The Little Chapel by Catholic Diocese of Bathurst

May 2020

Monthly newsletter of the Catholic community in Orange District

the Little Chapel

Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! surrender discipleship mission

The Parish of St Mary & St Joseph is a healthy, growing Catholic community that worships God, welcomes the searcher, and invites people to a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Members of our community surrender their life to Jesus through an experience of the Holy Spirit, commit to life-long discipleship, and joyfully accept the mission to go out and make disciples.

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

CONSTRUCTION AT ST MARY'S

SYCAMORE - ONLINE DISCIPLESHIP

PRAYING AT HOME AS A FAMILY

Fr Greg asks us to explore the Acts of the Apostles during this Easter Season, to discover what it can teach us about being the Church during the pandemic.

See the latest progress on the renovation of St Mary’s Church.

Why not join an online group to discuss questions of faith from the comfort of your own home?

Tips and resources for participating in Mass and praying together at home in our own ‘little chapels’.

A Wo r d f r o m t h e P a s t o r

“The whole community remained faithful” Fr Greg Bellamy Parish Priest

The Portrait We could say that the Gospels are a portrait of the Risen Christ: his mission and identity. If that is true, then the Acts of the Apostles is a portrait of the Risen Christ’s Church: the continuation of his mission and identity. During the Easter season we read a lot from the Acts of the Apostles in the liturgy. You might have a bit more free time at home this Easter. I invite you to use that time to read Acts for yourself, slowly and meditatively, and so spiritually digest what this portrait tells us about the nature of the Church, discipleship, and mission. This is what we read in the second chapter: “The whole community remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. The many miracles and signs worked through the apostles made a deep impression on everyone. The faithful all lived together and owned everything in common; they sold their goods and possessions and shared out the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed. They went as a body to the Temple every day but met in their houses for the breaking of bread; they shared their food gladly and generously; they praised God and were looked up to by everyone.” (Acts 2:42-46) This beautiful picture reminds us of the essentials of Christian life: being faithful to the teaching of the Apostles handed down to us in Scripture and Tradition, praying at home and together in larger gatherings, participating in the Eucharist and other sacraments, living true fellowship, and giving our time, our food, our money - in short our very selves - for the sake of

others. We can’t come together in the Church to participate directly in the sacraments at this time, but pretty much everything else is still possible. Growth in Christian discipleship has not been cancelled because of the Coronavirus. Discipleship Groups I would like to encourage you to participate in an online discipleship group. Our staff are working hard to provide ways for parishioners to gather together online to learn about our Catholic Faith, to share insights, and to support each other. There is more information in this magazine about Sycamore groups. If you have the internet and a device with video and audio, you can participate. I think it would be great for you to get involved. You can do it without having to go out in the cold! This lock-down might be a God-given opportunity for you to grow in faith. Giving I have written about giving elsewhere in ‘The Little Chapel’. If you are able to, could I invite you to participate in our ‘direct debit program’ and support the work of the parish? We want to continue to offer pastoral support to as many people as possible. Pastoral Programme Before Easter, we hand-delivered 400 family prayer packs to all the families in our primary schools to help them pray at home. Big thanks to Josh Dunn for all his hard work! Currently, we are running a live-streaming program, online discipleship groups, G’Day Orange, and pastoral phone calls to parishioners. If you need help in any way, please let the parish know. The priests remain available for Anointing of the Sick and the Sacrament of Penance.

Good Shepherd Sunday The Fourth Sunday of Easter, 3rd May, is celebrated as Good Shepherd Sunday. The Gospel reading invites us to reflect on two important points: 1. The Risen Christ is our one Good Shepherd and we are his flock. We are the people who follow him and listen to his voice. 2. The Risen Christ calls individual men to be ordained priests who manifest and make concrete his shepherding of the flock. I know that some priests have betrayed their vocation. This has caused suffering for innocent victims. It has also made life harder for other faithful priests. But despite that, I want to say very clearly: it’s good to be a priest. It’s good to be celibate. God doesn’t call people to be miserable. Like marriage and family life, the vocation to celibate priesthood is a beautiful gift from God. When a man says ‘yes’ to the call to be conformed to the Good Shepherd he certainly accepts a sacrifice, but he also accepts something wonderful. Whatever our God-given vocation is, living it faithfully is a cause of joy. The call of Christ is not a threat to our freedom: it allows us to become our true selves. This Good Shepherd Sunday, I would like to ask our parish community to renew its prayers for vocations to the priesthood in our Diocese. Without priests there is no Eucharist and without the Eucharist there is no Church. God is calling young men in our local communities today to come follow him. Let’s pray that many of them will hear his call and have the courage to respond. In addition to prayer, there is something else we can do this Good Shepherd Sunday. I would like to encourage members of our community to speak positively about the possibility of a religious vocation. If a way of life is from God, and so is good and valued, we should speak about it in encouraging terms. When we speak about marriage and family life positively, it is an encouragement for young people to be open to that vocation. Likewise, when we speak about priesthood and religious life positively, it is an encouragement for young

