December 23 & 24, 2017 - FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Year B Issue Number 771

The Massabielle The Weekly Newsletter of St Bernadette’s

Parish Community, Castle Hill, NSW

A TIME OF WAITING

Today’s Readings

First Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16

Once David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent’. Nathan said to the king, ‘Go and do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.’But that very night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: ‘Go and tell my

servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in? I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel; I have been with you on all your expeditions; I have cut off all your enemies before you. I will give you fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel; I will plant them there and they shall dwell in that place and never be disturbed again; nor shall the wicked continue to oppress them as they did, in the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel; I will give them rest from all their enemies. The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House. And when your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever."'

Second Reading: Romans 16:25-27

Glory to him who is able to give you the strength to live according to the Good News I preach, and in which I proclaim Jesus Christ, the revelation of a mystery kept secret for endless ages, but now so clear that it must be broadcast to pagans everywhere to bring them to the obedience of faith. This is only what scripture has predicted, and it is all part of the way the eternal God wants things to be. He alone is wisdom; give glory therefore to him through Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

‘The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his

reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God. ’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her

Readings Next Week The Holy Family - Yr B

Genesis 15:1-6,21:1-3; Hebrews 11:8,11-12,17-19; Luke 2:22-40

A STATUE OF OUR LADY appearing to St Bernadette is available for loan to parishioners during 2018. Book it for a week, for a special occasion or simply to encourage private/family prayer. Place your name, address and contact number on the roster at the entrance to the church. Enquiries: Janina Mousley on 9899 6060. SCRIPTURE STUDY GROUP: Scripture study for 2018 commences on Wednesday 7th February from 10.00 to 11.30am in the Marian Centre for a deeper understanding of the Bible. For information call Mary on 0476 279 870 of Jill on 0437 307 832.

A GIFT BEYOND CHRISTMAS Support for Loyola Senior High School, Mt Druitt Thank you very much to all parishioners who have generously contributed to this appeal over the last few years. A selection of the causes you have supported in 2017:

• Support for two students who fell pregnant in their time with us, one of whom was asked to leave her family home

• Interpreting services to support communication between refugee families and the school, and assisting families to access community agencies

• Carpentry toolkit for a Trade student unable to afford some very expensive items

• School shoes for students unable to afford them

• Uniform items for students unable to afford them It has been a great joy witnessing a number of these students graduate with dignity and pride. Thank you for the difference you have made in their lives. Your ongoing support is very much appreciated.

Mrs Cathy Larkin, Principal

Envelopes for ‘A Gift Beyond Christmas’ donations are on the Christmas Tree and can be put on the collection plate, put into the box under the tree or left at the parish office. ATTENTION LECTORS AND MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST: Anyone who no longer wishes to remain on the Lectors or Eucharistic Ministers roster for 2018, please phone Nancy at the parish office on 9634 2622.

CHRISTMAS MASSES 2017

Sunday, December 24 - Christmas Eve 5.00pm Children and Young Families’ Mass

7.00pm Family Mass

9.30pm LIFE TEEN Youth Mass 12.00 midnight Traditional Midnight Mass

(preceded by carols from 11.30pm)

Monday, December 25 - Christmas Day 7.30am, 9.00am, 10.30am (NO EVENING MASS)

Into LIFE and LIFE Nights are finished for the year. But we’ll be back!

Wishing you the most blessed Christmas from all of us at Life Teen

Envelopes are available in the foyer for the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. The envelopes can be dropped into the Vinnies Poor Box, put onto the collection plate or dropped into the parish office (letterbox at front door).

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION 2018: Welcome cards of our parish children who are preparing for the sacraments are now on display in the foyer. Please keep them and their families in your prayers during this time. Sessions will resume in February 2018. CHRISTIAN MEDITATION GROUP: St. Bernadette’s Evening Christian Meditation Group meets in the Lourdes Centre, 31b Brisbane Road, Castle Hill. (follow the lighted pathway), Thursday Evenings from 7.30 – 8.30pm. Enquiries: Lesley Maker 8677 8845 or email jandlmaker1@optusnet.com.au. The group will resume on Thursday, 2nd February, 2018.

MASS OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS: 28 December The principal celebrant for the Annual Mass of the Holy Innocents will be Fr Benedict La Volpe OFM Conv. Mass at 11.00am at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, 8 Diana Ave, Kellyville, followed by a rosary procession to the Franciscan Shrine of the Holy Innocents. A luncheon will be provided – please bring a plate to share. Inquiries 9629 2595.

