The Wisdom of God cries aloud: The Lord created me when his purpose first unfolded, before the oldest of his works. From everlasting I was firmly set, from the beginning, before earth came into being. The deep was not, when I was born, there were no springs to gush with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I came to birth; before he made the earth, the countryside, or the first grains of the world's dust. When he fixed the heavens firm, I was there, when he drew a ring on the surface of the deep, when he thickened the clouds above, when he fixed fast the springs of the deep, when he assigned the sea its boundaries – and the waters will not invade the shore – when he laid down the foundations of the earth, I was by his side, a master craftsman, delighting him day after day, ever at play in his presence, at play everywhere in his world, delighting to be with the sons of men. Psalm 8:4-9.
R O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you arranged, what is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him? (R.)
Yet you have made him little less than a god; with glory and honour you crowned him, gave him power over the works of your hand, put all things under his feet. (R.)
All of them, sheep and cattle, yes, even the savage beasts, birds of the air, and fish that make their way through the waters. (R.)
Romans 5:1-5
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, by faith we are judged righteous and at peace with God, since it is by faith and through Jesus that we have entered this state of grace in which we can boast about looking forward to God’s glory. But that is not all we can boast about; we can boast about our sufferings. These sufferings bring patience, as we know, and patience brings perseverance, and perseverance brings hope, and this hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us.
Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: to God who is, who was, and who is to come. Alleluia!
John 16:12-15
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He will glorify me, since all he tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: All he tells you will be taken from what is mine.’
The Living Word
“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.’”
Thurs 8.40am St Teresa’s 5.30pm St Patrick’s Philip Neri
Fri 7.00am St Patrick’s
Sat 8.00am St Patrick’s
Weekdays 23-28 May
Thanks to Fr Damien Ellis, Catholic Chaplain to the Royal Military College at Duntroon, for lending a hand in our parishes during his short stay with us. If you are reading this before Saturday Night Mass, do not be disturbed by the presence of soldiers around our church—we have not been invaded! It’s all part of the training exercises.
The celebrations of Confirmation for 33 children on Monday night and 13 children on Tuesday night were magnificent. I have become mostly immune, over the course of years, to not being thanked after these events, so the number of “thank you”s we received was indicative of how wonderful these celebrations were. My thanks in a special way to Marcella who does all the hard work in preparation for these nights.
Thanks to our Relay for Life team and our Women’s Group for last Saturday night’s dinner. Thanks to Tony Fracchia for playing. It was a delightful evening and quite successful as a fundraiser. Thanks to Majestic Café for providing the marvellous mains at a discounted price. I enjoyed them right through until Tuesday.
This Tuesday is the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, the title under which Mary is Patroness of Australia. We will shift adoration and Benediction to Saint Patrick’s from 4.00pm. At 5.00pm, I will lead the rosary. This will be followed by Benediction and then Mass at 5.30pm. After Mass, adoration will resume in St Paul’s Chapel.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of people who have gone out of their way to return their pledge cards for the 2016 St Patrick’s Parish Thanksgiving Renewal. Undoubtedly, many more will come in this weekend. It has been good to
see a couple of new people already join the planned giving program. Could I please encourage our St Patrick’s Parishioners to fill out a pledge card whether you are changing your pledge amount or not.
I was very disappointed by the pro-abortion editorial in last Saturday’s Herbert River Express. I am grateful that they printed my response, in full, in Wednesday’s paper.
While I am as opposed to abortions at 8 weeks as I am at 38 weeks, I know that the majority of people oppose late-term abortions and would not support a bill which opens up the possibility of abortion on demand until the moment before birth. Fortunately, we have a local member in Andrew Cripps who will vote in opposition to this law.
Please take the time to pray for the defence of human life in the womb.
Next Sunday, in Ingham, following the 8.30am Mass, we will hold a Corpus Christi Procession around our grounds. While I have not yet thought through all the fine details, I am sure that it will be a spiritually moving event. As advertised inside, refreshments will be served in Mercy Hall following the procession.
This Tuesday and Wednesday, St Patrick’s Church will be closed during the day for the repair of the left-side air system.
Welcome to all visitors and new parishioners. Please make yourself known to us.
Rosary
9.30am Monday St Patrick’s
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Tues til 4pm in St Paul’s. 4pm to 5.30pm in St Pat’s. 6pm to 8.30pm in St Paul’s.
