Liturgy
|
SACRAMENT PROGRAM
Are you seeking First Reconciliation, First Communion or Confirmation for your child?
"Your unique and indispensable role in your child's Catholic Christian formation is one that both school and parish endorse and support. It is your privilege and responsibility, which follows from your commitment when your child was baptised, to present your child for the sacraments."
John XXIII College prepares children for the various sacraments during the course of this year's religious education programs: Year 3 - Reconciliation, Year 4 - Eucharist, Year 6 - Confirmation. Your family celebrates that sacrament in your home parish, the parish community in which you regularly participate.
If you would like further information on the Sacrament program, please contact: Mary-Anne Lumley, Parish Liaison
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
This weekend, in a number of parishes, we see the fruits of the 'family-focused, parish-based, catholic-school supported sacrament program as some of our Year 4 students make their First Holy Communion, with their families, in their respective parishes. Our thoughts and prayer are with the students on this special occasion of receiving communion for the first time. Congratulations also to their parents and teachers for preparing them. Students in the parishes of City Beach, Claremont and Mosman Park will celebrate the Sacrament this weekend, and their names will be in next week's newsletter.
Forthcoming dates for First Holy Communion in other local parishes:
Cottesloe - Sunday 28 June - 10:00am
Floreat - Saturday 27 June - 6:00pm or Sunday 28 June, 9:30am
Nedlands - Saturday 20 or 27 June - 6:00pm or Sunday 21 or 28 June - 8:45am
Subiaco - Sunday 22 November 11:30
Don't see your parish here? If you would like further information on the Sacrament program, please contact: Mary-Anne Lumley, Parish Liaison lumley.mary-anne@johnxxiii.edu.au.
Alternatively go to the archdiocesan website:
http://www.perthcatholic.org.au/parishes-priests/index.cfm?loadref=16
© Image: Dorothy Woodward rsj
Emmaus Productions
|
'GOOD NEWS' for the feast of THE BODY & BLOOD OF CHRIST
"…This is my body. This is my blood." (Mark 14:12-26)
The following is part of Fr Richard Leonard's homily on this Sunday's gospel and is printed here, with kind permission. Fr Richard Leonard SJ is the author of Preaching to the Converted, Paulist Press, New York, 2006.
As Catholics we believe that Jesus is really and personally present to us in the broken bread and shared cup of the Eucharist. And although we believe that Christ is present in the Scriptures, the assembly and the ministers of the Church, we hold that Christ's presence under the form of bread and wine is one filled with the greatest intimacy and uniqueness.
The Eucharist is not intimate and unique because it is magic. It's not intimate and unique because we gaze upon the elements. The Eucharist is intimate and unique because earthly signs are transformed by God's love, and are consumed in faith. As we eat and drink these elements Christ becomes part of us, and we come alive in Christ.
In the fifth century Saint Augustine taught his people that if they truly loved the Eucharist they would become what they eat. The same is true for us today. By receiving into our hands the bread - blessed and broken, the cup - poured and shared, we say 'Amen' to becoming the same in Christ: blessed, broken, poured out and shared in love. We commune with God and God with us in the Eucharist so that just as earthly gifts are transformed into Christ so through us will be the entire world, and all things in it…. (through) … the power of love, which expresses itself in faith, hope and service.
In a profound poem French Jesuit Didier Rimaud challenges those of us who love the Eucharist to see it linked to the liberation begun in the Exodus, consummated in the Resurrection and working in our world today.
In remembrance of you,
We take the bread of Easter in our hands,
This Bread do we consume:
It does no longer taste of bitter herbs,
nor of unleavened bread.
It is the bread of a land promised us
where we shall be set free.
In remembrance of you,
We take the wine of Easter at our feast,
This wine do we hold dear.
It does no longer taste of bitter springs,
nor of dark salty pools.
It is the wine of land promised us
where we shall be made whole.
In remembrance of you,
From exile we return.
In remembrance of you,
We walk across the sea!
No wonder the early Christians called the Body and Blood of Christ, 'food for the journey'. May this (feast) strengthen and embolden us to help God liberate and transform the world through how we spend our lives. © Richard Leonard SJ
Image © Jenny Close
COMMUNITY MASS
Today, World Environment Day, our celebration of the Eucharist was prepared by Sustainability Captain, Ruby Meegan and her team of students. Thank you to all students involved. Next week Community Mass will be prepared by Year 9 students, and families are particularly welcome!
Our College community celebrates the Eucharist each Friday morning in term time, and everyone is always welcome.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Lumley.mary-anne@johnxxiii.edu.au
Where: Chapel
Time: 8:000am - 8:30am
When: Fridays in term time.
