Author: Jonathan

25th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR: CYCLE C 

We welcome all who have come here for Holy Communion, for this sacred meal. Let us begin with a question: Is this a meal for good people or a meal for sinners? What is our communion meal today? It is a meal for sinners who are trying to run away from sin. Are we ready to sit for this meal with Jesus?

GOSPEL – Luke 16: 1 – 13

Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first, he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ Then to another the steward said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’ The steward said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

CATECHISM CLASSES

The last class will be on Sunday, the 28th of September, and will resume on the 17th of October.

PUBLIC ROSARY CRUSADE

Will be held at the Limit Hill taxi rank on 11/10/2025 @ 11h30 for 12h00. All are invited. For more information, please contact or WhatsApp Barbara @0726235550.

HAPPY HERITAGE DAY -24 SEPTEMBER

The Heritage Day celebration at Church will be on 28 September. There will be one Mass at RPP @ 8 am. NO MASS at St Jude
After Mass at approx. 9 am, there will be a bring-and-share to celebrate our diverse Cultures, and there will be a jumping castle for the little ones

Please be mindful of the designated parking for persons with disabilities. Even if you are late for Mass, please leave the spaces FREE for persons with genuine disabilities

PARISH MISSION THEMES

Will take place will take place from 24 October until 2 November 2025.

Themes during the week will be as follows
Monday: The Love of God
Tuesday: God’s Mercy
Wednesday: Healing
Thursday: The Eucharist
Friday: Marriage and Family Life
The times for morning Masses and Mission Services will be shared closer to the time.

CHILDREN OF MARY

The ceremony will be on the 5th of October at St Jude. Confession will be on the 4th of October at RPP @4pm.Please join us on this beautiful occasion. For more information, contact Mpumi @ 0720257005

FUNDRAISING RAFFLE @ R20 each

It will be drawn on 5 October. If you would like to buy a ticket, contact Brenda or Fabian.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR SEPTEMBER

For our relationship with all of creation:

Let us pray that, inspired by Saint
Francis, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are
loved by God and worthy of love and respect.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• 28/09: Heritage Day cultural cuisine
• 24/10 to 02/11: PARISH MISSION

SICK & ELDERLY

Please pray for the sick & elderly of the parish, family & friends especially:

Nokuthula Kubheka, Penny Powell, Jean Smith, Dolly Bimbrish, Alvin Govender, Mavis Makhubo, Norman Browne, Khohli Kunene, Barbara Amod, Sebenzile Molefe, Margarida De Franca, Joyce Chetty, Netta Liebenberg, Mthokozisi Mthembu, Avenel Aarons, Siva Naidoo and Francesca Poonsamy.

SEPTEMBER IS HERITAGE MONTH

“Future generations will never forgive us if we miss the opportunity to protect our common home. We have inherited a garden; we must not leave a desert for our children.”

THE FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS

Today, we have gathered to celebrate the exaltation of the Holy Cross. For us Catholics, the cross is not a sign of death or disaster; it is the sign of victory and triumph over death and evil. We may all have experienced times of trouble, when our last hope was the Lord on the cross. We experience a victory of the cross when we turn to the Lord on the cross, who is our hope and security in the darkest times in our lives and in the time of our death.

Gospel: John 3: 13 – 17

Jesus said to Nicodemus, “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven; and the Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. Yes, God who loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.”

HAPPY HERITAGE DAY -24 SEPTEMBER

Heritage Day celebration at Church will be on the 28th September. There will be one Mass at RPP @ 8 am. NO MASS at St Jude
Will have a bring and share to celebrate our diverse Culture, and there will be a jumping castle for the little ones

We will be hosting a Golf Day on 20/09/25 to raise funds. Sponsorship letters are available for anyone who would like to sponsor a hole or make a donation. We will be selling raffle tickets
for R20 each. The prize is an air fryer.”

Please be mindful of the designated parking for persons with disabilities. Even if you are late for Mass, please leave the spaces FREE for persons with genuine disabilities

PARISH MISSION THEMES

Will take place will take place from 24 October until 2 November 2025.

