C H R I S T T H E K I N G P A R I S H

Office

Phone: 09 626 7744

Email: christking@xtra.co.nz

Website: christtheking.co.nz

Office open:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

9.00 am—3.00 pm

Parish Staff

Parish Priest: Fr Benedict Francis

Email: ben196@gmail.com

Parish Secretary & Hall Bookings:

Therese Verheyen

Email: therese@ctkparish.org.nz

Custodians:

Simon Tu’u 021 255-2412

and Lesina Anae 021 1391-210

For all enquiries regarding Baptisms and

Marriages please contact the office.

Emmanuel—God with us

The Gospel, today, tells the story of the birth of Jesus from Joseph's perspective. The way that Joseph and Mary face these circumstances tells us much about these holy people and their faith in God. Joseph and Mary are betrothed to be married. This is sometimes described as an engagement period, but it is more than that. Betrothal in first century Jewish culture was in fact the first part of the marriage contract. A breach of this contract was considered adultery. Mary is found to be with child. If adultery is proven, the punishment might be death. Joseph has rights under Mosaic Law, but chooses to act discreetly in his plans to break the marriage contract, so as to protect Mary. Then God intervenes. The message of the angel of the Lord given to Joseph in his dream tells us much

about the child that Mary bears and his role in God's plan. He is conceived by the Holy Spirit. His name will be Jesus, which in the Hebrew means “God saves.” He will be the fulfilment of the prophecy heard in today's first reading from Isaiah: “. . The virgin shall be with child .. and shall name him Emmanuel [God with us].”

Joseph does as the angel of the Lord directs. He takes Mary to be his wife and accepts the child in her womb as his own. Joseph and Mary are both cooperative with God's plan. They are both models for us of what it means to be faithful servants of God. Let us learn from the example of Joseph. Let us discern and accept joyfully God’s will in our lives. And let us pray to Joseph, asking him to help us to do God’s will always.

260 Richardson Road, Owairaka, Auckland 1041

Fourth Sunday of Advent

22 December 2019

Birthday Blessings 21st Martha Rush, Samantha D’Souza, Chorlem D’Silva, Charlene D’Silva 22nd Kalolo Petelo 23rd Aafrun Vaz, Charlotte D’Silva, Raoul D’Cunha, Angelina Licayan 24th Jackson 25th Kayty Mohenoa, Lawrence George, Felix Molia-Fraser 26th Suresh Gladstone, Leta Ng Lam, Bhabe Jami Un, Maximo Licayan 27th Dianne Alamar 28th Innocencio Rodrigues, Ava Crowe 29th Chelsea Canales 30th Sabinus D’Souza 31st Nora Fahy (101) Stacey Ceniza, Rachelle Fernandes

Wedding Anniversaries 21st Darren & Alisha Alvares 22nd Ratu & Mel Latunipulu 23rd Michael & Caroline Fa’asolo 26th Alistair & Clovis Fereira 26th Joseph & Maria Chin 27th Andrea & Adrian Aranha 27th Lawrence & Mariefleur George 28th Emelda & Edgardo Canales 28th Innocencio Rocky & Edna Rodrigues

28th Cosmo & Maria Misquitta 29th Gerald & Brenda Alves 30th Errol & Fatima Fonseca

Office Hours The Parish Office will be closed from Tuesday 24 December to 6 January 2020.

Usual Mass Times

Monday: Liturgy of the Word with Holy Communion at 9am Tuesday—Thursday & Saturday: 9.00 am Friday: 10.00 am

Sunday Mass Times Saturday Vigil: 6.00 pm Sunday: 8.30 am, 10.00 am

Reconciliation Saturday 9.30—10.00 am or by appointment

Exposition/Benediction Thursdays 9.30-10.30am

This Sunday’s Readings

Isaiah 7:10-14 Romans 1:1-7 Matthew 1:18-24

Next Sunday’s Readings

Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6, 12-14 Colossians 3:12-21

Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

Feast Days This Week

Monday 23rd St John of Kanty

Thursday 26th St Stephen, Martyr

Friday 27th St John, Apostle

Saturday 28th Holy Innocents

Planned Giving Scheme

If you would like to join the Parish Planned Giving Scheme please fill in

the Parish Registration Form, available from the table in the foyer.

Christmas Message

from Father Benedict

Dear friends!

Wishing you all Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year 2020.

Once again we commemorate and celebrate the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We remember and celebrate the mystery of incarnation, the birth of Lord Jesus and the ways he manifested the presence of God among us. He becomes part of the human family and thus enables us all to share in his divine life. Through him the new human family comes into being. We have been united as one family without any barriers between language, culture and race or between poor and rich or between social economic, or political and class system.

We are One single Church and one single family. Christmas is observed as family festival and we are ONE FAMILY at Christ the King, gathering every Sunday and daily around the table to celebrate the Lord at the Eucharist. Our Parish community is so vibrant that it continues to enable the fellowship and friendship among us. We welcome all our new parishioners who have joined us this year

to our parish community and all the regular visitors who join us on Sundays and weekdays worship and celebrations.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Deacon Jana, Therese-parish secretary, Simon and Lesina-custodians, Jerome-sacristan, the members of various Parish Council, Liturgy and Finance committees, communities, associations, lay ministers, Youth, Altar servers, Choirs, florists, volunteers, benefactors, supporters and particularly all those who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Your incredible service and generous contributions towards the life and growth of the parish is very much appreciated.

Blessings. Have marvellous celebrations with families and friends.

We pray for all those who are in need of our prayers, are recovering from surgery or are terminally ill:

Phyllis McDermott, Mary Cloonan, Jamille Burundi, Frank Murphy, Irena Sturch, Trevor Graves, Martha Rush, McLaren Smith, Martin Tiangco, Dean Fallon, Maria Paulo Brown, Erica McBride, James Elliott, Peter Geaney, Yumi Cook,

Roseanna Quiney, Sue Curran, Solinuu Nansen, Ropati Tuliatu, Faa’galo Tuliatu, Lo Tukunia, Johan Fernandes, Fatima Rodricks, Beryl Cox, Brian Brown,

Marie Simpson, Matthew James, Anita Malcon, Therese Graham, Trevor Mulligan, Delores Gock, Noela Pulotu Faavale, Max Joseph Ng Lam, Sue Whitford,

Paul Molloy, Maria Que, Maria Sia, Arnaud Mayall, Veronica Brown, Michael Joseph, Saufua Tuni, Phyllis Curran

and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time:

Greg Mulvey, David Sarju, Ruben Bulacja, Louey Sami, Irene Carvalho, Lawrence Miller, David Fernandes, Diego Cardoz, Maria Ierome Kenneth Fernandes,

Alan Ryan, Susitina Luamanu Fiava’a, Patrick Sarju

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord