Our parish a wellspring of life following mary
Dear Parishioners,
“Mary, Wellspring of Life” was the theme for our Parish Feast Week 2015. I’m sure part of St Ephrem’s inspiration for giving this title for Mary would have come from the Angel’s words to Mary at the Annunciation “Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with You”
From this we can say Mary is the “Full Wellspring”, Full of God’s life and Grace in Jesus the Divine Son of God.
Carrying and keeping Jesus, who St Paul says is the one “in whom the fullness of God dwells” (Col 2.9), Mary is the great human role Model for us as a Church and Parish to be a wellspring of the one who is the fullness of God.
A Parish is therefore called to be a Spiritual Mother and full wellspring of God’s Grace in Jesus to all her sons and
daughters, parishioners of all age groups; for faith-filled Youth, Teens, Married Couples, New Families, Vocations, Prayer and Faith Formation Groups and Committees.
I acknowledge all volunteers who under the Leadership of the Priests and Committee Coordinators who have made this Feast Week such a wonderful spiritual wellspring of God’s Grace for all who have attended. Well done on your work this week and the work and mission you share in all year round.
I also acknowledge the generosity of parishioners as well as the Gold, Silver, Bronze, Events Sponsors and all
major Donors your generous support has helped the Parish raise to date $220,000 over the 10 Days of events.
This is a wonderful result to help the parish maintain her needed and large facilities especially the Co-Cathedral and the Community Centre to be those sacred and welcoming places, a Well Spring full of God’s Grace in Jesus all year round.
We give thanks with the Bishop’s Prayer and Blessing from the Parish BBQ Night:
All praise and glory are yours, almighty Father:
Strengthen us by your Spirit to be like Mary: to ponder your word in our hearts, To obey your will, to love Your Son and to sing your praises every day. May Our Lady, Patron of this parish, bless all its priests and parishioners, volunteers and benefactors, that they may continue to work together to serve You and Your holy Church. Almighty Father, bless all the families of this parish and everywhere that they may remain in the image of the Holy Family of Nazareth, the first school of faith and values for children. May our Australian society continue to value the irreplaceable roles of both the father and the mother in the life of children. We pray that with the help of wise leaders no child is willingly deprived of the right to achieve their physical, psychological, emotional and intellectual development within a loving family, consisting of a father and a mother.
We ask this prayer, through Jesus Christ Your Son, and through the intercession of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary,St Maroun and all the holy angels and saints. Amen!
