4th february 2018

Job 7:1-4, 6-7   1 Corinthians 9:16-19. 22-23   Mark 1:29-39
Welcome back every one from wonderful holiday periods. Hope every one of you had maximum relaxation and enjoyment. Now the holiday period is over, let us leave our holiday life there and go ahead with our faith journey now.
      Those who attained morning mass should find great consolation to know that Jesus often rose early in the morning and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Jesus could have slept till late in the morning as most of us do, but he didn’t. He chose to leave the house to find a quiet and meditative place every day, for prayer and reflection. Jesus spent time in prayer and meditation and was saturated with thoughts, the sentiments and the glory of God. Then filled with grace and power, he had more than enough to pour out on all he met during the day. Whether you like it or not, every one of us have been much disturbed in this noisy world. I think we all of us are very badly in need of spiritual recharge. This can be done only in the quiet place and in the presence of God. I know you all are busy people but it is equally important to be free from this noise. So we need to take some time out for our spiritual growth. In our noisy secular world what could be the better place to be in the presence of the Lord than our churches? We too could come to our churches which are very quiet and calm and recharge ourselves so that we could share God’s love with everyone we meet.  Jesus says: “come all of you who are labour and tired and I will give you rest.”                                                                              Fr Gregory
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.
 

Ash Wednesday Timetable for the Parish – 14 Feb 2018
St Anthony’s Church - 9am
Holy Cross Church –   6.30am in the Parish Centre
                                    9.30am at Holy Cross School Hall
                                    7pm at St Aidan’s Anglican Church
St Patrick’s Church – 11am
                                   5.45pm
 
Those who have blessed palms from last year, can leave them in the back of the church. Thank you
 
Lenten Mass – 14 Feb – 24 March 2018
There will be 6.30am Mass at Holy Cross Parish Centre from Monday – Saturday during Lent
 
Stations of the Cross – Thursdays during Lent
Every Thursday at 7pm at St Patrick’s Church starting on 15th Feb – 22nd March 2018
 

We wish farewell and a big thank you to Fr Philip who returns to Auckland this week.  It has been a pleasure to have you here for the past 2 months.

We welcome back to all our teachers, staff and students as they begin their school year.
We wish you all a successful year ahead.

HOLY TRINITY PARISH CHILDREN’S SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME 2018
Children in year 4 or older who have been baptised in a Catholic Church and would like to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Holy Communion, are eligible to enrol. Enrolment forms are available in the church foyers, School Offices, the Parish Office or on the website www.holytrinity.parish.nz
All enrolment forms need to be completed and returned including a copy of your baptism certificate by the 18th February 2018 to the School Offices, the Parish Office or by email [email protected]

 
Annointing Mass at St Patrick’s Church Wednesday 7th February 11am

Holy Cross Happy Hour Weds 7th February 11am in the Parish Centre.
Seniors are reminded of our next happy hour. A friendly game of bingo and a shared lunch.
 All welcome.

Anti-Euthanasia submissions are vitally needed to oppose David Seymour’s End of Life Choice Bill. One sentence is enough, more is even better!
 Closing date: 20 February, but please act as soon as possible to help protect Life
 
Information: see www.parliament.nz under Parliamentary Business, then search for the Bill.
 
At the back of this newsletter is the Letter from the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference and at the back of the churches is all the information and how to make submissions.
 

Pope Francis appoints new Bishop of Christchurch.  Fr Paul Martin, a former rector at St Patrick’s College in Kilbirnie, will ordained as the tenth Bishop of Christchurch Saturday 3rd March. See the latest edition of the New Zealand Catholic for the full article. 

WREMO for Eastern suburbs residents about Community Emergency Response Planning starting Thursday Feb 15 with a Tsunami specific workshop at the Seatoun Village Hall followed up by emergency response planning workshops at Breaker Bay Hall, 21 Feb, 7 & 21 March. See notice at the back of the churches for more details.

