Embracing Villa Maria and St Patrick’s Fortitude Valley

Dear Friends,

Death, it seems, is so final. Today, we seal the tomb. We walk away; everything done and dusted. We can do the same in life as in death. We can bury everything inside us – every disappointment, doubt, fear, anxiety, sadness, anger – and pretend that it is all done and dusted. In the process, we bury ourselves alive. Let’s face it: this story of Passion Sunday is the story of failure. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but Jesus dies. The Kingdom doesn’t come. The dream becomes a nightmare of betrayal, desertion, cowardice, deceit, brutality. One last cry of surrender is followed by one last breath. Is this how it all really ends? For Jesus? For any of us? Are we condemned to a slow death, forced to bury any remnant of hope deep down inside us? But the real lesson today is not about how to die. The real lesson today is about how to live. Jesus’ death teaches us that there is more to dying than death, and there is more to life than being buried alive. This is the story of love pushed to its very limits, reaching out beyond the edge of darkness.

And what happens? Again, I don’t want to spoil the ending, but there is no ending, not today anyway. The slow death of our defeats, our disappointments, our doubts, our fears, our anxieties, our sadnesses, our angers, our slavery to sin – these crosses of shame – is broken open. Love – the Greatest Love – bursts forth in a way that is utterly surprising, utterly unexpected, and utterly astonishing. So here is the real lesson: Life can be a slow kind of death if our gaze is turned so deeply inside us that we fail to see that the tomb always remains open. When we become all there is, then all there is isn’t much at all—ultimately, just a deep, dark hole. God saves us from ourselves because, in Jesus, God breaks down the door and open us to God’s life and love forever and ever and ever. Death, and all our little deaths in life, need not be deaths at all. Because of Jesus, everything that seems deadly is, in reality, turned on its head and becomes the story of possibility, life and love. Even Death, it seems, is not so final after all. The glimmer of light we see today will become the brightest of Easter Light from Light, destroying every darkness and death. Fr. Anthony

Most Reverend Mark Coleridge Archbishop of Brisbane

Cathedral Staff: Fr Anthony Mellor (Dean); Fr Odinaka Nwadike (Associate Pastor); Fr Thomas Ismoyo; Deacon Joshua Whitehead

Director of Music: Dr. Andrew Cichy. Cathedral Organist: Rachael Shipard Cathedral Office Co-Ordinator: Carmel Devery. Office Assistant: Julie Stower

Local Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Representative: Barbara Reynolds-Hutchinson (ph: 0418 401 609)

Cathedral Office Telephone: 3324 3030 Cathedral Email: cathedral@bne.catholic.net.au

Cathedral Mass Times this week Monday 8.00am Chapel; 10.00am Cathedral; 12.30pm Cathedral Tuesday &Wednesday 8.00am Chapel; 10.00am Cathedral; 12.30pm Cathedral; 5.10pm Chapel

Thursday-Sunday Please see notice inside Sunday Cathedral of St Stephen Saturday 6.00pm (Vigil Mass) Sunday 8.00am; 10.00am (Solemn Mass); 12 noon; 7.30pm

St Patrick’s, Fortitude Valley Sunday 9.00am; 12 noon. Villa Maria, Spring Hill Sunday 9.30am

Reconciliation Monday 10.30-11.30am; 1.00-1.30pm; 5.10pm 2nd Rite of Reconciliation Wednesday 10.30-11.30am; 1.00-1.30pm; 4.30-5.00pm

Thursday-Saturday Please see notice inside

Exposition Monday-Wednesday 10.30am—12.15pm Benediction Monday—Wednesday 12.15pm

PALM SUNDAY OF THE

PASSION OF THE LORD

Year C

14th Apri l , 2019 As Jesus was drawing near, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice

and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying,

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Readings: (Entrance: Lk 19:28-40); Is 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11; Lk 22:14 - 23:56

LENT IN THE CATHEDRAL PARISH

LIVING LENT WITH LUKE Living Lent with Luke Wednesday’s during Lent commencing at 12noon in St Stephen’s Chapel. Our final presenter on 17 April is Archbishop Mark Coleridge.

2ND RITE OF RECONCILIATION The 2nd Rite of Reconciliation will be held this Monday 15 April at 5.10pm. The Cathedral car park will be available. There will be no 5.10pm Mass on 15 April.

ANZAC DAY MASS - THURSDAY 25 APRIL AT 8.00AM All are welcome to celebrate this solemn day in the life of our Country at the Annual ANZAC Day Mass which will be celebrated by Archbishop Mark Coleridge at the Cathedral. On this day we welcome many veterans and their families as well as dignitaries from government and defence services. The car park will be open until 1.00pm to

allow people to attend the Civic Ceremony. Please be aware of possible road closures around the Cathedral.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME: FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN GRADE 3, 4 AND ABOVE Sacraments are sacred events, in which we enter more fully into the mysteries of our Catholic faith. They are community events, which remind us of the role of the community in our faith life. Based upon the sacramental guidelines of the Archdiocese, the sacramental preparation is a collaborative process that is parish based and family centred.

