Mystic Nativity (c.1500-1501).Sandro Botticelli

commons.wikimedia.org

23 DECEMBER 2018 FOURTH SUNDAY

OF ADVENT YEAR C

1st Reading Micah 5:1-4

Resp Psalm

Ps 79:2-3, 15-16,18-19 Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we

shall be saved 2nd Reading Hebrews 10:5-10

Gospel Luke 1:39-44 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Parish Staff & Contacts Pastor Greg Cooney cm

greg@saintanthonys.org.au

Pastoral Associate Madeleine Pizzuti madeleine@saintanthonys.org.au

Parish Secretary Rose Goh rose@saintanthonys.org.au

Parish Secretary Pauline Jasudason pauline@saintanthonys.org.au

School Principal Julianne Rook info@stamarsfield.catholic.edu.au

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

54 Agincourt Road (PO Box 3670) Marsfield, NSW 2122.

P: 9888 5222. F: 9878 2741

E: office@saintanthonys.org.au

Web: saintanthonys.org.au

4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT Spirit of service Already we can see a major theme of Luke’s gospel being unfolded at this early stage in the coming of Jesus, even before his birth in Bethlehem. For we are presented with the humility of the mother and her Son. It is they who go to visit and not they who are visited. There is no question of status or “face” with these two people. Even before he is born, Jesus already comes to serve and not to be served. It is through service we will recognise him as Lord. Later on he will tell his disciples, “You call me Master and Lord and you are right and yet I am the one who washes your feet. You go and do the same” (John 13:13-15). It is the beginning of God’s great plan to bring salvation and wholeness to the world. God’s own Son is preparing to come and live among us as a human being. He will be like us in every respect except in his freedom from sinfulness and its source, our fears and insecurity. As we party our way through the Christmas season, let us not forget what it is really about: the coming of God among us to show us the greatest love that can be shown, the laying down of one’s life for one’s friends. We should not, then, be surprised at the Opening Prayer of today’s Mass. It reminds us to look forward to the life of Jesus, a life lived totally in love that will end in suffering and death as the way to glory and everlasting life. Christmas might seem a strange time to be thinking of the suffering of Jesus. But Jesus’ life is to be seen as a seamless robe: birth in poverty to death on a cross as the essential way to new life and glory. We celebrate his birth because of the triumphant victory of his death. He emptied himself for love of us and the Father has raised him to the highest heavens. Total submission The Father ... is not really interested in sacrifices and oblations of animals and things. “You took no pleasure in holocausts or sacrifices for sin.” Instead, the Father “prepared a body” for his Son. And, united with that body as a true human being, the Son offered himself unconditionally to his Father. “Here I am! I am coming to obey your will” and the obeying of that will was effected by the total offering of his human self.

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY at livingspace.sacredspace.ie/ac041/ Living Space is part of sacredspace.ie REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

PARISH DIARY 23 DECEMBER 2018 — 6 JANUARY 2019

CHILDREN’S NATIVITY PAGEANT Mon 24 Dec 6pm

SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD Tue 1 Jan 9am

THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Sat 5 & Sun 6 Jan All Masses

YOUTH OFF THE STREETS FOOD VAN—TEAM 2

Sun 6 Jan after 6pm Mass

CHANGES IN PARISH OFFICE HOURS. Please note that the Parish Office will be closed from 24 December to 6 January — then limited hours from Monday 7 Jan 2019. For sick calls or funerals, please leave a message on voicemail (follow the prompts) when you ring.

Normal office hours resume Monday 29 January 2019.

THE CATHOLIC WEEKLY is available at the church doors. Please put $2 in the poor box.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO GOOD OIL ON THE WEEKENDS OF 30 DECEMBER 2018 AND 6 JANUARY 2019

SACRAMENT OF FIRST RECONCILIATION 2019. If your child is in Year 3 or above this year and is baptised a Catholic, he/she is now eligible to enrol in the First Reconciliation program. The enrolment package is available from the Parish Office or on saintanthonys.org.au. Enrolments close 18 Feb 2019.

THE PARISH CALENDAR 2019 is now available. Please take one from the church. A gold coin donation is appreciated.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

SAT 22: 5.30 to 5.50 pm MON 24: 5.30 to 5.50 pm 8.00 to 8.45 pm 11.00 to 11.45 PM

PRAYER MINISTRY PLEASE KEEP IN PRAYER:

Those who are sick, especially-

Kenny Hee Teck Lim, Irene Tija, Fr Michael Walsh CM,

Ambrose Hee Chong Lim, Phillip Hopson, Eddie Yap,

Chris South, Konrad Wrzesinski, Bishop Geoffrey Robinson,

Janet Godsell, Barbaro family, Fr David Catterall, Victor Galea,

Terry Wallace, Moonki Nam, Joe Mesiti.

_____________________________________________________________________________

The recently deceased

Fr Jim Maloney (Parish Priest of St Anthony’s,

Marsfield 1978-1984)

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And those with anniversaries around this time.

Antonio Ferlauto

John Monteverdi (3rd anniversary 23 Dec)

Paul Monteverdi (7th anniversary 24 Dec)

Due to privacy laws, if you would like the name of a family member or friend printed in the Good Oil,

please contact the Parish Office.

Please turn off your mobile phone in Church. Thank you.

COUNTERS ROSTER DEC/JAN 23/12 - Team 4; 30/12 - Team 5; 6/1 - Team 6; 13/1 - Team 7; 20/1 - Team 8; 27/1 - Team 9

COMMUNION UNDER BOTH KINDS • If you have a cold or flu symptoms (or any other

communicable disease, cold sores, etc.) you MUST NOT receive communion from the Chalice.

• In accordance with the General Instruction, we DO NOT DIP the Host in the Chalice.

THE CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY SAFEGUARDING OFFICE.

If you or a person close to you has been abused by someone working or ministering within the Archdiocese of Sydney we invite you to contact us. We will listen to you respectfully, offer support & discuss the options you have available to you. Contact the Safeguarding & Ministerial Integrity Office on 02 9390 5812.

Parish Collections· 1st collection supports the needs of the Parish Priest, presbytery upkeep, food, utilities, support of the Archdiocese, care of elderly priests. 2nd collection supports maintenance & upkeep of Parish buildings & grounds, pastoral works, Parish administration, insurance, utilities, salaries, priest car expenses & Charitable Works Fund shortfall.

WORSHIP SCHEDULE THIS WEEK Mon 24 Children’s Mass 6pm Vigil Mass 9pm Tue 25 Midnight Mass 12am (Carols sung from 11pm 24 Dec) Christmas Day 9am NO 6PM MASS Wed 26 NO MASS Thu 27 Liturgy of the Word 9am Fri 28 Mass 9am