Themes during the week will be as follows
Monday: The Love of God
Tuesday: God’s Mercy
Wednesday: Healing
Thursday: The Eucharist
Friday: Marriage and Family Life
The times for morning Masses and Mission Services will be shared closer to the time.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR SEPTEMBER

For our relationship with all of creation:

Let us pray that, inspired by Saint
Francis, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are
loved by God and worthy of love and respect.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• 20/09: Golf Day – Fundraising
• 28/09: Heritage Day cultural cuisine
• 24/10 to 02/11: PARISH MISSION

SICK & ELDERLY

Please pray for the sick & elderly of the parish, family & friends especially:

Nokuthula Kubheka, Penny Powell, Jean Smith, Dolly Bimbrish, Alvin Govender, Mavis Makhubo, Norman Browne, Khohli Kunene, Barbara Amod, Sebenzile Molefe, Margarida De Franca, Joyce Chetty, Netta Liebenberg, Mthokozisi Mthembu, Avenel Aarons, Siva Naidoo and Francesca Poonsamy.

SEPTEMBER IS HERITAGE MONTH

“Future generations will never forgive us if we miss the opportunity to protect our common home. We have inherited a garden; we must not leave a desert for our children.”

23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE C

We who are gathered here today are called by
the same name. We are called ‘Christians.’
The word means that we are followers of
Christ. He is the Christ. We are the Christians.
Today we reflect on another similarity we have
with Christ. It is a very important similarity:
Christ carried his cross and we have to carry our cross. We read the
words of Christ: “Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”

GOSPEL – Luke 14: 25 – 33

“Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his
possessions cannot be my disciple.”

PRIESTS’ VESTMENTS

Two anonymous donors sponsored 4 new vestments. Fr Marek would like to thank them very much.

FUNDRAISING

We will be hosting a Golf Day on 20/09/25 to raise funds. Sponsorship letters are available for anyone who would like to sponsor a hole or make a donation. We will be selling raffle tickets
for R20 each. The prize is an air fryer.”

PEACE WITH CREATION

1 September 2025 to 4 October 2025

Please be mindful of the designated parking for persons with disabilities. Even if you are late for Mass, please leave the spaces FREE for persons with genuine disabilities

PRAYER FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PARISH
MISSION

O Jesus, most holy Redeemer, our Master and our King, it is to
Thy Sacred Heart, that ocean of love and goodness, that we owe the
inestimable blessing of a Mission. Touched with compassion at the
sight of our miseries and the eternal unhappiness that threatens us,
Thou hast resolved to save us. The missionaries who are coming to
us are Thy representatives; in Thy person, they will break for us the
bread of God’s Word and will bring to us the joy of forgiveness.
Grant, O Lord, that we may be faithful to Thy grace and correspond
zealously with the advances of Thy mercy. Let the preaching of Thy
eternal truths enlighten and quicken our minds, and deeply move our
hearts, so that we may realize our shortcomings and sincerely repent
of them. To the poor souls plunged in the darkness of ignorance and
error do Thou grant the life of faith. To those who have saddened
Thee by a wicked life, do Thou give the grace of a sincere
conversion. Bestow fresh fervour upon the lukewarm, and upon the
just true progress in the way of virtue. Send forth Thy Holy Spirit
upon all of us, and the face of this parish shall be renewed. And
thou, O Mary, immaculate Virgin and Mother of Perpetual Help,
thou art the refuge and advocate of poor sinners; the more guilty
they are, the more claim they have upon thy tenderness. It is for this
reason that we make bold to implore thy powerful and motherly
protection with all confidence. Our salvation is in Thy hands, plead our cause and intercede for us with thy divine Son. Our Lady of Mt.
Carmel, Patroness of the parish of North Richland Hills, pray for us
during the blessed days of this Mission. Amen.

MARIA RATSCHITZ PILGRIMAGE 14 September 2025

Transport to Maria Ratchitz on the 14th of September. Lloyd’s Transport will be R100 per person.
If you need transport, please contact Nokwazi at RPP or Marge at St. Jude. Please make a payment by
Tuesday the latest.

THERE WILL BE NO MASS AT RPP & ST JUDE ON
SUNDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2025.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR SEPTEMBER

For our relationship with all of creation:

Let us pray that, inspired by Saint
Francis, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are
loved by God and worthy of love and respect.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• 13/09 Exaltation of the Holy Cross (bring your crosses for blessing)
• 14/09 Pilgrimage to Maria Ratchitz
• 16/09 PFC -Executive Committee @RPP 20/09: Golf Day – Fundraising
• 24/09: Heritage Day cultural cuisine
• 24/10 to 02/11: PARISH MISSION

SICK & ELDERLY

Please pray for the sick & elderly of the parish, family & friends especially:

Nokuthula Kubheka, Penny Powell, Jean Smith, Dolly Bimbrish, Alvin Govender, Mavis Makhubo, Norman Browne, Khohli Kunene, Barbara Amod, Sebenzile Molefe, Margarida De Franca, Joyce
Chetty, Netta Liebenberg, Mthokozisi Mthembu, Avenel Aarons, Siva Naidoo and Francesca Poonsamy.

