St Madeleine Sophie Barat Parish in Kenthurst, New South Wales, Australia | Catholic Church

St Madeleine Sophie Barat Parish

Locality: Kenthurst, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 2 9654 2260

Address: 28 Annangrove Rd 2156 Kenthurst, NSW, Australia

Website: http://stmadeleine.org.au

Likes: 504

Add/Update information

Reviews

Tags

• Religious organisation
• Religious centre
• Catholic Church

25.01.2022 Why is May Marys month? Dear Sisters and brothers, Traditionally, the month of May is dedicated to our Mother Mary. Heres a brief explanation as found in National Catholic Register. ... For centuries, the Catholic Church has set aside the entire month of Mary to honour Mary, Mother of God. Not just a day in May, mind you, but the entire month. The custom spans both centuries and cultures, with roots going back as far as the Ancient Greeks. In early Greece, May was dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of fecundity. In Ancient Rome, May was dedicated to Flora, the goddess of blooms, or blossoms. They celebrated ludi florals, or floral games, at the end of April and asked the intercession of Flora for all that blooms. In medieval times, similar customs abounded, all centering around the practice of expelling winter, as May 1 was considered the start of new growth. During this period, the tradition of Tricesimum, or Thirty-Day Devotion to Mary, came into being. Also called, Lady Month, the event was held from August 15-September 14 and is still observed in some areas. The idea of a month dedicated specifically to Mary can be traced back to baroque times. Although it wasnt always held during May, Mary Month included thirty daily spiritual exercises honouring Mary. It was in this era that Marys Month and May were combined, making May the Month of Mary with special devotions organized on each day throughout the month. This custom became especially widespread during the nineteenth century and remains in practice until today. May I therefore ask our community and others to make time to pray the rosary every day at your convenience or you can join the rosary before the evening Mass. If someone likes to have a group through Zoom to pray the rosary. Let us also make special prayer to our Mother Mary for Covid-19 to vanish from the face of the earth! Fr. Vince

25.01.2022 For our Mother Mary - Inspiration of love, patience, kindness, strength, and hope for all mothers.

24.01.2022 Dear Sisters and Brothers, Believe, you are well and safe. Personal health and safety are the priority in these troubled times. The viral infection seems to take its sway rapidly and we are in need of adhering to the directives in view of flattening the curve. The diocese of Parramatta has advised us the following in view of keeping our community safe. Masks are now highly recommended to be worn at all Masses".... As you will have seen, NSW Health, supported by the Premier of NSW is highly recommending everyone in NSW to wear masks in any situation with the potential for COVID-19transmission. Places of worship have been mentioned specifically. We are therefore officially recommending all worshippers in the Diocese of Parramatta wear a mask to Mass. This would be as people arrive on parish grounds, during Mass or the service and afterwards as they leave. During Communion, the mask may be removed, but it should be in place at all other times. Priests and readers who cannot wear a mask to conduct their duties at Mass, must observe appropriate social distancing at all times. We understand the inconvenience that masks may pose, but the health of our parishioners and the wider community is our highest concern. We sincerely thank you for understanding, and for playing your part in keeping our community safe. Fr.Vince

24.01.2022 David Mason is a Writer, a Professor, and a Poet Laureate from Colorado, USA There's a lot to admire about Australia, especially if you're a visiting American, says David Mason. More often than you might expect, Australian friends ...Continue reading

24.01.2022 Be not afraid. Know that God is with you through it all.

23.01.2022 James Bond actor reiterates his love for the faith. Pierce Brosnan might be the best-known James Bond, having portrayed the British spy in four films between 1995 and 2002. Hes also known as someone in Hollywood whos not afraid to proclaim his Catholic faith. His latest profession came the other day on Irelands Late Late Show, when he told host Ryan Tubridy that that his Catholic faith has kept him in good stead throughout several difficult times in his life. Brosnan tur...ned 67 on May 16. The actor-turned-activist recalled growing up in County Meath, where he attended Catholic schools. I was brought up an Irish Catholic, which has kept me in good stead throughout the trials and tribulations of my life, he said, on the RTÉ broadcast. The former 007 was discussing an Irish charity, Pieta House, which helps people who are tempted by suicide. Brosnan advised those going through emotional trials to stay in contact with friends, reach out to people and if you have faith, some prayers in your heart, God in your heart and entrust God in yourself. He also discussed the key to having a long and happy marriage. Its constant work, supporting and loving each other, he said. He and his wife, Keely, recently celebrated their 26th anniversary. We have been blessed with a good friendship in life but always solving problems because there is always going to be problems, so you have to know how to solve them and get on with it, he said. Brosnans comments echoed comments he made in 2014, when asked what helped him through the deaths of his first wife, Cassandra Harris, in 1991 and his adopted daughter, Charlotte, in 2013, both from ovarian cancer. I would say faith, being Irish, being Catholic, its ingrained in my DNA, he said. (Thanks to Aleteia News)

