Going on retreat

It’s come at just the right time … thanks be to God.

 

Tomorrow afternoon I will go on ‘spiritual retreat’ until Friday morning.  The retreat, organised by the Australian Confraternity of Catholic Clergy, will be led by Bishop emeritus of Armidale, Luc Matthys.

I will remember all those who have commended themselves, or been recommended, to my prayers.  In your charity, please pray for those on retreat this week.

I will not be taking my computer, and my phone will be off!  All things that can’t wait until Friday can be directed to the parish office on 3848 1107.

Families’ Mass tomorrow

Tomorrow, Saturday 5th April 2014, is the first Saturday of the month, and also time again for the monthly Mass with homeschooling families.  Mass will be offered at 9:00am at Immaculate Conception Church, Halle Street, Everton Park.  Confessions from 8:00am, and again after Mass for as long as needed.

There will be Lenten themed activities for the children and morning tea after Mass.

All are welcome!

Now laid to rest

As Dad said this morning, “The end of an era.”

We placed Nana’s ashes at the crematorium this morning.  Everything was simple and without fuss, as she had requested.  She would have tut-tutted at one moment, but the thought of her doing that made us all smile.  I offered my Mass this morning for her and for all my grandparents.  Nana was the last to go.

Farewell Nana.  We love you.

Saint John Vianney talk – pictures

The following pictures are to illustrate my talk at St Mary’s, South Brisbane, on Wednesday 5 February 2014.  I’m not quite what I’m doing incorrectly, but some are appearing below, and some you will need to click the link to see the picture.  They appear here in the order in which they will be refered to in the talk.

Picture 1 – The meeting

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Picture 2 – Old church, exterior with steeple in red brick rebuilt in 1820

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Picture 3 – Interior of the old church, looking towards the front door

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Picture 4 – The “Ecce homo” (Behold the man) side chapel

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Picture 5 – The side-chapel dedicated to St John the Baptist

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Picture 6 – The confessional for women in the St John the Baptist side-chapel

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Picture 7 – The confessional in the sacristy that Fr Vianney used for the men’s confessions

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Picture 8 – the gilt wooden statue of the Virgin Mary, with silver gilt heart hanging in front of her containing the names of all his parishioners

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Picture 9 – The statue and chapel of Saint Philomena in the old church

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Picture 10 – The Statue of Saint Francis of Assisi in the old church

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Picture 11 – The tabernacle

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 Picture 12 – the pulpit of the old church

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Picture 13 – the other pulpit of the old church, for the 11 o’clock talks

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Picture 14 – “The Providence”

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Picture 15 – The presbytery kitchen

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Picture 16 – Fr Vianney’s bedroom

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Picture 17 – The courtyard of the presbytery

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Picture 18 – Fr Vianney’s library

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Photo 19 – View from the old church, looking into the basilica

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Photo 20 – Looking into the basilica from the old church

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Picture 21 – Aerial shot of the old church and new basilica

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Picture 22 – The Altar of the Reliquary holding the Saint’s body, in the basilica

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Acknowledgement: “Ars: Pilgrim’s Guide” published in France.

Talk on Saint John Vianney tonight

Tonight I’ll be speaking at Saint Mary’s, South Brisbane, on Saint John Vianney, patron saint of parish priests.

Watch this space, as I hope to upload a few pictures to go with the talk – so bring your phones and iPads to the talk with you – I won’t ask you to turn them off!

A portrait shot of Saint John Vianney:

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/814098251949540/?fref=ts

Seeking copies of the Australian “Living Parish Hymn Book”

I am seeking to gather together a set of copies of the pew edition of the Australian “Living Parish Hymn Book.”

Perhaps your parish might have a box of them sitting in a cupboard that you might be prepared to part with?

If this is the case, please phone Fr Adrian Sharp at Annerley Ekibin parish (Brisbane) on 07 3848 1107.

2013 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 27,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 10 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Norma Mary Sharp, 1919 – 2013

In your charity, please pray for the repose of the soul of my paternal grandmother, Norma Mary Sharp, who died this morning.  Nana is the last of my grandparents to die.  We will miss her greatly.

Her kitchen table has been the gathering place for family gatherings for many years.

Nana has been in a fairly steady decline for the last eighteen months, and so I think it is fair to say that we are happy that she no longer has to face the trials and sufferings that came her way in this valley of tears.  Those who know her will know that she has been ready to “move on” for quite some time (that is an understatement, by the way).

Nana’s husband (my grandfather), Wilfred, died in 1989, and her elder son, Noel, died in 1999.  She is survived by her younger son, Brian (my Dad), daughters-in-law Somlak and Verna (my Mum), her four grandsons and their partners/spouses, and her nine great-granddaughters, plus other members of the extended family, and other friends, who mourn her passing.

Nana gave very clear directions about what was to happen after her death.  As such, all funeral rites for her will be celebrated in the presence of the immediate family only.  We ask for your understanding in this, as we honour and respect her wishes.

We are most grateful, of course, if you could remember her in your prayers and Masses wherever you might be, praying for her eternal repose, as we also give thanks to God for her, and return her to Him, the author of all life.

Your rest has finally come to you, Nana.  May the angels speed you to paradise.

Christmas blessings

Merry Christmas to all readers of A secular priest!  Hope you are enjoying these days.

I am in the final throes of moving at the moment.  The removalists came Monday last week to move most of my things, which had been in storage at Mum’s.  Now that Christmas Day has come and gone, I am moving the last of my things from Regents Park to Annerley.  I have a couple of Masses here in Browns Plains parish this coming weekend, and then the final relocation will take place on Monday.

Officially from 4 January 2014 I am the Parish Priest of Annerley Ekibin parish, continuing also with my work in the Regional Tribunal.  I’ll be joined in the parish by Fr Paul Chandler who has been the Parish Priest of Banyo-Nundah Parish.  Both of us are members of the project that is working towards the eventual establishment of the Brisbane Oratory.

Please pray for us as we take up work and residence in Annerley Ekibin.

Pilgrimage, anyone?

Lourdes, France

A while back I was asked if I would accompany a pilgrimage next year as chaplain.  The costings for the Our Lady of the Rosary Pilgrimage, departing Monday 22 September 2014 for 28 days, are now available.  See the links below.

The pilgrimage will visit Paris, Rouen, Lisieux, Chartres, Nevers, Paray-Le-Monial, Rocamadour, Lourdes, Torreciudad, Zaragoza, Loyola, San Sebastian de Garabandal, Santiago de Compostela, Fatima, Avila, Alba de Tormes, and Madrid.

We will be in Fatima on October 13, the anniversary of the miracle of the sun.  We will also be in Alba de Tormes, where St Teresa of Avila died, on her feast day.

More details in these attachments:

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY SEPTEMBER 2014

Booking form 2012 – 2013

UPDATE 22 Nov 13: See here.