Religion
Feast of Sts Joachim and Anne - 26th July
The Feast of Sts Joachim and Anne (Parents of Mary and Grandparents of Jesus) is celebrated in our Church on the 26th July. St Anne was the Blessed Virgin Mary’s mother. According to early church tradition, St Anne lived with her husband, St Joachim, in Galilee before moving to Jerusalem. After St Joachim fasted and prayed for forty days in the desert, Angels appeared to them promising a child. Their child was the Blessed Virgin Mary.
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
In the Sunday Gospel reading, we read about Jesus feeding a massive crowd of over 5,000 people using only five loaves of bread and two fish, demonstrating his divine compassion and providing for those in need.
Gospel Reading: Mt 14:13-21
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
When Jesus received the news of John the Baptist’s death he withdrew by boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But the people heard of this and, leaving the towns, went after him on foot. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them and healed the sick.
When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place, and the time has slipped by; so send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they answered, ‘All we have with us is five loaves and two fish.’ ‘Bring them here to me,’ he said. He gave orders that the people were to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing. And breaking the loaves he handed them to his disciples who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected the scraps remaining, twelve baskets full. Those who ate numbered about five thousand men, to say nothing of women and children.
The Gospel of the Lord
8th August- Feast of Saint Mary of the Cross (MacKillop)
On August 8th, our Church celebrates the Feast of St Mary of the Cross (MacKillop). Mary was an Australian nun who, in collaboration with Fr Tenison Woods, founded the Sisters of St Joseph. She was declared Australia’s first saint by the Catholic Church on 17 October 2010. Mary demonstrated many of the Mercy Values in her life, working with others in demonstrating compassion and service by setting up schools for children from poor families and caring for orphans and young women who were in need of help and protection.
Sacrament of Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Friday 21st August at 6.00 pm in St Mark’s Church. Please keep the children in your prayers as they continue preparations for the sacrament.
Saints Club News! Putting our Mercy Values of ‘Service and Compassion’ into action!
Our focus this term is to support the needy people in our local community and put into action our Mercy Values of ‘Service and Compassion’ into action. The children are excited when cooking muffins and bring smiles on the faces of the Hope Cafe volunteers when they deliver the muffins to them on Thursdays for the night’s dinner!
Dot Mash - RE Leader
Tues-Thurs