St Paul’s Catholic Church

A QUICK PARISH UPDATE
 
1.         At the start of the pandemic, Archbishop Costelloe suspended the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays (or the Saturday vigil), to protect our health.
            Now that we have returned to a state of relative normality, he has reinstated the Sunday obligation, as of the first weekend of September, the 3^rd-4^th.
            Since the Church began 2000 years ago, the Sunday Eucharist has been the primary way in which we obey the Third Commandment of God: “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath.”  With the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday, and the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Church on the first Pentecost Sunday, the Church has made Sunday the new Christian Sabbath, and the first Precept of the Church is this:  to attend Mass every Sunday and holy day of obligation.
            We will continue to live-stream the weekend Mass for a while longer, since many people still rely upon it. 
            People with fragile immunity, the sick, and others who cannot leave their homes to go to church are watching our Saturday 4.30pm live-stream Mass. 
 
2.         Our principal cantor, Theodore Murphy-Jelley, is presenting a recital in our church this Sunday, 28^th September, at 3.30pm.  It will end by 4.30pm and will be followed by afternoon tea in the undercroft.
            This is Theo’s ninth year of singing at St Paul’s.  He came to us as a first-year student at WAAPA, and for the past year he has pursued a master’s degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK.  He came back to Perth for a two-month break, and has been singing at our Masses every weekday and weekend.
His recital will consist of arias and songs by some of the great composers of classical music,
with one sacred song at the end.  You’ll be sure to enjoy it! 
            He had a scholarship last year, and if he stays for a third year, he can apply for a second scholarship – but this year he must fund everything, so let’s help him out!  Any donations after the recital will help Theo defray the $40,000.00 cost of uni fees, accommodation and travel. 
 
3.         Weekend Mass has been very good – we’re almost at our pre-pandemic levels.  But if we want to grow in our spirituality, we should consider doing a bit extra:
            – weekday Mass (Monday – Friday at 5.45pm)
            – First Friday Mass (9.00am at Acacia Home, 5.45pm in church)
            – First Saturday (9.35pm Rosary, 10.00am Mass)
            – Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (Wednesdays 6.15 – 7.15pm)
                        (You can stop in for a few minutes at any time during the Holy Hour.)
            – confession (Wednesdays 6.15 – 7.15pm, Saturdays 3.30 – 4.30pm,
                        and First Saturdays 9.00 – 9.45am)
            – Bible study (Tuesdays 7.30 – 9.00pm) and RCIA (Wednesdays 7.30 – 9.00pm)
                        (These are not every week, but as announced in church and in the bulletin.)
            – private visits to the Blessed Sacrament (the church side door is open daily)
 
4.         We’re moving along behind the scenes with advancing our Building Project.  There is a lot to do with the City of Stirling, the Archdiocesan Finance Office, the architect and our own Parish Finance & Building Committee.  One day at a time . . .
 
May God bless you and keep you in His care.
 
Father Tim & Father Mariusz