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30 June 2010

Yesterday's feast

Together with the whole Church we celebrated the apostles Peter and Paul yesterday. The morning Mass was attended by St Clare's School, and was their leavers' Mass. We thought about how St Peter left home, family and his job as a fishermen and St Paul left behind his persecution of the Church. There will be sadness for us at leaving St Clare's, but many happy memories too, as we continue to follow the Lord on our journey through life.
We also thought about the visit of Pope Benedict, the successor of St Peter. Some of our children are hoping to see him during his visit.

21 June 2010

Thank you...

...to all the wonderful people who filled three skips over the weekend.

11 June 2010

World Cup - Prayerful Reflections

Click here to find prayerful reflections for this time when all (or most!) eyes are on the World Cup.

They can also be downloaded via iTunes. Search for 'Pray as you go.'

10 June 2010

Newsletter for 12/13 June - Sunday 11(C)

Click here to read this week's newsletter.

The 10am Mass this Sunday, will be the special celebration for our young people who have received the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion this year. Please keep them in your prayers that they may treasure the precious gifts they have received, and continue to receive the sacraments faithfully throughout their lives.

06 June 2010

Thinking about today's celebration.

A parishioner was kind enough to send me this prayer for today:
Dear Lord, you gave us your Body and Blood for our salvation, to put an end to sin and death's power over us. You gave your entire self for us and to us that we might continually be nourished by your example. Continue to feed us with your life and your love, O Lord. As we receive this gifted communion with you, Lord Jesus, may we grow in gratitude, in courage, in generosity in being broken and given for others. Let us love those closest to home first. Let there be healing and peace because you let us receive your own Body and Blood as a gift of healing and peace, for others. Let our receiving of your Body and Blood make us more compassionate to hear the cries of the poor. May our communion with you bind us to your loving heart for all your people. May we be a Eucharistic people who labor for justice and peace in our world, which can only come when there is no more hunger or need. We ask this, more readied to say "Amen" to the gift of your Body and Blood, for us and for our mission, in you.
It is part of a page on the Creighton University website which reflects on today's mass and procession. Find the whole article here.  It is well worth a read as it links to an important document from the present Pope about the Eucharist, and so reminds us that our celebration of the Eucharist must transform our attitude to unjust social structures. Here are a few words from the Pope:
Our communities, when they celebrate the Eucharist, must become ever more conscious that the sacrifice of Christ is for all, and that the Eucharist thus compels all who believe in him to become "bread that is broken" for others, and to work for the building of a more just and fraternal world. Keeping in mind the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, we need to realize that Christ continues today to exhort his disciples to become personally engaged: "You yourselves, give them something to eat" (Mt 14:16). Each of us is truly called, together with Jesus, to be bread broken for the life of the world.
The union with Christ brought about by the Eucharist also brings a newness to our social relations: "this sacramental ‘mysticism' is social in character." Indeed, "union with Christ is also union with all those to whom he gives himself. I cannot possess Christ just for myself; I can belong to him only in union with all those who have become, or who will become, his own." The relationship between the eucharistic mystery and social commitment must be made explicit. The Eucharist is the sacrament of communion between brothers and sisters who allow themselves to be reconciled in Christ, who made of Jews and pagans one people, tearing down the wall of hostility which divided them (cf. Eph 2:14). Only this constant impulse towards reconciliation enables us to partake worthily of the Body and Blood of Christ (cf. Mt 5:23-24). (242)
Sacramentum Caritatis 88f