Children’s Liturgy St Matthew’s Parish
Children’s Liturgy of the Word is an age-appropriate Liturgy of the Word offered for ages 4 to 10. Just before the Liturgy of the Word begins for the assembly, children are invited to go with the weekly leaders to the Parish Centre. During this special time, the volunteer teacher leads the children through prayers and readings that are simplified for children.
Children’s Liturgy will be scheduled for the second and last Sunday of every month of the School Term. This term’s dates are: 25 August and 8 September.
Volunteers are needed to teach these lessons. This is a great opportunity to help these eager youngsters learn the Word of the Lord. All teaching outlines and materials are supplied. Volunteers are required to have their Working with Children Check and attend a short orientation meeting. Please register your interest by emailing susan.milton@cewa.
Australian Youth Festival
An exciting and enriching opportunity for our youth awaits!
The Australian Catholic Youth Festival is being held on our doorstep in Perth over 5 days from 6 to 11 December 2019 and is open to our youth between the ages of 14 – 30 years. It is anticipated that 6000 youth delegates from around Australia will be in attendance experiencing what it means to be a Catholic in ways that have never been experienced before.
If a member of your family is in this age category and would like to represent our Parish at this wonderful event, we need confirmation from you ASAP as the cut-off date for registration is fast approaching! Please see or contact Margaret Hetherington (98814859 hetherington@wn.com.au) or Julie Hayes (98811157 juliehayes@westnet.com.au).
Fundraising Dinner – Australia Catholic Youth Festival
The Parish is organizing a 3 course dinner as a fundraiser for our youth delegates and leaders attending the Australian Catholic Youth Festival which is to be held in Perth from 6-11 December 2019. The dinner will be on Saturday 24 August at 6:00pm in the Parish Centre and the cost will be $25.00 per adult, $15 per young adult (12-18 years) and $10.00 (5-11 years). We hope you will all get behind this opportunity to support our youth. There is aboard at the back of the church to register your attendance and please see either Maxine Whitely or Julie Hayes for payment, any queries, donations or your assistance in any way on 98811157, 0430150244 or by emailing juliehayes@westnet.com.au. Many thanks in anticipation.
The Feast of the Assumption and St Mary MacKillop
During the last two weeks we have celebrated two significant Feasts – St Mary of the Cross MacKillop on 8 August, and the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven on 15 August.
In a letter to her mother, Mary MacKillop declared that the Feast of the Assumption was her favourite feast day, and it was the day she made her religious profession. Why was this feast so special for her? Was it because she had made her vows on a day when heaven and earth are so closely united? On this day she was reminded that at the end of her earthly pilgrimage there would be heavenly glory. Just as the Virgin Mary had said “Yes” to what God asked of her, so did Mary MacKillop when she took her vows, and promised to promote the love of Jesus in the hearts of young children. She gave herself with no reservation to serve God, as she believed God wanted. After her Profession she signed herself ‘Mary of the Cross’ as though declaring her willingness to suffer. She wrote about being under the protecting care of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who knew what it was to suffer. Mary suffered with Jesus, as Mary of the Cross did too. For all her perfection the Virgin Mary was very real to Mary MacKillop.
The Church has always taught that Mary, the mother of Jesus had been taken up into heaven body and soul. It is interesting to note that this was taught by the Church long before Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Assumption of the Virgin Mary a Dogma of the Catholic Church on the first day of November 1950. The theological explanation often follows the devotional practice. Symbolic ways of reasoning can help us grasp what is both profound and beautiful, when words struggle. In the glory of the divine presence, Mary is now forever who God intended her to be. Mary MacKillop would have seen the Assumption as the most fitting way for God to crown his work, which began with complete sinlessness. She understood that the Assumption upheld the dignity of each person and opened the door to glory for everybody who has lived in friendship with God. It gave her certain hope that she would follow the Virgin Mary when her life was ended, because the resurrection of Mary foreshadows the resurrection of each one of us.
In Mary’s Assumption we can see that, finally, in God’s presence we can become completely ourselves, fully alive in body and soul. We give thanks that we, who are still on our pilgrim journeys through life, have a share in this glorious destiny.
More detail at https://www.sosj.org.au/feast-mmk-assumption/ Further reflections on the Assumption can be found at the Thinking Faith Site – https://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/reflections-assumption?mc_cid=bf38355004&mc_eid=febfec6173
