Responsorial Psalm: (R) God mounts his throne to shouts

of joy: a blare of trumpets for the

Lord.

1. All peoples, clap your hands,

cry to God with shouts of joy! For the

Lord, the Most High, we must fear,

great king over all the earth. (R)

2. God goes up with shouts of joy;

the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

Sing praise for God, sing praise, sing

praise to our king, sing praise. (R)

3. God is king of all the earth. Sing

praise with all your skill. God is king

over the nations; God reigns on his

holy throne. (R)

Second Reading: Eph 1:17-23

He made Jesus to sit at his right hand in heaven.

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of glory, give you a spirit of

wisdom and perception of what is

revealed, to bring you to full knowl-

edge of him. May he enlighten the

eyes of your mind so that you can see

what hope his call holds for you, what

rich glories he has promised the

saints will inherit and how infinitely

great is the power that he has exer-

cised for us believers. This you can

tell from the strength of his power at

work in Christ, when he used it to

raise him from the dead and to make

him sit at his right hand, in heaven,

far above every Sovereignty, Author-

ity, Power, or Domination, or any

other name that can be named, not

only in this age, but also in the age to

come. He has put all things under his

feet, and made him, as the ruler of

everything, the head of the Church;

which is his body, the fullness of him

who fills the whole creation.

The word of the Lord

THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD - Year B 12– 13 May,

Entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco

Catholic Church

Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Go and teach all people my gospel, I

am with you always, until the end of

the world. Alleluia!

GOSPEL: Mk:16:15-20 The Lord Jesus was taken into heaven and is

seated at the right hand of God.. Jesus showed himself to the Eleven,

and said to them, ‘Go out to the

whole world, proclaim the Good

News to all creation. He who believes

and is baptised will be saved; he who

does not believe will be condemned.

These are the signs that will be asso-

ciated with believers: in my name

they will cast out devils; they will

have the gift of tongues; they will

pick up snakes in their hands, and

be unharmed should they drink

deadly poison; they will lay their

hands on the sick, who will recover.’

And so the Lord Jesus, after he had

spoken to them, was taken up into

heaven: there at the right hand of

God he took his place, while they,

going out, preached everywhere, the

Lord working with them and confirm-

ing the word by the signs that accom-

panied it.

The Gospel of the Lord

Communion Antiphon:

Behold, I am with you always, even to

the end of the age, alleluia.

26 Swanston Street, St Marys, NSW 2760

Tel: (02) 9623 1962 Fax: (02) 9833 1063

Parish Email: secretaryolrchurch@iinet.net.au

Parish Website: www.olrchurchstmarys.org.au

Entrance Antiphon: Men of Galilee, why gaze in wonder at

the heavens? This Jesus whom you saw

ascending into heaven will return as

you saw him go, alleluia.

First Reading: Acts 1:1-11 Why are you standing here looking into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven.

In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt

with everything Jesus had done and

taught from the beginning until the

day he gave his instructions to the

apostles he had chosen through the

Holy Spirit, and was taken up to

heaven. He had shown himself alive to

them after his Passion by many dem-

onstrations: for forty days he had con-

tinued to appear to them and tell

them about the kingdom of God.

When he had been at table with them,

he had told them not to leave Jerusa-

lem, but to wait there for what the Fa-

ther had promised. ‘It is’ he had said

‘what you have heard me speak

about: John baptised with water but

you, not many days from now, will be

baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ Now

having met together, they asked him,

‘Lord, has the time come? Are you go-

ing to restore the kingdom to Israel?’

He replied, ‘It is not for you to know

times or dates that the Father has

decided by his own authority, but you

will receive power when the Holy Spirit

comes on you, and then you will be my

witnesses not only in Jerusalem but

throughout Judaea and Samaria, and

indeed to the ends of the earth.’ As

he said this he was lifted up while they

looked on, and a cloud took him from

their sight. They were still staring into

the sky when suddenly two men in

white were standing near them and

they said, ‘Why are you men from Gali-

lee standing here looking into the sky?

Jesus who has been taken up from

you into heaven, this same Jesus will

come back in the same way as you

have seen him go there.’

