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COVID19.govt.nz has resources translated into New Zealand Sign, Simplified Chinese, Te Reo Māori, Cook Island Māori, Fijian, Niuean, Samoan, Tongan, Tuvaluan and Tokelauan.
Fr Ephrem is offering Mass every day from the prayer room in the presbytery at the following times Mon, Tues, Weds, Fri, Sat 9.30am Thurs 7pm Sunday 10.30am To join him live go to his Facebook page (Ephrem Tigga) If you would like Fr to offer Mass for yourself or a loved one, please contact the office by either phone or email Masses available on Television: Free to air telecast Shine TV Freeview channel 25 (please note change of time) Sundays – 2pm https://www.wn.catholic.org.nz/adw_community/resources-for-an-unusual-time/ 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. Acts 2, 14. 22-33; 1 Pet 1, 17-21; Lk 24, 13-35 It is wonderful to walk with Jesus on the way to Emmaus (MASS). Dear sisters and brothers, “what a privilege for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus to meet Jesus, to listen to him explaining the Scriptures, to share in the Eucharist with Jesus.” It certainly was a wonderful privilege. I say we would love to have been with those two disciples, part of that experience on the road to Emmaus. But, in truth, every time we celebrate the Eucharist here we meet Jesus in the same way. Jesus explained the Scriptures to the two disciples; “he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27) and we also listen to the Scriptures. Then Jesus “took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them” (Luke 24:30) and we partake of the Body of Jesus in the Eucharist. Let me tell you, it was Jesus who directed the encounter on the road to Emmaus, firstly explaining the Scriptures and then breaking bread with the disciples. The chief celebrant was Jesus. He had the leading role in the encounter. It was he who decided that firstly the Scriptures should be explained and secondly that there would be a Eucharistic meal. Every time we celebrate the sacraments it is Jesus who is the chief celebrant. Jesus is the chief celebrant of that Mass and every Mass. Jesus’ offering of himself on the cross is the same offering now made by the priest during the sacrifice of the Mass when that one sacrifice on Calvary is extended through time to us now. (Vatican II Sacrosanctum Concilium §7) Not only at Mass but in every sacrament Jesus is the one leading us in our celebration. Jesus is the chief celebrant of every sacrament. (Vatican II Sacrosanctum Concilium §7) We would love to have been with those two disciples on the road, love to have been part of that experience on the road to Emmaus. When you come to Mass you meet Jesus just like those two disciples. (Luke 24:27) Jesus fed the two disciples on the road with a correct interpretation of Scripture and then fed them with his Body and Blood. We have the same experience during every Mass. Jesus is present with us not only in his Flesh and Blood in the Eucharist but also when we listen to the Word of God in the Scripture readings. we are nourished in two ways from one table at Mass, the table of God’s word and the table of the Eucharist, …the Church has always venerated the Scriptures as she venerates the Lord's Body. She never ceases to present to the faithful the bread of life, taken from the one table of God's Word and Christ's Body. (Catechism of the Catholic Church §103; Vatican II Dei Verbum §21) We have two candles lighting during Mass symbolizing these two ways in which Christ is present to us in the “one table of God's Word and Christ's Body.” Therefore, as the Scripture readings are proclaimed we want to give them our full attention because we are being fed by God. In fact, it is Jesus himself who is talking to us as the Scriptures are proclaimed to us, He is present in His word, since it is He Himself who speaks when the holy scriptures are read in the Church. (Vatican II Sacrosanctum Concilium §7) What an awesome responsibility on those who proclaim the Word of God to us. Jesus chided the two disciples, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” (Luke 24:25) I think Jesus would say the same to us if we too were slow of heart to believe that he speaks to us in his Word at Mass. When we hear the Word of God not only do we hear it with our ears and understand it with our minds but the Holy Spirit works within us to allow the Word of God to heal and renew us just as the Word healed and renewed the two disciples on the road to Emmaus burning their hearts, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32) The disciples did not realize at the time that their hearts were burning within them, it was only later they realized this. Without they realizing it the Holy Spirit had been working on their hearts, changing their hearts and renewing them. The Holy Spirit works on us too when the Word of God is proclaimed every time we gather in Church. We would love to have been with those two disciples on the road, love to have been part of that experience on the road to Emmaus. But every time we come here to celebrate Mass our hearts burn within us even if like the two disciples we don’t realize it. When Jesus was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. (Luke 24:30-31) It is strange that Jesus vanished immediately but surely Jesus wanted them to understand that he is present with the Church every time it celebrates as they did on that