​Dear brothers and sisters today we celebrate the feast of Christ ascension.
The feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ commemorates the bodily Ascension of his in to heaven. This is the crowning of his Easter victory over sin and death. We Christians believe that Jesus Christ after his resurrection has gone back to heaven where he came from. Is it proper to say therefore, that Jesus has left us and gone to live somewhere far from us? The Ascension is not really about Jesus going away. Rather it is about Jesus becoming the Lord of heaven and earth. Jesus is no longer physically present to his disciples. But the Gospel of today’s mass ends with Jesus’ promise that he would remain with his disciples right to the end of time. The Ascension then must be seen not so much in terms of Jesus ‘leaving’, as Jesus ‘becoming the Lord.’ Jesus was crowned with glory by his Father after his victory over sin, evil and especially death. Our second reading of today says, ‘The Father has made him Lord of all creation.’ This is the essential meaning of the ascension.  Jesus, then, hasn’t left
us. He has simply taken on a new role, a new position. He who made himself our brother has now become one Lord and advocate with the Father.                                                           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.

HOLY TRINITY PARISH MASS - 10AM SUNDAY 11th June AT ST PATRICK’S CHURCH
We will be celebrating Holy Trinity Sunday Mass together at St Patrick’s Church. 
For those who are unable to be at this Mass,
there will be the 5.30pm Vigil Mass at St Patrick’s Church.
Morning tea will be in the Parish Centre after Mass, so please bring a plate of food to share.
Please note: These will be the only 2 Masses in the Parish on the 11th June  

Archdiocese of Wellington 2017 Priest Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving
This will be held at St Patrick’s Church, Kilbirnie Tuesday 20th June 2017 at 11am.
All are welcome to join the priests of the Archdiocese at the Mass of Thanksgiving.
Please note: This will be the only Mass in the Parish on this day.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 28th May – 4th June
There will be a Christian Unity Prayer Service at Holy Cross Church 7pm Thursday 1st June.
Please note this is a different time from that advertised in the last newsletter.
Everyone welcome

RCIA Team  A team from Holy Trinity Parish is again preparing to run the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for the Eastern suburbs. The RCIA is the process for welcoming new adult members into the Catholic Church.  It begins in May/June with a number of Inquiry sessions for those interested in Catholicism.
The process involves the whole Church community in one way of another.  What can you do?
•           First, you can pray for the success of the RCIA.
•           Second, you can tell people you know who may be interested in becoming Catholics about        the Inquiry sessions
•           Third, for further information, watch this space or contact the parish office.

Fr Gregory will be away from the 1st – 17th June to attend the Capuchin Provincial Elective Chapter in India.  
 

Refugee Help Wanted, please
 
Our next intake of former refugee families to Wellington is coming in June and once again we are asking for your help to make it possible to welcome them to a fully equipped home - certainly not something they will have had for a very long time. This time our Parish will be responsible for a family of 5 (4 adults and 1 teenage girl).
There are two main ways you may be able to help:
We need the following items (enough for 5 people) left in the labelled boxes in your Church foyer please: cutlery; cooking utensils;stock pot; electric blender/beater; large serving spoon; kitchen rubbish bin; small rubbish bin for bathroom; iron; washing basket and pegs; single and double sheets; single and double duvet covers and inners; pillow cases; new pillows; blankets, single mattress protector; towels; handtowels; face coths; bathmats; tea towels; table cloth; dust pan and brush; and broom. We have already collected many other items, so the list is not so long this time!
Any over-supply of items will simply be stored until the next time, so please be assured that any contribution you make will get to the refugees. Cash donations are also always welcome to cover any shortfall in items collected and can be left in any regular collection in an envelope labelled "refugees".   All money goes directly to buying needed items now or for future in-takes.
If you are able to help setup a House on 22 June in the evening, around 6pm, please contact Annette Bridgman on 3889704 or [email protected] (please note you'd also need to be available on the 20th June evening for 1 hour of training if you haven't done this before).
 
Thank you so much for your on-going commitment to making our former refugees welcome in Aotearoa NZ

St Patrick’s Children’s Choir Practice after 10am Mass (Sunday 28th May)
There will be a half hour practice after 10am Mass today for those involved in the children’s choir for next Sunday.

The St Catherine's College PTA warmly invites you and family and friends to join us for our inaugural fundraising auction at the Pines to raise funds for new technology at the College. 
There is a great catalogue of items to be auctioned from weekends at a bach in Wairarapa, Interislander travel vouchers, Householders dream- a team of tradesman for 4 hours, wonderful artworks from Seatoun's finest artists, and much more. Come for a fun-filled night to support St Catherine's.
Tickets from St Catherine's College office or email [email protected]. See you there.


St Catherine’s College Open Days and Evening Wednesday 31 May 2017 1.15 – 3.15pm Sunday 11 June 2017 1.00 – 3.00pm
Tuesday 8 August 2017 Evening 5.45 - 7.00pm 

The Order of Malta is a Catholic charity raising funds to supply ‘Coats for the Homeless’ in Wellington. We ran a successful appeal in 2012. The coats will be distributed by the Compassion Centre in Tory Street, Wellington.
The coats can also double as a small blanket and cost $60 each.  All donations are tax deductible.
Flyers with details on how to donate a coat are in the church foyer.  Further information can be obtained from [email protected] or phone 021 325 884.

