From the Parish House

The holiday mode of January is fast fading away and in next to no time, we will launch ourselves into the busyness of 2025 and February will be in full swing! 

This year will provide me with the opportunity to experience my first full year in our new Parish of Our Lady of Pentecost, and of course it will be a year filled with much excitement, hope and a great sense of responsibility. 

I am excited for the year ahead as it will allow me to further connect and build our relationships and to foster a sense of belonging for myself and for you in our new parish.  It also is exciting because I will be able to work collaboratively with our staff, lay leaders and volunteers to bring about opportunities which will promote teamwork as well as empower each other in our called ministries.  It is also exciting as it will provide me with opportunities to grow through discovering our parish’s unique traditions, culture and history, which is both enriching and humbling. 

As we begin this year, many of our parish activities and ministries will soon be taking shape.  We are also excited for the return of our school students, teachers and parents, and we pray for a wonderful year ahead.  The beginning of the year is a perfect time to explore the various ways you can get involved and join the many parishioners who contribute to our vibrant parish life.  We have provided detailed role descriptions for most of our ministries and activities on our website.  Please get in touch if you are interested in exploring any of these opportunities.

We will formally come together to celebrate the start of our parish year with Mass at Our Holy Redeemer Church, Surrey Hills at 10.30 am on Sunday, 9 February.  This will be a wonderful opportunity to mark our new beginnings as Our Lady of Pentecost Parish. 

I am excited to announce the launch of our new website for Our Lady of Pentecost Parish.  A big thank you to our parish staff for their collaboration with Heartburst, a digital agency.  Our updated website features our new logo, a refreshed design and several exciting new features.  I look forward to hearing your feedback.

I’d also like to recall the theme of our Jubilee year – be the “Pilgrims of Hope” to each other.  We are all, through the image of the opening of the Holy Door, invited to open the door of our hearts, to enable others to embrace and taste God’s mercy, grace and hope. 

The call of the gospel this weekend invites us to do precisely so: “The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me.  He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.”

Let us determine to seize any opportunity to fill our hearts with joy through this very old mission to bring Good News as Christians, that was entrusted by God, through Jesus, to us. 

I’d also like to wish those who are celebrating Lunar New Year this coming Wednesday, especially the Chinese Catholic Community at Wattle Park who will gather to celebrate on Sunday, 2 February at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Church, abundant blessings and grace in the Year of the Snake.  May this sacred time deepen your faith and fill your heart with God’s love and peace.  As we honour traditions and give thanks, may the Lord bless you with good health, joy, and prosperity and may your family be united in love and harmony. 

As we celebrate Australia Day this weekend, let us hold our country in prayer and reflect on our journey.  May we honor the contributions of all communities and acknowledge the deep connection of First Nations people to this wonderful land. 

A family in our parish was kind enough to share with me a prayer that was prepared by Archbishop Coleridge that I’d like to share with you to mark this occasion. 

“God of all peoples, Lord of the journey
Who always walk with us,
In this land you have blessed us
With the first inhabitants of the land
Who have loved it through the ages
For them we give you thanks.
You have blessed us in the settlers
Who made this land their home,
And forged a nation with their toil:
For them we give you thanks
You have blessed us in the many peoples
Of different languages and cultures
Who have found a new home here:
For them we give you thanks
We ask that you make a home among us,
So that justice and truth may flourish here
And all Australians may walk together into the future you are preparing:
For that we give you thanks
Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

With many blessings, 

Fr Sang Ho

 

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    We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia and acknowledge their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the Elders past and present.
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