Our Faith - Religion - Prayer
St Patrick's Church Walcha
For Baptism or Marriage enquiries phone Monsignor Ted Wilkes 67784070.
Monsignor Ted Wilkes would like to invite parishioners to Sunday Mass 10am.
Term 4 Mass Dates
Friday 28th November: Mass at 11.30am
Friday 12th December: End of Year and Year 6 Graduation Mass at 12.00pm
Reflection
Tomorrow, November 21st, the Church will celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This feast day holds significant historical and spiritual importance, encouraging us to reflect on Mary’s dedication to God from her earliest years. While the story of the Presentation is not found in the Bible, it is preserved in early Christian tradition and literature, particularly the Protoevangelium of James (2nd Century AD).
The tradition holds that Mary’s parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne, dedicated their daughter to God's service, taking her to the Temple in Jerusalem when she was about three years old. There, she was presented to the priests and remained in the Temple grounds to be educated and prepared for her divine mission.
This dedication symbolises Mary's complete and lifelong commitment to God’s will, even before she understood the full extent of her role as the Mother of Jesus. Let us celebrate Mary’s early devotion and remember that like her, we are called to dedicate our lives and our work to God's purpose, reflecting her faithfulness in our own daily actions.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
On this Feast of the Presentation of Mary,
we thank you for
the example of her early dedication.
Help us, through Mary’s intercession,
to dedicate our own lives
and work fully to your service.
Give us the grace to follow your will
with the same obedience and faithfulness
she showed from her youngest years.
Amen.
Mass Friday 28th November at 11.30am
Please join the students and staff of St Patrick's Primary as we celebrate Mass with Monsignor Wilkes on Friday, November 28th, at 11:30 AM.
Everyone in our school community is warmly invited to attend this special celebration. We look forward to seeing you there.
Year of Jubilee
2025 is a Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church.
A Jubilee Year is traditionally proclaimed by the Universal Church every 25 years. It is a particular year set aside to encourage the faithful to embark on pilgrimages, to repent of their sins and forgive the sins of others, and to renew a focus on spiritual life.
The theme is Pilgrims of Hope. Pope Francis has invited Catholics to renew our hope and discover a vision that can "restore access to the fruits of the earth to everyone". We are also invited to rediscover a spirituality of God's creation in which we understand ourselves as "pilgrims on the earth" rather than masters of the world.
You will see this logo often this year...
The logo symbolises unity and fraternity among all of humanity, with four stylised figures from different corners of the earth embracing each other. The leading figure holds a cross, representing faith and hope. The rough waves beneath the figures symbolise life's challenges, emphasising the need for hope in difficult times. The elongated lower part of the cross forms an anchor, a well-known symbol of hope. This image depicts the pilgrimage as a communal journey towards the cross, which reaches out dynamically to offer presence and hope.
Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope (Youtube)
The Jubilee Prayer
To pray and download the Prayer for the 2025 Jubilee, click here. Copies of the Jubilee Prayer are available in Braille. Please contact the Office of Deaf and Disabilities Ministry for a copy: specialneedsministry@adw.org or 301-853-4560.