Vinnies is rounding up the team! Our upcoming Street Day Appeal is on Friday 16 June. If you are available for 1-2 hours to be a collector (in particular the city precinct) please contact Ana on [email protected]. Alternatively, we have parish conference presidents who will also advise you on locations within residential areas. We thank you for the continued support of our mission to help neighbours in need.

ABLAZE 2017 - Celebrate 50 years of Charismatic Renewal! Pentecost Sunday 4th June, 2 - 4pm at St Joseph's Church, Mt Victoria. Includes Praise & Worship, testimonies, teaching, fellowship and ministry.  Guest Speaker Fr John Rea. For more info call Rainer on 021 155 8258 or email [email protected]

Holy Cross School News:
Good in the Hood
Our school is being supported through Z Miramar's “Good in the Hood” initiative – so if you need petrol, please buy it from Z Miramar during May and pop your orange token into the Holy Cross slot.
Entertainment Books
The Wellington Entertainment Book offers loads of savings for cafes, restaurants and activities – lots of 25% discounts or two for one deals. At $65, it represents great value. It is available in book or digital form and the school benefits from each sale. A great gift for a family member. You can also buy for family and friends in other parts of New Zealand through our link. Order your book online here:https://www.entertainmentbook.co.nz/orderbooks/943q153 or contact the school office.

There is a time for….. A family companion for every season
We only have 15 copies to sell available from the Parish Office $25
A beautiful book of prayers and poems draws its inspiration from the people and landscapes of Aotearoa - New Zealand. It touches on themes that affect us all - joy and sorrow, hurt and celebration - and demonstrates how easily families can incorporate prayer and reflection into everyday situations.

The First Spiritual Exercises – a Retreat in daily life based on the Spiritual Exercises  of St Ignatius of Loyola. We meet at St Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 60 Knights  Rd, Lower Hutt, for 5 Thursday evenings: 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 June 2017 from 7:30- 9:30pm. The cost will be $30 plus $25 for the Guide Book (essential). Assistance is
available for those who might find the cost a barrier to attending. To book or for further information contact: Sarah Dench 04 389 1038 or 021 0814 4424 or  [email protected]

Compassion calendar of events for June – see noticeboard at the back of the Church for details.

COMMISSIONING SERVICE INVITATION You are warmly invited to a Service of Welcome
The Reverend Joy Hamilton-Jones To be commissioned as Ecumenical Chaplain, Wellington Hospital
In the Wellington Hospital Chapel uesday 6th June 2017 at 6pm Light Refreshments to follow  RSVP by 30th May 2017 to: [email protected]

Synod 2017 - Go you are sent...
Copies of the Synod Participation Booklet have been sent to parishes. It is not possible to provide everyone with a copy, so it is also available on the Archdiocese’s website www.wn.catholic.org.nz (see Synod ’17 section on the homepage).
 
Before you decide upon your response read the section “Using this Document” in the Booklet. You can provide input on all the topics, a few of them or just one of them. Responses can be made by individuals or by groups. The topics in the Booklet are:
 
Go you are sent…to find leaders
Go you are sent…to the peripheries of society
Go you are sent…to deepen our bicultural relationship
Go you are sent…as members of the one Body of Christ (ethnic diversity)
Go you are sent…to your own peripheries (those who may feel unwelcome in the Church)
Go you are sent…to refugees and migrants
Go you are sent…to care for creation
Go you are sent…to fellow Christians
Go you are sent…to accompany one another (young people)
Go you are sent…to support marriage and families.
 
Responses can be submitted by individuals and groups in various ways:
Email: download the Word document “Synod participation response” on the website of the Archdiocese of Wellington. The link to the file is on the website’s homepage under the Synod ’17 heading. Put in your response and email to [email protected].
Online: follow the link on the Archdiocese of Wellington website homepage (under Synod ’17) to the questions online.
Postal response: handwrite or type your response into the document “Synod participation response”, from the Archdiocese’s website (see Email above) or it can be posted to you if you ring Anne Dickinson 04 496 1793.  Post your response to Anne Dickinson, Archdiocese of Wellington, P O Box 1937, WELLINGTON 6140
Verbal response: if there are reasons why you find it difficult to make a written response you are welcome to ring Anne Dickinson 04 496 1793 to see if it is possible to provide a verbal response.
 
 
 
 
 
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Ko te Wā Karakia mō te Kotahitanga o Ngā Hāhi Karaitiana
28 May to 4 June 2017
Biblical Reflections and Prayers for personal and group use
 
Adapted for parishes in Aotearoa New Zealand by the Catholic Bishops Committee for Ecumenism. The full resource jointly prepared and published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches can be found at http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/index.htm Select Pontifical Councils – Promoting Christian Unity – Spiritual Ecumenism at the International Level – Booklets published in preparation for the “2017” week — English. New Zealand website: www.catholic.org.nz — Ecumenism
 
DAY 1                          One has died for all (2 Cor. 5:14)
Isaiah 53:4-12               He gave his life as an atoning sacrifice.
Ps. 118: 1,14-29            God did not abandon me to death.
1 John 2:1-2                  Christ died for all.
John 15:13-17               Giving his life for his friends.
 