road to Emmaus. During the Last Supper Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) Jesus did the same four things with the bread on the road to Emmaus as he did at the Last Supper; he took it, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. Jesus himself taught them on the road to Emmaus that when they do this in remembrance of him he really is with them and their hearts burn within. From now on every time they do this in remembrance of Jesus he will be with them just as he was with them on the road to Emmaus. Every time we celebrate a sacrament it is Christ as Priest who bestows the sacrament upon us. Christ as the Priest of the New Covenant is the chief celebrant of every sacrament, …every liturgical celebration, because it is an action of Christ the priest and of His Body which is the Church, is a sacred action surpassing all others (Vatican II Sacrosanctum Concilium §7) Rightly, then, the liturgy is considered as an exercise of the priestly office of Jesus Christ. (Vatican II Sacrosanctum Concilium §7) This is why only ordained priests can celebrate Mass because they received their priesthood from Christ during their Ordination and their priesthood is a sharing in the one Priesthood of Jesus. Jesus is the One Priest of the New Covenant but during the Last Supper Jesus shared his priesthood with his apostles and they and their successors are the priests of the New Covenant. Every time we celebrate a sacrament it is Christ as Priest who bestows the sacrament upon us. Dear sisters and brothers, every time we celebrate Mass we partake in the walk with Jesus to Emmaus. Yes, “what a privilege for the two disciples and us on the road to Emmaus to meet Jesus, to listen to him explaining the Scriptures to them and us, to share in the Eucharist with Jesus.” Yes, it certainly was a wonderful privilege. Every time we celebrate the Eucharist we meet Jesus in the same way and are nourished from the one table of God’s Word and Christ’s Body. Fr Ephrem Pray Rosary: Month of May: within the cycle of a year, the Church unfolds the whole of the mystery of Christ, from his incarnation and birth until his ascension, the day of Pentecost, and the expectation of blessed hope and of the Lord’s return … In celebrating this annual cycle of Christ’s mysteries, the Church honours with special love Mary, the Blessed Mother of God, who is joined by an inseparable bond to the saving work of her Son. In her the Church holds up and admires the most excellent effect of the redemption and joyfully contemplates, as in a flawless image, that which the Church itself desires and hopes wholly to be (SC 102 & 103). May I call you to reflect our redemption through Rosary with Mother Mary in this holy month of May. A word of encouragement to the parishioners: I greatly appreciate you all for the effort you have made to continue to feed your spiritual hunger by praying together at home as and when time permits, availing spiritual services online and posting your own spiritual exercises online. I encourage you to continue to do so with earnest desire praising and thanking God for His Blessing. Stay Home, Save Life. You care for me, I care for you. I am looking forward to seeing you as soon as we are permitted to assemble. You are all in my prayer. Thank you for calling and checking on me, how I am doing and if I need any help. God is love and He loves us all. Praise be the Lord. May I suggest, daily you could pray before you retire to bed Psalm no 91 (NRSV). Fr Ephrem Let us pray for all those who are unwell especially Nesi Tan, Warren Stevenson, Eddie Wilkins, 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 and those whose anniversaries occur around this time; Patricia Nelson, Yuan Nguyen, Ted O’Donovan, Ioelu Fili, June Avery, Audrey Wearne, Margaret Peters and Ian Murray. We also remember our leaders and all those involved in providing essential services. Covid 19 - St Vincent de Paul Holy Trinity Parish. Our SVDP members and helpers continue to do weekly check-in / social calls but should you know of any other isolated people who would appreciate a check-in / social phone call or are in need of emergency food or winter bedding support, then we can still include them in our phone list. Take Care & God bless. (Contact: Tina Quidilla SVDP ph 021 159 2412, email: [email protected]). This year, Anzac Day will be like no other. Let’s all #StandAtDawn — apart, but together as one. The Anzac spirit has taught us many things; endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour and mateship. And in these unprecedented times, it’s important we unite together using all of these qualities. On Anzac Day, 25 April 2020 On Saturday, 25 April 2020 we are asking the country to unite and #StandAtDawn (6am) with your bubble, wear your poppy and listen to our special dawn service. You can stand at dawn in front of the TV, in your courtyard, in your driveway, in your garden or even your balcony. Tune into Radio NZ National (AM & FM frequencies), listen live on the internet or on your phone(download app here) for the official dawn service broadcast commencing at 6am. The morning service includes
