2015-02-22 - 1st Lent B

Sunday 22nd February, 2015 First Sunday of Lent, Year B

Bridgeside Bulletin The weekly Bulletin of the

Catholic Parish of Forster Tuncurry

Holy Name of Jesus Parish Church 33 Lake Street, Forster

St Mary, Star of the Sea Church Cnr Kent & Peel Streets, Tuncurry

Proclaiming Christ to the communities of Forster, Tuncurry and the surrounding districts

Parish Fr Andrew Doohan (Parish Priest) Mr Greg Byrne (Pastoral Associate) Mrs Sharon Fowle (Administration Associate/Bulletin) Sr Kathryn McCabe (Aboriginal Catholic Ministry)

The Parish Office is at the rear of the Parish Hall and is normally staffed on Monday, Thursday and Friday from 10am to 4pm.

Items for inclusion in Bridgeside Bulletin should be received by midday on Thursday.

33 Lake Street, Forster NSW 2428 PO Box 67, Forster NSW 2428

P: (02) 6554 6304 F: (02) 6554 6425 E: [email protected] W: www.forstertuncurrycatholic.org.au

Fr Andrew’s email: [email protected]

Celebrating the Sacraments

Reconciliation is available on Saturday mornings at Tuncurry from 8:30am until the beginning of the 9am Mass, on Saturday afternoons at Forster from 4:45pm until 5:15pm.

Baptisms are celebrated on Sundays, either during any of our Sunday Masses or after the 9am Mass. The next Baptismal Preparation meeting will take place in the Parish Hall’s meeting rooms on Monday 9th March 2015 commencing at 7pm. Please contact the Parish Office for more details, or visit the Parish website.

Weddings are celebrated by arrangement and with at least three (and preferably more) months notice. Please contact Fr Andrew for more details, or visit the Parish website.

A Sacramental Preparation process runs each year in the Parish for children wishing to complete the celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation as part of the Parish community. Please contact the Parish Office for more details, or visit the Parish website.

The Parish hosts the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process for those adults wishing to be baptised or be received into the communion of the Catholic Church. Please contact the Parish Office for more details, or visit the Parish website.

Search for us on Facebook as ‘Catholic Parish of Forster Tuncurry’

Follow us on Twitter: @ftcatholic

Holy Name Parish School (K-6)

Mr Chris Waters (Principal)

41 Lake Street, Forster NSW 2428 PO Box 243, Forster NSW 2428

P: (02) 6554 6504 F: (02) 6554 8895 E: [email protected] W: www.forster.catholic.edu.au

St Clare’s High School, Taree (7-12)

Mr Peter Nicholls (Principal)

Davis Street, Taree NSW 2430

P: (02) 6552 3300 F: (02) 6552 3656 E: [email protected] W: www.tareesc.catholic.edu.au

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The Parish Diary…(for the week ahead) First Week of Lent.

Monday—23rd February

Tuesday—24th February 9am Christian Meditation (Bob 6555 5914) 3:30pm Holy Hour @ Tuncurry 4:30pm Mass @ Tuncurry 5:30pm Christian Meditation (Bob 6555 5914) 5:30pm Singing Practice @ Tuncurry

Wednesday—25th February 9am Mass @ Forster 9:30am menALIVE morning group @ Forster 11:15am Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help @

Forster 5:30pm Parish Social Justice Group @ Forster

Thursday—26th February 8am Ecumenical Prayer Meeting @ The Tanks 9am Mass @ Forster 7pm Women’s Bible Study Group (Natasha

0407 589 935) 7:30pm menALIVE evening group @ Forster

Friday—27th February 9:30am Mass @ Forster 12:30pm School Leaders Investiture Mass @ Holy

Name School

Saturday—28th February 8:30am Reconciliation @ Tuncurry 9am Mass @ Tuncurry 4:45pm Reconciliation @ Forster (until 5:15pm) 6pm Mass @ Tuncurry

Sunday—1st March Second Sunday of Lent 7am Mass @ Tuncurry 9am Mass @ Forster (including Children’s

Liturgy of the Word) 5:30pm Evening Prayer & Benediction @ Tuncurry

Regular Activities in the Parish

Christian Meditation Our Parish hosts opportunities for the practice of Christian meditation on Tuesdays at two distinct times, 9am and 5:30pm. Phone Bob on 6555 5914 for further information.

