4th Sunday of Lent Year A Cyle II 22 March 2020

The Light of Faith

M asses & Liturgies have been suspended until further notice.

The Church will be open for PRIVATE prayer on Saturdays 9am to 11am

The Church will be closed on Sundays

Weekdays the Church will open as usual for PRIVATE prayer (no Mass)

Parish Office is open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5pm

Our Parish is cooperating with the National guidelines during this crisis period

Changes will be published on our email bulletin and website www.ourladyoftherosary.org.au - please

check for updates

The following have been included in the suspension: Adoration, Anointing of the Sick, Stations of the Cross,

The Light is On, Kid’s Club, Choirs, Children’s Liturgy, Church Bus, Meditation Group, Bible Café, Bible Study,

Men’s Group, Franciscans, Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals (private ceremonies only), Nursing Home visits,

Communion to the Sick (in the case of approaching death contact office or presbytery for a Priest).

J esus declared himself as “the light of the world” (Jn 8:12). Centuries before, the prophet Isaiah had presented

the Messiah as a great light for the nations (Is 60:1-3,19). The healing of the blind man in the gospel of today is

an instance of light coming into the world. The self-revelation of Jesus as light produces mixed reactions; while

the Jewish leaders refuse to believe, the man who was healed believes in Jesus and becomes a disciple. Hence the

most important message today is to welcome Jesus the light into our life lest we walk in darkness.

As the healing narrative progresses, Jesus disassociates suffering from sin. According to Jesus, sin is not the

cause of all suffering. Though Jesus was sinless, he suffered. In fact, suffering is an integral part of human life; it

is an opportunity for God to reveal his compassion for the believer who suffers, and for the believer it is an op-

portunity to turn to God for help in trust.

God’s Word Fr Devasia Joseph SSP

All Masses Suspended Until Further Notice

Page

2

Be Like Children of Light

T he Abbe Peyramale was parish priest of Lourdes in 1858 when the apparitions of

Our Lady to Bernadette Soubirous began. A good and kindly man, Peyramale

could be formidable and stern as well. When the young girl, Soubirous, began to knock

on his door and tell him about a lady appearing in a grotto near the river, Peyramale,

very understandably, decided that a stern and formidable attitude on his part, would

not go amiss. If this young girl was playing tricks, or suffering from delusions, a sharp

dose of severity from the parish priest may well bring her to her senses. It was a

wise and sensible course of action. Bernadette, however, was unmoved by the harsh

reception at the priest’s door.

One day, knocking on his door, Bernadette brought the message that the lady wanted a

church to be built. The parish priest became very angry and upset at such a request.

How was he supposed to respond to this! Anxious at upsetting her priest, Bernadette,

nevertheless, persisted. “Father, I wasn’t asked to make you believe it, I was just asked

to tell you.” In the end Peyramale did believe it, and what moved him to faith, to

acceptance, was the persevering simplicity and honesty of Bernadette. He became

her champion and her defender. The light dawned for him through the honesty and

integrity of young Bernadette.

Bernadette’s witness is a vital part of the story of Lourdes, but in her own sober and

humble way, Bernadette was well aware of the importance of human freedom.

Nobody can be forced to believe. We should not try to make people believe. Our

response is a matter for ourselves. The task of the witness, of the messenger, is to give

the message. “I wasn’t asked to make you believe it, I was just asked to tell you.”

When Jesus cures the man born blind, he demonstrates that he has come from God, as

a light into the world, as a light to scatter the darkness. As a true messenger, he speaks

openly and clearly by his words, his deeds and his character. To the newly-cured

beggarman Jesus says, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Tell me who he is,” the

man replies, “so that I may believe.” Here is the vocation of the church in a simple

sentence. To tell the world about Jesus of Nazareth, the light of the world.

Yet Jesus knows that many people will not accept him, that many will actively oppose

him. As Saint John says, he came as a light, but many would not accept him, because

their deeds were dark.

