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Issue 54      Bryanston Catholic Church of the Resurrection            6 May 2021

CHURCH NEWS

Wishes from Father Keith 

Jesus said, “I have called you friends,
for all that I have heard from my Father
I have made known to you.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you
that you should go and bear fruit
and that your fruit should abide.” – John 15:15-16


We will hear these beautiful words in the Gospel on Sunday. They remind us that we are friends of Christ already. He has accomplished that for us – "I call you friends." With the help of his Spirit, we can act that way and each day resemble him more and more. As his friends, we will "bear fruit that will remain." We pray that Jesus will teach us to love one another and help us live that love so people will know that we are the friends of Jesus."

Last Sunday we had a wonderful celebration where 30 young people received Holy Communion for the first time. Congratulations to our new Communicants. I pray that the love of Jesus may continue to grow in their hearts and families.

May: Month of Mary
It is a centuries-old custom of Catholics to dedicate the month of May to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The month of May is always part of the Easter season, the fifty days we celebrate in the liturgy the Resurrection of Our Lord, also a time of awaiting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The celebration of May as a Marian month fits well with the liturgical celebrations of Easter and Pentecost. We recall Mary’s great joy in her Son’s victory over death as well as her presence with the apostles in the upper room prayerfully awaiting the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

I invite you to pray with Mary during this Marian month. Let us especially commend to her our prayers for life, marriage, and healing during the coronavirus pandemic. Let us all place ourselves in the school of Mary to learn from her how to love God more fervently and to love one another as her Son has loved us.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary intercede for us and draw us closer to Christ her Son!

Sunday 9th May is Mother’s Day.
A Mothers' Day Prayer

Thank you, Lord God of us all, for our mothers.
I thank you that she gave me life and nurtured me all those years. She gave me my faith, helping me to know you and to know Jesus and his ways. She taught me how to love and how to sacrifice for others. She taught me that it was okay to cry and that I should always tell the truth. Bless her with the graces she needs and which you want to give her today. Help her to feel precious in your eyes today and to know that I love her. Give her strength and courage, compassion and peace.

Bless her this day with your love.
God bless, Fr Keith
Associates of the Ursuline Sisters

St Angela Merici is a beautiful example of a Saint to honour on Mother’s Day.
From the time she took up her ministry in the city of Brescia in Northern Italy, she was called “The Madre.” She was a mother to all whom she met: to the widows and orphans of constant wars; to families and their children; to the sick and suffering; to Governors and Lords; to priests and religious. She was an image of God’s love and compassion, of counsel and encouragement, a helper and refuge in any need.
She was “The Madre.”


The Associates of the Ursuline Sisters, like the Associates of other Religious Congregations, are laypeople, women and men, married or single, who desire to incorporate into the course of their ordinary daily lives, the charism of the founder or foundress of that Religious Order. They do this in response to a desire created within them by the Holy Spirit to deepen their spiritual life. They draw on the spirituality and mission of the Ursuline Sisters of the Roman Union.
 
Ursuline Associate groups take different forms in different countries and exist throughout the world. There are a great variety of groups, styles and undertakings. This initiative has been operating in Southern Africa for many years. The groups vary in size, age and focus, but all members seek to grow deeply into relationship with God and to walk with Christ more closely in their daily lives.
 
In Bryanston, the Associates initially grew among mature women: married, widowed and single. Later, many younger women formed another group and, just before the Covid 19 level 5 lockdown, the launch of a group for married couples and single men was postponed.
 
The development in Bryanston is interesting in that it follows the pattern of St Angela Merici’s work with lay people in the early 16th century. Initially, she was assisted by single and married women of all ages. Men, lay and clergy, have became increasingly involved in it too.
 
