Holy Family Parish Como-Kensington Catholic Community Feast of the Epiphany 4th January 2015 YEAR B Opening their treasures they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh Through the Incarnation, the generosity and mercy of God have finally appeared among us - in the life of one who is the very expression of the Father’s greatness. And so, from earliest times the Church’s Christmas celebration has made reference the Epiphany, or ‘Manifestation’ of the Lord – symbolised in the story of today’s gospel, but also realised in a special way in the Lord’s baptism, and in the ‘first sign’ he worked at the marriage in Cana. It comes as no surprise, when we hear it read, to find that today’s first reading from Isaiah has a very ancient association with this festival: ‘Arise, shine out Jerusalem. The nations come to your light and kings to your brightness’. This passage – from the writings of the Isaian tradition from the period after the return from the exile – expresses a vision of Israel fulfilling its role as ‘a light to the nations’. Sharing in the ‘glory’ (or incomparable greatness) of the Lord himself, the holy city will attract the wealth of the nations as the kings of the earth share in its rebuilding. This Old Testament text and its parallels (see Ps 72:10) may have inspired the story recounted by Matthew in today’s gospel. It is possible that an unusual astronomical event may also have contributed to its inspiration, calling to mind the prophecy of Balaam, ‘a star is emerging from Jacob’ (Num 24:17). As it stands, the story is filled with symbolic meaning. The Magi represent the nations of the earth finding the Saviour of the world – in contrast to the scribes of Israel, familiar with the scriptures but not recognising their fulfilment; the gifts of the Magi are symbolic of the world’s confession of faith in Christ – gold for royalty, frankincense for priesthood, myrrh for the one who is to die; notoriously ruthless Herod reminds us of earthly PARISH OFFICE 45 Thelma Street, Como WA 6152 Telephone: (08) 9450-5921 Fax: (08) 9450-5760 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Website: www.holyfamily.com.au Parish Priest Fr Ossie Lewis PP Resident Priest Fr Greg Carroll Parish Secretaries Mon 9.30am-12.30pm (Regina Crothers) Thurs, Fri 9.30am-12.30pm (Cecilia Bray) Pastoral Assistants Megan Phillips & Nola Smith powers that obstruct the designs of God. We should note, especially, the significance of the words, ‘going in they saw the child with his mother, Mary’. While Luke’s narrative of Christ’s conception and birth has Mary as its central figure, Matthew’s account of the virgin birth is centred on Joseph. The words we have quoted, however, reflect the importance already given to Mary in the community that gave us Matthew’s gospel. The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians continues the theme of ‘manifestation’, as it takes us into the depths of Paul’s vision of faith in Christ. For Paul, of course, God’s dealings with the human family have come to a magnificent climax in what God has done for the world in Christ. As we read in the opening lines of the letter to the Ephesians, Paul interprets Christ’s saving work as the revelation of a great ‘mystery’ - the real purpose God has had in mind since the beginning of creation: ‘He has let us know the mystery of his purpose, to bring everything together under Christ as head, everything in the heavens and everything on earth’. Through his ministry, Paul has seen the realisation of what is symbolised in the story of the Magi – the whole human race is called with old Israel, to share ‘the same inheritance’, to be ‘parts of the same body’, to share in ‘promise’ that the ‘gospel’ has brought to the world ‘in Christ Jesus’. John Thornhill sm MASSES Weekend Saturday: Mass at 9am Mass at 6pm Sunday: Mass at 8.30am & 10.00am Weekday See Weekly SCHEDULES (page 2) RECONCILIATION Saturday 5.00 to 5.45pm or anytime by appointment Marriage If you are thinking about marriage please see your celebrant or your parish priest before you make other arrangements. A minimum of 6 months notice is required to help you prepare for this important step of your life. Baptism The sacrament of Baptism of your child is part of the sacrament of Initiations. It is an important commitment parents are taking for their child to live in a community of faith therefore, preparation for this sacrament is important. Please contact the office for an appointment for a date for the preparation and baptism. • Baptisms 11.30am on 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month Are you new to the Parish? If you have recently moved into this area and have not registered yourself with the parish, Fr Ossie would like to meet you. Please do see him after Mass. We warmly welcome