Yes Lord - Ōtautahi

29/05/2023

Did you get your copy of Yes Lord - Ōtautahi over the weekend? If not, they will be available at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Christchurch, NZ during the week. A digital copy will be posted on here.

23/05/2023

Always exciting to see the next issue coming along....

08/03/2023

Pilgrimage - have you been to the Holy Land, Lourdes, Fatima, Santiago, or any other Holy place on Pilgrimage? Would you like to share some of your story for the next "Yes, Lord!" Parish Magazine? Comment below or send a private message.

24/02/2023

I will be on the look out for stories of conversion and evangelisation tomorrow. Are you coming?

28/11/2022

Saying Yes to God:
Mary's Yes
MONDAY NIGHT THOUGHT
From Catholic Discovery NZ

Mary’s “yes” is most profound to me in the way that it changed her life. It is believable, even without God’s request, that she and Joseph would have become parents. Because of her “yes” though, she became not only a mother, but the mother of Jesus. An ordinary life was made sacred by way of an invitation that she affirmed. Her life was deepened but the shape of it remained mostly the same: Like any mother, she was still needed by the infant in the middle of the night, chased the toddler with the hopes of a nap soon to come, and turned her life towards her child’s. The difference is that her attention turned toward the child who was Jesus. When Mary said “yes,” she welcomed God into the content of her already given life.

So it is with our lives. When we say “yes,” God is most often inviting us to what is already within our capacity—inviting us to see our ordinary roles as sacred. Like Mary, can we accept the deepening of the lives that we have already been given? Can we say “yes” and let life be sacred?

Prayer Prompt
Prayer is the practice of attending to that which is true. When we pray, whatever method we use, we notice our needs, our desires, and our relationships. Only by noticing what is within are we able to connect with what is beyond ourselves. As such, prayer is our participation in the deepening of the sacred.

Mary taught us this when she said, “yes.”

I invite you to finish this prayer:

God, you are my ever-patient creator.
You are my abundant invitation.
Help me to respond to the layers of my life with a Yes you have heard before. Help me echo the Yes that Mary gave in these places of my life…

The above is an excerpt from Catherine Wiecher Brunell's article on Loyola Press.

https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/liturgical-year/advent/inspiration/saying-yes-to-god-marys-yes/

14/10/2022

Stay tuned for our next issue.....

28/09/2022

We have a new issue on the way! We are focusing on prayer, and different forms of prayer. Do you have a story to share? Comment below.

27/04/2022

Read Mark's story athttps://catholiccathedralchch.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Yes-Lord-I3-WEB.pdf

22/04/2022

You can read our latest issue online now, or pick one up at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Christchurch, NZ this weekend.

https://catholiccathedralchch.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Yes-Lord-I3-WEB.pdf

02/04/2022

Behind the scenes. Cover photo shoot. Watch out for the next magazine.

25/03/2022

Have you read our last issue? Next issue coming in April

https://catholiccathedralchch.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Yes-Lord-I2-WEB.pdf

24/03/2022

A new issue is coming your way in April. Keep an eye out. We will be looking at ways we can each respond with "Yes, Lord!", and use our gifts and talents, as we are all called to the mission of the Church.

22/09/2021

Get your copy of the latest Yes Lord - Ōtautahi this weekend at Mass @ St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Catholic Cathedral Parish, Ōtautahi-Christchurch
▶️Read it online here:
https://catholiccathedralchch.org.nz/2021/09/23/yes-lord-september-2021/

09/09/2021

Our next issue is heading to the printer! We will have some copies available at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Christchurch, NZ Catholic Cathedral Parish, Ōtautahi-Christchurch next week. We are also looking at options to have it available online. Keep an eye out!

26/08/2021

The Universal Call to Holiness.

