Sunday, 3 March 2024
3rd Sunday of Lent | 1st Scrutiny
The Woman at the Well
Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
Gospel of John 5: 13-14
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass ©2001, 1998, 1970 CCD.
LIVE THE LITURGY
Inspiration of the Week
Sometimes, like the Samaritan woman, we can scarcely believe that God would meet us here in this fallen world.
The truth of what he speaks and the beauty of what he proclaims is like a well of spring water in a dry desert. Do we dare accept the gift?
Jesus meets the Woman at the Well
I am the Living Water
Gospel Meditation
Encouraging Deeper Understanding of Scripture
When I became the pastor of a large parish, I soon found myself, for the first time in my life, riddled with anxiety, headaches, difficulty making decisions, and fatigue. I called a therapist friend and told her my symptoms and asked if she thought I needed a serious medical exam. She said, “How much water do you drink?” I told her, “I haven’t had time to drink water lately.” She responded, “You’re chronically dehydrated. Drink eighty-five ounces a day and call me in a week.” I started guzzling water and in a week all my symptoms went away. I felt great.
Like me, the people in the Exodus wanderings were dehydrated. But unlike me, they knew it. Their symptoms were bad. They fight with each other. They accuse God of being a monster who wants them and their children to die of thirst. Their thirst drives them to plot the bloody assassination of the man who rescued them. God responds by using Moses to strike a rock from which rivers of living waters flow to quench their thirst for years to come.
The Holy Spirit is the living water of love which flows from the pierced side of Jesus, the new Moses. What symptoms in your life suggest you’re spiritually dehydrated? Anger at God? Cynicism at your leaders? Bitter rivalry and bickering with others? Don’t panic. Of course we have those symptoms. Ask God to provide his water to quench your spiritual thirst, and he will. And all those symptoms will soon disappear.
- Father John Muir
© LP1 2024
Questions of the Week
Invite Parishioners to Reflect and Respond to Scripture
First Reading
The "10 Commandments" given to Moses at Mount Sinai reveal God's moral and ethical expectations for Israel.
Which of these Commandments do you personally find most challenging to follow?
Second Reading
Early in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul speaks of his firm conviction in the power and wisdom of his proclamation, "Christ crucified."
What are you confident about in your faith life?
Gospel Reading
Through her dialogue with Jesus, the Samaritan woman comes to the realization that Jesus is the Messiah. In her joy, she tells other Samaritans about her encounter with Jesus.
How can you share your faith in Jesus with others?
Sharing the Word of God
with our children
Prayer
God, my church is a place for prayer. Help me to remember that always.
Mission for the Week
Read John 5: 13-14 with your family. Ask God to help you find the Living Water.
Sharing the Gospel
Imagine it’s a hot day and you are thirsty. You find some water. You feel much better. That’s great. But did you know that Jesus is called the “Living Water”? The living water that he offers us will make sure that we are never thirsty again.
I am the Living Water
Ministers for Sunday, 3 March
Taupō & Tūrangi
Here’s what's happening in March
Sunday, 3 March: 3rd Sunday of Lent | 1st Scrutiny
9am Mass
Sunday, 3 March: Prayer for Life
After Mass | Chapel | All welcome
Sunday, 3 March: Seek (Baptism Course): Session Two
Welcoming new members to the parish: After Mass | Faith Formation Centre. (See advertisement below)
Monday, 4 March: Monday Cafe
After 7pm Mass | All welcome
Tuesday, 5 March: Tuesday Community Lunch
1.00 pm | Taupō (then weekly during school term)
Tuesday, 5 March: Youth Groups
6.00 pm – 7.00pm (Years 7 & 8) | 7.00 pm – 7.30pm (dinner) | 7.30 pm – 8.45pm (Years 9 & 13) | Taupō (weekly during school term)
Wednesday, 6 March: Depth Charge Connect
10.00 am | Dennis and Catherine Hancock’s place (weekly during school term)
Wednesday, 6 March: Anointing of the Sick Mass | Tūrangi
10.00 am | Dennis and Catherine Hancock’s place (weekly during school term)
Wednesday, 6 March: Foundations
6.00 pm | Cafe (then weekly during Lent)
Thursday, 7 March: SVDP | Note change of day
5.30 pm | Cafe
Thursday, 7 March: Endurance Connect | Men’s Group
7.00 pm | Cafe (then weekly during school term)
Friday, 8 March: Anointing of the Sick Mass | Taupō
12noon | Taupō
Friday, 8 March: SVDP Lunch
After Mass | Taupō
Friday, 8 March: Stations of the Cross
Fridays in Lent, 6.45pm (February – March):