21.01.2022 LISTEN FOR GODS VOICE IN EVERYTHING YOU DO AND EVERYWHERE YOU GO; HE IS THE ONE THAT WILL KEEP YOU ON TRACK - Proverbs 3: 6 Today is the 4th Sunday of Easter and it is commonly known as Good Shepherd Sunday, a day in which the Church recalls the relationship between God and His people as described in the image of Shepherd and Sheep. ...Continue reading

20.01.2022 Thomas Merton Prayer MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. ... Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

18.01.2022 Motivational words.

18.01.2022 Tragic optimism is the ability to maintain hope and find meaning"- Emily Esfahan Smith Dear Sisters and Brothers, How are you? ...Continue reading

18.01.2022 What a speech Pope Francis gave in yesterday's homily/sermon! READ IT AGAIN AND AGAIN: You can have flaws, be anxious, and even be angry, but do not forget that your life is the greatest enterprise in the world. Only you can stop it from going bust. ... Many appreciate you, admire you and love you. Remember that to be happy is not to have a sky without a storm, a road without accidents, work without fatigue, relationships without disappointments. To be happy is to find strength in forgiveness, hope in battles, security in the stage of fear, love in discord. It is not only to enjoy the smile, but also to reflect on the sadness. It is not only to celebrate the successes, but to learn lessons from the failures. It is not only to feel happy with the applause, but to be happy in anonymity. Being happy is not a fatality of destiny, but an achievement for those who can travel within themselves. To be happy is to stop feeling like a victim and become your destiny's author. It is to cross deserts, yet to be able to find an oasis in the depths of our soul. It is to thank God for every morning, for the miracle of life. Being happy is not being afraid of your own feelings. It's to be able to talk about you. It is having the courage to hear a "no". It is confidence in the face of criticism, even when unjustified. It is to kiss your children, pamper your parents, to live poetic moments with friends, even when they hurt us. To be happy is to let live the creature that lives in each of us, free, joyful and simple. It is to have maturity to be able to say: "I made mistakes". It is to have the courage to say "I am sorry". It is to have the sensitivity to say, "I need you". It is to have the ability to say "I love you". May your life become a garden of opportunities for happiness That in spring may it be a lover of joy. In winter a lover of wisdom. And when you make a mistake, start all over again. For only then will you be in love with life. You will find that to be happy is not to have a perfect life. But use the tears to irrigate tolerance. Use your losses to train patience. Use your mistakes to sculptor serenity. Use pain to plaster pleasure. Use obstacles to open windows of intelligence. Never give up .... Never give up on people who love you. Never give up on happiness, for life is an incredible show. (Pope Francis).

18.01.2022 Check out the article below from Catholic Outlook about last weekend's Women's Breakfast! https://www.catholicoutlook.org/st-madeleines-celebrates-/

17.01.2022 A prayer written by Pope Francis to be offered at the conclusion of the Rosary by households and individuals each day during May. O Mary, You shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope.... We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who, at the foot of the cross, were united with Jesus suffering and persevered in your faith. Protectress of the Roman people, you know our needs, and we know that you will provide, so that, as at Cana in Galilee, joy and celebration may return after this time of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the will of the Father and to do what Jesus tells us. For he took upon himself our suffering,and burdened himself with our sorrows to bring us, through the cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen. We fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God; Do not despise our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from every danger, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin

16.01.2022 Worth watching...TRUTH in the Word of God A reminder to build our lives on the strength of these four Pillars: Eternity... Morality Accountability Charity See more

16.01.2022 Among Jesus many teachings we find this, rather harsh-sounding, invitation: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. I suspect that each of us has a gut-sense of what this means and what it will cost us; but, I suspect too that many of us misunderstand that Jesus is asking here and struggle unhealthily with this invitation. What, concret...Continue reading

