Liturgies
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SUNDAY MASSES until further notice
at 6pm Sat. (vigil), 8am, 9.30am, 11am and 6pm. WEEKDAYS Mass at 6.45 and 12 noon, Monday - Friday (except public holidays) Mass at 9.00am Saturday and public holidays CONFESSION (RECONCILIATION) Wednesday - Friday 11.30 - 11.55 am in the Parish Centre Saturday 4pm - 5pm in the Parish Centre Please note that we will no longer be able to live-stream Mass. We do encourage you to come to church in person. If you cannot, please try the televised Mass from the Cathedral on Channel 44, or another on-line Mass.
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Recent Homilies are available to read (pdfs) or to listen to (podcasts) on our Homily page, when celebrants make them available.
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A Spiritual Communion
Frequently asked questions about live liturgies...
Can I join in Mass from St Patrick's Cathedral?
Mass from the Cathedral is available on-line at 11am each Sunday, and 1pm every weekday: http://www.melbournecatholic.org.au/Mass The Sunday Mass is also available on C31 (Channel 44 on free-to-air television.)
Why live broadcasts ?
A live transmission is a way of permitting those who are unable to be physically present in the parish church - at the present time because of the Corona virus 'lock-down' - to join others of the parish community in prayer.
There are many beautiful pre-recorded liturgies on the internet. If you find them helpful in assisting your prayer, that is fine. But a live transmission is different: in watching it, you are not watching an historical record but participating in prayer that is happening now. And you are connecting with your local community (parish or diocesan.)
Also it is true that pre-recorded liturgies - depending on how old they are - may have some incongruous elements: for example, the participants might not be observing social distancing, and the homilist might make no reference to the current crisis because he preached that sermon before the epidemic broke on the world.
This is why we encourage you to make use of live rather than recorded broadcasts. That having been said, https://thesundaymass.org/ is a good example of a of a pre-recorded Mass of high standard.
Do I fulfil my Sunday obligation by watching live?
The Australian bishops have dispensed all lay Catholics from their obligation to attend Sunday Mass for the duration of the epidemic. At other times, if there is a serious reason why you cannot attend Mass - e.g., illness, or caring for someone ill - you do not have an obligation to come.
Watching a live transmission does not fulfil the Sunday Mass obligation when that obligation exists. Nevertheless, all of us are obliged to pray regularly, and it can be a great help for some people to join in a live transmission.
How can I make a "spiritual Communion'? What does that mean?
A person who cannot physically receive Holy Communion may unite himself or herself with the Eucharist in an act of prayer, expressing their love for Christ and his people and looking forward to the time when they can again receive the sacrament. After all, the final end or purpose of the sacrament is that Christ might dwell in the heart of the recipient. There is a well-known prayer of St Alphonsus which may be prayed - but you can certainly use your own words, or no words, instead, if you wish.
Pope John Paul II wrote in Ecclesia de Eucharistia :
"[In the Eucharist,] unlike any other sacrament, the mystery [of communion] is so perfect that it brings us to the heights of every good thing: Here is the ultimate goal of every human desire, because here we attain God and God joins himself to us in the most perfect union." Precisely for this reason it is good to cultivate in our hearts a constant desire for the sacrament of the Eucharist. This was the origin of the practice of "spiritual communion," which has happily been established in the Church for centuries and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life. St. Teresa of Jesus wrote: "When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you" [The Way of Perfection, Ch. 35.]
What are 'Vespers' ?
Vespers is just another name for Evening Prayer, which makes up part of the Church's official prayer book, the Liturgy of the Hours (also called The Divine Office.) In the Anglican Church, Vespers is often called Evensong.
While the Dominican friars pray the five 'hours' of the Office together each day, the Liturgy of the Hours is not just for religious: all Christians are invited to join in praying it.
Vespers is made up principally of a hymn, psalms, scripture reading, the Gospel Canticle (Mary's Magnificat) and intercessions. You will find the text each day at the link to Universalis above.
Wouldn't it be better to pray the Scriptures with my family?
Quite possibly. Each week we will provide links to resources which you can download for doing just that. Really, it is up to you: the live liturgies are there if you find them helpful.
Will you stream funerals?
We are willing to do so if the families of the deceased request it.
Mass from the Cathedral is available on-line at 11am each Sunday, and 1pm every weekday: http://www.melbournecatholic.org.au/Mass The Sunday Mass is also available on C31 (Channel 44 on free-to-air television.)
Why live broadcasts ?
A live transmission is a way of permitting those who are unable to be physically present in the parish church - at the present time because of the Corona virus 'lock-down' - to join others of the parish community in prayer.
There are many beautiful pre-recorded liturgies on the internet. If you find them helpful in assisting your prayer, that is fine. But a live transmission is different: in watching it, you are not watching an historical record but participating in prayer that is happening now. And you are connecting with your local community (parish or diocesan.)
Also it is true that pre-recorded liturgies - depending on how old they are - may have some incongruous elements: for example, the participants might not be observing social distancing, and the homilist might make no reference to the current crisis because he preached that sermon before the epidemic broke on the world.
This is why we encourage you to make use of live rather than recorded broadcasts. That having been said, https://thesundaymass.org/ is a good example of a of a pre-recorded Mass of high standard.
Do I fulfil my Sunday obligation by watching live?
The Australian bishops have dispensed all lay Catholics from their obligation to attend Sunday Mass for the duration of the epidemic. At other times, if there is a serious reason why you cannot attend Mass - e.g., illness, or caring for someone ill - you do not have an obligation to come.
Watching a live transmission does not fulfil the Sunday Mass obligation when that obligation exists. Nevertheless, all of us are obliged to pray regularly, and it can be a great help for some people to join in a live transmission.
How can I make a "spiritual Communion'? What does that mean?
A person who cannot physically receive Holy Communion may unite himself or herself with the Eucharist in an act of prayer, expressing their love for Christ and his people and looking forward to the time when they can again receive the sacrament. After all, the final end or purpose of the sacrament is that Christ might dwell in the heart of the recipient. There is a well-known prayer of St Alphonsus which may be prayed - but you can certainly use your own words, or no words, instead, if you wish.
Pope John Paul II wrote in Ecclesia de Eucharistia :
"[In the Eucharist,] unlike any other sacrament, the mystery [of communion] is so perfect that it brings us to the heights of every good thing: Here is the ultimate goal of every human desire, because here we attain God and God joins himself to us in the most perfect union." Precisely for this reason it is good to cultivate in our hearts a constant desire for the sacrament of the Eucharist. This was the origin of the practice of "spiritual communion," which has happily been established in the Church for centuries and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life. St. Teresa of Jesus wrote: "When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you" [The Way of Perfection, Ch. 35.]
What are 'Vespers' ?
Vespers is just another name for Evening Prayer, which makes up part of the Church's official prayer book, the Liturgy of the Hours (also called The Divine Office.) In the Anglican Church, Vespers is often called Evensong.
While the Dominican friars pray the five 'hours' of the Office together each day, the Liturgy of the Hours is not just for religious: all Christians are invited to join in praying it.
Vespers is made up principally of a hymn, psalms, scripture reading, the Gospel Canticle (Mary's Magnificat) and intercessions. You will find the text each day at the link to Universalis above.
Wouldn't it be better to pray the Scriptures with my family?
Quite possibly. Each week we will provide links to resources which you can download for doing just that. Really, it is up to you: the live liturgies are there if you find them helpful.
Will you stream funerals?
We are willing to do so if the families of the deceased request it.