The word of the Lord

PARISH TEAM Parish Priest: Fr. Brendan Murphy SDB Assistant Priest: Fr Guy Riolo SDB Parish Secretary: Fleur Mathias

Parish Telephone: 9623 1962 Parish Email: secretaryolrchurch@iinet.net.au Web: www.olrchurchstmarys.org.au

Parish Fax: 9833 1063

For Enquiries Please Phone The Parish Office

between 9:30am - 12:30pm & 1:30pm - 3:30pm, Mon-Fri

Salesian Community: Phone: 9623 1220

Rector: Fr John Walenciej SDB

Don Bosco Youth Centre: Phone: 9623 0450

Co-Directors: Sr Jenny Doudle FMA Fr John Walenciej SDB

Our Lady of the Rosary Primary School

Principal: Mr Michael Siciliano Phone: 9623 2500 Email: olorstmarys@parra.catholic.edu.au

Web: www.olorstmarys.catholic.edu.au

Emmaus Catholic College

Principal: Mr Robert Nastasi

Phone: 9670 4588 Email: emmaus@parra.catholic.edu.au Web: www.emmauskempscreek.catholic.edu.au

PARISH MINISTRIES St Vincent de Paul Society: meets every Tuesday at 7:00pm in the St Vincent de Paul Office beside the Parish Hall.

Junior Legion of Mary: meets on Fridays, 5:00pm to 5:45pm in the Parish Hall and Parish Meeting Rooms. Young people welcome

Senior Legion of Mary: Tuesdays, 6:30-8pm in the Parish Hall Meeting Room. All Welcome to join.

The Cenacle: Every Thursday after 9am Mass, you are invited to join us to pray the Cenacle of the Marian Movement of Priests.

Cuppa and Craft Club: Thursdays at 9:30am, Parish Hall. Contact Parish Office 9623 1962. Computer Class (50 years & over): 9.30am-12pm Parish Hall

Meeting Room. Please contact Parish Office. Rosary Statue: Will remain in the Church for all of May.

RCIA: meets Thursdays, 7:30pm, Parish Meeting Room. Know someone who would like to be a Catholic? New enquirers welcome.

Catechists: Teaching God’s Word in our State schools. Volunteers needed. Contact Maureen Watts 9623 9272. Mother’s Prayers: Every Monday, 10am at the Infant School.

Ladies Auxiliary: 2nd Mon’s, Parish Office Meeting Room, 7:30pm

Youth Choir: Choir Practices on the 2nd Sunday of the month, 2.30pm – 4pm. Choir sings at the 9am Mass on the 4th Sunday of the month. All young people welcome, 6 -16 years. OLR-Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Apostolate (PMA) Rosary Prayer: every 4th Sunday of the month after the 10.30am Mass (11.45am) in the Church. All Welcome!

Sat 12 May 6:00pm Joseph Muscot

Sun 13 Mauy THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD

7:30am Pat Cody 9:00am Pro Populo

10:30am Angela Alvarico 5:30pm Salvatore Bruzzese

Mon 14 May ST MATTHIAS 6:30am All Souls in Purgatary 9:00am Edgar Amon

Tue 15 May 9:00am William & Kathleen Watson

Wed 16 May 12 Noon Maryanne Mifsuid

Thur 17 May 9:00am Elderly in Baronia House

Fri 18 May 9:15am Lorenza Popalia

Sat 19 May 8:00am Vincent Coutinho

PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED Please remember in your prayers our deceased

parishioners, family and friends especially Brian Buan, Sejundina Sacun, Celestino Zapanpa, Moises Sorrigaga, Iris Warne, Francesca Premutico, Kevin Kennedy, Malcolm Wood, Betty Cox, Linda Dunn, Pamela Polland, Gwendoline Cash, Ron Hopkinson, Daniella Siciliano Carbone, Rory Hampsey, Peter Murphy, Elizabeth Chidgey, Malek Athum Abaker, Ros-ina Paulo, Jim Kama, Julie Ramsay, Ester Santos, Ernest Perez, Frank Attard, John Ryman., Patrick Cullen, Fay Moulds, Mark Vella, Najwa Hadchiti, Mau-reen Cocks, Arthur Zamora, Bienvenido Bulaong, Pompeo Cignarella, Patrick Shiels, Linda Lyons, Peter Reinhart, Mrs Lam, Fr George O’Mara, Rose Camil-leri, Gloria Warbuton, Lilian Briggs, Vincenzo Di Bartolo, Li Vigni Lorenza, Franceso Luca., Joyce Hoffman. Eternal rest grant unto their souls O Lord, let perpetual light shine