Women’s Bible Study Group Our Parish hosts a Women’s Bible Study Group that meets every Thursday evening from 7pm to 8pm. For more information contact Natasha on 0407 589 935.

Holy Hour The Parish community observes a Holy Hour each Tuesday afternoon in the Tuncurry Church from 3:30pm until the beginning of Mass at 4:30pm.

Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help The Novena is prayed every Wednesday in the Forster church commencing at 11:15am and is followed by a cuppa in the Parish Hall. For more information contact Shioney on 6554 9468.

Singing Practice Singing group will meet at Tuncurry Church on Tuesday 24th February at 5:30pm.

The menALIVE Groups Our Parish currently hosts rwo menALIVE groups. The daytime group will next meet on Wednesday 25th February after the 9am Mass and the evening group meets on the last Thursday of each month at 7.30pm.

Secular Franciscan Fraternity The Secular Franciscans Fraternity will next meet on Wednesday 4th March 2015, coming together for Mass at 9am, followed by a cuppa at 9:30am and then the meeting 10am to 12pm.

Maintenance & Gardening Group The Parish is served by a very dedicated band of volunteers who tend to the upkeep of the grounds and gardens of our two sites. Their next reunion will be on Thursday 19th March. Contact Howard 6557 6826 for more information.

Evening Prayer & Benediction The Parish community celebrates on the first Sunday of each month at 5:30pm in the Tuncurry church. It will celebrated this evening, Sunday 1st March 2015. All welcome.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word The next Liturgy of the Word for children aged 4-12 will be on Sunday 1st March 2015 at the 9am Mass. A morning tea will follow Mass.

Collection of Foodstuffs for Homebase The next collection of foodstuffs in support of Homebase is Sunday 1st March 2015.

Spectacles req—No Sunglasses Please A prison chaplain has made a request for second-hand spectacles for the use of prisoners. You may have a pair or two at home that are no longer in use. There will be a collection box clearly marked in both churches from mid February. Alternatively they can be left at the Parish office. No sunglasses please!

Weekly Ecumenical Prayer Meeting An Ecumenical Prayer Meeting will be held at The Tanks on Thursday mornings in the lead up to the Ecumenical Easter Sunrise Service, to pray for the preparations and success of the Service. The meetings will start at 8am.

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School Leaders Investiture Mass A Welcoming and School Leaders Investiture Mass will be held at Holy Name School at 12:30pm on Friday 27th February. All parishioners are welcome to attend.

Exploring Becoming a Catholic Maybe you have friends or family who:

have wondered about becoming a Catholic; are engaged or married to a Catholic and have

Catholic children; are searching for answers to the big questions

about life and death; are looking for a Christian community to which they

feel they could really belong; are maybe just interested.

An Enquiry night for anyone wishing to learn more about the Catholic Faith through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process will be held on Wednesday 25th February in the Parish Meeting Room (located at the rear of the Parish Hall in Forster) at 7pm.

Please offer an invitation and brochure to a friend or family member who may be interested. Brochures explaining the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults are on the table at the back of the churches. For more information contact Anne Moloney 6555 8918.

From the Pastor’s Desk “Lent is ordered to preparing for the celebration of Easter, since the Lenten liturgy prepares for celebration of the Paschal Mystery both catechumens, by the various stages of Christian Initiation, and the faithful, who recall their own Baptism and do penance.”

Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the General Roman Calendar, 27.

I would hazard a guess that the baptismal nature of the Season of Lent is not well-known, or at least downplayed when compared with the penitential nature of the Season.

And yet, without the baptismal dimension of the Lenten Season, the penitential side makes very little sense.

