PARISH OF ST. THERESE, DENISTONE

Presbytery and Office

8 Inkerman Rd, Denistone 2114 Tel: 9809 2925, Fax 9809 5546

Website: www.sttherese.org.au

Parish Priest: Fr Roberto Castillo

Parish Secretary: Gayle White admin@sttherese.org.au

Office hours Tues-Fri 9am-3pm St Therese’s School

448 Blaxland Rd, Denistone 2114 (02) 9874 0412

School Principal: Mr Adam Nolan

MASS TIMES:

SATURDAY VIGIL: 6:00 pm

SUNDAY: 8:00 am and 9:30 am

MONDAY No Mass

TUESDAY 8am Mass

WEDNESDAY through to SATURDAY 9.00 am Mass.

FRIDAY: 9.00 am Mass.

Exposition & Benediction every Friday after Mass

RECONCILIATION Saturday 5pm – 5.45pm or by appointment.

Baptism: Every Sunday at 11am or 11.30am. Please contact Parish Office.

Marriage: By appointment.

Anointing of the sick: Please give names to Father Roberto Castillo

CHRISTMAS 24

th / 25

th December 2016

Welcome to our Christmas Masses

Wishing you all a joyful Christmas!

GOSPEL: Masses in the Night Lk 2: 1-14

A reading from the holy Gospel according to

Luke

Today a Saviour has been born for you.

Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of

the whole world to be taken. This census - the

first - took place while Quirinius was governor of

Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be

registered. So Joseph set out from the town of

Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to

the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was

of David's House and line, in order to be

registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who

was with child. While they were there the time

came for her to have her child, and she gave birth

to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in

swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger

because there was no room for them at the inn. In

the countryside close by there were shepherds

who lived in the fields and took it in turns to

watch their flocks during the night. The angel of

the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the

Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but

the angel said, 'Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring

you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the

whole people. Today in the town of David a

saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the

Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a

baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a

manger.' And suddenly with the angel there was a

great throng of the heavenly host, praising God

and singing:

'God to God in the highest heaven,

and peace to men who enjoy his favour'.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

GOSPEL: Masses of the Day Jn 1: 1-5, 9-14

A reading from the holy Gospel according to

John

The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among

us, and we saw his glory.

In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with

God and the Word was God. He was with God in

the beginning. Through him all things came to be,

not one thing had its being but through him. All

that came to be had life in him and that life was the

light of men, a light that shines in the dark, a light

that darkness could not overpower.

The Word was the true light that enlightens all

men; and he was coming into the world. He was in

the world that had its being through him, and the

world did not know him. He came to his own

domain and his own people did not accept him.

But to all who did accept him he gave power to

become children of God, to all who believe in the

name of him who was born not out of human stock

or urge of the flesh or will of man but of God

himself.

The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and

we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only

Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK:

Num 6: 22-27;

Gal 4: 4-7;

Lk 2: 16-21.

31 DEC 2016 / 1 JANUARY 2017

MARY, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD SATURDAY 6.00PM SUNDAY 8.00AM SUNDAY 9.30AM

Acolyte D D'MELLO D ELLIS

T DABBAH

Minister of HC J KEYSER K PERERA (M&H)

P CRONIN

Minister of HC J KWONG J PERERA

Reader V PERERA A STANTON VOLUNTEER

Wardens L SEETO N MORRIS VOLUNTEER

Offertory DABBAH FAMILY VOLUNTEER FAMILY VOLUNTEERS

Projection A. SHEEKA NIL P. TREACY

Altar Servers GROUP 1: Robert Morfuni

Natasha Vithana No rostered group

GROUP 5: Brittany and Jessica Khoury, Rebecca

Dearing Katherine Spencer

Welcomers S CHAMISA D BRENNAN

Counters Group 7: P TREACY S DIMICHIEL M PEARCE

Altar Flowers J KEYSER JANUARY ALTAR LINEN: MAUREEN PEARCE

PARISH NEWS & NOTICES: Please remember in your prayers all who have recently died especially Dr John GEORGE (the doctor from Ryde Hospital who use to come to 8am Sunday Masses) and Michael

CAMILLERI. We also pray for all who have anniversaries at this time especially Jan FLATON.

Last weekend Yongjoong IM (known as John) was

welcomed into the Church when he was baptised,

received his first communion and was confirmed at

the Vigil Mass. We congratulate John, his fiancée

Sophia and his family.

Christmas Message from the Parish Priest

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In the Gospels there is a verse that is usually read on Christmas Midnight Mass. “The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” These mysterious

words were written approximately 800 years BC by the Prophet Isaiah who Gregory of Nyssa described as the

prophet who “knew more perfectly than all others the mystery of the religion of the Gospel.” What Gregory said

about the prophet, I believe, was confirmed at the nativity of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Because Jesus himself later

on will declare “I am the Light of the World.” Yes, brothers and sisters, Our Lord Jesus whose birth we celebrate

once again this Christmas day, reminds us that He is the ‘Great Light,’ that was announced by Isaiah. And this, in

spite of everything that we hear about Christmas, is the most powerful and it’s most accurate meaning. Yes, our

fragile world is still enveloped in shadows, there is an extensive darkness everywhere, as we hear it in the news.

But today as it happened more than 2000 years ago, the Lord is born again in our time and in the wonderful

celebration of the Eucharist, the Great Light of God shines again, bringing new hope to all especially to the poor,

the dispossessed, the unloved, the hopeless and to those who mourn. Christ is here; his light penetrates the thickest

darkness of the human heart and human conflicts. It is only through him and with him that we can come to know

peace and reach the light of heaven. Christmas is a day of joy and hope for you and your families. Even though

there are shadows within families, with Christ we know that his light is still shining bright and if we follow that

light we will also see light, and all darkness will disappear. It is still through him that the world can be saved. So

rejoice and celebrate with your families the birth of a new dawn, the beginning of eternal life.

I take this opportunity to say thank you to all who helped during this Season and I wish you all a Happy, holy and

peaceful Christmas. God bless you all, Father Roberto.

O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL John Wade

O Come All Ye Faithful, joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.

Come and behold Him,

Born the King of Angels;

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above!

Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet thee

Born this happy morning,

Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n;

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

French Traditional

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o’er the plains,

And the mountains in reply

Echo back their joyous strains.

Refrain: Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?

Say what may the tidings be

which inspire your heav’nly song? REFRAIN

Come to Bethlehem and see

him whose birth the angels sing;

Come, adore on bended knee,

Christ the Lord, the newborn King. REFRAIN

In Public Domain

THE FIRST NOEL

The First Noel, the Angels did say

Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay

In fields where they lay keeping their sheep

On a cold winter's night that was so deep.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star

Shining in the East beyond them far

And to the earth it gave great light

And so it continued both day and night.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel.

And by the light of that same star

Three Wise men came from country far

To seek for a King was their intent

And to follow the star wherever it went.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel.

In Public Domain

JOY TO THE WORLD I Watts & L Masonl

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room,

And Heav’n and nature sing,

And Heav’n and nature sing,

And Heav’n and Heav’n and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Saviour reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of his righteousness,

And wonders of his love,

And wonders of his love,

And wonders, wonders, of his love.