Pakeha community
Friday, 8 March: Women’s Group Pietà Lenten Study
7.30pm: Church
Sunday, 10 March: 4th Sunday of Lent | 2nd Scrutiny
9am Mass
Sunday, 10 March: Seek (Baptism Course): Session Three
Welcoming new members to the parish: After Mass | Faith Formation Centre. (See advertisement below)
Monday, 11 March: Tim Tam Connect | Book Club
10.00 am Mass | Cafe (then 2nd/3rd Monday of the month during school term)
Tuesday, 12 March: Healers’ Connect
9.30 am | Cafe
Tuesday, 12 March: Tuesday Community Lunch
1.00 pm | Taupō (then weekly during school term)
Tuesday, 12 March: Youth Groups
6.00 pm – 7.00pm (Years 7 & 8) | 7.00 pm – 7.30pm (dinner) | 7.30 pm – 8.45pm (Years 9 & 13) | Taupō (weekly during school term)
Tuesday, 12 March: Parish Leadership Team (PLT)
6.30pm | Faith Development Centre
Wednesday, 13 March: Depth Charge Connect
10.00 am | Dennis and Catherine Hancock’s place (weekly during school term)
Wednesday, 13 March: Foundations
6.00 pm | Cafe (then weekly during Lent)
Thursday, 14 March: Endurance Connect | Men’s Group
7.00 pm | Cafe (then weekly during school term)
Friday, 15 March: Stations of the Cross
Fridays in Lent, 6.45pm (February – March):
Māori community
Friday, 15 March: Women’s Group Pietà Lenten Study
7.30pm: Church
Sunday, 17 March: Feast of St Patrick | School Mass
9am Mass
Sunday, 17 March: Seek (Baptism Course): Session Four
Welcoming new members to the parish: After Mass | Faith Formation Centre. (See advertisement below)
Tuesday, 19 March: Tuesday Community Lunch
1.00 pm | Taupō (then weekly during school term)
Tuesday, 19 March: Youth Groups
6.00 pm – 7.00pm (Years 7 & 8) | 7.00 pm – 7.30pm (dinner) | 7.30 pm – 8.45pm (Years 9 & 13) | Taupō (weekly during school term)
Wednesday, 20 March: Depth Charge Connect
10.00 am | Dennis and Catherine Hancock’s place (weekly during school term)
Wednesday, 20 March: Foundations
6.00 pm | Cafe (then weekly during Lent)
Wednesday, 20 March: Lenten Reconcilation Service | Tūrangi
7.00 pm
Thursday, 21 March: Lenten Reconcilation Service | Taupō
7.00 pm
Thursday, 21 March: NO Endurance Connect | Men’s Group
Lenten Reconciliation Service instead
Friday, 22 March: Stations of the Cross
Fridays in Lent, 6.45pm (February – March):
School community
Friday, 22 March: Women’s Group Pietà Lenten Study
7.30pm: Church
Sunday, 24 March: Palm Sunday
End of Lent
Sunday, 24 March: Seek (Baptism Course): Session Five
Welcoming new members to the parish: After Mass | Faith Formation Centre. (See advertisement below)
Monday, 25 March: Beginning of Holy Week
Tuesday, 26 March: Chrism Mass | Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Hamilton
12.15 pm
Tuesday, 26 March: Tuesday Community Lunch
1.00 pm | Taupō (then weekly during school term)
Tuesday, 26 March: Youth Groups
6.00 pm – 7.00pm (Years 7 & 8) | 7.00 pm – 7.30pm (dinner) | 7.30 pm – 8.45pm (Years 9 & 13) | Taupō (weekly during school term)
Wednesday, 27 March: Depth Charge Connect
10.00 am | Dennis and Catherine Hancock’s place (weekly during school term)
Thursday, 28 March: NO 9am Mass | Taupō
See below
Thursday, 28 March: NO Endurance Connect | Men’s Group
See below
Thursday, 28 March: Mass of the Last Supper of the Lord | Taupō
7.00 pm
Friday, 29 March: NO 12noon Mass | Taupō
See below
Friday, 29 March: Stations of the Cross | Tūrangi
10.00 am
Friday, 29 March: The Passion of the Our Lord Jesus Christ | Taupō
3.00 pm
Saturday, 30 March: NO 9am Mass
See below
Saturday, 30 March: NO Vigil Mass in Tūrangi
See below
Saturday, 30 March: Holy Saturday Easter Vigil | Taupō
8.00 pm
Sunday, 31 March: Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord | Taupō
9am
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
For the last twelve months four people in the parish have been learning about the Church and what it means to be Catholic.
LENT IS A SPECIAL TIME for them as they journey towards Easter.
At the Easter Vigil they will be welcomed into the Church through baptism & the Holy Spirit. They will profess with us the Faith of the Church. Then, they will join us at the Altar of the Lord, so be nourished with the Body and Blood of Christ.
The Scrutinies
On the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent, our newly named “Elect”, Suzy Aislabie, Luke Holder, Cameron Bramble and Seonah Choi, participate in three successive rites called “the Scrutinies.” These rites, with roots dating back to the early Church, take place during the Sunday Mass, each thematically linked to the Gospel reading for that Mass.
The first Gospel (The Samaritan Woman at the Well) tells us that Christ is the Living Water.
The second (The Healing of the Man Born Blind), tells us that Christ is the Light of the World.