you and your family. Thank you! Page 2 SCHEDULES FOR THE WEEK 10/11 January 5 - 11 JANUARY Saturday 6.00pm Sunday 8.30am Sunday 10.00am MONDAY 5 JANUARY Acolytes R Hennessy J Newman S Vadukoot • No Mass Altar Servers MC C S1 S2 S3 D Sidi J Kang J Sidi H Kang O Bradley R Affinito A Frangs E Pearson K Pearson Acolyte C D’Silva J Monck S Monck E Muttupulle Commentators Readers H Mason R Llanos J Morcombe E Zekulich A Wu P Tin C Chihi T Pires Special Ministers of the Eucharist M Hennessy S Tay C Tan F Della M McMahon M/G Taylor M Phillips J Phillips B Woodruff G Woodruff T Bray C Bray TUESDAY 6 JANUARY • 9am Mass W EDNESDAY 7 JANUARY • 9am Mass THURSDAY 8 JANUARY • 9am Mass • 9.30am Adoration until 3.30pm FRIDAY 9 JANUARY • 9am Mass • 7pm Santo Pio Prayer Grp - Church Children’s Sunday Liturgy 11 Jan In recess over the school holidays Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady 11 Jan Romeo Family Counters 11 Jan M Taylor/L Hope-Hume SATURDAY 10 JANUARY • • • • No 9am Mass 1pm Ukulele Group - Hall 5pm - 5.45pm Reconciliation 6pm Mass Gardening 2nd & 4th Saturday each month Altar Flower Arrangers 3/10 Jan Megan Phillips SUNDAY 11 JANUARY • • • • • • • • 8.30am Mass 10am Mass 11am-2pm BCC-Hall 11.30am Burmese Mass 3pm PCCC-Church & Hall 4pm RCIA PCCC Meeting Rm 1 4pm Mass-PCCC Children’s Liturgy Meeting Rm 2 WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES JANUARY 2014 We congratulate the following parishioners who are celebrating their wedding anniversaries this month: Samantha & Michael Breust, Trish & Aaron Chapman, Marie & Rod Tiley, Danielle & Barry Woodhouse, Dom & Maria Musitano, Celeste & Sean Williamson, Daryl & Imogen Tan, Ciaran & Lynne Moss, Martin & Annette Jones, Kesson & Katty Torkington, Karen & John Faulkner, Glynis& Steve Holborow, Colin & Assusion Cala, Phillip & Marie Hardjadinata, Phillip & Deanna Power, Sydney & Gladys Brady, Mukami & Frank Ireri, Mike & Trish Cosson. Church Cleaning 10 Jan Altar Cloths CHILDRENS’ LITURGY Children's Liturgy will be in recess for the school holidays and will resume on Sunday 1st February during the 8.30am and 10am Masses. GARDENING GROUP 2nd & 4th Sat of the month The Gardening Group invite you to help keep our lovely parish gardens neat and tidy. The next gardening day is Sat 9th January. Bring your own gloves, a happy smile, willing hands and join in the fun. HOME COMMUNION Do you know anyone who is house bound or new to a Nursing Home and would like to receive Holy Communion? If so, please contact the Parish Office on 9450 5921 or email: [email protected]. Burmese Catholic Community Month of Jan M Muthu Month of Feb F Cue Registration for 2015 Sacramental Program Children who are eligible to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation in 2015 should register with the Parish by Sunday 8th February 2015. Enrolment forms are available in the church foyer. Forms can also be obtained by sending an email request to: [email protected] Completed forms are to be placed in the designated box in the church foyer by the above deadline. TIME OUT The many CHOIRS in our church will be taking a well deserved rest during the month of January. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for giving their valuable time, effort and support during 2014. We really look forward to hearing them perform again when they return. Page 3 PL7037 Phone: (08) 9368 5005 Mobile: 0405 424 846 This advertising space is available We vacuum clean and more. . . • • • Vacuumed Gutter Cleaning Line Finding Potholing • • • Water Tank Cleaning Garden Clean Up No Mess Dan Hegarty 1/109 Royal Street East Perth, Western Australia, Australia, 6004 Telephone: (08) 9325 1332 - Fax: (08) 9325 1551 [email protected] 35 Labouchere Road South Perth WA 6151 Coode Street Corner Shopping Centre 67 Angelo Street, South Perth WA 6151 Phone/Fax: (08) 9474 2783 Rob and Stella Wong Millicent Woon & Simon Shanahan Phone/Fax: (08) 9368 1218 [email protected] V{xÜÜç UÄÉÉÅ YÄÉãxÜá YÄÉãxÜá yÉÜ tÄÄ Évvtá|ÉÇá gÜtw|Çz [ÉâÜá f{ÉÑ DE 19-21 Mends St. South Perth c{ÉÇx Ytå 9474 2662 9474 3547 Monday – Friday 9.30am – 6pm Saturday 9.30am – 5pm 777 Canning Hwy, Applecross WA 6153 Deliveries to all metropolitan areas ROSTERS The following Rosters are now ready for collection in the foyer - Acolytes, Altar Servers, Altar Society, Altar Cloths, Cleaning, Readers, Special Ministers and Pilgrim Statue: If you normally receive your rosters by email please take a printed copy this time as we are still experiencing issues with outgoing emails. Thank You so much for your continuous support. Up Market Fruit & Vegetables Large Range of Continental Smallgoods Full Range of Groceries ST NORBERT COLLEGE 50TH ANNIVERSARY 7 February 1965 St Norbert College opened its doors to 28 boys in Year 6. These boys and their