NOTICEBOARD
St Joseph’s Parish ORAKEI
Twelve Days: The Real Story
The 12 days of Christmas are the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany ( January 6th).
It is not the 12 days before Christmas, as many believe. The tradition of giving a gift on each of the 12
days has now gone. Most people know of the 12 days of Christmas from the song.
It was written with a serious purpose: roman Catholics in England from 1558 to 1829 were prohibited
from practising their faith, either in public or private. The 12 days of Christmas was a
“catechism song” to help young Catholics learn the basics of their faith; it was a memory aid. Since the
sound sounded like rhyming nonsense, they could sing it without fear of imprisonment.
The song‟s gifts had hidden meanings. The “true love” does not refer to an earthly suitor, but to God.
The “me” (who gets the presents) refers to the members of the Church. The partridge in a pear tree is
Christ. He is symbolically presented as a mother partridge in memory of his sadness over the fate of
Jerusalem:“Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings,
as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so...”
The complete list of symbols with meanings:
1 One partridge in a pear tree Jesus Christ
2 Two turtle doves
The Old and New Testaments
3 Three French hens
Faith, Hope and Charity
4 Four calling birds
The first 4 Gospels and/ or the 4 Evangelists
5 Five golden rings
The first 5 books of the Old Testament
6 Six geese a-laying
The 6 days of creation
7 Seven swans a-swimming
The 7 Sacraments of the Catholic Church
8 Eight maids a-milking
The 8 Beatitudes
9 Nine ladies dancing
The 9 fruits of the Spirit
10 Ten Lords a-leaping
The 10 Commandments
11 Eleven pipers piping
The 11 faithful apostles
12 Twelve drummers drumming
The 12 points of doctrine in the Apostles‟ Creed
Ministers & Housekeeping
Many thanks to all those who have been involved in parish ministries
and housekeeping duties for 2011.
A roster to cover the holiday period will be on the notice board at the
back of the church and on the Parish website.
There will be no newsletter during the holiday period.
The parish office will re-open on Monday Jan 9th.
If you need help or assistance please leave a message on the answer
phone and you will be contacted as soon as possible. Ph 521 0871
A Christmas Prayer:
Robert Louis Stevenson
Loving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every
greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be your children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
This Week’s Readings
Mon: Acts 6: 8-10,7: 54-60
Gospel: Matthew 10: 17-22
Tues: John 1: 1-4
Gospel: John 20: 2-8
Wed: John 1: 5-2: 2
Gospel: Matthew 2: 13-18
Thurs: John 2: 3-11
Gospel: Luke 2: 22-35
Fri: Ecclesiasticus 3: 2-6, 12-14
Colossians 3: 12-21
Gospel: 2: 22-40
Sat: John 2: 18-21
Gospel: John 1: 1-18
Sunday 1st January
Numbers 6: 22-27
Galatians 4: 4-7
Gospel: Luke 2: 16-21
16 Brenton Place, Orakei.
Parish Priest: FR TONY DUNN
Parish Secretary: MARION SKINNER
Phone: 521 0871
Email: stjosephsorakei@xtra.co.nz
Website: www.orakeicatholic.org.nz
December 25th 2011
Today’s Readings:
First Reading:
Isaiah 9: 1-7
A son is given to us
Psalm 95
Second Reading:
Titus 2: 11-14
God’s grace has been revealed to all people.
Gospel:
Luke 2: 1-14
Today a savior has been born for you.
Office Hours:
Mon—Fri
1pm—4pm
Weekly Mass Timetable
Mon-Fri
Adoration 5-6pm
Mass
6pm
Saturday 9.00am
5.30pm vigil
Sunday
7.30 am
9.30am
5.00pm
Reconciliation Sat 4.45 pm
Or by appointment
Please telephone the Parish Office
Ph : 521 0871
A warm welcome to everyone today, especially all visitors to our parish.
Christmas Day 2011
Christmas Day is the climax of the second great season of the Church‟s year
( Advent/Christmas) but the season of Christmastide continues for several more
weeks as aspects of this child are revealed. Christmas Day celebrates the mystery of
the Incarnation which means that, in Jesus, God took human flesh, lived a human life
and was fully one of us.
The angels of this Christmas story are God‟s messengers of the good news that
Christ is born. This astonishing news „of great joy‟ is not given to the powerful but
to the poor. They proclaim their message to shepherds, people who had bad
reputations and with no pretensions of glory. The shepherds are so moved that they
in turn become messengers, telling others of their experience and praising and
glorifying God.
What have been the joyful experiences of your life?
When was the last time you truly „rejoiced at receiving good news?
What form did that rejoicing take? How do you experience the joy of this great day?
In this season of gift giving, reflect on the gifts you have received over the years.
What gifts have been especially treasured?
As a human being, what do you regard as your most treasured gift?
How do you share your gifts? How do others share their gifts with you?
Let us all share good news with someone this week.
Glory to God in highest heaven and peace to God’s people on earth.
Pastor’s Corner Christmas 2011
Christmas Message 2011
Many are waiting in eager anticipation for Peter Jackson‟s movie version of Tolkien‟s story
the “Hobbit”.
It is the prelude of his magisterial work, “The Lord of the Rings” and tells how the ring of
power came into Bilbo Baggins possession and to Hobbiton.
Many of us love stories and especially stories that possess echoes of truth. The popularity of
Tolkien‟s stories is due, I think, to the fact that they are myths – big stories, that embody big
truths.
Tolkien was retelling both consciously and unconsciously God‟s own story, told in one Word,
His Word, Jesus Christ.
Christmas is the beginning of that story. God has totally shared our human condition, in all its
weakness and strength, and without sin. He did it, we are told for us, and our salvation.
For us, so that we may reach our full potential which is to share in God‟s own divine life – to
be divinized!
For our salvation; God entered enemy occupied territory to break the power and oppressive
control of an angelic dictator, Satanos, which he did by the subversive tactics of weakness –
becoming a baby, being later tortured and mutilated on a cross – absorbing all the cruelty and
vicious hatred of this being and then playing his ace card – rising from the dead!
He applied to the wounds of our own sinfulness and death the salve, the healing balm of love
and presence, salvation.
It is a time to rejoice and join the good angels in their song of joy and triumph.
God, as St John tells us, pitched his tent among us, fully shared our humanity so that we could
share his divinity. The war has been won. We are in a mopping up operation- so a quiet joy
permeates our life, the joy of knowing Goodness has trumped evil once and for all.
Daily Goals: Week of 25th December
“Faith is something we do”
Monday: Believe: Today I will explore what it
means to share in God‟s own inner life as he has
shared my human life
Tuesday: Think: Today I will ponder the great
myths of our western culture and see in them
seeds of Christ‟s coming into the world
Wednesday: Love: Today I will see how many
things I can be grateful for – as all is a gift from
God
Thursday: Care: Today I will treat all I meet,
knowing that God became man for that person, no
matter who or what they have done.
Friday: Grow: Today I will realize that my truth
growth lies in divinization!
Peace on earth will come to stay,
When we live Christmas every day.
- Helen Steiner Rice
Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect."
~ Oren Arnold
A Decade a Day - Prayer—to – Go
Daily Rosary Prayer for the Family
A family that prays together, stays together
The Joyful Mysteries
Monday: The Angel Gabriel invites Mary to be
the Mother of God
Tuesday: Mary visits her cousins Elizabeth,
carrying John.
Wednesday: Jesus, the Saviour is born
Thursday: Jesus, the first born is offered to God in
the Temple.
Friday: Jesus, the adolescent is found in the
Temple
Christmas as we know has all kinds of associations and meanings for different people. Popular
culture creates an expectation of good cheer, peace and good will. We know from experience that
that is not always the case. It is though a time of gratitude, first to God who has gifted us with his
presence, pitched his tent among us! It is a time to say thank-you to all those, who most of the time
in a hidden and unknown way, have helped build up the parish of St Joseph‟s Orakei to continue to
be that unique community in the Auckland diocese. If I may be bold to say, on behalf of St Joseph,
whose place this is, a sincere thank-you and a prayer for you all for all the blessings embodied in
the Christ child, who really does come again into our lives each Christmas day. Bona Fiesta!
Fr Tony
A Christmas Blessing
During this Christmas season, May you be blessed
With the spirit of the season, which is PEACE
The gladness of the season, which is HOPE
And the heart of the season, which is LOVE
Somehow, not only for Christmas But all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others Is the joy that comes back to you.
And the more you spend in blessing The poor and lonely and sad,
The more of your heart‟s possessing Returns to you glad.
John Greenleaf Whittier
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DID YOU KNOW?
Germany made the first artificial Christmas trees. They were made of goose feathers and
dyed green
Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895
The first Christmas cards were vintage and invented in 1843, the Victorian era.
“Jingle Bells” was written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular
Christmas songs.
The Nutcracker is the most famous Christmas ballet.
If you received all of the gifts in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, you would
receive 364 gifts
In 1843, “A Christmas Carol” was written by Charles Dickens in just six weeks.
Traditionally, Christmas trees are taken down after Epiphany ( January 6th)
The common abbreviation for Christmas to Xmas is derived from the Greek alphabet. X is
letter Chi, which is the first letter of Christ's name in the Greek alphabet
Silent Night was written in 1818, by an Austrian priest Joseph Mohr. He was told the day
before Christmas that the church organ was broken and would not be prepared in time for
Christmas Eve. He was saddened by this and could not think of Christmas without music,
so he wanted to write a carol that could be sung by choir to guitar music. He sat down and
wrote three stanzas. Later that night the people in the little Austrian Church sang "Stille
Nacht" for the first time.
St Francis of Assisi introduced Christmas Carols to formal church services.
Bing Crosby „s „White Christmas‟ was released in 1942 and is considered to be the bestselling Christmas song of all time!
The world‟s largest Christmas present was the Statue of Liberty. The French gave it to the
US in 1886. It is 46.5 meters high and weights 225 tons!