In Gaudete et Exsultate: Rejoice and Exult (2018), Pope Francis sets out to “repropose the call to holiness in a practical way for our own time, with all its risks, challenges and opportunities” (2). In doing so, Pope Francis builds on a central teaching of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), namely, that all the faithful, whatever their condition or state in life, are called by the Lord to be holy. To this end, Pope Francis urges each believer to “discern his or her own path, that they bring out the very best of themselves” (11).

While there are any number of theories, explanations and suggestions about what constitutes holiness, Pope Francis directs us to the words of Jesus—especially the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-23) and the Last Judgement (Matthew 25:31-46)—in order to understand what a life of holiness involves. If “the Beatitudes are like a Christian’s identity card” (63), the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel gives us “one clear criterion on which we will be judged” (95).

Five Signs of Holiness.

For Pope Francis, “the framework of holiness offered by the Beatitudes and Matthew 25:31-46” (110), directs us to certain signs or spiritual attitudes that are necessary for an understanding of the life of holiness to which we are called. Five great expressions of love for God and neighbour which Pope Francis considers to be of particular importance in today’s world are:
Perseverance, Patience and Meekness (112-121)
Joy and a Sense of Humour (122-128)
Boldness and Passion (129-139)
In Community (140-146)
In Constant Prayer (147-157)

Perseverance, patience and meekness ground us in God who loves and sustains us, enabling us to endure and grow in holiness in the midst of life’s ups and downs, and in the face of failings on the part of others.

Joy and a sense of humour is a sign of that positive and hopeful spirit which, as followers of Christ, we radiate in response to the Good News that he brings. Because we know we are infinitely loved by God, we come to possess a “deep security, serene hope and a spiritual fulfilment that the world cannot understand or appreciate” (125).

Holiness is signalled by boldness and passion—“an impulse to evangelise and to leave a mark in this world” (129). As Christians pursuing holiness, not only do we experience a freedom of a life open to God and to others, we are also given the courage to be witnesses of the Gospel in our daily lives. No longer content to keep within safe bounds, we “dare to go out to the fringes” (135) where we find God in our suffering brothers and sisters.

“Growth in holiness is a journey in community, side by side with others” (141). Whether in the family, the parish, the religious community—or any other—the common life is made up of small everyday things. By paying loving attention to the little details of life, as we care for one another and create an open and evangelising environment, we make a space for the risen Lord to do his work.

“Holiness consists in a habitual openness to the transcendent, expressed in prayer and adoration” (147). By seeking to live in constant prayer—as we meet Jesus in the Scriptures, in the Eucharist and the other Sacraments, as well as through personal prayer—our communion with God deepens.

A Challenge
At this time, one of our three diocesan priorities is growing in holiness. Gaudete et Exsultate is an invaluable guide for our faith journey. Why not get to know it better!

Charles Shaw.

16/08/2021

💥💥 Our next issue is coming! 💥💥
"So, what is holiness? If it is to “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48), does that make it too hard and unachievable?" - Is Holiness for Me?

27/07/2021

Ministry of Welcome

After the earthquakes, my little family moved around different parishes. It became very clear that all Parishes were not the same. We went through the emotions of feeling isolated, even in a large crowd. The child-like behaviour of our little children was clearly not welcome at some places. For these reasons I have a heart for creating a Parish full of welcome.

Many just think ‘welcome’ is the person on the door who might say hello and hand you a newsletter, but welcome runs much deeper than that. Welcome is how we all come to Mass; and we should come with the heart of Jesus. This means we have a heart of love for all those we encounter, and we make sure those who we sit next to feel they are welcome here, and that they are part of our family.

As we grow into the new reality that is our new parish, we are all called to make everyone feel welcome. It is simple steps to begin with. Let us smile at one another and take the time to introduce ourselves to someone. Let us give thanks for those people who are celebrating Mass with us.

Choose to belong to our Parish, and to do your part in the Parish. Have a mindset of ‘what can I do to help?’ instead of ‘what can the Parish do for me?’ You are a gift to our Parish, and we all have gifts to share. Your gifts will make our Parish a better place; your gifts will help make our Parish more welcoming.

