Reflection

  Reflecting on the Trinity is daunting so I share some of our Christian tradition that helps me. In the song “Awesome God” Chris Skinner SM invites us to - “Look to the mountains, look to the seas, look in the eyes of a tiny baby - Awesome God”. Pope Benedict wrote
“Three Persons …are one God because the Father is love, the Son is love, the Spirit is love. God who is the purest, infinite eternal love does not live in solitude but rather is an inexhaustible source of life that is ceaselessly given and communicated. To a certain extent we can perceive this by observing both the macro-universe: our earth, the planets, the stars, the galaxies; and the micro-universe: cells, atoms, elementary particles. The "name" of the Blessed Trinity is, in a sense, imprinted upon all things because all that exists, down to the last particle, is in relation; in this way we catch a glimpse of God as relationship and ultimately, Creator Love. All things derive from love, aspire to love and move impelled by love. (Benedict Angelus 7/6/2009).

St Paul urges us to grow “perfect.” That feels far beyond me, but Joyce Rupp OSM writes that holiness is “like the hunger of knowing we can never be satisfied with just a taste of God. It’s stopping to gaze in amazement at how love stirs in the joy and beauty of ordinary events choosing to keep on struggling and believing that there is eternal life and that there is such a One as Eternal Love.” (Fresh Bread).

In Exodus 34 Moses encounters God as formless cloud and falls to the ground in worship and intercession, audaciously seeking forgiveness and adoption for his people. The Gospel gives the stunning answer to his prayer, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…not to condemn the world, but that through him the world might be saved.” God freely became a vulnerable dependant human baby, treading the path of every person to unite us in relationship within the Trinity in whom “we live and move and have our being”. (Acts 17:28)
Tennyson wrote, “Closer is he than breathing; nearer than hands or feet”. If fish were to name the water they live in, I wonder might they say God?

In the classic, Cloud of Unknowing, the author advises us to stand beneath the cloud of unknowing, and as it were fire “sharp darts of longing love” which penetrate that cloud. Perhaps he was thinking of Moses? Craig Larkin SM writes, “Many of us in prayer find our minds filled with distractions darting about like monkeys in the trees.
The most we can do is to fire short prayers up to God as we lurch from one life-crisis to another. “Help!” or “Mercy!” or “Lord save us!” sometimes are the most we can say when it comes to prayer.”
(An Inner Music). So today as we participate in the Eucharist, Christ’s supreme offering to the Father in the Spirit, may we try to help one another, united as best we can in peace, praying with St Paul that the “God of love and peace” be with us and with all those we care for.

Bev McDonald

The 2026 Sacramental Programme:

This year’s programme begins on Wednesday, 3 June with the first Parent-Only meeting at 7pm in St John’s Church Hall. It is essential for a parent from each family enrolled in the programme to attend this meeting. On Sunday, 7 June at 9am, the children and parents meet the team and will be put into their groups for the programme.
The children are being presented to our parish family during the 10.30am mass on the same morning. The children will sit with their parents/families during the mass. Please email Brenda.neville@hibiscuscoastparish.org.nz if you have any queries.

We pray for:

We pray for the sick in the community and for the recently deceased including Glen Wright, Ursula Taylor, Ken Titford, Carol Mendonsa, Roger Henry and Sharon O'Brien.
May they rest in eternal peace and their families be comforted in their grief.
We pray too for those whose anniversaries occur at this time including Lorraine Campbell

Pope Leo XIV proclaimed “The Year of St. Francis” ....

As a special Jubilee Year running from 10 Jan 2026 to 10 Jan 2027.
It commemorates the 800th anniversary of the saint's death (transitus). Inspired by this St Joseph’s Gift Shop has created a collection of books, statues, crosses, and devotional items which reflect St Francis's message of humility, peace, and love for God and all creation. View these at: https://stjosephscentre.co.nz/collections/st-francis-of-assisi

Thank you

Thank you for supporting our seminarians with your generous donations to the Seminary Appeal totalling $2,585.00.