The Pharisees, especially, opposed Jesus because, in seeing his popularity and his

preaching and healing powers, they saw, not a sign of goodness, but a threat to their

own position and influence. There is none so blind as they who will not see. They re-

fuse to see the goodness of Jesus. It would upset their scheme of things. They commit

themselves to the dark.

By contrast, the Christians of Ephesus are encouraged to commit themselves to the

light. Saint Paul, in his letter, is well aware of the darkness of this world - foul lan-

guage, promiscuity and all kinds of dissolute behaviour. He tells the Christians to

show up the folly of such behaviour, not by attacking it, but by the contrast of a good

life. If we live in the light, we will become light, he tells us.

We cannot make people be good, just as we cannot make people believe. But we can

“tell” of the goodness of life by living in goodness ourselves. People follow example,

and if the example reveals a happy person, people will want to follow.

When the early morning light creeps in at the window, it invites us to begin a new day.

Every morning we are called to live in the light, both physically and spiritually. Saint

Paul quotes to us from an early Christian hymn: “Wake up from your sleep, rise from

the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

The Living Word Redemptorist Publications

Congratulations

Tim & Daphne Parsons

on the occasion of your

66th Wedding Anniversary 13 March 2020!

Beauty Truth

Goodness

The

Catholic

Weekly

Now on sale

on the

Church

tables.

$2 to the poor

box please.

Shop Locally!

Please support the shops in the

Carnival Hall building in the

shopping centre. These shops

support our Parish.

Page

3

Bible Study

The Light of Faith

T he blind man receives sight; but more than that he receives the light of faith. The

Pharisees are in trouble. They investigate the miracle, interrogate all concerned.

They are at pains to disprove the miracle because it challenges them to accept Jesus as

their Messiah. Were they waiting at all for the promised Messiah? With all their exper-

tise in the Scriptures, elaborate rituals and intricate laws and traditions, they failed to

acknowledge the Messiah in their midst.

It is an occasion to not only see the stubborn pride of the Pharisees which prevented

them from seeing in the humble “Son of Man” the long-awaited Messiah, but also

made them incapable of seeing a miracle which was evident to everybody else in the

neighbourhood. The Pharisees have long since disappeared from history, but there are

thousands still among us who, blinded by the same pharisaical pride and prejudice,

refuse to see the truths of God’s revelation as made known to mankind in its fullness

by the incarnation and the teaching of Christ. May Jesus never let us falter in our faith

and through his grace become his chosen “children of light.”

God’s Word Fr Joseph Thena SSP & Fr Johnson Chacko SSP

Please Note

The Altar Society Needs Helpers

We need helpers for 30-45 minutes on a Friday morning monthly roster to clean the

Church. Please contact the parish office if you can help 4332 2216.

High School Interviews with Parish Priest

Appointments are being taken for High School enrolments 25 March to 30 April.

St Edward’s College Enrolments Now Open

Online applications for Year 7 2021 are at www.stedwards.nsw.edu.au/enrolments

National Catholic Safeguarding Standards: Leadership, monitoring & improvement

The Parish regularly reviews and improves systems for keeping children safe. Key

Elements: Regularly reviews and improves practices, analyses concerns and complaints

to identify causes and potential system failures, reports findings of relevant reviews.

St Joseph’s Workshop Volunteers Needed

We are looking for volunteers 7am to 12noon one or more days per week, making

timber furniture for welfare and sale. Training given. Contact Bob Monday to Friday

on 4323 9013 to arrange a visit to the workshop at 18 Dignity Crescent West Gosford.

Men’s Discernment Retreat (Please check in case of postponement)

This retreat is designed to assist men ages 18-35 discern their vocation and who are

seriously thinking about the diocesan priesthood. 27-29 March Seminary of the Good

Shepherd 50-58 Abbotsford Road Homebush. For more information please contact the

Broken Bay Vocations Office on vocations.ministry@bbcatholic.org.au Ph: 0418 522 449

RSVP by Wednesday 18 March.

Schoenstatt Family Groups Information Day (Please check in case of postponement)

Supporting your family's faith development together with other Catholic families.

