27 12 15 Holy Family
27 12 15 Holy Family
27 12 15 Holy Family
Bridgeside Bulletin
The weekly Bulletin of the Catholic Parish of Forster Tuncurry
Proclaiming Christ to the communities of Forster, Tuncurry and the surrounding districts
Sunday 27th December, 2015 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph - Year C
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Mass at Beaumont
Terrace
Universally we will have all eaten too much turkey, ham and pudding and probably
drank too much as well. Its the one day we all seem to roll away from the table. I
personally find my couch after lunch a very attractive place to be!
Hopefully though we will have laughed heaps, talked much and celebrated family lots,
and without any of the other things that sometimes creep in when we are celebrating. I
hope the elf of derision and conflict stayed well outside the walls of your home and
hearts. I saw a cartoon once which said something like the blue bird of happiness long
since flown, Jack was now feeding the chicken of derision Happiness is a habit so keep
feeding the blue bird!
Tuncurry 11am
11 Baptismal Preparation
Forster 7pm
12 Mass at GLAICA
Tuncurry 11am
26 Australia Day
Tuncurry 11am
Tuncurry
7am
Tuncurry
9am
Forster
11am
Forster
Christmas and the Christmas season is such a time for welcoming Jesus into our lives
and our world. Seriously, as we do that we should look at those who sit at our hearths,
cross our thresholds or paths as though they themselves were Christ coming to see us.
Sometimes we do have to take a deep breath and look closely to recognize his face in
theirs. You will find though the effort so worth it and the encounter so much more
satisfying. And as they leave us you will feel such a sense of peace and joy because of
the presence of Christ in the encounter.
When we see the Saviour we are more likely to be careful not to use colourful language
(particularly all the God related language), be judgmental, critical or condescending,
picky and niggly. If it were Jesus, would we want to take the risk of not being reflective
of his love?
Of all the times of the year to put Christ back into our lives, this is it remember the
saying putting Christ back into Christmas, its what we do!
Merry Christmas!!
Greg
Page 2
Christian art has not served us very well in terms of picturing the
Holy Family. From medieval times, Joseph is portrayed as being as
least 80, Mary is very young with perfect white skin and, usually,
Jesus has golden curls and a knowing smile.
By Richard Leonard SJ
Now I don't know about your family, but among my clan no one is
a canonised saint, immaculately conceived or the son of God.
Let's face it, the Holy Family is a tough act to follow!
Recently Deceased
can and want to say you're sorry and that the other person in the
family can, and wants, to forgive.
But if my experience is anything to go by, 'I'm sorry' is second only
to 'I love you' as the hardest statement to say and hear, in family
life.
When I was 16 I read the works of Jesuit Fr John Powell who wrote,
'We should never leave this world not having told the people that
we love that we love them.' Now, I don't come from a particularly
demonstrative family. So I took John Powell's line as a personal
challenge.
I wrote to my sister, who was then working with Mother Teresa in
Calcutta, and to my brother who was working interstate, telling
them that I loved them.
That left my mother. I stayed home one Saturday night and with my
heart pumping and my tummy churning I approached my mother
after tea while she was watching the news. 'Mum, I have something
important to tell you', I began. My mother, not taking her eyes from
the screen, casually said, 'Oh yes, what's that?' 'Mum', I responded,
'I've never told you this before.'
You see, the more we put halos on the Holy Family, sadly, the less
we seem to be able to connect their family experience with our
own.
I plucked up all my courage and came straight out with it. 'Mum, I
just want to tell you that I love you.'
And now I could tell there was a duet of hearts pumping and
tummies churning.
And such was her relief that my mother replied 'I hope so and
promptly turned back to the TV.
My brother and sister wrote to Mum asking what was wrong with
me. They all concluded it was a phase I was going through.
Family studies surveys tell us that forgiveness is the key. This flies
in the face of the film Love Story's outrageous motto, 'Love means
not having to say you're sorry'.
May this feast of the Holy Family, then, give our families the
'serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change
the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference'.
For all our western wealth and technology I think it's very hard to
have a happy and balanced family life today.
Page 3
of Communion
6pm
Tuncurry
A: John ODonnell
B: Michael Siddle
7am
Tuncurry
A: Anne-Marie Green
B: Kay Griffiths
9am
Forster
A: Kris Koch
B: Judy Harper
11am
Forster
A:Chris Waters
B: Lee Sullivan
of Communion
6pm
Tuncurry
7am
Tuncurry
9am
Forster
11am
A: Frank Hayman
B: Monica Hunt
A: Lorraine Clark
B: Tony Knight
A: Barbara Dolahenty
B: Kid Hornibrook
A:Judith Shand
Forster
B: Elizabeth Sciacca
Next Week
First Reading
1 Samuel 1:20-22. 24-28
Kindness and respect for parents is urged.
First Reading
Isaiah 60:1-6
Jerusalem is exalted.
Responsorial Psalm
Response: Happy are those who fear the Lord and
walk in his ways.
Second Reading
1 John 3:1-2, 21-24
What is expected of the chosen of God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Open our heart, O Lord,
to listen to the words
of your Son.
Alleluia!
Gospel
Luke 2:41-52
Jesus is found in the Temple.
Second Reading
Ephesians 3:2-3. 5-6
Paul declares the Gentiles co-heirs to the Kingdom.
Gospel
Matthew 2:1-12
The Wise Men journey to the infant Jesus.
Page 4
Baptisms
Celebrated most Sundays.
PARISH CONTACTS
Fr Greg BarkerParish Priest
gregory.barker@mn.catholic.org.au
Baptismal Preparation
on 2nd Monday of each
month @ 7pm in Forster
Church Hall. Parish Office
6554 6304.
Marriage
Celebrated by arrangement
and with at least three months
notice. Fr Greg 6554 6304
forster-tuncurry.parish@mn.catholic.org.au
Sacramental Preparation
Greg Byrne 6554 6304
Pastoral Team
First Wed, 4:30pm at Forster.
Greg Byrne 6554 6304
Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults
(RCIA) Parish Office 6554 6304
Sr Kathryn McCabe
Aboriginal Catholic Ministry
Loretta Heffernan
SRE Co-Ordinator
Finance Council
Second Wed, 5pm at Forster.
Greg Byrne 6554 6304
PARISH PASTORAL
GROUPS AND CONTACTS
loretta.heffernan@mn.catholic.org.au
Office Hours
Tues, Wed, Thurs
The Parish office
9:30am to 1pm
Fri 10am to 4pm will be closed until
5th January
Parish Office
Pastoral Council
Third Wed, 5:30pm at Forster.
Greg Byrne 6554 6304
Christian Meditation
Every Tues, 9am and 5:30pm.
Bob 6555 5914.
Holy Hour
Every Tues, 3:30pm at Tuncurry
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Located at the
rear of the Parish
Hall Forster:
33 Lake Street, Forster
NSW 2428
PO Box 67
P: (02) 6554 6304
F: (02) 6554 6425
menALIVE Groups
Day group meet second and
fourth Wed after 9am Mass at
Forster. Evening group meets last Thurs of
the month at 7:30pm at Forster. Michael
Amato 6554 5284
CHURCH
LOCATIONS
Mary Star of the Sea
15 Peel Street, Tuncurry
Holy Name of Jesus
33 Lake Street, Forster
Singing Practice
Every Tues, 5:30pm.
Ken Heffernan 6557 6569.
Social Justice
Last Wed, 5:30pm at Forster.
Tim Prescott 6555 8517.
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