Entrance Hymn: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Gaudete Sunday

The term Gaudete literally means ‘Rejoice’. It is taken from the Letter to the Philippians: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always’. So this is a day to rejoice. It’s not any kind of rejoicing: it is an invitation to rejoice ‘in the Lord’. Because the Lord is near we have every reason to rejoice.  At the Last Supper Jesus sums up the purpose of his teaching in this way: ‘I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete’. His joy is not any kind of joy. The Lord’s gift of joy is not necessarily exuberant or externally evident: it is a deep sense of contentment that comes from knowing that life has meaning; that we are loved as we are, despite our limitations. Christmas is just a fortnight away. The mood of today’s Mass comes into full voice on Christmas Day as we celebrate the birth of Christ. That is surely Gaudete Day par excellence.

A Gaudete Experience On Thursday evening we had a wonderful experience of reflection with Br Martin Kenneally. All involved in ministry and service in the parish had been invited. They, in turn, provided refreshments after the reflection/discussion, including a delicious home-made Christmas cake! Thanks so much to those who organized the function.

The theme of the talk was: ‘Finding Hope in Challenging Times’. Br Martin’s talk was most engaging. His experience of working with young people, helping them to recover their faith, was inspiring. His main point was that Christ is in each one of us and it’s simply a matter of being open to his presence. That is the source of Christian hope. Also present was a newly professed Presentation Brother, Simon Fernandez. He shared his faith/vocation story with us and it was an effective witness to the theme of the evening. We ended with Night Prayer from the Divine Office.

Sacrament of Penance/Confession will be offered next weekend after each of the three Masses, Saturday 6.00 pm; Sunday 10.00 am and 12 Noon. The Sacrament of Penance (or Confession) is one of the great gifts of the Catholic Church. To get the most from this sacrament it is essential to prepare well. The Sacrament of Penance is above all an act of God’s love; it is a personal moment in a relationship of love with God. It is not a routine to be gone through but very much part of the personal renewal that takes place in each person, especially at Christmas and Easter. We are invited in the light of God’s love: to recognize the sinfulness of our life; to have a true sorrow for our sins; to have a firm intention to avoid them in the future.  Sin is not merely a series of failures. It is also a sharing in what is really negative and sometimes evil: unbelief, indifference, selfishness; violence, contempt for the weak, eroticism; racism, neglect of the poor; greed, wastefulness; pride and a sense of superiority

Christmas Mass Cards Shared Christmas Mass Cards are available at the office inside the main entrance to the Church.

Poinsettia As is customary, you are welcome to present poinsettia plants for display in the sanctuary for Christmas

Ave Maria
Gratia plena
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu

Ave Maria…