Author: gerry

He is Risen Alleluia!

The Risen Lord by Chinese artist He Qi

The  children  as  always  helped  us  to  celebrate  most  meaningfully  the  high moments  of  the  Liturgical  year.

On Holy Thursday, they gathered around the altar with Fr. Harry. Their re-enactment of    the Last Supper  left  us  in  no  doubt  about  Jesus’  message  of  Love  and  Service.  The dressing of the altar with a beautiful cloth depicting these scenes, which was made by them, added so much to the occasion. The celebration of this Eucharist was much appreciated by the congregation present.

Good Friday saw all the children back again. They took us through the stations  of  the  cross,  acting  out  each  one   in  a  dignified  and  reflective manner.

On Easter Sunday, we were greeted by a lovely Easter garden they had created which displays new beginnings and nature. We felt  the  joy  of  the  Resurrection  with  the  heartfelt singing  of  the  Alleluia  by  all  the  children  as  they  waved  their  yellow  banners. They  dramatized  the  Gospel  highlighting  the  wonder  and  awe  of  the Easter  story.

Many  thanks  to  all  the  children,  their  parents  and  to  those  who  helped  in any  way  to  prepare  them  for  these  ceremonies.  Thanks also to Fr. Joe, Fr. Harry, Sr. Irene and all involved in the choir who added so much to the celebrations. After all their hard work everyone had more than earned their Easter Eggs.

On Sunday we celebrated Palm Sunday. We welcomed back the children and their parents who will make their First Communion in May. They joined with the Family Mass group in the blessing of the palms by Fr Harry outside the main door of the church. They all then processed into the Church to celebrate Mass waving their palms with enthusiasm, while singing along with the choir ‘Sing Hosanna.’ Once again the choir were in fine voice and the children were at their best as they led us in prayer. As Mass concluded we asked God our Father to help us to be guided by him with our ‘Acts of Love’ for Jesus as our Lenten journey comes to an end.

Our Prayer this week

Thank you for the chance to begin again. We pray that our acts of Love for you, this Lent will help us to remember that you love us  and will always forgive us. May we always follow in your footsteps and guide others in your way too. Amen

JESUS LISTENED TO HIS FRIENDS

Each week during our Lenten journey,  the children have dramatised the Gospel story for the day. They have done so with confidence and dignity. These dramas have enriched the word of God for us, helping us to focus and listen. This week was no different, once again the children were at their best. In our Gospel drama, we heard how Jesus, listened  to  his  friends  Martha  and Mary who were very upset, because their brother Lazarus had died. Jesus was touched by their sorrow. He prayed and thanked his Father for listening to him. Then Jesus did something amazing.  He raised Lazarus from the dead. This story reminds us that Jesus is our friend too, and he listens to us when we turn to him in prayer. So as we all left mass we prayed that our hearts be open to listen to Jesus and  that we will reach out, like him, to all in need with love and kindness.

 

Our Prayer for this week

Thank you, Jesus for being our friend.

Be with us this week, as we continue our journey towards Easter.

Help us, to remember you are our friend.

Help us to listen to others.

Help us to share, and spread joy and happiness as

We follow in your footsteps.

Third Sunday of Lent 2017

THE WOMAN AT THE WELL LISTENED TO JESUS. John 4: 4-26

Our Lenten journey continues

This week Fr. Harry welcomed the children who will receive their First Communion in May and their families who had joined us as part of the ‘Do this in Memory’ programme. There was a sense that all listened and prayed respectfully.

The choir sang with hearty voices, even singing in Swahili.

During the word of God we watched and listened to the gospel story from John about the Samaritan woman at a well, who listened to Jesus, as it was eloquently dramatized This story reminds us that God loves all people no matter where they are from. And that God asks us to be like Jesus and to respect and care for all people.

At the end of Mass the children took their ‘acts of love for Jesus’ with enthusiasm and some were quite particular about what they chose. Our ‘acts of love’ not only include listening to Jesus, but random acts of kindness like making your bed each day, not wasting food and giving some pocket money to Trocaire. We all left with the hope that our hearts will be open to listen to Jesus this week and that we will reach out to someone in need.

Second Sunday of Lent 2017

‘THIS IS MY BELOVED SON. LISTEN TO HIM.’

Matthew 17 1-13

This week in our gospel story we heard God the Father asking us to ‘Listen to his son, Jesus. It is not easy to listen. There are many distractions in our everyday lives. But this week at the family Mass we had a wonderful simple and fruitful dramatisation of the bible story ‘The Transfiguration of Jesus’ to help us focus and listen to the Word of God. Listening to the word of God reminds us that Jesus was a good person, someone who loved all and who did many ‘acts of love.’ As we took an act of love for Jesus at the end of Mass and placed a symbol of the fish at the base of the cross we know that he will help us to do our best as we pray this week

      Dear Jesus, help us this week

to make time to be quiet and to pray.

Help us to really listen this week.

May our act of love help us change

and remember that you love us

and are always there to help us. Amen.