Parish Bulletin
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION 2020
This notice is for Parents of all Grade 6 students whose children have received their First Holy Communion and are wishing for their child to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. As you know from previous notices and emails it has become necessary to deliver our workshops online this year due to the uncertainty of when restrictions will be lifted for churches. The sacrament team have decided it is important to ensure all preparation is completed this year so we can go ahead with the celebration of Confirmation as soon as possible, either later this year or as soon as possible next year. This also includes the families who have decided they would like their child to receive the sacrament next year.
Please note our Confirmation Parent & Child Information session will be held on this coming Tuesday, October 13th via Zoom at 7pm. All Confirmation families will receive an invitation by email, 15 minutes before the start of the meeting. The meeting will start promptly at 7pm.
The Sacrament Team sent out an email which includes two attachments. One of the attachments is a Confirmation Preparation PDF for parents to share with their child prior to the information night. Please advise us if you have not received this important email. We suggest you check your spam folder first as a couple of parents have advised us they found the above email in their spam folder.
If you find you have received no correspondence from tmeggetto@dcsi.net.au please text your name and your Confirmation candidates (child) name plus your email address to Therese on 0439 306 642 by this Friday, October 9th informing us you haven’t received our emails. We can then send you this email and any further correspondence.
Thank you so much for your cooperation, we are looking forward to seeing you via Zoom on Tuesday October 13th.
For any inquiries please contact Thérèse on 0439 306 642.
Many are called, few are chosen
Matthew is big on allegory in this disturbing, sometimes absurdly unrealistic parable full of unexpected twists and turns (Matt 22:1-14). Taken literally it reads as an uncompromising piece of scripture, without wriggle room, about ungrateful invitees, murder of the King’s messengers, the King’s revenge and finally the seemingly harsh ejection of the guest from the crossroads who isn’t dressed appropriately.
What is Matthew saying for our benefit here? Distinguished theologian, Karl Barth, tells us, “In the last resort, it all boils down to the fact that the invitation is to a feast, and that he who does not obey and come accordingly, and therefore festively, declines and spurns the invitation no less than those who are unwilling to obey and appear at all.” (Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, II/2 (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1957), 588). Rather than God, who loves us all absolutely, infinitely and intimately, rejecting us, we with our free will can reject or refuse him.
Who, invited to a sumptuous feast, an amazing party, then refuses to participate? Well – us, if we are casually coasting along without dressing in our party dress and getting with the program. If we find ourselves at this wonderful party of life in God, then we need to be active in it. Luke’s gospel tells us (Luke 12:48) “To whom much is given, much will be required’. If we have been given much, as we have, in family, nation, talents, wealth, health, knowledge and time, then we are responsible for how we use those gifts. All has been given to the ill-clad guest but he is refusing to participate. To party!
To party with the Lord is to fully embrace our gifts; using them as best we can for the glory of God and the well-being of our neighbour. How can I take up my invitation; shake off my rags of injustice, my less good self, and dress in the clothes of a new, more loving person?
Deacon Mark Kelly
