MESSAGE ON THE 2ND SUNDAY OF LENT (YR B)
Friday 23rd February 2024
My dear people,
I would like to sincerely thank all of you for the wonderful way in which you participated in the survey about the change of Mass times last weekend. We printed 800 survey cards, and we ran out of them before everyone had arrived for the 12pm Mass. Furthermore, many of our regular parishioners were not at Mass here for different reasons last week. We have printed another 100 cards which we hope will be enough for those who did not have an opportunity to vote last week to do so this week. I hope to make the results of the survey official next weekend as well as the date when we will change the Mass times.
As the joyful Season of Lent has started, the following are some ways in which you can add to your prayer life for Lent this year. We will pray the Stations of the Cross together every Friday during Lent at 10am (immediately following the 9:30am Mass), and at 7pm. During the Season of Lent, there will also be the Bible Study on Tuesdays at 7:30pm in the meeting rooms.
Our monthly parish BBQ will start again this Sunday 25th February and will be at 1pm. You are all most welcome. It would be great to see many people there and we hope that those who have not attended the 12pm Mass will also return for some fellowship.
Our First Men’s Group for this year happened last week. It immediately followed the 7pm Stations of the Cross. There were 20 people in attendance, as can be seen by the post of our Facebook page. It was a great evening, which started with spending time with Our Lord, followed by fellowship. The men present last week heard from me about the reasons why we will learn the Mass parts in Latin; it was very much what I said in my homily last weekend. The next men’s group will be on the 15th March and all men in our parish are warmly invited. More information will follow closer to the date.
As we begin the new year, the PLT will have a planning day tomorrow, Saturday 24th February. I invite you to pray for us as we dedicate a day to discern what is best for the parish in terms of missionary renewal. I try my best to have an open-door policy in the way the parish is managed. I sincerely encourage you to share with me any ideas, concerns, or feedback you may have. If you feel uneasy talking to me, kindly talk to another member of the PLT or a member of the parish staff.
Following feedback received from parishioners, which is always welcome, the PLT will provide monthly updates on its discussions, activities, and priorities throughout the year, commencing start of March for the month of February.
We are fortunate to welcome Fr David Cartwright to celebrate the Saturday 6pm and Sunday 9am Masses this weekend.
At all Masses this weekend, we will hear from Greg, our resident 4th year seminarian on pastoral internship, who will share a little about himself. I invite you all to pray for Greg as he continues to settle in to parish life here at St Catherine of Siena.
We continue turning to our patron saint and we ask for her intercession.
St Catherine of Siena, Pray for us.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Fr Richard Rosse PP