“Listen to Him”

As Christians, we believe that the transfiguration is not merely a past event but an ongoing reality. God’s voice is creative - God spoke and creation came into being. God’s voice is transformative: Jesus literally glowed as God affirmed him as the Son. God’s voice continues to be at work in our world today, and in our lives. But like Abraham and the disciples, we need to learn how to listen and perceive at more than just a superficial level. That takes time and practice and commitment. Being children of the loving Father is something that shines out from our lives—because we have learnt to listen to the voice.

Second Sunday in Lent—25 February 2018 Year B

Planned Giving Envelopes This weekend, the new sets of Planned Giving Envelopes are ready for collection at the back of the Church. If you would like to contribute to the Parish through

envelopes or direct debit system, please contact the Parish Office. Thank you for your continued support of our Parish. Blessings, Fr Janusz.

MONDAY 26 FEBRUARY

Weekday Mass 6.45am

Lenten Program: (25-45yo) 7pm—8pm Parish Office

(All) 7pm—8pm Corroboree Rm

TUESDAY 27 FEBRUARY

Weekday Mass 6.45am

Marian Movement of Priests Cenacle 6pm Church

Devotion to St Michael & the Angels 7pm

WEDNESDAY 28 FEBRUARY

Weekday Mass 6.45am

SMSS Yr 4 Reconciliation / Fr Janusz to visit Yr3

Lenten Program 4pm—5pm Parish Office

Legion of Mary 7.30pm Parish Office

THURSDAY 1 MARCH

Weekday Mass 9.15am

Marian Devotion Croatian Prayer Grp 11am Church

Lenten Program 7pm –8pm Old Church

Spanish Stations of the Cross 7.30pm Church

FRIDAY 2 MARCH

Weekday Mass 9.15am with SMSS Yrs 2/3 students

followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

together with Padre Pio Prayer Group

Lenten Program 10.30am—11.20am Old Church

First Friday Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

6.00pm followed by First Friday Mass at 7.00pm

STATIONS OF THE CROSS 7.30pm Church

SATURDAY 3 MARCH

Meditation 8am Back Meeting Room

ST MICHAEL’S PARISH RETREAT DAY 9am

Weekday Mass 9.00am

followed by Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Reconciliation Times: 9. 4.15pm—4.45pm

Mass Times: 5.00pm Vigil Mass (First Scrutiny)

followed by Devotion to Our Lady of Fatima

Spanish Mass 6.30pm

SUNDAY 4 MARCH

Mass Times: 8.00am, 10.00am and 6.00pm

Lenten Program (18-30yo) 7pm—8pm Presbytery

Mandarin Mass 12.00pm

RCIA: Rite of Election

St Mary's Cathedral 18 February 2018

The St Michael's Parish Community Welcomes Home our Candidates and Catechumens! By the grace of

God they have come thus far. Please continue to pray for them as they continue on their journey of Faith.

Thank you to the Mandarin Community (especially Sr Agnes and Sr Assunta) which has 16 catechumens and a candidate. The Tuesday evening RCIA group

has 5-6 catechumens and a candidate. To God be the glory!

2019 ENROLMENT APPLICATIONS

Our Catholic Primary School, St Mary's Star Of The Sea Hurstville,

is now accepting enrolment applications for the 2019

Kindergarten classes. (As well as for other classes)

Parents / Carers who are interested in enrolling are welcome to do a

SCHOOL TOUR on either TUESDAY 6 MARCH

(9:15 and 12:15) or THURSDAY 8 MARCH

(9:15 and 12:15). Please contact the School Office on

9587 2358 to book a spot.

© The scriptural quotations are taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton Longman and Todd Ltd and Double-day & Co Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. The English translation of the Psalm Responses, the Alleluia and Gospel Verses, and the Lenten Gospel Acclamations, and the Titles, Summaries, and Conclusion of the Readings, from the Lectionary for Mass © 1997, 1981, 1968, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON:

Of you my heart has spoken: Seek his face.

It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face from me.

