26 August 2018

Jos 24, 1-2a. 15-17. 18; Eph 5, 21-32; John 6, 60-69
As parents we might be hearing a lot like this, “I can’t, Mom, it’s too haaarrd,” kids would wail when a parent asked them to do something challenging.  It was probably in the same voice and complaint I used with my mother when I was a child.  And in today’s gospel, the disciples, probably in the same timeless whine, tell Jesus his message is just too much. “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
To really follow the teachings of Jesus completely challenges every moment of our lives.  To rely on Jesus means I let go of the tight grip on my own life and allow Jesus to help me live my life, even in unpopular decisions.  I can only do that if I feel the full support and nurturing of Jesus in my life. In fact, Francis notes, Jesus “forces us to make a clear choice: either to be with him or separated from him-- and He says to the Twelve: “Do you also want to leave?” The often-timid Peter, in a moment of grace and clarity, seems to ask almost with wonder, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Peter proclaims that Jesus has the words of eternal life.  Words not only for our lives today in every detail but for an eternal life beyond what we know. Today we can ask ourselves who Jesus is for me and how I want to encounter him. 
How can I feed on his words and actions and how can I make them a living part of each day?
                                                                                                                                                Fr Ephrem
Holy Trinity Parish Vision
We are a prayerful and diverse Catholic community in the Eastern suburbs of Wellington,
drawing strength from one another to grow and become fully alive as missionary disciples.
 

Parish Manager—Holy Trinity Parish Wellington
Holy Trinity Catholic Parish is seeking applicants with time, energy, motivation and good communication skills to fill a newly created role of Parish Manager. A practicing Christian currently participating in a parish would be a preferred applicant.
A key role of Parish Manager is to assist the Parish Pastoral Council to review and assist with implementation of the Annual Parish Plan, objectives and priorities and to assist the Parish Priest with some administrative activities. A working knowledge of modern communication platforms and an ability to relate to parishioners and the wider community with compassion and integrity is a key requirement.  Working within a team environment to support harmonious relationships across all parish groups is an essential skill.
This is a fixed term, part-time, paid position of up to 24 hrs per week
with a finishing date of 20 December 2019
To apply for this valuable role, please send your CV and reference contacts to
Parish Priest, Holy Trinity Parish, PO Box 15-256, Miramar, Wellington 6243.
Closing date for applications is Friday 21 September  2018.


St Anthony’s Sunday 26th August an additional Mass will be celebrated at 4.30pm at St Anthony’s. The school would be delighted if those parishioners who wished to fulfil their Sunday obligation, would join the children and their families for this celebration.

HOLY TRINITY PARISH CATHOLIC BOOK CLUB - THIS SUNDAY 26th August
The book club meets this Sunday, 26th August, at 6 pm. Any inquiries please phone Allan 3882 840, or email[email protected]. Meetings are last Sunday of every month, 6pm, in the parish centre, Holy Cross Church, Miramar. Supper provided.

The Māori Pastoral Care Appeal (Online, planned giving and envelopes):
Saturday, 25 August (Vigil Mass) and Sunday, 26 August 2018. Your prayerful and financial support contributes to work in Māori communities, parishes, schools and groups in the archdiocese. Kia ora tātou katoa, n gā manaakitanga. Thank you all and blessings.
 

Found in Holy Cross Church.  A ring was found after Mass a few weeks ago at Holy Cross. If this is yours please contact either one of the priests or the parish office.

Sunday 2nd September: The Legion of Mary invite you to a talk Mary, Our Advocate, given by Father Linus Clovis, archdiocesan spiritual director of the Legion of Mary in St Lucia.  Venue: St Patrick's Church, 3 Childers Tce, Kilbirnie. Time: 2 pm All welcome.

2019 St Anthony's Bazaar Meeting   We are looking forward to our biennial Bazaar in early March 2019 (exact date TBC).  We have set a meeting for Monday 3 September at  7pm  in the Gascoigne Room to start the planning and organisation of this significant fundraiser for our school and Church. All welcome! 

St Patrick’s Church is looking for people for ALL roster duties for the 5.30pm Vigil Mass and the 7.30am Mass, this is an opportunity to share your talents with our parish community.  Please contact Tricia O’Donnell 934 3179 or Leona Foster 973 3958 from the Liturgy Committee if you are interested.