CHRIST CATHOLIC COMMUNITY PRAYER GROUP meets in the Marian Centre on Tuesday morning at 10.00am studying the Sunday Mass readings. This group will continue through the holiday break.

ST MICHAEL’S CHRISTMAS BRUNCH: This Christmas morning, if you are a single person, a couple, or a family, you are warmly invited to share a Christmas Brunch with St Michael’s Parish

Community. Equally, if you know anyone who even might be spending Christmas by themselves, bring them along, and everyone will celebrate together. A delicious brunch will be served at 11am on Christmas Day, 25th December, in the St. Michael’s Old Church at Chapel Lane Baulkham Hills. Transport can be arranged, just let them know when you RSVP to David Dowling: david.dowling@raywhite.com or 0421051029.

CONGRATULATIONS to Jim and Joan Quinn who are celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary this weekend

Hello everyone!

The preparation of the Fourth week of Advent has introduced us to important figures that helped us to prepare during the Advent season, however, Jesus has been the centre of every liturgy of the Church. As Christmas approaches, we need to dedicate time to meditate on his coming, or better said: his comings. Jesus was born into our history - at a fixed point in time in the past. Jesus comes to us now in a whole variety of ways. Jesus promised that he will come again in glory, at the end of time.

The Incarnation: Jesus has come. This is not the coming we await. The first coming of Jesus has already happened. Our preparation to celebrate his birth is the occasion for our deeper reflection. On the first level, it is so important that we really let ourselves experience the power of the Incarnation: God is with us. That God became one of us means that "human" is one of the ways God can be. The deeper we contemplate this mystery the more we enter into the grace of "God with us" (Emmanuel as the ancient prophecy of Isaiah recalls). The more we let ourselves be touched by this mystery, the more we see the connection between Christmas and Easter: All of this is "for us", and our salvation to free me from the power of sin and death.

My Life Now: Jesus comes to me. When we open our hearts and our mouths and plead, "Come, O Lord," we are most directly experiencing our desire for the Lord to come to us and touch us with the grace of salvation that we might live it with greater freedom and peace. Jesus is present whenever we need him to be present: actually, whenever we turn to him - even with empty hands. Jesus is alive and active in us when we read God's Word and let it into our hearts. Jesus promised to be present with us whenever two or three are gathered together in his name. And we know Jesus comes to us whenever our sacrifices and our sufferings unite us with his own mission. Advent is a special time to experience our longing for the presence of Jesus with us now - in all the places we need him most.

Our Future: Jesus comes again, in glory. The more grateful we become for how God saved us in Jesus, the more deeply we enter into the mystery of how Jesus is with us now. The closer we come to experiencing joy at how our Lord, Jesus Christ came into our world, faithful to God and faithful to our life journey in the flesh, the closer we come to experiencing the mystery of salvation in our everyday lives. And, as our longing is filled with the utter fullness of God's gift to us, we begin to long with the ultimate freedom: we long to be with him in God. We live more at home in this world because our God made a home in this world. But the whole story draws us to a complete picture of who we are and where we belong. Then our prayer begins to change, in our hearts and on our lips. We still are singing, "Come, Lord, Jesus!" but our song is transformed into the free and complete song of the lover: "Come, and take us with you." Now we watch for the day, hoping that the salvation promised us will be ours when Christ will come again in his glory. From Preface 1 of Advent. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Wishing you all a Happy and Joyful Christmas!

Peace in Jesus Fernando Montano

OFFICE CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS The Parish Office will close for Christmas holidays from 5pm on Friday 22nd December and re-open

on Tuesday 2nd January.

