MERRYLANDS DRIVING SCHOOL

LEARN TO DRIVE SAFELY WITH A SENIOR DRIVING INSTRUCTOR

WITH 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE SMALL LATE MODEL AUTO CAR

$50.00 PER HOUR

INSTRUCTOR: VICTOR OLENIK Phone: 9636 6357– Mob:0419 266 479

LESSONS AVAILABLE EVERY DAY Lic No: 11661106

* General Painting

* Wallpaper * All repairs: Timber, gyprock, render & tiles (prior to painting)

www.gebranpainting.com.au

0414 268 603

ST . MARGARET MARY ’S PARISH MERRYLANDS

PARISH INFORMATION

PARISH OFFICE: 1-5 Chetwynd Rd, MERRYLANDS NSW 2160 Postal Address: PO Box 757, Merrylands. Tuesday - Friday: 9am - 3.00pm

Phone: 9637 2526 9637 2014 Fax: 9637 2442 Email: parish@stmm.org.au Website: stmm.org.au

PARISH GROUPS CO-ORDINATORS: Office Administrator/Secretary:

Finance Committee: Reuben Dias

Parish Council:

Chair: Fr Janusz Pawlicha, OSPPE

Secretary: Cheryl Fortini

Catechists: Sonia Abi-Rached

Music : Kerry van der Linden

Sacraments: Christopher Barnes - 0415 663 966

Acolytes / RCIA : Peter Carroll - 0414 070 082

Readers: Gwen D’Silva

Youth groups: Pauline Teen: Fr Joseph/ Rita Jacobson Pauline Youth: Fr Joseph

Legion of Mary: Merwyn D’Souza – 0478 109 569

Playgroup: Maryanne – 0416 116 707

St Vincent de Paul: 1800 606 724

Bus to Berrima: Giovanna - 9682 1008

Our Parish is under the Pastoral Care of the Order of St Paul the First Hermit (known as the Pauline Fathers) who for more than 630 years are renowned

Custodians of the Miraculous Icon of Our Lady of Jasna Gora, Poland.

Parish Priest Fr Janusz Pawlicha

Assistant Priest

Fr Joseph Maria Buckley

Prayer: Holy Father-Pope Francis’ monthly intention:

MARCH Evangelization – Christian Communities That Christian communities, especially those who are persecuted, feel that they are close to Christ and have their rights respected.

First Friday:

11am: Maltese Mass 7.00pm: Holy Mass, Stations of the Cross followed by Exposition

Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament: Thursdays-Eucharistic Adoration: 9.30 am-2.30pm 4th Sunday of the month: 1.00pm - 1.30pm– Divine Mercy Devotions 1st Friday of the month: approx. 8.30pm– midnight

Vespers– Sunday Evenings 5.15 pm - 5.45pm

RCIA sessions– Sunday mornings 9am Mass followed by Session 10 am –11am

Devotions:

Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Tuesday: after morning Mass

Veneration of the Holy Face of Jesus:

Tuesday: 7.30pm - 8.30pm

Divine Mercy Devotions 4th Sunday of the month: 1.00pm - 3.00pm, 3.00pm - Holy Mass

Baptisms: 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month

Reconciliation: Tues - Fri 8.30 - 8.55am Sat - 9am - 9.30am and 4.30pm-5.30pm (or by appointment)

Marriages: By appointment only (6 months required)

Sick Calls: 9637 2526– option 3 or 0412 625 187 - any time

THIS WEEK: 14 April 2019 Counting: Group D Church Cleaning: A Altar & general cleaning– Nada & Volunteers

NEXT WEEK: 21 April 2019 Counting: Group E Church Cleaning: C Altar & general cleaning– Nada & volunteers

PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD

14 April 2019

WEEKEND MASSES: WEEKDAY MASSES:

Saturday: 6:00pm Vigil Monday: 9:15am

Sunday: 7:30am Tuesday: 9:00am & 7:00pm

9:00am Wednesday: 9:00am & 7:00pm

10:30am Thursday: 9:00am

6:00pm Friday: 9:00am & 7:00pm

Saturday: 8:30am

THE COMMEMORATION OF THE LORD'S ENTRANCE

INTO JERUSALEM

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

FIRST READING Is 43:16-21 A reading from the prophet Isaiah

The Lord has given me a disciple’s tongue. So that I may know how to reply to the wearied he provides me with speech. Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen like a disciple. The Lord has opened my ear. For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away. I offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who tore at my beard; I did not cover my face against insult and spittle. The Lord comes to my help, so that I am untouched by the insults. So, too, I set my face like flint; I know I shall not be shamed The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

(R.) My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

1. All who see me deride me. They curl their lips, they toss their heads. ‘He trusted in the Lord, let him save him; let him release him if this is his friend.’ (R.)