upon them, may they rest in peace. Amen

PRAYERS FOR THE SICK Jesus the Healer, we commend to your gentle hands

those who are sick Anna R, Donna, Joan Law, Joseph Camilleri, Charlie Sultana, Maria Macie-jewska, Peter Wetton, Daniel Jacobson, Linda & William Weightman, Tracey Bokor, David Fuller, Adrian Durando, Andrew Boulos, Ricardo Herft, Grant Butterfield, Avalee, Dana, Garry, Meerle Steere, Elivra Puyat, Renato Cazar, Vera Gould, Loyd, Carol Greentree, Tangey Fernandes, Vitas Varnas, Luzia J. Vinuya, Joan Sattlar, Leo Pereira, Anna Clarke, Imelda & Joe Bonser, Wiloto Seng, Padraig Smith, Sally McFarlane, Michael McDermott, Alicia Santos-Yu, Greg Hines, Sr Jenny Doudle, Annette Axiak, Baby Cristiano, Valeria Bruzzese, Gary Zac, Maria Castiglioni, Sylvanna Frassetto, Ela O’Neil, Katie S, Sr Aileen Crowe, Bertha Wetton, Arturo & Elena Zamora., Jonathon Wright, Brian Mostert, Pat McGannon, Roberto Rayco. Samuel Healey. Patricia Butterfield, baby Iylah Hodder-Torda.

Next Sunday’s Readings: PENTECOST

1st Reading: Act 2:1-11 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:1, 24, 29-31, 34

2nd Reading: Galatians 5:16-25

Gospel: John 15:26-27, 16:12-15

1st and 2nd Collections: 1st Collection: for the support of the priests of the parish 2nd Collection: (including planned giving envelopes) goes towards the running costs of the Parish.

Thankyou for your ongoing support.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults - RCIA Do you know anyone interested in becoming a Catholic?

Please invite them to contact: Vera on 0416 008 582 or the Parish Office on 9623 1962

RECONCILIATION

Every Wednesday: 11:15am - 11:45am.

Every Saturday: 9:00am - 10:00am, 5:00pm - 5:30pm

ADORATION BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT Wednesday: 11:15am - 11:45am, Mass at 12 noon

Every Thursday: 9:30am - 6:00pm (after 9:00am Mass) Friday: 8:30am - 9:00am. followed by Mass at 9:15am

St Marys Gardens Nursing Home Communion Roster

Sun 13 May: S. Buhagiar, K. Brady, M. Lim.

Sun 20 May: P. Sebastian, G. Ferraris, J. Buhagiar.

COMING EVENTS FOR THE DIARY 13 May: OZ Rosary around Australia 11:30am in Church

The Catholic Foundation Appeal this weekend.

15 May: Legion of Mary, Parish Hall Meeting Room, 6.30pm

St Vincent De Paul, Parish Hall Meeting Room, 7pm

18 May: Parish Finance Committee mtg, Parish House, 7.30pm

19 May: Parish Pilgrimage, 10am Coach leaves church

Parish Working bee

23 May: Parish Maintenance Committee Meeting 6:45pm

Parish Pastoral Council Meeting 7:30pm

24 May: Mary Help of Christians, Mass Times 6.30am, 9am,

7.30pm

30 May: Catechist Meeting, Parish Hall Mtg room 12.45pm

5 June: Legion of Mary, Parish Hall, 6.30pm

St Vincent De Paul, Parish Hall Meeting Room,

6 June: St Joseph’s Men Prayer, Church, 7.30pm

7 June: RCIA, Parish House, 7.30pm

Hall Management Mtg, Parish Hall, 7.30pm

19 June: 1st Reconciliation Parents Info night, 7.30pm

21 June: 1st Reconciliation Parents Info night, 7.30pm

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament ADORATION CHAPEL

Mondays & Tuesdays 8am - 9pm

CHURCH

Thursdays 9:30am - 6pm

WE WELCOME

Samuel Alec Healey, Ellyott Joan Beatty.

