Liturgy Corner – Liturgy | Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Wentworthville

Silence Please

Carmel Bulletin, 13 May 2018

When we look back through the Bible at different people’s encounters with God, we come to see that some crucial encounters occurred in silence. Moses found the burning bush in a moment of silence and solitude. Elijah sensed God’s presence in the silence on Mount Horeb after retreating in fear of his life. Before beginning his mission, Jesus seeks the silence of the wilderness; setting him on the course to our salvation.

The Mass offers us a moment of encounter with God here and now, and silence remains a crucial part of that. It provides us time for reflection, for silent prayer, and for (as one Carmelite who used to live here in Wenty used to explain it) ‘allowing the word of God to find a place within our hearts’.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, which explains how the Mass is to be celebrated, particularly calls for periods of silence before Mass, after the readings and homily, and after communion.

So that we can ensure that we have those silent moments of reflection, prayer and encounter, we’re asking all parishioners and liturgical ministers at Sunday and weekday Masses for your support with the following:

Providing a brief period of silence after the first reading before beginning the responsorial psalm
Starting the Gospel Acclamation only once the priest rises from the presidential chair to proceed to the ambo
Waiting until the priest sits down in the chair again before starting the first collection on Sundays

We hope that everyone will be able to support us with these small things during Mass, which are all intended for your benefit. Hopefully by stopping for even a relatively brief period of time, we can give ourselves the chance to let God in and make himself known to us.

Easter, Liturgical Seasons, Liturgical Space

We Too Might Have a New Life

Carmel Bulletin, 1 April 2018

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:3-4

These words from St Paul, proclaimed each year at the Easter Vigil, remind us of the centrality of baptism to our Christian faith. Baptism draws us into the Paschal Mystery – that is, the mystery of Christ’s passover from death to new life.

It is little wonder, therefore, that the rituals of the Easter season draw particular attention to our baptism. We renew the promises of baptism on Easter Sunday. Each Sunday, we are encouraged to put aside the usual Penitential Act and instead participate in the sprinkling of blessed water. Baptism is the primary sacrament by which we are freed from sin, again through sharing in Christ’s death and resurrection.

25320897818_a85d3d4b9f_b_d Our new baptismal font also serves to remind ourselves of the centrality of this sacrament as our entry to the Church (hence why every entrance now leads to the font); a Church that celebrates the Paschal Mystery every Sunday and is brought to the fulfilment of, and sustained in its Christian life through the eucharist to which baptism leads. Blessing ourselves directly from the font as we enter the church helps make this all the more powerful.

While on the topic of the baptismal font, we have received some enquiries about our new font since it was installed. While the bowl can be removed for emptying and cleaning, it is not possible to accidentally tip it over. Keeping the font clean is important, and the water is replaced and the font cleaned with disinfectant on a regular basis. The green patina that has developed on the bronze in places is a natural result of contact between the bronze, water and air. It also happens on similar metals such as copper (think of old copper pipes, or the Statue of Liberty, which also gets its green colour from the natural patina that has developed on the copper over time).

Easter Triduum, Holy Week, Liturgical Seasons

Walking the Walk

liturgical space 022 Our Judeo-Christian tradition includes many long journeys towards a unique encounter with God. The Israelites’ search for the Promised Land, Elijah fleeing to Mount Horeb, and Joseph and Mary travelling to Bethlehem are some example. Jesus’ own long journey of his public ministry ultimately leads to his final journey to Golgotha.

Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, looking towards the Dome of the Rock — Looking into the old city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives

Many Christians since have been inspired to seek encounter with God through pilgrimage. It may be to sacred places abroad like the Holy Land, or walking in the footsteps of saints. The processions of our liturgy enrich our worship by drawing us physically into the journey of encountering God. They are, in their own way, pilgrimages into the mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and our upcoming Holy Week celebrations are full of them.

Fr John and Severs showing the cross, Good Friday 2009 Beginning with the procession at 9:00 am Mass on Palm Sunday, we continue with the processions of oils, gifts for the poor, and the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday. The cross is the focus of procession on Good Friday, as it is brought into the church, and as we approach it in adoration. Finally, the Easter Vigil brings with it the procession of the light that dispels the 25320897818_a85d3d4b9f_b_d darkness, and the procession to the font where we will not only renew our own baptism, but celebrate the baptism of five new Catholics – Thippi, Mathanki, Lucy, Song and Alan – who will then go on to process to the altar for the first time in Holy Communion.

Let us take the opportunity to participate in these processions prayerfully and place ourselves within the saving act of Jesus that is not just a historic event, but something that the liturgy makes real and present for us here and now.

Holy Week, Liturgical Symbols

Pick a branch, Any Branch

Carmel Bulletin, 4 March 2018

Sometimes we can get really hung up on words.

Take “Palm” Sunday for example. Yes, it was a practice in Palestine in Jesus’ time to use palm branches to welcome dignitaries. Yet, when looking through a reputable Bible translation, only the gospel according to John specifically names palm branches. In the same translation, Matthew mentions branches, Mark mentions leafy branches (or greenery), and Luke doesn’t mention branches at all.

The point of the text – and our ritual practice nowadays on Palm Sunday – is not the type of plant, but the purpose of the action. The people of Jerusalem were welcoming a King. We too give glory, praise and honour to our King. While many of us are used to doing this by using palms, some use olive branches (remember that Jesus entered Jerusalem via the Mount of Olives), while people in other parts of the world today would use what is available to them.

So this year, on Palm Sunday, we invite you to bring your own cutting of a branch, from any tree or plant, to use as we commemorate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. We would also greatly appreciate it if you can bring some palms or some other branches for people who don’t have any. In this way, we can make the honouring and praising of Christ, our King, very much our own in this place and time.

Church Renovation Process, Liturgical Space, Prayer and Devotions

Australia’s First Saint

Carmel Bulletin, 25 February 2018

Mary-MacKillop You can find our new image of St Mary MacKillop near the entry doors at the back of the church. It is carved by Engelbert Piccolruaz, who was born and learnt woodcarving in the traditional style of the Italian alpine region; the origin of our statue of St Joseph.

The decision on how St Mary would be represented came from a long period of consultation. While at one stage we contemplated adopting the most common representation of St Mary, in the habit of the order that she founded, we saw an opportunity to present an alternative perspective.

St Mary’s love of God, and her desire to serve her God through service to those in need, began at a young age. Her gentle concern, combined with enthusiasm and courage, saw the establishment and flourishing of a new religious order, the education of countless children in over one hundred schools, and the patient resolve to see through the challenges from those who disagreed with her.

In addition to considering how these characteristics could be best expressed, we also learnt about the growing range of representations of St Mary in other places, capturing different periods in her life. The Sisters of St Joseph themselves look to recall and celebrate St Mary’s whole life – young and old, daughter, sister, governess, teacher and religious. We also sought to reflect something of the Josephites today, without the habit of the past, but still with the order’s emblem. The symbol of the cross also features prominently on the book in her hand, as it did in the religious life and spirituality of St Mary of the Cross.

We hope that this statue can be for all people a means of reflecting on the life and example of the patron saint of our nation and diocese. May her life continue to be an inspiration to all of us to follow Christ.