Whitsunday Catholic Parish

30/05/2026

May 31, 2026: Most Holy Trinity

Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9
2 Cor 13:11-13
Jn 3:16-18

GROW AS A DISCIPLE | PRAY, STUDY, ENGAGE, SERVE

In today’s first reading, we hear how Moses, obedient to God’s command, ascends Mount Sinai early in the morning. Up at the summit, the Lord appears to Moses in a cloud and shares his name with Moses: “LORD” (in Hebrew, the tetragrammaton, the unspeakably holy divine name). But God doesn’t only reveal the name that Moses should call him by; he also reveals what kind of God he is: “The Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” Moses bows down in worship and entreats the Lord to “receive us as your own.” Today’s Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity reminds us that we have a God who wants us to not only know his name, but to know his inner self. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are – indeed – the God who is rich in mercy. And anyone who believes in this God will not perish but will have eternal life. May we bow our hearts in worship of the Lord this day, grateful for the gift we have of belonging to the people he calls his own.

GO EVANGELIZE | PRAYER, INVITATION, WITNESS, ACCOMPANIMENT

Our second reading contains a detail that might come as a surprise to our 21st-century ears: “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” This gesture in the New Testament era was an outward sign of the communion and love that existed in the early Church – a communion that we’re also called to today. The communion that exists in the Church is meant to point the world back to its source: God himself. Part of the witness we’re called to offer the world as Christian believers is the love we share among one another. The Church is to be a sacrament or “sign and instrument … of … union with God” and unity with “the whole human race.” (Lumen Gentium 1) The bonds of love that exist among Christians is about more than just having a tight-knit community; it’s about showing the world that we’re called to a loving relationship with God and with one another.

WITNESS

This week, consider how you can strengthen the bonds of friendship you have with your fellow Christians, so that united together in love and peace, you can bear witness to the God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Consider participating in a fellowship (social) event being put on by your parish or invite someone you see regularly at Church out for coffee or brunch after Mass.

©faithcatholic

29/05/2026

https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/os-data/tsv-catholic-org-au/bundle20/newsletter_31-may-2026.pdf

23/05/2026

May 24, 2026: Pentecost

Acts 2:1-11
1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13
Jn 20:19-23

GROW AS A DISCIPLE | PRAY, STUDY, ENGAGE, SERVE

The Solemnity of Pentecost is about the gift of the Spirit in our lives. St. Paul reminds us that despite the variety of gifts we have received, we are one Body. To make sense of this, consider that on a human level, some of us are introverts, while others are extroverts. Each personality type has particular gifts and struggles. Sometimes, our differing personality types can grate on each other, causing tension. And yet, how often do others who are our “opposites” remind us of truths we often forget? (Speaking as an extrovert, I need introverts to remind me that you can often learn more from quiet listening than talking out loud.) So, too, with spiritual gifts! As we consider the ways God has gifted each of us, let us remember that the differences between us have a specific purpose: to equip all of us to grow and experience the fullness of life in Christ.

GO EVANGELIZE | PRAYER, INVITATION, WITNESS, ACCOMPANIMENT

In our first reading, we see that the Holy Spirit enables the disciples to speak in languages they did not know. While they were given an extraordinary spiritual gift to do so, today’s missionaries serving in foreign lands must learn the local language to effectively minister among the people they serve. No matter where we find ourselves, perhaps we, too, can learn a new “language,” or find new ways to live our faith and share the Gospel. Effective evangelization happens when we can look to the “signs of the times” and propose, “in language intelligible to each generation,” that Jesus Christ is the answer to the “perennial questions” which arise in each human heart. (Gaudium et spes 4)

INVITATION

The word Catholic comes from a Greek word meaning, “according to the whole” or “universal.” As we see in today’s first reading, from the beginning of our Church, the Spirit’s desire was to gather people of every nation, tribe, and tongue into the one Body of the Church. The Catholic Church is a global communion, consisting of the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Churches that worship according to their particular rite, customs, and language. Each of these Churches has unique spiritual gifts that enrich the wider Church. Plan to visit another Catholic Church in your area that worships in a different language or rite than your own to experience the manifold gifts of the Spirit that exist in every place where the Church is.

