Advent: Week 2, Love

This week we light the second of the Advent candles. We are reminded of the way John the Baptist called people to prepare the way for Jesus and we light these candles as a sign that we, too, are praying and preparing our hearts to welcome Jesus anew this Christmas. Find out more at Advent: Week 2, Love.

Increased Church Numbers - new booking arrangements

With the further relaxation of restrictions, Holy Spirit Church weekend mass capacity has increased to 70 and bookings are taken electronically. Holy Spirit weekday mass arrangments are unchanged except for the booking times. St. Gerard's mass arrangements are unchanged. Refer www.holyspiritparish.org.au/Mass-Times/Weekly-Services for more details.

Confirmation 2020

Due to the onset of the pandemic, our planned Confirmation Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral in April was cancelled. Archbishop Comensoli has now given Fr Arsenio permission to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation upon our Grade 6 students. This will take place over this and next weekend, with a small number of candidates and their parents attending each of the weekend Masses on 5/6 December and 12/13 December. This will be a very joyous and special celebration for the candidates and their families after such a long and uncertain year. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers and on behalf of the Parish Community, congratulations!

Children's Reflection, Family Activities

Click to find a Children's reflection page plus other details of interesting things to do together as family.

St. Vinnies

St. Vinnies have Christmas cards to purchase in the church so don't forget to look out for them this weekend when you come to mass.

Christmas Masses

Next weekend 12th-13th December we will have sign up sheets for volunteers for our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day masses please look out for them and sign up if you can help.

After the government's announcement regarding Covid this weekend we will be able to advise the times of Christmas mass bookings and be able to set up a register on Try booking. An extra email will come out next week with all the releveant information so please watch out for it.

Call for Nominations to the Parish Pastoral Council for 2021

The parish is calling for nominations to the Parish Pastoral Council for 2021. Please read more here and consider nominating a fellow parishioner or yourself.

Advent is an invitation to conversion and John the Baptist gives us some down to earth advice on how to change our lives for the better. He talks, Mark 1:1-8, about filling in valleys of prejudice, levelling down mountains of pride and straightening out the crooked paths of injustice. We ask ourselves what in our lives needs a complete turning around to allow God to come close to us. There are areas and dark corners of ourselves which we do not want disturbed. This advent time of prayer and penance brings home to us the need to make a fresh start. Welcoming God involves removing all blockages and obstacles which prevent Him from coming close. Preparing a way for the Lord may mean walking a new path. Christ cannot save us without our cooperation. He does not force an entry into our lives but waits to be invited.

No service re. Covid 19 lockdowns

Advent: Week 1, Hope

As we Light the first candle on the Advent wreath.
We watch and wait. To this waiting time we bring the experiences of the year past.
This circle of green reminds us of the love of God endless, but ever new.
As we focus on the candle, what memories of the year rise up for us?

Find out more at Advent: Week 1, Hope.

Increased Church Numbers - new booking arrangements

With the further relaxation of restrictions, Holy Spirit Church weekend mass capacity has increased to 45 and bookings are taken electronically. Holy Spirit weekday mass arrangments are unchanged except for the booking times. St. Gerard's mass arrangements are unchanged. Refer www.holyspiritparish.org.au/Mass-Times/Weekly-Services for more details.

Confirmation 2020

Due to the onset of the pandemic, our planned Confirmation Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral in April was cancelled. Archbishop Comensoli has now given Fr Arsenio permission to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation upon our Grade 6 students. This will take place over the next 2 weekends, with a small number of candidates and their parents attending each of the weekend Masses on 5/6 December and 12/13 December. This will be a very joyous and special celebration for the candidates and their families after such a long and uncertain year. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers and on behalf of the Parish Community, congratulations!

Children's Week Activity: "Just as I have loved you"

As people of faith strive to live by Jesus’ message to his disciples: ‘Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.’ (John 13:34) Jesus’ commandment reminds us that we are each loved by God, who created us in his own image and likeness. We are then invited to show that same love to our neighbours – within our families, our local parish, school communities and the wider community.

There is a note of high hope about this Advent season, Mark 13:31-37,. It proclaims the message that God has not abandoned His people. And we are to wait in joyful hope for our Lord and Saviour to be revealed. Echoed and re-echoed throughout the readings is the warning 'Be on guard, stay awake because you never know when the time will come'. To be found wanting and unworthy of the kingdom on that occasion will be painfully frustrating. The real challenge of Advent is to prepare ourselves in body and soul for that great moment, by letting God's presence and power get to work in our lives.

Christmas Masses

Christmas Masses will be held at Holy Spirit and Park Orchards.  We are expecting an update from the government and DHHS on 6th December and then the Archbishop's office shortly thereafter.  Once we have these, we will update you and ask you to pass them on to your fellow parishioners, friends and family.

Advent Discussion Group

Jacinta will be leading an Advent discussion group via Zoom on Wednesday mornings from 11 a.m. — 12 noon commencing Wednesday 25th November. Once again we will be using the Diocese of Wollongong resource "Adore". If you cant join the zoom chat, you may like to get a booklet for private reflection during Advent. Copies of the booklet can be dropped into your letterbox. To register for the discussion group and request a booklet, please call Jacinta on 0434 224 483.

