WELCOME
to St Christopher's Cathedral Canberra
MASS & CONFESSION TIMES:
(Note: Up to 100 people can attend Mass from the 20th of June onward. There is no need to 'pre-register' for these Masses. Parishioners however are asked to sign in on the Mass Attendance register when entering the church. Attendees will be counted (including children) and only 100 will be allowed to enter. Use one line per person on the register please. Please use hand sanitiser supplied. The Cathedral has marked out the correct distance on the pews for social distancing purposes and every second pew has been closed)
SUNDAY
Saint Christopher's Cathedral
5:00pm Vigil Mass
8.00am Mass
9.00am Mass,
11:00am Mass
(live-stream on www.catholicvoice.org.au/)
5:30pm Mass
St Peter Chanel's, Yarralumla
6.00pm Vigil
9.30am Mass
2:00-3:00pm Adoration and Confessions
MONDAY – FRIDAY
St Christopher's Cathedral
7.30am Mass
12:15pm Mass
5.00pm-6.00pm Holy Hour (Tuesday-Friday)
St Peter Chanel's, Yarralumla
Tuesday 5.30pm Mass
Thursday 10.00am Mass
SATURDAY
Saint Christopher's Cathedral
9:00am
12:15pm
CONFESSION TIMES:
St Christopher’s Cathedral
Wednesday: 11.30am—12:00 noon
Thursday: 6.00 - 6.30pm
Saturday: 11.30am - 12 noon
St Peter Chanel's, Yarralumla
Tuesday: 6.00pm-6.30pm
Thursday 5.15pm-5.45pm
CATHEDRAL, DAILY HOLY HOUR:
Tuesday-Friday: 5:00-6:00
*SCC - Saint Christopher's Cathedral; SPC – Saint Peter Chanel’s.
*Please note times are effective as of 8 June 2020.
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Anointing of the Sick, home visitation, & support
Please contact the Parish Office, cathedral@cg.org.au or call (02) 6239 9846
Baptisms
To organise or discuss the Sacrament of Baptism, please contact the Parish Office, cathedral@cg.org.au or call (02) 6239 9846
Funerals
To organise a funeral contact the Parish Office cathedral@cg.org.au or call (02) 6239 9846
Weddings
To organise a wedding contact the Parish Office cathedral@cg.org.au or call (02) 6239 9846.
Latest Covid-19 Health Protocols
ACT Parishes
Effective Friday 19 June 2020
Eucharist
Masses are to be celebrated with no more than 100 people, respecting the 4sqm per person rule (including priest and those involved in liturgical ministries).
-Communion is to be carefully ministered the hand.
-Only Sacred Host, not the Precious Blood is to be offered.
-There is no contact during the sign of peace.
-No collection plates are to be used, but money/envelopes placed at collection points.
-The 4sqm per person rule is to be observed: Seating, Standing, During the Communion Procession, During the movement to place money/envelopes at the collection points.
-Hygiene practices are to be observed
-Sanitisation of hands before entering the church
-Wiping down of pews and common areas at conclusion of Mass (This will also be conducted at the end of the day).
-Priest and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to purify hands with sanitiser before and after offering Holy Communion.
- Use if hymn books will be limited, and sanitised between use.
-Parishioners names/contact will be Registered upon entering the church
-These records will be securely retained (respecting privacy laws) for 28 days for chief medical officer.
Funerals
No more than 100 people, respecting the 4sqm per person rule (including clergy and liturgical ministers). Funeral directors to keep register of people who attend.
Weddings
No more than 100 people, respecting the 4sqm per person rule (including clergy and liturgical ministers). Church to keep register of people who attend in accord with 9(g).
Baptism
No more than 100 people, respecting the 4sqm per person rule (including priest and those involved in liturgical ministries).
Penance
First Rite of penance, with priest and penitent respecting the 4sqm per person rule.
Second Rite of penance to be celebrated with no more than 100 people, respecting the 4sqm per person rule (including priest and liturgical ministers).
Prayer and Social Gatherings
No more than 100 people whether inside Church or other Church facility, respecting the 4sqm per person rule.