Jesus did not die just for his own people, nor for those who sympathized with his teachings; He died for all people, past, present and future. Faithful to the Gospel, many Christians down the centuries have laid down their lives for their friends. One such person was Saint Maximilian Kolbe, who was imprisoned in the concentration camp at Auschwitz and who in 1941 willingly gave up his life so that a fellow prisoner could live. Because Jesus died for all, all have died with him (2 Cor 5:14). What does it mean to say that Jesus died for all? The German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: “I am a brother to another person through what Jesus Christ did for me and to me; the other person has become a brother to me through what Jesus Christ did for him.”
Prayer
God our Father, in Jesus you gave us the one who died for all. He lived our life and died our death. You accepted his sacrifice and raised him to new life with you. Grant that we, who have died with him, may be made one by the Holy Spirit and live in the abundance of your divine presence now and for ever. Amen.
 
Day 2                           Live no longer for themselves (2 Cor. 5:15)
Micah 6:6-8                   God has told you what is good.
Ps. 25:1-5                     God of my salvation, show me your ways.
1 John 4:19-21              We love because God first loved us.
Mt. 16:24-26                  Those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
 
Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we live in the life-giving power of Christ, who lived, died, and rose again for us. When we ‘lose’ our life for his sake, we gain it. The prophets were constantly faced with questions concerning the right way to live before God. The prophet Micah found a very clear answer to this question: “To do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.” The author of Psalm 25 knew that we cannot do this by ourselves and cried out to God for guidance and strength.
Prayer
God our Father, in Jesus Christ you have freed us for a life that goes beyond ourselves. Guide us with your Spirit and help us to orient our lives as brothers and sisters in Christ, who lived, suffered, died and rose again for us, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
 
Day 3:                          We regard no one according to the flesh (2 Cor. 5:16)
1 Sam. 16:1, 6-7            The Lord looks not at outward appearances but at the heart.
Ps. 19:7-13                   The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes.
Acts 9:1-19                   Saul becomes Paul.
Mt. 5:1-12                     The Beatitudes.
 
Encountering Christ turns everything upside down. Saint Paul had that experience on the road to Damascus. For the first time he could see Jesus for who he really was: the Saviour of the world. His perspective changed completely. He had to lay
his human, worldly judgment aside. We often judge according to human standards. We make claims or do things “in the name of the Lord” that in reality may be self-serving. In submitting ourselves to the rule of Christ today, we are called to see
others as God sees them, without mistrust or prejudice.
Prayer
Triune God, you are the origin and goal of all living things. Forgive us when we only think of ourselves and are blinded by our own standards. Open our hearts and our eyes. Teach us to be loving, accepting and gracious, so that we may grow in the unity which is your gift. To you be honour and praise, now and for ever. Amen.
 
Day 4:                          Everything old has passed away (2 Cor. 5:17)
Gen. 19:15-26               Don’t look back.
Ps. 77: 5-15                  God is always faithful.
Phil. 3: 7-14                  Forgetting what lies behind.
Luke 9:57-62                 Keep your hand on the plough.
 
Looking back can be helpful and is often necessary for the healing of memories. It can also paralyze us and prevent us from living in the present. Saint Paul’s message here is liberating: “Everything old has passed away”. The Bible encourages us to keep the past in mind, to draw strength from our memories, and to remember what good God has done. But it also asks us to leave the old, even what was good, in order to follow Christ and live a new life in him. What could we learn by reading together the history of our divisions and mutual mistrust?
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today and for ever. Heal the wounds of our past, bless our pilgrimage towards unity today and guide us into your future, when you will be all in all, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen
 
Day 5:                          Everything has become new (2 Cor. 5:17)
Ez. 36:25-27                 Receiving a new heart from God.
Ps. 126                         Being filled with joy.
Col. 3:9-17                    Being renewed in Christ.
John 3:1-8                    Being born in the Spirit.
 
Saint Paul encountered Christ, the risen Lord, and became a renewed person. God lives in us by the power of the Holy Spirit and lets us share in the life of the Holy Trinity. This new life becomes visible when we allow it to take shape and live it out in “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” The more we are in Christ, the closer we are to each other. On this 500th anniversary of the
Reformation, we remember both the achievements and tragedies of our history. The love of Christ compels us to actively seek unity and reconciliation.
Prayer
Triune God, you reveal yourself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and yet you are one. You break through our human boundaries and renew us. Give us a new heart to overcome all that endangers our unity in you. We pray in the name of Christ Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
 
Day 6:                          God reconciled us to himself (2 Cor. 5:18)
Gen. 17:1-8                   God makes a covenant with Abraham
Ps. 98                           The world has seen the victory of God
Rom. 5:6-11                  God reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ
Luke 2:8-14                   Proclamation of the good news
 
Reconciliation is fascinating and terrifying at the same time; it means renouncing our desire for power and recognition. In Jesus Christ, God graciously reconciles us to himself even though we have turned away from him. God's action goes beyond even this: He reconciles not only humanity, but the whole of creation to himself. Similarly all churches are called to bring forth reconciliation in their communities.
Prayer
Merciful God, out of love you made a covenant with your people. Empower us to resist all forms of discrimination. Let the gift of your loving covenant fill us with joy and inspire us to greater unity. Through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen.
 