people to be open to the possibility that God might be calling them to this way of life. If we want priests, we need to speak positively about the possibility of becoming one. This Good Shepherd Sunday, I would like to thank my assistant priests Fr Mathew and Fr Karl for saying ‘yes’ to the call of the Good Shepherd and for their commitment to serving his flock in our two parishes. We are blessed to have two newly ordained priests in our Diocese: Fr Karl here in Orange and Molong parishes, and Fr Dong in Mudgee, Gulgong, and Kandos parishes. We are also blessed with a group of seminarians who are in formation for our Diocese. I would like to encourage you to pray for our seminarians: that they will discern their Godgiven vocation and be faithful to that call.

Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood O Lord, my God, You renew the Church in every age by raising up priests outstanding in holiness, living witnesses of Your unchanging Love. In Your Plan for our salvation You provide shepherds for Your people. Fill the hearts of young men with the spirit of courage and love that they may answer Your call generously. Give parents the grace to encourage vocations in their family by prayer and good example. Raise up worthy priests for Your Altars and ardent, but gentle servants of the Gospel. Give the Church more priests and keep them faithful in their love and service. May many young men choose to serve You by devoting themselves to the service of Your people. Amen.

Rebuild My Church

St Mary’s Catholic Church Building Update

Internal Plan

The new plinth for the Statue of Mary and Paschal Candle stand in the New Baptistry

External Construction Works Commence

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Online Discussion Group

Sycamore Connect with others from your home

We need connection now more than ever. In the next few weeks we will be linking people together in online groups to share ideas, explore beliefs, and think about questions that really matter. We’ll be using Sycamore - a series of short films on the Christian faith with group discussion. Sycamore is for everybody, no matter what you believe. All you need is Zoom on your smart device or a computer with an Internet browser. People who have tried Sycamore have described it as “an amazing experience”, “incredibly relevant” with “interesting and thought-provoking discussions”.

Yes, it’s a risk, stepping into the unknown. Most of us hate uncertainty and like to stay in our own routines. But why not take a risk and try something new. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”. There are so few opportunities to meet new people, to step back from the rush of life, and to make space to think and talk. Find out more and watch the Sycamore trailer at sycamore.fm.

At a typical Sycamore session, conversation just happens! There’s a real sense of community and a spirit of friendship. There’s no pressure and no commitment. If you are shy, you can take a back seat. If you are full of ideas and questions, this is a space to share them. You can be yourself without any fear of being judged.

Stay up to date … The Parish Overview: Emailed every Friday. Subscribe through our facebook page:

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G’Day Orange: www.gdayorange.org.au

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The Diocese of Bathurst website: www.bathurst.catholic.org.au

Careline The Diocese and Parish acknowledge that, as a community, we are facing an unprecedented challenge in the wake of COVID-19. Bishop Michael McKenna asks us to care for our neighbours in this challenging time, as we have that responsibility now more than ever. “Our unselfish care for one another in these days, especially for those who are suffering most, will be a sign of a truly Eucharistic life”. We understand that vulnerable people, especially the elderly members of our community, need our attention and care at this time. In response to this need, the CARELINE program has been established. Managed by Centacare, CARELINE is a practical program that aims to connect people who may need a hand with a support network made up of people who can help. It may be as simple as picking up some groceries or a prescription for someone who is housebound, or it may be that the person needs assistance to connect with other agencies such as St Vincent de Paul. If you know someone who is elderly or in a vulnerable position, who may live alone, those who are self-isolated without any support, or anyone who may just need a chat, or if you are in this position yourself, please contact Careline and reach out for help. To contact CARELINE, phone 1800 231 118 weekdays between 9am and 5pm, email care@centacarebathurst.com.au or visit www.bathurst.catholic.org.au

Prayin g at H ome

Sunday Readings For the month of May

Sunday 3rd May - Fourth Sunday of Easter

First Reading: Acts 2:14, 36-41 On the day of Pentecost Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd in a loud voice: ‘The whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.’

