WelCom June 2019:

“The Bible Society has launched its new scripture-based website, The Word, the first Catholic Bible-engagement focused website of its kind in New Zealand.
Mass readings are also delivered every day, thanks to a partnership with the Marist Messenger.
The site delivers inspirational stories through video and word from Catholics for whom the Bible is an important part of their faith. Among those sharing their thoughts are the Catholic Bishops.”

This link to the website has been added here on our links page

For a good group decision-making process, Ignatian Discernment would have each participant ask the following questions:

• How do I feel about the issue?
• What is the origin of that particular feeling?
• Is it from God, or not from God? The “not from God” feelings can be from self (from ignorance, obstinacy, indigestion), from other persons (whose position on this particular issue may be “not from God”), or from other sources.

To discern or decide well, a person must be

• ready to move in any direction that God wants, therefore radically free;
• open to sharing all that God has given him or her, therefore radically
  generous;
• willing to suffer if God’s will requires it, therefore radically patient;
• questing for union with God in prayer, therefore radically spiritual.

From William J. Byron, SJ

For the first round of the Building Consultation Process, Facilitators will lead groups through a time of prayer and reflection based on the Synod 2017 Discernment Process in response to Cardinal John’s request that we review our parish churches and presbyteries.
The Pastoral Letter from Cardinal John of 15 February 2019, plus Financial information and other relevant parish data is on the report available here, for your prayerful consideration.

Using the Synod 2017 Discernment Process our first round of consultations begins on 25 May.
Facilitators will lead groups through a time of prayer and reflection in response to Cardinal John’s request that we review our parish churches and presbyteries.

Parishioners can join small discernment groups after Vigil / Sunday Masses. Sign-up sheets are available in church foyers.

It is important for us to know the number of participants so that we can organise facilitators for the groups. Please sign up by Sunday 19th May.

The sisters and supporters celebrated their 125th anniversary during Mass at St Francis de Sales Church Island Bay on 5 May at 10.30am. Cardinal John presiding.

“We were founded by the power of the printed word. A printed brochure inspired our foundress Mary Theresa Ledochowska to work against slavery. Mary Theresa grew up in the magnificent surroundings of Austrian nobility and was very familiar with mountain excursions, evenings of dance, dinner and entertainment. She had to spend hours in the midst of drawing room etiquette, sterile idleness, living on a surface level. When given a pamphlet denouncing the slave trade which was still widespread in Africa, Mary Theresa was shocked to realise that so many people, created in God’s image, were being treated worse than animals. She hoped that once people knew of the terrible realities of the slave trade they would want to help fight against it.
Her hopes became a reality with donations requesting that she forward the money to the most needy missionaries. Mary Theresa developed Echo from Africa and with her writer’s talent and her heart full of love and compassion for the slaves, subscriptions became more and more numerous.

The congregation was founded on 29 April 1894. Today there are sisters of 28 nationalities in 47 countries. Although our communities are usually small, our mission helpers constitute a gigantic force of women and men participating in assisting the poor from afar. Our work is still the same as that of our foundress: mission promotion and mission aid. The Echo from Africa – now entitled Echo from Africa and other Continents, is still our primary medium for raising awareness of the missionary activity of the Church and also much needed funds for ‘the most needy missionaries’.”

Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver,
1 Mersey St, Island Bay. Phone: 383 8401
Email: peterclaver@xtra.co.nz

Ngā mihi nui – Thank you very much – all those involved in the preparations for the Catholic Parish of Wellington South’s Third Anniversary Mass celebrations.

Photo credit Ranier Hensel

Photo credit Ranier Hensel

Join us for the first Life Teen Night for 2019

• 5pm Mass at Saint Anne’s 
• Dinner
• And the most awesome team ridiculous race of the century!!

Meet new friends and have so much fun!

We are pretty excited!!

Do you enjoy camping, the outdoors and doing adventurous activities like kayaking, cycling, tramping?
The Suzanne Aubert Scout Group is running Cubs (girls and boys aged 8 – 11) and Scouts (girls and boys aged 11 – 14) on Monday nights 6.30 – 8pm at St Anne’s Hall in Newtown.
This terms activities include: rock climbing, camping, MTB bike adventure and games nights. Come along and join the adventure.

For more details either email SuzanneAubert@ group.scouts.nz
or contact Rob McCullough on 022 177 1007