Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Greetings to you all!
The Word of God clearly captures our need for prayer, not just that alone but also, our need for perseverance in prayer life. While a person prays, he or she truly expresses one’s trust in God and need for the presence of God in their lives. I always believe that all that I do in my life should be the fruit of my prayer life. When God becomes the centre of my life, then I will find ways and means to swim through the daily struggles of my personal life. So, prayer should always be one’s “steering wheel” not a “spare wheel”.
Abraham, the father of our faith, intercedes with God for the people in Sodom and Gomorrah, who were going to face the anger of God, but Abraham pleads with God and eventually wins the mercy of God. Similar line of thought is also found in the gospel reading, where Jesus teaches his disciples the need for perseverance in prayer. If one could have the courage to endure and persevere in one’s prayer life, then one will experience the fruits of prayer life.
It is quite natural that sometimes one may not endure in prayer life, thus down the road, one may also lose interest in prayer life. If you find yourself in that situation, my humble suggestion would be to just show up for your daily prayer time because that’s when you spend your hour in God’s waiting room. Still, you’re there, and God appreciates your struggle to stay there.
I always believe that prayer is never a waste of time, rather it is time safely invested for the future of our life. Prayer is also the time to thank God for all that we enjoy and seek his guidance for our future life. There is an anonymous quote expressing how a person looked at prayer life:
Once a man was asked, “what did you gain by regularly praying to God?” The man replied, “Nothing…but let me tell you what I lost: anger, ego, greed, depression, insecurity, and fear of death.” Sometimes the answer to our prayers is not gaining but losing, which ultimately is the gain.
Anonymous.
In the quote, the author explains what a person lost through prayer, but truthfully each of the things the author says are gains if you look to the positive. So, always make time for your daily prayer life, and thus be happy Christians in your life. Amen.
Fr. John Sebastian OMI
Rector & Parish Priest
The weekend eBulletin
Click here to download the eBulletin for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C.
Grandparents Thanksgiving Mass
The Parish will celebrate all grandparents with a special Mass on Tuesday 26 July (the Feast Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary) at midday. We invite all grandparents, great grandparents and adopted grandparents to come along and receive a special blessing at the Mass and then enjoy a light lunch in the Parish Centre. RSVP is essential to the Parish Office on 9335 2268 before the 25 July. We look forward to sharing this special day with all grandparents.
Monthly Senior’s Morning Tea
Monthly Senior’s Morning Tea is a special parish initiative to bring our seniors together to share a cuppa and a chat. The Senior’s morning tea is held every third Monday of each month in the Parish Hall from 10am to 11am. The Next Senior’s Morning Tea will be held on Monday 25 July at 10am in the Parish Hall.
Parish Morning Tea
Please join us on the First Sunday of every month after the 8am Mass for a Parish Morning Tea. The next Parish Morning Tea will be held on Sunday 7 August 2022. All Welcome.
Fr Gaetano Nanni OMI
Please join us on Saturday 30 July at Midday Mass for a concelebrate Mass to celebrate the death anniversary of Fr Gaetani Nanni OMI.
De Mazenod Family Gathering
The aim of these gatherings is to provide an opportunity to connect parishes, schools and ministries in each state and to make the De Mazenod Family and the Charism of St Eugene known. Through various prayer, reflection, and discussion sessions throughout the day we will break open this year’s theme: Pilgrims of Hope in Communion.
The De Mazenod Family Gathering for Western Australia will be held on Saturday 30th July and will be hosted at St Patrick’s Basilica, Fremantle. It will begin at 11:30 am and conclude with Mass at 6pm. Lunch and snacks will be provided throughout the day.
For more information you can visit our website OMI Australia or email us at demaznodfamily@gmail.com. Registrations are open and can be made through the Parish Office or the website. All Welcome.
Basilica Guardians
We are urgently seeking volunteers who can assist with the Basilica Guardians. The Basilica Guardians allow us to keep the Church open on weekdays (Monday to Friday) from after midday Mass until 3pm. If you would like to volunteer, please call the Parish Office. Thank you to those who have already volunteered. As soon as we have enough volunteers, we will commence a roster.
Fr Angelo Wijewickrama OMI
Fr Angelo will be away from 19 July to 19 August. We ask that you keep Fr Angelo in your prayers as he journeys home to Sri Lanka to visit his family. We wish him a safe journey to Sri Lanka and when he returns home to Fremantle.
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.
Planned Giving
The Planned Giving Programme is an important part of the Parish and assists 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 giving was 53%.
Please consider joining the Planned Giving Programme. For more information contact the Parish Office. Thank you!
EFT First Collection Details
BSB: 086 006
A/c No: 56187 5405
Reference: 1st Collection and your name
First Collection supports the Priests.
EFT Second Collection Details
BSB: 066 107
A/c No: 0080 0216
Reference: 2nd Collection and your name
Second Collection supports the Parish.
Regarding Masks
Masks are not mandatory; however, masks are encouraged where physical distancing is not possible if you have cold & flu symptoms, or you wish to safeguard yourself from the COVID-19 virus.
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.
Upcoming Events
Monday 25 July: Parish Seniors Morning Tea.
Tuesday 26th July: Grandparents Thanksgiving Mass.
Saturday 30 July: De Mazenod Family Gathering; Fr Gaetano Nanni OMI (dec’d 10th anniversary).
Sunday 7 August: Parish Confirmation Mass.