Why would someone—anyone—willingly submit to the Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving just for the sake of it? Surely such practices make no sense in and of themselves.

Only a baptised person—or a person preparing to be baptised at the Great Festival of Easter— would see a value in the practices that we all engage in for these forty days each year. Only in baptism, in a recognition of our redemption through the power of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, does what we do over these coming weeks truly make sense.

As we wend our way across the days and weeks of Lent, listening to Jesus speak to us in the Gospels, we are called to repentance and renewal because we have been born again in the waters of Baptism and grafted on to Christ’s Body.

The same is true of penitential practices that we voluntarily take on at other times of the years: only in the light of Baptism do they make any sense whatsoever.

This Lent, as we once again enter this time of renewal and preparation, let’s keep our focus clearly on what is truly important: the celebration of the Paschal Mystery of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus into which we have entered through the waters of Baptism.

Until next week… Fr Andrew

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Are you House-Bound? Can’t get to Mass?

Would you like to be an active participant in your Parish?

Then the Intercessory Prayer Apostolate is just for you!!!

Members of this group simply receive a list of people to pray for at home each month. There is nothing more to do. No money to pay – no meetings to attend. Just pray in your own home in your own time for those on the list. And of course, you can always add your own private list.

If you would like to participate and pray for others, and so play an active role in your parish, simply give Bob Cashman a ring on 6555 5914 or 0418 207 981, or leave your name and phone number with the Parish Office.

New Parish Formation Program A Formation Program for Parish and other ministries is running again in 2015.

The Ministry of Adult Faith Formation, supported by Maitland-Newcastle Diocese and the Tenison Woods Education Centre, is offering the Formation Program in two locations this year: Muswellbrook from February to April and Broadmeadow from August to October.

In the past, you may have attended a Safe Ministry course, picked up a few units of the Formation Program or maybe shown an interest in doing the program at a later date. If so, you might be interested in continuing with the program this year.

Don’t delay, Muswellbrook program starts on 28th February so register now at: Maitland-Newcastle Diocese at [email protected]/02 4979 1134 or Tenison Woods Education Centre at [email protected]/02 4930 9601.

Program details are as follows:

Spirituality for Ministry: Saturday 28th February (Sr Patricia Egan) 9:30am–12:30pm Discipleship 1pm-4pm The Church of Maitland-Newcastle

Saturday 7th March (Mrs Benita Tate/Ms Jan Craft) 9:30am–12:30pm Call and Discernment 1pm–4pm Human Relating and Pastoral Care

Integrity in Ministry: Saturday 21st March (Ms Kim Bruce/Mr David Muxlow)

9:30am–12:30pm Maintaining Right Relationships 1pm-4pm Protection of the Vulnerable

Saturday 28th March (Mr Ray Moos/Mrs Teresa Brierley)

9:30am–12:30pm Workplace Safety 1pm-4pm Integrity in Service of the Church

Formation for Leadership: Saturday 11th April (Sr Patricia Egan) 9:30am–12:30pm Leadership as Ministry 1pm-4pm Leadership Style and Dynamics

Saturday 18th April (Mr Sean Scanlon/Mrs Teresa Brierley)

9:30am–12:30pm Management Skills 1pm-4pm Leadership of Foundation Areas

Parish Social Justice Group At the beginning of his public ministry, Jesus came to the synagogue in Nazareth and read the words of the prophet Isaiah: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ ….Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ (Luke 4:18 – 21)

It is foundational to the Gospel message that to be a Christian, to follow Jesus, is to be concerned for our brothers and sisters and the world in which we live. We live in a world where people often experience a great injustice and lack of peace. The distribution of wealth continues to polarize to fewer and fewer people. Nations and militant minorities continue to make war, fuelled by the free sale of armaments around the world. We continue to treat our planet in a way that utilises its resources without concern for future generations.

Catholic Social Teaching is deeply rooted in our traditions and has evolved over the last 100 years through writings, social teaching statements and meaningful actions. A social justice discussion group is a step towards responding to the social justice challenges of our time.

