SEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR CYCLE C

INTRODUCTION:

For friends, it is easy to come together as we have come together. Friends like to meet. It is not easy however to meet people we dislike. It is an even bigger challenge to meet those we consider an enemy. But Jesus goes further to say that not only should we meet them but we should love them. Love your enemy is the message to us today.

LUKE 6: 27-38

Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say,
love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.

PLEASE OBSERVE COVID19 REGULATIONS

Wear a mask during the entire Mass. 

After Mass: Please sanitize your seat. sanitiser and paper towels are available in the front of the Church.

Under the Covid rules (level1) only temperatures will be checked of people attending Mass.  It will not be necessary to fill in the form.

NEW RCIA CLASSES

The new class for adults has started. Kindly inform others who may be interested. You can also contact Nonhlanhla or the parish office.

BLESSING OF HOMES

VISITS TO THE SICK

We want to start regular visits to the sick. Kindly help us to update the names on the list of sick and elderly people. Please indicate who is comfortable receiving visits and the sacraments from church ministers. A form is available on the church porch where you can enter the names of family members you would like to be included.

BAPTISM OF CHILDREN

Classes start soon. A special appeal is made to
parents whose children attend catechism classes
but who have not yet been baptised. Please
contact Brenda or Father.

CHILDREN’S MASS

27 Feb, 08.00 at Regina Pacis and 10.00 at St Jude’s.

ASH WEDNESDAY

Ash Wednesday is on 2 March. Please bring old, blessed palms to church by next weekend so that the ashes can be prepared.

PARISH RETREAT

This takes place from 4 to 6 March. The theme is Marriage Encounter and Family Life. The retreat master is Fr Zakhele Ziqubu.

NEW SODALITIES

A meeting for parents, children and teachers regarding the two new sodalities, Children of Mary and Child of Jesus, takes place on 5 March at 09.00. Diocesan Chaplain for these sodalities, Fr Angelicus Mchunu, will address the meeting.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR FEBRUARY 2022 FOR TRUE HUMAN FRATERNITY

For religious sisters and consecrated
women

We pray for religious sisters and consecrated
women; thanking them for their mission and
their courage; may they continue to find new
responses to the challenges of our times.

SICK & ELDERLY

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

Harry Price, Fr John–Allen Green OFM, Mavis Sibeko, Alvin Govender, Mrs Cocciante, Nokuthula Kubheka, Penny Powell, Jean Smith, Dolly Bimbrish, Guiseppe De Simone, Rose Bimbrish, Rowena Norris, Simon Zulu and Nora Bharath.

MEETINGS

Tuesday 22 Feb at 18.30 Liturgy Committee

COVID VACCINE

The Nurses Guild together with the Dept of Health have a drive to administer the first or booster dose to parishioners. This will take place on 27 Feb after Mass. Please bring a valid ID and vaccination card.

SIXTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR CYCLE C

INTRODUCTION:

At the opening of this service, everyone was greeted. We tried to greet each other in a friendly way and in a prayerful way. But our greeting and welcome can never be as beautiful as the welcome and blessing which Jesus pronounced. He pronounced it over the crowds as they came from all directions to the hill at the lakeside. He looked at his disciples and said “Blessed are you! How happy are you!” Eight times he said this blessing over them as we will hear in today’s gospel reading.

LUKE 6: 17, 20 -26

Jesus came down with the twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

PLEASE OBSERVE COVID19 REGULATIONS

Wear a mask during the entire Mass. 

After Mass: Please sanitize your seat. sanitiser and paper towels are available in the front of the Church.

Under the Covid rules (level1) only temperatures will be checked of people attending Mass.  It will not be necessary to fill in the form.

NEW RCIA CLASSES

The new class for adults has started. Kindly inform others who may be interested. You can also contact Nonhlanhla or the parish office.

CATECHISM

Catechism classes will be held every week, on Fridays from 13h30 till 14h45 and on Sundays after Mass.

BLESSING OF HOMES

Father wishes to start this as soon as possible.
Please fill in the form on the church porch,
indicating your name, address and the day of the
week and time suitable for you.

The family census form will be updated during
these visits.

Training will be held each Sunday after Mass for about 20 – 30 mins.  Please speak to Christopher Michael or Father if you are interested.

