Our Faith - Religion - Prayer 

 St Patrick's Church Walcha 

For Baptism or Marriage enquiries phone Monsignor Ted Wilkes 67784070.

Mons Ted Wilkes would like to invite parishioners to Sunday Mass 10am.

Term 3 Mass Dates

Friday 28th July: Mass (tomorrow)

Tuesday 15th August: Mass- The Feast of the Assumption: 

Friday 1st September: Mass

Friday 15th September: Mass and the Blessed Exposition 

Reflection

From next Wednesday until Sunday 6th August, a large number of pilgrims from around the world, aged between 18-35 including some members of our diocese will be celebrating World Youth Day in Lisbon. Unfortunately, time has caught up with myself as I am unable to take part in this festival but when I was younger I took part in various World Youth Day festivals in Sydney, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro. I believe attending the three World Youth Day festivals transformed my life in many ways and consolidated my relationship with God. There are definitely a lot of fond memories that I will remember for all time, including celebrating Mass with over two million people on Copacabana Beach in Rio, carrying the World Youth Day Icon of Mary and Jesus at the Australian Gathering at Madrid, reading the readings in front of thousands of worshippers in Valencia, sleeping and playing soccer with other pilgrims from around the world on the actual track at Randwick Racecourse and many more. 

So what actually is World Youth Day?  World Youth Day (WYD) is a worldwide encounter with the Pope celebrated about every three years in a different country. The most recent WYD was celebrated in Panama City, Panamá from January 22-27, 2019 and the next World Youth Day will be held next week in Lisbon, Portugal.

WYD is open to all young people who want to take part in a festive encounter centered on Jesus Christ together with their peers. This event is an opportunity to personally experience the universality of the Catholic Church, and to share with the whole world the hope of many young people who are committing their lives to Christ and His Church. World Youth Day is a unique way to deepen faith and grow closer to Christ, through prayer and the sacraments, together with hundreds of thousands of other young people who share the same interests and ambitions.

If anyone gets the opportunity to take part in a future World Youth Day festival, I would definitely recommend going as it is a life-changing experience, sharing your faith with millions of others from all over the world. I wish all of the pilgrims in our diocese who are taking part the very best of luck and in some ways, I wish I could attend myself.

World Youth Day Prayer 

Eternal God, You loved the world so much that You gave us your only Son, 

to accompany us in every moment of our lives.

From diverse backgrounds across our vast land, we journey as one, your pilgrim church. We leave what is known and what is precious to us to embark on life’s pilgrimage, 

uncertain of who our companions will be or what joys, hopes and challenges await us. 

In our brokenness, we desire wholeness. 

We trust Jesus, your Word, to lead us on this journey. 

Unafraid of what we do not know, we are full of excitement and ready to embrace all.    May your Holy Spirit open us to transformation.

We want to give ourselves to the Holy Spirit as Mary did. 

With her, we say:” I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word”.

Assist us that we may welcome all that is needed to renew our lives. 

May we become Jesus’ true disciples, forgetting ourselves and loving His kingdom, His truth, and all he came to save by His Holy Cross. 

Mary, Our Lady Help of Christians, Patron of Australia, pray for us.Amen.

Amen.

St Mary of the Cross Liturgy

Very soon the large majority of schools in our diocese including us will be remembering and celebrating the life of Australia's very own saint, St Mary of the Cross. St Mary of the Cross feast day is on Tuesday 8th August. Norn in Melbourne in 1842, Mary grew up in Penola, a small town in South Australia. In 1866, Mary began a religious order named the Sisters of St Joseph. She and her sisters opened schools in isolated places and served the poor in many ways. Their unselfish work won the respect of many people.

Mass, Tomorrow Friday 28th July at 11.30 am

The school will be celebrating Mass, tomorrow, Friday 28th July commencing at 11.30am. Everyone is invited to come and join us on this special occasion.

First Reconciliation and Confirmation

Very soon, information will be sent home to the families of all eligible First Reconciliation and Confirmation candidates in regard to both preparation programs that will be commencing later in the term. The information in both documents will outline all aspects that are associated with both programs. If you have any questions/queries in regards to the Sacrament of First Reconciliation or the Sacrament of Confirmation, please feel free to contact Mr Hyatt.

Sacrament Dates for 2023

2023 First Reconciliation: Date has been set for our Catholic students in Years 2 and 3 for Friday 20th October 2023.

2023 Confirmation: Date has been set for our Catholic students in Years 5 and 6 for Sunday 5th November 2023.

Catherine McAuley

Catherine’s spirituality was centred on the mercy of God…prayer in action…action in prayer.