families joined the Norbertine Canons to form the foundations of a community and coeducational student body which is now in excess of 800, and will celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2015. Preparations are well under way for a number of formal and informal events, which will commence with a Community Mass to be held on the College grounds on Sunday 15 Feb 2015. Exstudents of the College are also invited to attend group reunions to be held throughout February and March 2015. Details, year groups and dates of reunions and all other celebrations are published on the College website, www.norbert.wa.edu.au Phone: Fax: (08) 9364 4042 (08) 0364 6715 ST FRANCIS XAVIER CATHEDRAL GERALDTON Ben and Mary Bianchini from our parish are organising a fundraising afternoon tea party for the huge renovation and conservation of the Monsignor Hawes designed and heritage listed Geraldton Cathedral. It will be held on Sun 18 January 2015 at Maida Vale from 2.304.30pm. A donation of $50 per person for a fully catered homemade afternoon tea is requested. Spaces are limited so bookings are essential. Bishop Justin Bianchini will be in attendance. If you would like to support this very worthy cause contact Ben on 9367 9204 to arrange an invitation. Page 4 Liturgy of the Word Feast of the Epiphany Year B FIRST READING Isaiah 60:1-6 Arise, shine out, Jerusalem, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord is rising on you, though night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples. Above you the Lord now rises and above you his glory appears. The nations come to your light and kings to your dawning brightness. Lift up your eyes and look round: all are assembling and coming towards you, your sons from far away and your daughters being tenderly carried. At this sight you will grow radiant, your heart throbbing and full; since the riches of the sea will flow to you, the wealth of the nations come to you; camels in throngs will cover you, and dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; everyone in Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing the praise of the Lord. RESPONSORIAL PSALM Response: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. 1. O God, give your judgment to the king, to a king’s son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice and your poor in right judgment. 2. In his day justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails. He shall rule from sea to sea, from the Great River to earth’s bounds. 3. The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts shall pay him tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring him gifts. Before him all kings shall fall prostrate, all nations shall serve him. 4. For he shall save the poor when they cry and the needy who are helpless. He will have pity on the weak and save the lives of the poor. SECOND READING Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6 You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery. This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel. offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way. NEXT SUNDAY’S READINGS The Baptism of the Lord Isaiah 55:1-11 Psalm Isaiah 12:2-6 1 John 5:1-9 Mark 1:7-11 GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Alleluia, alleluia! We saw his star as it rose and have come to do the Lord homage. Alleluia! GOSPEL Matthew 2:1-12 After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.’ Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they FLAME MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL 25TH ANNUAL FLAME CONGRESS: ‘HOPE’ The congress will be held in the Lecture Hall at St John XXIII College, Mt Claremont from Fri 23-Sun 25 Jan. Keynote Speakers: From Dubai: Mr. Aneel Aranah, with Emeritus Archbishop Barry J. Hickey, Mr. Eddie Russell FMI, Ps.Russell Sage and Mr. Frank Tassone. For more info contact: [email protected] or [email protected]. Ph: 93823668 Mob.0439981515. www.flameministries.org.’ MERCY CONNECT Would you like to make a difference in a refugee child’s life? Mercy Connect involves the recruitment and placement of volunteer mentors into primary and secondary schools to assist refugee children with their school work and to assist them to develop confidence and a better self esteem. As a volunteer for Mercy Connect, you are allocated a student, or a small group of students, and you assist at their primary or secondary school for half a day per week during the school year. Experience in an educational setting is an advantage. Retired teachers are encouraged to apply. The next training session will be provided in February 2015. To request an Application Form, please contact Jennifer Davies at: Mercy Connect Perth Telephone: 9328 6991 Email: [email protected] Website: www.mercyworks.org.au