An Afternoon of Sacred Songs and Broadway Tunes
On 19 August, from 2pm - 4pm, Joe Moorman will be singing at a concert at St. Patrick’s Church, Wainuiomata, to help them raise money for a church hall they’re building.  The first half will be Sacred music, and the second half will be Broadway showtunes.  Anyone wanting tickets or detailed information can call Alan at 564-6904.

Teaching Night @ St Francis de Sales Hall, Island Bay. Hosted by Catholic Charismatic Renewal Wednesday 29th August at 7:30pm.  Speaker: Michael Powell  Theme: Interpretation of Tongues Evening includes Praise & Worship, group discussion and fellowship.  Everyone is welcome

Pa Maria Marist Spirituality Centre.  Winter Film series:  Mondays 27 August and 3 & 10 Sept OR Thursday 30 August and 6 & 13 September Contact Fr Brian Cummings SM (021 703 580 or email [email protected])

Go you are sent as members of One Body 6(f) Parish liturgies and activities involve and reflect

Parishioner home help, St Patrick's Church community. The St Vincent de Paul Society seeks two parish women in the St Patrick's Church community Kilbirnie area to volunteer a few hours over a few weeks to gently and patiently help a Catholic woman get on top of the clutter in her house.  This would be a compassionate service reaching out to someone on the peripheries of our community (Contact: Brendan Quirk, Seatoun & Miramar Conference, SVDP, ph 04 388 9708). 

Charity knitting for babies and toddlers Many thanks to all parishioners and friends for continuing to knit jerseys, beanies, and blankets for donation to orphanages. It is very much appreciated. We have plenty of wool, and instructions for easy-to-knit garments, if any others would like to join us. Phone Margaret 3882-840.

The Chelsea Day Care Trust in Lyall Bay, for those with memory loss/Dementia.  Chelsea Trust is a NON PROFIT organisation, open every day from 9am – 4pm. They are always looking for volunteer drivers to assist with picking up members and/or maybe take out for 30 minute drive. Also volunteers for the odd cooking of lunch or just general assistance at the Club. For more information contact Angela Gittings, Care Manager, 3877207.

Social Justice Week – 9 – 15 September As we gather after Mass, please be mindful of the different needs and strengths of each other, and that we each have a unique part to play in this parish. Look out for ways you can enable others; and for ways that you need to be enabled. Jean Vanier said: “Every child, every person needs to know that they are a source of joy; every child, every person, needs to be celebrated. Only when all of our weaknesses are accepted as part of our humanity can our negative, broken self-images be transformed.”
So, let us celebrate our individual lives and our life as a community, while always being mindful of those on the edges, who may be waiting for an invitation to belong or to participate  in ways we do not expect.
 
SOCIAL JUSTICE WEEK 2018 is 9-15 September: Enabling Communities:  “Each of us has a part to play, a gift to share, a service to offer, for building up the Body of Christ in Love.” Pope Francis, 2013.  What can you do during this week, maybe get a group together in your community and use the Resources sent out by Caritas.

The Bach Choir of Wellington 3pm Saturday 15 September St Andrew’s on The Terrace
The choir’s second concert in its 50th anniversary year, and the first concert under its new Musical Director, Shawn Condon, is a concert of “two halves”. 
The first half contains two of Bach’s surviving motets,  Lobet den Herrn, all Heiden, BWV 230 and Jesu, meine Freude BWV 227. Accompanied by Douglas Mews on the organ, the choir will also be joined by Eleanor Carter, playing cello continuo.
The second half will consist of Monteverdi’s Messa a Quattro voci da cappella (Mass for Four Voices),composed when he was maestro di capella at St Mark’s in Venice.  Monteverdi held the post for 30 years, was ordained into the priesthood during that time and is now regarded as a crucial transitional figure between the Renaissance and Baroque periods of musical history.

‘Living the Splendour of Truth’ International pro-life, pro-family conference: This amazing weekend conference will help you, your family and our entire culture rediscover the newness of the faith and its power to enlighten and transform our communities. This is also once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the daughter of St Gianna Beretta Molla – the daughter she gave her life for. Experience beautiful liturgies, pray and learn how we can live of Christ and allow Him to encounter our culture– a culture that is in desperate need of His Love and Mercy. 5-7th October. Epsom Girl’s Grammar School. Early bird rates apply only for a short time. Register now at www.fli.org.nz/prolifeconference2018 or phone 09 629 4361.
 