2. Many dogs have surrounded me, a band of the wicked beset me. They tear holes in my hands and my feet. I can count every one of my bones. (R.)

3. They divide my clothing among them. They cast lots for my robe. O Lord, do not leave me alone, my strength, make haste to help me! (R.)

4. I will tell of your name to my brethren and praise you where they are assembled. ‘You who fear the Lord give him praise; all sons of Jacob, give him glory. Revere him, Israel’s sons.’ (R.)

SECOND READING Phil 3:8-14

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians

His state was divine, yet Christ Jesus did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are, and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory! Christ became obedient for us even to death dying on the cross. Therefore God raised him on high and gave him a name above all other names. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!

GOSPEL Lk 22:14-23:56

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Father, if this chalice cannot pass without my drinking it, your will be done.

MEDITATION: Jesus, desiring to enrich us, first gave us his blood to purify us so that we might be able to receive the gifts he offers. O my dear Savior, you go out to the Garden of Olives, to the house of Caiaphas, to the praetorium of the Roman governor, and at last you climb Mount Calvary. Everywhere you go you pour out the blood of your new covenant, the blood by which our crimes are expiated and abolished. Let us contemplate Jesus in his sorrowful Passion and see the pre-cious blood of the new alliance flow forth, the blood by which we have been redeemed. It first flows in the Garden of Olives. The robes of my Savior are pierced, and the earth is moistened by the bloody sweat of his body. O God! What is this spectacle that so bewilders us? What is, rather, this mystery that both cleanses and sanctifies us? Is not the answer that our Savior knew that our salvation was in his blood? And that from his ardent desire to save our souls, his blood burst forth, blood which holds within itself our life much more than his own? Thus it seems that this divine blood, so desirous of flowing forth for us, overflowed by the force of his charity, before any vio-lence had been done to him. Let us rush with faith to receive this blood. “O earth, cover not this blood!” (cf. Job 16:18). It is poured out for our souls. This unprecedented sweat reveals another mystery. In his desire to expiate our crimes, Jesus voluntarily abandoned himself to an infinite sorrow for all of our excesses. He saw them all, one by one, and was afflicted by them beyond measure, as if he himself had committed them, for he was charged with them before God. Yes, our iniquities poured upon him from every direction, so that he could say with Da-vid, “the torrents of iniquity troubled me” (Ps. 17:5, Douay-Rheims [RSV = Ps. 18:4]). This is why he said, “Now is my soul trou-bled” (John 12:27). This was the cause of the inexplicable anguish that brought him to pronounce these words: “My soul is very sorrow-ful, even to death” (Matt. 26:38).

The immensity of sorrow could, in fact, have dealt the death.

Please remember to switch off your mobile phone

HOLY WEEK CEREMONIES

Palm Sunday of the Passion of

the Lord Saturday 13th April - 6pm - Vigil

Sunday 14th April - 7.30am, 9am & 10.30am, 6pm (blessings of palms and olive branches at all Masses)

Monday 15th April - 9.15 am Mass only

Tuesday 16th April - 9am & 7pm Masses Wednesday 17th April - 9am Mass only. Wednesday 17th - No evening Mass

The Chrism Mass – St Patrick’s Cathedral Wednesday 17th April - 7.30pm

Holy Thursday 18th April - No Morning Mass Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper - 7.00pm

Friday of the Passion of the Lord – Good Friday Stations of the Cross - 10am Celebration of the Passion of the Lord - 3pm

Holy Saturday 20 April - No Morning Mass Easter Vigil in the Holy Night - 7pm until approx. 9 pm

Sunday of the Resurrection - 21st April - 7.30am, 9am, 10.30am & 6pm Masses

PRAYER REQUESTS

Peter Newman

Tony Ostojic

Shelly Barnes

Shirley Forno

Fiona Khoury

Annie Ingram

Teresa Saad

June Lewis

George & Mary Spiteri

Christopher Oldham

Simon Khoury

Gervais

Sonia & Pierre Abi–Rached

Therese Nicolas

Luca Jerkovic

Adele Tulay

Therese Strohmayer

Susan Pace

Branko Soric

Theresa Durand

Joanna Essey

Desfosses

Adam Borcuik

Rose Abdo

Jack Pickering

Jocelyn Santos

Mario & Tereza Cutajar

Willie & Tereza Cutajar

Andrew Tawil

Giovanna Prestipino

Alice Said

Youssef Tawil

Peter Van Tilburg

Nicole Ratnakumar

PARISH MORNING TEA

THIS Sunday 14 April 2019

Where : Pastoral Centre Time : following 10.30am Mass

This week: Legion of Mary Next week: No Parish Morning Tea.

