Brisbane Oratory News
Its nearly Advent already!
Tempus fugit, time flies, doesn’t seem a strong enough saying to express how quickly this year seems to have passed us by. It seems like only yesterday that I returned home from Rome and yet it has been nearly ten whole months. These months have been filled with study and work in and around the Oratory Parish. However, here we are at the end of another Liturgical Year and about to enter into a period of preparation for the birth of Our Saviour at Christmas. It is always an enjoyable time of year filled with warm (though sometimes it seems a little too warm) weather, friends and family starting to get excited about taking holidays and a general sense of joy at the coming of Our Lord. Another reason why it is a lovely time of the year is because we get to have a break from our formal studies over the Christmas period. This allows both Br Tyson and I to step back from our assigned readings and read books which may be of more personal interest or perhaps the life of a saint that we have been keen to learn more about.
Read the rest of Br Conor’s reflection in the Brisbane Oratory Newsletter.
Read here.
Indulgences for Souls of the Faithful Departed
Everyday from 1st to 8th of November a plenary indulgence applicable only to the souls in purgatory, is granted to the faithful who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed.
The usual conditions for indulgences apply:
- One plenary indulgence can be granted per day.
- Be in a state of grace by the completion of the work.
- Detachment from sin, even venial; if lacking the indulgence is partial.
- Holy Communion (20 days before or after the indulgenced act).
- Prayers for the intentions of the Pope (20 days before or after the indulgenced act). One Our Father and one Hail Mary is sufficent.
- Sacramental Confession (20 days before or after the indulgenced act). One confession with the intention of gaining all the indulgences is sufficient for all indulgences during the 20 day period.
An indulgence is the remission of temporal punishment due to sin. There are two kinds of punishments attached to certain sins. Mortal sins have an eternal punishment which is completly removed through Sacramental Confession. All sins also have a certain temporal punishment attached to them, for when we sin we do damage to ourself and depending on our degree of sorrow, some of this temporal punishment can remain after Confession. Good works help remit any temporal punishment still effecting us, and temporal punishment left when we die is expiated in purgatory.
However, indulgences are an application of the merits of Christ to our temporal punishment. A plenary indulgence removes all temporal punishment due to sin, while a partial indulgence removes some it. We can apply indulgences to ourselves, but we can also apply them to the souls in purgatory and expiate the temporal punishment due to their sins and assist them to enter heaven sooner.
Celebration for the Canonisation of John Henry Newman
On Sunday 13 October we celebrated the canonisation of St John Henry Newman. St John Henry established the first Oratory in the English speaking world in Birmingham. He was a well known convert from Anglicanism having to give up much when he became a Catholic. He is one of the greatest intellectuals in the Church, a man of deep prayer, and sought his pastoral work among the poor of Birmingham drawing souls to Christ through friendship and joy.
In preparation for this feast we have been praying a Novena to St John Henry in our parish, in which we also celebrated his feast day, finishing with a celebration on Sunday with his canonisation with a sung Mass followed by a spit roast picnic with our parishioners. It wonderful to have so many of our parishioners and supporters join us on this great day.
October Updates
Brother Conor moved a step closer to priesthood when His Grace, Archbishop Coleridge, visited on September 9 to admit Brother as a candidate for Holy Orders. Brother is resolved to complete his preparation for ordination, and the Archbishop has accepted that declaration in the name of the Church.
Maria Rose Anna Photography.
Oratorians around the world are rejoicing that, in the coming weeks, another of our own will be raised to the dignity of the altars. John Henry, Cardinal Newman will be canonised by the Holy Father on Sunday 13 October. Father Scot is making the journey to Rome to represent us at the celebrations there. Here in Brisbane we will celebrate his feast day on Wednesday 9 October (in the week leading up to the canonisation day), and on the day of the canonisation itself we warmly invite you to celebrate with us at the 9:00am Mass, and afterwards with a spit-roast lunch in the school grounds. In the lead-up to this event, we invite you to join in the following Novena prayer which we will also pray at the end of Mass each day leading up to the canonisation.
Read more in this months Newsletter.
Catholic Enquiry Group
The Catholic Enquiry Group will begin a new cycle starting on Tuesday 1 October at 7:30pm – 8:45pm. This group is for adults who wish to enquire into or prepare to be received into the Church and become Catholic. This program also takes the place of RCIA. Catholics who wish to reconnect with their faith after some time away from the Church, or who would like to go over the faith, are also welcome.
Here at the Oratory we use Evangelium which is a thourough program that covers the Catholic Faith to give people a solid foundation in what Catholics believe and why including the Creed, Sacraments, Morals, and Prayer. The groups are usually small in number allowing some time for discussion and questions.
If you are discerning a call to become a Catholic or would just like to learn more please contact Teresa Martin who is the program coordinator on 0413763256 to register.
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