May you see Jerusalem prosper all the days of your life! '" SECOND READING:
Colossians 3:12-21. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Alle/uia, alle/uia! Let the peace of
...
THE
WEEK
AHEAD
Ch ris tm as tide ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: The shepherds went in haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the Infant lying in a manger.
FIRST READING: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14. RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 128. RESPONSE: Blessed are aI/ who fear the Lord, and walk in his ways. "
Seekalwayswhat is right and true.Seekthe possitive.SeekGod in those around you before you are tempted to judge them for their failures.Let God in you reachout to God in others. Wed 1 Jan
The beginning of a new year is a good time to ask: What memories do I choose to keep in my heart? Positiveones,or negative ones?What lessonscan I learn from them?
i
.s
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Thu 2 Jan SsBasil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops & Doctors 1John 2:22-28; Psalm 98; John 1:19-28
St Augustine saidthat a person who singswell praystwice. Beautiful music itself is prayer.Singa new song joyfully to the Lord.
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on the earth, and lived
Fri 3 Jan /
Radiate: More Stories of Daring Teen Saints will continueto set your hearton ~ fire. Whether you are young or merelya youth at heart,you ~ will beinspiredbythe heroism oftheseteenagesaints.Young male and female teen saints 3!. fromvariousplacesintheworld are in this text; a total of ten ~~~~~ storiesin all.Asyou readthese ~ R120plus postage dynamic stories, remember that you too arecalledto a life Q.I ofjoy and holiness.Thissequel "C will continueto setyour heart ~ ablazewith vivid storytelling, E saintly challenges, prayers, images,and more. To order call Innocenton 082 667 3857. Mon-Fri8.30amto 4pm. ~ Email:
[email protected].
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MARY, MOTHER OF GOD
Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67; Luke 2:16-21
GOSPEL: Matthew 2: 13-15, 19-23. COMMUNION ANTIPHON:
'"c
(St Sylvester I,Pope)
1John 2:18-21; Psalm 96;John 1:1-18
Alle/uia, alle/uia! Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts; let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Alleluia.
~mongus.
1John 2: 12-17; Psalm 96; Luke 2:36-40
Asyou look over the past year,try and identify areasof conflict in relationships,and instead of making resolutionsyou may find hard to keep, seekto heal wounds,forgive and forget, offer love. Tue 31 Dec
1. Blessed are all who fear the Lord, and walk in his ways! By the labour of your hands you shall eat. You will be blessed and prosper. R 2. Your wife like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house; your children like shoots of the olive around your table. -, 3. Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Sion. May you see Jerusalem prosper all the days of your life! '" SECOND READING: Colossians 3:12-21. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION:
Our God has appeared
Mon 30 Dec Octave of Christmas
(Most Holy Name of Jesus)
1John 2:29-3:6; Psalm 98;John 1:29-34
Reputations,titles,possessions, and rolesdo not determine our identity.Do not liveby the momentary identity that othersgiveyou,but becomeyourTrue Self- who you areand alwayshavebeenin God. Sat 4 Jan
Liturgy of the Day
1John 3:7-10; Psalm 98; John 1:35-42
Wesoeasilyjudge othersfor their faults,but evenfor their appearanceor personality.Eachof ushasa story totell,a reasonfor wherewe arein life.Weareall on life'sjourney,seekingforgivenessand understanding. Sun 5 Jan
EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
Isaiah 60: 1-6; Psalm 72; Matthew 2: 1-12
God hasbeenrevealedto usin Christ.Shouldwe not revealourselvesto God in return?TellGodwhat isin your heart,shareyour innermostsecrets.Speakto God asa belovedand intimatefriend. (KEY: SOLEMNITIES; FEASTS, Memoria: (Optional Memoria) Background colour = l.iturqical colour of the day)
Copyright. Do not reproduce without permission. © Redemptorist Pastoral Publications, P 0 Box 341, Merrivale, 3291. Phone 082 667 3857. Fax 086 54S 4381. Email:
[email protected]. Printed by Intrepid Printers (Pty) Ltd.