NSW & ACT Parishes
Effective immediately
Communion to Sick and Elderly Persons
-Normal pastoral practice resumes. Communion to sick persons in hospitals, aged care homes and private homes.
Anointing of the Sick
-Normal pastoral practice resumes. Anointing of the sick in hospitals, aged care homes and private homes.
-If the person has COVID 19, please consult the Vicar General.
-Hospital rosters resume in the ACT.
First Penance, First Holy Communion & Confirmation
-Normal pastoral practice resumes, respecting liturgical and pastoral protocols.
Father Anthony Percy
Vicar General
16 June 2020
Upcoming Events!
School of Religion - Sacrament Program to Recommence
We are pleased to announce that we can now run the School of Religion program for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist programs will be run on the same date starting 17 August 2020. First Reconciliation classes will be held in the St Peter Chanel's Parish Room at 6pm for 4 weeks and the First Eucharist classes in St Peter Chanel's Church at 6pm for 5 weeks. The Confirmation program will start on 12 October for 5 weeks at St Peter Chanel's Parish Room at 6pm.
The Sacrament of First Reconciliation will be on Wed 9 September, 6pm at St Peter Chanel's Church.
The Sacrament of First Eucharist will be on Sunday 20 September, 11am at St Christopher's Cathedral.
Confirmation Mass will be on Wednesday 18 November, 6pm at St Christopher's Cathedral.
For more information on each of these programs, download the Letter to Parents found under 'PARISH NEWS'. Download the Sacramental Program Enrolment form found in the main menu under 'APPLICATION FORMS'. To register, please complete the enrolment form and send back to the Parish Office with the program fee as soon as possible.
14th Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday
This Sunday marks Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday, the beginning of a week where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people celebrate their spirituality, identity and culture. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholics bring beautiful gifts and wisdom to the Church in Australia. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC), has chosen “Together in the Spirit” as the theme for 2020 ‘Together in the Spirit’ Learn from Me for I am Gentle and Humble in Heart ... Matt 11:29 (from the NATSICC) As a Council, we prayed upon and discerned for many months as to the theme for this year’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday. While there were many options discussed, the developing COVID-19 situation and its widespread effects and concerns throughout our communities, made our decision on the theme clear. Together in the Spirit. Whether we are able to come together physically in Churches, or via a digital platform, we feel enriched by the fact that, as Australians, will be ‘Together in the Spirit’ on 5 July 2020. The Gospel of the day calls for those of us that are weary, to share our burdens with God. Communities around Australia, both First Nations and non-Indigenous, have endured bushfires, droughts and now a pandemic, it is only natural that our spirit also becomes weary. There are already many burdens that exist in our communities. With the new challenges presented in times like these, it is important that we continue to place our trust in God, and try even harder to embody the spiritual gifts of empathy, friendship and love for one another. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced NATSICC to rethink the ways in how we empower Catholics to celebrate our special day. This year, by modifying our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday resources to work in a digital setting, we are also holding the first-ever livestreamed, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday Mass from the St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Adelaide from 11am EST. We are inviting everyone around Australia - and the World - to join us on 5 July 2020, as we come ‘Together in the Spirit’ to celebrate the gifts of spirituality and culture. National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council
Archbishop Christopher's Pastoral Letter: The Return to Our Eucharistic Home I 19th June 2020
COVID-19 restrictions on the numbers allowed at Mass are slowly being relaxed. Thanks be to God! We continue patiently to pray for this terrible pandemic to cease in all its extensive and serious consequences. We pray for all those impacted in the world, especially in the health and economic areas of human endeavour.
As the doors of our Churches slowly open to congregations, let us reflect on the “Eucharistic fasting” that we have all being doing. Eucharistic fasting is not new to Australians.
EUCHARISTIC FASTING IN AUSTRALIA’S BEGINNINGS
First, 2020 marks the bi-centennial anniversary of the first official Catholic priests allowed to offer pastoral care in Australia. Before this a number of priests did come to Australia on the many ships bringing people of all sorts of backgrounds to these shores inhabited by Aboriginal peoples for millennia. These priests, however, were only able to stay short periods. Their presence was often seen as a threat to the colonial authorities. Upon departing they did leave the Blessed Sacrament, nonetheless, with some colonial families – the Davis and Dempsey families.
