Walking By Faith in the Spirit of the Gospel - brought to you by Auckland WBF December 2019

Dear Pilgrim people, here we are in Advent. A time of waiting and watching. A time of tying up ends of the old year and beginning this new Church year with hope and new vision. And it’s a time of longing. We long for the Reign of God to come in our world. We long for peace. In our time, as in the time of Jesus, the longing for peace is at the root of every human heart. ‘Peace be with you’ is the greeting Jesus is recorded in the Gospels as saying more than any other. And we are called to be bringers of peace! Come Lord Jesus!

Let’s Listen to God’s Word: Isaiah 2:2 Then all the nations will stream to it (the House of the Lord), many peoples will come to it and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob that he may teach us his ways so that we may walk in his paths.' (NJB) We hear this repeated on the 1st and 2nd December. Come Lord!

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Rejoice and Be Glad “Let us go rejoicing to the House of the Lord!“ Psalm 122

At the inaugural Diocesan Thanksgiving Mass, Saturday 9th November at the Cathedral of St Patrick and St Joseph, 34 Walk By Faith pilgrims from around the Diocese graduated with their Certificate in Faith Formation, the completion of 3 years in the Walk By Faith Programme. A further 4 graduated 1st December, in Miha Maori at St Francis Xavier, Whangarei. These were both joyful celebrations.

Contact for the Walk By Faith programme, Auckland, Dianna Fouhy, Co-ordinator: diannaf@cda.org.co.nz

Oh my God, to love you on earth I only have today! St Therese of Liseux

Photos:

Top right: with Bishop Patrick Dunn, St Joseph’s parish and school, Grey Lynn.

Middle Right: St Dominic’s parish, Blockhouse Bay.

Middle left: Sancta Maria College, Flat Bush.

Lower Left: St Francis Xavier, Whangarei, with graduates from St Anthony’s, Kaikohe and St Therese’ Moerewa who were the last WBF group tutored by Sister Isabelle Harding after many decades of Faith Formation in Northland.

Lower right: St Francis Xavier, WBF certificates presented by Fr Peter McDermott .

WBF Graduates Auck 2019 contd.

Julia Barber Omar Tamayo Amara Kevern Janette Vercoe Amber Stevens Marion Havell Joanne Al-Rubaie Lesley Dickson

In our Auckland Diocese: Mercy Spirituality Centre: 5th Dec. Nativity scenes7th Dec. Mandala Reflection Day 11th Dec. Prayer in the spirit of Adventwww.mercyspiritualitycentre.org.nz

Empower Youth Rally, 7th Dec. Sacred Heart College, 7-9.30pm, Charis NZ Youth Mass, Cathedral, kicks off for 2020 on February 23rd, 7pm led by LOGOS. Come with your family. Parish Musicians, 15th Feb. 2020: Lift up their Voices!  

Tenderness means to use our eyes to see the other, our ears to hear the other, to listen to the children, the poor, those who are afraid of the future. To listen also to the silent cry of our common home, of our sick and polluted earth. Apr 26, 2017 Pope Francis TED talk https://time.com/4755663/pope-francis-ted-talk-transcript/

In the long tradition of the Walk By Faith programme each graduate has presented a project of mission and evangelization within their community.

Individual WBF graduates shared their faith through prayer, scripture and discussion with friends, parish members, fellow pilgrimage travellors and family. Others reflected on a journey of pastoral and practical support with parishioners, friends, students or colleagues, leading the RCIA group or supporting Ecumenism.  

In the new format of WBF some chose to work as a group to present their projects. This method had a large component of personal reflection. One group shared a faith-filled understanding of the scripture and symbols of Advent with their parish; a group initiated a new WBF group and led it through the 1st year of WBF- now heading to lead year Two; a school based group led students in an experience of Lectio Divina; a couple reflected on their experience as mentors in the marriage and family team; a mother / daughter team reflected on the way Mass was celebrated and homilies given in different parishes. The Holy Spirit fully alive!

Graduates of Auckland Walk By Faith 2019:

Lok Poh Choo Valyne Penny Emslie Judy Kwan Joshua Tham Nestor Reynolds Tepano Tauia Joe Joseph Sunita Fernandes Paige Fernandes Millie Ocampo Mary-Anne McKay Augustina Reid Yolanda Kirkbeck Regina Smuga Lydia Victor Tracey Lee Donna Southworth Madeline Tolai Elisapeta Pivac Harry Akeli Maryanne Schaumkel Pauline Johns Anderson Morgan Hutton Kim Bradley-Chevolleau Te Miringa Huriwai Paddy Bennett

Rejoi ce

Walking By Faith in the Spirit of the Gospel - brought to you by Auckland WBF December 2019

Contact for the Walk By Faith programme, Auckland, Dianna Fouhy, Co-ordinator: diannaf@cda.org.co.nz