Goodbye 2020!

 

Just a few thoughts

·         There are two things that people should never weary of, goodness and humility; we get none too much of them in this rough world among cold, proud people.
---Robert Louis Stevenson

·         What a year we have had in our parish!
The disruption and dislocation caused by the C-Virus
The loss of our active and effective leadership teams during the year.
I sense a loss of the great parish community spirit that we used to have.
There seems to be a vacuum in our parish preparation for the Plenary Council. My understanding is that many parishes have been actively doing that.

·         I would love to read input from parishioners on these issues.

Reflection

ü  Global Sisters Looking Forward To 2021

These are great reflections by nuns from every corner of the world

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  Advent – Waiting with hope for Church renewal

“We begin to die the day we don’t act on things that matter.”  - – Dr Martin Luther King Jnr

Ø  Australian Catholic Coalition for Church Reform

Ø  Renewal Propositions For The Catholic Church  --  From the ACCCR above

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

OK it’s New Year’s Eve, so let’s be positive…..

¯ Joy to the World

¯ Auld Lang Syne - The Choral Scholars

¯ What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

¯ Auld Lang Syne - with English Translation

¯ The Final Countdown

¯ Auld Lang Syne - Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

Her name was Anna

Reflection

ü  This short passage says a few important things:

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  1987: Pope John Paul II - On Social Concerns

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¯ Hymn to St. Anne

Bits & Pieces

v  1873  -   Hanging of Elizabeth Woolcock

 

The Presentation of Jesus

Just a few thoughts

·       I learnt that my mother could not be present at the Baptism of my sister in the late 1940s
Thank God that the Church changed at least that so-called law.

·       There are many other so-called laws that could very well be changed so that the Church retains some relevance in the modern world

The Signs Of The Times

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¹ The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Bits & Pieces

v  St Thomas Becket

v  1871 -  Old Colonists Festival

v  "The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage."
-- Mark Russell

Holy Innocents

Just a few thoughts

·       We cannot say for certain that Matthew is speaking of something that actually happened although the massacre was totally in keeping with Herod’s known character. 

Reflection

ü  The Story of the Holy Innocents

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¯ Our God was a refugee

Bits & Pieces

1836  -  The Proclamation of the colony of South Australia.

1847  -  Installation of Augustus Short as Bishop of Adelaide

The Holy Family

Just a few thoughts

·         Wow! That was hard work. Packing the cars, cleaning the house, driving home, unpacking the car, sorting things out in the house again, cup of coffee, resting…………………………..
It was a great Christmas holiday!

·         Prayers Of The People

Reflection

ü  The Holy Family

ü  The Family as Church and Religious Community – Fr Ron Rolheiser

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  The Good of the Family

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¯ Go Tell It on the Mountain - Virtual Choir

¯ The virgin Mary had a baby boy

Bits & Pieces

v  1936 -  Pioneer Memorial

 

St. Stephen, first Christian martyr

Just a few thoughts

·         Ahead of this Child was a life of total service ending in the sacrifice of his life in shame and humiliation as the necessary step to our total liberation and sharing in his life

·         What a wonderful Family Christmas Day we had here in Port Elliot! Joy to the world!

Reflection

ü  Christ Born in Us – Fr Richard Rohr

ü  St Stephen

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  Show mercy’ and release asylum-seekers - CathNews

Ø  Paul Faraguna’s story was featured in the Advertiser

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¯ Christmas - Enya

¯ A popular Dutch Christmas Song – Glory to God  and again by a very popular Christian group called Sela

Bits & Pieces

v  2004  -  Hundreds of thousands of people die as a tsunami hits southern Asia

v  1895  -  Farmer’s Co-operative Society

 

God With Us

Just a few thoughts

·         We attended the Goolwa Catholic Church for the Christmas Eve celebration. It was good, very good.

Fr Vin is a very sincere and personable pastor and he celebrated with the people, not for them.
The choir consisted of 6 guitar players and they played like a guitar orchestra and sang gently from an alcove.
The limited congregation due to the C-Virus participated enthusiastically. We were very glad we could attend.

V  Merry Christmas everyone!

Reflection

ü  ‘Jesus has been born for us’ - CathNews

ü  Just Imagine – Fr John Foley

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  Christmas As Shattering The Containers Of Our Expectations – Fr Ron Rolheiser

Ø  The Symbols of Christmas – Fr Richard Rohr

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¯ Peaceful Christmas Gregorian Chant

¯ Glory to God in the Highest- Chorus

Benedictus! Blessed!

 

Just a few thoughts

·         My apologies for the number & variety of articles. All of them struck a chord in me. I hope you will feel the same.

·         It’s a very fresh, cloudy morning in Port Elliot. We enjoyed a hot breakfast by the BBQ!

Reflection

ü  The Christmas Story. It is not about tinsel. – Fr Tony Docherty

ü  Faith when matter really matters – Paul Collins

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  Merry Christmas – 2020 – Really?  -  Fr Eric Hodgens

Ø  What the hell kind of Christmas is this? – Fr William Grimm

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¯ Benedictus by Karl Jenkins featuring Stjepan Hauser

¯ 1818  --  The Christmas carol 'Silent Night' is sung for the first time.
Silent Night – Pentatonix

¯ Silent Night  -  Chris Tomlin -

Bits & Pieces

¯ Benedictus by Karl Jenkins. This time with photographs

1836  --  Colonel William Light enthusiastically approves the site for Adelaide

Have I discovered my purpose? Am I willing to make God a priority in my life?