For the next 6 weeks Pacific communities around Aotearoa can tune in weekly to Pacific language COVID-19 updates. The updates will be available in English, Cook Islands, Fijian, Kiribati, Niue, Rotuman, Samoan, Tongan, Tokelau and Tuvalu. Available on: ➡️ Wednesday - on the Ministry for Pacific Peoples Facebook page. 8am - English 9am - Cook Islands Maori 10am - Fijian 11am - Kiribati 12pm - Niue 1pm - Rotuman 2pm - Samoan 3pm - Tongan 4pm - Tokelau 5pm - Tuvalu ➡️ Thursday - on Pacific radio stations across the country. ➡️ Friday - broadcast on television at 4pm – 4.30pm on Three. People First NZ COVID-19 helpline We know that things are hard right now for many people with learning disability and their families / whānau. People First New Zealand is working together with Personal Advocacy and Safeguarding Adults Trust and IHC Advocacy to assist people during COVID-19. Do you need some help? Ring the People First New Zealand helpline on 0800 20 60 70. Vocation Sunday - 3rd May In speaking of the Gospel passage that recounts the remarkable experience of Jesus and Peter during a stormy night on the Sea of Galilee (cf. Mt 14:22-33) Pope Francis says, "Every vocation is born of that gaze of love with which the Lord came to meet us, perhaps even at a time when our boat was being battered by the storm. We will succeed in discovering and embracing our vocation once we open our hearts in gratitude and perceive the passage of God in our lives." Good Shepherd Sunday is a special day of prayer for vocations to the priesthood. Please pray for our seminarians Alfred, Matthew, Kinh and Emilio, for Gerson who is preparing to enter the seminary and for all those discerning the call to priesthood. Could someone you know become tomorrow’s priest? Pray for this person. Invite him to consider priesthood. Affirm his gifts and qualities. Encourage him to be open to the possibility of priesthood. Contact Fr David Dowling, Vocations Director: [email protected] or 021 174 4248. Visit www.wellingtonpriests.org Follow us on Facebook: Wellington Priests WHAT NEXT It was affirming to hear our Prime Minister acknowledge and thank us all for supporting the Government’s Lockdown Alert Level 4 and also for supporting each other during NZ’s efforts to prevent the spread of this Covid-19 virus. It says a lot about the Kiwi attitude and approach to life. We know that we’re in this together. We trust that those essential workers and soon, other workers too, will continue to do their best to keep themselves and us safe. We must play our part to do the same for them – “working together” to ensure the health and safety of everyone as we move into Alert Level 3 on Tues 28th. Golden Rules for life at Alert Level 3
To everyone: let us not think only of our interests, our vested interests. Let us welcome this time of trial as an opportunity to prepare for our collective future, a future for all without discarding anyone. Because without an all-embracing vision, there will be no future for anyone. Pope Francis: Homily 2nd Sun of Easter Holy Trinity Finance Committee has met by Zoom to discuss how our finances are going and also how we can continue to keep our buildings secure (at the moment) and safe for all when we get to Alert Levels 2 and 1. There is no change at Level 3 – ALL BUILDINGS REMAIN CLOSED. Be assured we have a plan, guided by expectations from the Government and the Archdiocese. Thank you for your positive responses at this time – keeping in your Bubble, praying, checking in some ways on others and more. Planned Giving Donations: If you usually make your donations via planned giving envelopes, during this lockdown time, if you can, please deposit your offering directly into the parish bank account via internet banking or at your local bank. The Parish account details are: Holy Trinity Parish BNZ Bank account number 02-0536-0185031-000. Use your planned giving number as the reference so the donation can be allocated correctly to you for your Year End tax receipt. If you usually donate without using planned giving envelopes, and if you are still able to make a donation, we encourage you also to do so via internet banking or at your local bank (using the account details above). Once the Churches are able to be safely opened again there will be a secure giving box available for cash contributions. Planned Giving Tax Receipts: Your receipts have been processed. An email copy has been sent to those we have an email address for. Printed receipts will mailed out when possible. Community Support As you’ll have seen in past few weeks’ newsletters there are many agencies available for support and assistance in addition to what we as individuals or families can do. St Vincent de Paul is actively helping within our parish and the wider area as well as contacting many parishioners with weekly check-in / social calls. Should you know of any person or any families who would appreciate a phone call or are in need of assistance please contact: Tina Quidilla SVDP 021 159 2412 [email protected] Tina and the team of fifteen others are doing a wonderful job. A few people have asked about donating to worthy causes. One suggestion of course: St Vincent de Paul: https://www.vinnies-wellington.org.nz/donate OR donations can be made to this specific COVID 19 account : Account - St Vincent de Paul Society Wellington Bank – BNZ Account Number - 02-0576-0017817-00 Reference - COVID19 Particular – e.g. your Surname to link to tax receipt. Email Vinnies ([email protected] ), with your full name and contact details if you want a tax receipt. Some other possibilities: Catholic Social Services: https://wn-catholicsocialservices.org.nz/Donate Wellington City Mission: https://wellingtoncitymission.org.nz/donate-now/ Caritas NZ: https://www.caritas.org.nz/donate Communication Our newsletter is one of the main methods of communication with parishioners. We have discovered that a number of people have not signed up to receive this. Please check with family, friends and others you may know and encourage them to email the parish office [email protected] and ask to be added to the email list. A reminder too, to download the Church App for Holy Trinity Parish from the App store – its free! Essential workers - again this week we thank you all – we couldn’t have got this far without you ! The 50th anniversary of Earth Day was Wed 22nd and May will be the 5th anniversary of Laudato Si, on Care for our Common Home, Pope Francis’ encyclical on climate change. In recent weeks many of us have had time to experience some of the beauty of our environment at home and in our local area made easy by stunning weather. The increased birdsong, so clear without traffic and aeroplane sound is an added bonus. Maybe next time you go for a walk, spend time in your garden or admire some aspect of creation one of the prayers on this site might helpful to meditate on: https://www.faithclimateactionweek.org/prayers-and-climate-blessings/
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COVID19.govt.nz has resources translated into New Zealand Sign, Simplified Chinese, Te Reo Māori, Cook Island Māori, Fijian, Niuean, Samoan, Tongan, Tuvaluan and Tokelauan.
Let us pray for all those who are unwell especially Nesi Tan, Warren Stevenson, Eddie Wilkins, 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 Jean Owen and those whose anniversaries occur around this time; Margaret Peters, Stanislawa Biskowiak and Ian Murray. We also remember our leaders and all those involved in providing essential services. Fr Ephrem is offering Mass every day from the prayer room in the presbytery at the following times Mon, Tues, Weds, Fri, Sat 9.30am Thurs 7pm Sunday 10.30am To join him live go to his Facebook page (Ephrem Tigga) If you would like Fr to offer Mass for yourself or a loved one, please contact the office by either phone or email Masses available on Television: Free to air telecast Shine TV Freeview channel 25 Sundays from 4 April – 1.35pm https://www.wn.catholic.org.nz/adw_community/resources-for-an-unusual-time/ 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. Acts 2, 42-47; 1 Pet 1, 3-9; Jn 20, 19-31 Forgiveness of sin Dear sisters and brothers, today we celebrate the second Sunday of Easter, is also called Divine Mercy Sunday by Saint pope John Paul II. And so it is the Mercy Sunday of the Lord. How does God show us His mercy? In the gospel we have the encounter of Thomas with Risen Christ. This is significance as it brings the gospel to its close. If you remember, John starts with “the Word was God” and today Thomas declares Jesus saying, “my Lord and my God”. For John, it is God who became human and thus complements the other gospels who show a man who is also God. It is with the divine authority that Jesus confers on his Church the divine power to forgive. Real forgiveness is indeed Godlike. It is not simply ‘forgive-and-forget’, but forgiveness is the knowledge that a hurt has occurred. Just as a bone, broken and merged together again, can be stronger than it was before it was broken, so forgiveness can create a real link of love on both sides, a treasured secret of divine graciousness between forgiver and forgiven. The letter of Peter is positive, full of optimism of the new Christian movement, the love, confidence and joy of looking forward to the promised inheritance. The baptism we receive is the baptism of repentance for our sins and acknowledgement of Jesus the Lord. It is a new birth into Christ brings with it a promise of an inheritance. It brings with its responsibilities and duties, and the reading mentions the trials which test us like gold in the fire. I know that I, for one, still have a lot of dross which needs to be purged away before I can confidently stand before the Lord and claim my inheritance as a son of God. After having heard John and Peter tell us, we draw our attention to Luke the evangelist. He narrates the early life of believers who followed teachings of Christ and lived their daily lives. The event is just after the Pentecost, the birth of the Church. It is a picture of peace, generosity and devotion, summed up in grateful praise of God. we have the quality of a community where the Spirit of God is given free play, an ideal to strive for. It is a community to which anyone would wish to belong, a community where love prevails, where each member is attentive to the needs of others. It is not surprising that their number was constantly on the increase. Are the pillars on which it stands the two types of prayer, in the Temple and in the Eucharist, or the resultant human goodness of generosity and joy? Perhaps, as in any community we experience, there were tensions beneath the surface, but the warmth of trust in the LORD breathes through the account and promises a solution to very problem. Dear sisters and brothers, when we have heard the word of God and been healed from our brokenness (forgiven); we create a community that lives harmoniously with one another and creation. This promises a life of peace, charity and joy and COVID-19 is helping us to build as such one. We are capable of creating a new earth order as the first followers of Jesus did, for ‘God-is-with-us’. Fr Ephrem Pray for people who are infected with COVID-19 or facing quarantine. Jesus, during Your ministry on Earth You showed Your power and caring by healing people of all ages and stations of life from physical, mental, and spiritual ailments. Be present now to people who need Your loving touch because of COVID-19. May they feel Your power of healing through the care of doctors and nurses. Take away the fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolation from people receiving treatment or under quarantine. Give them a sense of purpose in pursuing health and protecting others from exposure to the disease. Protect their families and friends and bring peace to all who love them. Through Christ our Lord. Amen NZ Catholic available online now http://www.catholic.org.nz/assets/Uploads/NZ-Catholic-Issue-587-April-19-2021.pdf THANK YOU for YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT - Planned Giving Donations: If you have envelopes during this lockdown time, if you can, please deposit your offering directly into the parish bank account: Holy Trinity Parish BNZ Bank account number 02-0536-0185031-000. Use your planned giving number as your reference so the payment can be allocated correctly. - A secure Donation box will be in each of the Church foyers for your contributions once the Churches are able to be safely opened again. - Planned Giving Receipts: Your receipts will be processed over the coming weeks. An email copy will be sent to those we have an email address for. If you do not have an email address and/or require a paper copy, receipts will be available once the lock down is over. Well done to us all ! We’ve had three weeks of our nationwide lockdown. There have been some lows and some highs but it seems that we are on track to flattening the curve. So let’s keep up the good work. This poem from Kathleen O’Meara, (pen name Grace Ramsay) an Irish poet who lived 1839-1888 is maybe as relevant for us today as it was back then. And People Stayed Home And people stayed home and read books and listened and rested and exercised and made art and played and learned new ways of being and stopped and listened deeper someone meditated someone prayed someone danced someone met their shadow and people began to think differently and people healed and in the absence of people who lived in ignorant ways, dangerous, meaningless and heartless, even the earth began to heal and when the danger ended and people found each other grieved for the dead people and they made new choices and dreamed of new visions and created new ways of life and healed the earth completely just as they were healed themselves. During this time of COVID-19 lockdown, we think of and pray for those not in our bubble – family, friends, neighbours, all our essential workers, those anxious or under stress, those who are ill and suffering and those in unfortunate situations. But it is really important that each of us is also as well as can be, and looking after our own wellbeing too. THERE ARE A SIMPLE THINGS WE CAN ALL DO TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND OTHERS. Looking after ourselves, friends and whānau - suggestions for taking care of ourselves and others especially during this time. It’s important to be up to date with the latest government guidance on how to slow the spread of COVID-19. Get the latest government advice here: https://covid19.govt.nz/ (translations available in other languages) A new website dedicated to providing information for New Zealand’s Pacific communities has been launched to help stamp out COVID-19 preparepacific.nz If you need someone to talk to, call 1737 to connect with trained counsellors for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
St Vincent de Paul Holy Trinity Parish members and helpers make weekly check-in calls. If you know of any people who would appreciate a phone call or are in need of emergency food or winter bedding support, we can still include them in our phone list. Contact: Tina Quidilla SVDP 021 159 2412, email: [email protected]). Wellington Catholic Social Services 04-385-8642 is available working by phone, text, email & Zoom. Referrals call CSS 0274055469 or emailing [email protected]
Covid 19 - St Vincent de Paul Holy Trinity Parish. Our SVDP members and helpers continue to do weekly check-in / social calls but should you know of any other isolated people who would appreciate a check-in / social phone call or are in need of emergency food or winter bedding support, then we can still include them in our phone list. Take Care & God bless. (Contact: Tina Quidilla SVDP ph 021 159 2412, email: [email protected]). Need Help – Offer Help’ – A COVID-19 Response: Contact details for groups within the Archdiocese of Wellington who are meeting needs and offering social services to support wellbeing during the lockdown is available on the Archdiocese of Wellington website page "Need help, offer help": https://www.wn.catholic.org.nz/adw_community/need-help-offer-help/ This webpage also includes details of how people can contribute, which is primarily through financial donations at this time, when goods are unable to be offered. Catholic social services (04-385-8642) social workers can also assist in connecting people to appropriate services. The page is regularly updated - please email [email protected] with any updates. The resurrection of Christ … is the victory of love over the root of evil, a victory that does not “by-pass” suffering and death, but passes through them, opening a path in the abyss, transforming evil into good: this is the unique hallmark of the power of God. Pope Francis: Urbi et Orbi message, Easter 2020 Let us pray for all those who are unwell especially Nesi Tan, Warren Stevenson, Eddie Wilkins, 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 and those whose anniversaries occur around this time; Ola Lis, Daphne Hatchwell and Henry Martin. We also remember our leaders and all those involved in providing essential services. Easter Services: Holy Thursday: 9th April 7pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper Good Friday: 10th April 3pm Solemn Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion Holy Places Collection has been transferred to Sept 13th 2020 – the date closest to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Saturday Easter Vigil: 11th April 7pm Easter Sunday: 12th April 10.30am All Masses will be streamed live by Fr Ephrem via his facebook page (Ephrem Tigga) Fr Ephrem is offering Mass every day from the prayer room in the presbytery at the following times Mon, Tues, Weds, Fri, Sat 9.30am Thurs 7pm Sunday 10.30am To join him live go to his Facebook page (Ephrem Tigga) If you would like Fr to offer Mass for yourself or a loved one, please contact the office by either phone or email Other Wellington-based Easter Triduum services follow this custom YouTube URL. https://www.youtube.com/c/MCSHWellington curtesy of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Here is the schedule they are working towards having the videos ready by: * Holy Thursday 7.30pm * Good Friday 3.00pm * Easter Vigil 7.30pm * There will be no Easter Day Mass Masses available on Television: Free to air telecast Shine TV Freeview channel 25 Sundays from 4 April – 1.35pm Good Friday 10 April – 8.30am https://www.wn.catholic.org.nz/adw_community/resources-for-an-unusual-time/ 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. Acts 10, 34. 37-43; Col 3, 1-4; Jn 20, 1-9 Hey, do you know, Jesus is RISEN! Dear sisters and brothers, the whole world is hush hush s s s ... everyone is in shockingly aware of the rising of Christ from death. Yes, Jesus Christ is Risen has from the dead and lives forever. We have partaken in the banquet of Resurrection, Let us sing the song of Alleluia. This Holy Week is witnessed as never before. COVID-19 seems to be threatening to wipe humanity from the earth. Fear has gripped the world in a manner never experienced before. We are driven to lockdown from all public events and face to face engagements even with our loved ones. We are led to prayer in unison and engage ourselves to be still, paying attention to the event unfolding with silence in our private homes, and making space for God into our heart. Families have once again become the domestic church, society and to the world. Holy Week shows us God loves us infinitely and unconditionally and calls us to love Him and live in that love with faith and practice. The emptiness and darkness of Good Friday, Jesus brings light; in our fears, Jesus brings us hope; in our hatred, he brings us love; and these transform us to a new way of living and acting in faith. It teaches us the important of life hereafter. It is time to grow in love, patience and tolerance, comforting those who are distressed. Because, God the Father in Jesus Christ holds us gently in his embrace. Given us new life in His Son’s resurrection. When we pray, God holds space for you and me, and we in turn offer ‘a silence in which another voice may speak.’ We also offer that space to others, as individuals or as a community; by ensuring we have a place of welcome and hope, ‘imbued with the gentle presence of the risen Jesus. Christ has won for us eternal life, obtaining forgiveness from our sins. The ultimate winner is Christ and a new day has dawned for us. World has no power over us. Let us rejoice and be glad, Christ is Risen. Alleluia! I wish you all a blessed and holy Easter. Keep safe in your bubble and be kind to one another. God bless you all Fr Ephrem Pray for people who are infected with COVID-19 or facing quarantine. Jesus, during Your ministry on Earth You showed Your power and caring by healing people of all ages and stations of life from physical, mental, and spiritual ailments. Be present now to people who need Your loving touch because of COVID-19. May they feel Your power of healing through the care of doctors and nurses. Take away the fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolation from people receiving treatment or under quarantine. Give them a sense of purpose in pursuing health and protecting others from exposure to the disease. Protect their families and friends and bring peace to all who love them. Through Christ our Lord. Amen Covid 19 - St Vincent de Paul Holy Trinity Parish. Our SVDP members and helpers continue to do weekly check-in / social calls but should you know of any other isolated people who would appreciate a check-in / social phone call or are in need of emergency food or winter bedding support, then we can still include them in our phone list. Take Care & God bless. (Contact: Tina Quidilla SVDP ph 021 159 2412, email: [email protected]). HOLY WEEK is an important time in our Faith life. While we often think about Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday as separate days or liturgies – they are really part of the one whole story. The rituals that we usually experience in our Churches involve strong symbols and messages: a cross – our weakness and failures, saved by God’s love, a shared meal, washing of feet – a call to love and service, a cross – suffering and death – our weakness and failures, darkness and light, water – life – Christ with us, in and among us. Alleluia! Dan Schutte, an American composer, has created a virtual Holy Week celebration – including music and song, scripture and comment. You may like to view it in a way that suits your situation at home. Here is the link: https://www.danschuttemusic.com/wordpressstore/easter-triduum/ In these days of lockdown, the internet is for many people an important way to stay in touch. We need to be aware of our internet safety and not fall for scams or get tricked into giving away private information. For online safety tips & advice, or report concern: https://www.netsafe.org.nz/stayconnectedstaysafe/ Fr Ephrem celebrates the anniversary of his ordination on the 14th April. We congratulate him and wish him well. Need Help – Offer Help’ – A COVID-19 Response: Contact details for groups within the Archdiocese of Wellington who are meeting needs and offering social services to support wellbeing during the lockdown is available on the Archdiocese of Wellington website page "Need help, offer help": https://www.wn.catholic.org.nz/adw_community/need-help-offer-help/ This webpage also includes details of how people can contribute, which is primarily through financial donations at this time, when goods are unable to be offered. Catholic social services (04-385-8642) social workers can also assist in connecting people to appropriate services. The page is regularly updated - please email [email protected] with any updates. Planned Giving Receipts. Your receipts will be processed over the coming weeks. I will update you when these are ready and will email a copy to those I have an email address for. If you do not have an email address and require a paper copy, your reciepts will be available once the lock down is over. If you have envelopes and would like to continue making contributions to planned giving during the lockdown, our bank account is Holy Trinity Parish BNZ Bank account number 02-0536-0185031-000. Use your planned giving number as your reference so the payment can be allocated correctly. Thank you The tragedy we are experiencing summons us to take seriously the things that are serious, and not to be caught up in those that matter less; to rediscover that life is of no use if not used to serve others. For life is measured by love. Pope Francis tweet 7 April 2020 Let's kill this virus! 1. Wet hands with running water 🤲 2. Apply soap all over 🧼 3. Scrub, scrub, scrub 4. Rinse thoroughly 🚿 5. Dry Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is launching a Pandemic Appeal in response to the global spread of COVID-19. The funds raised from this appeal will help vulnerable communities across the Pacific and around the world as they work to prevent, prepare for and respond to the effects of the disease. Please visit caritas.org.nz/covid-19-pandemic-appeal to learn how your support helps to save the lives of people most in need. You can also call 04 496 1742 or 0800 22 10 22 and leave your name and phone number and a Caritas staff member will be in touch.
Let us pray for all those who are unwell especially Nesi Tan, Warren Stevenson, Eddie Wilkins, 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 and those whose anniversaries occur around this time; Maria Arlukiewicz, Leonard Maxim, William Corkery, Peter Hopkins and Patrick Connolly. We also remember our leaders and all those involved in providing essential services. 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. From 5th April Fr Ephrem is offering Mass every day from the prayer room in the presbytery at the following times Mon, Tues, Weds, Fri, Sat 9.30am Thurs 7pm Sunday 10.30am To join him live go to his Facebook page (Ephrem Tigga) If you would like Fr to offer Mass for yourself or a loved one, please contact the office by either phone or email Easter Services: Holy Thursday: 9th April (no morning Mass) 7pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper Good Friday: 10th April 3pm Solemn Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion Holy Places Collection has been transferred to Sept 13th 2020 – the date closest to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Saturday Easter Vigil: 11th April 7pm Easter Sunday: 12th April 10.30am All Masses will be streamed live by Fr Ephrem via his facebook page (Ephrem Tigga) Sent out as a separate attachment with this newsletter is “Holy Week in a bubble” from Fr Patrick Bridgman offering suggestions for prayer at home starting with Palm Sunday and from Fr Ephrem the Stations of the Cross for you to pray at home Is 50, 4-7; Phil 2, 6-11; Matt 26, 14-27, 66 Have no fear, God is with us Dear sisters and brothers, there cannot be more dramatic and contrast scene of joy and sadness Palm Sunday brings. Both the emotions are so intense and heart rending. Today’s celebration set tone for the Holy Week and the celebration of Jesus’ Passover to eternal life through calvary. Let me tell you the accounts of the passion given by the four evangelists are not identical. The basic outline of these dreadful events was clear enough. It