FIRST READING: Gen 22:1-2. 9-13. 15-18 A reading from the book of Genesis

God put Abraham to the test. ―Abraham, Abraham,‖ he called.‖ Here I am‖ he replied. ―Take

your son,‖ God said ―your only child Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah.

There you shall offer him as a burnt offering, on a mountain I will point out to you.‖ When

they arrived at the place God had pointed out to him, Abraham built an altar there, and

arranged the wood. Then he bound his son Isaac and put him on the altar on top of the

wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and seized the knife to kill his son. But the angel of

the Lord called to him from heaven. Abraham, Abraham‖ he said. ―I am here‖ he replied. ―Do

not raise your hand against the boy‖ the angel said. ―Do not harm him, for now I know you

fear God. You have not refused me your son, your only son.‖ Then looking up, Abraham saw

a ram caught by its horns in a bush. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering

in place of his son. The angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time from heaven. ―I swear

by my own self – it is the Lord who speaks – because you have done this, because you have

not refused me your son, your only son, I will shower blessings on you, I will make your

descendants as many as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your

descendants shall gain possession of the gates of your enemies. All the nations of the earth

shall bless themselves by your descendants, as a reward for your obedience.‖

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Ps 115:10. 15-19. R. 114:9

All: I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

1. I trusted, even when I said: ―I am sorely afflicted.‖

O precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful.

2. Your servant, Lord, your servant am I; you have loosened my bonds.

A thanksgiving sacrifice I make: I will call on the Lord‖s name.

1. My vows to the Lord I will fulfil before all his people,

in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem.

All: I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

SECOND READING: Rom 8:31-34 A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave

him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything

he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could

anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose from the dead,

and there at God‖s right hand he stands and pleads for us.

The word of the Lord.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!

No one lives on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!

✝GOSPEL: Mk 9:2-10 A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain where they

could be alone by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became

dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to

them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ―Rabbi,‖ he

said ―it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses

and one for Elijah.‖ He did not know what to say; they were so frightened. And a cloud

came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, ―This is my Son, the

Beloved. Listen to him.‖ Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with

them any more but only Jesus. As they came down from the mountain he warned them to

tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They

observed the warning faithfully, though among themselves they discussed what ―rising from

the dead‖ could mean.

The Gospel of the Lord.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON:

This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.

We pray for the sick in our community: , Paul Tyson, Mary Stirrat, Charles

Chow, Angela Ablong, Ellie Humphries, Peter Tabutor, Terese Bull, Ann Grout-Smith,

Ernesto Madrona, Georgie Craven, Atelaite Alamoti, Charlotte Massoud,

Giuseppe Sciacca, Nathan Nguyen, Fr Bill Heng and Theodora Sakr.

We pray for the repose of the souls of the recently deceased: Sr Joan Jurd RSC,

Yolanda Charleston, Jacob Laupoini Senior, Renato Gutierez, Rudolph Bergagnin,

Clothilde Almeida, Steve Sutalo, Romana Nuez, Panicia Anderson, Andre Leung,

Carolina Randall, Erno Kulcsar, Fr Laurie Sullivan SSS, Jatjet Sotto and Cecilia Mok.

We remember those relatives and friends who have departed this life: Herbert & Dora Christensen,

George & Josephine Cowell, Trevor Gaynor, Fr Ron Harden, Florence May Jones,

Frank & Lillian Lucas, Ken Lucas, Alan & Kathleen Mercer, Jennifer Meredith, Antonino Picone,

Joseph George & Mary Sakr, Vittorio & Angela Scali and the Tracey & Kelly families.

We pray for: Sam Grima, Anthony Pisani, Peter McKenna, Maria Magdelena Do and Florentina Etty

whose anniversaries occur about now.

We pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory and for those who have no one to pray for them.

Sr Joan Jurd RSC Sr Joan Jurd passed away

recently at the age 102. Sr Joan had been a Religious Sister of

Charity for 85 years, during that time she had been a much loved teacher of English and Literature, quite a few years here at St Mary's Star of the Sea, and also

Mother Superior in the 60's. Sr Joan was well respected and loved.

May she Rest in Peace.