen Healy. (Eileen for editing News and Views so well for so long and all the best for getting settled into your new place in the Hutt Valley) Medics supporting life Our bishops have said: ‘Life is full of blessings, challenges and opportunities. Even dying brings its own unique blessings, challenges and opportunities. 'Dying well' is as important as reaching our potential at school and at work, or finding happiness and fulfilment within our families and with our friends. The work of dying well often involves the healing and/or deepening of relationships.’ Yet some of our politicians are saying it is time to license doctors to kill people that are finding life too challenging. As a member of Holy Trinity parish that seeks to bring life not death to our part of the world please make a submission against euthanasia being legalised. Material has been published suggesting that it's not usually physical pain or suffering which causes a wish to end it all, but depression. When the depression is treated the wish to die disappears Care Alliance is a made up of a number of organisations including the Nathaniel Centre. Care Alliance is nurturing better conversations about dying. On their website www.carealliance.org.nz are the simple steps you can take to make a submission to the Select Committee considering the issues - online, by email or letter. Your submission does not have to be an academic review, theological dissertation or anything formal. The best submissions are those from the heart or drawn from personal experience. It is also important we keep our local MP informed of your views. Please also consider emailing Annette King your submission at: annette.king@parliament.govt.nz - John Rogers MAKE A SUBMISSION NOW AT: http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/sc/make-submission/0SCHE_SCF_51DBHOH_PET63268_1/petition-of-hon-maryan-street-and-8974-others Let me tell you a lesser known story of Santa Claus... … It was at the Council of Nicaea that Santa Claus, St Nicholas, stood his ground on the divinity of Christ. It has been told that the debate became so heated that punches were exchanged. Saint Nicholas is said to have been locked up in the basement but released as the Council swayed back to his point of view. The ultimate result of debate being the words of the Nicaean Creed we say today: “God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made consubstantial (one in being) with the Father”. St Nicholas stood up for what he knew to be right. He is an example for our time. He knew sacred scripture, he knew Jesus as God incarnate who entered, impacted and revolutionised the world. This Advent, as we approach the day on which we will celebrate the birth of the divine Christ, we ask what would St Nicholas be saying to us? We know he would be asking us to be generous. We expect he would also be asking us to hold firm to the truth. - Max Fuher Advent Christians prepare for celebrating the birth of Jesus by remembering the longing of the Jews for a Messiah. In Advent, we’re reminded of how much we ourselves also need a Saviour, and we look forward to our Saviour’s second coming even as we prepare to celebrate his first coming at Christmas. You may already know that the word “Advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming” or “visit.” In the season with this name, we keep in mind both “advents” of Christ, the first in Bethlehem and the second yet to come. It’s meant to get us ready, not for a present opening party, but for a transformational celebration of the birth of Jesus. Advent practices include lighting an Advent wreath, praying an Advent daily devotional, as well as other ways of preparing for Christmas, such as setting up Christmas decorations and carols. There are a few other things about Advent, besides its themes, that you might find odd if you’re unfamiliar with the season, for instance Advent colours. We associate Christmas and the weeks leading up to it with typical Christmas colours: red, green, white, silver, and gold. Advent of the other hand, features purple and pink. The purple colours signifies seriousness, repentance, and royalty. Pink points to the minor theme of Advent, which is joy. For observers of Advent, the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent are ‘purple’ Sundays. Only on the third is a ‘pink’ Sunday. The pink, joyful colour reminds us that, even as Advent helps us get in touch with our sober yearning for God to come to us, we know that he did in fact come in the person of Jesus. Thus, our major theme of waiting has a