The Social Justice Group is open to the community and all are invited to attend the next discussion meeting on Wednesday 25th February at 5:30pm in the Parish Hall Meeting Room, Forster.

Lenten Program - “Arise” It’s not too late to join a Lenten Reflection Group in our Parish to pray, share our faith and socialise with other parishioners.

A list of groups are on the notice boards in the churches next week. You may join an existing group or even host one of your own. More information is available from the Parish office.

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World Day of Prayer Friday 6th March, 2015. This year the annual world day of prayer will be hosted by the Baptist Church in Forster.

The ceremony will begin at 2pm when representatives from all churches in town will unite to pray for our world.

The focus nation this year is “The Bahamas”. All parishioners are encourage to attend this wonderful ecumenical event.

“Ignite” Praise & Worship We invite all young people and their families to ignite their faith, inspiring a deeper understanding of being in relationship with God by attending an “Ignite” Praise and Worship evening. The event will take place on Sunday 22nd March at 5.30pm at the Catholic Church in Forster and will feature a young, local Christian rock band. Under 12’s must be accompanied by an adult. The event will be followed by a BBQ. For more information contact Sharon at the Parish Office on 6554 6304/0407 006 666.

You’re invited to Family Group There is a Family Group in our parish which has operated for about 24 years. It consists of approximately 30 individuals and families. Its purpose is friendship and fellowship.

The Family Group gets together each month for an activity such as picnics, movies, coffee, luncheons, etc. at local venues. We would like to invite any person or family, particularly new parishioners to join us at Tuncurry Rock Pool at 5pm on Saturday 21st March. Buy your fish and chips on the way; bring some easy chairs or a picnic blanket and relax as the sun sets over the water.

The gathering may give us an opportunity to discuss whether young families and individuals would like to meet regularly and engage in more active pursuits.

For further information please contact Terry and Carol Pearson on 6559 2550 / 0408 768 729 or the Parish Office.

Ladies’ High Tea Fundraiser

The ladies of Forster-Tuncurry Catholic Parish invite you to a Ladies’ High Tea Fundraiser to be held at the Forster Parish Hall on Saturday 14th March at 10:00am. It’s a gorgeous way for us ladies to get together AND raise funds for the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart who are trying to build homes for AIDs orphans in Tzaneen, South Africa. Humanitarian Projects International (HPI) is partnering with the Sisters to raise these funds. So get together with your mums, daughters, aunties and friends and join us for some beautiful food and delightful company. Tickets are $15 and are available at the Parish Office or call Judy on 0448 660 858. They will also be available to purchase after 9am Mass. Bookings are essential. RSVP by Sunday 8th March.

We would be most grateful to receive vouchers or items which can be donated for the silent auction. Please provide to parish office or phone Judy to arrange collection. Thank you!

Ladies High Tea-Fundraiser Sat 14th March 10am

Catholic Parish Hall – 33 Lake St, Forster

Tickets $15

Lucky door prize, Raffle, African stall & Silent Auction

Enquires: Forster Judy 0448660858 Taree / Old Bar Linda 0408077089

Being at One with God Prayer may well be described as the state of obediential love. The state wherein we are wholly at God’s disposition - not desiring, not planning; simply placing ourselves within the fullness of His gift of life, the fullness of His gift of our own unique creation. Each one of us is created for a unique destiny, a unique fulfilment in God, and our only task in life is to be wholly open to that destiny. In other words, our task is to live out of the divine energy, to live within the divine plan, and to play our part in it fully and generously. Prayer has very little to do with asking for this or that. Prayer is something much more simple. It is being at one with God.

