Issue 45 May 2026

Parish life

Celebrating our mothers

St John's Church was filled with warmth and gratitude this Mother's Day as the parish came together to celebrate and honour the incredible mothers within the church community. The day was thoughtfully organised to ensure every mum felt appreciated for the love, sacrifice and care they so generously give to their families and to the Church.

Following the service, mothers were treated to complimentary coffees and delicious cookies, creating a beautiful atmosphere of fellowship and joy.

Each mum also received a thoughtful gift of cosy socks and scented candles (also organised by a precious mother in our community) as tokens of appreciation. Adding an especially heartfelt touch were the handmade Mother's Day crafts prepared by the children during Sunday School, and the last-minute gift stall at the bookshop.

A sincere thank you goes to all the servants who dedicated their time, energy and effort to making the day so special. From organising gifts and refreshments to preparing activities for the children, their hard work helped create a memorable celebration that truly recognised the invaluable contributions of mothers throughout the church.

We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to the many mothers who spent part of their special day giving up their time in various services and caring for our stomachs and children. Their willingness to keep serving others, even on a day dedicated to them, is a beautiful example of Christlike love and selflessness. May God bless all our mothers abundantly for the countless ways they enrich our families, church and community.

From the pulpit

How special is a mother?

Fr Luke · Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all our mums, grandmothers and future mums. A mother is one of God's greatest gifts to us all. A Catholic bishop once wrote, "A mother is she who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take." A mother has a profound impact on her children, her family and the whole household. In every way, she reflects the love of Christ.

From the moment a baby is born, the child feeds from the mother, just as we feed from Christ. Christ gave His Body for us, and a mother reflects that same life of sacrifice every day of her life. Today, I thought we might reflect on a few mothers from the Bible and draw lessons from them for both our mums and our dads.

Hannah

The first mother we reflect on is Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Hannah was initially barren and unable to conceive. She lived a difficult life because her husband had children with another woman, who constantly put Hannah down. Yet Hannah presented herself before God and poured out her heart to Him in prayer. God then gave her the gift of her son, Samuel. There was one condition: that she would dedicate Samuel to serve in the temple as an offering of thanksgiving.

Although Hannah only had a short time with Samuel, she had an enormous impact on his life. She was with him only while nursing him, yet we see many of Hannah's qualities reflected in Samuel the prophet. Hannah was a woman of prayer who poured out her heart before God in the temple. Because Hannah always referred to herself as the maidservant of the Lord, Samuel too became a servant of God and made service part of his identity.

The impact mothers have on their children is immense. The small things mums do, even when children are very young, leave a lasting imprint. We should never underestimate the impact of short prayers, commitment to serving, attending church, or speaking about God in the home. These things leave deep marks on a child's life.

What we do now bears fruit later in life.

Jochebed

The second mother we reflect on is Jochebed, the mother of Moses. Every mother carries the burden of worrying about her children. Worry can be overwhelming. It can cause anxiety and sleeplessness, just as it did for Jochebed. When she gave birth to Moses, there was an order to kill all newborn Hebrew boys. She placed her son in the river in a small ark made of reeds and entrusted him to God.

This is the calling of every mother: to prepare as best she can, to trust in God, and to leave the challenges in His hands. The little ark that Jochebed built represents the Church: an ark of safety and shelter that carries our children through the currents of the world.

As mothers and fathers, we should do the same. We will naturally have worries, but we must also trust God to guide and steer our children's lives.

St Mary

The final and greatest mother of all is St Mary. Before Christ's Passion, St Mary already carried the burden of what He would suffer. She heard Simeon's prophecy that a sword would pierce her soul, and she knew how the story would end before it had even begun. She carried and nurtured Christ through His childhood, yet she also carried the weight of the Cross alongside Him.

There is a beautiful scene in The Passion of the Christ where St Mary sees Jesus fall while carrying the Cross, and she feels the heaviness of His suffering. It flashes back to when He fell as a child and she rushed to carry Him. A mother never stops carrying her child.

Sometimes mothers say, "I carry everything, but who carries me?" The answer for St Mary, and for every mother, is Christ. Even while hanging on the Cross in the midst of His agony, Christ was thinking of His mother. He entrusted St John to her, and her to him.

Today, we also remember all our mothers who are now in heaven. We remember the mums who could not be with us today. We give thanks for every sacrifice, every prayer, every sleepless night, and every act of love.

To all our mothers: thank you, and Happy Mother's Day. May God always carry you, just as you have carried us.

Service spotlight

Saturday night Vespers

The best way to mark a weekend. Each Saturday from 4 to 6pm, our church gathers for Vespers, a peaceful and prayerful opportunity to slow down, reflect, and prepare our hearts for the Sunday Liturgy.

Through the prayers, hymns and reverent atmosphere, Vespers helps us turn our minds and hearts toward God as we begin the weekend. It is a beautiful reminder to place Him at the centre of our lives and to enter Sunday with a spirit of peace and readiness.

Vespers is also a special blessing for families. It offers a consistent time each week to come together in prayer, worship as one community, and grow in the life of the Church.

Vespers resume at St John's from Saturday 23 May.

Priests serving

Vespers are generally led each week by Fr Luke, and at times we are also blessed to have other priests join in serving.

How kids can get involved

Children are warmly encouraged to attend Vespers and take part alongside the church community. Even at a young age, simply being present in the prayers, listening, and engaging with Abouna helps nurture a love for the Church and strengthens their connection to the spiritual life.

For many families, Vespers has become a meaningful part of weekly church life. It gives children the opportunity to grow up in the church, build friendships, and develop a strong sense of belonging within the community.

Following Vespers, families and children often stay to share a light meal while the children enjoy time playing around the church grounds. These moments of fellowship add to the warmth of the evening and help strengthen the bonds within our church family.

We encourage all families to make Vespers a part of their weekly routine. It is a valuable time of prayer, fellowship and spiritual preparation, with lasting blessings for both adults and children.

Notices

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