St Bernadette’s Parish Community

Parish House, 367 Old Northern Road, Castle Hill, NSW 2154

Telephone 9634 2622 Fax 9899 3511 Email: admin@stbernadette.org.au

Web page: http://www.stbernadette.org.au

Parish Staff Mass Times for this Week Rev Fernando Montano, Parish Priest Sunday Sat 6.00pm Rev Michael Gathuku, Assistant Priest Sun 7.30am, 9.00am, 10.30am (incense) & Mr Andrew Rooney, Seminarian Christmas Vigil, 5.00pm, 7.00pm, 9.30pm, 12.00am Mrs Nancy Eberhaut, Pastoral Associate Weekdays Mon 7.30am, 9.00am, 10.30am (Christmas) Mr James Hay, Youth Minister Tue 8.00am (Boxing Day) Mrs Alice Bradshaw, Sacramental Co-ordinator Wed 6.45am, 9.15am Mrs Frances Gallagher, Office Manager Thurs 6.45am

Mrs Monica Rubic, Parish Secretary (Finance: Mon-Thu) Fri 6.45am, Mr Darren Edwards, Maintenance Sat 8.00am

Reconciliation Sat 8.30am - 9.00am, 4.30pm - 5.00pm Mass on Public Holidays at 8.00am

Baptisms: By appointment only. Contact the Parish Office. Please note the Church law: Parents are obliged to take care that infants are baptised in the first few weeks. As soon as possible after the birth or even before it, they are to go to the pastor to request the sacrament for their child and to be prepared properly for it. [Can. 867 §1]

St Bernadette’s Parish School: Mrs Leanne Nettleton (Principal) 9407 6600

Confirmation 2018 Information Nights - 25 & 26 June, 2018

Please pray for Kevin Cottrill, Edward Nice and Fr Brian Rooney who have died recently and in remembrance of Achille & Margherita Forestieri and Salvatore, Maria Rosa Papaluca and Warren Weston.

Prayers for the Sick: David Rix, Spiro Tanti, Maria Robayo, Rosary Roco, Robin Reyden, Sr. Bridie O’Connell, Peter Viler, John Reynolds, Narelle Cartwright, Fr Peter McGrath, Vicky Mizzi, Christina McAuley, Pat Brookes, Robert Waddell, Grace Boitano, Yvonne Hill, Aurora Haboc, Anne Parker, Irwin Hill, June Phelan, Jose Cruz, Ursula Prins and Barbara Clune.

ROSTERS FOR NEXT WEEKEND - 30 & 31 December, 2017

ACOLYTES/ SERVERS LECTORS MINISTERS OF COMMUNION

VIGIL Holiday Roster

Judith Donoghue Katrina Obeid John Obeid

Felicity & Douglas Carvalho, Susan Concon, Phyllis Lopez, Laurie Burridge, Susan Cejka, Lynne Myers, Joan Quinn, Mary McMahon

7.30AM Holiday Roster

Martin Collins Jo Wickens

Nina de Jesus

Joe Busuttil, Claire Lagunzad, Hilary Burton, Margaret Elder, Bill Lee, Peter Grace

9.00AM Holiday Roster

Karin Abrams Tim Abrams

Debra Vermeer

Alexandra Heeney, David Askey, Lisa Kemmis, Christine & Hubert Jenneke, Celeste McLean,

Trevor & Joanne O’Shea, O’Shea Family

10.30AM Holiday Roster

Sylvia Rego Gemma Saccasan

Peter Saccasan

Marion McDonald, Mabel Pereira, Wendy Smith, Prasanna Gunawardena, Florina Vanderwaals,

Barbara Shannon, Edmund Fernandez

6.00PM PARISH LIFE TEEN YOUTH MASS MINISTRY ROSTER - 31 December, 2017

Servers

Cassie Holden

Welcoming James Hay Tina Hay

Lectors Jeremy Jones Veronica Ward

Offertory Brendan Hassan

Projectionist Josh Becker

Communion James Hay Tina Hay

Susan Bennett Maree Delvecchio Raphael De Leon Natalie Mathias Natalie Jones Chris Galea

Singers Patricia Wibisono Kristen Mathias

Josh Holden Rachel Chua Jolene Chua

Woodwind

Izaak De Padua

Lauren Fernandez

CHILDREN’S LITURGY Jana Fizely

Pauline Andrew

FLOWER ROSTER Olivia Cheng

CHURCH HOUSEKEEPING Cathy Teh, Clarissa De Lima, Joanne

Myatt

COUNTING (1st Collection) Office closed

COUNTING (2nd Collection) Campion Fernando, Audrey Markowskei,

John McDermott, Barrie Waters, Chris Clancy

BOOKSHOP Maureen Fearnside / Heather Woods / Lisa Onsley & Margaret Stedman/ Dorothy Finucane/ Ingrid Vergano

Piano Alyssa Tchang

Guitar Andrew Tchang

Bass Erich Gracias Flor

Drums Jason Irawan