n this feast of the Holy Family we meet violence is verbal or emotional. There are too two fathers. One was a king, Herod, many mothers and children who go in fear ofthe who was a merciless power-crazy tyrant. father of the household. It is a sign of the Spirit at He had six sons. He suspected three of them, work that various Men's Groups are springing up Alexander, Aristobulus and Antipater, of plotting around the country in an effort to deepen men's against him so he had spirituality. them executed. St Joseph remains an At the rumour of the inspiration for Christian birth of a new "king of fathers: his silence, his the Jews" in Bethlehem, senseofserviceandabove he quickly purged the all, his obedience to the area of all male children prompting of the Spirit. who were two years old In our tradition we refer to or under. He passed on Joseph as the "Guardian his brutality to Archelaus of the Redeemer",the title whom he made King of BlessedJohn Paul gave to Judea. Another son, Herod his Apostolic Exhortation Antipas, a milder man, was on St Joseph. He guarded made ruler of Galilee. Mary and Jesus with his It was the massacre of love and service and even the holy innocents which though we have no record occasioned another of any of his utterances, father, Joseph, husband we have the silent witness of Mary, to flee with his of his life. wife and new-born son The feast of the Holy to the safety of Egypt. Family was begun by Joseph is the antithesis of Pope Leo XIII in 1893. At Herod. Joseph was keenly the end of the nineteenth sensitive to the things of century the pope feltthat God; he was alert to the The Flight into Egypt, Coptic Icon. the family was under promptings ofthe Spirit and obeyed the messages threat and so he proposed the holy family of Jesus, received from God. Not only did this mean exile for Mary and Joseph as "the Family for Families". him and his little family but, on the death of Herod, Whatever the threats to the family at the turn it meant uprooting the family again to return, this of the 20th century, today the traditional nuclear time to Galilee and to the greater security of the family is losing its place as the "glue" of society. rule of Herod Antipas. With otherfamily models now available, it is all There are echoes of both these fathers in our the more urgent for Christian fathers, mothers and society today and on this feast of the Holy Family children to imitate the Holy Family "in practicing it isappropriate to draw attention to the role of the the virtues of family life and in the bonds of charity" father in the family. so thatwe may "delight one day in eternal rewards" There are too many violent fathers even if the (prayer of today's Mass).
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Holy Family.
Year A • Divine Office:Week
I. 29 Decem;.;.;o;;b_e~r_2~O.;.;13 ~_~_
HOLY REDEEMER PARISH Parish Priest: Fr Sean Wales C.Ss.R Assistants: Fr Sizwe Zungu C.Ss.R Rev. Alan Morris
Email:
[email protected]
28/29 December, 2013. Holy Family - Year A Theme. A family listens to the word with attention Page 56 in New Sunday Missal WEEKEND MASS TIMES : SAT: 6:00pm SUN: 7:00am, 9:00am, 11:00am & 6:00pm DAILY MASS TIMES: MON - FRI: 6:15am & 8:30am. Sat 8.30 a.m CONFESSION TIMES: THURS: 7:00 - 7:30pm SAT: 9:00 - 10:00am & 5:00 - 5:55pm ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT: MON - FRI: 9:00am - l0:00pm NOVENA & BENEDICTION : Thursday: -7:30pm FRENCH MASS: SUNDAYS - 3:00pm MORNING PRAYER—Mon to Fri at 8.00 am
Need somewhere to talk that is safe, where there is total confidentiality and where you will not be judged? Contact one of our trained counsellors Annette Milner: 021 7158177 Cynthia Wiese: 021 7941601
WEEKLY DIARY Dec 30 Mon Dec 31 Tues.
NO 6.15 am Mass (8.30am Mass ONLY)
NO 6.15 am Mass 6.00 pm Mass Solemnity of Mary Mother of God
MASS INTENTIONS
8.30 am Private Intention
8.30 am Thanksgiving 6.00 pm Private Intention
830 am Private Intention
NO 6.15 am Mass (8.30am Mass ONLY) NO NOVENA
8.30 am Private Intention
NO 6.15 am Mass (8.30am Mass ONLY) NO 6.00 pm Mass No 1st Friday tea
8.30 am Janet Noah - RIP
8.30 am Private Intention 6.00 pm Private Intention
Mary Mother of God
Jan 1 Wed.
Page 62 in New Sunday Missal
Jan 2 Thurs Jan 3 Fri.
