Padre Pio Parish Glenmore Park

During the month of November all our Masses are offered for the souls of those who have died throughout the past year and also for those whose names have been recorded in our Rememberance Book. Please add the name of any of your loved ones whom you may want us to pray for.

"It is a holy and wholesome thing to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins." (2 Macabbees 12:46)

I used to be in a parish with a priest who never took holidays. I said to him once, “Is the reason you don’t go on holidays because you think the parish can’t function without you? He replied, “NO I am afraid they might find out that they can!”

It is great to be back in the parish & I am grateful to everyone who kept the parish functioning in my absence. Special thanks to Trish in the office, Lynn Young, John Gately, Harry Fernandez, David Baker (and acolytes), Enzeigh Thomas, Joe Catania, & Peter and Bernadette Quigley who assisted on a daily basis to have the pastoral and sacramental life of the parish flowing. (I am sure there were others but I have been away so I don’t know.) From the feedback I heard, people were generally happy with the priests who provided the Mass each weekend & I am indebted to them for their willingness to celebrate with Padre Pio Parish, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I use that terminology deliberately because we in the diocese are in the process of learning the structure and prayers of “the new Mass” which is coming. There are changes to most of the old familiar prayers and responses we use at Mass but the implementation will be gradual and you will be given plenty of time to adapt to the new way of participation. We have been 40 years using the present version so it’s probably time for a revision.

One of the obvious changes will be the consecration prayers over the chalice which will use the words: “this is the cup of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for many” instead of “you and for all”. It is a more accurate translation of what our Lord said: pro vobis et pro multis, -- "multis" meaning "many." The change is subtle but it means a lot. It means that Jesus knew that when He offered His life on the cross there would be some who would not want to be included. He did not do it therefore ‘for all’ but for those who would accept His offer of eternal life (to those who eat His body and drink His blood). In saying “for many” instead of “for all”, the Church is expressing the belief that the merits of Calvary are only applied to those who are willing. But it never denied that they are potentially available to everyone.

In coming weeks (and maybe months) we will be featuring some more changes that are coming in the way we respond and participate in “the new Mass” taken from the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.

Blessing on your week

Fr. Kevin