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Ecc 1, 2. 2, 21-23; Col 3, 5. 9-11; Luke 12, 12-21
Dear sisters and brothers, St Luke’s Gospel makes much of the hindrance wealth creates for discipleship – and ultimately for attaining fullness of life in community with God and fellow human beings. Fears for the future Human beings are very insecure creatures. Wealth seems to be the most obvious source of security: with wealth we shall not go hungry or thirsty, we shall have a good roof over our heads, we shall gain influence and power; we are more likely to have good health, a long life, and enjoy the best life has to offer. But the deep fear that feeds our insecurity also feeds the desire for wealth. That desire itself can become insatiable. It can threaten to take over and control everything, making us increasingly insensitive and oblivious to other and deeper values: the needs of our fellow human beings and above all our relationship with God. In the gospel, prompting the parable is a request from a man who wants Jesus to intervene in a dispute between himself and his brother regarding the dividing up of the family inheritance. The request is not unreasonable, but it illustrates how preoccupation with matters of this kind may make people deaf to the deeper and more significant issues that Jesus is addressing. Engaging parable The parable quickly engages Jesus’ hearers. Poor, as most of them doubtless were, they would envy the landowner whose land had been so productive that his chief problem was finding space to store his harvest. They would envy even more his prospect of being able to sit back later and enjoy the good life because he had so much security stored up for many years to come. How keenly, then, they would feel the intervention of God: “This very night the demand will be made for your soul”. “Soul” basically refers to life itself but there is an overtone, surely, of the quality of a person: “what you’re worth as a human being”. This is what God will inquire about in terms of capacity for eternal life, for enjoying the riches of life with God. The only security that is really lasting consists in being “rich” in the sight of God. This is because relationship with God is the only relationship or attachment that can transcend the barrier of death. The parable powerfully illustrates how attachment to wealth – the desire to acquire, hold on to and enhance it – prevents people from attending to the relationship with God that brings the only security that counts in the long run. Such desire also poisons human relationships and erodes the concern for others that is the basis of community. Attachment to wealth in this sense is incompatible with living, sharing and celebrating what Jesus is living, sharing and celebrating: the hospitality God is offering both now and, in the life, to come. 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. Fr Ephrem celebrated his birthday on the 1st August. Please remember him in your prayers. Thank you to all those who have wished him well and put on the morning tea for him. Church and property update The Parish Council and Finance Committee continue to progress work on Cardinal John’s February directive which was to review the total operation of our parish and its property. We had hoped to provide an update to parishioners this month but the valuations of some properties took longer than expected. We now expect to have this update to you by mid-August. Considerable information has already been gathered and evaluated, and we are now finalising the analysis to have fully reasoned options for consultation. Once we are at this point, a meeting for all parishioners will be arranged. Our deadline to advise Cardinal John of our preferred option remains at 31 October 2019. Thank you for your patience. National Vocations Awareness Week - Lives of Service, Lives of Joy “God calls you to make definitive choices, and he has a plan for each of you: to discover that plan and to respond to your vocation is to move toward personal fulfilment. God calls each of us to be holy, to live his life, but he has a particular path for each one of us.” Pope Francis - WYD July 2013 Our baptism calls us to holiness. We live out this call through marriage, single life, priesthood or consecrated life. National Vocations Awareness Week (4-11 August) is an annual event set aside by the Bishops of New Zealand, focusing our attention on all forms of vocation in the Church. Please pray for all those in our Archdiocese who are discerning their vocation, including our three seminarians Alfred, Kinh and Matthew, and Emilio who is preparing to enter Seminary next year. May we all be open to God’s call and respond with generosity and courage. Marian Mothers Group - Tuesday 6 August 2019, 7pm, St. Anthony's Meeting Room, Seatoun You are invited to a Marian Mothers Group on Tuesday 6 August 2019 at 7pm in St. Anthony's Meeting Room, Seatoun. Marian Mothers is a network of women who want to come together for prayer, mutual encouragement, support and faith reflection. Please email Patricia on lourdes@windowslive.com if you would like any further information. Looking forward to our meeting. Mā te Atua e manaaki, God bless. Anointing Mass St Patrick’s Church 11am Wednesday 7th August. FEAST of ASSUMPTION of the BLESSED VIRGIN MARY - 15TH AUGUST This is a HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION MASS TIMES ARE: 9.30am Holy Cross School Hall (light morning tea after Mass) 9.30am St Patrick’s Church 11am Rita Angus Retirement Village Chapel 11.30am St Anthony’s – Thursday Friends 2pm St Patrick’s Church – St Catherine’s College 6.30pm St Anthony’s Church People in Need? St Vincent de Paul Society Seatoun & Miramar Conference welcomes parishioners to let us know confidentially if you or someone needs assistance in the Miramar/Seatoun/Strathmore area. Our group visits people who are in hardship, sickness, loneliness or housebound, in order to share God’s