15.01.2022 Mothers are special gifts of God to humanity. Mothers Day is a beautiful celebration of their self-sacrificing love though a few cannot relate. My thoughts and prayers go out to them that they may appreciate their biological or step mothers for sharing a part of them with these people. May the unconditional love of God heal them of their hurts and enable them to move effectively in their lives! Mothers are the first teachers to teach us about the centrality and significance... of God in our lives. We are grateful for their love, dedication, faithfulness, care, generosity, resilience, patience in helping us grow and mature in our personality. Thank you to all the literal mothers who do the best they can with the love of God. Thanks to mothers who pick up the slack, offer a helping hand and create a space of vulnerability, compassion, care, understanding and all other beautiful gifts. Father Jessie and myself offer the following prayer for you on this Mothers Day. Heavenly Father we thank You for our mothers who untiringly love and care for us with every passing day. but today Lord, on this important Mothers Day, we specially want to lift up all mothers throughout the land..., and thank You for the very special role they play in the lives of their children. Thank You for the selfless love they so often show and for the grace and encouragement they are able to give us, as well as their correction, wisdom and counsel. Thank You for the role model they so often provide to us and to others... and for the many sacrifices they willingly make on account of their children and families. We pray that the influence that they exercise over their children would be godly wisdom, seasoned with salt and bathed in prayer. We pray that You would provide the necessary health and strength they need to care for their families in their demanding task, and that You would grant each one multiplied grace, as they seek to carry out the many roles and responsibilities each within their own homes. This we ask in Jesus name. Amen! (Source: Knowing Jesus) Happy Mothers Day! Fr.Vince

14.01.2022 A joke Fr Vince shared during last Sunday's Mass: A disappointed salesman of Coke returns from his Middle East assignment. A friend asked, "Why weren't you successful with the Arabs?" The salesman explained, "When I got posted to the Middle East, I was very confident that I would have a good sales pitch as Cola is virtually unknown there. But, I had a problem. I didn't know to speak Arabic. So, I planned to convey the message through 3 posters. The first poster was a man c...rawling through the hot desert sand... totally exhausted and panting. Second, the man was drinking our Cola and Third, our man is now totally refreshed. Then these posters were pasted all over the place". "That should have worked", said the friend." He replied, "Well, I didn't know Arabic, neither did I realize that Arabs read from right to left...

14.01.2022 Among Jesus’ many teachings we find this, rather harsh-sounding, invitation: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. I suspect that each of us has a gut-sense of what this means and what it will cost us; but, I suspect too that many of us misunderstand that Jesus is asking here and struggle unhealthily with this invitation. What, concret...Continue reading

14.01.2022 Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address has been called America’s greatest gathering of words. Lincoln’s message was given over 130 years ago on the Civil War battlefield in Pennsylvania named Gettysburg. The burial of the Union dead was still underway on November 19, 1863, when Lincoln delivered his speech. We should not forget that it was a cemetery that the president had been invited to dedicate that day. What makes the Gettysburg Address the greatest speech in American h...istory is the way in which Lincoln gave firm definition to that famous proposition written by Thomas Jefferson in the American Constitution, that Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. The power of President Lincoln’s speech is carried out in those five simple words that all people are created equal. Now, we know, of course, that from the perspective of human judgment, people are certainly not created equal. We know that there are differences among us in personality, in intelligence, in natural talents, in bodily appearance and in physical strength and ability. We also know that some people are born, as they say, with a silver spoon in their mouth. These are the ones, of course, who are born with the advantages of wealth and privilege and family connections which open doors and make life comfortable and pleasant and enjoyable. No, the hard, cold truth is that we are not created with equal circumstances. But the point of the phrase, all men are created equal, is that this is indeed how God sees and loves, forever, all the men, women and children every single human person He has created, as His own, unique. individual child. God’s love is not withheld from any person, regardless of his or her circumstances. And we, as Christian people, are called to love each other with agape love just as our Father loves us. That is what our Father in Heaven calls us to do, and our obedience to Him is seen in the ways in which we treat all other human beings. In our Gospel lesson for today, Jesus tells a parable which reveals a truth of God that is very disturbing to the conventional, human way of seeing the world. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) Fr. Tony's Homilies Fr. Anthony Kadavil August 25, 2020 O. T. XXII (August 30 Sunday) OT XXII (A) (Aug 30) Eight-minute homily in one page Introduction: Today’s Gospel passage reminds us that Christian discipleship demands Read More O. T. XXII (August 30 Sunday) frtonyshomilies.com

13.01.2022 Saint of the Day for 13th May...Our Lady of Fatima

13.01.2022 Saint of the Day - St Madeleine-Sophie Barat - Pray for us. Learn more about our Parish Patron Saint's Life...