As Catholics, as followers of Jesus, we have the responsibility to share our faith with others. Our faith is not a private matter; our faith gives us hope and joy. We have the responsibility to share this with others so they too may have the hope and joy we have. This sharing can start with people being welcomed to our Parish.

Over these coming months let us make our prayer centred on Jesus opening our eyes to those around us, and how we can share a little of Jesus’ love with them. This little prayer alone will help make our Parish a place of welcome.

Clare Bell
Pastoral Worker

22/07/2021

St Joseph’s Blueprint

New Zealand society is suffering from a fatherhood dilemma and the statistics present some cold hard truths that we cannot ignore. In the 2018 Census, 107,000 New Zealand families were being cared for by solo mothers. This represents 82% of all families in that category. Statistics also indicate that 65% of youth offenders do not live with their fathers and that broken families cost our country $5 billion annually.
These facts are startling, and I do not use them to criticise those heroic mothers that work tirelessly to raise good children. My lament falls solely on a generation of men who have not stepped up to the God given responsibilities that are demanded of good husbands, fathers and friends. What men need is a blueprint and model of fatherhood that calls us all to account and creates a legacy that strengthens not only our families, but develops our communities and enables all people to live life to the full, and encounter the God who desires us all to achieve the best of our abilities.
The fatherhood blueprint can never be found in our current brand of media which, since the advent of The Simpsons, has portrayed fathers as bumbling, irresponsible idiots. True fatherhood can be found in the silent model of St Joseph, the loving father who features only rarely in scripture where he is portrayed as a man of great compassion, faith and obedience.
Starting in Matthew’s Gospel, Joseph is revealed as a just man. On learning of Mary’s pregnancy, Joseph could have invoked the laws of the time to see Mary either cut off from her community or executed. Yet Joseph acts with compassion and does not desire to see Mary victimised for her pregnancy. Soon after, Joseph experiences a dream which helps him to see the full truth of Mary’s divinely ordered conception. This dream parallels the dreams of the great Hebrew prophets and serves to emphasise that Joseph walks in the footsteps of God’s most obedient servants. His obedience to God and his protection and compassion for Mary leads to Joseph assuming the role of Jesus’s father and protector.
Luke’s Gospel presents Joseph as the family man, the person who accompanies and supports Mary in her role as the mother of our Saviour. Moreover, we see Joseph as a prime enabler of Jesus’ faith. As the patriarch of the family, responsibility for religious adherence would have fallen squarely upon Joseph’s shoulders. We know that he was present at all the significant religious festivals and no-doubt led his family each year on the arduous return trip from Nazareth to Jerusalem (approximately 140km each way) to celebrate the Passover. Within the Hebrew culture, men and women did not worship together, so it was Joseph who modelled the practical worship and temple practices to the young Jesus.
Similarly, as a tekton (builder), it was Joseph who trained Jesus in the art and crafts of stonemasonry and carpentry; the building methods of the time. Joseph would have introduced the apprentice Jesus to the fruits of a hard day’s honest work and the many conversations shared between a father and son about faith, community and responsibility certainly would have influenced the future path that Jesus trod.
Ultimately, Joseph through his self-giving love and servitude embodies the ideal blueprint for fatherhood. As a relatively silent witness to the growing Christ, Joseph shows us that true fatherhood is not a biological fact, but the actions of a devoted man that supports and nurtures those who are dependent on him. If we want to change the face of fatherhood in New Zealand and globally, then all men should aim to be leaders of faith, advocates of compassion, obedient servants to God, constant supporters of our wives and educators to our children using the blueprint provided to us by the adoptive father of our Lord and Saviour.

Thomas Newton
Cathedral Brotherhood

21/07/2021

Our next issue is coming!
We are focusing on Growing in Holiness.
How do YOU grow in holiness?

One of our pastoral priorities is 'Growing in personal holiness'. How do we do that? We can read the Bible 📖 we can make time for personal prayer 🙏 we can attend Mass ⛪ What else can we do? Please leave your suggestions ⬇️

15/07/2021

Maintenance to Mission.
In Bishop Paul’s plan “Our Faith, Our Future” he outlined what he desired for the parishes of our Diocese - Parishes to be places where people are welcome, loved and cared for, and to feel part of a community that nourishes and supports them. Parishes to be filled with young people and families, and where Lay people use their gifts and strengths to aid the mission of the Church. He wants parishes to have a commitment to Social Justice and the Poor, and to always be on mission. We should be “so attractive that people are drawn to us and people experience the welcome and love Christ offers”.
This is a good reflection for us. In your life you will have seen some of this done very well and at times some of it done very poorly. This is not just a fact for our Diocese but for the Catholic parishes all over the world.
Bishop Paul’s plan is actually what is being called for all over the world.
Other parts of the world have not suffered an earthquake like us, but they are being called to totally re-look at what they are doing and how they are doing it. All over the world Diocese are reviewing their church buildings in light of fewer priests and dying congregations. In a recent document from the Vatican’s Congregation for the Clergy about the renewal of parish life it states that changing the physical structure of the parishes is not enough if we don’t have internal transformation. Physical change is necessary, but it is not conversion of structures but conversion of hearts that will bring about the greatest change.
In essence the Church is calling us to live our faith and baptismal call more fully every day. We are called to be more than Sunday Catholics.
The culture of our world is forever changing and how we communicate the message of the Gospel needs to change with it. The message doesn’t need to change, but how we deliver it.
For so long the work of the parish was left to the Priest, and because of this it was often left to one person; all they could manage was maintaining the flock and not empowering the flock to be missionary. In the recent years more and more lay people have been actively involved in the life and work of the Church, but I hear very clearly from our Bishop that it is time for all of us to use the gifts and strengths we have to be missionary.
We are being called from Maintenance to Mission.
So, what is Mission? Mission is evangelisation, and that can seem like a scary word. Our parish exists to evangelise. Evangelisation simply means sharing the Good News of Jesus.
Over the years I think parishes, at times, have forgotten their why. Why do we exist? We got into the routine of doing what we have always done and started to wonder why our church had no young people or families.
Evangelisation needs to be the corner stone of the parish. When evangelisation becomes a culture of our parish; we look at everything we do with the lens of evangelisation. In everything we do we ask “how will they know we are followers of Jesus? Will they see the hope I have through him?”
Clare Bell

28/06/2021

“Let us dream, then, as a single human family . . .” (Pope Francis)
In his latest encyclical, Fratelli Tutti (2020), Pope Francis reflects on St Francis of Assisi’s invitation to his brothers and sisters to live a life marked by the flavour of the Gospel. But, how are we to do this today—while creating the conditions for a future that we hope will be better for all? Pope Francis points the way:
The future is not monochrome; if we are courageous, we can contemplate it in all the variety and diversity of what each individual person has to offer. How much our human family needs to learn to live together in harmony and peace, without all of us having to be the same! (Fratelli Tutti, section 100).
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to teach us, “it is not possible to settle for what was achieved in the past and complacently enjoy it” (section 11). Instead, we must dare to dream together as fellow travellers who walk the same earth and share a common home, “each of us bringing the richness of his or her beliefs and convictions, each of us with his or her own voice, brothers and sisters all” (section 8). In order to keep this dream of social friendship alive, we need to cultivate “a fraternal openness that allows us to acknowledge, appreciate and love each person, regardless of physical proximity, regardless of where he or she was born or lives” (section 1).
With this dream in mind, and as a parish community committed to evangelization, we are asked to spread the love of God rather than impose doctrines. We need not fear that we cannot rise to the challenge. For, our ability to evangelize depends less on the knowledge and skills we have, than on our openness to “encountering and relating to differences” (section 147) with a trusting and joyful heart. A sure way to encounter and help one another—while building friendship in society—is through dialogue. Dialogue, as Pope Francis emphasizes, is not about “the feverish exchange of opinions” (section 200), but involves:
Approaching, speaking, listening, looking at, coming to know and understand one another, and to find common ground . . . (section 198).
Finding common ground with people of other cultures and religions—or with those whose lifestyles seem very different from our own—doesn’t mean that we put aside or water down our conviction as Catholic Christians that “the well spring of human dignity and fraternity is in the Gospel of Jesus Christ” (section 277). However, effective dialogue does require us to acknowledge and respect that “others drink from other sources” (section 277). When we do this we are richly rewarded. Not only are we better able to see ourselves from the perspective of another, of one who is different. As we learn from the other, we are also in a stronger position to recognize our own uniqueness—new possibilities as well as limitations.
Amid the particular circumstances of our lives, we each have to find ways to approach, speak, listen, look at, come to know and understand, those we encounter. Hope tells us that when we do we will be able to find common ground upon which to build and celebrate: “For God continues to sow abundant seeds of goodness in our human family” (section 54).

Charles Shaw

26/06/2021

No Limits.
When she was 17 years of age, my eldest daughter was diagnosed with a blood disease and we began weekly trips to the hospital as she received treatment. Over the next nine months hospital appointments gradually became less regular as she was weaned off medication in the hope that her body had stabilised. Unfortunately, normality only lasted for a time before her disease took her into ‘danger zone’ again and further treatment was required. Over the ensuing 18 months this pattern continued until her body showed signs of not coping with the drugs she had been taking. So, our next move was to begin a course of chemotherapy in the hope that the benefits would outweigh the side effects and give her a longer life expectancy. We had many friends and family praying continuously for her and the day before chemo treatment was to begin, Fr Simon anointed her. We arrived at the hospital the next day, completed blood tests, as was the normal pattern for her appointments, and then waited for test results before taking her for her first chemo infusion. Miraculously her blood tests showed a complete turnaround: her body was correcting itself. What a blessing! Subsequent tests continued to show improvement and now, 8 years on, while she technically is still regarded as having the blood disease, she has not required any further treatment.
This experience continues to provide me with a healthy reminder that God knows, and is capable of, so much more than I can think and imagine. Isaiah 58 reminds us ‘“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”’ (Is 55:8-9)
God’s knowledge and understanding far exceeds our human comprehension, it would be conceited of us to think we might know the mind of God. At best, we have only in part, what He sees in full. Just as God’s mind is so much greater than our own, God’s capacity to complete works on earth, through the Holy Spirit, is FAR beyond our own limited human capacity.
If we were to consider God’s eternal perspective on our own individual lives, the life of our parish or our city, our limited human minds could only capture a glimmer of that full eternal perspective. God’s plans and capabilities are so much greater than our own.
Like the young boy in the Gospel story of the feeding of the five thousand, we need to offer ourselves, our plans and our future, just as he offered the two fish and the five loaves. As Jesus did with the fish and the loaves, He can take our offering and make it so much more. We can afford to think big and be expectant because God’s Holy Spirit has no limits. But we need be the vessels through which He can work. “Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these” (Jn 14:12). How ready are we to be attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the way the Spirit wants to use us in bringing about God’s will? How ready are we to let go of our own will and to ‘let God’? Perhaps we could take a moment each day to consciously receive the Holy Spirit; ‘“As the Father has sent me, so I send you”. When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them “Receive the Holy Spirit”.’ (Jn 20:21-22).

Kirsten Challies
Pastoral Worker

22/06/2021

We All Need Healing

The great season of Lent always begins with the call to repent and believe the Good News. It’s a little tempting to see this call as a one-off historical challenge. Pagans who encounter the power of God must acknowledge their need of conversion. Our own conversion can be traced back to when we were baptised.
But in fact our need of conversion to Christ is an ongoing reality. We seek healing and consolation as we fall more deeply in love with Jesus. It’s a constant process of letting go of old ways of doing things and becoming the people God is calling us to be.

Recently Archbishop Paul and our priests spent some days in Hanmer Springs for some ongoing formation. The intention was to relax together, to pray and to continue our study of what evangelisation means for our parishes in the twenty-first century.
Over these days we focused on the first of the diocesan pastoral priorities – growing in personal holiness. We had some very helpful input material and discussion in small groups as we considered what growth in personal holiness would look like in our lives.
And then came a moment which touched me very deeply. It happened when we were sitting in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. We were advised that seven couples had given up a day to come to Hanmer to individually pray with us to assist us in our growth to holiness.
I looked around and there they all were standing behind us. I was so moved by the sight. These fourteen people wanted to support us in our priestly vocation. They wanted to pray for us that we could grow in holiness and grow in our effectiveness as pastors.
For me it was a powerful expression of belonging to the Communion of Saints. A powerful reminder that we are all in this together.
After several more minutes of prayer I went to a couple who sat with me and prayed for me. For several of us, tears were shed and we felt the power of the Holy Spirit bringing the healing and love of Jesus himself.
That moment was a highlight for me during those days together.

We all need to abandon ourselves to the amazing grace and mercy of the Lord. And how empowering it is when we find the humility to do that.
My heartfelt prayer is that we will all regularly seek out the Sacrament of Reconciliation and in that encounter with Jesus discover a deep well of peace, forgiveness, and new life.
Also in our parish we regularly offer parishioners the opportunity to come forward after Mass for a personal opportunity to sit with a couple who will pray over us for our needs.
If you see the couple, and they are free, be courageous and go up and ask for prayer. You will be so pleased you did. But watch out – if I see they are free I may try to get in before you!

Father Simon

21/06/2021

“The Parish is the presence of the Church in any given territory, an environment for hearing God’s word, for growth in Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration” - Pope Francis

Welcome to “Yes, Lord!” – a magazine of life in our parish. This is an opportunity to share our stories, share our struggles, and share our faith. It is our hope that this little publication, over time, will help us on the journey as we focus on the ‘Pastoral Priorities’ set out by the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch – 1. Growing in Holiness, 2. Building & Strengthening our Parish Community, 3. Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

But what are we saying yes to? As a parish so much has been asked of us already, but is it enough for the Lord? Sometimes we just need to say “Yes” even though the road ahead is unclear, or we are asked to start out on a journey we never imagined. In the Old Testament heroes like Abraham and Moses were put to the test by the Lord, and from their “Yes” the Lord used them for great things.

We are a tapestry of communities, each with its own history, traditions, colour, and identity. As the Catholic Cathedral Parish, we hope to weave our communities together, and united be “Christ in the Centre” of Ōtautahi – Christchurch, keeping Christ at the centre of everything we do.

The pages of this magazine are filled with the stories of our parish family, those who have said “Yes, Lord!” and are helping the mission of the Church through the example of their lives, sharing their story, their thoughts, and their aspirations. My prayer is that this publication, and those to follow, will assist in forming relationships, and help to inspire and equip us to become more missional. A step on this journey may be to speak about our faith to others or pass this magazine onto someone.

Our parish believes that we should continue to learn and grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ our whole lives long. Learning of our faith does not stop when we have left school or completed sacramental preparation. Our relationship with Jesus does not start and finish at the church door. Sharing the love of Christ is not just the role of the ordained, but all of us.

Please enjoy our efforts and be a part of our journey. Read our stories. We hope that you can pick up this magazine, read a story, leave it on your table, pick it up again and come back to something else. We welcome your feedback and look forward to receiving ideas and contributions for future editions. Please contact us by email at: [email protected]

Phillip Bell
“Yes, Lord!” Editorial Team

21/06/2021

Welcome to "Yes, Lord!" - Ōtautahi. The magazine of Catholic Cathedral Parish, Ōtautahi-Christchurch. Stay tuned for articles on faith, hope & love, with an emphasis on the pastoral priorities of Catholic Diocese of Christchurch: Growing in personal holiness, Strengthening our communities, and Sharing the Good News.