Day 7:                          The ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-19)
Gen. 50:15-21               Joseph is reconciled with his brothers
Ps. 72                           God’s kingdom brings righteousness and peace
1 John 3:16b-21            God’s love compels us to love one another
John 17:20-26               Jesus prays for the unity of his church
 
Reconciliation between God and us is the key reality of our Christian faith. Paul was convinced that the love of Christ compels us to bring God’s reconciliation to bear in all aspects of our life. Today this leads us to examine our consciences in relation to our divisions. God gives the grace needed for the healing of broken relationships, including the work of overcoming divisions within Christianity.
Prayer
God of all goodness, we give you thanks for reconciling us and the whole world to yourself in Christ. Empower us, our congregations and our churches in ministries of reconciliation. Heal our hearts and help us to spread your peace. “Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy”. We pray in the name of Christ Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
 
Day 8:                          Reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20)
Micah 4:1-5                   In the last days justice will reign.
Ps. 87                           Glorious things are spoken of God.
Rev. 21:1-5a                 God will make a new heaven and a new earth.
John 20:11-18               Meeting the risen Christ leads to personal mission.
 
These readings speak of the day when the whole perfected creation finally arrives at its goal, the fulfilment of God´s reign, the day when God will be all in all, when suffering will be transformed into joy, when the Church will be revealed in her beauty and grace as the one body of Christ. Wherever we gather in the Spirit to sing together about the fulfilment of God’s promises, the heavens break open and
we begin here and now to dance to the melody of eternity. As we can already experience this presence of heaven, let us celebrate together.
Prayer
Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we thank you for this week of prayer, for being together as Christians and for the different ways we have experienced your presence. Let us always praise your holy name together so that we may continue to grow in unity and reconciliation. Amen.

 

​Through the voice of his Church, Christ speaks to us as he spoke to his disciples when he was still physically present among them. He says to us what he said to them: ‘If you love me, keep my commandments.’ We couldn’t possibly call ourselves his followers if we didn’t listen to his words and try to live by them. Commandments, rules, lists of do’s and don’ts, are not exactly popular these days. And yet in a sense the need for laws and rules is greater today than ever.
                At least four times during the last supper Christ said these or similar words: ‘If you love me keep my commandments.’ What commandment was he talking about? Clearly he didn’t mean the Ten Commandments. If we look through the Gospels we find the answer. There we find certain do’s and don’ts he talked about. However, we are not so much talking about defined rules and commandments here as guidelines and signposts he left his followers. We are talking about a new spirit, a whole set of new values, and attitudes towards God, towards others, towards life itself. It is the spirit above all matters. Without it any list of rules is meaningless. How can we call ourselves his followers if we do not take seriously the things he urged his followers to do?                                                                                             
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.

HOLY TRINITY PARISH MASS - 10AM SUNDAY 11th June
AT ST PATRICK’S CHURCH
We will be celebrating Holy Trinity Sunday Mass together at St Patrick’s Church. 
For those who are unable to be at this Mass,
there will be the 5.30pm Vigil Mass at St Patrick’s Church.
Morning tea will be in the Parish Centre after Mass, so please bring a plate of food to share.
Please note: These will be the only 2 Masses in the Parish on the 11th June  

All parishioners are invited to a Synod workshop with Cardinal John to take place for the North Island parishes of the Archdiocese at Bishop Viard College Hall,
20 Kenepuru Dr, Porirua 1.30pm-4.30pm on Saturday 27 May.

RCIA Team
A team from Holy Trinity Parish is again preparing to run the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for the Eastern suburbs.
The RCIA is the process for welcoming new adult members into the Catholic Church.  It begins in May/June with a number of Inquiry sessions for those interested in Catholicism.
The process involves the whole Church community in one way of another.  What can you do?
•           First, you can pray for the success of the RCIA.
•           Second, you can tell people you know who may be interested in becoming Catholics about        the Inquiry sessions
•           Third, for further information, watch this space or contact the parish office.
 

Archdiocese of Wellington 2017 Priest Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving
This will be held at St Patrick’s Church, Kilbirnie Tuesday 20th June 2017 at 11am.
All are welcome to join the priests of the Archdiocese at the Mass of Thanksgiving.
Please note: This will be the only Mass in the Parish on this day.
 

On the 28th May at St Patrick’s 10am Mass, there will be an RCIA adult baptism and Allan Mansell will be   confirmed. Please keep them in your prayers

Calling all church musicians  Come to an archdiocesan workshop on music in the liturgy - a chance to pool ideas about how best to tap into this rich resource to better celebrate the joy of liturgy. There is also the possibility of forming a network of musicians throughout the diocese to share ideas, issues and resources. Thursday 25 May in the Catholic Centre board room, second floor. Cup of tea at 6.45pm with the workshop starting at 7 and finishing around 8.30. Important to RSVP to [email protected]

The St Catherine's College PTA warmly invites you and family and friends to join us for our inaugural fundraising auction at the Pines to raise funds for new technology at the College. 
There is a great catalogue of items to be auctioned from weekends at a bach in Wairarapa, Interislander travel  vouchers , Householders dream- a team of tradesman for 4 hours, wonderful artworks from Seatoun's finest artists, and much more. Come for a fun-filled night to support St Catherine's.
Tickets from St Catherine's College office or email [email protected]. See you there.


St Catherine’s College  Open Days and Evening Wednesday 31 May 2017 1.15 – 3.15pm Sunday 11 June 2017 1.00 – 3.00pm
Tuesday 8 August 2017 Evening 5.45 - 7.00pm 

There is a time for….. A family companion for every season
We only have 15 copies to sell available from the Parish Office $25
A beautiful book of prayers and poems draws its inspiration from the people and landscapes of Aotearoa - New Zealand. It touches on themes that affect us all - joy and sorrow, hurt and celebration - and demonstrates how easily families can incorporate prayer and reflection into everyday situations.

