FEAST OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
THEME: Show the love of the Holy Trinity to the world
Augustine and the Seashell
Marian Horvat
The great Doctor of the Church St. Augustine of Hippo spent over 30 years working on his treatise De Trinitate [about the Holy Trinity], endeavoring to conceive an intelligible explanation for the mystery of the Trinity.
He was walking by the seashore one day contemplating and trying to understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity when he saw a small boy running back and forth from the water to a spot on the seashore. The boy was using a sea shell to carry the water from the ocean and place it into a small hole in the sand. The Bishop of Hippo approached him and asked, “My boy, what are doing?” “I am trying to bring all the sea into this hole,” the boy replied with a sweet smile. “But that is impossible, my dear child, the hole cannot contain all that water” said Augustine. The boy paused in his work, stood up, looked into the eyes of the Saint, and replied, “It is no more impossible than what you are trying to do – comprehend the immensity of the mystery of the Holy Trinity with your small intelligence.” The Saint was absorbed by such a keen response from that child, and turned his eyes from him for a short while. When he glanced down to ask him something else, the boy had vanished. Some say that it was an Angel sent by God to teach Augustine a lesson on pride in learning. Others affirm it was the Christ Child Himself who appeared to the Saint to remind him of the limits of human understanding before the great mysteries of our Faith. Through this story, the sea shell has become a symbol of St. Augustine and the study of theology. [This painting of St. Augustine is part of the outside murals in the Augustinian monastery of Quito, Ecuador. It was done by Miguel de Santiago in 1656.] The ineffable (= too inexpressible or sacred for words) mystery of the Holy Trinity has been revealed to us clearly by Jesus: “The Father and I are One…” and …”I will send you another advocate the Spirit of Truth…” It is this mystery of God’s holy life that we are caught up into when we are baptised. As Christians, united with the Holy Trinity in our innermost being – our soul – we must show forth God’s image of goodness to the world through lives demonstrating His qualities: “…a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger and rich in kindness and faithfulness.” (1st Reading: Exodus 34.7) * * * All St Mary’s Parish ‘Contact’ details, click here. * * * Masses 11th Week Ordinary Time Saturday 14th June 6.30pm Mass (Ivan Borhi & John Presti) Sunday 15th June Holy Trinity 9.00am Mass (All parishioners) 10.45am Mass at Coreen Monday 16th June 11.00am Jace Whyte Funeral prayers Tuesday 17th June 9.00am Mass (Pat Kelly; Pos Wynne) Wednesday 18th June 9.00am Mass (Isobel Kingston, Margaret Elliott) 11.00am Holy Communion to Homes Thursday 19th June 11.40am Novena 12noon Mass (Peter, Annie & Kevin Carroll). Friday 20th June 10.00am Anointing Mass in Hall (for all Sick) 11.00am Holy Communions to Homes Saturday 21st June 8.45am Rosary & Mass (Bridget Curran) 6.30pm Vigil (John D Brown; McDevitt, Walsh & Murphy families) Sunday 22nd June Body & Blood of Christ 9.00am Mass (All parishioners) * * * Roster 21st – 22nd June 2014 Gifts: 6.30pm P Culhane J Heagney 9.00am R Whitmore Lectors 6.30pm S Drum C Knight 9.00am E Christy B Christy Special Ministers: 6.30pm T Drum C Salmon 9.00am P Lemmon B Christy Altar: M Fitzgibbon Welcomers: 6.30pm D O’Halloran B Knight 9.00am M Tomlinson Altar Servers: 6.30pm Luke Heagney Zac Lassey 9.00am Hannah & Emily Tidd Collection: Matt Drum Counting: Laurie & Nancy Hughes * * * Remember in Prayer Noreen Rourke, Jace Whyte, Jack Fowles, Margaret Hayhoe, Sr Clare Sheedy RSM, Max Sykes, Patricia Kelly, Brian Knight, Bede Guthrie, Margaret Elliott, John Skehan, John Hanrahan, Nicole Collins [Access Funeral Booklets of recently deceased at: http://stmaryscorowa.org/honour-roll/] * * * New Mass Roster on Back Table * * *
NOTICES: Meetings / Imp. Dates: 17 June Finance C’tee.5.30pm. 18 June St. Mary’s School-OPEN DAY. 19 June CWL Parish Hall 1.45pm 22 June “Break Through” Workshop – Wagga 23 June ‘Wrap w Love’ – 9.30 Hall 25 June Balldale Majellan 12.30pm, T & S Drum, 75 Hermitage Dr. * * * WORKSHOP for relationships under stress. Proven results for restoring positive energy and love to marriages. Private & Confidential. Spiritually sound. 2-5pm Sun. June 22 at Holy Trinity Hall, Ashmont, Wagga. Contact: Ph 02-9319-6280 or info@marriageRC.org. More details: www.smartloving.org * * * Volunteers Wanted: Wrap with Love 9.30-12 noon every 2nd Monday. In St Mary’s Parish Hall – Enjoy cuppa & chat Contact: Carmel Moroney – 6033 5381 NEXT SEWING DAY: Mon 23rd June 9.30am * * * New Resource for Catholic Women & Parishes The Genius Project is an amazing new four-part DVD resource for Catholic women. Based upon St. John Paul II’s teaching on the vocation and dignity of women. Use it at home or form a small group in your parish. Find out more at: www.beingcatholic.com.au/genius-project/ ] ………………………………………………………………………………… |
