Who do you say I am?

“Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” (Acts 1:11)

The historic, bodily presence of Jesus has come to an end. Those disciples who walked with him and talked with him and dined with him; those faithful ones

who followed him and watched him heal the sick and cure the lepers and make the blind see and the deaf hear; those people who left family and jobs to listen to this son of a carpenter teach them to do such radical things as forgive 70 times seven, love even their enemies, feed the hungry, be servants to all — those very same ones now stand sadly in today’s first reading and look up to the

sky as Jesus ascends into the heavens. Now what do they do?

They’re in grief. They’re overwhelmed with loss. They’re overcome with a profound experience of abandonment and emptiness.

We’ve all experienced this feeling to one degree or another in our lives. All of us have lost something or someone that we treasured. Many times these are losses that have brought us to

tears or anger. Some have even triggered behaviors on our part that we now wish we could take back.

That’s where these people, the followers of Jesus, were on this day that we now celebrate as the feast of the Ascension.

But notice that the angels in the story, the messengers from God, don’t let them stay stuck there. They jar them back into reality with a single question: “Why are you standing there looking at the

sky?” Which, translated, means: There’s no time to mope, no time to feel sorry for yourselves. There’s a

great message of good news to be preached and lived out. And, don’t forget, Jesus made a startling promise: “You will receive a power from the Holy Spirit

coming upon you. And you will be my witnesses … to the end of the earth.” That same Spirit will be available whenever two or three are gathered in his name; whenever we read sacred scripture; whenever we celebrate the Eucharist; whenever we feed the hungry, house the homeless, visit

and care for the sick. You are not alone, Jesus told his disciples over and over again. That terrible feeling of

abandonment, Jesus assured them, would be fully addressed. And it was.

In fact, that earliest community of people who dedicated themselves to the life and love of Jesus did just as the angels told them — and caught fire in the process, a fire lit by the Spirit. And the fire that came to consume them raged so brightly that within less than 200 years, most of the known

world became aware of a group called “Christians.” Just think, they did it without anything like Facebook or Twitter or even a printing press!

When you consider that there was no social media in those days, no TV or radio or anything other than a word-of-mouth means of spreading the message, it is truly remarkable how exciting and

freeing the good news of great joy was to so many people. For over 2,000 years, in spite of sometimes very flawed and even shocking emissaries, this same message has been presented,

and it is offered to you and me this very day: We are loved, not abandoned; we are cherished, not forgotten; we are treasured, not dismissed.

It all happened because our God is Love. As a great poet put it: “Love recognises no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”

Our job now is to pass it on.

St Vincent De Paul Meeting Monday, 5th June at 5.00pm

at the Vinnies Store.

Parish Finance Committee Monday, 3rd July at 5.30pm

in the Parish Centre.

Fancy a game of Indoor Bowls or Cards? Come along to the Parish Centre at 9.30am on the 5th June. New faces very welcome to this

social morning.

The next

St. Mary’s Luncheon will be held on the 17th July,

commencing at 11.30am

in the Parish Centre. Come and enjoy some fellowship with friends.

All Welcome.

Happy Birthday Josie!

Hope you have a great day

on Wednesday.

God’s Blessings always!

During the month

of April,

Hudson James

Kelly

was baptised into

the St Mary’s Parish

Family.

Hudson is the son

of Rean and

Dominic. He is also

the little bother of

Fletcher.

May the peace of Christ be ever-present in the

lives of this family.

MASS TIMES

Monday …...Rosemary Keehn’s Funeral at 11.00am Tuesday .….(Kaloma) …..11.00am

Wednesday …..(Rosary 5.10pm)…..5.30pm Friday……….12.15pm

27th/28th May, 2017

SATURDAY EVENING: 6.00pm Goondiwindi SUNDAY MORNING: 8.00am Goondiwindi and

9.30am Family Mass in the Parish Centre.

3rd/4th June, 2017 SATURDAY EVENING: 6.00pm Goondiwindi

SUNDAY MORNING: Weengallon 8.00am & Daymar 10.00am

10th/11th June, 2017 SUNDAY EVENING: 6.00pm Goondiwindi

17th/18th June, 2017

SUNDAY MORNING: 9.00am Goondiwindi

24th/25th June, 2017 SATURDAY EVENING: 6.00pm Goondiwindi

SUNDAY MORNING: 8.00am and 9.30am Family Mass

GROUNDS ROSTER

MAY: GRAHAM MCGOVERN &

TERRY RYAN

JUNE: MICHAEL & JACK SCHAUMBURG

THANK-YOU FOR YOUR Contributions: 21/05/17

ENVELOPES $117.00 LOOSE $124.00

VOLUNTEERS

Let us pray for all those clergy whose anniversaries occur during this month: Rev Fr William Murphy (03/05/83) Rev Fr Brian Moran (07/05/97)

Rev Fr Vincent Maher (08/05/79) Rev Msgr Patrick McMorrow (09/05/99)

Rev Fr Thomas Isaac (10/05/92) Rev Fr Garrett Murphy (15/05/62)

Rev Fr Michael Herbert (15/05/70) Rev Msgr Thomas Nolan (16/05/50) Rev Msgr Edward Concannon (17/05/87) Rev Fr Francis Hall (25/05/99)

