Dear brothers and sisters,
What are the effects of Baptism?
Baptism takes away original sin, all personal sins and all punishment due to sin. It makes the baptised person a participant in the divine life of the Trinity through sanctifying grace, the grace of justification which incorporates one into Christ and into his Church. It gives one a share in the priesthood of Christ and provides the basis for communion with all Christians. It bestows the theological virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. A baptised person belongs forever to Christ. He is marked with the indelible seal of Christ (character).
14 December Lights of Christmas Pilgrimage
On the evening of 14 December our parish is booking a free bus to take us to the opening ceremony of the Lights of Christmas at St Mary’s Cathedral forecourt. It is a wonderful evening for all ages, and especially all the family. To reserve your seats please book with the parish secretary as soon as possible, as seats are limited, so first come, first served.
Advent Spiritual Preparation
We will soon need to start preparing for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. We are proposing a novel kind of Advent group. From Tuesday 5 December, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for adoration from 7:15am to 8:45am Tuesday to Friday. Our group will be our parishioners, and our book for meditation will be the baby Jesus himself. Come Lord Jesus!
Draft Mission Statement
We are identifying what our goals are, and so plan accordingly to achieve these goals. If you would like to contribute an idea, please contact the parish secretary. The current draft is as follows:
Our mission
The mission we have received from Jesus Christ as the parish of St Peter Chanel and St Joseph, Berala, is that given by Jesus to His Apostles:
1. to preach the Good News of Salvation with love;
2. to invite all people into unity with God through His Holy Church;
3. and, to serve them with love and mercy by attending to their spiritual and corporal needs.
Our plan
In response to this call of Jesus, we seek to fulfil our mission, in communion with our Archbishop and the whole Church, by preparing and giving ourselves in the following three ways:
1. Leitourgia (Worship)
Worshipping God, meditating his Word and receiving his grace in the Sacraments of the Church, so that they bear fruit in the daily lives of Christians as members of a priestly people, living through love to the praise of God’s glory. (Rom 12:1; Eph 1:5-6)
2. Kerygma-Martyria (Evangelisation and formation)
· Proclaiming the love of God revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and encouraging the discipleship of all who put their trust in Him as Lord, Saviour and Friend
· Shaping Christian disciples who willingly sit at the feet of Jesus in order that they might grow in faith and understanding and be formed humanly, spiritually, intellectually and pastorally.
· Motivating, serving and inspiring people committed to cooperating with the Holy Spirit, and drawing upon their charisms, to share the Gospel and to build up the Kingdom of God.
3. Diakonia (Service)
Fostering genuine spiritual communion and service within our communities of faith, marked by the virtue of charity: “By this everyone shall know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
Yours in Our Lord,
J+
