Prayer

St Patrick's Church Walcha

ALL MASSES HAVE BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Weekend Mass Time: Sunday - 10am

For Baptism or Marriage enquiries phone Monsignor Ted Wilkes 67784070

Sunday Mass online – You are able to take part in Mass online by going to Armidale Catholic Cathedral with Bishop Michael Robert Kennedy https://www.facebook.com/SMJCathedral/

Easter Sunday -12th April

Easter Sunday is the celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead. It marks the end of Holy Week, the end of Lent, the last day of the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday), and is the beginning of the Easter season of the liturgical year. As we know from the Gospels, Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day following his crucifixion, which would be Sunday. Since Easter represents the fulfillment of God's promises to mankind, it is the most important holiday on the Christian calendar.

GOSPEL Jn 20:1-9

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.

So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,

"They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him."

So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.

They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.

When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,

and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.

Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.

For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

Every Sunday we gather to recall that Christ rose from the dead and has given us new life, but today is special as it recalls the original Sunday. This is our great annual feast proclaiming that death has been conquered and our sins forgiven. This is the great day of Christian joy: Christ is risen.

Mary the Patroness of the Diocese

It is important that we all remain united in prayer entrusting our lives and cares with confidence to God’s unfailing Providence. I invite you to each day pray the attached Prayer to Mary the Patroness of the Diocese as we beseech her intervention for our protection.

A Coronavirus Prayer

The Other Side of the Virus,

An Opportunity to Awaken...

Yes there is panic buying.

Yes there is sickness.

Yes there is even death.

But they say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise

       You can hear the birds again.

They say that after just a few weeks of quiet

       The sky is no longer thick with fumes

       But blue and grey and clear.

They say that in the streets of Assisi

       People are singing to each other

       across the empty squares,

       keeping their windows open

       so that those who are alone

       may hear the sounds of family around them.

They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland

      is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.

 Today a young woman I know

      is busy spreading fliers with her number

      through the neighbourhood

      so that the elders may have someone to call on.

 Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples

      are preparing to welcome

      and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary.

All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting.

All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way.

All over the world people are waking up to a new reality

      To how big we really are.

      To how little control we really have.  

      To what really matters.

      To Love.

So we pray and we remember that

Yes there is fear.

     But there does not have to be hate.

Yes there is isolation.

   But there does not have to be loneliness.

Yes there is panic buying.

    But there does not have to be meanness.

Yes there is sickness.

    But there does not have to be disease of the soul

Yes there is even death.

     But there can always be a rebirth of love.

Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.

Today, breathe.

Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic-

     The birds are singing again

     The sky is clearing,

     Spring is coming,

     And we are always encompassed by Love.

Open the windows of your soul

          And though you may not be able

          to touch across the empty square,

          Sing.

- Written by Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM, March 13th 2020