Lord, be merciful to your servants, the Bishops and Priests of this

Diocese, welcome them into the company of your Saints, in the Kingdom of light

and peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

WE PRAY FOR Those who have entered your kingdom: including Rosemary Keehn, Margaret Piedl, Margaret Murphy, Glen Manton, Father Tom Sheeran, Veronica Rayner, Grant Carrigan, Isabel Coleman, Rosemary Lawson, Phillipa Day, Mary Wyatt (Roma), Monica Nicholas, Barbara Bishop, Marie Gore, Pat Parson (Margaret Oliver’s daughter), Sr Joan MacGinley, RSM, Alicia Devine, Desley Hawker, Greg Oliver, Sr. Colleen Carney, Sr Bess Turvey, Mary Loveday, Timothy Lawless-Pyne, Fr. Mick Skehan, Audrey Albeck, Peter Ints, David Hiles, Shirley Byrne, Mona O’Brien, Norm Hilderson, Chris Finlayson, Maria Magoffin, Mel McGuire, Alma Betts, Darren Benecke, Robert Picking, Len Collins, Vince Mullins, Mary Terry. For all whose anniversary is at this time: including Charles McCosker, Anthony Miller, Bryson McGuire, June Galvin, Clara Sutherland, Colin McIlveen, Nora Heynen, Kay Coleman, Norman Jennings, Catherine Lloyd, Donald Pfingst, Beryl Pearce, Marion O’Leary, Rodney Bourke, Leslie Martyn, Monica ‘June’ Gall, Dawn Garland, Evelyn Sheridan, Paul Cairns, Paul Cook, Chris Cleal, Greg Rigby, Margaret Ash, Agnes Mangan, Pat and Ellen Mullins, Arthur Gordon, Shirley Harmer, William ‘John’ Wright (Talwood). For those who are ill: including John Clancy, Tom Turvey, Bill Dyer, Trish Dyer, Brian Freeney, Pat & Teresa Mullins, Deanna Dawson, Anne Hunt, Kevin Lawless, Ray Mackie, Peter Keehn, Joan Fleming, Frank Brosnan, Gloria Bale, David Croft, Tim Bourke, Joe Cowmeadow, Shirley Schluter, Stasia Lawless, Paul Lloyd, Mavis Gordon, Jean Ramada, Stella McGovern, Jean Sizer, Francis Lloyd, Madonna Nicoletti, Kathy McDonald, Steph Adamson, Bailey Brennan, Pauline Robinson, Win Skinner, Sonya Horrigan, Helen Paige, John Toohey, Marie Cook, Phillip Carney, Shirley Riley, Therese Sullivan and Joseph Hord; also those ill at home, in hospital and for those in Kaloma.

WELCOMERS AT DOOR

ANNE WEBSTER & MARY BELL (27/05)

SHIRLEY WHITTLE & CLAIRE CHARLES

(03/06)

TRISH WELSH & PAM MORRIS (11/06)

WELCOMER AT MICROPHONE

YVONNE ISAAK (27/05)

PAT THOMPSON (03/06)

CLAIRE CHARLES (11/06)

1ST

READER/PSALM

RACHAEL REEVES (27/05)

VOLUNTEER NEEDED (03/06)

MARY COLLINS (11/06)

2ND

READING/ALLELUIA

GRAHAM MCGOVERN (27/05)

LOUISE SULLIVAN (03/06)

MARY BURCHELL (11/06)

EUCHARIST MINISTERS

DAWN LLOYD, BRIAN COOK &

VOLUNTEER NEEDED (27/05)

CARMEL SCHAUMBURG, CARMEL GEESON &

MARY COLLINS (03/06)

MICK CLANCY, YVONNE ISAAK &

CLAIRE CHARLES (11/06)

DATA PROJECTOR

VOLUNTEER NEEDED (27/05)

LEEANN WELSH (03/06)

ROS PHILLIPS (11/06)

MONEY COUNTERS

DENISE MCCORMACK & JENNIFER LAWLESS

(27/05)

TERESA HEYNEN & BELL FAMILY (03/06)

KERRY O’CONNOR & CLAIRE CHARLES (11/06)

Add 1766 if you haven’t or 1767 if you have.

FEAST OF THE ASCENSION

28TH

MAY, 2017

Introduction

Today’s feast acknowledges and celebrates that his work continues only

through them — and us. He did not formally establish anything to make this

happen. What he did give was the power of the Holy Spirit and the charge to

continue his work. It was enough for the early church, and it’s enough for us.

First Reading

Acts 1:1-11 Jesus’ final commission of the apostles.

Responsorial Psalm

God mounts his throne to shouts of joy a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

Second Reading Ephesians 1:17-23

Paul prays with encouragement for the church at Ephesus.

ALLELLUIA! ALLELLUIA!

God and teach all people my gospel. I am with you always, until the end of

the world. ALLELLUIA!

Gospel Matthew 28:16-20

“And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Prayers of the Faithful

For the whole church, that the passion to continue Jesus’ work may continue

among us ... we pray,

For peace, especially in the Middle East — the birthplace of Jesus and his

ministry ... we pray,

For those engaged in protecting others while at great risk of their own safety, especially where Christians are under

persecution ... we pray,

For families struggling to provide care for their children during the coming

winter months ... we pray,

For those within this community whose suffering is unknown to us ... we pray,

For those who have died, and those

who grieve their passing……we pray,

TOGETHER WE PRAY:

God of all, you give us power through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Help us to

continue the work of the church wherever we are, with whatever we

have. May we remember that we have been chosen, despite our limitations. We pray in the name of Jesus, who

promised to be with us always. Amen.

Parish Priest: Fr. Michael O’Brien

Phone: 0422 308 955 or 4671 1091 St Mary’s School: Mr Brett Pollard Ph: 4671 1730 Care for the Aged Co-ordinator: Mrs Jane Blomley Ph: 4675 4132

Parish Office Phone: 4671 5087

Father Michael’s house Phone: 4671 1091 stmarysgdi@bigpond.com 69 Callandoon Street or PO Box 45, Goondiwindi 4390

Parish Secretary: Mrs Kath Gore Friday: 9.30am – 3.00pm

Parish Information