Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church

5 Palmer Crescent, Heretaunga, Upper Hutt
Phone: 971-5252

OUR PARISH IS ALIVE

Our Lady of Grace Website - Our community never closes but we need your input!


DEAR PARISHIONERS

Last year I was given a DVD about the Catholic Worker Movement. Catholic Workers live a simple lifestyle in community, open their houses to the poor, and resist war and social injustice. There are more than 100 Catholic Worker houses of hospitality around the world. In New Zealand there are Catholic Worker houses in Christchurch and Northland. I was enjoying watching the DVD until a man started describing his simple lifestyle in graphic detail. Talking about the long drop toilet nearby and the smell coming from it was too much for me! I was about to reach for the remote control and press the off button when another man came on and said:

“I remember walking through the lounge ten years ago and there was a guy staying on our couch on a cold night and his feet were exposed. So, just as I went past I covered his feet up with a blanket and then went to bed. I didn’t think anything more of it. Ten years later that guy’s still mentioning that to me. I didn’t even realise he was awake. It was a simple little thing, but to that guy in his 40s who’d done a lot of years in jail, it was one of the biggest things in his life, the fact that I took time to cover his feet. He said no one’s ever done that for him. It’s often the simple little things, the cup of tea; the big thing is to listen.”

I am increasingly aware of many people in our parish and school community who take time to do the little things like offering cups of tea or listening. These simple actions reflect the presence of God among us and the God-given dignity of every human being. To all who offer hospitality and perform the works of mercy (consoling, comforting, visiting the sick, etc), thank you for your witness. You are a wonderful reflection of the presence of God in our midst.

Sincerely, Fr David








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IN THIS ISSUE:

St Vincent de Paul
Men's group
Children of God prayer group
One Day Men's Retreat
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Baptisms




St Vincent de Paul – Heretaunga Conference
“I was hungry and you gave me food”
Thank you to the many parishioners who have supported the Conference with gifts of food and clothing during the month of August. At all Masses in the Parish on the first Sunday of each month (5 September) donated foodstuffs for the needy families will form part of the procession of gifts at the Offertory. Gifts of food can be left at the identified St Vincent de Paul area in the church foyer before each Mass.

Following the blessing of the special gifts, members will distribute the food to the needy families within our Parish area. Gifts of food and clothing can be left in the foyer at any time with the clothing being for re-sale at the St Vincent de Paul shop. Any saleable household items in working order may be donated to the shop in Petone. Contact to George at the shop 568-6408.




Men’s Group
Meet Tuesday 7 September at the Silverstream Bowling Club at 5:30 pm. All are welcome to attend this social event as it is an opportunity to get to know other men in the parish. Any enquiries please call Roger Wasson on 528-7847




Children of God prayer group
Please join us at St Bernadette’s Church meeting room, 194 Naenae Road, Wednesday 8 Sept at 7:00 pm for prayer, reflection, singing, reconciliation, Mass, supper and friendship. (Our patron: St Therese of Lisieux). Enquiries: Gerry Leech 971-1660.




Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Friday 10 September - 9:30 am – 6:00 pm




One Day Men's Retreat
Saturday 11 September, 8:30am - 5:00pm. Emmaus Centre/Pa Maria, 78 Hobson Street, Wellington. Theme: "Christ Our Rock", Retreat Leader: Fr John Greally. Bring lunch to share. Suggested koha $10. Register at 8:30 am on the day. For transport or further information contact Jack 971-5379.




Baptism of Charlotte, Luke and Joshua Beams
Sunday 12 September, 2:00 pm. Welcome to our parish family.



UPCOMING EVENTS


Fundraising committee
First meeting Wednesday 15 September at 7:30 pm in the Pettit Centre. All those who volunteered to join will be contacted, but we welcome anyone who has a suggested fundraiser and is willing to help get it underway. Thank you, Patricia Byrne 972-8043.


