Author: Lancelot Monteiro

St Gregory’s Catholic Parish

Priest: Fr Tony Percy PP & Fr Joshua Scott AP
E:Tony.Percy@cg.org.au | 0431 225 574
Joshua.Scott@cg.org.au
www.st.gregsqueanbeyan.com

Office Team: Ann Burgess & Lisa Mudge
Office Hours: Mon - Fri 9am -1pm
Ph: 02 6299 46 11 E: queanbeyan@cg.org.au
Postal Address: PO Box 175, Queanbeyan

1849

47 Lowe Street, Queanbeyan

1955

First Sunday of Advent Year C 30 November & 1 December 2024

Entrance Antiphon
To you, I lift up my soul, O my God.
In you, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame.
Nor let my enemies exult over me;
and let none who hope in you be put to shame.
First Reading
A reading from the prophet Jeremiah
See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when I am going to fulfil the promise I made to the House of Israel and the House of Judah:
‘In those days and at that time,
I will make a virtuous Branch grow for David,
who shall practise honesty and integrity in the land.
In those days Judah shall be saved
and Israel shall dwell in confidence.
And this is the name the city will be called:
The Lord-our-integrity.’
Responsorial Psalm
(R) To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
1. Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
for you are God my saviour. (R)
2. The Lord is good and upright.
He shows the path to those who stray,
he guides the humble in the right path;
he teaches his way to the poor. (R)
3. His ways are faithfulness and love
for those who keep his covenant and will.
The Lord’s friendship is for those who revere him;
to them he reveals his covenant. (R)
Second Reading
A reading from first letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians
May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race as much as we love you. And may he so confirm your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints.
Finally, brothers, we urge you and appeal to you in the Lord Jesus to make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live: the life that God wants, as you learnt from us, and as you are already living it. You have not forgotten the instructions we gave you on the authority of the Lord Jesus.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
Lord, show us your mercy and love,
and grant us your salvation.
Alleluia!
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.
‘Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. For it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.’
Communion Antiphon
The Lord will bestow his bounty, and our earth shall
yield its increase.

Mass Times
Sunday 5:30pm (Sat)
9am & 5pm
Weekdays
Mon - Fri 5:30pm
Mon & Wed 12noon
Sat 9:30am St. Greg’s

Confession Times
Monday - Friday
6pm
Saturday St. Greg’s
10am

Parish Playgroup
Every First and Third week at 10:30am on Wed
St. Raphael’s Church
Felicity 0420 541 772

Parish Youth Group
First Wed of every month 5:30 - 8:00pm
in the undercroft at
St. Raphael’s Church

Parish Priest

Dear Parishioners,
Advent begins Sunday 1 December 2024. The word itself means, ‘coming towards.’ God is coming towards us in the Baby Jesus, accompanied by the love of Mary and Joseph of Nazareth. In order to prepare for the coming of the Lord, the parish has a gift for each family:
The Light: Advent and Christmas Daily Reflections 2024.
It is a small gift, thanking you for your palpable faith and support of our wonderful parish. Make the most of it. A few Advent activities might help:
Monday – Friday 7.30am Morning Prayer in St. Raphael’s.
Monday – Friday 6pm-7pm Holy Hour in St. Raphael’s.
Bran Grgic, who is seminarian for our Archdiocese, will be here for a month and will help with these activities. In order to participate in Morning Prayer, download the Universalis App. It is a terrific resource.
The usual Liturgical events will also help us in our preparation:
Mass: Monday – Friday 5.30pm (Wednesday & Friday 12noon & Saturday 9.30am).
Confessions: Monday – Friday 6pm (Saturday 10am).
The numbers praying at Mass in our parish were 320 in 2022. In 2024, that number is now 610. That is magnificent news for us. Please keep inviting your friends and family to Mass.
Father Josh is back. Three cheers to the Paraclete, and I will be away on some annual leave until Friday 29 November 2024.
Blessings, Father Tony

Prayers and Intercessions

Prayers and Intercessions
Priest: We pray to our Lord, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
Reader: Lord Jesus, Gabriel announced your coming to the Virgin Mary:
R. Son of the most High, come to us, grant the Pope strength, enliven our Archbishop, renew our parish.
John the Baptist rejoiced to see your day:
R. Come, bring the world salvation, especially grant world leaders wisdom and courage.
Simeon acknowledged you, Light of the World:
R. Bring your light to all men and women of goodwill, especially the sick, the lonely, the unloved.
God our Father, Mary said yes to you in freedom and with faith:
R. We pray for all mothers who are with child at this holy time. Bless them, protect them and free them from any fear they may be experiencing.
Christ Jesus has promised us that he will come again in power and great glory:
R. We pray that he wake the dead to new life, especially, Teresa Forner, Jocelyn Buenaventura, Ms Gilli, Mick and Sue Turner, Bernard McInnes, Robert Thurling and Janice McKeown who died recently.
Hail Mary……………….