Hearing this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles, ‘What must we do, brothers?’ ‘You must repent,’ Peter answered ‘and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise that was made is for you and your children, and for all those who are far away, for all those whom the Lord our God will call to himself.’ He spoke to them for a long time using many arguments, and he urged them, ‘Save yourselves from this perverse generation.’ They were convinced by his arguments, and they accepted what he said and were baptised. That very day about three thousand were added to their number.  Responsorial Psalm: 22 (23)  R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. The Lord is my shepherd;  there is nothing I shall want.

Fresh and green are the pastures  where he gives me repose.

Near restful waters he leads me,  to revive my drooping spirit. R. He guides me along the right path;

he is true to his name.

If I should walk in the valley of darkness

no evil would I fear.

You are there with your crook and your staﬀ;

with these you give me comfort. R.

You have prepared a banquet for me

in the sight of my foes.

My head you have anointed with oil;

my cup is overflowing. R.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me

all the days of my life.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell

for ever and ever. R. Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:20-25 The merit, in the sight of God, is in bearing punishment patiently when you are punished after doing your duty.

This, in fact, is what you were called to do, because Christ suﬀered for you and left an example for you to follow the way he took. He had not done anything wrong, and there had been no perjury in his mouth. He was insulted and did not retaliate with insults; when he was tortured he made no threats but he put his trust in the righteous judge. He was bearing our faults in his own body on the cross, so that we might die to our faults and live for holiness; through his wounds you have been healed. You had gone astray like sheep but now you have come back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.  Gospel: John 10:1-10 Jesus said:

‘I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’

Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he meant by telling it to them.

So Jesus spoke to them again:

‘I tell you most solemnly,

I am the gate of the sheepfold.

All others who have come

are thieves and brigands;

but the sheep took no notice of them.

I am the gate.

Anyone who enters through me will be safe:

he will go freely in and out

and be sure of finding pasture.

The thief comes

only to steal and kill and destroy.

I have come

so that they may have life and have it to the full.’

because they do not believe in the word; it was the fate in store for them.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Sunday May 10 - Fifth Sunday of Easter First Reading: Acts 6:1-7 About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.’ The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

The word of the Lord continued to spread: the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.  Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 32(33):1-2,4-5,18-19 R: Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;

for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp,

with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs. R. For the word of the Lord is faithful

and all his works to be trusted.

The Lord loves justice and right

and fills the earth with his love. R. The Lord looks on those who revere him,

on those who hope in his love,

to rescue their souls from death,

to keep them alive in famine. R. Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-9 The Lord is the living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him; set yourselves close to him so that you too, the holy priesthood that oﬀers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be living stones making a spiritual house. As scripture says: See how I lay in Zion a precious cornerstone that I have chosen and the man who rests his trust on it will not be disappointed. That means that for you who are believers, it is precious; but for unbelievers, the stone rejected by the builders has proved to be the keystone, a stone to stumble over, a rock to bring men down. They stumble over it

Gospel: John 14:1-12 Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Trust in God still, and trust in me.

There are many rooms in my Father’s house;

if there were not, I should have told you.

I am going now to prepare a place for you,

and after I have gone and prepared you a place,

I shall return to take you with me;

so that where I am

you may be too.

You know the way to the place where I am going.’

Thomas said, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’

Jesus said:

‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.

No one can come to the Father except through me.

If you know me, you know my Father too.

From this moment you know him and have seen him.’

Philip said, ‘Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.’

‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip,’ said Jesus to him ‘and you still do not know me?

‘To have seen me is to have seen the Father,

so how can you say, “Let us see the Father”?

Do you not believe

that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself:

it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work.

You must believe me when I say

that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;

believe it on the evidence of this work, if for no other reason.

I tell you most solemnly,

whoever believes in me

will perform the same works as I do myself,

he will perform even greater works,

because I am going to the Father.’

God. In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life.

Sunday 17th May - Sixth Sunday of Easter First Reading: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Philip went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them. The people united in welcoming the message Philip preached, either because they had heard of the miracles he worked or because they saw them for themselves. There were, for example, unclean spirits that came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and cripples were cured. As a result there was great rejoicing in that town.

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, and they went down there, and prayed for the Samaritans to receive the Holy Spirit, for as yet he had not come down on any of them: they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117(118):2-4,13-15,22-24 R: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Cry out with joy to God all the earth,

O sing to the glory of his name.

O render him glorious praise.

Say to God: ‘How tremendous your deeds! R.

Gospel: John 14:15-21 Jesus said to his disciples:

‘If you love me you will keep my commandments.

I shall ask the Father,

and he will give you another Advocate

to be with you for ever,

that Spirit of truth

whom the world can never receive

since it neither sees nor knows him;

but you know him,

because he is with you, he is in you.

I will not leave you orphans;

I will come back to you.

In a short time the world will no longer see me;

but you will see me,

because I live and you will live.

On that day you will understand that I am in my Father

and you in me and I in you.

Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them

will be one who loves me;

and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father,

and I shall love him and show myself to him.’

Before you all the earth shall bow;

shall sing to you, sing to your name!’

Come and see the works of God,

tremendous his deeds among men. R.

He turned the sea into dry land,

they passed through the river dry-shod.

Let our joy then be in him;

he rules for ever by his might. R. Come and hear, all who fear God.

I will tell what he did for my soul:

Blessed be God who did not reject my prayer

nor withhold his love from me. R.  Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:15-18 Reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts, and always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have. But give it with courtesy and respect and with a clear conscience, so that those who slander you when you are living a good life in Christ may be proved wrong in the accusations that they bring. And if it is the will of God that you should suﬀer, it is better to suﬀer for doing right than for doing wrong.

Why, Christ himself, innocent though he was, had died once for sins, died for the guilty, to lead us to

Sunday 24th May - Ascension Sunday First Reading: Acts 1:1-11 In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. When he had been at table with them, he had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. ‘It is’ he had said ‘what you have heard me speak about: John

baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’

Now having met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.’

As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, ‘Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.’

Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20 The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 46(47): 2-3, 6-9 R: God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. All peoples, clap your hands,

cry to God with shouts of joy!

For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear,

great king over all the earth. R.

God goes up with shouts of joy;

the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

Sing praise for God, sing praise,

sing praise to our king, sing praise. R.

God is king of all the earth,

sing praise with all your skill.

God is king over the nations;

God reigns on his holy throne.R. Second Reading: Ephesians 1:17-23

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers. This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation.

Sunday 31st May - Pentecost Sunday First Reading: Acts 2:1-11 When Pentecost day came round, they had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.

Now there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, each one bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language. They were amazed and astonished. ‘Surely’ they said ‘all these men speaking are Galileans? How does it happen that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; people from Mesopotamia, Judaea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya round Cyrene; as well as visitors from Rome – Jews and proselytes alike – Cretans and Arabs; we hear them preaching in our own language about the marvels of God.’

Responsorial Psalm:   Psalm 103(104):1, 24, 29-31, 34 R: Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. Bless the Lord, my soul!

Lord God, how great you are,

How many are your works, O Lord!

The earth is full of your riches. R.

You take back your spirit, they die,

returning to the dust from which they came.

You send forth your spirit, they are created;

and you renew the face of the earth.R.

May the glory of the Lord last for ever!

May the Lord rejoice in his works!

May my thoughts be pleasing to him.

I find my joy in the Lord. R. Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13 No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of diﬀerent ways in diﬀerent people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose.

Just as a human body, though it is made up of many parts, is a single unit because all these parts, though many, make one body, so it is with Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptised, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink.

Gospel: John 20:19-23 In the evening of the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.

‘As the Father sent me,

so am I sending you.’

After saying this he breathed on them and said:

‘Receive the Holy Spirit.

For those whose sins you forgive,

they are forgiven;

for those whose sins you retain,

they are retained.’

