Community News

3x Double bunk beds required for adult use for Khulu Rose home, in Samora Machel township, for mentally disabled patients. If you can help, please call or message Sean Defty on 083 288 4843.

We are looking for teachers for our Sunday School Ministry, especially for the 3-6 year olds. Please contact Orlanda Butler on 071 626 1544 or orlanda.butler@gmail.com if you are interested, or would like more information. Lesson plans are provided.

Many Congratulations to Fr Robert who celebrated his 14th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood on Monday, 7th January.

With the recent reports of the sexual abuse crisis that is rocking the Catholic Church, we have received a  pastoral letter from Archbishop Stephen Brislin and a letter from Our Holy Father where they denounce the inexcusable past recognising that no pardon for the harm done will ever be sufficient but looking forward with resolve and uncompromising resolve to prevent this from ever happening again.

Our Church is in crisis but it is in these times that we look to Jesus to keep our faith strong.

In line with Pope Frances’ letter to the faithful, in which he invites the entire holy faithful to a penitential exercise of prayer and fasting, the pastoral letter from Archbishop Brislin calls for a day of prayer and fasting on 15th September, the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows.

ARCHBISHOP’S PASTORAL LETTER – A CALL TO FASTING  – 29 August

“My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ

In recent days we heard with great sadness and remorse the report from the United State known as the “Pensylvania Report”. Detailed experiences of at least a thousand survivors over approximately 70 years – victims of sexual abuse by clergy – were made public. The wounds of the survivors who have suffered the abuse of power and of conscience at the hands of priests never fully heal. As church we continue to acknowledge and condemn, with sorrow and shame, the atrocities perpetrated by consecrated persons, clerics and all those entrusted with caring for the most vulnerable, our children.” Read full letter – Pastoral Letter – 28 August 2018

LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD – 20 August

” ‘If one member suffers, all suffer together with it’ (1 Cor 12:26). These words of Saint Paul forcefully echo in my heart as I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons. Crimes that inflict deep wounds of pain and powerlessness, primarily among the victims, but also in their family members and in the larger community of believers and nonbelievers alike. Looking back to the past, no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient. Looking ahead to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated. The pain of the victims and their families is also our pain, and so it is urgent the we once more reaffirm our commitment to ensure the protection of minors and of vulnerable adults.” Read full letter – Pope Francis letter

“THIS IS NOT WHO WE ARE!”

The Jesuit Institute’s weekly letter this week is entitled ‘Sex Abuse in the Church – “This is not who we are!” ‘ give us some meaning that this is not the Church Jesus founded. Our faith resides in Him and what He desires for us. Read the letter from the Jesuit Institute here

The Church has designated the next few weeks for focus on marriage and family, to underline their importance and to encourage our ongoing efforts to strengthen them. For the next four week ends there will be a leaflet inside the bulletin with suggestions on how couples can strengthen their marriages. They are in two broad categories: Love and Communication in Intimate Relationships will cover weeks 1 & 2. Hurt & Forgiveness in Intimate will cover weeks 3 & 4.

If you would like more information, please contact Brian and Francoise Robertson.

Our Parish Flower Group is looking for some help.  If you’d like to join, we’d love to welcome you along, even if you’ve never tried flower arranging before. Please call or text Pat Danford on 082 781 1708

Congratulations to Michael Brooks who was installed into the Ministry of the Acolyte by Archbishop Brislin during Mass at Our Lady Help of Christians on Thursday, 14th June 2018. Thank you for your hard work and dedication Mike!

Thank you, also, to the many parishioners who turned out on a very stormy night to attend the installation.

If you are interested in participating in this project to renew the mission of the parish, please contact Barry Smith at bjksmith60@gmail.com or 071 360 9969.

Angela Pinder thanks everyone who brought in Sunflower bandanas – greatly appreciated!

As this year our Patronal feast falls on a Thursday, we will be celebrating it on the weekend 9/10 June.

To mark the actual feast date, the Mass on Thursday 31 May at 18:30 will be followed by tea and coffee and a talk by Fr Zane Godwin on ‘Mary as the first disciple’. This will end just after 19:30.