Religion and Parish News
Prayer
Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation:
In the darkness and in the light.
Blessed are you
In this food and in our sharing.
Blessed are you as we wait in joyful hope
For the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom, the power
And the glory are yours,
Now and forever.
Amen
Sacrament of Confirmation
On the 14th and 15th of November, 38 students from St Xavier’s and other local schools, received their Sacrament of Confirmation. The students were split into three groups and attended a Confirmation Mass in the Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Chapel with their sponsor and one parent. Fr John officiated each Confirmation Mass and noted just how wonderfully the candidates were prepared and how well they had researched the various saints when trying to choose their Confirmation name.
2020 St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal
The exciting Christmas season is not far away and with Christmas comes a lot of planning and preparation. For many families in Gunnedah and surrounds, Christmas doesn’t always bring the feeling of joy that most of us enjoy. For some families, Christmas is a time of uncertainty, stress and disappointment because their personal situations don’t allow them to celebrate Christmas the way that most of us intend to. For this reason, the local branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society is asking for donations of festive food in the lead up to Christmas this year. Each St Xavier’s class has been given two hamper baskets to collect donations that students bring in. The Vinnies volunteers have asked for donations of festive food this year; non-perishable products like puddings, long-life custards, chips, nuts, crackers, chocolates, candies, tinned fruit/vege, shortbread biscuits, etc. Any donations you can provide will be very much appreciated.
End of Year Mass - Feast of St Francis Xavier
On Thursday, 3rd of December, St Xavier’s will be recognising the life and work of our school’s Patron Saint, St Francis Xavier. St Francis Xavier was a Catholic missionary who was sent to Goa, India in 1542, tasked with the mission of formally representing the church there. To mark his Feast Day, St Xavier’s staff and students will be celebrating an End of Year Mass, which will be held in the St Xavier’s School Hall, starting at 9:15am. Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, we are unfortunately unable to extend the invitation of attending this Mass to families and other parishioners.
News from the Parish
Booking-In for Mass
COVID-19 restrictions are still in place, requiring us to continue booking-in for any Mass you wish to attend. You can register your attendance by ringing the Presbytery Office Secretary on (02) 6742 0200 between 8:30am-12:30pm Monday-Friday. If your plans change, and you can no longer attend that particular Mass, you must contact the office and notify the secretary so your seats can be reallocated and to avoid people being turned away when there are empty seats inside.
Mass times are as follows:
Saturdays
4pm Sacred heart Church, Boggabri
6pm St Joseph’s Church, Gunnedah
Sundays
8:30am St Joseph’s Church, Gunnedah
11am St Therese’s Church, Mullaley (1st & 3rd Sunday of the month)
11am Mary Immaculate Church, Tambar Springs (2nd & 4th Sunday of the month)
Weekdays
9:15am Tuesdays (No Mass Tues 28th July), Wednesdays, Thursdays St Joseph’s Church, Gunnedah
11am + 5:30pm Fridays St Joseph’s Church, Gunnedah (two Masses on Fridays until further notice; both fulfill weekend obligation for those unable to attend weekend Mass)