Dove Catholic Fellowship for Women
Meet Saturday 18 September 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm Connolly Hall Guildford Terrace (off Hill St) Thorndon. Speaker: Fr Michael Sweere. Topic: The highway to Holiness - Isaiah 35. All Women welcome to join us for Praise, Worship, Teaching and Fellowship. Enquiries: Sandra 475-5541 www.dove.org.nz


Youth of St Joseph’s and Our Lady of Grace
Fundraiser Quiz at St Joseph’s Hall, Royal Street, Upper Hutt. Saturday 18 Sept at 7:30 pm. Light supper provided, drinks BYO but fruit juice only. No alcohol. Funds help pay for youth to go to St Gerard’s Monastery to the ICPE Missionary Worship nights by a 40-seater bus once a month. Tickets $10 from members or phone Brenda Neville 527-7280 (answer phone leave your name and number). There are no door sales.


Retreat in Daily Life at Our Lady of Grace
Sunday 19 September to Friday 24 September. 29 parishioners have responded to the invitation so far - a fantastic response. Sister Anne has advised that Our Lady of Grace has been the most immediately responsive of any parish they have visited this year! All the spaces have been filled. However, it may not be too late to register as some that have registered may need to withdraw due to unforeseen circumstances. Pamphlets are on the table in the church foyer. Contact Merle Whiteman - 04 904-1855 Paraparaumu.


LifeFest Twenty-Ten
Youth Event for 13-25 yr olds. Tuesday 28 September, 10:00 am to 4:30 pm at St Anne’s Parish Hall, Emmett St, Newtown. Theme: God’s Plan for Love and Life. Speakers: Peter Scanlon, Catholic Doctor (Hamilton), Danielle Ornelas, Youth Worker (FLI Auckland.) and Jason Evert (USA on DVD). Free sausage sizzle lunch. Koha: $10 appreciated.


Social Justice Week: 12-18 September – Creating Inclusive and Connected Communities
New Zealand's Catholic Bishops are asking parishes to set one or two goals to either begin to celebrate diversity; to improve on what is already being done; or to set new challenges. If you have any suggestions for our parish please contact Father David (977-9022, or davidd@ihug.co.nz). The following questions are provided for reflection: In what ways does our parish reflect the commitment to equality where all are included and respected? In what ways do our celebrations of liturgy include and reflect all cultures in our parish? In what ways does our parish acknowledge and foster the indigenous culture of Aotearoa New Zealand? In what ways do we as a parish 'welcome the stranger'? What could we begin to do? In what ways could we improve on what we are already doing?



GENERAL NOTICES


Presbytery update
Work is well underway with repairing the presbytery. To fund the cost of the repairs, the parish has taken out a loan from the Catholic Development Fund (CDF) for up to $190,000 to be repaid within 10 years. The Finance Committee is keen to hear from parishioners with ideas for fundraising (see next notice).


Fundraising Committee
First meeting Wednesday 15 September at 7:30pm in the Pettit Centre. All who volunteered to join will be contacted but we welcome anyone who has a suggested fundraiser and is willing to help get it underway. Thank you, Patricia Byrne 972-8043.


Are you going to hospital?
Please make sure you put your religion (Roman Catholic) on the Admission Form at Hutt Hospital so that the Catholic Chaplain Fr David Orange will know you are in hospital and be able to visit you.


Are you new to the parish?
We warmly welcome you to our Parish and invite you to fill in a new parishioner’s form which is located on the table in the church foyer.


Our Lady of Grace Parish - Diamond Jubilee in 2011
Next year we celebrate 60 years existence as a parish. The Pastoral Council is planning to initiate a special Mass of Thanksgiving and a social event. The timing has not yet been determined. The Heretaunga parish history will be updated to cover the past ten years since our parish history book (Grace in the Valley) was produced in 2001. Jan Williams has kindly offered to co-ordinate the collection of events, stories, photos, etc. If you are able to help Jan with this task, or contribute to the record of parish life over the past 10 years, please phone Jan on 971-0197.


Social Justice Assembly - Working for the Common Good
This event will be held at Bishop Viard College in Porirua from 26-28 February 2011. The aim is to train representatives from parishes in Catholic Social Teaching so that more Catholics are encouraged to live their faith at local, national and global levels. We already have one epresentative from OLOG. It would be good to have a few more. Please contact Fr David if you are interested in representing Our Lady of Grace at this Assembly.


Let us remember in prayer
All who are sick, lonely and worried and those who have died recently, and those whose anniversaries occur about this time.



More notices on the board in the church foyer





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