©faithcatholic

21/05/2026

Below is the link for this weekend's newsletter. We encourage you to take a few moments to read through the newsletter and stay connected with parish life.
May the Holy Spirit fill you and your families with His grace and joy this week.

https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/os-data/tsv-catholic-org-au/bundle20/newsletter_24-may-2026.pdf

19/05/2026

May 17, 2026: The Ascension of the Lord

Acts 1:1-11
Eph 1:17-23
Mt 28:16-20

GROW AS A DISCIPLE | PRAY, STUDY, ENGAGE, SERVE

This year, I cannot help but notice how kingdom-centric the readings for the Solemnity of the Ascension are. In our first reading, Jesus appears to his disciples for forty days after his resurrection and speaks to them about the kingdom of God. Our psalm beckons us to rejoice that God is mounting his throne – another kingdom image! Our second reading tells us that God has given Christ authority over “every principality, power, and dominion” – a clear sign that he is the one reigning over all. These references seem to be telling us that today’s feast is Jesus’ “coronation day” – the day he takes his rightful place at the right hand of the Father. From the moment Jesus ascends to heaven, he is reigning. What a consoling thought for us, who may at times find ourselves discouraged by our lives or the state of affairs around us. We have hope because we know that despite appearances to the contrary, Jesus reigns, and it is only a matter of time until the Father puts all things beneath Christ’s feet.

GO EVANGELIZE | PRAYER, INVITATION, WITNESS, ACCOMPANIMENT

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples – and us – to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” It’s a tall order – bringing every nation under the reign of Christ. But we needn’t be intimidated. The Ascension offers us hope, for – as the Catechism reminds us – “Jesus Christ, having entered the sanctuary of heaven once and for all, intercedes constantly for us as the mediator who assures us of the permanent outpouring of the Holy Spirit.” (667) Jesus ascended into heaven and now is constantly interceding for us before the Father, constantly pouring out his Spirit on us! In all our efforts to evangelize, we have that constant support and grace being sent our way to equip us for this work.

REFLECT

Oftentimes, we think of the Ascension as Jesus leaving us after the end of his earthly ministry. But Jesus promises that he does not leave us, but rather, that he is always with us, “until the end of the age.” Spend some time this week reflecting on the ways that, having taken his seat at the right hand of the Father, Jesus is now ever-more present, pouring out his grace and his Spirit upon us at every moment.

17/05/2026

Pope Leo XIV's message for 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 is a timely reflection on what it means to be human in an age of artificial intelligence. He reminds us that our faces and voices are sacred — unique expressions of who we are as people made in God's image. When we outsource our thinking to algorithms or replace real relationships with chatbots, something precious is lost.

The Pope calls on all of us to take responsibility for how we use these powerful tools, so that digital innovation serves truth, dignity, and the common good.

Read the full message: tsvcath.au/CommsSunday2026

17/05/2026

https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/os-data/tsv-catholic-org-au/bundle20/newsletter_17-may-2026.pdf?fbclid=IwVERDUAR2VK5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe0jHEngBOvKE6chW8rMRBqbwZ4s9iDQFn1XgLrzQq4CGlZTxkWnhybcuaXUI_aem_rq8Py8kBXLQzyGUKR882Pg

16/05/2026

10/05/2026

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we give thanks for all mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures whose love, care, sacrifice, and faith enrich our lives so deeply. We remember especially those mothers who are no longer with us and those for whom this day may be difficult. May God bless and strengthen them all.

We wish all mothers a very happy and blessed Mother’s Day.

09/05/2026

May 10, 2026: Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
1 Pt 3:15-18
Jn 14:15-21

GROW AS A DISCIPLE | PRAY, STUDY, ENGAGE, SERVE
Several years ago, while praying in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, I heard the words, “I just couldn’t bear to leave you.” It was one of the clearest responses to prayer that I have experienced, and it occurred at a time when I was feeling incredibly lonely. I have spent years reflecting on those words, which resurface often as I receive Christ in the Eucharist. In the Gospel today, I hear echoes of those words again as Christ explains to the Apostles the many ways in which they – and we – will not be abandoned after his ascension into heaven. As the rest of the Gospel unfolds, the events of his passion and resurrection reveal the Lord’s faithfulness to them. After the resurrection, the Apostles know they can trust his word because they remember Jesus’ promise that the Father will send an Advocate to be with them. We, also, can trust him believing that out of complete and utter love for humanity, Jesus remains with us.
GO EVANGELIZE | PRAYER, INVITATION, WITNESS, ACCOMPANIMENT
The Apostles accompanied one another in their community of faith, and they walked with those who had recently responded to God’s call to know the truth, as we see with the newly baptized in Samaria. In our lives today, the value of accompaniment cannot be underestimated. In our busy world when it is easy to feel disconnected and alone, being with one another is a powerful way to be a vessel through which Christ proclaims his promise to never leave us. By sitting with another in a time of grief, listening to the questions of a friend who is struggling, or rejoicing with a friend in response to good news, we accompany each other through life’s ups and downs. Sometimes accompaniment consists of proclaiming the Good News of Christ’s love and thereby helping others to have the courage to do the same. In whatever ways we are called to accompany another in their journey of faith, we do so with the promise that Christ is doing the same for us.

ACCOMPANY

In this joyful season of Easter, we continue to celebrate those who entered or were fully welcomed into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. This week, consider reaching out to someone who is new to the Church to celebrate with them, offer your continued prayers for them, or invite them to a parish event.