LATEST PARISH NEWS

Your Community Needs You

Our Parish Family is blessed with countless people who quietly fulfil ministry roles within our community. We all have been given gifts that differ, and along our pilgrimage of life, we are challenged to share those gifts!  From being involved in our weekly liturgical life to reaching out to our brothers and sisters, who cannot join us on a Sunday, to simply helping ensure that our community runs smoothly and is responsive to the changing challenges we face – we all have a role to play.

At the start of every year, we invite the entire Parish Family to reflect upon the ministerial needs of our community and  invite you to consider being involved in one of those ministries.  This weekend, you have the chance to recommit to your Ministry or sign up for a Ministry.  Please complete the attached ministry signup form and either return it to the Parish Office or place it on the collection plate.

So that we follow best practice, and there is some uniformity in our liturgical celebrations, all Readers, Extraordinary Communion Ministers and Communion to the sick and housebound, who recommit or sign up, are asked to attend a short, 45-minute gathering and formation meeting on Saturday, February 8th at 9:30am.

Calling All Musicians                               

We are blessed with generous musicians and singers who help lead our celebrations each week and at major liturgical     celebrations.  Our liturgies would be the poorer without their ministry!  At the beginning of the year, we would like to  gather together and look at the year ahead and reflect upon the possibilities and potential of this important ministry.  All musicians and singers are invited to a gathering on the Stella Maris balcony on Tuesday, February 11th at 6pm.

We Are About To Start

Surely one of the incredible, spirit filled experiences of our Parish Family last year were the number of adults who journeyed through the RCIA programme and were baptised and welcomed into the Church. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is the journey of enquiry and discernment.  It’s a time when we invite individuals to go on to discover more about who we are and what we believe as Catholics. There is already a group preparing to be received into the Church this coming Easter, and we are about to establish a new group of enquiries – if you are interested or if you would like more information, please contact Fr Isaac at the Parish Office 5443 3488 or email fa*****@bn*.au

Back For Another Exciting Year

This weekend Children’s Church returns at our 8am St Catherine’s Mass and 9am Stella Maris Mass.  This is the opportunity for the younger members of our community to be commissioned at the beginning of Mass to go and explore the Sunday scripture and weekend theme of the Mass using age appropriate resources.  We are always looking for adults to join teams to help this ministry to continue to flourish – if you are interested or would like more information, please contact Carrolyn Watt at the Parish Office sa*****************@bn*.au or call 5443 3488.

Another Year Begins 

We welcome back to our schools this week all students, teachers, auxiliary staff and administrators as the great ministry of education begins for another year.  For families who are just beginning this journey, welcome aboard!  For families reaching the end of formal education, the journey continues!  Wherever you are on the educational journey, may this year be full of learning, friendship and achievement.

Catholic Theology 

Register now for the first module of the Catholic Foundations course where the content and discussion will address questions such as, if God is infinite, is it even possible to know God? What reasons do we have for belief in the existence of God beyond     religious frameworks? Within the Catholic understanding, how has God been revealed to humanity throughout  history? These and many other questions will be explored throughout the 10 week course. The course will be run Monday nights commencing the February 3^rd from 7-9pm in the Bliss Room. Please register online catholicformation.com.au using the coupon code MaroochydoreMod1. To receive your subsidy or for more information, email Carrolyn Watt at the Parish Office (5443 3488).

Spiritual Exercises

Do you desire inner freedom and growth in your spiritual life, if so, why not consider experiencing the full Spiritual Exercises of   St Ignatius of Loyola in 2025? This transformative retreat is      offered by the Jesuit and Ignatian Spirituality Ministry and runs over 30 weeks during which you are accompanied by an Ignatian Spiritual Director, either face to face or online.

For more information go to:   www.jisa.org.au/spiritual-exercises/

Sacraments

Handing on the Faith is the most important mission of our community and assisting parents with their task is something we take seriously as a Parish Family. All baptised children in Year 3 or above are welcome to join our Confirmation programme, and all children in Year 4 or above who have celebrated their Confirmation are  invited to join our First Holy Communion  programme.  Parents please go to our parish web page for more details about when the programmes start and to access the registration forms: www.maroochydoreparish.com.au

Infant Baptism

Those parents with new born babies wishing for them to be baptised are reminded of the preparation meeting, which takes place at Stella Maris Church on the first Thursday of every month. At this short preparation meeting, we outline some of the symbols used at the ceremony, answer any questions and confirm dates.  The next baptismal preparation meeting will be on Thursday    February 6^th beginning at 6.00pm. Please register through our parish website: www.maroochydoreparish.com.au

Stella Maris Parish Office

• Adjacent to the Stella Maris Church
• Office Hours 9am—2pm Weekdays
• Telephone: 5443 3488
• Email: su******@bn*.au
• Website: maroochydoreparish.com.au

At Your Service

• Fr Peter Brannelly
• Fr Isaac Falzon
• Deacon Michael Khoury
• Bishop Brian Heenan
• Bishop Emeritus