Divine Mercy Sunday 28 April 2019

St Margaret Mary Church - Merrylands

Programme

12:00 – 12:30 - Rosary + Litany to our Lady 12:30 – 1:00 - Introduction to Divine Mercy Sunday 1:00 – 1:20 Assembly & Procession with the Relic of St. Faustina 1:20 - 1:30 Prayers & Blessings of Divine Mercy Image 1:30 – 2:00 30-min Talk on Divine Mercy (by Fr. Janusz) 1:00 – 2:30 Sacrament of Reconciliation 2:00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament O Blessed Host Prayer 2:15 Intercessions & Reading of Parishioner Petitions 2:30 Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Praises of Divine Mercy 3:00 3 o'clock prayer, Group Blessing with the Most Blessed Sacrament

Veneration of the Image, Final Blessings 3:30 Holy Mass 4:30 Divine Mercy Fellowship at the Parish Centre

NOVENA

TO THE DIVINE MERCY

In preparation for Divine Mercy Sunday

28th April 2019

19th April - Good Friday - 2.30pm

20st April - Easter Vigil - 6.30 pm

21st April - Easter Sunday - after the 10.30am Mass

22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th ,26th April - after the 9am Masses

Saturday 27th April - after 8.30am Mass

SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT 14 APRIL 2019

Nguyet, Vietnam.

Living with a disability was challenging for Nguyet. Yet, since featuring in Project Compassion 2017, Nguyet has successfully built her own business, a dream that has become a reality with the support of Caritas Australia. Connected to the world in new ways, Nguyet has become independent, an important member of her community and has great hope for her future.

Please donate to Project Compassion 2019 to provide clean water and a future full of hope for vulnerable communities in Vietnam.

Lives change when we all give 100%. You can donate through Parish boxes and envelopes, or by visiting www.caritas.org.au/projectcompassion or phoning 1800 024 413.

HOLY SHROUD FIESTA CELEBRATION

LORD, SHOW US YOUR FACE and WE

SHALL BE SAVED We are inviting everyone to our 28th ANNUAL HOLY SHROUD FIESTA

CELEBRATION on EASTER MONDAY, 22nd APRIL 2019 AT 2:45 PM in our Parish

*Con-Celebrated Mass at 3:00pm followed by Eucharistic Procession and Benediction *Refreshments Entertainment, Raffle Prizes at the Parish Hall.

.GOOD FRIDAY– 19 April 2019

Please remember that fasting and abstinence (especially from meat- incl chicken) is to be observed on Good Friday.

All adults between the age of 18 & 60 are expected to observe the laws of fasting - 1 main meal and simple snacks (no sweet). Those 14 years and over to observe the law of abstinence- ( 3 simple meals -no meat or treats).

Holy Land Good Friday Collection

Please remember the Christians of the Holy Land again this Good Friday. Please also pray that peace and harmony will become a reality in the birth-place of Jesus, the ‘Prince of Peace’.

Your generosity is greatly appreciated

PARISH PRAYER Father, pour out Your Spirit upon the people of this parish so that inspired by Your word, nourished at Your table and graced by Your empowering love, our lives may be devoted to the service of our brothers and sisters and the building up of Your Kingdom. May our parish community truly be, for this place and time, the Body of Christ Your Son, through whom we make this prayer. Amen

NEXT WEEK’S READINGS 21 APRIL 2019

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord

Year C: Acts 10:34, 37-43; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6-8; Jn 20:1-9

Youth Group Meetings

Our youth groups meet twice a month after the 6pm Sunday Mass. All are welcome to join. Pauline Teen is for under 18 and meets on the 1

st and 3

rd Sunday of the

Month. Pauline Youth is for 18+ and meets on the 2nd

and 4

th Sunday. The coming meetings are as follows:

14th April Pauline Youth – Meeting replace by Palm Sunday walk to Cathedral

21st & 28th April Easter Break

5th May Pauline Teen—Adoration: Praise and Worship Evening

GOOD FRIDAY WALK - DONATIONS We are honoured to be chosen as one of the rest points for 1000 + pilgrims undertaking the Good Friday walk from Blacktown to St Patrick’s cathedral Parramatta . The second walk will start Friday 19th of April at 10pm from St. Patrick’s Church Guildford, and pass through our Parish at 3:15am. Fr. Joseph Maria will be going with a group to the walk, and everyone is welcome to join him. We would be grateful for parishioners to donate bottled water for the pilgrims.