is confirmed by the contemporary Jewish historian Josephus, who tells us that Jesus was crucified by Pontius Pilate at the instigation of the Jewish leaders. The task of the gospel-writers is not to relay to us the raw facts, but to help us understand their significance. Each evangelist stresses a particular aspect in the passion of Jesus. John under lines triumph of Jesus and his divinity; Matthew’s preoccupation with Judaism dictates and shows in detail how the events accord with God’s plan revealed in the scriptures. The apocalyptic earthquake and the blessed dead who were released from grave entered into the Holy city. Dear sisters and brothers, today we are in an unprecedented time of human suffering. A Passion we globally undergoing together in the form of Corona Virus. I assure you this is the beginning of good time to come; but we must persevere in the law of community good protecting each individual human life that exist, there is not time of discrimination. This is the time of purification leading us to the Resurrection of Christ. St Paul remind us selfless love of Jesus in the letter to the Philippians. So, humbly we raise our hymns of worship to Christ that is due to him, for ‘the glory of God the Father’. We acknowledge and believe Christ’s words and action and follow the example He has set for us. His love for us and our love for Him will see us through at this time of suffering and fear. Let us trust and have faith in Him. Have no fear, God is with us. May God bless and help us transform to His way of life. Fr Ephrem Covid 19 - St Vincent de Paul Holy Trinity Parish. During the first week of the lockdown period, we have compiled a phone list of 34 households, consisting of elderly & families within & outside of the parish. Our SVDP members and helpers continue to do at least weekly check-in / social calls in the next 4 weeks, so we know how people are getting on. We have identified 6 households in our community in greatest hardship to receive weekly food parcels for the duration of the lockdown period delivered to their homes by the Vinnies Centre foodbank Newtown. Should you know of any other isolated people who would appreciate a check-in / social phone call or are in need of emergency food or winter bedding support, then we can still include them in our phone list. Take Care & God bless. (Contact: Tina Quidilla SVDP ph 021 159 2412, email: [email protected]). HOLY WEEK This coming week Holy Week, is the highlight of the Church’s Liturgical Year. We will not be in our church buildings this year, but we can in our own ways, walk with Jesus from his Last Supper table to the Garden of Gethsemane and to Calvary; then to the tomb on Easter Sunday and the fullness of the joy of Easter, Jesus Christ, alive in each of us, his Church on earth. X Pray XRead Scripture XReflect XPray XMeditate XShare a meal or a conversation Xbe Thankful XPray Xbe Kind PRAYER AND REFLECTION Here are two links for those of you who may like to access some online prayer and spiritual reading over the next little while: Father James Lyons (& others) have excellent material here.
A choice of Masses on-line:
God, our creator, many are anxious at this time of our “bubble lockdowns.” Help us to remember that you are with us in our hearts and in our actions. Even as we are distant from others, may we find ways to reach out to those who need support. We remember especially those whose jobs are at risk, for those who are lonely, isolated, hungry, scared or unsafe. We thank you for all those working is essential services. We pray that they have strength and courage for what may lie ahead. Let us remember that every time we wash our hands, you call each of us through the waters of Baptism, to fear not, trust in your ways and to live in peace and hope. Due to Covid-19 restrictions and the Government’s rules to stop delivery of printed ‘community’ newspapers and magazines, WelCom has been adapted as an online publication. Printed copies will not be available during New Zealand’s lockdown. The link to the WelCom website to read this month’s newspaper online is: https://www.wn.catholic.org.nz/adw_welcom/welcom-april-2020-issue-381/
The Archdiocesan website www.wn.catholic.org.nz is being regularly updated with changes in restrictions, news and resources. Please check in for both information and spiritual resources. Planned Giving Receipts. Your receipts will be processed over the coming weeks. I will update you when these are ready and will email a copy to those I have an email address for. If you do not have an email address and require a paper copy, your reciepts will be available once the lock down is over. If you have envelopes and would like to continue making contributions to planned giving during the lockdown, our bank account is Holy Trinity Parish BNZ Bank account number 02-0536-0185031-000. Use your planned giving number as your reference so the payment can be allocated correctly. Thank you We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other. On this boat… are all of us. Pope Francis: Extraordinary Moment of Prayer, 27 March 2020 Understanding COVID-19: Included as separate attachment witl this newsletter is an article written by R.J.Meech, MNZM. MB.ChB. FRACP, a specialist in Infectious Diseases and circulated in the Napier Parish. |
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October 2020
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