Reflection

  Today’s gospel invites us to look more closely at ourselves so that we may discern our blindness, our deafness, our lameness, our poverty; those parched lands of our spiritual life that, for whatever reason, have withered and are in danger of dying. How might we do this?

On Sunday 18 December 2011, our beloved Fr Ron Saunders gave a sermon that helps answer this question. ‘We too,’ he said, ‘must, like Mary, become pregnant with Christ Jesus. We must experience a long gestation involving pain and suffering before our true faith is born.’

A few months later, Sunday 15 April 2012, Fr Mike Tria gave a sermon that also resonates with our theme. He told us there are two words in Latin for the future:
Futurus and Adventus. Futurus is our structured perception of a future that goes to plan while Adventus is a future based on hope. From Adventus we get Advent, a new season, a new beginning.

Our second reading is from James 5:7-10. Listen closely and you will hear the word patient and its derivatives no less than four times as the farmer waits for rain to irrigate the crops. This too is Adventus, the patient and hope-filled waiting of Mary.

The season of Advent is that time of year when we give thought to birthing Christ Jesus in our hearts. Questions we might reflect on include what are our blind spots, to what calls are we deaf? Have we accepted the reality that pain and suffering are part of the birthing process? When pondering these questions keep in mind the wisdom of Meister Eckhart (c1260-1328) who said,‘What good is it to me if Mary gave birth to Christ 1400 years ago and I do not do the same?’ This is a long gestation so fill your heart with the desire of Adventus for Christ’s coming.
Merry Christmas.

Vincent Maire

Christmas Hamper appeal.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Christmas Hamper appeal.
The hampers were so beautifully presented in various sizes and we were able to distribute 130, which reflects the amazing generosity of our parishioners.
Women’s Refuge and Grandparents Raising Grandchildren were overwhelmed with the hampers and send grateful thanks to you all, as were parishioners and others in the community who will feel your love and support this Christmas.
A huge thank you to Tara Fisher, Farren Coetzee and their team of helpers who did such a wonderful job of coordinating the appeal. What an amazing and heartwarming response from so many.
God Bless you all!!!

Reconciliation

On Thursday and Friday 18 & 19 December, 5pm-6.30pm at St John’s.

We pray for:

We pray for all the sick in the community and those recovering from surgery including Angelina Thompson.
We pray for the recently deceased including Terence Stephenson, Doug Waddell, Donald McIntyre and Mary Turner. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in eternal peace and may their families be comforted in their grief.
We pray too for those whose anniversaries occur around this time.

We thank the Joy Healing Ministry...

For their prayerful healing and loving support of parishioners and the community during the year.
If anyone is in need of healing prayer over the holiday period please email Cathy Allen, callen@allens.co.nz

Eucharistic Adoration

Will resume at St John’s on Tuesday 3 February and at St Francis on Friday 6 February.

Christmas Mass Times

Christmas Eve - St John’s:
5.30pm - Family Vigil Mass
Children are invited to dress up as their favourite nativity character.

11.30pm - Carol Singing
Midnight - Christmas Mass

Christmas Day:
8.30am - St Francis’
10.30am - St John’s

There will be celebratory Christmas cake and bubbles after the midnight and 8.30am Masses.

CATHNEWS NEW ZEALAND 

Parish Picnic

Diarise!!!
Sunday 15 February 2026, at Wenderholm
after the 10:30am Mass.
More details to follow in the new year.

Meditation :

The groups will meet this week and thereafter take a break until Monday 12 January at St Francis, Thursday 15 January at St John’s and Wednesday 7 January on Zoom.

Meditation at St John’s will end ...

On Thursday 18 December and start on 15 January, and end at St Francis on Monday 22 December and resume on 12 January.

Love Soup Collection:

A kind helper is needed to help in this important ministry, to collect the donated goods and hamper request forms from St John’s Church after 10.30am Mass each Sunday and deliver these to Red Beach.
There are usually about 3 cartons of groceries.
To volunteer please contact Chris Wilson on 027 482 4301.

St John’s Children’s Liturgy:

Today will be our last liturgy for the year and we will start again in February, date to be confirmed.
We thank all the leaders for the time and commitment they have given to this ministry this year and wish them, the children and their parents a Merry Christmas.

Happy Birthday to Monica Grimshaw for 15 December

Thank you for serving our parish with love and dedication. 

Note: Office Closed

The parish office will close on Wednesday 24 December and reopen on Tuesday 20 January.
After Christmas there will be no printed newsletters until 25 January.
If you have any important notices to be included in the next two newsletters, please email these to hbcparish@xtra.co.nz. 

Columban calendars ($15) and daily mass calendars ($4) on sale

In the parish office weekdays and in the foyer at St Francis after 8.30am Mass.
The calendars, Christmas cards and God’s Word 2026 are on sale at Never Ending Books, Shop 3, The Village, Moenui Ave, Orewa.

To help your reflection on the Sunday Gospels

Go to The Center for Liturgy Sunday Web Site
http://liturgy.slu.edu/

Our thanks to all who have contributed...

To our pre-Christmas festivities this month:
Carers from Crossley Court for decorating the hall so beautifully,
to the St John’s Catering team for the wonderful Christmas lunch they put on for the North Shore priests and parish teams,
to the Joy Healing Ministry and St John’s Prayer Group for arranging the fun carol singing evening and supper afterwards
and to the St John’s Children’s Liturgy team for all the planning that has gone into organising the children’s Christmas party today, Sunday 14 December.
There is still time to register your child for the party below!!!!!!

Telephone Prayer Chain:

We have a small group of parishioners who pray for your special intentions during their daily prayers.
Call upon the church community to pray for you (James5:14).
If you would like volunteer some time in your day to pray for others, please contact Norma McGrath on (09) 424-8460.

Engaged/Planning a Wedding?

Catholic Diocese of Auckland - Approved Marriage Preparation Course.
Book in for the course 1 year prior to the wedding in NZ and 18 months for overseas weddings.
Register and book here: www.aucklandcatholic.org.nz/discipleship/our-courses/
For more information contact:
Gerry at gerrys@cda.org.nz or phone 021 0224 7442.

Catholic Enquiry Centre:

Visit their website to explore Catholicism, find out about our faith, order booklets or to make a donation: 
https:/www.catholicdiscovery.nz/  

GET YOUR NEWSLETTER EMAILED
During the lockdowns our weekly newsletter was still being produced.
Please pass the message on to others that if they would like the newsletter sent to them directly, to visit the parish website www.hbcparish.org.nz and
CLICK HERE

TELEPHONE PRAYER CHAIN
Is anyone sick?
Call upon the church community to pray for you (James5:14).
Please telephone any of the parishioners listed below.
We would love to pray for your intentions in our daily prayers.

Norma McGrath (Coordinator); 424-8460
Maureen Nancarrow; 426 7921
Janet Dimbleby; 427 5850
Raewyn Taylor; 424 1414
Maree Lochead; 428 4648