Dove Women's fellowship will begin this year on Saturday 17th February at 1.15pm at Connolly hall with Praise and Worship.  Our scripture for 2018 is Lam 3:22-24 with theme of hope.  All women welcome.  Contact Shura 0210724042

Joshua Catholic Men’s Fellowship Wellington extends an open invitation to men and women both older and younger for Mass followed by supper (Please bring some finger food to share!) on Thursday 15th of February 2018 at 7:30pm in in the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Celebrant: Fr Peter Ewart (Joshua Wellington Chaplain)
Want to know more? Ring John Kinney on mobile 027 6777 225 or e-mail:  [email protected]

The Annual Mission Fair of the Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver on Saturday 17 February    2018 10am - 1pm at St. Francis de sales Church hall and grounds. Goods (Rapid Raffle and stalls, such as: toys, fancy and knitted goods, jewellery, jams, wool etc.)  & donations are greatly appreciated.  Goods can be posted to Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver, 1 Mersey Street, P.O. Box 7312, Wellington. “

Mass for Life: Tuesday 13th February 7 pm St Anne's Church, Emmett St., Newtown. Join Cardinal Dew in A Mass to pray for the protection of life from conception to natural death and the success of this Lent's 40 Days for Life campaign.

Join 40 Days for Life this Lent: Last year, abortion claimed more than 13,000 lives and wounded many more. Since 1974, more than half a million preborn Kiwi babies have been lost. In our communities, this has taken its toll and the wounds of abortion run deep in every New Zealand family. 40 Days for Life offers hope with a vision to access God’s power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion and to offer real support to abortion-vulnerable and wounded women. Nearly 14,000 lives have been saved as a direct result of 40 Days for Life including some here in New Zealand! Every day from Ash Wednesday 14th February until Palm Sunday 9thApril small groups of volunteers will come together to pray in one-hour shifts outside the main abortion facilities in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. You are invited to volunteer to spend just one hour to offer prayers and be a public witness for life in your community. Your presence will offer hope and saves lives. Please also pray frequently for the success of this important work. For more information and to sign up, please visit fli.org.nz/40daysforlife or text your name and “40 Days” to 021825955. For more information, please call Family Life International on (09) 629 4361 (Auckland) or (04) 237 8343 (Wellington).

Tuesday 6th February 9:00am  St Mary of the Angels  Waitangi Day Mass The singing will be lead by the combined choirs of St Mary of the Angels and Te Ngakau Tapu. The Celebrant will be the Vicar General, Monsignor Gerard Burns. All are invited to celebrate our National Day with the combined sounds of Te Reo, Latin and English, as the sacred traditions join in worship, in our beautifully restored church.
 

An invitation to hear Raymond de Sousa KM Noted lay Catholic apologist, author and broadcaster speak on What is good and evil and who decides? At the Northland Memorial Community Hall,  Saturday 3 March 7-9pm Supper – please bring a plate. Free entry, koha welcome, enquiries M Townsley 472 5049

Home of Compassion upcoming events. As part of the annual Island Bay Festival, Our Lady’s Home of Compassion will be hosting the following events. 
            Family Open Day at Our Lady's Home of Compassion Sunday 11 February 12 noon - 3pm
            An afternoon of activities and tours at the Home of Compassion.
Come and experience the refreshed Heritage Centre along with the Resting Place of Suzanne Aubert, the Chapel, gathering spaces in the Retreat House and garden and grounds. 
            Personality and Purpose: Suzanne Aubert  Monday 12 February  7pm – 8pm
Jessie Munro, author of “The Story of Suzanne Aubert”, reprises this fascinating exploration of aspects of the life of Suzanne Aubert. 
Art and Architecture: The Chapel of Our Lady of Compassion and the Resting Place of Suzanne Aubert  Tuesday 13 February  7pm – 8pm
Hugh Tennent, architect, speaks on the architecture of the Resting Place and the experience of working on this project. Members of the Drawbridge family tell the story of the John Drawbridge stained art glass windows which illuminate the Chapel and Resting Place.

We pray for the members of our Parish families who have died recently especially Fr Ephrem’s mother Cilina Tigga, Fr Philip’s brother, Albis Lakra, Maureen Bowden, Vaea Leota, Anne Darroch and Denis Friis, and those whose anniversaries occur around this time including Agnes Dooley, Sean Hennessy, Malia Lavea, Czeslaw Witkowski, Thomas Grealish, Thomas Blewman, Paul Rossiter, Lynne Jagush, Jozef Wielgolawski, Patricia Kelly, Bernard Smith, Rosemary Jones, Joseph O’Brien and John O’Brien.  Our prayers are also with those who are unwell especially John Rogers, Graeme Adams and Steve Kuzmicich and for the wonderful people who are caring for the everyday needs of the sick in our Community.

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