12th / 13th January, 2019 Year C: Vol.44 No.06

We are an active and welcoming Catholic community,

where people of all ages draw closer to God.

His love is expressed through each one of us by prayer,

liturgy and reaching out in service to one another.

Pari sh Vi si o n St atem e nt

Please visit our Parish Website: www.standrewsmarayong.org.au

The BAPTISM

of the LORD

PARISH STAFF:

Monsignor Ron McFarlane

Father Sayed Kozhaya

Maria Hyson

(Sacramental Coordinator)

Michelle Sultana &

Joe Clemson

(Office staff)

PARISH OFFICE:

Phone: 9622 0817

Fax: 9671 7971 40 Breakfast Rd, Marayong 2148

[PO Box 4345]

Email Address:

saapm@bigpond.com

Office Hours:

Monday to Friday

9.00am to 4.00pm

After hours phone: 9676 7960

PRESBYTERY:

41 Breakfast Rd, Marayong

WEEKEND MASSES:

Saturday (Vigil) 6.00pm

Sunday:

7.30am, 8.45am, 10.30am .

SUNDAY SCHOOL:

Each Sunday morning

after the 8.45am Mass.

Weekday Masses: Monday: 9.00am

Tuesday: 9.00am

Wednesday: 9.00am

Novena & Mass: 7.00pm

Thursday: 8.00am

Friday: 9.00am

Saturday: 9.00am

Mass for the Sick: 4th Saturday

of the month at 9.00am

Rosary: After each morning

Mass and before the

Saturday Vigil Mass

SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

• After weekday morning

Masses.

• Saturday: 4.30pm - 5.30pm

• Anytime by arrangement.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

Baptisms: 1st & 3rd Sunday

of each month at 11.45am

Baptismal Preparation:

2nd Wednesday of each month

at 7.30pm

in the Fr Byrne Centre.

Please book for Baptisms

with the Parish Office.

PIETY STALL:

Open after Masses on Saturday

night and Sunday morning or

by asking for an appointment

at the Parish Office.

FR. BYRNE CENTRE:

(Parish Meeting Rooms)

38 Breakfast Rd, Marayong.

PARISH SCHOOLS:

ST. ANDREW’S PRIMARY

Principal: Yvette Baird

Phone: 8869 6700

Address: 36 Breakfast Road

Marayong 2148

ST. ANDREWS COLLEGE

College Principal:

Stephen Kennaugh

Phone: 9626 4000

Campus -

JUNIOR CAMPUS (YRS. 7-10)

Address: 116 Quakers Road

Marayong 2148

SENIOR CAMPUS (YRS. 11-12)

Address: 50 Breakfast Road

Marayong 2148

PARISH REGISTRATION

If you have not filled out a Registration Form, please do

so as soon as possible and return it to the Church or Parish

Office. Forms are available at the back of the Church.

If you are a new parishioner, we ask you to complete a

Registration Form, and return it to the Parish Office.

Bullet in Highl ights …

⬧ RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL PROMISES

⬧ LITURGY ROSTER FOR 2019

⬧ SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

⬧ UPCOMING PARISH AND DIOCESAN EVENTS

E V E R T H O U G H T O F B E CO M I N G A C AT H O L I C ?

We hope you don’t mind us asking this question, but experience has shown us that time and again many people feel drawn to the Catholic community. Often they would like to ask some questions but don't know where to start. Well, there is one place to begin, and that is through this parish community. At St Andrews Parish, Marayong, we offer opportunities for people to come together, with members of the Parish community, to find out what makes the Catholic Church or, rather, what makes Catholics tick. There is no "hard sell" and no strings attached. We provide a friendly series of informative evenings among friends. We would be delighted to share with you some of our own experiences of what it means to be Catholic. We would like you to learn about the community we belong to and the values that are important to us.

To find out when and where the next program is being held, please contact the parish office on 9622 0817.

We encourage members of our Parish family to offer this invitation to people they know who might be interested in having a look at the Catholic Church.

If there are starters, commencement date will be Monday February 4 .

From Monsignor Ron …

In recent weeks we have participated in marvellous

events. We began in Advent preparing for the Feast

of Christmas, which was a time of preparation and

renewal and also a time for reflection on God’s

personal love for us. The incredible truth is that our

God who created all that exists, came into our world

as a child. Last weekend, we celebrated the Feast

of the Epiphany which can be translated as

manifestation. Jesus was manifested as the Saviour

for all mankind. Our God has come to live amongst

us to be our Saviour, to guide us to fullness of life.

Now, we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord which is

of great significance in regard to the mission of

Jesus. We need to remember that the Baptism of

John the Baptist was a Baptism of repentance. We

also need to remember that Jesus had no need of

forgiveness. What is happening here is that Jesus

takes upon himself the weight of the sins of all

mankind in order to make reparation for their sins.

