All posts by 3 churches

The assumption

assumption

Wednesday is the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady.

It is a Holyday of Obligation, with Mass at St Paul’s 9.30am; Christ the King 12.45pm; St Brigid’s 7.30pm.

This is an occasion for us all to pause and consider this most extraordinary woman, and what messages she holds for us. Once more, let the poetry of Malcolm Guite help us delve more deeply into the graces of Mary. This is called “Theotokos” – Greek for “Bearer or Mother of God”.

Theotokos

You bore me for the One who came to bless And bear for all and make the broken whole. You heard His call and in your open ‘yes’ You spoke aloud for every living soul.

Oh gracious Lady, child of your own child, Whose mother-love still calls the child in me, Call me again, for I am lost, and wild
Waves surround me now. On this dark sea Shine as a star and call me to the shore. Open the door that all my sins would close And hold me in your garden. Let me share The prayer that folds the petals of the Rose. Enfold me too in Love’s last mystery.
And bring me to the One you bore for me.

“Sounding the Seasons” Malcolm Guite, Canterbury Press

Christ the king bidding prayers, 5 August 2018

bidding prayers, Christ the King

Priest:We turn to God our loving father and ask him for all our needs

Reader:We pray that the Lord may guide and protect the Church in Her mission to spread the Good News of salvation for all people.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the homeless we see on our streets and those who are hidden from our sight. May community concern persuade all levels of government to work together to provide them with shelter and support.

 Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for all of our young people who are waiting for exam results.  We ask you to be with them and to grant them the wisdom to discern what future path to choose. 

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Let us pray for those who care for the mentally and physically ill, especially those who bear this burden on their own. May they be given the help and support they need.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

          We pray for all those who have died; that they may find eternal rest.

          Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We ask Mary, our Mother, to join her prayers with our as we say Hail Mary…

In silence now we make our own private prayers to God.

Priest:God our Father, trusting in your constant care and protection, we bring you these prayers in the name of Jesus. Amen

3 churches bidding prayers, 29 July 2018

bidding prayers, Christ the King

Priest:    We come together as a community to ask God our Father for our needs and for the needs of others

Reader :         The response is;                  

Lord, in your mercy

Hear our prayer

We pray that we be inspired to find new ways to support our Parish Priests and our parish community  .… … … … … … pause … 

Lord, in your mercy– (Hear our prayer)

We pray for the people affected by natural disasters, most recently the fires in Greece.  May they be supported in rebuilding their lives.– – – – -pause – – – – – – 

Lord, in your mercy– (Hear our prayer)

We pray for world leaders, especially those in newly emerging nations.  May they find the courage to work towards the elimination of corruption in government and avoid the very ready temptation of self-interest – – – – -pause – – – – – – 

Lord, in your mercy– (Hear our prayer)

We pray for children and young people everywhere, especially those who are in care, and young homeless people; and we pray for social workers and others trying to meet their needs…… … … … … … pause … 

Lord, in your mercy– (Hear our prayer)

As the school holidays begin we pray for families; and we pray for those in our community who are alone.  May the holiday season refresh them all– – – – -pause – 

Lord, in your mercy– (Hear our prayer)

Let us spend a few moments in silent prayer – – – –  longer pause – – – – – 

We ask Mary the mother of our Lord to join her prayers to ours saying,

            Hail Mary………….

Priest:     God of love, listen to our petitions and grant them through him who lives in glory with You and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

A modern miracle?

newsletter

In 1964 Fr Rick Thomas was appointed to El Paso in Texas. Around 1969/1970 he was deeply touched by God and started prayer meetings in the parish. Sr Maria Virginia, was also assisting in the parish.
During a prayer meeting in 1972, they read the passage in Luke 14 which says, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relations or rich neighbours, in case they invite you back and so repay you. Now when you have a party, invite the poor7 for they have no means to repay you and so you will be repaid when the upright rise again.”

The prayer meeting decided that on Christmas Day that year, 1972, they would give a Christmas lunch to the poor who lived and worked in the dump in Juarez, just across the border in Mexico. The poor people in the dump used to separate the trash into various kinds, cans, bottles, cardboard etc and then sell it to a co-op which would in turn sell it on. They lived in the dump and worked 7 days a week for $5.
The prayer group prepared food for 125 people on Christmas Day, but when they got to the dump Fr Rick and the group discovered that 350 people turned up! Fr Rick explained that there was not enough food for everyone but they would share what they had. All 350 had enough food7 The dump people took some food home – and then came back to take more home. They returned and took more home again. There was still lots of food left over, so much that Fr Rick and the prayer group took the leftover food to three orphanages.
The miracle of the loaves and fishes was repeated in the dump in Juarez, Mexico in 1972. On another occasion they didn’t have enough cartons of milk for everyone, but when they came to the end of handing out cartons, everyone had a carton of milk. After the miracle on Christmas Day 1972 a beautiful Christian community grew up in the dump and many wonderful events have taken place since then.

Fr Matthew – See “Miracles in El Paso” by Rene Laurentin, 1982.