The Order of Malta is a Catholic charity raising funds to supply ‘Coats for the Homeless’ in Wellington. We ran a successful appeal in 2012. The coats will be distributed by the Compassion Centre in Tory Street, Wellington.
The coats can also double as a small blanket and cost $60 each.  All donations are tax deductible.
Flyers with details on how to donate a coat are in the church foyer.  Further information can be obtained from [email protected] or phone 021 325 884.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
28th May – 4th June
There will be a Christian Unity Prayer Service at Holy Cross Church 7.30pm Tuesday 30th May. Everyone welcome
Solidarity means fighting against the structural causes of poverty and inequality; of the lack of work, land and housing; and of the denial of social and labour rights.   Pope Francis.

Vinnies is rounding up the team!
Our upcoming Street Day Appeal is on Friday 16 June. If you are available for 1-2 hours to be a collector (in particular the city precinct) please contact Ana on [email protected]. Alternatively we have parish conference presidents who will also advise you on locations within residential areas. We thank you for the continued support of our mission to help neighbours in need.

ABLAZE 2017 - Celebrate 50 years of Charismatic Renewal! Pentecost Sunday 4th June, 2 - 4pm at St Joseph's Church, Mt Victoria. Includes Praise & Worship, testimonies, teaching, fellowship and ministry.  Guest Speaker Fr John Rea. For more info call Rainer on 021 155 8258 or email [email protected]

Holy Hour You are invited to a Holy Hour on Tuesday 23 May beginning at 7.30 pm in the cathedral chapel to pray for vocations to priesthood and religious life.  This Holy Hour will include prayers, Scripture, times of silence, praise and worship and concluding with Benediction followed by supper.  We congratulate Fr Cirilo Barlis on his ordination to the priesthood.

Holy Cross School News:
Good in the Hood
Our school is being supported through Z Miramar's “Good in the Hood” initiative – so if you need petrol, please buy it from Z Miramar during May and pop your orange token into the Holy Cross slot.
Entertainment Books
The Wellington Entertainment Book offers loads of savings for cafes, restaurants and activities – lots of 25% discounts or two for one deals. At $65, it represents great value. It is available in book or digital form and the school benefits from each sale. A great gift for a family member. You can also buy for family and friends in other parts of New Zealand through our link. Order your book online here:https://www.entertainmentbook.co.nz/orderbooks/943q153 or contact the school office.

St Patrick’s College open Day Sunday 11th June 1.30 – 4pm

The First Spiritual Exercises – a Retreat in daily life based on the Spiritual Exercises  of St Ignatius of Loyola. We meet at St Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 60 Knights  Rd, Lower Hutt, for 5 Thursday evenings: 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 June 2017 from 7:30- 9:30pm. The cost will be $30 plus $25 for the Guide Book (essential). Assistance is
available for those who might find the cost a barrier to attending. To book or for further information contact: Sarah Dench 04 389 1038 or 021 0814 4424 or  [email protected]

​Jesus is our way, our truth and our life. As our Gospel of today says, to have eternal life is to believe in him whom God sent. This is a reality for us now and it guides our life, in matters of great and small. At the core of this reality is trust that is the capacity to entrust all that we have and are to the living God and to his son, raised from the dead. The truth: God exists, God loves everything is possible even eternal life. We will never understand faith if we don’t welcome Jesus as the way, the truth and the life.
     We wish, “Happy Mother’s Day” to all our mothers as we celebrate our mother’s today.  Dear mothers we want to tell you all that you are the sweetest gift that we have ever received from God. We salute today all our mothers of the Holy Trinity and express our heartfelt gratitude for your selfless love and sacrifice you make for us. Have a wonderful day.  May God bless you all.                                                                                                         
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.

To all Mothers,
may your day be blessedand filled with love, joy and laughter.

 25th Jubilee Mass for Fr Gregory – Tues 16th May 10am at St Patrick’s Church
 
Fr Gregory will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of his ordination
 on Tuesday 16th May. All parishioners are invited to join him for Mass at 10am at St Patrick’s and stay for a cup of tea afterwards.
Please note: this will be the only Mass in the Parish on Tuesday 16th
 For those unable to attend, there will a special morning tea after 10am Sunday Mass on the 21st May at St Patrick’s Church.  Please bring a plate of food to share.

All parishioners are invited to a Synod workshop with Cardinal John to take place for the North Island parishes of the Archdiocese at Bishop Viard College Hall,
20 Kenepuru Dr, Porirua 1.30pm-4.30pm on Saturday 27 May.