SEPTEMBER IS HERITAGE MONTH

“Future generations will never forgive us if we miss the opportunity to protect our common home. We have inherited a garden; we must not leave a desert for our children.”

22^nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE C

When we come to Church on Sunday, we dress well. We put on our best clothes. This is a good custom, but it is not important in the eyes of God. God does not look at our clothes. In fact God is not pleased if we try to appear higher or greater than others. On the contrary, he loves the humble.

GOSPEL – Luke 14: 1. 7 – 14

On a Sabbath, Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.

FR MAREK SABBATICAL LEAVE

Fr Marek is on a mini sabbatical and will return in mid-January 2026.  Fr Musa will be acting priest-in-charge during the time Fr Marek is away.

This will be the first time in 15 years that he will spend Christmas with his family. Fr would like to thank all who gave contributions for his leave and will keep everyone in his prayers. and will see us in January.

The collection in July for his holiday amounted to R6302.50; in addition to that, he was paid holiday money, which we set aside each month.

MARIA RATCHITZ PILGRIMAGE 14 September 2025

Transport to Maria Ratchitz on the 14th September.
Lloyd’s Transport will be R100 per person.
If you need transport, please contact Nokwazi at RPP or Marge at St.Jude.

FUNDRAISING

We will be hosting a Golf Day on 20/09/25 to raise funds. Sponsorship letters are available for anyone who would like to sponsor a hole or make a donation. We will be selling raffle tickets for R20 each. The prize is an air fryer.

Please be mindful of the designated parking for persons with disabilities. Even if you are late for Mass, please leave the spaces FREE for persons with genuine disabilities

PRAYER FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PARISH
MISSION

O Jesus, most holy Redeemer, our Master and our King, it is to
Thy Sacred Heart, that ocean of love and goodness, that we owe the
inestimable blessing of a Mission. Touched with compassion at the
sight of our miseries and the eternal unhappiness that threatens us,
Thou hast resolved to save us. The missionaries who are coming to
us are Thy representatives; in Thy person, they will break for us the
bread of God’s Word and will bring to us the joy of forgiveness.
Grant, O Lord, that we may be faithful to Thy grace and correspond
zealously with the advances of Thy mercy. Let the preaching of Thy
eternal truths enlighten and quicken our minds, and deeply move our
hearts, so that we may realize our shortcomings and sincerely repent
of them. To the poor souls plunged in the darkness of ignorance and
error do Thou grant the life of faith. To those who have saddened
Thee by a wicked life, do Thou give the grace of a sincere
conversion. Bestow fresh fervour upon the lukewarm, and upon the
just true progress in the way of virtue. Send forth Thy Holy Spirit
upon all of us, and the face of this parish shall be renewed. And
thou, O Mary, immaculate Virgin and Mother of Perpetual Help,
thou art the refuge and advocate of poor sinners; the more guilty
they are, the more claim they have upon thy tenderness. It is for this
reason that we make bold to implore thy powerful and motherly
protection with all confidence. Our salvation is in Thy hands, plead our cause and intercede for us with thy divine Son. Our Lady of Mt.
Carmel, Patroness of the parish of North Richland Hills, pray for us
during the blessed days of this Mission. Amen.

DUDUZA CARE CENTRE
Raffel Contest

Tickets available:
@ RPP Nonhlanhla
& Evelyn
@ St Jude Marjorie

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR AUGUST

For mutual coexistence

Let us pray that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious, or ideological reasons

UPCOMING EVENTS

• 09/09 Executive Committee Meeting @ RPP
• 13/09 Exaltation of the Holy Cross (bring your crosses for blessing)
• 14/09 Pilgrimage to Maria Ratchitz
• 16/09 PFC -Executive Committee @RPP
• 20/09: Golf Day – Fundraising
• 24/09: Heritage Day cultural cuisine
• 24/10 to 02/11: PARISH MISSION

SICK & ELDERLY

Please pray for the sick & elderly of the parish, family & friends especially:

Nokuthula Kubheka, Penny Powell, Jean Smith, Dolly Bimbrish, Alvin Govender, Mavis Makhubo, Norman Browne, Khohli Kunene, Barbara Amod, Sebenzile Molefe, Margarida De Franca, Joyce Chetty, Netta Liebenberg, Mthokozisi Mthembu, Avenel Aarons, Siva Naidoo, and Francesca Poonsamy.