Just a few thoughts

·         A great day yesterday at the waterside.
Today we target a cherry farm and the Willunga Farmers Market

·         What Christmas Might Also Mean. - Fr Paschal Kearney

My "home" church - The Birth of John The Baptist

Reflection

ü  The Key of David – By Fr Richard Leonard

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  Pope Francis warns Vatican officials their conflicts polarize Catholic Church

Ø  A joyful, hope-filled & servant Community? - Columban eBulletin

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¯ Messiah - For unto us a child is born

¯ When Love Was Born

Bits & Pieces

1881 - Gilberton

1901  --  Enactment of Immigration Restriction Act (White Australian Policy)

1996 -  Wik High Court decision

My Soul Magnifies The Lord

Just a few thoughts

·         Shucks! Cloud prevented us from seeing the conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn last night.
But today it is not raining.
We will explore the wonders of Horseshoe Bay today.

Reflection

ü  The Drummer Boy – Fr Paschal Kearney

ü  Christmas 2020 ‘a chance to help others without complaining’ – Pope Francis

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  Let the Earth Rejoice! - Dr Sandie Cornish, Office for Social Justice

Ø  Encountering God on the street - Columban eBulletin

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

Here is a nice French Christmas song   And here is a link to an English translation.

¯ It's Christmas Every Day- author - Odette Vercruysse

¯ Magnificat gregoriano

- While busily preparing for Christmas, let’s focus on following the signs as did Zechariah, Mary and the shepherds, meeting the practical needs of others as did Mary and Joseph.

Just a few thoughts

·         So here we are in beautiful Port Elliot and it is raining!
A Christmas Tree was set up with great care and joy with the awesome help of grandchildren or should I speak the truth and say – It was set up by the grandchildren with the interference of the adults!

·         Pope Francis:
Nothing in nature lives for itself.

The rivers do not drink their own water;

the trees do not eat their own fruit;

the sun does not shine on itself and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves.

Life is good when you are happy; but much better when others are happy because of you. ...

Reflection

ü  At Christmas we will sing about joy and peace and goodwill. Let’s pray that we will not cheapen and corrupt these priceless realities.

ü  Sunday’s Homily  - Fr Frank Brennan

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  Waiting with hope for Church renewal.

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¯ May the Feet of God Walk with You

Bits & Pieces

v  1916 -  Captain Charles Sturt

v  1817 -  Governor Macquarie recommends the use of the name 'Australia' instead of New Holland for the continent.

 

Let us ask humbly in these last few days of Advent for the grace to listen and to hear.

Just a few thoughts

·         We will be celebrating Christmas at beautiful Port Elliot. If we are lucky we will be able to attend Mass at Victor Harbor or Goolwa.

·         I hope to be able to continue to blog, but you never know what might happen during holidays with very active grandchildren! ……Que Sera Sera.

Reflection

ü  Listening With the Heart – Fr John Foley

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  Asylum Seeker Resource Centre - Right now, there are more than 1800 people stuck in detention centres around Australia and offshore processing.

Ø  Choice Consumer Protection - InvoCare (the company behind White Lady Funerals and Simplicity Funerals) has now published their funeral prices online across Australia.

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¯ Ave Maria di Caccini

V  The Angelus - Millet

Bits & Pieces

v  International Human Solidarity Day -- The strength of solidarity

The Birth of John the Baptist

 

Just a few thoughts

·         My parents were married in the church of The Birth Of John The Baptist in Netherlands
All of us were baptised in that church.
It was built in 1863-64.

The Church and Rectory

·         As noted yesterday the Australian Catholic Bishops have released their initial response to The Light from the Southern Cross: Co-Responsible Governance in the Catholic Church in Australia Review. Here is the link to the full response It is important for us to be familiar with it, because the content will be important when the Plenary Council is held. I strongly believe that all Catholics should make their voices heard. It is after all our church; We are the church!

Reflection

ü  Please make time to read the above bishops Response.

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  The presidents of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia say their annual report to the National Office for Child Safety outlines comprehensive and sustained work across Church settings. Summary of Report

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¯ Little Drummer Boy - for KING & COUNTRY – a Bartley Family favourite!!

¯ Little Drummer Boy - Snare Drumline

Bits & Pieces

v  Power failures got in the way this morning…..GGRRRRRRR

What Child Is This?

 

Just a few thoughts

·         The Australian Catholic Bishops have released their initial response to The Light from the Southern Cross: Co-Responsible Governance in the Catholic Church in Australia Review. There is also a link to the full report at the bottom of the article.

·         World Migrants Day  - How enriched are our lives by the contributions to our community by people of so many different cultures!!

Reflection

ü  Let us renew our commitment to be Emmanuel for the people in our lives.

ü  "God is with us."

ü  The Meaning of Christmas  -  Sisters Of St Joseph

The Signs Of The Times

Ø  Fruit of Our Labor - Fr Richard Rohr

Ø  This Christmas, may our faith in the power of God’s love be renewed, for love alone can turn our sorrow into joy, our despair into hope, our fear into hope. Yes, Christ is born but the amazing wonder of Christmas is that Christ is born in you.  -  Sr Ilia Delio

The Parish Choir members are saying ‘Hello’

¯ 'Christmas With You' – Virtual ABC presentation

¯ The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came

Bits & Pieces

v  1894 - South Australian Parliament, the first in Australia to give women the right to vote

v  1894 -  Votes for Women