Public Holiday NO 6.15 am Mass (8.30am Mass ONLY
Jan 4 Sat. Jan 5 Sun.
EPIPHANY OF THE LORD - Year A Theme. Jesus, The Star that Guides All People Page 68 in New Sunday Missal
7.00 am Vivian Craig - RIP 9.00 am Rose Hilario - RIP 11.00 am Parishioners 6.00 pm Mortuary List
BERGVLIET ROAD, BERGVLIET, 7945 Office hours 9.00 am. to 3.00 pm. Monday to Friday TEL NO: 021 712‐2210 or 712‐1181. FAX: 021 712‐4271 EMAIL:
[email protected] WEBSITE: www.holyredeemer.co.za
Make up a table of friends or simply join us at our Parish New Year’s Eve Party on Tuesday 31st December from 8 till late! For table reservations and tickets (R80pp) contact Ingrid on (021) 712 8168 office hours. Donations of Chips and Peanuts most welcome. Please leave at the office during the week.
Just a thought CIVILIZATION OF LOVE The Christian family has been called “a domestic church” from very early days in our history. Behind that description there is the sense of every family being a beautiful creation of God reflecting the divine family, Father, Son and Spirit. Members of a family are called to live together in harmony and joy in such a way as to echo the joy and peace of the holy family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus. More recently the Christian family as been described as the “centre and heart of the civilization of love”. In the face of other civilizations: the civilization of technology, the civilization of greed, the idea of a civilization of love goes back to God’s original plan for humanity: to live in love. At this time of year it is easy to commend the civilization of love. This is family time, family holidays, family Christmas, family fun. But behind the seasonal burst of goodwill, it is necessary to support the institution of the family in the public domain. Already 30 years ago the Holy See issued a charter of the rights of the family. Among these rights are the following * The family has the right to exercise its social and political function in the construction of society. * Families have the right to be able to rely on adequate family policy on the part of public authorities in the juridical, economic, social and fiscal domains, without any discrimination whatsoever * The family has the right to decent housing, fitting for family life and commensurate to the number of the members, in a physical environment that provides the basic services for the life of the family and the community. It doesn’t take much thought to see how far away we are from the implementation of these rights –on our doorsteps. Yes, we must pray for families today, but prayer must translate into action. Fr Sean Wales, C.Ss.R.
MILESTONES CONGRATULATIONS ON THEIR MARRIAGE Evelyn Van Schoor and Adam Bremner Ndaye and Velem Verusha West and Devar Pillay PRAY FOR OUR DECEASED Mrs Rumble RIP
LIFE TEEN IS COMING – 2014 The face of confirmation catechesis at Holy Redeemer parish will be changing come January 2014. A successful youth catechesis programme, LIFE TEEN, will be launched in the parish, to replace the current confirmation programme. Confirmation candidates (1st – 4th years) will experience the LIFE TEEN programme as of their first week of catechesis in February next year. Holy Redeemer parish will be the 5th parish in Cape Town to incorporate the programme into its parish life. Other Cape Town parishes running successful LIFE TEEN programmes include, Rondebosch, Table View, Somerset West and Durbanville. Watch the bulletin and notice board for further information about LIFE TEEN as we prepare for this new and exciting development in our parish. For more information visit www.lifeteen.com or contact: Aldina Santos on 083 303 5149.
PRAY FOR OUR SICK Abrahams, George Beukes, Matthew Beukes, Janine Boyles, Mrs Brindley, Bernadette Coutriers, Douglas Craig, Leonard Daames, Erin De Vos, Claudelle Dewhurst, Vera Erwin, Sharon Esau, Mary-Anne Fernandez, Sidney Ferreira, Pam Forsdike, Dawn Fortuin, Mrs S Fouten, Ma Freeman, Mick Giddey, Mary Gomez, Keith Hall, Lee Hendricks, Patricia Hendricks, Rita Henriques, Carmelita Herman, Mr H Heynes, Dale Heynes, Russell Heynes, Dawn Jacobs, Genevieve Jacobs, Marlene Jansen, Catherine Jegels, Christine Jegels, Gerard Jenkins, Angeline Jenkins, Sadie
Johnson, Margaret Jones, Mary Kenny, Krystyna King, James Klein, Edith Linnegar,Mafalda Maggott, Michael McAdam, Mary McDowall, Kelly Morkel, Joanna Moses, Lisa Marie Naidoo, Gabriel Nicolls, Clement O’ Riley, William Orgill, Rosetta Parreira, Cathline Pasquallie, Monty Peskin, Ernest Peters, Sylvia Petersen, Jacqui Petersen, Joyce Pietersen, Lindsy Priest, May Ruiters, Sharon Rodgers, Alan Scott, Lizzie Sheraton, Sylvia Stevens, Edward Stevens, Stephane Steyn, Vera Visser, George Whelehan, Kevin Willemse, Mrs Zill, Blanche
Are you looking for answers to any of these questions? What is the point of life? What happens when we die? What relevance does Jesus have in my life today? Is God interested in me?