grace note of joy mixed in. A traditionally coloured Advent wreath will recognise the purple and pink colours of this season and have a central white Christ candle for Christmas Eve/Day. May you have a grace filled Advent season. – Fr. Ephrem Help make a great cake we can eat together Christmas cake time! Who makes the best cake? Who’s got Granny’s recipe? Margaret is the best decorator. So when’s the best time for our family to celebrate together? Bit like the Liturgy isn’t it? I asked the kids what a Christmas cake is. They told me “it’s got to have the fruit or it’s not a traditional Christmas cake! It can have any icing that looks right for Christmas. But it needs to be decorated with the colours of Christmas”. Fact is: not all of them like fruit cake much but they wouldn’t accept that their favourite chocolate cake with orange icing could be a real Christmas cake. Liturgy of the Mass is a bit like this. Some parts are like the fruit – they’ve got to stay. Others like the spices, liquid, the icing and the decoration of course - are open to change – and might actually make the Mass a better celebration for the whole family. For the liturgy is made up of unchangeable elements divinely instituted, and of elements subject to change. -CSL, 21. Why not think about offering your love of worshipping God? Serve your parish. The Diocese will be offering training sessions next year so there is training available. The Liturgy Groups are really a subset of the Pastoral Council so there should be a representative on the Council, someone who understands and is deeply involved with the parish worship, knows, loves and reflects the people. We need a mix of young and old in our Liturgy Groups, people with ideas, people who will work together and share heaps of talents – always respectful of the things that can and can’t be changed. Are you ready to volunteer? Sit in one of our churches, pray about offering your service and talents! We need you to help us celebrate. - Julie Marshall In the kitchen with Fr E Fr E likes to cook. In his home state of Odisha staple ingredients are lentils, rice and vegetables. Sometimes there is fish, especially on the occasion of feasts and Sundays. Though Odisha is on the shore of Bay of Bengal, his family live about 600 kilometers inland, so the fish is fresh water. “The fish has a lovely sweet taste. Meat is rare. In a hot country like India, you don’t always feel the need of eating meat.” Father explains. “I know if I do certain things whatever I’m cooking can’t go wrong”. Father goes on to explain that he mixes his spices first and uses them to marinate the fish or meat he is cooking. Closer to meal time the pan is heated with a little oil. “The chillies can be green or red, but I prefer green. I fry them up with a little ginger if there is meat. Then I add chopped garlic and onion, stirring until golden brown”. Everything else to be cooked is folded in. Fr E says that if he uses tomatoes they are fresh, never tomato sauce! “So there you have it a recipe for whatever you are cooking. A recipe that will work out nicely”. Father is relaxing in the parish friary as he talks. It’s natural the conversation should turn to his recipe for the parish. “I’d like to see us mix many cultures and influences, for a very rich dish.” Fr E gets excited talking about a parish where we are all participants rather than an audience. “We need to go beyond co-operation”. Father seeks true collaboration where everyone contributes their talents. Everyone needs to feel welcome, respected, cared for and part of what’s happening. “It’s like back at home. In coming together for a meal, everyone is there. We pray, we serve, we sit without table and chairs, and we eat with our hands. There is much talking, everyone has something to say.” At midday everyone in the Holy Trinity friary comes together, prays, serves the meal to one another and there is much talk. Meals in the friary also conclude with prayer, remembering those no longer with us. “At the end of the meal we pray: may the divine assistance remain always with us and the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace”. Past, present and future...something to think about. Contacts in high places When work is getting you down and it’s having an effect on life at home, it’s good to know that you have great contacts. A prayer to the patron saint of your occupation doesn’t have to be elaborate, it might just be “HELP!” These Saints have been through struggles similar to, possibly worse than what you are suffering. They know how to help.