Stillness is the way to rootedness and it focuses the challenge that faces all of us - to be rooted in our true self. To put it another way, it is the challenge to be wholly open to the gift of our own creation. Stillness helps us to be rooted in the gift that God has given us in our own being, which we learn by being still in the one place. Coming in to our own selfhood is coming into God. What you will discover in your meditation is the reciprocal harmony that we have with God. Becoming rooted in ourselves, we become rooted in our own proper place in creation, and, as a result, rooted in our Creator. St Paul constantly reminds us that the challenge and the task of life is to become rooted in Christ who dwells in our hearts. This is why we have to become rooted in our own hearts. Outward silence and stillness are effective signs of the inner stillness and silence of inner rootedness. Fr John Main OSB

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Across 2: Jesus said to the people of Galilee, ‘God’s

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ will soon be here.’

4: untamed

6: when Jesus was being tested, _ _ _ _ _ _ took care of him

10: cats, dogs, horses, and monkeys are all _ _ _ _ _ _ _

11: the opposite of bad

12: Jesus went into the _ _ _ _ _ _ for forty days

Down

1: Jesus went to Galilee after this man was arrested

3: Jesus told the good _ _ _ _ in Galilee

5: the sun appears in the sky during the _ _ _

7: when Jesus left the desert he went to this place

8: Jesus said, ‘Turn back to God and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the good news

9: Jesus was in the desert for this many days

Kid’s Corner Believe the Good News Mk 1:12-15

1 2 3

4 5

6 7

8

9

10 11

12

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Opportunities Outside The Parish

Christian Meditation Rite of Election of Catechumens Rite of Election of Catechumens will be held on Sunday 22nd February at 2:30pm at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Rite of Election of Catechumens and Presentation of Candidates for Full Communion at the Cathedral Hamilton. Afternoon tea will be served afterwards.

Information Session with CEO of The Truth, Justice and Healing Council Francis Sullivan Information Sessions will be held on Wednesday 25th February beginning at 10am at Victor Peters Suite, 841 Hunter St, Newcastle West. On Wednesday 25 February, CEO of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council Francis Sullivan will visit the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle to conduct two information sessions for staff, volunteers, parishioners and the local community. No RSVP is necessary. The second session will take place at 12:45pm.

SRE Training RENEW SRE Training for current & prospective catechists will be held on Friday 27th February beginning at 10:30am at 262 Sandgate Road, Shortland. Other dates include 6, 13 March, 1 May and 5 June. Morning tea provided, BYO lunch. RSVP Wednesday before each date. Contact Zoe Crosbie P 4979 1328 or E [email protected]

Praise and Worship Event Spirit & Truth - Praise and Worship Event will be held on Friday 27th February at 6pm at St Pius X High School, Adamstown. For more info please contact Andrew on 0410 686 474 or Baden on 0423 663 985. All ages event, special guest speaker Fr Rob Galea. See story in February Aurora.

Charismatic Renewal Day Newcastle Charismatic Renewal Day will be held on Saturday 28th February at 10:30am at St Patrick’s Church Hall, Macquarie St, Wallsend. Newcastle Charismatic Renewal Day with Fr Paul Mulconry giving a Lenten teaching on the Gospel of St Mark starting at 10:30 AM, another talk after lunch and then Mass at 2:30 PM. Morning tea will be provided, BYO lunch. Contact Wayne Caruana on 0466 631 394 for any further details.

Nonviolence Training #LoveMakesAWay Nonviolence Training: Gosford will be held on Saturday 28th February beginning at 9am at Gosford Anglican Church 3 Mann Street, Gosford. Want to know more about Christian nonviolent direct

action (NVDA) in the tradition of Martin Luther King Jr? Want to find out how you can be part of the #LoveMakesAWay movement? Tickets: $40 waged/$20 concession. Note: We have a 'cost should never be a barrier to participation' policy. Please contact Matt if you would like to talk about discount options E [email protected]

Start the New Year off with a bang! Spend a weekend with your spouse at a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The peaceful setting of this weekend enrichment is a great way to rekindle the romance in your marriage. Weekend date: 6th to 8th March at Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, Varroville, NSW. To apply contact Ardell & Bill Sharpe on 02 4283 3435 or [email protected], www.wwme.org. au.