SMS “CATHOLIC” to 31222 Receive a daily reflection from the Re-
Then join us @ Holy Redeemer, Bergvliet on 5th February 2014 The Alpha course can answer them for you!
demptorist Community to your cell phone. Support the Redemptorist Mission in South Africs
INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION ONLINE @ www.holyredeemer.co.za
ANNOUNCEMENTS nd
2 COLLECTION This week: None
HOLIDAY CLOSURE DATES OFFICE Friday 27 Dec 2013 to Friday 3 Jan 2014 inclusive.
CHRISTMAS OFFERING HALL Many thanks for your generous Christmas offering to the Community as well as Reopens on Mon 13 Jan 2014 the many gifts in kind which we received. ADORATION CHAPEL Your generosity is much appreciated Chapel now closed will reopen on Monday 13 Jan 2014 at 9.00am BAPTISM INSTRUCTION Will resume in February 2014. MORNING PRAYERS The public celebration of the Morning PARISH YEAR PLANNER Prayer of the Church is suspended till Ministries/societies/fundraising groups: January 6th 2014. Fr Sean please advise the Parish Secretary of dates for future meetings/events for 2014 irrespective of whether you have had meetings in 2013. Only notices from leaders will be accepted. E-mail:
[email protected] or fax: 0211. Saint Nelson of Qunu? 7124271 2. How the media sexualises girls 3. Does your family have balance? MONASTERY GARDEN 4. Makeover for place of Jesus’ birth HOUSING DEVELOPMENT 5. Hail destroyed charity’s crops If you are interested in this exciting development feel free to contact Fr. Sean EDITORIAL: The real Nelson Mandela The Holy Family. Feast of the Holy Family began in Canada in the 17th century among the French community and quickly spread to France and other parts of the Western Church Since that time devotion to the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, became very popular and several religious Congregations have been founded under the title of the Holy Family. In 1893 Pope Leo XIII gave significant encouragement to the feast and promoted devotion the Holy Family. On the 26th October 1921 the Congregation of Rites decreed that the feast would apply to the universal Church and would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the Epiphany. This was changed in 1969 to the Sunday immediately after Christmas –or on December 30 if Christmas itself fell on a Sunday.
CHRISTIANOPHOBIA: A Faith Under Attack By Rupert Shortt Rider Books 2012. This is an important book. We have become aware of the dangers Christians face in many parts of the world and the tragedy of the bombings and killings of Christians in Baghdad a few days ago has highlighted a continuing crisis in the contemporary world. In this book Shortt explores the persecution of Christians around the world. In the first twelve chapters he reveals what is going on in Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Nigeria, Indonesia, India, Burma, China, Vietnam and North Korea and finally in the Holy Land. Then in a final chapter he looks more quickly at six other countries: Cuba, Venezula, Belarus, Sri Lanka, Laos and finally Sudan. Often the lines between religious and political persecution are blurred but however many distinctions and reservations we make, the situation of Christians in many parts of the world can only be described as victimization. Unfortunately Shortt’s book does not exhaust the list of risky places for Christian to live. Nor does he have space to deal with issues like reciprocity of religious tolerance. My personal interest in this book is coloured by the fact that as Redemptorists we are present in many of the countries dealt with. We have communities in Iraq, Nigeria, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam and in most of the Latin American counties mentioned. This gives us an insight through personal contacts into the realities outlined by Shortt. I strongly recommend this book as a good starting point for appreciating the reality so many of our fellow Christian face. Fr Sean Wales, C.Ss.R.
