+ Friday 3rd – Palms drive-through and letter boxes! Please spread the word

Hello everyone on Friday. Our visual theme of street signs continues today in the cover picture of this post in our Parish Blog – this time Litton St. The street name theme is just as a small reminder to us all that we are being thought of in every street and household. 

A Palm Sunday gesture from parishioners to others

Today’s post includes some updated info about Palm Sunday and about our simple, but hopefully meaningful gesture to the neighbourhood. Please kindly share the Palm pick-up info and outreach idea – in this post – with as many as you can so that we can get parishioners involved

That image above is just a thumbnail look at a card we’ve made to be dropped in letter boxes or at doors around the neighbourhood, by parishioners, as we go for a walk. It’s A5 cardboard (half an A4 size). Some might like to drop it to people WITH an actual palm branch (pick-up details below) OR the card also speaks for itself without a palm branch. So, some people might also be enthusiastic enough to drop a card (without a branch) into 10-20 letterboxes.

Here’s what the card says

It’s written for people of any faith or background as you’ll see – hence is meant as a sincere outreach from those of Our Lady of the Way – to all people

First it has a greeting that says:

A Gesture of ‘Oneness’ during Social Distancing

Dear Neighbour – a simple message to share with you – and intended to apply across any faith or background, in the week some faith traditions celebrate ‘Palm Sunday’

Then it has a middle section talking about the background of using palms, including an encouraging reference to Jesus 

As an athlete’s victory sign in ancient Greece and a sign of peace in the Near East  – with special use in Jewish festivals & for triumph in early Rome  – and still used just before Easter to recall branches waved to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem – Indeed palm branches have long connected with the yearnings of many across the world. The Jerusalem welcome of Jesus was not of one who would defeat armies and bring victory by division – but one who was a master of peace – whose own prayer from the heart was that ‘all people would be one’ (Jn17:21). So, peace to you – and hope for all – as many people of goodness/Godness in our streets, nation and world unite as one in this time

And then it has a thanksgiving for the person receiving it – and for others – with a broad message of our joining together

Thanksgiving in this week of Palm Sunday for your efforts of care  that bless these streets – as we unite energies and prayers in our many ways to live through the burden of COVID-19. We join our hearts of love for those in the world who are ill, who have died or who mourn – and for all in families, on their own or in household groups in our streets right here

And finally an invitation for anyone to connect with us if they wish

Welcome to ‘We Belong – Parish Blog’ via catholicparishemuplains.org.au if it’s of encouragement to you – but in any case wishing you & loved ones tons of PEACE, HEALTH and ONENESS now and ahead

Pick-up times for Palms and cards at the church

So, we are operating a DRIVE-THROUGH idea due to us being lucky to have a circular, drive-in-drive-out driveway at the church (19 Troy St Emu Plains).

Palms and cards will be arranged (using proper hygiene care) on tables, under the cover at the church doors. And I will be present there too.

Drive or walk through @

***Saturday 6pm-7pm

***Sunday 9am-10.30am

I look forward to saying hello from a short social distance when you drive or walk through to pick up palms and cards.

You can pick up palm branches for yourself / family – and for someone you know who cannot come by – AND you can join in the outreach by taking a couple of palms and the message cards for others in your street or area, regardless of religion or background. As you can see above, the message is intended for all people.

You are encouraged to take 10-20 extra cards if you can letterbox-drop those (without palm branches) during an exercise walk. 

Saturday morning’s Parish Blog post will include

a reflection and pictures from a parishioner, Cate, who with her husband and son – like many others – have started working and schooling from home in this time.

Then by early evening Saturday there will be an Our Lady of the Way liturgy for Palm Sunday …

… that you can enjoy reflectively alone or use to lead others in prayer in your household. It will include voice recorded segments, visual images and guided text pieces. It will draw from the Mass that I celebrate alone this weekend – but deeply with you – at Our Lady of the Way for the celebration of Palm Sunday. I hope and pray that many people can experience some sense of joining together as a Eucharistic people – as we each sense others entering into and sharing in the faith leadership of that common prayer – together giving glory to God.

In the challenge of social distance, this period might encourage us in the leadership in the priesthood of Jesus that we all share through our baptism. Our Catholic Church teaching is that through baptism, we all share in the threefold identity of Jesus’ mission as priest, prophet and king/royal. 

There will also be a  link provided to a live stream of Bishop Vincent celebrating Mass on Sunday at 10am if you would like that instead of – or in addition to – the Our Lady of the Way liturgy in our Parish Blog space. 

And finally here in this post – just for fun! Who recognises this famous piece of art? 

There have been prayer pieces and homilies in this Parish Blog space on Tuesday and Thursday of the past week. And there was a quite full structure of prayer reflecting the Mass I celebrated alone – but deeply with you – at Emu Plains last weekend. You can access any of those past blog posts. If you’re not sure how, just explore what happens as you click around the website and posts – or leave a message for me on 47351041 and I’ll get back to you.

With friendship in God’s mission,

fr Paul