G’Day Orange How can we "be the Church" when we can't "go to church"? Through reaching out to members of our community. We may need to be ‘socially distant’, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be ‘spiritually close’. The Catholic Parish in Orange is starting a brand-new program called ‘G'Day Orange’. This is a buddy system where volunteers can become a social support for people who are isolated at home. All you need to do is phone your buddy every second day and report back to the parish office that you have made contact. You will provide friendship and support for that person. ‘G’Day Orange’ aims to provide social support through conversation. Volunteers are not expected to be counsellors. Our volunteers will report to the organisers after each phone call via email. If there is an identified need, the organisers can then connect people with other support services who can help with professional counselling, picking-up shopping and medication, or providing food parcels. If you would like to be involved as a volunteer, or you would appreciate a phone call every second day, please register your interest on our Google form and someone will make contact with you: www.gdayorange.org.au or email gday.orange@gmail.com This information is also available on our Facebook page ‘Catholic Orange NSW’. If you can’t register online, you can also call the parish office on 6362 2378.

Pra yi ng at H ome

Watching Mass Livestreams A How-To Guide

The last few weeks have caused a total upheaval in the way we pray and worship together. Perhaps the biggest change is that many of us are now joining in the celebration of Mass from the comfort of our own homes.

2) Distractions While you are watching Mass, make sure that you leave your mobile phone in your pocket or, ideally, in another room. If you are watching with others, try not to talk to each other during the Mass, but instead keep a prayerful silence.

Whether we are watching televised Mass, like many did from St Mary’s Cathedral over Easter, or we are joining the Mass streamed at 7pm each night from St Joseph’s Orange (or another mass from across the diocese, the country or anywhere in the world), watching Mass from home is a vastly different experience from gathering together as a community in our parish churches. There is a danger that watching Mass can be just another thing we consume, no different to watching the news or the latest show on Netflix. Steps need to be taken to make participating in Mass through modern technology fruitful. As such, here are a few helpful tips to ensure that watching Mass is an experience of prayer, and an opportunity for encounter with Jesus, even if it is not quite the same. 1) Awareness of Space People will generally be watching Mass in their common living space. Such spaces are often littered with magazines, dirty plates and cups, television remotes and a myriad of other things. When preparing to watch Mass, these should all be cleared away. In their place it is a good idea to create a sacred place. Put a table cloth on the table, place a candle or two, a cross or crucifix and maybe open the bible to the Gospel of the day.

Also, this is not the time to do other things having a coffee or doing a crossword. You should act as you would act normally when attending Mass. 3) Active Participation In order to be fully immersed in the celebration, it is important to do what you would normally do at Mass. If you would normally stand at any point, you should stand. During the Eucharistic prayer and before Communion you should kneel. If this means that you need to move your table to create space, do this before Mass. If you have cushions for the floor, have them ready to help you kneel. The responses should also be said out loud throughout the Mass, even if you are watching alone. If the parts of the Mass are being said or sung, join in. If there is a hymn being sung that you know, sing up so your neighbours can hear. These steps should help make participating in Mass at home a more prayerful exercise.

Forming Disciples

Resources For Praying at Home Amy Sullivan Director of Ministries

Not being able to meet in our churches, parishes around the world have moved very quickly to provide online worship and resources. It can be hard to sort through the various resources out there, so this is a quick guide. I encourage you to explore what is available and find what works best for you and your family until we can meet again in our churches. Online Streaming Like and follow our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/CatholicOrangeNSW. Online Mass is streamed at 7:00pm, 7 days a week. The videos are saved and available on our page shortly after each live stream finishes. If you are missing the screens at Mass, the Order of Mass is available at: https://issuu.com/ catholictruthsociety/docs/pc03-p. C = celebrant (priest), P = people. Rosary with the Missionaries of Charity is streamed at 9:00am, 7 days a week. If you have something you would like the sisters to pray for, visit our Facebook page the evening before to write your intentions. Readings at Mass If you don’t have a missal at home, there are several websites that provide the readings at Mass. You can also use these resources to pray the scriptures with your family at home. •

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www.universalis.com provides the readings for each Mass up to a week in advance. www.dow.org.au/media-resources/dailymass-readings/ provides the daily readings. This website is updated each day, so you will only see the readings for the particular day.