The third, (The Raising of Lazarus from the Dead), tells us that that Christ is the Resurrection and the Life.
Let us pray for these elect whom the Church has confidently chosen. May they successfully complete their long preparation and at the paschal feast find Christ in his sacraments.
Have you been considering baptism for your child or infant? Now is your chance for 2024.
SEEK is a fun and interactive 5 week adventure for parents and their children as they explore faith and journey towards baptism. We can’t wait to have you join us for the adventure.
Preparing my 10 year old son for baptism, and helping him appreciate the immeasurable value that the Christian Faith has in our lives, was made easy through SEEK. This 5 week course is directed at both the child and the parents.
It equipped me with the knowledge needed to prepare my son on this important journey. At the end of this course, he was inspired to learn more about the Christian Faith, to read the Bible and understand the importance of praying and celebrating mass.
SEEK has also helped me, as a parent, to understand the central role I play in supporting my son on this journey, and to continue strengthening both his and my connection with the church and with God.
Anton Caruana with his parents, Philip and Huiling Xie, on the occasion of Anton’s baptism, 18 November 2023.
LENTEN PRACTICES 2024
DIVINE MERCY
Fridays & Sundays during Lent 3pm | Taupō
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Fridays during Lent | 6.45pm | Taupō
Booklet will be printed and available each Friday.
16 Feb: Filipino community
23 Feb: Tokelau community
1 Mar: Indian community
8 Mar: Pākeha community
15 Mar: Māori community
22 Mar: School community
WOMEN’S GROUP
PIETÀ LENTEN PROGRAMME
Fridays during Lent | 7.30pm |
Taupō
CONFESSIONS
During Lent come and celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Confession | Penance
Rite II Reconciliation Service
Celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession | Penance) is perfect way to prepare for Easter
THREE PILLARS OF LENT
The word LENT comes from an old English word meaning “spring,” or “a new birth”. This time of year helps us to renew our lives as Catholics and renew our life in Jesus, his Church, and his Father.
The three traditional pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
Through these three pillars we journey to develop a closer relationship to God.
LENTEN APPEAL 2024
The Time Is Now
Lenten Envelopes are available in the church foyers. This is one of the ways we can give alms.
DYNAMIC CATHOLIC | The Best Lent Ever
Click on the image for the daily Lenten reflection.
Retreats
Tyburn Monastery, Ngakuru &
Cluny Retreat Centre, Tauranga
Maintenance Update
Work began this week on the replacement of all the water pipes to the church and the presbytery. The original pipes are nearly forty years old with the growing possibility of major leaks and complete failure. The Parish Finance Council made their replacement a priority for 2024.
Like so many similar projects, the extent of the work is unknown until the digging starts. Previously unknown pipes have been uncovered; two major leaks to the presbytery have been found …
This will be a costly project. The estimate to date is around $16,000. The final cost will not be known until the work is completed.
Two parishioners have already made donations towards this project. If there are other parishioners who are in a position to assist, please know that your donations will be most gratefully received.
Sunday Mass Schedule
Vigil Mass: Saturdays, 5pm | Tūrangi
Sunday Mass: Sunday, 9am | Taupō
Weekday Mass Schedule
Monday: 7pm | Taupō
Tuesday: 9am | Taupō
Wednesday: 12noon | Tūrangi
Thursday: 9am | Taupō
Friday: 12noon | Taupō
Saturday: 9am | Taupō
Public Holidays: 9am | Taupō
Confessions | Reconciliation | Penance
Wednesday: After Mass | Tūrangi
Saturday: 9.30am | Taupō
Adoration
Monday – Saturday: 30 minutes before Mass | Taupō
Regular Events
Prayer for Life
1st Sunday of the month | after Mass | Cafe
Tim Tam Connect | Book Club
2nd Monday of the month | 10am | Cafe
Youth Groups
6.00 pm – 7.00pm (Years 7 & 8) | 7.00 pm – 7.30pm (dinner) | 7.30 pm – 8.45pm (Years 9 & 13) | Taupō
(weekly during school term)
Healers’ Connect | Care for the Sick & Housebound
2nd Tuesday of the month | after 9am Mass | Cafe
Community Lunch
Tuesdays during the school term | 1pm | Cafe
Depth Charge Connect
Wednesdays during the school term | 10am | Dennis & Catherine Hancock’s place
Rosary
Wednesdays 11.30am, Tūrangi | 7pm, Taupō
Purl Connect
Thursdays | 1.00 pm | Lesley Mac’s place
SVDP
2nd Thursday of the month | 5.30pm | Cafe
Endurance Connect
Thursdays during the school term | 7pm | Cafe
Anointing of the Sick Mass
2nd Friday of the month | 12noon | Taupō
SVDP Lunch
2nd Friday of the month | after Mass | Cafe
Divine Mercy
Fridays & Sundays | 3pm | Taupō
Praise & Worship
3rd Friday of the month (except during Lent) | 6pm | Taupō
Film Evening
1st Friday of the month (except during Lent) | 6pm | Taupō