The Ready, Set, Pray! Children’s Liturgy of the Word @ Home video series

The series consists of 10 weekly sessions of 15-20 minutes duration, continuing each Sunday until Christmas. We hope this experience of gathering for prayer will encourage families in this time when they cannot gather for parish celebrations of Eucharist. It is produced by Proclaim: The Office for Mission Renewal at the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.

The latest episode and back episodes are available here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP4Pb34ThQ34InNPfqs1fCtAmggV0fewQ

Children's Reflection, Family Activities

The feast of Christ the King brings the church's year to a close and with it comes a reminder that the cycle of our own lives here on earth will also reach its completion. The end of the year is review time and gives us opportunity to reflect on our behaviour as members of God's household. The gospel, Matthew 25:31-46, points out very strongly that admission into our eternal home depends on the effort we make to aid and comfort the needy. We will be assured of a place in Christ's kingdom only if we treat others as Christ would treat them.

Celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholics during NAIDOC Week

We acknowledge that God has been walking with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, making his presence known through a continuous living culture over many thousands of years. We pray in thanksgiving for these ancient peoples who have enriched and sustained our continent over all that time. In particular, we praise God for the people who nurtured the land here in our parish that we call home.

NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week is the celebrated this year in the week: 8th - 15th November.

RCIA Journey 2020

Please pray for Andrew Mitchell and Sam Philp, Catechumens who will be received into our Church this weekend (15th November 2020). Read more here.

Advent Discussion Group

Jacinta will be leading an Advent discussion group via Zoom on Wednesday mornings from 11am—12 noon commencing Wednesday 25th November. Once again she will be using the Diocese of Wollongong resource "Adore". If you can't join the zoom chat, you may like to get a booklet for private reflection during Advent. Copies of the booklet can be dropped into your letterbox. To register for the discussion group and request a booklet, please call Jacinta on 0434 224 483 by Monday 23rd November.

St. Vincent de Paul Christmas Hampers

Once again, we are asking for your help to supply Christmas Hampers to the families we visit. Included in this notice is a list of the hampers needed & a list of suggested items for the hampers (yet to be supplied. Please return here once later next week). We understand what a hard year it has been for everyone but any donaCons will be greatly appreciated.

If you can't manage a hamper, donations of groceries, toys & cash would be wonderful.

If you are able to supply a hamper please contact Joan Ward on 0400 621 022 or email Joan Ward to advise of your selection.

Mission Team notice for The Ready, Set, Pray! Children’s Liturgy of the Word @ Home video series

The series consists of 10 weekly sessions of 15-20 minutes duration, commencing Sunday 18th October and cotinuing each Sunday until Christmas. We hope this experience of gathering for prayer will encourage families in this time when they cannot gather for parish celebrations of Eucharist. It is produced by Proclaim: The Office for Mission Renewal at the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

The latest episode and back episodes are available here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP4Pb34ThQ34InNPfqs1fCtAmggV0fewQ

There is a side to us which identifies with the insecurity of the man who is severely punished for his laziness in not using God's gifts. He was so wrapped up in himself and his personal concerns that he failed to face up to his responsibilities. At the end of his day he had nothing to show for his years on earth because he did not avail of the opportunities that came his way. His life was not a success story as he was mean in the service of God and showed little or no enthusiasm for Christian living.

RCIA Journey 2020

Next weekend 15 November will see the reception of our 2 Catechumens, Andrew Mitchell and Sam Philp, after many months of journeying through the RCIA program at Holy Spirit. When we first met up in October last year, we had little idea of the challenges that would confront us as we moved through the program, but credit to our two Catechumens, they stuck through it and carried on to now be well and truly ready to become full members of the Catholic Faith.

The last third of the journey was completed online because of the COVID restrictions, which did present some challenges but the RCIA team now feels that they are more than ready to become part of the Catholic community.

Our two Catechumens deserve all praise and encouragement for their perseverance and single mindedness in wanting to be part of our community.

We ask the Holy Spirit community to keep these two special men very much in our prayers and to welcome them wholeheartedly into our midst.

The RCIA team

Right of Christian Initiation of Adults - 2020 – 21

We, the RCIA team of Tina and Lawry, have just recently commenced a new RCIA journey with our new Catechumen, Deborah. As with so many things in 2020, this year’s program has started out via Zoom, but we’re hoping that if the situation improves, we will be able to start meeting face to face again in the not too distant future.

We ask the Holy Spirit community to please include Deborah in your prayers and thoughts as she embarks on this significant life journey finding God.

We also ask for your prayers for the RCIA team, as we try to facilitate Deborah’s journey via a virtual platform and also a completely new RCIA program (Symbolon), which will no doubt present its own challenges.

The RCIA team (Tina & Lawry)

Children's Reflection, Family Activities

Click to find a Children's reflection page plus other details of interesting things to do together as family.