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litedliturgybrisbane.weebly.com/sundayreadings-at-home.html/ provides the Sunday readings and reflections on each of the readings. For those that may be missing the readers sheets at the cross-aisle at St Joseph’s - this website replicates those sheets. The website is updated mid-week. Scroll down to the bottom for a pdf version.

Universalis is also available as an app on your smartphone or device, with readings and the daily prayer of the Church for all dates. You can try out the full app for free for one month, then it is a oneoff payment of around $15. Connect@Home The Bathurst Diocese has a range of resources to assist parishioners with worship at home. These include: •

A daily email with a reflection on the Gospel of the day

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Online streaming Mass times for all parishes

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Other liturgical resources, including a spiritual Communion service at home

Visit http://bathurst.catholic.org.au/? i=2037&connect-home-daily-readings-resourcesand-mass-online, click on the link to sign up for the daily email, or see what other parishes around the Diocese are up to. Something for the kids If your young children are missing children’s liturgy, the following resources may help: •

litedliturgybrisbane.weebly.com/familyprayer-week-by-week.html/ is updated midweek each week, and features family prayer and activities based on the Sunday Gospel.

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The Beating Around the Burning Bush Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ BeatingAroundTheBurningBush/) releases an online book each Saturday with activities for children based on the Sunday Gospel. The book can be downloaded and/or printed for free.

Close with the Lord’s Prayer.

Are your teenagers asking questions about the faith you can’t answer? •

The Tweeting with God app is a great place to get quick answers on burning questions.

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Youcat is a question and answer based on the catechism. A pdf version of the book is available online at www.cdowcym.org/ documents/resources/YOUCAT.pdf

Mother’s Day

What is Pope Francis saying? The Vatican has issued a free book: Strong in the F a c e o f Tr i b u l a t i o n . I t c o n t a i n s p r a y e r s , supplications and some of Pope’s Francis’ homilies to give support to people as we face the coronavirus pandemic. You can download the book here: https:// www.vaticannews.va/content/dam/lev/forti-nellatribolazione/pdf/eng/strong-intribulation.-20042020.pdf How to pray with the Scriptures: Lectio Divina Lectio Divina (“Sacred Reading”) is a way to pray and meditate on the scriptures. It has four steps: read, meditate, pray, contemplate. It can be done individually, but is best done with a small group. When the family or group has gathered, recall that Jesus is already present as we gather in God’s name and will be present in a new way, to each and to all, when the scriptures are read. Invite everyone to a minute of silent prayer, as they open their hearts to God and pray for one another. Someone reads the Gospel followed by a brief time of silent reflection. Invite people to repeat a phrase or a word in the reading that spoke to them. Another person reads the Gospel again. Invite people to share what the reading or part of it said to them. How is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart through this reading? This is each person’s own personal response.

On Sunday 10th May 2020 we celebrate Mother’s Day. Though this is a secular h o l i d a y, a s C a t h o l i c s w e re j o i c e i n celebrating Mother’s Day because as a Church we have a deep love and devotion to our own mothers and of all mothers. In the creative aspect of the human person, man and woman come together to image God by bringing forth life. This is something we celebrate without ceasing. In the Church, we celebrate the Mother of God, Mary by celebrating various Solemnities in her honour and by our devotion to Mary, especially through the Rosary. Celebration of Mother’s Day is important in our culture as it is in our faith. In the Catholic Church, we recognise the importance of putting our faith into our action. Acknowledge this day well by going out of your way to do something great for all the mothers in your life. You might be lucky enough that the restrictions don’t limit the time you spend with your mother, and if so you should show her your love by spending quality time with her. Otherwise, you should call her or contact her with a video call. Whatever it is you do, make sure she knows just how much you love her!

Good Shepherd Sunday

Seminarian Profile Thao Nguyen

Thao Van Nguyen is in his final year of studies at the Good Shepherd Seminary at Homebush. He grew up in a central Vietnamese village called ‘Ru Dat’, which has a population of about 3000 people. Thao’s father works as a building contractor and helps his mother to look after the family’s rice farm. He has an older brother in his final year at the Seminary in Vinh Diocese, a brother in England and another in Dubbo. Their sister Mary died from cancer last October. Thao is now in “lockdown” with fellow seminarians in Blayney. It has been another unexpected hurdle but with God’s help and your prayers he will complete his final year of studies before being ordained for the Diocese of Bathurst.