Sunday 5 April 11am 230 Fairlight Road Mulgoa. Phone: Bernard: 0416 106 871.Email:

families@schoenstatt.org.au

Spirituality in the Pub (Please check in case of postponement)

Second Tuesday 7 April 7.30pm-9pm The Grange Hotel Function Room Cnr Renwick

St & Pacific Hwy Wyoming. Bistro opens at 5-30pm. Enq: 4365 9197 or 0498 588 261.

Remember Project Compassion this Lent

Walking Aids We have 2 walking

frames, 2 travellators and 2 wheelchairs

available to anyone who has the need. Call the office on

4332 2216.

Please see the lost property cupboard

at the Ashton Avenue side door if you have lost any belongings. There

are two sets of drawers either side

of the cupboard.

Quote for

the Week

As you are united with Me in life, so will you be united at the

moment of death.

Serving the Catholic Community of The Entrance and extending the Kingdom of God

PARISH PRIEST & DEAN Fr William Stevens ASSISTANT PRIEST Fr Vincent Varghese VC DEACON Paul Simmons

SACRAMENTAL COORDINATOR Br John Verhoeven FSP

Office Hours Monday-Friday 9.30-5.00pm Tel 4332 2216 Fax 4333 5344

Postal Address PO Box 189 THE ENTRANCE 2261 Street Address 239-243 The Entrance Rd THE ENTRANCE 2261

Email info@ourladyoftherosary.org.au Website www.ourladyoftherosary.org.au

PROPERTY MANAGER Michael de la Motte Tel 4334 7600 (BH)

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY PRIMARY SCHOOL Tel 4332 5594

ST PETER’S CATHOLIC COLLEGE Tel 4351 2344 Fax 4351 2965

THE ENTRANCE PARISH DIOCESE OF BROKEN BAY

Mass & Devotions See website for updated postponements Sunday Masses Saturday Vigil 6:00pm Sunday 8:00am & 9:30am

Weekday Masses Monday - Thursday 9:00am Friday 11:45am Saturday 9:00am

Reconciliations Sat- urdays 9:30-10am & 5-5:30pm & 7-8pm during ‘The Light is On’ Fridays

Liturgy of the Hours Satur- day 8:40am Rosary Monday-Thursday 8:35am Friday 11:20am Saturday 9:30am

Please Note: Gift Centre Closure

The Gift Centre will not be open on the weekends as there will be no Masses. We apologise for this temporary inconvenience. It will be open during the week as required, by personal request. Please call the parish office to make a time.

4332 2216

Keep Us In Your Prayers There is no gift more precious than prayer - Fr Benedict Groeschel

4th Sunday of Lent Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41 Entrance Antiphon: Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.

Responsorial Psalm: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Gospel Acclamation: Glory to you, Word of God, Lord Jesus Christ! I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life. Glory to you, Word of God, Lord Jesus Christ!

Communion Antiphon: The Lord anointed my eyes: I went, I washed, I saw and I believed in God.

Our Lady of the Rosary

GIFT CENTRE

For all your devotional needs...

Pearly Gates

Revisited

Recently Deceased: Greg Cooper, Thomas Bruni, Cath Galloway.

Anniversaries: Nora O’Sullivan, Joe Bond, Denis Brennan, Grace Gosper.

Remembrances: Vincent & Dorothy Cribb, Maurice Cramsie, Jill O’Sullivan, Ron Mahoney, Patti Howard & all the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

Families: Curtis, Parsons.

Sick: Amanda Priestley, Matthew Robinson, Andrew Kelly, Peter O’Grady, Martin Gosper, Linda Read, Antoinette Grech, Margaret Pizzuto, Pat & Diane McCudden, Tanya Doorn, David Drinan, Valda Kelso, Maria De Sousa, Steve Crowe, Ann Minogue, Kaye Cincotta, Agnes Burke, Marie Lewis, Val Rayner, Delma Clarke, Chris Morley, Anthony Morrell, Raymond & Tim Baker, Kelly Will and those suffering with long-term illnesses.

Welcome Newly Baptised: James & William Ballaam.