Our life as members of God’s family began with

our Baptism. Through Baptism we received a new

life and became members of God’s family and the

Body of Christ. I think this last point is a very

important one for it not only emphasises our union

with Jesus, but it also emphasises our union with

each other. As well as that, it reminds us that we

have been created to live at this moment in time to

be the representatives of Jesus and to work with

him in continuing his mission of salvation.

In many ways the baptism of Jesus was the

beginning of his mission and of the great things he

would accomplish. I would like to suggest that our

baptism was also the beginning of great things for

us. Like Jesus we have a mission. We are called to

be living lights in a world which doesn’t always want

to hear about God’s love for them. This is an

important moment for us to reflect on our Baptism

and it would also be a good time to reflect on the

promises that were made at our baptism on our

behalf. I think this is important because on the

occasion of our Baptism others made promises on

our behalf. So, in a sense, we have a secondhand

faith which means it is vitally important that we make

our own personal commitment and take ownership

of our faith. A day like today is a good reminder of

the importance of seeing our faith as not simply

believing certain truths but as a total way of living.

The reason I say this is that if we want to achieve

the potential that God put within us it will only

happen if we commit to the way of life that Jesus

came to bring us.

MASS READINGS -YEAR C

THIS SUNDAY:

THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD

First Reading: Isaiah 40:1-5. 9-11

Psalm: Ps103:1-2. 3-4. 24-25. 27-30

Second Reading:Titus2:11-14; 3:4-7

Gospel: Luke 3:15-16. 21-22

NEXT SUNDAY:

SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

First Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5

Psalm: Ps 95:1-3. 7-10

Second Reading: 1 Cor 12:4-11

Gospel: John 2:1-11

Please contact the

Parish Office, if you are

unavai lab le for your

rostered Ministry.

THIS WEEK’S ROSTER: 12th / 13th January 2019 [2nd Sunday of the Month - Odd Month]

M INISTRIES 6.00pm 7.30am 8.45am 10.30am

ACOLYTE Romy Gapud

Emmanuel Tabone Gus Kaster

Edsel Paltoo Noe Adan

Thong Nguyen Robert Bautista

Ferdi Chin

COMMENTATOR Nenette Gapud Claire Blunt Joan Leong Peter Maw

FIRST READER Ralph Vaz Antonette Elogious Roseanne Victoria Allen Brady

SECOND READER Myra Estrera Belinda Elogious Maria Hyson Maryanne Bautista

PROJECTOR OPERATORS

Sarah Debrincat Derica Elogious Vesna Kenny Abigail Chin

WELCOMER Annette Hudson Claire Blunt Agnes iligan

Volunteer Required Jerome Chin

MUSICIANS Hearts NO Music Mass CD Music Mass Dingalings

MINISTERS OF COMMUNION - Second Sunday of the Month

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT Once again, we will be experiencing another

change amongst the priests in our parish family.

After just four months Fr Sayed will be leaving us to

take up an appointment as a priest in Penrith Parish.

Unfortunately, just as he gets settled in here, the

needs of the Diocese once again take precedent.

We will welcome Fr Luis Herrera to our parish.

Fr Luis is the Chaplain to the Spanish Community

and has been one of the priests in Blacktown parish

until this time.

So, at the beginning of February we will be blessed

with two new additions to our parish family,

Fr Florito and Fr Luis.

NEXT WEEK’S ROSTER: 19th / 20th January 2019 [3rd Sunday of the Month - Odd Month]

M INISTRIES 6.00pm 7.30am 8.45am 10.30am

ACOLYTE Stephen Debrincat Bernardo Rivera

Charles Hyson John Fernandes

Morie Balisbisan Thong Nguyen

Robert Bautista Volunteer Required

COMMENTATOR Erna Ferrer Mary Anne Xuereb Joan Leong Carmelita Liceralde

FIRST READER Marian Fernandez Fely Perez Roseanne Victoria Volunteer Required

SECOND READER Edward Yin Laurinda Atienza Bernardo Rivera Maury Villanueava

PROJECTOR OPERATORS

Volunteer Required Volunteer Required Jaden Victoria Volunteer Required

WELCOMER Volunteer Required Annette Hudson Denise Farla Dot Kaster

Peter Maw

MUSICIANS Lorraine's Group NO Music Mass CD Music Mass Living Word Choir

MINISTERS OF COMMUNION - Third Sunday of the Month

In Times of Questioning You can actually believe while not believing. I mean you can act your belief while your mind disbelieves. In other words, we have to act as though it was true before we can become convinced of its truth. We must put it into action in order to believe it.

That becomes more obvious if we remember that our word "believe" meant originally "to live by". To live by the reality of God, even when we feel we can't grasp it, to live by the reality of God's love and we don't feel it, even when our intellects doubt it, to live by the resurrection of Jesus, even when our minds wonder whether it can be true -- it is all a matter of choice, of commitment, of will. The world may call it wishful thinking; there will be times when all we can say is: "I would rather live my life as though a loving God were a reality, even if I find at the end that I was wrong, than live out my days in a godless universe. I would rather share the illusion of Jesus of Nazareth than be a wiser person and be in any other kind of world." But, in fact, those who hold onto the doing, a living of the faith, even when the thinking deserts them, do find in time that their recognition of its truth is restored and returns stronger and clearer than before.