Special Collection Envelopes:

Some parishioners may have missed this notice in the newsletter in April, that due to the escalating cost of printing envelopes, the parish will no longer be supplying special collection envelope packs to those who donate online via automatic payments or direct deposits.

Parishioners will be notified in the newsletter of an upcoming special collection, prior to the date of the appeal, and will be invited to make an online donation into the HBC Parish account:
02-0108-0708545-00
with your name, planned giving number and name of the collection as reference.

Alternatively you may also place your donation in an envelope, write the above details on it and place it in the special collection basket.

Catholic News: Flashes of Insight:

Short-form, theologically grounded commentary on the challenges and questions facing today’s time-pressed Church and wider society. On the website you can sign up for a fortnightly email for the compact form of news to be sent to you: flashes@flashesinsight.com

CATHNEWS NEW ZEALAND

Children’s Liturgy - St Francis:

We need more leaders to share the Gospel with our young ones, in an age appropriate way.
It’s a rewarding and important ministry to be part of, since it is our young people that keep our Parish alive.
All help will be given, so for more information please call Ann McConachy on 027 7719515.

Joy Healing Upcoming Meetings

* Next Thursday 4 June, on Zoom, 7.15pm-8.30pm.
All welcome for inspiration and healing prayer.
Be introduced to Fr Frankie Mulgrew (Salford Cathedral, Manchester) and the healing power of Eucharistic adoration. Fr Frankie is visiting us in person at St Johns, Orewa on Sat. 8 August for a Eucharistic Healing Service. You won't want to miss this!
Email Cathy for Zoom link callen@allens.co.nz 021 943307.

*Thursday 11 June - join us in person at St Johns Chapel, 10.30-12noon. Come and be inspired and entertained by one of our Parish's two Spiritual Directors, Bev McDonald who is speaking on "The Playfulness of God". All welcome, refreshments to follow.

Altar Flowers:

We are urgently needing volunteers to arrange the altar flowers at St Francis Church.
If you have some creativity with flower arranging and would like to assist on a rostered basis, we would love to hear from you!
Please phone Nisha on 021 0827 6027.

Parish Giving Envelopes:
A reminder to those who haven’t yet collected their envelope packs, to collect these from the foyer.
Please contact Theresa in the parish office if you have any queries about your envelopes.

Youth group ....

We invite all youth in year 6 to year 13 to join us on Friday 5 June for some fun, food, faith sharing and friendship. 6.30-8pm in St John’s hall. This will be held every 2nd Friday during term time.
Any enquires please email Arya or Kathy on hbcpyouth@gmail.com

All men are invited to the Joshua 40-Year Celebration weekend ...

From Friday evening 14 August to Sunday midday 16 August at Keswick Christian Camp, 5 Cooper Ave, Holden's Bay, Rotorua.
Keynote Speaker is Robert Falzon, Leader of Australia's men ALIVE and Author of "Importance of a Present Dad".
The cost is $247pp including accommodation and meals.

World Youth Day Auckland 2026:

10am-8:30pm Saturday 1 August at Victory Convention Centre. Join over 1,800 young Catholics at Victory Convention Centre for World Youth Day Auckland 2026 - a massive, joy-filled day of faith, community and WITNESS.   
Inspired by the Scripture chosen for the 40th World Youth Day, “You also are my witnesses, because you have been with me” (Jn 15:27).
This year’s event is about fixing our gaze on Jesus and becoming courageous witnesses of Christ in our world. 
For more info and to register go to: https://events.humanitix.com/world-youth-day-auckland-2026

Meditation Groups meet

• At St Francis on Mondays at 7pm.
• At St John's on Thursday at 2.30pm in the Chapel.
• On Zoom Wednesdays at 5.30pm at https://zoom.us/j/6444797955
  Meeting ID: 644 479 7955
  Password: 302506

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