SEPTEMBER IS HERITAGE MONTH

“Future generations will never forgive us if we miss the opportunity to protect our common home. We have inherited a garden; we must not leave a desert for our children.”

21st SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME  CYCLE C

Today as we gather for this mass, we are full of joy. We come together to praise God and give him thanks. Yet sometimes we have to read those passages of scripture which are not joyful, but which act as a warning to us. Today Christ warns us to choose the narrow path of truth, for otherwise he will say to us, “I do not know you – away from me.”

GOSPEL – Luke 13: 22 – 30

Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us?’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from. And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company, and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

FR MAREK SABBATICAL LEAVE

After working in the Diocese of Dundee for 15 years, Fr Marek will be going on a mini sabbatical at the end of August 2025 and will return in mid-January 2026. During this time, he will attend some courses and retreats. Fr Musa will be acting priest-in-charge during the time Fr Marek is away.

This will be the first time in 15 years that he will spend Christmas with his family.

Fr would like to thank all who gave contributions for his leave and will keep everyone in prayers. and will see us in January.

Szczęśliwej Podróży
(Happy Travels)

Please be mindful of the designated parking for persons with disabilities. Even if you are late for Mass, please leave the spaces FREE for persons with genuine disabilities

PRAYER FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PARISH
MISSION

O Jesus, most holy Redeemer, our Master and our King, it is to
Thy Sacred Heart, that ocean of love and goodness, that we owe the
inestimable blessing of a Mission. Touched with compassion at the
sight of our miseries and the eternal unhappiness that threatens us,
Thou hast resolved to save us. The missionaries who are coming to
us are Thy representatives; in Thy person, they will break for us the
bread of God’s Word and will bring to us the joy of forgiveness.
Grant, O Lord, that we may be faithful to Thy grace and correspond
zealously with the advances of Thy mercy. Let the preaching of Thy
eternal truths enlighten and quicken our minds, and deeply move our
hearts, so that we may realize our shortcomings and sincerely repent
of them. To the poor souls plunged in the darkness of ignorance and
error do Thou grant the life of faith. To those who have saddened
Thee by a wicked life, do Thou give the grace of a sincere
conversion. Bestow fresh fervour upon the lukewarm, and upon the
just true progress in the way of virtue. Send forth Thy Holy Spirit
upon all of us, and the face of this parish shall be renewed. And
thou, O Mary, immaculate Virgin and Mother of Perpetual Help,
thou art the refuge and advocate of poor sinners; the more guilty
they are, the more claim they have upon thy tenderness. It is for this
reason that we make bold to implore thy powerful and motherly
protection with all confidence. Our salvation is in Thy
hands, plead
our cause and intercede for us with thy divine Son. Our Lady of Mt.
Carmel, Patroness of the parish of North Richland Hills, pray for us
during the blessed days of this Mission. Amen.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR AUGUST

For mutual coexistence

Let us pray that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious, or ideological reasons

UPCOMING EVENTS

• 30-31/08: Altar Server’s Retreat @ Besters
• 13/09: Exaltation of the Holy Cross
• 20/09: Golf Day – fundraiser
• 24/09: Heritage Day cultural cuisine
• 24/10 to 02/11: PARISH MISSION

SICK & ELDERLY

Please pray for the sick & elderly of the parish, family & friends especially:

Nokuthula Kubheka, Penny Powell, Jean Smith, Dolly Bimbrish, Alvin Govender, Mavis Makhubo, Norman Browne, Khohli Kunene, Barbara Amod, Sebenzile Molefe, Margarida De Franca, Joyce Chetty, Netta Liebenberg, Mthokozisi Mthembu, Avenel Aarons, Siva Naidoo, and Francesca Poonsamy.

The good news is that Francesca is recovering well, we have received thanks from Freddy and Francesca for the continuous prayers, concern and support.

FUNDRAISING

We will be hosting a Golf Day on 20/09/25 to raise funds. Sponsorship letters are available for anyone who would like to sponsor a hole or make a donation.
We will be selling raffle tickets for R20 each. The prize is an air fryer. Watch this space for more details.