Farewell Fr Mario
Fr Mario leaves us and returns to the Philippines.
We wish him well and have enjoyed having him back in Wellington.
Come join in a farewell cup of tea after the 10am Mass today at St Patrick’s Church

Liturgy of the Word with Communion.  In the near future, we will be introducing Liturgies of the Word with Communion on Mondays in our Parish. To this end we are looking for leaders to be on a roster to take these Liturgies. If you are available on a Monday morning and would be capable of leading a liturgy please contact Fr Ephrem 388 6953 or [email protected] so training sessions and commissioning can be organised.
Closing date to register your interest Friday 19th May 2017

RCIA Team
A team from Holy Trinity Parish is again preparing to run the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for the Eastern suburbs.
The RCIA is the process for welcoming new adult members into the Catholic Church.  It begins in May/June with a number of Inquiry sessions for those interested in Catholicism.
The process involves the whole Church community in one way of another.  What can you do?
•           First, you can pray for the success of the RCIA.
•           Second, you can tell people you know who may be interested in becoming Catholics about        the Inquiry sessions
•           Third, for further information, watch this space or contact the parish office.
Forms available at the back of each Church

102 people attended the parish property forums, plus 33 written submissions were received;
a wide variety of views were expressed
Just a reminder that a summary of submissions to the property committee is available at www.holytrinity.parish.nz/property.html. There are some printed copies available at the back of the churches. The property committee is co-chaired by Dave Monastra 0274477280
and Kim von Lanthen 0222426288 and is developing its recommendations to the parish

Deliverers, your copies of the news and views are in the back of the churches ready to be distributed. Because of printing issues, the names of those you deliver to are not printed on the top of the newsletter, but rather on a sheet inside the envelope. Thank you.

Calling all church musicians. Come to an archdiocesan workshop on music in the liturgy - a chance to pool ideas about how best to tap into this rich resource to better celebrate the joy of liturgy. There is also the possibility of forming a network of musicians throughout the diocese to share ideas, issues and resources. Thursday 25 May in the Catholic Centre board room, second floor. Cup of tea at 6.45pm with the workshop starting at 7 and finishing around 8.30. Important to RSVP to [email protected]

Volunteers required by Mary Potter Hospice for their annual street collection on Friday or Saturday 19 and 20 May 2017. If you are able to give 1 or 2 hours to help this most worthy cause in Miramar/Kilbirnie please contact Ray Whelan on 3883667 or email [email protected].


Sound Bites Fundraising Concert – CANCELLED
It is with disappointment we inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances we are cancelling our Sound Bites Fundraising Concert scheduled for this Thursday 11 May. We hope to put on a replacement concert later this year.

Joshua Catholic Men’s Fellowship Wellington Come along and join us on Thursday 18th of May 2017 at 7:30pm for fellowship and prayer in CONNOLLY HALL, Guildford Terrace, Thorndon (behind Sacred Heart Cathedral). Speaker: Michael Powell on "Getting free from ungodly influences of our ancestrry"
Want to know more? Ring John Taylor (04) 389-8915 or 021-107-8538 or email: [email protected]

There is a time for….. A family companion for every season
We only have 15 copies to sell available from the Parish Office $25
A beautiful book of prayers and poems draws its inspiration from the people and landscapes of Aotearoa - New Zealand. It touches on themes that affect us all - joy and sorrow, hurt and celebration - and demonstrates how easily families can incorporate prayer and reflection into everyday situations.

New Mass rosters for Holy Cross and St Patrick’s have either been emailed or are at the back of the Church. Please remember to organise to swap your rostered day with someone else if you are unavailable

The Order of Malta is a Catholic charity raising funds to supply ‘Coats for the Homeless’ in Wellington. We ran a successful appeal in 2012. The coats will be distributed by the Compassion Centre in Tory Street, Wellington.
The coats can also double as a small blanket and cost $60 each.  All donations are tax deductible.
Flyers with details on how to donate a coat are in the church foyer.  Further information can be obtained from [email protected] or phone 021 325 884.

A CARING SPACE An invitation to spend a few hours exploring with God the blessings and burdens of the caregiver’s role.  This time is offered to those who care for a loved one at home. Led by Gill Schaap and Veronica Parton 18th May at The Home of Compassion, Island Bay, Cost: $10 For more details and to register contact Veronica Parton [email protected] or 021 238 6675

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 28th May – 4th June

The Bach Choir of Wellington proudly a return to the Baroque on Sun May 14, 3:30pm at St Andrews on the Terrace. The concert opens with Vivaldi's Gloria (RV 589), and ends with J.S Bach's Missa (the Kyrie and Gloria from his Mass in B minor). Interspersed are works by members of J.S Bach's extended family: one of his cousins, and his youngest surviving son.  The choir will be accompanied by the Chiesa Ensemble, with Douglas Mews on the organ, and soloists Nicola Holt, Megan Hurnard, Ken Trass and David Morriss.

Above all – trust in the slow work of God.” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin in a prayer in ‘Hearts on Fire – praying with Jesuits’.

Vigil for the Unborn: Saturday 20th May 2017. St Anne's Catholic Church, Emmett Street, Newtown. 10 am Mass. Followed by Exposition & Rosary Procession to front of Hospital. Ends at Noon with a shared lunch. Come and respond to our Lady of Fatima's plea "Pray, pray, pray." For more information contact Family Life International NZ PH: 2378343


​Copies of the Synod Participation Booklet have been sent to parishes. It is not possible to provide everyone with a copy, so it is also available on the Archdiocese’s website www.wn.catholic.org.nz (see Synod ’17 section on the homepage).
 
