WELCOME TO OUR LITURGY:  True followers of the Lord are humble people who have listened to God’s commands and who as a consequence had found peace and rest in those commands.  Paul tells us that to be truly wise in the Lord we will most likely appear truly foolish to the rest of the world.  And that is exactly the case in Matthew’s version of the Beatitudes.  Everything in those familiar sayings seems to express the opposite of what we would expect blessedness to be.  But if we have learned what it means to be truly humble then those words make incredible sense.

First Reading:
Zephaniah 2: 3; 3: 12-13.

3     Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the wrath of the LORD.
12     For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD,
13     those who are left in Israel; they shall do no wrong and utter no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall pasture and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.”

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PARISH PICNIC:  At The Model Train Venue – Corner Gilbert & Liardet Streets.

We have exclusive use of the venue so bring the kids, grandkids, Grandparents.

There is no cost for this event. Date:  Friday 11 February – From 5pm. BYO food and drink.  Kitchen Facilities / Toilets are available.  Free icecream & lolly scramble.  If wet, it will be held the following Friday.  Transport available.
Enquiries telephone Brian 7532402

CUP OF TEA:  There will be a cup of tea after Mass next Sunday served by the Morris Family Group.

ROSTERS:  for February are now available.  Please check to see if there is one for your family.  Thank you.

VISITING THE HOKIANGA? In NZ the 2nd Sunday of January is observed as the “National Day of Commemoration of Bishop Pompallier”.  You are invited to visit Totora Point in the Hokianga.  This is the site of the first official Mass in this country.  Another place to visit in the area is Motuti, where the Bishop’s remains have been interred in St Mary’s Church.  The church is open all day.

CARITAS:  The Summer Edition of the Caritas update is available in the church porch.

NTPA MINUTES:   The Minutes which are kept in the folder in the porch are now up to date. Sorry for the delay in keeping these current.

WORLD YOUTH DAY FUNDRAISER: We are doing the Warehouse Stocktake again this year. The dates are 23-27 February. We will need 12 people for  the nights of Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 and 40 people each night for Friday 25th, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th. We had a great turn out last yearend it would be great to have the same again this year. Our parish’s two interns, Ashleigh and Dylan, need your help so please consider  coming along for one night.  If you are able to help or require more information, then please contact Colin Fromont ph 7579953
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Mass Readings (23 January 2011)

First Reading:
Isaiah 8:23 – 9:3

1     But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zeb’ulun and the land of Naph’tali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2     The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.
3     Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased its joy; they rejoice before thee as with joy at the harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

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Mass Readings (16 January 2011)

First Reading:
Isaiah 49: 3, 5 – 6

3     And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
5     And now the LORD says, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength –
6     he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.

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