10.01.2022 Charles Lewis: Some sound advice for our next Pope - By Charles Lewis August 12, 2020 - Tweet We need to stop from time to time to contemplate what it means to be Catholic in this aggressively secular society of ours. It is easy for our beliefs to be swamped by the detritus of a powerful popular culture that looks upon us with bare tolerance at best and derision at worst....Continue reading

09.01.2022 Food for thought...

09.01.2022 God is the Friend of Silence We Need to Find God, He Cannot Be Found in Noise and Restlessness. God Is the Friend of Silence. ... See How Nature . . . Trees, Flowers, Grass Grow in Silence. See the Stars, the Moon and Sun . . . How They Move in Silence. The More We Receive in Silent Prayer, The More We Can Give in Our Active Life. We Need Silence to Be Able to Touch Souls. The Essential Thing Is Not What We Say, But What God Says . . . To us and Through us. All Our Words Will Be Useless Unless They Come from Within. Words Which Do Not Give the Light of Christ . . . Increase the Darkness. -Mother Teresa

09.01.2022 A mother's love endures through all. Washington Irving. Mothers are special gifts of God to humanity. Mothers Day is a beautiful celebration of their self-sacrificing love though a few cannot relate. My thoughts and prayers go out to them that they may appreciate their biological or step mothers for sharing a part of them with these people. May the unconditional love of God heal them of their hurts and enable them to move effectively in their lives! ... Mothers are the first teachers to teach us about the centrality and significance of God in our lives. We are grateful for their love, dedication, faithfulness, care, generosity, resilience, patience in helping us grow and mature in our personality. Thank you to all the literal mothers who do the best they can with the love of God. Thanks to mothers who pick up the slack, offer a helping hand and create a space of vulnerability, compassion, care, understanding and all other beautiful gifts. Father Jessie and myself offer the following prayer for you on this Mothers Day. Heavenly Father we thank You for our mothers who untiringly love and care for us with every passing day. but today Lord, on this important Mothers Day", we specially want to lift up all mothers throughout the land..., and thank You for the very special role they play in the lives of their children. Thank You for the selfless love they so often show and for the grace and encouragement they are able to give us, as well as their correction, wisdom and counsel. Thank You for the role model they so often provide to us and to others... and for the many sacrifices they willingly make on account of their children and families. We pray that the influence that they exercise over their children would be godly wisdom, seasoned with salt and bathed in prayer. We pray that You would provide the necessary health and strength they need to care for their families in their demanding task, and that You would grant each one multiplied grace, as they seek to carry out the many roles and responsibilities each within their own homes. This we ask in Jesus name. Amen! (Source: Knowing Jesus) Happy Mothers Day! Fr.Vince

09.01.2022 Our Saint of the Day - Saint Rita - Patron of the impossible.

08.01.2022 You are invited to pray the rosary today -- the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJjbfJYP4Dw&feature=youtu.be

08.01.2022 The Stranger and The Message by Nina Blaise-Marie - Used with Permission A few years ago on a late Spring day a soft wind, like the softness of a baby's sigh, was blowing through the trees in the park. I went there that day not expecting anything more than just a few moments of solitude. Oh, there were a few people there doing various things and the usual scurrying of the resident squirrels; but overall, it was fairly quiet. I was a little surprised with myself. I didn't usua...Continue reading

07.01.2022 Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address has been called Americas greatest gathering of words. Lincolns message was given over 130 years ago on the Civil War battlefield in Pennsylvania named Gettysburg. The burial of the Union dead was still underway on November 19, 1863, when Lincoln delivered his speech. We should not forget that it was a cemetery that the president had been invited to dedicate that day. What makes the Gettysburg Address the greatest speech in American h...istory is the way in which Lincoln gave firm definition to that famous proposition written by Thomas Jefferson in the American Constitution, that Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. The power of President Lincolns speech is carried out in those five simple words that all people are created equal. Now, we know, of course, that from the perspective of human judgment, people are certainly not created equal. We know that there are differences among us in personality, in intelligence, in natural talents, in bodily appearance and in physical strength and ability. We also know that some people are born, as they say, with a silver spoon in their mouth. These are the ones, of course, who are born with the advantages of wealth and privilege and family connections which open doors and make life comfortable and pleasant and enjoyable. No, the hard, cold truth is that we are not created with equal circumstances. But the point of the phrase, all men are created equal, is that this is indeed how God sees and loves, forever, all the men, women and children every single human person He has created, as His own, unique. individual child. Gods love is not withheld from any person, regardless of his or her circumstances. And we, as Christian people, are called to love each other with agape love just as our Father loves us. That is what our Father in Heaven calls us to do, and our obedience to Him is seen in the ways in which we treat all other human beings. In our Gospel lesson for today, Jesus tells a parable which reveals a truth of God that is very disturbing to the conventional, human way of seeing the world. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) Fr. Tony's Homilies Fr. Anthony Kadavil August 25, 2020 O. T. XXII (August 30 Sunday) OT XXII (A) (Aug 30) Eight-minute homily in one page Introduction: Todays Gospel passage reminds us that Christian discipleship demands Read More O. T. XXII (August 30 Sunday) frtonyshomilies.com