Before you decide upon your response read the section “Using this Document” in the Booklet. You can provide input on all the topics, a few of them or just one of them. Responses can be made by individuals or by groups. The topics in the Booklet are:
 
Go you are sent…to find leaders
Go you are sent…to the peripheries of society
Go you are sent…to deepen our bicultural relationship
Go you are sent…as members of the one Body of Christ (ethnic diversity)
Go you are sent…to your own peripheries (those who may feel unwelcome in the Church)
Go you are sent…to refugees and migrants
Go you are sent…to care for creation
Go you are sent…to fellow Christians
Go you are sent…to accompany one another (young people)
Go you are sent…to support marriage and families.
 
Responses can be submitted by individuals and groups in various ways:
Email: download the Word document “Synod participation response” on the website of the Archdiocese of Wellington. The link to the file is on the website’s homepage under the Synod ’17 heading. Put in your response and email to [email protected].
Online: follow the link on the Archdiocese of Wellington website homepage (under Synod ’17) to the questions online.
Postal response: handwrite or type your response into the document “Synod participation response”, from the Archdiocese’s website (see Email above) or it can be posted to you if you ring Anne Dickinson 04 496 1793.  Post your response to Anne Dickinson, Archdiocese of Wellington, P O Box 1937, WELLINGTON 6140
Verbal response: if there are reasons why you find it difficult to make a written response you are welcome to ring Anne Dickinson 04 496 1793 to see if it is possible to provide a verbal response.
 

The fourth Sunday of Easter is known as Good Shepherd Sunday.  Our responsorial Psalm today is no other than the famous Psalm 23, The Good Shepherd Psalm: “The Lord is my Shepherd.” As a prayer of trust and confidence in God it has no equal, yet it was written many centuries before the coming of Christ who called himself the Good Shepherd. Do we believe what he says? Is it not almost too good to be true?  Incidentally, too, it is a special Sunday in the Catholic Church dedicated to the prayer for vocations. Today we are asked to pray for vocation to the priesthood and religious life. But each Christian has a more fundamental vocation – to be loving and caring person. To be Christ-like in the way he or she deals with other people.                                                                                                    
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.

 25th Jubilee Mass for Fr Gregory – Tues 16th May 10am at St Patrick’s Church
 
Fr Gregory will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of his ordination
 on Tuesday 16th May. All parishioners are invited to join him for Mass at 10am at St Patrick’s and stay for a cup of tea afterwards.
Please note: this will be the only Mass in the Parish on this day
 For those unable to attend, there will a special morning tea after 10am Sunday Mass on the 21st May at St Patrick’s Church.
Please bring a plate of food to share.

If you would like to contribute to Fr Gregory’s 25th  Jubilee gift,  place it in an envelope and in the collection basket with “Fr Gregory” on it.   

All parishioners are invited to a Synod workshop with Cardinal John,
to take place for the North Island parishes of the Archdiocese
 at Bishop Viard College from 1.30pm-4.30pm on Saturday 27 May.

Fr Mario will be leaving and returning permanently to the Philippines.
 We will be having a farewell cup of tea for him after the 10am Mass on the 14th May at St Patrick’s Church.  Please come and join him and bring a plate of food to share. If you would like to contribute to a farewell gift, place in an envelope in the collection basket marked “Fr Mario”.

Liturgy of the Word with Communion.  In the near future, we will be introducing Liturgies of the Word with Communion on Mondays in our Parish. To this end we are looking for leaders to be on a roster to take these Liturgies. If you are available on a Monday morning and would be capable of leading a liturgy please contact Fr Ephrem 388 6953 or [email protected] so training sessions and commissioning can be organised.

Right of Blessing for Expectant Parents and the Child in the Womb
There wil be a Mass and blessing for all expectant parents and their child in the womb at St Patrick’s Church Kilbirnie Saturday 13th May at 11am.
There will be no confession at St Patrick’s on this day.

RCIA Team
A team from Holy Trinity Parish is again preparing to run the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for the Eastern suburbs.
The RCIA is the process for welcoming new adult members into the Catholic Church.  It begins in May/June with a number of Inquiry sessions for those interested in Catholicism.
The process involves the whole Church community in one way of another.  What can you do?
•           First, you can pray for the success of the RCIA.
•           Second, you can tell people you know who may be interested in becoming Catholics about        the Inquiry sessions
•           Third, for further information, watch this space or contact the parish office.

102 people attended the parish property forums, plus 33 written submissions were received;
a wide variety of views were expressed
Just a reminder that a summary of submissions to the property committee is available at www.holytrinity.parish.nz/property.html. There are some printed copies available at the back of the churches. The property committee is co-chaired by Dave Monastra 0274477280 and Kim von Lanthen 0222426288 and is developing its recommendations to the parish

ALPHA PARENTING CHILDREN COURSE The course went well last year so we are offering it again.  It is a series of five videos on building strong relationships, meeting our kid’s needs, setting boundaries, teaching healthy relationships and long term aims.  The course is over five weeks.  Each week it starts with afternoon tea and a video, which are followed by short discussion.
No matter where you are at with your kids it is a helpful, practical course.  Hope you can join us.  The first session will be in the Gascoigne Room at 3.15pm on Tuesday 16 May.  There is no charge.  Bring your children along as both play and homework supervision is provided.  For more details, see the following video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY8thZ_W2gY or text Kim on 0222426288 or Ruth on 0276700365

Calling all church musicians. Come to an archdiocesan workshop on music in the liturgy - a chance to pool ideas about how best to tap into this rich resource to better celebrate the joy of liturgy. There is also the possibility of forming a network of musicians throughout the diocese to share ideas, issues and resources. Thursday 25 May in the Catholic Centre board room, second floor. Cup of tea at 6.45pm with the workshop starting at 7 and finishing around 8.30. Important to RSVP to [email protected]

Volunteers required by Mary Potter Hospice for their annual street collection on Friday or Saturday 19 and 20 May 2017. If you are able to give 1 or 2 hours to help this most worthy cause in Miramar/Kilbirnie please contact Ray Whelan on 3883667 or email [email protected].