The specific charisms of Angela lived by the Ursulines today and which Associates try to integrate into their lives are:

  • A life of prayer and a commitment to the deepening of this, in relationship with Jesus Christ;
  • A dedicated life of love and service to those in any kind of need, especially children and youth, the poor and sick, the troubled, the lonely, the grieving;
  • To encourage a spirit of peace and reconciliation, wherever they are: at home, at work, in the parish and church, in our country and world;
  • To live unity and community and to create these by word and example, in families and in whatever communities to which they belong;
  • To assist in any way in the education and/or empowerment of persons, so that they may realise their full potential and become what God intends them to be.
  • To do this by maintaining contact, connection and/or collaboration with the Ursuline Sisters whenever possible.
 
It is remarkable to see the Holy Spirit at work when an associate makes a simple, personal commitment to God, in living their baptism daily. The community bonds grow among the Associates, shown by their support for one another in their lives of faith, love and service.
 
Anyone who wants to join this happy and committed group is most welcome. You draw up your own plan of prayer and service and hold yourself accountable. The Ursulines are there to share with you St Angela Merici and her charism, the rich tradition of the prayer and service of the Ursulines, and to support you in whatever way you decide to integrate her ideals into your life, by the light of the Holy Spirit.
 
Sr Jeanette Essey OSU
076 136 2798
jeanette.e@mweb.co.za
Prayer

Dear Father God

Today we pray that you lay a special hand on all mothers and women.  May they be appreciated by their families for their love, kindness and energy. 
Bless them with the fortitude to support and serve their families.  When times are tough shower them with solutions to problems based on Your word and comfort. 
Help all women who feel rejected, unappreciated or wounded by this world.  Bless them with Your hand of compassion and comfort so that they may find the energy to persevere in this world.

Today we ask that you place a special hand of comfort on the people of the Parish of the Resurrection who have asked for Your help, especially: Brian Richardson, Chipo, Chris Busschau, Clive Williams, Collette Drewes, Didi Tomsett, Elizabeth Pillay, Estelle Jacquet, Erica Woxholt, Felix Finch, Gail Solomon, Gillian Green, Goodwill Ntamehlo, Inez Braford, Jean Broens, Julie, Lettie Nda, Luzia Bento, Manfred Sussmann, Marilyn, Mary-Anne Alho, Paula Britten, Penny Dercksen, Pierre Kedziersk, Quinton, Renatus Marol, Rose Kin, Simon van Wyk, Sister Notburga, Tania Noach, Tony Powers, Trevor Fenton, Wayne and Yvonne.

We ask this in Your blessed name 
Amen

Request Prayer
Mother's Day in the Garden

On Sunday many of you with late Mothers will honour the memory of your Mother by placing a floral tribute in the Garden of Remembrance.

Among the tributes will be beautiful bouquets intended for indoor display which under outdoor conditions deteriorate quickly. You might want to bring a single bloom from ‘Mom’s flowers’ to the garden and cherish the bouquet - and Mom’s memory - at home.

If you would like to bring a living tribute consider a mixed-plant hanging basket or a pot or bag of any of the following plants – Scabiosa, Sutera, Dianthus, Gazania, Calendula, Vygies or Arctotis. Once the flowers fade the gardening team will plant it in a good spot where it will flourish, bloom again and give pleasure to all who find comfort and peace in the parish garden.

Judy Stockill, 083-267-7070.

First Holy Communion

We would like to send our best wishes to all the children who made their First Holy Communion on Sunday. We know you had to wait a long time for this special sacrament – but it was worth it in the end. 
 
You all looked so lovely and behaved so well during the masses. I am sure your parents are very proud of you. We certainly are. You can be rightly proud of yourselves. Well done. We wish to thank the parents and guardians for preparing the children to receive this sacrament.

Youth Alpha

The Youth Alpha Picnic Meet and Greet that took place on the roof of the parkade on 1 May, was a great success. Our young adults enjoyed meeting some friends in person for the first time and catching up with old friends too. 

There was good food, good company and even some dancing!!

Watch this space for the date of the next hang out.

ALPHA ONLINE is starting...

The Covid global pandemic has caused disruption and change. We’ve all felt the impact. People are facing big challenges and asking even bigger questions. And yet, with challenges come opportunity.

The Holy Spirit is moving in every situation and creating an urgency for us to obey Jesus’s command to: “Go and make disciples!”

As part of the Alpha Team, I have witnessed guests who previously had no relationship with Jesus, people who lapsed in their faith, and people who wanted to believe but had so many questions, discover a faith and a hope in Jesus, that transformed their lives. I witnessed guests starting out on Alpha with questions such as, “If God is real, why is my life so hard?”, “Does God even hear me when I pray?”, “How can I have faith in a God I cannot see?”, “I have been so hurt by the Church, if the church is the Body of Christ, why did he allow me to experience this?”, reaching a point on their Alpha journey where the love they experience from our Lord becomes greater than their questions. They discover that he does hear them, that they are significant, and that he loves them.

Alpha is a safe place for people to ask these questions while hearing about the basics of our Christian faith. It’s a place where guests feel heard.

The last year has been hard, both individually and as a faith community. Now more than ever, we need to respond to the call to be missionary disciples by reaching out to our family and friends who do not know Jesus, have turned from their faith or who are searching for meaning and hope.

Alpha is starting on 18 May at 7:30 pm. Who will you invite?

For more Info & to Register
Cake Sale

PACS will be hosting a Mother's Day Cake Sale this weekend - cakes will be sold after the Saturday evening Mass and after both the Sunday morning Masses. Please buy a delicious cake or treat for mom on Mother’s Day and support this worthy cause.

Every cent buys food for the destitute and unemployed, if you are unable to come to church but you would still like to support PACS, their banking details are Pensioners & Children's Support Fund, Nedbank Cheque Account, branch 15220500, number 1158 466 846.

How do you feel if you don't brush your teeth?

Bushing our teeth is a daily ritual that most of us take for granted and have been doing at least once a day since we first got teeth. Sadly, there are many people for whom this is a basic hygiene step that is seen as a luxury, as they can’t afford toothbrushes and toothpaste. This is why PACS always provides a toothbrush and toothpaste in the care packs they distribute. 

Next time you in the toiletries aisle, please consider dropping an extra toothbrush and toothpaste into your trolley for PACS.
All toiletries and donations can be dropped off at the church office.  

Woza Sidle

On Saturday 8 May the Woza Sidle team will deliver their monthly batch of delicious Spaghetti Bolognaise to children in Diepsloot. A big thank you goes to all servers and cooks. Delivery in April was very special, as it was the first delivery for 2021. The children welcomed us joyfully, their big smiles showed how much they missed us. 

The SSVP Woza Sidle Feeding Scheme is working well, efficiently serving two meals per day, Monday to Saturday. This project has received financial support from many parishioners and wonderful donors. We have also received food vouchers from different corporations like Roots Butchery, Nicolway Shopping Center, Bidvest Group, and Alistair Group.

We appreciate all the donations of clothes and shoes in good condition for the jumble sale, perishable and non-perishable ingredients, as well as the financial support. 

Your prayers are welcome and always needed, especially for the well-being and protection of the children of Diepsloot and South Africa.  



Baptism

On 30 April we baptised two children:
Luca, son of Paul and Annika Smith
Milani, daughter of Andrew and Nthatisi Maseko 

Welcome to our church.




In Memoriam

Isaac Mogase (25 January 1934 - 27 April 2021)
 

Digital Snapshot
Click on Picture to Link

Giving

This faith community is making a difference in the world. Our online and in-person ministries touch the lives of many thousand people.

It is through your generous donations that the Church of the Resurrection is able to offer a wide array of programmes and facilities. Thank you for your regular weekly donations; they make all the difference.

Since we are not collecting weekly donations in church, we are 100% reliant on the money that you give us via channels such as EFT or SnapScan. Every donation counts and is greatly appreciated.

If you're not signed up for dedicated giving but would like to continue to support the parish, you can make donations via snap scan or follow the link online. 
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