07.01.2022 The Catholic bishops of Australia have released the Social Justice Statement 2020-21, on the critical subject of mental health, in the lead-up to Social Justice Sunday on August 30. The statement, To Live Life to the Full: Mental health in Australia today, encourages faith communities, governments and individuals to make mental health a priority. Bishop Terry Brady, Bishop Delegate for Social Justice on the Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service, has calle...Continue reading

04.01.2022 Reflective Ministry -WORD AND MISSION - is a program of 12 Tuesday evenings (from 7pm to 9pm, starting 18 August) focusing on Scripture and Pastoral Skills. Registration required (ONLINE PARTICIPATION). Please send an email to [email protected] for further enquiry.

03.01.2022 Hymn to the Holy Spirit

03.01.2022 Have a laugh... One Sunday a cowboy went to church. When he entered, he saw that he and the preacher were the only ones present. The preacher asked the cowboy if he wanted him to go ahead and preach. The cowboy said, 'I'm not too smart, but if I went to feed my cattle and only one showed up, I'd feed him.' So the minister began his sermon. One hour passed, then two hours, then two-and-a-half hours. The preacher finally finished and came down to ask the cowboy how he liked the sermon. The cowboy answered slowly, 'Well, I'm not very smart, but if I went to feed my cattle and only one showed up, I sure wouldn't feed him all the hay.'

02.01.2022 HAPPY FEAST TO ALL One of the sayings of St Madeleine Sophie Barat to draw a single heart to Jesus Christ, l would shrink from no sacrifice were it even necessary for me to go to the ends of the earth inspires every one of us even today to the spirit of evangelization. The wisdom of Madeleine Sophie energizes and empowers us such as Be humble, be simple and bring joy to others. When Jesus is the reason for your actions, He will act by His Spirit in you. Another saying ...of Sophie And what is God? Supreme happiness. And what more? There is no more. That is all. Our feeble minds cannot take it in, but we may learn to taste its truth. And that is everything anchors us in Jesus Christ and brings us together to be united in the complete Truth. Today is the feast day of St Madeleine, our parish patron saint. She reminds our community today Keep trust in God, and your courage. He will supply when yours gives out, especially if I pray with real faith and perseverance. We are not able to celebrate the as a community, nonetheless, we are united in our prayer thanking God for having blessed our community under the patronage of St Madeleine and continue to bless us to grow in His love, peace and justice. Happy Feast to every one of our community and let us remember our community as you pray the rosary today. United we grow in the love and mercy of God. Fr.Vince

02.01.2022 Many Parishioners remember Fr John Paul Escarlan who is now the Director of Priestly Vocations for the Parramatta Diocese. Fr John Paul served our community and many of you know him. He is calling for anyone that may have have a calling to enquire. Kindly watch and feel free to share the following video. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch

02.01.2022 A letter from our Archbishop regarding Religious Freedom... Thank you for signing the petition to help open our churches in New South Wales, ensuring that places of worship were treated fairly. While the confirmation of several COVID-19 cases in Catholic churches is a good reminder that we need to remain vigilant and follow the directions of NSW Health, it is important that these directions make sense by treating all public venues equally, including churches.... By signing the Open Our Churches petition, you made your voices heard and told the NSW Government that people of faith werent looking for special treatment, but equal treatment. It was and remains a matter of religious freedom. There is another opportunity to defend religious freedom in NSW. It is not illegal, for example, for a café owner to refuse service to me because I am a Catholic, or refuse to serve you for the same reason. As you read this, there is an inquiry running into NSW anti-discrimination laws. The question that is being asked is whether it should be illegal to discriminate against a person on the basis of their religious belief or activity. It may come as a surprise to you that currently, it is not against the law to discriminate against someone on the basis of their religious belief. It doesnt seem fair, does it? Please join with me in praying for our civic leaders, especially those who are charged with the conduct of this inquiry: that they may act with justice, and with the desire to ensure fair and equal treatment for all. Please share this with friends and family who might not be aware of this current test for religious freedom in our state. Yours sincerely in Christ, Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP