Church Schedule

Masses

Private/Individual Prayer only

Wednesday: 10 am - 11.50 am

Friday: 10am - 11am & 5 pm - 5.50 pm

Saturday: 10 am - 11 am

Sunday: 5.15 pm - 5.45 pm

​Monday: 9:15 am

Tuesday: 9:30 am

Wednesday: 7:30 am & 12 noon

Thursday: 9:15 am

Friday - 9.15 am & 6 pm

Saturday - 9.15 am & 6 pm

Sunday: 9 am, 11 am (also livestreamed), 6 pm

Parish Message

Reading today’s Gospel about the wedding at Cana makes me realise just how much the pandemic has taken away from so many the joy of community celebrations. It is a wonderful gift to be able to celebrate together just as we see Jesus and the disciples enjoying themselves at this wedding party in the little Galilean town on Cana. His changing of water into wine is the first of the “signs” in John’s Gospel that he is indeed the promised Messiah. It is a very symbolic first miracle by Jesus, showing that God wants to restore his people to joy and to show his profound love for them (“as the bridegroom rejoices in his bride” as we hear in the words of the Prophet Isaiah in the first reading).

Jewish weddings were/are often very lavish celebrations for the whole community. After the marriage ceremony the newly-married couple would be led to their new home through the night streets by torchlight and wished well by the locals. They didn’t usually have a honeymoon, but instead stayed at home and held open house for the following week. This was an opportunity for the whole community to share their joy and to enjoy a welcome break from the hardship and poverty of life.

At a deeper level, Jews saw in the joy of the wedding feast a foretaste of the Messianic age to come – a time of blessing for all. Wine, when drunk in moderation (!), was a sign of this blessing – a way to unite people. So to run out of wine at a wedding would have been a real disaster! Hospitality in the Middle East was/is a sacred duty; while “running out” would also show poor planning or, worse, expose the couple’s lack of prosperity, which would mean the absence of God’s blessing. And so Jesus, in response to Mary’s gentle persuasion, helps the newly-married couple and saves their blushes. He is also giving a clear sign that the new age of the Messiah is here – God has not forgotten his people and has come to redeem them/us! In these still hard times, let’s remember that we have been created by God for joy, to an eternal banquet for all. Cheers!

With blessings and prayers from Fr Richard, Fr Ephrem & the parish team.

God bless,

Fr Richard

“Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.”