Vietnamese Catholics have had a tough road to follow Christ and this is the foundation of my faith. My great grandfather died as a martyr with other men in our village who stood firm in their defence of the Cross.

instruments and I wanted to be like them - an Instrument of the Peacemaker. I was really torn. I was studying IT and my dad had a business that I thought he would need me to help him run. Also at that time plenty of people, including myself, thought I might eventually get married! One morning after Mass, an elderly man patted me on the shoulder, saying: “Son, you will make a good priest!” My heart was set on fire during that moment! His words struck me hard. I really felt that God was calling me to be a priest! I met Bishop Michael when he was in Vietnam. I told him my story and shared my deep desire to be a priest. A few days later we had a formal

My parents set us a very good example of faith, waking us at four o’clock to go to Mass every day as a family. They passed on the Catechism and taught us how to pray. When I received the sacraments I was very moved by the priests who I saw as God’s

interview and he invited me to study for the Diocese of Bathurst.

practical things about parish life. I was very lucky. Dubbo is such an active city with a vibrant Catholic community.

My first stop in Australia was in Gilgandra, living with Fr Martin O’Mahony, an Irish priest. Fr Martin was tasked with helping me improve my English and teaching me more about the Australian way of life. My new parish “family” welcomed me warmly and taught me how to play touch footy. They also taught me real Australian slang, like “G’day mate, ‘ow ya goin’?” and songs like ‘I am Australian’ and ‘Waltzing Matilda’. Last year in June, my paternal grandfather died. I was not able to return to Vietnam for his funeral as my sister Mary was undergoing treatment for cancer in Melbourne. She died in October. Our family was comforted by the outpouring of love of friends in Melbourne and the prayers from so many in the Bathurst Diocese.

After spending five months in Gilgandra, I set off to the “big smoke” to continue formation to the priesthood at the Seminary of the Good Shepherd in Sydney.

Mary’s faith was unwavering. Her personal witness and willingness to accept God’s plan touched everyone. While she expressed a fear that her illness would interrupt my studies, I believe Mary’s illness actually prepared me to become a minister of God’s mysterious and merciful love.

I really enjoy my life at the Good Shepherd Seminary. As I progress I feel God is calling me to work hard. I feel Jesus wants me to find joy and peace in sharing the love of God with His people. In 2017, I spent a year living at St Brigid’s, Dubbo, where I observed and learned many

Before she died Mary shared her wish to be at my ordination. While I cannot fulfil Mary’s wish to be physically present, I believe she will be there in spirit. Through this experience, I recommitted to my formation to the priesthood. The love and kindness of everyone has reaffirmed that God, through the intercession of Mary, is gently leading me to be a servant for His people.

St ew a rds h ip

Giving During the Lockdown Fr Greg Bellamy Parish Priest

During May the parish usually celebrates three ‘giving Sundays’. These Sundays remind us that a fundamental dimension of Christian discipleship is giving and serving rather than taking and seeking to be served. Our readings in the first part of Easter paint a picture of the early Church that focuses on giving: “The whole community remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breading of bread and to the prayers. … The faithful all lived together and owned everything in common; they sold their goods and possessions and shared out the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed.” (Acts 2: 42, 44-45) The world today is different to that of the first century. The Church looks different to that of the first century. But it is the same Church. Disciples are still called to the same fundamentals, and one of those fundamentals is giving. Time, Talent, and Treasure We reflect on giving through a three-fold lens: time, talent, and treasure. Time: we are giving to God and the mission by giving our time to genuine personal prayer and the worship of God. That means private and family prayer at home and communal worship in the church building, especially the celebration of the sacraments. But the family home is always the primary place for prayer. A disciple is able to point to

the time allocated to God in their weekly schedule. Talent: we are giving to God and the mission by using the gifts and skills entrusted to us by God in order to progress Christ’s mission in the world. I know what I’m good at, and I use that talent to proclaim the gospel, serve the poor, and volunteer in my community. A disciple is able to point to the practical activities in which they are engaged in service of the Kingdom of God. Treasure: we are giving to God and the mission by dedicating a first portion of our resources to the God who has lent those resources to us for a brief time. Biblical giving is proportional giving. A disciple is able to point to the proportion of their income that has been dedicated to God as part of the family budget. How do we continue to give our time, talent, and treasure during a lock-down? Even though we can’t come to the Church, the family home is always the primary place of prayer. We can commit to pray as a family at set times on a daily basis. We can participate in the live-streamed Masses from the parish as a real act of prayer. We can still serve others, particularly through our G’Day Orange program. If you don’t know about this yet, I encourage you to read more about it in this magazine. We are also launching ZOOM-based discipleship groups using the Sycamore program. We can still give to the parish through direct debit and help get our parish community through this crisis.

