2016 Christmas – New Year 2017

KEEP IT REAL

“C an we have a real Christmas this year?” The request came from a seven year-old. Telling the tale, the mother explained that last year the family had moved to a new address and there wasn’t time to settle and unpack everything. Christmas came and went with no decorations or the family’s

traditional “Crib” scene. That’s what the child missed most of all.

In our increasingly secular country, the loss of what Christmas really means is very palpable. Street parades welcome “Santa” with no mention of the “Christ-child”; trees are decorated with everything from bottle tops to miniature reindeer and “Spidermen”, with scarcely an angel in view. “Snoopy’s Christmas” and “What a Wonderful World” get a remarkable amount of airtime, and “Happy Holidays” tries to overtake “Happy Christmas”!

Welcome to Sacred Heart Cathedral in this Christmas Season, and thank you for coming. Your presence signals your recognition that there is indeed more to this season than what appears in shopping brochures and civic promotions. There is a reality that cannot be measured in the tug that draws us to one another, that engenders warmth and good will and that, if even for a little while, lifts the burdens of concern and fear. The Christian belief that God is with us in Jesus, ever encouraging and ever merciful, is a powerful strength in our uncertain and struggling world.

May your visit here sharpen your focus on what makes the Christmas Season real and vital for us all. Give thanks for the faith that lets you see the love of God in every aspect of life: the tininess of the newly born, the forces of nature, the lined weariness of aging... All belong in the “Crib” of Christmas. Have a real, holy and lasting Christmas. James Lyons, Parish Priest

Sacred Heart Cathedral parish is a partner in the Wellington Central Pastoral Area with St Mary of the Angels (CBD), and the Catholic Parish of Otari (Wilton and Karori)

The

Cathedral

Connection

December 2016

Our Parish in 2016

Our Parish in 2016

Cathedral Pilgrimage - Year of Mercy

The Year of Mercy filled much of parish and cathedral life in 2016. We hosted many pilgrims visiting the Doors of Mercy, and made our own pilgrimage, honouring the first missionaries to Wellington at their graves in the Mount St Cemetery. We arranged the funeral for a man who died unknown and alone and helped organise a “shoe mountain” on the cathedral steps – hundreds of pairs distributed through the VdeP Society.

There were farewells and welcomes to membership of the Liturgy, Finance and Pastoral committees and also to school leadership. We assisted refugees to resettle and reflected on their plight with the help of the Lampedusa Cross. A link from the past came with the gift of a baton presented to Philip Putnam, the parish music director in the 1860s. Choral and orchestral concerts continued to benefit from the cathedral’s fine acoustics and the Boys’ Choir gained in confidence and skill.

A combined celebration with Mother Theresa’s Sisters honouring her sainthood in October was another special moment. An earthquake in November shook us up but without major damage. A book launch in December celebrated Pope Francis’ call to promote prayer in family life. 2016 was a full and wholesome year.

Cardinal John’s announcement of the Synod (Go You Are Sent) to be held in September 2017 signals continuing action! Cirilo Barlis, who was with us on pastoral placement from the seminary and is now a Deacon, will be ordained Priest in the cathedral on 6 May. Please remember him in prayer.

Every blessing to all as we step ahead.

Sacred Heart

Parish

22 - 30 Hill St, Thorndon Box 1937, Wellington 6140

Ph: 496 1700 cathedral.parish@wn.catholic.org.nz

www.mcshwellington.org

Baptisms in 2016 Gabriel Thomas Adayadyil Gejo (31 Jan) Estelle Priestley (31 Jan) Sam Michael Winter (13 Feb) Portia Maria Olivia Floirendo Sol Cruz (14 Feb) Jasper Elijah Dolman (28 Feb) Bridget Victoria Russell (28 Feb) Melodie Jo Gribben (26 Mar) Madeleine Spencer (26 Mar) Matthew Gaylor Ryan (26 Mar) Susanna Chui-Shan Leung (26 Mar) Naomi Anne Woodnutt (26 Mar) Thomas Oliver Cribb (27 Mar) Emily Chanaya Rathnayaka (27 Mar) Hugo Jean Ansolabehere ((27 Mar) Anna Elizabeth Chainey (23 April)

Hugo Edward Lonergan (24 April) Samuel Clifford Counsell Stephens (8 May) Emily Michelle Stacey Coyne (14 May) Luca Quang Duy Pham (14 May) Alexander James Oakenfull (28 May) Yueyi Catherine Chan (19 June) Isobel Mary Alice MacKenzie (9 July) Kellan Federico Hibbert (10 July) Fintan Robert Thomas Consedine (16 July) Madison Leane Pena (21 July) Oliver Sherwood Smith (24 July) Rory Jacob McCarthy (23 July) Jacob Nicholas Gillies (30 July) Poppy London Debreceny (5 Aug) Rory Gary Sinnott (17 Sept) Leo Paul Jupp Groisman (30 Oct) Juan Santino Yap (12 Nov)

Jackson Thomas Matuszewski (20 Nov)

Joaquin Bernhardt (17 Dec)

Funerals in 2014

James Lewis Grant (6 Jan)

Bertrand Mary Weir (16 Jan)

Fr Noel Thomas Delaney SM

(13 Feb)

Yvonne Mary Grove (9 Mar)

Mark Stephen Janis (24 Apr)

Kirsty Anne Grainger (24 May)

Fr John Edward O’Dowd SM (7 Jun)

Corazon Luna Owen (2 Jun)

Ronald Keith Finlayson (5 Jul)

Leonie Heather Robbers (7 Aug)

Judith Mary Blair (5 Sep)

Paul Franklin Barber (4 Oct)

Daniel Paul Neazor (8 Oct)

Wilford Anthony Mansor (6 Nov)

Weddings in 2016 Rachel Susan Collins & Anh-Son Viet Pham (8 Jan) Jessica Yui Hei Chan & Bradley Martin Fong Sang (9 Jan) Philippa Jane Ross & Callum Michael Brookes (22 Jan) Charlotte Sophia Te Mahita Cole & Iliya Veniaminovich Labaznov (6 Feb) Dominique Grace Nunns & Rory Gerard John Linstrom (7 Feb) Mary Elizabeth Davies-Colley & Mark Leslie Mulholland (20 Feb) Emily Katherine Gould & Edward David William Harrison (12 Mar) Sarah Anne Barker & Anthony Gerard Christenhusz (24 Mar)

Katherine Jane Sutherland & Daniel John Scanlon (27 Mar) Therese Ellen Kyne & John Michael Grevatt (16 Apr) Jessica Nguyen & Juan Carlo Belnas Sevilleja (14 May) Stephanie Anne Nock & Sean Philip Hitchins (3 Sept) Joanne Gwendoline Saxton & Matthew Michael Hunt (23 Oct) Jonathan Huett Douché & Virgin Nikanthi Sashikala Perera (12 Nov) Martinique Ella Barbalic & Hamish Ross Campbell McEwen (4 Nov) Ravai Kautane Henderson & Anthony Michael Lantin (25 Nov)

Rebecca Rose McGuinness &

Samuel Baz Duncan (26 Nov)

Monday 26th Dec to

Friday 30th Dec: 8.30am

New Year’s Eve: 11pm Exposition of Blessed Sacrament followed by Mass at 11.30pm New Year’s Day: 10.30am

Weekdays in January including Saturdays: 8.30am Sundays in January: 5.30pm (Sat Vigil), 10.30am, 7pm Normal schedule resumes from 30

th January 2017

Holiday Mass Timetable