Missionary Sisters of Charity (and their home country)
Sr. Marie Louise MC (Director) Kenya
Sr. Asunta Marie MC The Philippines
Sr. Theophile MC Kenya
Sr. Emma Maria MC Vietnam

Meditation
Tue 7 pm &
Wed 12:30pm
Tony 0455 231 057 or
Rose 0466 661 006
St. Raphael’s Church

Monday Men’s Group
Using SOAP- Scripture,
Observe, Apply, and Pray.
Monday 6:30 - 7:30pm
Pat 0400 466 276
Parish Meeting Room
St. Greg’s School,
Macquoid St
Macquoid St

Formation in Faith (RCIA)
Every Tuesday 6:15pm
Parish Meeting Room
St. Greg’s School,
Macquoid St

Rosary
Monday - Friday 5 pm
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Friday11 am

PARISH & ARCHDIOCESAN INFORMATION

Let us pray for the sick in our Parish:
Hugo Villa, Fred Spiteri, Lucy Aloe, Robin Crowe, Aurelia Sotomayor, Maia Torner, Felicia Lyons, Robert (Ned) Vodovic, Mirella Wakim, Thomas, Juliet & Rommel Estabillo, Rosario Surmeida, Katie Casey, Antonio & Dhel Borja, Dennis Pountney
Baptisms:
Elias Alexander Kensey
Fletcher Alan Dunkerley
Ryder Johnson
Recently Deceased
Teresa Forner
Jocelyn Buenaventura
Ms Gilli
Mick and Sue Turner
Bernard McInnes
Robert Thurling
Janice McKeown
Anniversaries:
Victoria Holland
Mary Blundell
Orlando Pacione
Margarita Ramos
Paul Maher
St. Gregory’s Charity Coin Collection 2024
Total
$2560.64
(Currently collecting for Queanbeyan Respite Centre)
Any foreign coins found in the collection plate are donated to UNICEF.
St. Vincent De Paul Society
Thank you for your ongoing support of vinnies in our parish. Once again we have a Christmas giving tree in the church, there are gift tags for the age groups we need to help. Plus wrapping and gift cards needed.
Parish Charity Christmas Raffle
The prize this year is a lovely hamper of goodies ready for you to buy your tickets! $1 a ticket, profits to Queanbeyan Hospital Auxiliary.
Parish Ministry
Thank you for serving in 2024. Rosters are being prepared for 2025. If you would like to participate please email Anne (annealexander1403@gmail.com)
Christmas rosters are being drafted too. Please sign the sheet at the back of the church.
Extra Advent Books
These have arrived and are available in the church for you to pick up.
Found on Church Grounds
A blood glucose monitor. Pick up from the Parish Office
Women’s Breakfast
Last date for 2024 is Sat 14 December at 0830 at Suppetto’s Jerrabomberra. Sign the sheet at the back of the church for catering purposes.
Parish BBQ Friday 6 December after 12 noon Mass
All Welcome

Angelus
The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. - Hail Mary…
Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Be it done unto me according to thy word. - Hail Mary..
And the Word was made flesh.
And dwelt amongst us. - Hail Mary
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may, by his passion and cross, be brought to the glory of his resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord, Amen

Reflection by Fr Michael Tate
Sometimes our own lives, the life of the Church, the life of societies and nations cry out for Our Lord Jesus Christ to come again right now and rescue us right now. In some instances we can become conscious of Jesus’ saving, transforming power in a particular situation. But, for the whole of humanity across the millennia, we do not know the day or the hour when death and all its warriors such as disease and violence, will be absolutely vanquished by Christ in glory.
This can lead to a type of pain which finds solace in all those things which dull the spirit. Our Lord gives examples: debauchery, drunkenness. Today he might have added ‘living in the virtual world’. Rather, Our Lord wants us to live in the real world on high alert. In the meantime each one of us can be a signal of what is to come. Each time we exhaust ourselves heroically loving someone whom others might abandon, each time we take a risk because we cry out against injustice, and in a myriad other ways, we signal that the Kingdom is already being established on earth. We could pause for a moment to pray for the strength to be on high alert for the opportunities to translate the legacy of Jesus into our own time and place, thus giving reasons to each other for our faith and hope that Christ has come, Christ is risen, Christ
will come again.
© Fr Michael Tate; mtate@bigpond.com

The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated in 2025 for Year 3 Children
Register your child via the QKR! App by 12 February 2025 (cost $40 pay via the app when registering)

Scan this QR code for dates and information

Our Week with God

Monday 2 December 2024	Monday Advent Week 1
Tuesday 3 December 2024	Saint Francis Xavier
Wednesday 4 December 2024	Wednesday Advent Week 1
Thursday 5 December 2024	Thursday Advent Week 1
Friday 6 December 2024	Saint Nicolas
Saturday 7 December 2024	Saint Ambrose

Parish Pastoral Council (PPC)
Tony Carey (Chair), Bec Gillett, Glenda Chapman, Nick Pelle, Gretchen Bell, Tony Wood, Sybil Busby, Dylan House, Selina Stanford, Janine Deakin, Kripa Antony, Antony Stanislaus, Sheryl & Benjie Reyes,
Jaynel Estrella.
Email. stgregsqbnppc@gmail.com
Parish Finance Council (PFC): Anne Alexander (Chairperson), Paul Lindwall, John Owens, Fr Tony Percy.

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