Into our Parish Family through the Sacrament of Baptism

FIREWOOD for SALE $120 a cubic metre. Money from sales goes to

support the work of the St Vincent de Paul Society and our Parish.

Kindley Place your order with Frank - 0400 366 042.

Natural Family Planning (NFP) NFP is the term given to methods for

Planning and preventing pregnancies by observation of the

naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and

infertile phases of the menstrual cycle, with avoidance of

intercourse during the fertile phase if pregnancy is to be

avoided.

World Health Organisation 1982

Please contact the Life, Family and Marriage Office on

T: 02 8838 3460

E: lmf@parra.catholic.org.au please visit our webpage W: www.parralmf.org.au

Annual Pilgrimage - Sydney Cathedral Date: Saturday Next, 19 May 2018

Please be in front of OLR Church by 9.45am

Coach will depart 10am sharp and return at 2pm.

Please bring a plate to share for lunch.

There are 5 seats still available

Contact: Beth - 0449 292 090

txt msg only please.

WYD PANAMA 2019

Thank you to all who have taken books

to sell and those who have purchased tickets

No. Of books left 150.

RAFFLE TICKETS WILL NOT BE SOLD THIS

WEEKEND MAY 12th/13th TICKETS WILL BE

SOLD FROM WEEKEND MAY19th/20th TO JUNE

16th/17th

Parishioners who can afford please purchase 5 LUCKY

TICKETS for $10.00 JUNE 16th/17th WILL BE THE

FINAL DATES FOR SELLING TICKETS.

Parishioners with stubs and money are required to hand

them in on those dates. Parishioners with multiple books please talk with Fr. GUY.

Thank you for all the support. We are in a very generous

Parish.

All Parishioners will be remembered at WYD MASSES.

God Bless us all. OLR Pilgrims.

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARYPRIMARY SCHOOL

Information Evening Date: Monday 14th May 2018

Time: 7pm - 8pm Kindergarten Classrooms. Parking in

school grounds (entry via Saddington St) St Marys

This is a great opportunity to meet this year’s Kindergarten teachers and have your questions an-swered. Children welcome! Free show bag for each family! RSVP: 8856 8301

What a wonderful night it has been!!!

The togetherness, the dancing, the music, colourful lights,

the cooperation, the genuine happiness felt by everyone!!

All worked well and covered any glitch there may have been

that night!

No one can outdo God's loving generosity! We asked for just

enough and He gave abundant!

Thank you to all generous parishioners relatives and friends

who supported this Dinner Dance, to those who sold tickets,

to the performers, to those who donated food and prizes, to

the DJ who provided excellent music, to the security man, to

the cheery emcee-ing of Bro Jeff and from the start-till-end

presence of Fr Brendan and especially to the dinner dance

team! Your support will not go unrewarded! God bless us

all! And all for the Glory of God! Dinner Dance Team - Beth Nida Stasia Linda Shirley Noemi

Primie Cris Phillip Nonet Delia Sally Jet Angela.

May 12-13 : ASCENSION OF THE LORD:

Dear Parishioners,

Oz Rosary today: Joining many other groups across the

country in the national Oz Rosary campaign today, at

11:40am this morning in the church we shall recite the Ro-

sary for Australia.

Happy Mothers Day: Many thanks, prayers and best

wishes to all mothers on this Mothers Day.

Catholic Foundation: Thank you for your support of the

diocesan charitable appeal today.

Mrs Rosemary Marshall RIP: Please pray for the repose

of the soul of Mrs Rosemary Marshall who died recently.

Mrs Marshall is the mother of Father Paul, former assistant

priest here at St Marys.

Parish Dinner Dance: Congratulations to Beth and all the

team on the most enjoyable dinner dance in the hall last

Saturday evening. It was great to see so many having a

good time together. Thank you to all who supported it by

attendance to make it a great financial as well as social suc-

cess.