Dove Wellington invites all women to our meeting from 1.15pm to 3pm on Saturday 20 May at Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace, Wellington.  This month, Saturday 13 May marks the 100-year anniversary of Our Lady’s apparitions at Fatima.  We are blessed to have Sister Marie Gore as our guest speaker, who will be speaking on these phenomena.     It will be a great time for learning what this is all about.  We look forward to seeing you there.   Please contact Rachel Blackaby for any queries on (04) 389 9938

Vinnies thanks you…
for the support during our recent book fair. We raised over $5,000 which will go towards assisting more neighbours within our Wellington-Area. If you want to learn more about the special works and ways you can get involved with helping people in our community; email [email protected].

Next Thursday 11 May the Compassion Soup Kitchen is hosting a Sound Bites Fundraising Concert at St Joseph’s Church, 154 - 156 Brougham Street, Mt Victoria. With St Catherine's College, St Patrick's College and New Zealand School of Music soloist Lucinda Ng performing, this is set to be a wonderful night of music and celebration. Doors open at 6.30pm with refreshments and the concert will start at 7pm. Parking available 42 Elilce Street. The event is door sales only with cash. Tickets cost $20 for waged and $5 for unwaged.'

Joshua Catholic Men’s Fellowship Wellington Come along and join us on Thursday 18th of May 2017 at 7:30pm for fellowship and prayer in CONNOLLY HALL, Guildford Terrace, Thorndon (behind Sacred Heart Cathedral). Speaker: Michael Powell on "Getting free from ungodly influences of our ancestrry"
Want to know more? Ring John Taylor (04) 389-8915 or 021-107-8538 or email: [email protected]

Free Relationship Insurance! Marriage Encounter is running an enrichment weekend for all couples that believe their marriage is important. Without constantly working on improving your relationship complacency can creep in and wreak havoc, sometimes destroying the beautiful relationship you currently have. It’s not worth the risk! Book on the Marriage Encounter weekend now and protect your relationship. You insure your house so why not your marriage?  Join us on the next weekend. Weekend Date: 12th – 14th May. To be held at Masters Hall SH2 Pahiatua. Ph. 0800 362 686 for information and to book a place on the weekend.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 28th May – 4th June

 
New Mass rosters for Holy Cross and St Patrick’s have either been emailed or are at the back of the Church.
 

A CARING SPACE An invitation to spend a few hours exploring with God the blessings and burdens of the caregiver’s role.  This time is offered to those who care for a loved one at home. Led by Gill Schaap and Veronica Parton 18th May at The Home of Compassion, Island Bay, Cost: $10 For more details and to register contact Veronica Parton [email protected] or 021 238 6675

The Bach Choir of Wellington proudly a return to the Baroque on Sun May 14, 3:30pm at St Andrews on the Terrace. The concert opens with Vivaldi's Gloria (RV 589), and ends with J.S Bach's Missa (the Kyrie and Gloria from his Mass in B minor). Interspersed are works by members of J.S Bach's extended family: one of his cousins, and his youngest surviving son.  The choir will be accompanied by the Chiesa Ensemble, with Douglas Mews on the organ, and soloists Nicola Holt, Megan Hurnard, Ken Trass and David Morriss.

​Copies of the Synod Participation Booklet have been sent to parishes. It is not possible to provide everyone with a copy, so it is also available on the Archdiocese’s website www.wn.catholic.org.nz (see Synod ’17 section on the homepage).
 
Before you decide upon your response read the section “Using this Document” in the Booklet. You can provide input on all the topics, a few of them or just one of them. Responses can be made by individuals or by groups. The topics in the Booklet are:
 
Go you are sent…to find leaders
Go you are sent…to the peripheries of society
Go you are sent…to deepen our bicultural relationship
Go you are sent…as members of the one Body of Christ (ethnic diversity)
Go you are sent…to your own peripheries (those who may feel unwelcome in the Church)
Go you are sent…to refugees and migrants
Go you are sent…to care for creation
Go you are sent…to fellow Christians
Go you are sent…to accompany one another (young people)
Go you are sent…to support marriage and families.
 
Responses can be submitted by individuals and groups in various ways:
Email: download the Word document “Synod particpation response” on the website of the Archdiocese of Wellington. The link to the file is on the website’s homepage under the Synod ’17 heading. Put in your response and email to [email protected].
Online: follow the link on the Archdiocese of Wellington website homepage (under Synod ’17) to the questions online.
Postal response: handwrite or type your response into the document “Synod participation response”,  from the Archdiocese’s website (see Email above) or it can be posted to you if you ring Anne Dickinson 04 496 1793.  Post your response to Anne Dickinson, Archdiocese of Wellington, P O Box 1937, WELLINGTON 6140
Verbal response: if there are reasons why you find it difficult to make a written response you are welcome to ring Anne Dickinson 04 496 1793 to see if it is possible to provide a verbal response.