Financial Difficulty This is a difficult time financially for many of our families. Some people have been stood down from their jobs or are working fewer hours. Some of our families have had to reduce their financial giving to the parish. I want you to know that is perfectly understandable. If you are in financial hardship, please don't feel hesitate to let the parish know that you need to reduce your usual giving. Let's all pray for those families who are having a difficult time at the moment. Like many families, parishes throughout the country are also in financial hardship. Many communities are unable to continue paying their staff since a significant proportion of income is cash on the plate each week at Mass. While our parish income is significantly reduced, are trying hard to continue to offer pastoral care to our families and to look after our parish staff and keep them in some work during this difficult time. If you usually give through envelopes or cash, could I please ask you to seriously consider making the transition to giving through direct debit? Our parish staff can help you through that process. If you can do this, please email us or call us and one of our staff will be in contact to help you: office.orange@cdob.org.au or 6362 2378. It’s also possible to deposit a one-off gift into the parish account: Parish of St Marys & St Joseph’s BSB: 066-781 ACC NO: 10000 4889 Thank you for all your giving this year and for taking responsibility for your Christian discipleship. Let’s continue to pray for our families in hardship and for all affected by the Coronavirus. Let’s respond to this crisis not by retreating in fear, but by committing ourselves to generous service and giving. Fr Greg Bellamy

Rosary During May It is tradition that the month of May is a month of particular devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and people around the world are encouraged to pray the Rosary together, especially in the family home. Last month, in The Little Chapel, there was a feature walking through how to pray the Rosary. Pope Francis, recognising that most of us are spending more time than ever together at home is encouraging all of us, particularly families, to pray the Rosary together during the month of May. “The key,” he says, “to doing this is always simplicity, and it is easy also on the internet to find good models of prayer to follow”. The Missionaries of Charity have been praying the Rosary live-streamed on our Facebook page at 9AM every morning, and this will continue during May. Joining with the sisters is an ideal way to join with the whole church in praying the Rosary during May. In a letter to the faithful on the 25th of April, Pope Francis has also provided two prayers to Our Lady that he is encouraging people to join him in praying at the conclusion of the Rosary during this month. You can read the full letter here: https:// www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-04/ letter-on-the-month-of-may-full-text.html We look forward to seeing you as you pray with the sisters or hearing about praying the Rosary together as a family at home!

Our Catholic Community The Parish of St Mary & St Joseph, Orange The Parish of the Sacred Heart & St Lawrence O’Toole, Molong Mass Centres: St Mary’s (Orange), St Joseph’s (Orange), Sacred Heart & St Lawrence O’Toole (Molong), St Michael's (Manildra), St Brendan’s (Mullion Creek), St Patrick’s (Cargo), St Columbanus’ (Cudal)

I am the Good Shepherd

Contact Our Parish Team PARISH CLERGY TEAM Fr Greg Bellamy Fr Mathew Humtsoe Fr Karl Sinclair

Parish Priest Assistant Priest Assistant Priest

PARISH MISSION SUPPORT TEAM Mr Michael O’Mara Ms Sandy Livermore Ms Anne Wykamp

PARISH MISSION TEAM Ms Amy Sullivan Ms Carla Ghisla Ms Liss Ryan Mr Josh Dunn Sr Frances McAleer rsj Mr Matthew Brown

Director of Ministries Director of Mission Sacramental Coordinator Family Educator Resident in Molong Youth Minister

Operations Manager Parish Secretary Parish Receptionist

PARISH OFFICE Phone Email Address Facebook

6362 2378 office.orange@cdob.org.au 84 Hill Street (P.O. Box 44) Orange 2800 www.facebook.com/CatholicOrangeNSW

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