LITURGY MEETING 23RD JUNE

This is just a quick report on the last Liturgy meeting which started, as usual, with a prayer.

The first issue was the 10.30am Mass on 27th which will involve the Baptism of two infants and two older children. A video camera will be used to display the proceedings on to the large screens for all the parishioners to see. It is hoped that this can also be recorded and made available to the parents. Sheila and John Stafford will be celebrating their 40th Wedding Anniversary at this Mass.

The Children’s Choir, utilising the children from both our schools is still a work in progress which we are hoping will get under way next term. At this stage we are hoping to have them at one Mass per month.

There was a discussion about the next Neighbourhood Theme which ties in with the Parish Centenary Celebrations, namely to “Honour the Past and Polish our Present”.

The next item is our Parish Feast Day on the 25th July where it is hoped the Children’s Choir can take part in the 10.30am Mass. The readings were discussed and some suggested themselves as the day is to be a celebration of Mary, the Mother of Jesus under her title of  Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also a celebration of service via our  “Workers in the Vineyard” day, and finally as this Liturgical Year utilises the Gospel of St Luke, we will probably use one of St Luke’s stories that show the service of Our Lady.

On the Parish Feast Day we will be celebrating the service of all our “Workers in the Vineyard”. Whether you are praying for us all, or joining us in community at Sunday Mass, or standing drenched in the car park while directing traffic, or singing in a choir, you inspire us all. St Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, lists God’s appointments in the Church, starting with the Apostles, Prophets, teachers etc and then once we’ve become comfortable throws it all out and says “I will show you a more excellent way”.(Vulgate) So a quick look at 1 Corinthians Ch13 says everything about our individual service to our Parish Community.

One of the things we have learnt from last year is that it is an enormous job to  check with everyone on whether they will stay on the current rosters so this year it will involve parishioners “opting out” and we will assume those that don’t “opt out” are willing to stay. Some parishioners volunteered for some services that didn’t get off the ground as there weren’t enough people. Things such as tea/coffee after Mass and Children’s Liturgy didn’t have enough volunteers although some Neighbourhoods have said they would be interested in tea/coffee after Mass in conjunction with a Neighbourhood Mass. It may be possible to get someone to give a short talk on how the receiving of a ministry of giving has affected them. All parishioners at Mass that Sunday will be given a tag at the beginning of Mass on which to put their name.
Areas which particularly need volunteers are the “Welcomers”, “Hospitality” and AV operators.

Finally the meeting looked at a night to come together to watch the canonisation of Bl Mary MacKillop on Sunday 17th October. This is now also a work in progress.