VISITS TO THE SICK

We want to start regular visits to the sick. Kindly help us to update the names on the list of sick and elderly people. Please indicate who is comfortable receiving visits and the sacraments from church ministers. A form is available on the church porch where you can enter the names of family members you would like to be included.

BAPTISM OF CHILDREN

Classes start soon. A special appeal is made to
parents whose children attend catechism classes
but who have not yet been baptised. Please
contact Brenda or Father.

SICK & ELDERLY

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

Harry Price, Fr John–Allen Green OFM, Mavis Sibeko, Alvin Govender, Mrs Cocciante,  Nokuthula Kubheka,  Penny Powell, Jean Smith,  Dolly Bimbrish, Guiseppe De Simone,  Rose Bimbrish,  Rowena Norris,  Simon Zulu and Nora Bharath.

ST JUDE PARISH

Catechism classes take place every Sunday at 09h00.

AGM will be held on 20 February after Sunday Mass.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR FEBRUARY 2022 FOR TRUE HUMAN FRATERNITY

For religious sisters and consecrated
women

We pray for religious sisters and consecrated
women; thanking them for their mission and
their courage; may they continue to find new
responses to the challenges of our times.

FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR CYCLE C

INTRODUCTION:

When we entered the church today, we bent our knees.
Why did we do so? Because we know that this is a holy
place. It is a place of God’s presence. By bending our knee we are lowering ourselves. We acknowledge that God is higher, we are lower. Isn’t it surprising that the greatest friends of God, like Isaiah and Peter, began in the same way. First they fell to their knees, then they were sent by God. We, too, began this service by bending our knees and at the end we too are sent: Go forth, you are sent.

LUKE 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of
Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their
nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a
sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

PLEASE OBSERVE COVID19 REGULATIONS

Wear a mask during the entire Mass. 

After Mass: Please sanitize your seat. sanitiser and paper towels are available in the front of the Church.

Under the Covid rules (level1) only temperatures will be checked of people attending Mass.  It will not be necessary to fill in the form.

NEW RCIA CLASSES

The new class for adults has started. Kindly inform others who may be interested. You can also contact Nonhlanhla or the parish office.

CATECHISM

Catechism classes will be held every week , on Fridays at 13h30 till 14h45 and on Sundays after Mass.

BLESSING OF HOMES

Father wishes to start this as soon as possible.
Please fill in the form in the church porch,
indicating your name, address and the day of the
week and time suitable for you.

The family census form will be updated during
these visits.

ALTAR SERVERS

Training starts on 23 Jan and will be held each Sunday after Mass for about 20 – 30 mins. Please speak to Christopher Michael or Father if you are interested.

UPDATE OF ALL MINISTERS

Some parishioners have left town and there are vacant positions in various ministries. If you would like to volunteer for any ministry, please contact the parish office.

VISITS TO THE SICK

We want to start regular visits to the sick. Kindly help us to update the names on the list of sick and elderly people. Please indicate who is comfortable receiving visits and the sacraments from church ministers. A form is available on the church porch where you can enter the names of family members you would like to be included.

BAPTISM OF CHILDREN

Classes start soon. A special appeal is made to
parents whose children attend catechism classes
but who have not yet been baptised. Please
contact Brenda or Father.

SICK & ELDERLY

Please pray for the sick & elderly of the parish,
family and friends especially:
Harry Price, Fr John–Allen Green OFM, Mavis
Sibeko, Alvin Govender, Mrs Cocciante, Siva
Naidoo, Nokuthula Kubheka, Julianna Tommy,
Penny Powell, Jean Smith, Nirvana Michael,
Dolly Bimbrish, Guiseppe De Simone, Clara and
Vincent Van der Byl, Rose Bimbrish and Rowena
Norris.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR FEBRUARY 2022 FOR TRUE HUMAN FRATERNITY

For religious sisters and consecrated
women

We pray for religious sisters and consecrated
women; thanking them for their mission and
their courage; may they continue to find new
responses to the challenges of our times.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR CYCLE C

INTRODUCTION:

It must be a frightening experience if you are sent to people with an important message for them, but they will not allow you to speak.  Or they reject what you say. Would we be strong enough to bear such a rejection? When Jesus came to preach in Nazareth, his home town, he was rejected. And yet he continued his work. We, too, as we are assembled here, are sent to announce the Good News. How do we react when we are rejected?

LUKE 4:21-30

Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

PLEASE OBSERVE COVID19 REGULATIONS

Wear a mask during the entire Mass. 

After Mass: Please sanitize your seat. sanitiser and paper towels are available in the front of the Church.

Under the Covid rules (level1) only temperatures will be checked of people attending Mass.  It will not be necessary to fill in the form.

NEW RCIA CLASSES

The new class for adults has started. Kindly inform others who may be interested. You can also contact Nonhlanhla or the parish office.

CATECHISM

Catechism classes will be held every week , on Fridays at 13h30 till 14h45 and on Sundays after Mass.

NEW SODALITIES FOR CHILDREN

We want to start two new sodalities for children.

• For the smaller ones it will be Umtwana uJesu/Baby Jesus
• For older ones Children of Mary/Izingane zika Maria.

Leaders are also needed for this.  If you are willing to assist, please speak to Fr. Marek.

ALTAR SERVERS

Training starts on 23 Jan and will be held each Sunday after Mass for about 20 – 30 mins. Please speak to Christopher Michael or Father if you are interested.

UPDATE OF ALL MINISTERS

Some parishioners have left town and there are vacant positions in various ministries. If you would like to volunteer for any ministry, please contact the parish office.

VISITS TO THE SICK

We want to start regular visits to the sick. Kindly help us to update the names on the list of sick and elderly people. Please indicate who is comfortable receiving visits and the sacraments from church ministers. A form is available on the church porch where you can enter the names of family members you would like to be included.

BAPTISM

Congratulations to the Mwamlima family on the baptism of their child Wamaka Benedict. 

FLOOD VICTIMS

If you know of any families who have been adversely affected by the recent floods, kindly contact the SVDP. They are offering assistance.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR JANUARY 2022 FOR TRUE HUMAN FRATERNITY

We pray for all those suffering from religious discrimination and persecution; may their own rights and dignity be recognized, which originate from being brothers and sisters in the human family.

SECOND SUNDAY OF THE YEAR CYCLE C

INTRODUCTION:

What are we, as we stand here before God at the beginning of this mass? We, the church, what are we? With what words or phrases could one explain what we are before God? One could say we are God’s people, or his followers, or his servants, or his children.

But there is one much more beautiful word by which we can be called: we are God’s bride. Today’s reading reminds us that God is like a bridegroom to us, and we, all of us together, are his bride, invited to the wedding feast.

GOSPEL: JOHN 2: 1-11

Mary set out and travelled to the hill country in haste
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told to them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from — although the servers who had drawn the water knew —, the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

PLEASE OBSERVE COVID19 REGULATIONS

Wear a mask during the entire Mass. 

After Mass: Please sanitize your seat. sanitiser and paper towels are available in the front of the Church.

NEW RCIA CLASSES

Baptism Classes for infants will be starting soon. If you As we recently celebrated the Feast of the Lord’s Baptism, the new class for adults also begins.  Kindly inform others who may be interested. You can also contact Nonhlanhla or the parish office.

CATECHISM

Registration will take place on Friday 21 Jan between 13.30 and 14.45, and on Jan 22 & 23 after Mass.  The registration fee is R150.

Please indicate choice of language ie. isiZulu or English.

4th Sunday of each month  – Children’s  Mass (this month on 23 Jan, with blessings for school uniforms, bags and stationery).

Some of our catechism teachers have left so there is an urgent need for volunteers to teach catechism. Please speak to Fr Marek to offer your services.

NEW SODALITIES FOR CHILDREN

We want to start two new Sodalities for children.  For the smaller ones, it will be Umtwana u Jesu/Baby Jesus and for older ones Children of Mary/Izingane zika Maria.  Leaders are also needed for this.  If you are willing to assist, please speak to Fr. Marek.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Leadership training will take place on 29 January at 10h00. Any person holding any position on the Parish Council, in Sodalities, in Youth Ministry or any other ministry is invited to attend . This programme will be led by Brother Lungelo Mabaso from the Benedictine Monastery in Vryheid. Any other person interested in learning more about leadership, is also welcome to attend.

MEETINGS

18 January @ 18:30 Liturgy – Coordinators for all ministries to attend

20 January @ 18:30 Executive Committee

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR JANUARY 2022 FOR TRUE HUMAN FRATERNITY

We pray for all those suffering from religious discrimination and persecution; may their own rights and dignity be recognized, which originate from being brothers and sisters in the human family.