During the many years prior to 1820, Catholics gathered near Sydney Cove for prayers and Eucharistic devotion in these family homes. There was no Mass.
After the official priests (Fr. John Joseph Therry and Fr. Philip Conolly) arrived and celebrating Mass was permitted, the great Eucharistic missionary efforts began systematically in this new but ancient land. We are now heirs of that Catholic evangelising impulse of over two hundred years ago. We are truly grateful.
It was a long Eucharistic fast!
PROLONGED EUCHARISTIC FASTING
Secondly, great Eucharistic piety was demonstrated in another type of fasting of only a few generations ago.
So many of us can remember stories of the long Eucharistic fasting requirements of earlier times. The liturgical demand was to fast from the night before one could receive Holy Communion at Mass. Perhaps, with lenient fasting rules presently applicable, we have lost a sense of the long spiritual tradition of fasting before the Eucharistic feasting. Should this be considered afresh today?
Notwithstanding current assessments on this matter from present sensibilities, these older requirements did raise up generations imbued with a solid understanding of the piety needed to reverently receive Holy Communion. The stomach pains of hunger did remind the pious of the spiritual hunger for “panis angelicus” (the bread of angels). In rural areas, there are many examples too of the long distances that fasting families needed to travel to the nearest parish for Mass. Few complained. The love and respect of the Holy Mass matured. We ought to learn from this with docility.
COVID-19 EUCHARISTIC FASTING
Thirdly, I believe that the current Covid-19 induced “Eucharist fast” is deepening our Catholic instinct that the Eucharist is the very centre of our lives in Christ, Jesus.
Over these months I have heard of our Catholic people yearning for Mass and reception of Holy Communion. Sure enough, there has been a huge uptake on online daily Masses. Here “spiritual communion” is explained and appreciated by those participating from home. However, as one committed Catholic mentioned to me recently, “We are not really “e-Catholics” in the sense of electronic Catholics, but we are “E-Catholics” in the sense of Eucharistic Catholics.
This is the Catholic instinct arising within us. I see it as a wonderful sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit in this “valley of tears”.
THE RETURN TO OUR CHURCHES
Some lonely voices are already saying that Mass numbers will not return to their earlier numbers once all Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. Some suggest that the movement from comfortable couches and armchairs to wooden Church pews is a distance too far. I respectfully disagree.
Clearly, we are learning of the usefulness of modern technology in advancing our faith. Online platforms for Mass ought to continue in some form in the future, especially for the sick and elderly. But the thousands who have participated in online Masses contain many who had previously lapsed in the practice of their faith. Some speak of their re-engagement in the Catholic Mass over these months of online Masses. Unless there is a good reason, the Catholic instinct will not be satisfied with simply a “stay at home” faith. We are radically communitarian both as human beings and as people of Christian faith.
Making the step to return to Masses in parish will be sheer joy for many. It will be a transition that will be difficult for some for all sorts of reasons.
Yet the gathering of the People of God for the gift of the Eucharist that Jesus gave us at the Last Supper is irresistible to the depths of the human spirit. Ask those adults that have become Catholics in recent years. They will tell you as they have told me: “Fully participating in the Mass we find our true home!”
Let us prepare now to welcome everyone’s return to our Eucharistic “home”.
Archbishop Christopher Prowse
Archbishop of Canberra & Goulburn
Entrusting Australia to Our Mother, Mary Help of Christians
The Australian Bishops have announced that they will entrust Australia and all her people to the protection of Mary Help of Christians, as so many continue to suffer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mary Help of Christians has been the patroness of Australia since 1844. This feast day is celebrated on the 24th of May, which this year coincides with the Feast of the Ascension, the 7th Sunday of Easter. The entrustment prayer, lead by Archbishop Christopher can now be viewed on the Archdiocesan youtube page and CatholicVoicewebsite. More information, as well as the prayer of entrustment can be found at catholic.org.au/entrustment, and can be downloaded on the left of this page under 'Parish News'. Please pray this prayer as a family and in your own time as we unite under the protective mantle of our Blessed Mother.