Liturgy
Sacrament Program
Do you have a child in Year 3, 4 or 6?
Already this year, several students in Primary have made their first Reconciliation and first Holy Communion, or have been confirmed. There have even been a couple of Baptisms! Look out for the list of students in next week’s newsletter.
If you have not already enrolled your child in a parish program, it may still be possible to enroll in some parishes. It is important to do so immediately.
If you need support in this, there are several people available to assist:
- Contact your Parish Priest or Sacrament Coordinator.
- Contact Mary-Anne Lumley, Parish Liaison lumley.mary-anne@johnxxiii.edu.au or 9383 0513.
- Information for all parishes may be found on the archdiocesan website: here
http://www.perthcatholic.org.au/Parishes_and_Mass_Times.htm?cms%2Erm=List
- Information from parishes on the College website.
Other Parish Information
‘Faith & Belief: Do you have questions?’
Father Joseph Sobb SJ leads “A regular gathering to share with and enlighten each other, to discover the joy of the Gospel, to ask questions and ponder puzzles, to discuss informally matters Biblical, Theological, Life, the Universe…”
Just come along to the Presbytery on the last Sunday of each Month.
Time: 4:00-5:00pm
Date: Sunday 30 July
Where: Holy Rosary Parish, 46 Thomas Street, Nedlands.
GOOD NEWS for Feast of Ignatius of Loyola
Yesterday was Loyola House Day and Monday is the official day on which the Church celebrates the feast of Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Companions of Jesus (Jesuits). Father Andrew Hamilton SJ gives us a reflection on the motivation and responsiveness of Ignatius and the early Jesuits, and an example of how that is lived out today. Father Andy is a Jesuit, a theologian and, among his many other roles, the Media Officer for Jesuit Social Services. The article is printed with permission.
For Jesuits St Ignatius Loyola is important because he brought us together. He is important, too, in all our Jesuit works because, whether we realise it or not, he shaped the way we think and go about our work. So his feast day gives us a pause for reflection.
Ignatius always began any discussion by asking what matters most deeply. Then after recognising what response fitted best to achieve what mattered, he was always self-reflective in carrying it out.
We can learn much from Ignatius when we reflect on the way in which he and his young companions at the end of their university studies went about deciding what they should do. The process led to the founding of the Jesuits. They had already decided to work together; what mattered to them was to be open to God’s call and to persons in need. it was a time for decisions.
They came together to plan. They decided to wait a year to see if they could find a boat to Palestine, which they would spend in living simply and prayerfully, offering their services in different cities, and helping poor and sick people. They would then gather again in Venice where they hoped to take ship to Palestine. If they could not sail, they would offer their services as a group to the Pope and be at his disposal for whatever missions he used them for. In the event, war with the Turks ruled out travel to Palestine, they applied to the Pope, and after many ups and downs the Society of Jesus was born.
The style of decision making described here was Ignatius’ gift to the world and became best practice in Jesuit works. It involved dreaming big, reflecting at leisure, focusing in an adamantine way on what matters, and to do all this together. It also involved a feature that is often overlooked. The first Jesuits slept on straw and begged their food while spending their time with the poor. Their thinking and praying were grounded in living close to the ground.
In Jesuit Social Services the practice of Ignatius and the first Jesuits translates into reflectiveness, personal and shared, about ourselves and our work. It entails also making the good of the people we work with decisive in all the decisions we make, and holding closely in our imagination and our hearts the lives of the people whom we serve.
For some of us that way of working is grounded, as it was for Ignatius, in Christian faith with its emphasis on following Jesus’ way. Others ground it in other habits of the mind and heart. But wherever we come from it makes its claim on us.
©Andrew Hamilton SJ
Community Liturgy
Please note that next week, the Community Mass will be on Thursday, due to the Kevin King Cup.
Next Thursday’s celebration of the Eucharist will be prepared by students from Year 7. Parents and friends of Year 7 are particularly welcome – but the Mass is open to everyone!
This morning’s Community Mass was prepared by Loyola House, and we welcomed back Fr Rodrigo da Costa.
For parents who would like to plan ahead, the schedule for year groups and houses is below.
3 August– Year 7 (NB Community Mass on Thursday due to Kevin King Cup on Friday)
11 August – John XXIII Day: College Mass in the St Louis Sports Centre
18 August – Ward House
25 August – Year 10
1 September – Fathers’ Day Mass (NB 7:30 start)
8 September – TBA
15 September – Sustainability Group
22 September – Year 12
For any enquiries concerning the Community Mass, please contact Mary-Anne Lumley: lumley.mary-anne@johnxxiii.edu.au or 9383 0513.
When: Fridays in Term Time
Time: 8:00-8:30am
Where: College Chapel
NB 3 variations this term:
- Week 3: Thursday 3 August
- Week 4: John XXIII Day – no separate Community Mass
- Week 7: Fathers’ Day Mass, 1 September, 7:30am start