Mary’s Prayer Packs Grace-Filled Power

“Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided ...”

The opening words of the centuries-old Memorare profess a powerful belief and truth about our Blessed Mother’s aid - of which devotees, like St. Teresa of Calcutta, can attest. The Memorare is a prayer that effectively expressed Mother Teresa’s trust in the power of Mary’s intercession which flows from the love and confidence she had in Mary.

On numerous occasions Mother Teresa prayed the Memorare for various needs... She often resorted to what’s called her “Flying Novena.” It consisted of nine Memorares, which she would pray as the need arose or a difficulty presented itself.

In Rome during the Holy Year (1984), the Holy Father was going to celebrate Mass in the open, and crowds of people were gathered. It was pouring rain, so Mother Teresa told the sisters, ‘Let us say a flying novena of nine Memorares to Our Lady in thanksgiving for beautiful weather.’ As we said two Memorares, it started to pour more rain. We said the third … sixth … seventh … and at the eighth one, all the umbrellas were closing, and when we finished the ninth one, we found all the umbrellas were closed ...” The weather had turned beautiful.

Mother Teresa took the collaboration of heaven so much for granted that she always added a 10th Memorare immediately, in thanksgiving for the favour received.

The prayer is usually attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux, but he didn’t compose it. The Memorare has been credited for numerous conversions through the centuries.

Joseph Pronechen NCR

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: Each year, in the time between the Ascension of our Lord to Pentecost, Christians are reminded of Jesus’

prayer for his disciples that “they may be one so that the world may believe”. Hearts are touched and Christians come together to pray for their unity. In the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we join

together to pray for each other, our country and the mission given to each of us from Christ.

Prayer for Christian Unity

Eternal Father,

We praise You for sending your Son to be one of us and to save us.

Look upon your people with mercy, for we are divided in so many ways,

And give us the Spirit of Jesus to make us one in love.

We ask this gift, loving Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Pastoral Associate: Br Denis Devcich | Acolyte: Denis Golden Phone: 02 6043 2222 | thurgoonacatholicpar ish@hotmail.com Fax: 02 6043 2224 | www.thurgoonacatholicpar ish.com Address:20 Har tigan St, Thurgoona 2640 | PO Box 110, Lavington 2641 Parish Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday from 9:30am to 12:30pm

Immaculate Heart f Mary Parish

Thurgoona

Show me your faith apart from your works and I by my works will show you my faith. James 2:18

Parish Priest: Fr John Fowles

~ Parish Notices ~ Faith and Family: 16th of May at 7.30pm in the Presbytery. Theme: Crisis in the Church? The Catholic faith by its nature excludes a formal contradiction between the faith professed on the one hand and the life and practice of the sacraments on the other.

Hammer & Nails get together will be on Friday 18th May at 6PM. Come join us for good fellowship, good food (Sausage sizzle) and a few drinks after a busy week. Our guest speaker will be Ross McKeown who will tell us about his life’s journey to becoming a Canonical Hermit in the Wagga Diocese. A gold coin donation will cover the cost of the food. Light and heavy beer will be available, $2.50, also soft drinks. Hope you can make it.

The Mission of Kairos: is to share the transforming love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to impact the hearts and lives of incarcerated men, women and youth as well as their families, to become productive citizens of their communities. We invite the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish to contribute to our short course to be held at Mannus Prison 22 – 25 May. You may contribute by providing a container of homemade biscuits (no icing sugar or fruit in mixture) and returning it to the parish no later than Sunday 20th May 2018. Recipes are available if required .

Blessing for mothers

Loving God, as a mother gives life and nourishment to her children, so you watch over your Church.

Bless these women, that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers.

Let the example of their faith and love shine forth.

Grant that we, their sons and daughters. may honour them always with a spirit

of profound respect.

Grant this through Christ our Lord

FROM THE BOOK OF BLESSINGS

The Ascension of the Lord, Sunday 13 May 2018 First reading Acts 1:1-11 In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. When he had been at table with them, he had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. ‘It is’ he had said ‘what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ Now having met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.’ As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, ‘Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.’

Responsorial Psalm Ps 46:2-3,6-9 God mounts his throne to shouts of joy; a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

Second reading Ephesians 1:17-23 May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers. This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation.

Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Go and teach all people my gospel. I am with you always, until the end of the world. Alleluia!

Gospel Mark 16:15-20 Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them: ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated

with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’ And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied

Communion Antiphon—VIGIL MASS Christ, offer ing a single sacr ifice for sins, is seated for ever at God's right hand, alleluia.

Communion Antiphon—SUNDAY MASS Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age, alleluia.

Feast of week: Mon-Saint Matthias, Apostle

Lord hear our prayers for the: Sick: Joan McLaur in, Fran Kernaghan, Bob Garratt, Lynn Byrnes, Ernest Denouse, Shirley Evans, Eric and Leonie Bouquet, Danielle Scorah Departed: Geoff Jervois, Jack Evans, John Evans,

Readers: this week: Sat 6pm - Luke Burton Sun 9.30am - Simon Horsfall Readers & Cleaners Roster - 19/20 May 2018 Readers: Sat: 6.00 pm - Damien Tocher Sun: 9.30 am - Br Denis Devich Cleaning: Kate Tobin

Financial Report: Please make cheques payable to “Thurgoona Catholic Parish” or Direct Debit: BSB 012-708: Ac No. 3546 39223. Please include name on transfer. First Collection: $339.40 Envelope: $605.00 + Direct Debit $120.00 Loose: $184.20

Mother’s Day

It is Mother’s Day and our hearts and minds turn to the woman who gave us life and showed us the beauty of steadfast love throughout our lives. Our homes are filled with joy as we celebrate and express the profound gratitude we all feel for our

mother. On this day we are also drawn to reflect on one of the last gifts the Lord gave to us before his total gift of Himself on the Cross, the gift of a mother. and, not just any mother, but His own Mother, Mary. May is the month dedicated to Mary,

the Mother of the Lord. May all mother's experience the joy of being loved by their families and receive the grace of a 'Happy Mother's Day.'

Thursday evening Family Novena