Brisbane Oratory News
Feast of the Epiphany
Today on the Feast of the Epiphany we celebrate the revelation to the Gentiles that God has become incarnate in the person Jesus Christ. This revelation to the Gentiles is seen when, guided by the starts, the Magi or Wise Men bring gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh to the infant Jesus in recognition of his kingship.
In accordance with ancient tradition, today Fr Scot assisted by Br Tyson in a chanted blessing that takes a little under an hour, blessed Epiphany Water. Epiphany Water is Holy Water that has particularly powerful prayers of exorcism and blessing for use by the faithful.
This water is made available along with blessed chalk at Mary Immaculate Church for people to bless their homes, and like the Magi, to welcome Christ into it. Chalking and blessing our homes encourages us to dedicate our entire home and common life to God and is a wonderful way for families to celebrate the Epiphany and revelation of God becoming man for us.
The blessing can be done simply by writing the script 20+C+M+B+20 above the main door of the house or using a simple blessing such as the this one.
The letters have two meanings. They are the initials of the traditional names of the Three Magi: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar who were sanctified by their adoration of the infant Jesus. They also abbreviate the Latin words “Christus mansionem benedicat,” “May Christ bless the house.”
Christmas Mass Times
Join us for Holy Mass to celebrate the birth of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Christmas Eve
5:30pm Vigil Mass OF at St John Fisher.
7:30pm Vigil Mass OF at Mary Immaculate,
Preceded by Carols at 7:00pm.
Midnight
Midnight Solemn High Mass at Mary Immaculate,
Missa O Magnum Mysterium, Victoria,
Preceded by Carols at 11:40pm.
Christmas Day
7:30am Mass OF at Mary Immaculate.
9:00am Mass Missa Cantata at Mary Immaculate.
Please note there is no 5:00pm Mass on Christmas Day.
Advent Lessons and Carols
Our service of Lessons and Carols was an excellent way to help us prepare for the coming of Christmas. During this time we listened to Scripture readings foretelling the coming of Christ and the Gospel accounts of his birth. This was interspersed with worship through the singing of hymns including many favourites such as O Come O Come Emmanual and O Come All Ye Faithful.
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.
Upcoming Events
