Weekly Bulletin

"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth..." (John 16:12–13)

These words of Jesus open up a tender and deeply reassuring window into the mystery of the Trinity. Jesus knows the limitations of his disciples — their fears, their confusion, their incomplete understanding. Yet he doesn't overwhelm them. Instead, he promises them a Companion, the Spirit of truth, who will continue the work of revealing God’s heart to them, in ways they can bear and grow into.

In these few verses, we glimpse the beautiful harmony between Father, Son, and Spirit. Jesus speaks what he hears from the Father. The Spirit speaks what he hears from Jesus. There is no competition, no confusion, no separation — only a loving dance of mutual self-giving and glorification. This is not abstract doctrine; it is the living, breathing dynamic of love at the heart of God.

Every time we make the sign of the cross, we mark ourselves with this profound mystery. We remind ourselves that we live and move and have our being within this divine relationship. The Trinity is not a puzzle to be solved, but a relationship to be entered into. We are drawn into this divine communion — to listen with the openness of the disciples, to be guided by the Spirit of truth, and to glorify God with our lives.

Yes, the language of Father and Son may not speak to everyone in the same way. But the reality beneath the words remains: a God who creates, who walks among us in love, and who breathes life into us still. We are invited not just to understand the Trinity, but to live it — to reflect its unity, its love, and its shared mission in our own relationships, communities, and daily choices.

To bless ourselves in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is not just a ritual. It is a reaffirmation of who we are and whose we are — people caught up in the eternal flow of divine love, called to make that love visible in the world.

Based on: Living the Gospel – Trinity, by Greg Sunter

 May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved……….forever!  
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The Holy Spirit makes himself known in the symbol of tongues of fire. He wants us to understand that the Apostles have to convert the world by the word, by preaching, by instruction. The weapon of persuasion was the only weapon the Spirit of God gave them to conquer the world and subject it to the law of Jesus Christ. And since tongues of fire and of love have in fact renewed the face of the earth and brought souls back to God, it is by these same means that we should win for Jesus Christ many brothers and sisters, many poor sinners sunk in depravity and ignorance. What are we doing to enlighten them, to instruct them, to bring them back to the truth? Are our words full of faith, love of God, zeal and commitment to our neighbour? Do our words breathe the sacred fire that penetrates, touches and converts?

Jules Chevalier msc 
Meditations I, p.649-650., Issoudun 1891

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If we seek to delve more deeply into the mysterious working of the Spirit, we learn that he groans within us, saying “Abba!” Indeed, “the proof that you are children is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Gal. 4:6). For ‘the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:16). The Holy Spirit at work in Christ’s human heart draws him unceasingly to the father. When the Spirit unites us to the sentiments of Christ through grace, he makes us sharers in the Son’s relationship to the Father, whereby we receive ‘a spirit of adoption through which we cry out ‘Abba! Father!’” (Rom. 8:15).

Pope Francis. Dilexit Nos: He Loved us, #76 
On the Human and Divine love of the Heart of Jesus Christ 

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FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

Next weekend [21/22 June] the children of SJA and STA parishes will receive The Eucharist for the first time.

St John the Apostle Parish:

5pm Vigil Saturday – 16 children

8:30am Sunday – 4 children

10:00am Sunday – 11 children

6:00pm Sunday – 2 children

St Thomas Aquinas Parish:

6:00pm Vigil Saturday – 25 children

9:00am Sunday – 7 children

Please hold all of these children in your prayers.

 

ANOINTING OF THE SICK MASS
Friday 20 June

Mass – 11:00am

Lunch – 12 noon

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will be celebrated during this mass. Following the mass lunch will be served in the church foyer.

 

We would like to assist those who are housebound and cannot normally attend Mass to join this special Mass and lunch.
Please contact the parish office if you, or someone you know, would like to attend but needs assistance with transportation.

Feast of the Sacred Heart

Friday 27 June 2025

11:00am Mass

The Missionaries of the Sacred of Jesus will be celebrating this feast day across the globe. At St John the Apostle Parish we will celebrate at the 11:00am mass with the Children from St John the Apostle Primary School followed by a soup lunch in the church foyer.

Prayer for Vocations - Missionaries of the Sacred Heart 
To be on earth the Heart of God 
Third Friday Monthly 9:30am Mass 
Fr. Jules Chevalier, the MSC Founder envisioned:
“Being MSC, we are brothers and sisters, priests and lay MSC, all MSC in our own way.

“May we, the Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus your Son, be blessed abundantly with men and women chosen to share our mission of love”

Help Keep Our Community Healthy This Winter

As winter settles in, let's take simple steps to protect one another from colds, flu, and COVID-19. Many in our community are currently unwell, and COVID continues to circulate.

Please remember to:

Wash your hands regularly with soap and water

Use hand sanitiser when entering and leaving the church

Stay home if you're feeling unwell

Together, we can care for each other and help keep our parish community safe and healthy this winter.

 

Gethsemane Thursday

Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament 
 3 July 7:30 – 8:30pm

Could you not stay awake with me one hour. 
Matt 26:40

 

MASS OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS  
1st Friday of every month ■ 9:30am  
Sacred Heart Mass Intention
4 July
The heart is the centre of our being, and the seat of our emotions and love.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus symbolizes his great love for humanity. Jesus initiated this devotion out of his great love for us.

Thomas More Forum

Will it be Lawful to be a Christian in 2050? And what the ACT compulsory takeover of Calvary Hospital means for Australia

Keynote Speaker: Bishop Tony Percy

Date: Friday 27 June 2025
Time:6.45pm for 7.30pm
Venue: Mercure Hotel,  Limestone Avenue, Braddon

Cost: $99.00 (Dinner and wine) 

RSVP: 11am Friday 20 June 2025 forum@stthomasmore.org.au | 0416 823 447
Register Now:
https://bit.ly/stmf-270625

 
YCS BELCONNEN - 
After Sunday Mass 
From 7:00pm – 9:00pm 
St John the Apostle Parish Centre 
Year groups 7 – 12 are welcome Join us for games, praise, prayer, food and social justice

By remembering your faith community in your Will, you contribute to the spiritual legacy that has enriched your life. Your bequest ensures the continuation of the traditions, teachings, and support that have shaped your journey.