Office Hours: 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday, 1pm to 3pm Monday to Thursday
The Pastor’s Pen!
in the community. Sarah also ministers in immigration detention as a pastoral volunteer. On Saturday 4th June from 9.30am-1.00pm. at Ryan Community Centre, Kirwan, Sr Sarah will provide an overview of the global context and the complex reality facing asylum seekers who come to Australia and share her experience of working with people who come seeking protection and a safe future for their families. For more information please contact Nicole Stott-Whiting (Secretary for the Diocesan Social Justice committee) on 47 263200 or email [email protected]
Mary Help of Christians—Patroness of the Diocese
A Diocesan Mass will be held on Tuesday 24th May at 7pm at Sacred Heart Cathedral to celebrate the feast of the patroness of our Diocese, Mary Help of Christians. Light supper to follow.
Upcoming Events
Relay for Life — 28/29 May
Corpus Christi Procession, St Patrick’s —29 May
St Anthony’s Feast Day Celebrations —12 June
Walkathon for Missionaries of the Poor—17 July
Marian Musings in May:
Mary shows forth the victory of hope over anguish, of fellowship over solitude, of peace over anxiety, of joy and beauty over boredom and disgust, of eternal visions over earthly ones, of life over death. (Paul VI February 1974)
Corpus Christi Procession May 29th
A Corpus Christi Procession will take place to commemorate the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, a feast day honoring the true presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. The procession will begin after the 8.30am Mass at St Patrick’s Church. Along the route, we will stop to pray at a series of prayer stations before returning to St Patrick’s Church for Benediction. Morning tea will be provided in Mercy Hall following.
Relay for Life
Taxable donations can be made online if anyone wishes to donate more to support our Team. Ingham Relay for Life 2016 - Click on St Patrick's Angels under "Top Teams" and click donate.
St Anthony’s Feast Day Celebrations
The Feast of St Anthony is being held at Bemerside on Sunday 12th June commencing with celebration of Mass at 11.00am. Procession and Rosary will commence at 2.30pm followed by the blessing of children and distribution of St Anthony Bread. Lunch will be available from 12 noon onwards. There will be a BBQ and fish stall, granita, cakes and sandwiches, canoli, tea/coffes and cold refreshments. There will also be religious articles for sale, a cent sale stall, jumping castles for the children, musical entertainment by Double Dice and Andy and the group, and Wayne Newton’s disco. The fireworks display will be at 7.00pm.
The Committee is calling for volunteers to help set up and take down marquees and stalls . All people interested can contact Anthony Girgenti on 0408877328 or be at the church grounds in Bemerside by 8.30am on Sat 11 June. Also looking for parishioners interested in joining our Committee. To keep this 90 year tradition going we need to have more people involved as it is the only celebration left of a Saint in the Townsville Diocese.
Fiji Appeal - Nabukadra Village
Donations of money, non-perishable foods, kitchenware, clothing, beddings etc. Donations of money are able to be deposited in the following account: Westpac; Acc. Name: Fiji Appeal - Nabukadra Village; BSB: 034187; ACC. NO.: 259607. There will be boxes placed in each church to receive your donation of any of the above items (not money). Items may be brought to the parish offices.
Ingham Picture Theatre (Ingham Disability Support Services)
“Risen” - Wednesday 1st June 7.00pm & Sunday 5th June 4.00pm See posters at all Mass centres.
MenALIVE Weekend Retreat for Men
What are you doing on 11-12 June? Could you benefit from a weekend retreat, featuring talks, personal testimonies, opportunities for discussion, and space to reflect? Since menALIVE commenced in 2003, thousands of Catholic men have been encouraged and inspired at weekends across Australia. Now, the Townsville Diocese will be hosting a menALIVE weekend which will be held at St Joseph’s School Library, Mundingburra. The weekend will be conducted by experienced leaders from Brisbane Men Alive Team. For further enquiries: Len Horner 0400 487 355 or John Rens 0401 645 926 or the Diocesan Office 4726 3200
Working with refugees / asylum seekers
Sr Sarah Puls is a Good Samaritan Sister and social worker who works with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Sydney as a caseworker supporting asylum seekers living
Welcome to a new child of God: Layla Harper Powell
baptised this Sunday at St Patrick’s
Congratulations to:
Travis Olivero and
Kathryn Russell
married in St Patrick’s Church on Saturday.