Overseas Stories of the Poor Project Compassion 2015 Speaker Tour Dinner will be held on Friday 6th March at 6pm at Victor Peters Suite, 841 Hunter St, Newcastle West. Help raise funds for Caritas Australia. Jane Woolford, Caritas Education Officer will share her stories of working overseas helping the poorest of the poor and responding to their needs. Cost is $40 pp includes dinner and presentation (drinks can be purchased at own expense). For information contact Brooke Robinson P 4979 1111 or E [email protected]

Living with Uncertainty—Retreat Eremos Retreat Day 'Living with Uncertainty' will be held on Saturday 7th March from 10am at Bundeena House, Bundeena Drive, Bundeena. Join us in the beautiful bush and seaside setting of Bundeena for a day of quiet reflection shared with others. Cost: $70 or $60 for members; concession $10 less. Morning tea and lunch included. Visit www.eremos.org.au for details and registration.

Mini Lunch A lunch will be held every second Wednesday in each month at the Anglican Parish, St. Alban’s Church Hall, Forster at 12pm, cost $7. All welcome to attend. A delicious meal and a warm and friendly greeting await you. Includes lucky door prize and raffles. For further information contact Helen Barber on 6554 5920.

A Reflection Day On Saturday 14th March from 9:30am to 3:30pm, The Tenison Woods Education Centre is offering a day entitled An Autumn Invitation to Enter the Stillness with Sr Colleen O’Sullivan rsj. Morning Tea provided. Please bring your own lunch. Cost $20. Concession $10. See flyer at rear of Church for further details. Phone 4930 9601 or email twec@ssjl by 11th March.

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Ministers this Weekend... ...of the Word ...of Communion

6pm Tuncurry A: Valarie Ross B: Frank Hayman

Kathryn McCabe, Kylie Hall, Michael Amato, Pat Hooker, Valarie Ross.

7am Tuncurry A: Chris Matuszny B: Cushla Drake

Alex Matuszny, Kay Griffiths, Lorraine Clark, Maria Armitage, Peter Wicks.

9am Forster A: Marion O’Neill B: Marie Keep

Anne Harman, Natasha Brotherton, Robert Moran, Robyn Ryan, Trevor Turner.

Ministers next Weekend... ...of the Word ...of Communion

6pm Tuncurry A: Bob Cashman B: Colleen Cashman

Jeanette Goodacre, Kylie Hall, Maureen Stevens, Michael Siddle, Ruth Pearson.

7am Tuncurry A: Edna Tucker B: Maria Armitage

Alex Matuszny, Graham Griffiths, Lorraine Clark, Norm Chapman, Peter Wicks.

9am Forster A: Judith Shand B: Genevieve Williamson

Barbara Dolahenty, Barbara Kermode, Elle Cairns-Cowan, Josi Beech, Shioney Neal.

Please note: The above information reflects the rosters as originally published, and doesn’t take account of any ‘swaps’ that may have been organised between individuals.

Scripture Readings This Week

Today Genesis 9:8-15 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:12-15 Monday Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 Matthew 25:31-46 Tuesday Isaiah 55:10-11 Matthew 6:7-15 Wednesday Jonah 3:1-10 Luke 11:29-32 Thursday Esther 14:1, 3-5, 12-14 Matthew 7:7-12 Friday Ezekiel 18:21-28 Matthew 5:20-26 Saturday Deuteronomy 26:16-19 Matthew 5:43-48 Sunday Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18 Romans 8:31-34 Mark 9:2-10

Today’s Liturgy of the Word

Responsorial Psalm Response: Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to

those who keep your covenant.

Gospel Acclamation Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory! No one lives on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!

In your charity, please pray for:

Those recently deceased. Don Sharrock, George Walker.

Those whose anniversaries occur about now. Andrew Kirton, Phillip Jones, Kevin Brown, Herbert Faulkner, Elisa Viajar.

All those in our community who are sick.

Text: Excerpts from the English Translation of the Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL); Music: From the Mass of St Francis © 2010, Paul Taylor. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Australian Agent—LicenSing Online Lic No. 624844.