|
By Kathy Horan  After attending two preparation sessions, 21 adult candidates from throughout the Archdiocese received the Sacrament of Confirmation recently. Of those, 16 candidates also received their first Communion during a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Patrick O’Regan in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral on Saturday July 29. Throughout the liturgical year we celebrate many feast days in honour of Mary, days that acknowledge important events in the life of Mary and Jesus, and in the early days of the Church. They remind us of many of the admirable qualities of Mary while also reminding us that Mary was an ordinary woman who placed her faith and trust in God at all times.
At the heart of our Catholic faith is Jesus Christ, born of Mary, at a particular moment in human history amid troublesome and challenging times. Luke’s Gospel gives us a glimpse of the extraordinary role of Mary in becoming Mother of Jesus and Mother of God. Mary is described as blessed among women, and the child she bore is also blessed. (Luke 1:42) In Luke’s account of the Annunciation, we hear that God looked with favour on Mary, and that she responded favourably and wholeheartedly to what God was asking of her. Mary’s close relationship with God resulted in her placing her trust in God’s words and responding: ‘Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ (1:38)
0 Comments
Author: Dr Jenny O'Brien The Christian journey begins with Baptism and comes to its earthly conclusion with the Funeral Mass and subsequent burial or cremation. From that moment on we enter the realm of eternal life with God.
The Order of Christian Funerals was published in 1989. A very interesting and important feature of this Order is that there is not just ONE rite, but a sequence of rites, each taking us a step further along a journey of prayer and faith. First comes the VIGIL, usually held in the church on the evening before the funeral, where the story of the deceased person is shared and we acknowledge our grief and loss. It normally consists of prayers, readings from scripture and hymns but may also include part of the Rosary and/or other customs from our multicultural diversity. |
|
Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide
|