Requiescant in pace Please Pray For: Michael John O’Sullivan (died this week), Phillip Zandona (died last week), Sebastian Furla (Melbourne) (died recently), Tom Hieta, Josephine Patroni, Terersa Volpi, Bruno Ghelfi, Antonio Palmas, James McCool, Cesare Quadrio, Guido Cervellin, Angela Previtera (annivs at this time), Sam Cavallaro, Irma Capozzo, Jessica Luxford, Maria Fichera, Deceased members Sartoresi & Vella families, Vittorio & Maria Cantoni, John Biasi, Sam Di Bella, Sheila & Colin McCool, Joseph Furber, Baldo Fanti, Neil Rose, Jeanette Stevens, Magoni family, Elliott Francis Mathiesen, Tina Lagorio, Santo & Giuseppina Contarino, Renzo Furlanis. David Fascetti, Ross Cosenza, Joe Valastro, Mattia Guli
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. Let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen. May their souls and the souls
of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God,
Rosters Counters This Week:
P Duffy J Leonardi S Cosentino M & L Castles
Counters Next Week:
J Duffy R Doherty P & A Costanzo
Children’s Liturgy—Sat 28 May 6.00pm
Sonya Kemp Rita Fontana Railene Firth
Altar Servers 28/29 May:
Sat 6.00pm: Lucy Galletly & Caytlan Stephensen
Sun 8.30am: Jacob Minato
Sun 7.00pm: Sam Timms & Samantha Liesenberg
Organists 28/29 May:
Sat 6.00pm: Paul Cavallaro Sun 8.30am: Pam Harris Sun 7.00pm: Lynette Di Bella
Commentators 28/29 May:
Sat 6.00pm: Vanessa Aquilini Sun 8.30am: David Price Sun 7.00pm: Christine Timms
Readers 28/29 May:
Halifax: Frances Venturato & Volunteer
Canossa: C/1 Mark Spina 2/3 Maddie Hardy
Sat 6.00pm: 1 Peter Sheedy 2 Celine Aquilini 3 Vanessa Aquilini
Sun 8.30am: 1 Imogen Price 2 Lorraine Pietrobon 3 David Price Sun 7.00pm: 1 Jessica Timms 2 Mari Quabba 3 Christine Timms Abergowrie: John Barra & Michael Barra
Special Ministers 28/29 May:
Halifax: John Tantalo & Santina Cross
Canossa: Rico & Stephanie Basaglia
Sat 6.00pm: Anna & Russell Andrews Peter Costanzo
Sun 8.30am: Margaret Pasquale Alex Pietrobon Sam Spina
Sun 7.00pm: Val McDonough Marthe Noble Debbie Sartor
Abergowrie: Maryanne Barra
In the Gospel of John, today’s read-ing appears as part of the rather lengthy Last Supper discourse that runs from chapter 13 to chapter 17. The discourse is a centrepiece of this particular gospel. In it, Jesus speaks a number of times about the coming of the Holy Spirit. The portion that makes up today’s read-ing comes from a slightly longer passage about the sending of the Spirit (16:4-15).
Throughout the Last Supper dis-
course, the Holy Spir-it is identified as Gift and Love. The Spirit is the Gift that will be sent by the Father and
by the Son so that the world may continue to experience the Love of the Father and the Son. In the dis-course, Jesus calls on the disciples to love one another with the same love that they had experienced from him – the love of God. To as-sist the disciples to continue to love with the same love of God and Je-sus, the Spirit is sent to them. The Holy Spirit is the lasting expression of the divine love that had previ-ously been experienced through the Father and the Son. The dis-
course makes it very clear that the Spirit will continue the work of Je-sus.
Today’s passage has Jesus saying to the disciples that there is still so much that he has to say to them, to teach them. But the disciples are not ready to receive everything in the time that Jesus has remaining. So to continue the teaching of Jesus and to continue the expression of Love, the Father and the Son will send the Spirit. It was the sending of the Spirit that we celebrated last week in the feast of Pentecost and it is the unity of Father, Son and Spirit that we celebrate this week in Trinity Sunday.
Trinity
Every time we make the sign of the cross we reaffirm our belief in a God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Although some people have difficulties with the gender-specific language of ‘Father’ and
‘Son’ and look for other ways to express this reality, all Christian people profess a belief in the one God who is experienced in three distinct ways. We are
baptised ‘in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit’ and we remind ourselves of
this reality when we pray and when we bless ourselves or others.