You might put it in a nutshell and say: "when you can't believe, make believe." In other words, we need to live as though it were true.

Sunday 13

The Baptism of the Lord

Counters: Group 2

09:30 Sunday School

Monday 14

09:00 Mass

09:30 Rosary

19:00 SVdP Meeting

Tuesday

15 09:00 Mass

09:30 Rosary

19:00 Legion of Mary

Wednesday 16

09:00 Mass

09:30 Rosary

19:00 Novena & Mass

Thursday 17

Saint Antony, Abbot

08:00 Mass

08:30 Rosary

20:00 Music Practice

Friday 18

09:00 Mass

09:30 Rosary

16:00 Junior Legion of Mary

NO Youth Mass & SAYWAT

20:00 HJM Core Meeting

Saturday 19

Saturday memorial of the

Blessed Virgin Mary

CFC Evangelisation meeting

09:00 Mass for the Sick

09:30 Rosary

09:40 Jnr Legion of Mary

10:00 Church Cleaning LoM

16:15 Legion of Mary

Renewal of Baptismal Promises

Dear brothers and sisters, through the Paschal Mystery we have been buried with Christ in Baptism, so that we may walk with him in newness of life. And so, as we celebrate this Feast of The Baptism of the Lord, let us renew the promises of Holy Baptism, by which we once renounced Satan and his works and promised to serve God in the holy Catholic Church. And so I ask you:

Priest: Do you renounce Satan? All: I do. Priest: And all his works? All: I do. Priest: And all his empty show? All: I do. Priest: Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth? All: I do. Priest: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried, rose again from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father? All: I do. Priest: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting? All: I do. And the Priest concludes: And may almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us new birth by water and the Holy Spirit and bestowed on us forgiveness of our sins, keep us by his grace, in Christ Jesus our Lord, for eternal life. All: Amen.

MASS FOR THE SICK We do celebrate a Mass for the Sick each month on a Saturday morning. At this Mass for those who meet the requirements, there is a Sacrament of

Anointing of the Sick. Thanks to the members of our seniors group, “Life Ascending Australia,” there is a morning tea after this Mass. There are two things that you might be able to help with in this regard:

If you know of somebody who is suffering from illness please encourage them to come along to this

Mass and, as necessary, offered to provide them with transport. It would also be helpful secondly, to bring along a small plate for morning tea.

There will be a Mass with the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick on Saturday, January 19 at 9:00 AM.

ROSTERS FOR LITURGY

➔ We do need to create new rosters for our weekend liturgies. In recent times a number of parishioners

have completed courses and been commissioned as Readers and Extraordinary Ministers of Communion.

At the same time, almost every weekend sees people not turning up to fulfil their roster. We do not know why

this is so since many of them do not even bother to contact the parish office.

Consequently, we are going to create a new roster which will necessitate people contacting the parish

office. To help with this there will be forms at the main door of the church. As well, if it is more convenient

please fill out the details below and return them to the office. I would encourage you to return this information

as soon as possible as I want the new roster to be in effect by the 1st weekend of February.

Name:__________________________________ Mobile Phone:_________________

Email:________________________________________________________________

Ministry :

Reader; Commentator; Extraordinary Minister of Communion; Acolyte.

Preferred Mass : 6:00pm; 7:30am; 8:45am; 10:30am.

Availability for Communion to the Sick: yes / no _______________

St Patrick’s Gift Shop

St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta has opened an on-site gift shop stocking a wide range of religious gifts and cards to celebrate any special occasion. For more information visit: https://stpatscathedral.com.au/

Ordination to the Perminant Diaconate: Friday 22 February

Mass of Ordination to the Diaconate of Mr Roderick Pirotta, Mr John Cinya, Mr Roque Dias and Mr Thong Nguyen will be celebrated at St Patrick’s Cathedral. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Follow our pilgrims attending World Youth Day Panama!

The Diocese’s World Youth Day 2019 will take place 15 January to 1 February 2019. The Diocese of Parramatta has 171 pilgrims attending. Please remember pray for the pilgrims.

Follow the pilgrim’s progress online at parrawyd.org

COMMUNITY OF THE RISEN LORD SYDNEY — FAMILY RETREAT 2019

Discover the true purpose of family life and thereby the path of happiness. Monday, 28 January 2019: 10.00am to 4.00pm at John XXIII Catholic Primary School Hall

160 Perfection Avenue, Stanhope Gardens NSW 2768 For more information see the poster / collect a leaflet from the back of the church.

OPENING TIMES

Tue: 10.00am – 2.00pm

Wed: 10.00am – 3.00pm

Thur: 10.00am – 3.00pm

Fri: 10.00am – 3.00pm

Sun: 9.00am – 2.00pm

For more information call

Mila Alforque

0478 707 516