Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Greetings to you all!
5th Sunday of Lent: Year C
In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah preaches a message of hope and encouragement to the Jewish people who were in the Babylonian exile. When a person is a refugee in an alien land, one can imagine how desperate and depressed that person would feel and probably that person may also think there is no one to free them from this bondage and lead them into their homeland. The people of Israel would have gone through similar experiences; and to those people the Prophet gives hope and encouragement saying, “I am making a road in the wilderness, paths in the wilds. The wild beasts will honour me, jackals, and ostriches, because I am putting water in the wilderness (rivers in the wild) to give my chosen people drink. The people I have formed for myself will sing my praises.”
The season of Lent is also a great time of encouragement and hope for all of us who are God’s children. God is not done with us. He gives us hope and encouragement to return to the Father, who is full of mercy and compassion, and rich in forgiveness. The Prophet says, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” Yes, if one could manifest courage and willingness to acknowledge the power of God’s love and mercy, then our salvation is near at hand and no fear can destroy us.
As we are drawing closer to the celebration of Easter (next week we begin Holy Week), can you feel the hope and encouragement during your Lenten journey from Jesus? Each one is aware of their own journeys. As we are all companions on our journey, please consider sharing your journey of hope and encouragement with your friends and families, because your witnessing life can move the hearts of others in the community.
Kindly also mark Wednesday 13 April at 7pm, in your diary. On that day we will celebrate the Second Rite of Reconciliation in our Basilica. It is a great moment of Grace where one could experience God’s forgiveness and the assurances of hope and encouragement from God. Kindly make use of this opportunity to celebrate the joy of Easter 2022.
The weekend eBulletin
Click here to download the eBulletin for the 5th Sunday in Lent Year C
Prayer for Peace and Justice in Ukraine
God of peace and justice,
who change the hardened heart and break the power of violence,
we entrust the people of Ukraine to you.
Protect them in this time of peril;
let them know not death but life, not slavery but freedom.
You are Father of all;
we are brothers and sisters.
Give us the strength to live that truth in love,
choosing peace not war.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
On Sunday 3rd April: Monthly Parish Morning Tea
On 3rd April after the 8am Mass we will have the Parish Morning Tea. Please come along to meet friends and to make friends from our Basilica community. q
Stations of the Cross in Lent
During the Lenten season it is a great tradition in the life of the Church to make the Stations of the Cross, and thus unite ourselves with Christ by meditating on His Passion, Death and Resurrection. So, in our Basilica, on every Friday during Lent we will make the stations of the Cross at 12.30pm. Please join us and make every effort to make this Lent a joyful preparation to celebrate the joy of Easter.
Parish Lenten Retreat 2022
“It was because of love that the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.”
You are invited as part of your Lenten preparation to come together for a series of one-hour prayerful evenings (we will be using some of the meditation exercises from the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola as our guide for the journey) where we will journey with Jesus Christ through his life to his death and resurrection.
We have already had the first three talks, but there are two more sessions remaining on Monday 4th & 11th April 2022 in the Parish Centre at 6pm. To register your interest please contact the Parish Office on 9335 2268, Mon to Fri 9am to 3pm or via email parishoffice@oblates.com.au.
Oblate Madonna Statues
The “Moments of Grace” program that has been running since August 2021, commemorates the moment in which St Eugene, at the Oblate Madonna statue, received affirmation of his newly founded order. The programme culminates on 15 August 2022, on the 200th anniversary of this significant moment in Oblate history. Each month a resource is being developed to encourage us as the wider De Mazenod Family community to be more aware of the history around St Eugene, and to grow deeper in our connection with Mary.
As part of the programme, replicas of the Oblate Madonna statue have been ordered in two sizes for distribution across the Oblate Ministries. Fr Christian Fini OMI will be presenting a larger statue to each Ministry on his visits over the coming months. Smaller statues are available for sale of $10 from our piety stall. Thanks for all your support you give us in our missions.
Readers for the Holy Week Liturgy 2022
Dear Parishioners, I need your support especially in the ministry of the Liturgy of the Word, to proclaim the Word of God on Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Stations of the Cross at 11am, Friday of the Passion of the Lord, Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday.
Kindly also note that unlike last year we require 14 readers for the Stations of the Cross at 11am alone. If you could generously give your time for all of them or some Masses during the Holy Week liturgies, please contact the Parish Office on or before 5th April and they will be in touch with you as soon as possible. Thanks for your help.
Annual Chrism Mass in Cathedral
The Annual Chrism Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Cathedral on Tuesday 12 April 2022 at 7pm. If you are available, you are encouraged to join our Archbishop and the clergy in the diocese and pray for them.
Easter Offerings
Usually twice a year you are invited, as a community, to make a special effort to financially support the Priests of the Basilica. As the special season of Easter is fast approaching, you are encouraged to support the Priests during this special season of Easter. The envelopes are in the pews, so kindly use them and support your priests generously.
The Planned Giving Programme
The planned giving programme is an important part of the Parish as it allows us to maintain all aspects of the Basilica, Presbytery and Parish Administration Centre. To keep the Parish viable, we must maintain a target of 95% and above each week. Last week’s giving was 95%.
Please consider joining the Planned Giving Programme. If you are not already a member, for more information contact the Parish Office. Thank you!
Safeguarding of our children in the Parish
The Archdiocesan Safeguarding Project was started in 2016 by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB with the aim of providing a safe and secure environment for all its members, leaders and especially children and vulnerable adults. The parish of St Patrick’s Basilica is committed to creating a safe parish. To read more please click here.
God bless.
Fr John Sebastian
Rector and Parish Priest