love and compassion and see if we can assist in any way, even as simple as having a coffee and chat (Contacts: any of our members listed in the Church foyers). If you wish to donate to assist your local Conference purchase food, clothing, house items etc for families in most need in the eastern suburbs, please consider making a direct online donation to our account which is:-BNZ Kilbirnie, St Vincent de Paul Seatoun & Miramar Conference, A/c No. 02 0576 0017 817 006, reference “Donation”. If you want a receipt of the donation for tax purposes, do please contact our Treasurer, Trish Herzog, ph 04 388 3842 Predator Free Wellington aim to make Wellington the first preditor free capital in the world and the first stage of this project is the Peninsula. We are doing our part and have traps at Holy Cross (2) , St Anthony’s (2) and Good Shepherd (5). For more information see https://www.pfw.org.nz/ Pre-loved Sports Sale, St Patrick’s College, Kilbirnie: 10am-2pm, Saturday 17 August Drop into the Sports Sale on 17 August and kit out your family with pre-loved sports gear and clothing (all codes included) in great condition. 1 item - $10, 3 items $20 with a small selection of items at specially marked prices. There will be a gold coin sausage sizzle and tea & coffee. Got some gear to donate? Drop it at the college office or contact parentsassociation@stpats.school.nz. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for St Patrick’s College. St Catherine’s College Enrolments This is just a reminder that enrolments are now open at St Catherine's College. Our closing date will be on 30th August 2019. If you miss this date, please contact us on 04 9398988, as late enrolments will be considered. We are happy to answer any questions you may have, or if you would like to come and talk to one of our staff members. Our contact details are as follows:- 04 939 8988 office@stcatherinescollege.school.nz or office@scc.school.nz St Catherine's College aims to nurture and empower our young women to be active and creative learners. Stewardship is about asking ourselves, “What do we own, and what owns us?” Pope Francis has designated October as the Extraordinary Missionary month. The Parish Leadership Team is hoping to offer a 6 session programme Developing a Spirituality of Service in every parish in October. We need to gauge the interest level so please register with Chris Walkerdine at c.walkerdine@wn.catholic.org.nz or telephone on 04 496-1706. Vigil for the Unborn: Saturday 17 August. St Anne's Catholic Church, Emmett Street, Newtown. 10 am Mass. Followed by Exposition & Rosary Procession to pray outside of the Hospital. Ends at Noon with a shared lunch. All are invited. Come and pray for hearts to change and lives to be saved. Two heartbeats, two precious lives worth protecting: show we love them both. For more information contact Family Life International NZ PH: 021 231 7954 Seasons for Growth is an education programme which explores the effects of change, loss and grief. Using the imagery of the four seasons, the programme is a safe and proven way to help people process and adjust to changing experiences. A programme for adults will be offered: six weekly sessions, starting on Sunday 18 August, 2.00 – 4.30pm, in the Emmaus Centre, St Christopher’s Anglican Church, 167 main Road, Tawa. Cost $25 for the workbook. For more information, or to register, please contact Bridgett on 934 1811 or email: honitonfantail@gmail.com Thursday 22–Saturday 24 August NZ Faith Community Nurses Association retreat and 2019 Annual Conference, Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, 2 Hill St, Thorndon, Wellington. For information and to register visit: www.faithcommunitynursing.nz/latest-news/2019-conference Karakia o te Rātapu. Each Sunday there is Miha for all. Liturgy of Eucharist is held if priest is not available. 11am, The Chapel of Our Lady of Compassion, 2 Rhine Street, Island Bay, Wellington. Ph. (04) 383 7769. Pilgrimage: Back to the Source. An evening of poetry and music with poet Chris Gallavin. Inspired by Hiruhārama-Jerusalem the show will be accompanied by a photo exhibition. Tickets $25 on Eventfinda or $30 at the door. Sat 24 August, 3pm. Our Lady's Home of Compassion, 2 Rhine Street (off Murray St), Island Bay, Wellington. Wednesday 28 August - Cardinal’s lunch – Cardinal John Dew speaks about the future of the Church, 12pm-2pm, Intercontinental Hotel, Wellington, $115. Book tickets online: https://cl2019.lilregie.com or email event@wn.catholic.org.nz August WelCom is out this week for Sunday 4 August 2019. Contents include:
2019 Tindall funding round open The 2019 Funding Round for the Archdiocesan Allocation Committee is now open. Parish Groups, Agencies and Church Organisations which provide a helping hand by supporting Families and Social Services are now able to apply for the annual Tindall Funding through the Archdiocesan Allocation Committee. The priority is to fund Catholic and community organisations who are working in areas identified as priorities by The Tindall Foundation and aligned with the Archdiocesan goals. We are charged, by the Archbishop, with the funding support of groups committed to social, pastoral, charitable and educational needs in our region. Applications are judged on the basis of need, resource availability and the fulfilment of set criteria. Applications are now open and are due on Friday 30th August 2019. Application forms contact Joanne Gomez at Tindall@wn.catholic.org.nz or 04 496 1762. Our prayers are with those who are unwell especially Denis Clarke, John Rogers, John Cairns-Cowan and Graeme Adams and for the wonderful people who are caring for the everyday needs of the sick in our Community. We also pray for the members of our Parish families who have died recently especially John Seamer and those whose anniversaries occur around this time including Umberto Monastra and Brian Pohem.
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