Seeing visions Tim Gordon is no ordinary guy. He’s taken his Marist training at both school and in the seminary to the places where the rubber hits the road. Through his business “The Improvisers” he helps people think. Drawing together a crowd of parishioners after the parish survey, he challenged them to say what it is they meant. The survey results suggest that we are strong on community and strong on being a welcoming community. What does this mean? In the course of an hour the assembled took a hard look at what key survey results meant and in Tim’s words started to discern. The results have been poured into parish council visioning. Barry Brook says they’re close to something definitive, something that will reflect what everyone has been saying. Getting the vision sorted is only just the beginning. It will be a yardstick by which we can measure what we do. Maybe some things that have been done in the past aren’t so important for where we are seeing our future. Perhaps, these things will become less important as we journey together. The vision may see us exploring in other areas. Seeking new opportunities to become the kind of parish we aspire to be. New directions bring risk, risk brings the chance of failure. Perhaps we will experience some failures but they will be opportunities to learn, opportunities to find success and enjoy it all the more. Future families In ancient Roman times a quorum of parents could agree to have a pesky child put down. Families aren’t going back to those bad old days! Nor is our concept of family likely to stay in its current state of flux. Who is to say where we are headed?…enter, Pope Francis. Here’s a Pope that is not shy of the big questions. Where he lives it’s moving to winter. A good time to draw your colleagues together in a huddle, up the thermostat on the heating and nut things out. In the Synod on Family Pope Francis has called for, he knows that the issues to be discussed will bring strong emotion and heated debate. In his musings he suggests serious intent. The following are his own words. “I remember in my former diocese how many families told me that almost the only time they came together was at dinner, in the evening after work, when the children had finished their homework. These were special times in the life of the family. They talked about what happened that day and what each of them had done; they tidied the house, put things away and organised their chores for the next few days. These were also times when someone might come home tired, or when arguments or bickering might break out. Jesus chooses all those times to show us the love of God. He chooses those moments to enter into our hearts and to help us to discover the Spirit of life at work in our daily affairs. It is in the home that we learn fraternity, solidarity, and not to be overbearing. It is in the home that we learn to receive, to appreciate life as a blessing and to realise that we need one another to move forward. It is in the home that we experience forgiveness that we are continually asked to forgive and to grow. In the home there is no room for ‘putting on masks’: we are who we are, and in one way or another we are called to do our best for others”. And elsewhere…“I should mention that the Synod is neither a convention, nor a ‘parlour’, a parliament nor senate, where people make deals…[it is part of]… the Church that journeys together to understand reality with the eyes of faith and with the heart of God. It is the Church that questions herself with regard to her fidelity to the deposit of faith, which does not represent for the Church a museum to view, nor just something to safeguard, but is a living spring from which the Church drinks, to satisfy the thirst of, and illuminate the deposit of life.” Collaboration
In the words of Fr Ephrem we seek to be a truly collaborative parish, where everyone contributes their talents, where we are all active participants. Two of many great examples of how we are achieving this right now in our parish: MULTI-CULTURALISM SO GOOD YOU CAN EAT IT – Helen Barber is deputy principal at St Patrick’s Primary School. For her language is the soul of a culture. At her school’s semi-annual social sciences event children wear their national costume and share the language and dance of their culture. This year’s event featured a cultural wearable arts competition. Everybody has something to contribute, everyone has something to learn. Fiona D’Souza is Director of Religious Studies at the school, she is excited about their up-coming Food Fair and warmly invites the whole parish to join the celebration. Mark Friday 27 November 2015, 5.30pm in your diaries. The various nationalities of the school will be sharing the food of their culture, with flags waiving and music playing. Asked what she will be trying that evening she replies “anything sweet!” SHARING OUR ABUNDANCE WITH THOSE IN NEED - Brendan Quirk of our Seatoun and Miramar St Vincent de Paul Society says the Society is pleased to provide back-up for families. “It is important that families in need know that they can turn to the Society” Brendan stresses. The first thing the Society member does is listen. Tell them your concerns, it may be the price of school shoes or a uniform item or activity fees. The Society has the backing in the parish of a number of donors who want to assist our most needy school students. Brendan says “we also have a twice-yearly food collection at Pak’n Save, Kilbirnie, so we always have emergency food on hand for needy families". The next collection is on Saturday 14 November 2015, 11am-6pm. As customers come into the store they are given a small piece of paper with food donation ideas, including items for school lunches. As shoppers trundle around the supermarket filling their trolley they add a few items to their list. The Society collects and holds the items for distribution to families in need. |
SHARINGIf you have news and views to share please email them to: holytrinity.wgtn@xtra.co.nz Archives
December 2018
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