New deacons: Let us pray for our three Parramatta semi-

narians being ordained to the diaconate: Jessie Balorio on

May 12, Chris del Rosario on May 26 and Jack Green on

June 2. Thanks be to God for these new deacons.

Mt Schoenstatt 50: Next Sunday the Schoenstatt Sisters

celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their Mulgoa shrine.

Our congratulations and prayers to the Sisters, and our

thanks for the wonderful contribution the Shrine has made

in Sydney.

Six-month parish calendar: A six-month parish calendar

(June –Dec 2018) is available after Mass, for $2. A big

thank you to Fenina and her team for the production of the

calendar. It is intended to produce a full 12 month 2019

calendar at the end of the year.

Coming up:. Sun May 13: Ascension of the Lord. Mothers Day.

Oz Rosary Around Australia 11:40am.

Anniversary of OLR church dedication.

Tues May 15: 7pm: Parish Council executive

7:30pm: Confirmation parent information night.

Wed May 16: Parish Finance Committee meeting.

Thurs May 17 7:30pm: Confirmation parent information

night.

Sat May 19: St Mary’s Cathedral Pilgrimage

Working bee.

Sun May 20: Pentecost. 1st Communion retreat.

Mon May 21: Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church.

Tue May 22: First Communion practice 7pm

Wed May 23: 6:45pm Parish Maintenance Committee.

7:30pm: Parish Pastoral Council.

Thurs May 24: Mary Help of Christians, patroness of

Australia. Masses 6:30am, 9am, 7:30pm.

Rosary for Australia: 7pm before Mass.

May 26-27: Trinity Sunday. First Communions

Sun June 3: Corpus Christi. Eucharistic Procession,

parish meal with First Communicants.

THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD Wed June 6: Men of St Joseph, 7:30pm. All welcome.

Fri June 8: Sacred Heart of Jesus: Masses 6:30am,

9:15am, 7:30pm

Sat June 9: Parish meal/dance at Don Bosco

(Fr B’s ord 40th)

150th anniversary of dedication of Mary Help of

Christians basilica, Turin.

Mon Jun 11: Parish picnic. 12 noon Mass at Hartley.

Tue June 19: 1st Reconciliation Parent Night

Thurs June 21: 1st Reconciliation Parent Night

June 23-24: Don Bosco Youth Centre 25th anniversary

Celebrations

Sat June 30: Parish Bingo

July 23-25: Parish Mission

Sun Nov 4: Parish/school fete.

God bless.

Fr Brendan

********************************************

Why is this popular devotion called the “Rosary”? Philip Kosloski Aleteia.

Most Catholics and many Christians know what the Ro-sary is. However, has anyone ever asked why it is called a “rosary”?

After initially looking at the English word, there is noth-ing immediately evident that would point to the Blessed Virgin Mary, or prayer in general. However, looking at the Latin roots of the word reveals a beautiful symbolism that isn’t widely known.

According to the Dictionary of English Etymology, from the Latin “Rosarium … signifying properly a collection or garland of roses, was a title of many works … consisting of compendiums of flowers as it were culled from preced-ing authors … In the course of time the name was spe-cially appropriated to a string of Paternosters and Ave Marias to be recited in a certain order in honour of the fifteen mysteries of our Lord in which the Virgin was a partaker, and from the collection of prayers the name was transferred to the string of beads used for the pur-pose of keeping count in the recitation.”

Initially the Rosary was called “Our Lady’s Psalter,” re-ferring to the 150 Psalms that monks would pray and from which the tradition of the Rosary originated. The Latin word rosarium became associated with the devo-tion over time, especially after the spreading of a particu-lar legend.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “An early legend which after travelling all over Europe penetrated even to Abyssinia connected this name with a story of Our Lady, who was seen to take rosebuds from the lips of a young monk when he was reciting Hail Marys and to weave them into a garland which she placed upon her head.”

Thus, the rosary became viewed spiritually and in art as a way to present a garland of roses to the Blessed Mother in a similar way that roses would be picked for a person’s earthly mother.

The name has stuck ever since, and the Rosary is the most popular Catholic devotion around the world.

***********************************************