Here is a wonderful opportunity for parents to contact the parish office at cathedral@bne.catholic.net.au to enroll their children into this year’s sacramental program before the Information Session.

On Saturday May 4th, at 9am at the Hanly Room, there will be a parent information session for those who will be enrolled in our Sacramental Program for this year. In this session, preparation process will be outlined and questions answered.

On Saturday morning, 8 June, there is a mini retreat that brings the preparation to an end and the Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated.

On Sunday, June 9, Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate with the Archbishop the sacrament of Confirmation for those in grade 3, and on Sunday, June 23, the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we celebrate the First Holy Communion for those in grade 4 who have prepared for that sacrament.

COSSAG—LUNCHEON, GUEST SPEAKER & EXHIBITION Wednesday 1 May—11:30 for a 12:00 start. We are excited to invite you to our 2019 luncheon. Our guest speaker this year is the esteemed Dr Rhyl Hinwood. Rhyl is a pre-eminent sculptor who has been practising her craft for over 40 years. Along with the talk we will have an exhibition of local artists on the theme: "Life's Journey" Enjoy a buffet lunch while listening to our guest speaker. Tickets are $35. Purchase tickets by emailing cossagart@gmail.com

3RD SUNDAY CUPPA Normally, the 3rd Sunday Cuppa after Mass would be held next weekend, however, as it is the Easter weekend, it will not be held this month.

BAPTISM INTO CHRIST With joy we welcome Marielle Delgado and Rory Bingley who were baptised at the Cathedral this weekend.

PLENARYCOUNCILPRAYER Come, Holy Spirit of Pentecost.

Come, Holy Spirit of the great South Land. O God, bless and unite all your people in Australia

and guide us on the pilgrim way of the Plenary Council. Give us the grace to see your face in one another

and to recognise Jesus, our companion on the road. Give us the courage to tell our stories

and to speak boldly of your truth. Give us ears to listen humbly to each other

and a discerning heart to hear what you are saying. Lead your Church into a hope-filled future,

that we may live the joy of the Gospel. Through Jesus Christ our Lord,

bread for the journey from age to age. Amen.

Our Lady Help of Christians, pray for us. St Mary MacKillop, pray for us.

Position Vacant – Sacristan Applications are open for a position at the Cathedral of St Stephen. A person with Cathedral or Parish experience in liturgical ministry is required for a full time position of Sacristan for 37.5 hours a week working on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Closing date 18th April 2019 For additional information, please visit the Archdiocese of Brisbane website https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/ and to careers. The Archdiocese of Brisbane has standards of conduct for employees and volunteers to maintain a safe and healthy environment. Our commitment to these standards requires that we conduct background referencing for all persons who will engage in direct and regular involvement with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults.

POSITION VACANT—ADMIN ASSISTANT The Cathedral of St Stephen is the central metropolitan church of the Archdiocese providing the highest standard of liturgical celebrations with daily weekday masses, six weekend masses and celebrations of numerous special events. The role of the Cathedral Administration Assistant is to provide effective and efficient clerical and admini strative support to the Cathedral Office.

The successful applicant will have: · Microsoft Office competency - will be tested · Demonstrated experience of providing all aspects of office administration · Highly developed written, oral and interpersonal communication and computer skills · Demonstrated capacity to work independently under limited supervision · A willingness to work with the Mission and Vision of the Catholic Church

This is a full-time role of 38 hours per week, Monday to Friday. For additional information, please visit the Archdiocese of Brisbane website https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/ and to careers. The Archdiocese of Brisbane has standards of conduct for employees and volunteers to maintain a safe and healthy environment. Our commitment to these standards requires that we conduct background referencing for all persons who will engage in direct and regular involvement with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults.

Closing: Friday, April 26, 2019

PALM SUNDAY of the PASSION of the LORD

Living with a disability was challenging for Nguyet. 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. Nguyet has become independent, an important member of her community and has great hope for her future.

Please donate to Project Compassion 2019 and give children living with disabilities in Vietnam the opportunity for an education and inclusion in their community.

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

Safeguarding Children And Vulnerable Adults—Archdiocesan Prevention and Protection Policy The Archdiocese of Brisbane holds that children, young people and vulnerable adults are a gift from God with an intrinsic right to dignity of life, respect and security from physical and emotional harm. They are to be treasured, nurtured and safeguarded by all.

This policy applies to Clergy, Religious, Staff, Parishioners, Volunteers, students on placement and Visitors to our sites.