LIFEFEST 2018: Attention young people and youth groups! A one day hands-on event providing young people, 13 to 19 years, with important tools to build a new culture of life into the future! Amazing overseas speakers. Formation-Food-Prayer-Prizes. An October holiday day well worth the $20! Sponsorships available. Thursday 4th OCTOBER: 9 am to 9 pm . Epsom Girls' Grammar School, Auckland. ALSO:cheap accommodation available for those travelling a distance for the nights of the 3rd and 4th Oct. For more info or to book the accommodation email:[email protected]  txt: 021 2317954 ph: 04 2378343 or Michael on 021 825 955.

The Catholic Foundation Scholarships close on 31 August 2018. Catholic Foundation Scholarships are available to Catholic students residing in the Wellington Archdiocese who are in their final year of secondary education. If you are a student attending a State or Private secondary school or The Correspondence School or are home-schooled and are interested in this scholarship contact Father Ephrem or the Parish Secretary for details.

Holy Hour You are invited to a Holy Hour on Tuesday 28 August beginning at 7.30 pm in the Lecture Room of the Catholic Centre to pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.  This Holy Hour will include prayers, Scripture, times of silence, singing and conclude with Benediction followed by supper.  All are welcome.

NZ Joshua Catholic Men’s Fellowship and menALIVE have organised MAX18NZ which will be held over the weekend of September 28 – 30 at Kings College Auckland. The event is intended to reach out to the broad cross-section of ordinary men in our parishes. Its purpose is to encourage them to encounter Jesus in their lives, to grown in their faith and become better husbands, fathers, friends and workmates. The calibre of speakers from both New Zealand and Australia is impressive and the event promises to be very enriching for those men who can attend. Any men who find themselves unable to attend the event because of cost can be subsidized. To attend consider registering for MAX18NZ. All details are available on the event website www.max18nz.info or by phoning Jim Gribble on 027 249 5378.

In the family, three words need to be used… ‘Please’, ‘Thank you’, ‘Sorry’. Three essential words! In our families when we are not overbearing and ask: ‘May I?’; in our families when we are not selfish and can say: ‘Thank you!’; and in our families when someone realizes that he or she did something wrong and is able to say ‘Sorry!’, our family experiences peace and joy. Let us not be stingy about using these words, but keep repeating them, day after day.  Pope Francis: Amoris Laetitia #133

Rosary Aotearoa is encouraging parishes and groups to gather at different locations around the country at 3pm on Sunday 7 October to pray the Rosary. For more information and to register a group and location see www.rosarynewzealand.nz.

The Aug. 26 – Sept. 8 issue of NZ Catholic is out now. Some headlines are: NZ bishops to meet Pope. Celebrity chef priest coming to NZ. New qualification on leadership and Catholic culture. Naming the next generation of Catholics.  The next issue of NZ Catholic will be published on September 9.

You are warmly invited to attend the Ecclesia Dei (Latin Mass) Society of NZ Retreat  Fri 5 Oct - Sun 7 Oct  at The Home of Compassion, Island Bay. Bishop Basil Meeking, Emeritus Bishop of Christchurch, will lead the retreat and he will give three inspiring talks:  It is the Mass that Matters:  (1) Calvary Continued; (2) God Feeds us; (3) One Church, One Eucharist.  The Latin Mass will be offered each day with Rosary, devotions, Adoration, Reconciliation and time for meditation. Cost: Full retreat with all meals $250.00; Day attendance (no meals or accommodation)  $40.00  - other options available on request. Ph Neil Coup:589 6924, 021 896924, Jan Curran:  07 838 2646, Email: [email protected]

Bishop Viard College Jubilee  Registrations are now open Labour Weekend 2018
A weekend of celebration is planned for October 19-21 and all past pupils, staff and friends of the College are invited to register now to avoid disappointment for some events. Programme information and registration are available following this link -  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-JTyJksNlwbb2LY5K13JIVENlmsDs-Vwniyj-4FXDXqMbTA/viewform  or email us [email protected] or phone Phil (04)237 9902 or mobile 027 786 5542. You can also like our Bishop Viard College 50th Jubilee Facebook page for Jubilee year news and maybe make contact with old friends https://www.facebook.com/BVCJubilee/  Truth is light-Pass it on!

Parish Council Meeting: Wednesday 5th September 7.30pm Holy Cross Parish Centre.

​We pray for the members of our Parish families who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur around this time including  Helen Kiely, Patrick Rosson, and J Tullet.  Our prayers are also with those who are unwell especially John Rogers and Graeme Adams and for the wonderful people who are caring for the everyday needs of the sick in our Community.