As I sit down to put this SMILE message together, there are secondary school students putting down their thoughts in NCEA exams, and those not burdened with papers to write and marks to achieve are being offered a host of different activities.  The shop window dressers, briefly tempted by Halloween and Guy Fawkes, are now fully focused on Christmas and getting customers to part with their money.

Here in the parish, the Advent wreath makes its annual appearance; the children have experienced  - celebrated hopefully - their First Reconciliation; there are other opportunities for Confession for everyone; the choir (Schola Mariae) and “the band” (Emmaus) are focused on hitting their notes and getting their sound right; the flower ladies are gathering their ideas, and the crib arranger is considering where best to set it up this year…

Besides the decorations in the commercial parts of town and the encouragement to spend profligately, these are some of the other signs that Christmas is near.

For the first time in five or six years all the parish Christmas Masses will be celebrated at Saint Mary Immaculate church, and we are having three early evening Vigil Masses, rather than focussing on midnight Mass, and will have our usual two Sunday morning Masses.   As per Bishop Denis’ desire and encouragement, we have tried to work with Saint Thomas More Parish in Mount Maunganui in the provision of a Christmas Masses, and there will be midnight Mass over there.

We are looking forward to catering for families who wish to have some choice of time regarding their Christmas Mass, and as well enough energy to actually enjoy the family aspect on Christmas Day itself. 

Let us prepare ourselves for Christmas with humility and simplicity, making ourselves ready to receive as a gift the light, joy and peace that shine from this mystery.  Let us welcome the Nativity of Christ as an event that can renew our lives today.  The encounter with the Child Jesus makes us a people who do not think only of themselves, but open themselves to the expectations and needs of their brothers and sisters.

The Child of Bethlehem summons us once again to do everything in our power to put an end to the suffering in the world, particularly that of children; to do everything possible to make the light of Bethlehem touch the heart of every man and woman. Only through the conversion of hearts, only through a change in the depths of our hearts can the cause of all this evil be overcome, only thus can the power of the evil one be defeated. Only if people change will the world change; and in order to change, people need the light that comes from God, the light which so unexpectedly entered into our night.

As Advent and Christmas of 2011 give way to the new year of 2012, let us become witnesses of the radiance of Christmas that shines on the humanity of the third millennium.

This December edition of SMILE offers an opportunity to express my thanks to so many people who have contributed to the vitality and vibrancy of our parish.  There are people who do all sorts of tasks that are unnoticed and unsung, but which if they were not done would certainly be noticed and missed!!!

The staff from the parish office have been farewelled, the SMILE Committee have recognised that there are other ways in which they can deploy their creative and literary gifts, the Liturgy Committee has been disbanded, some of our Monday morning collection counting people have decided to retire, and there are other individuals who have done various jobs and exercised various ministries - some giving very many years of service to the parish – who have also taken the opportunity to let the baton pass to others.  To all these people, on my own behalf and on behalf of the Parish, thank you and may God bless you.  May there be others who will come along who will recognise the opportunity and the challenge that your absence now provides.

To the groups and individuals who have supported and encouraged me, I say thank you: my colleagues in the Presbytery and the Sisters, Deacon Sid Wells, the Parish Council, the Finance and Management Committee, RCIA, those in music ministry, those with other ministries at the altar and elsewhere, those involved in our Catholic schools, those who take Communion to the sick and those who visit the hospital and rest homes, those who sweep the grounds and care for the gardens, Lino and Sione whose help in the sacristy is invaluable, Peter who assists with the altar servers, those who wash the altar linen and those who look after the parish kitchen, the library, those who clean and tidy……. 

I want especially to thank my PA, Andrea Chambers, who gives me sound advice, wise counsel, challenges me when I am complacent, and encourages me when I think I am being overwhelmed.  She will not make decisions that are properly mine to make.  She knows that I do not make decisions easily and am a procrastinator, but she doesn’t absolve me of the responsibility for making those decisions.  I am appreciative of all that she does, particularly as I do not know the full extent of it.

Finally, please keep returning those various forms from our Planned Giving Review: your consideration in respect of your financial support for the Parish is most important of course: without the generosity of parishioners there could be no parish.  Also important are the various tasks and jobs that are available for people to take up: as mentioned above, those who have retired have left a gap that needs to be filled: there is still work to do! There was also a request for details of how the Parish can communicate with you effectively, and we are very keen to improve and update the quality of the information we have on our database.  It is by doing this that we can stay in touch with you efficiently and effectively, and together press on with out mission of bringing people closer to Christ. 

May God bless you and your families and friends through Advent’s hopeful expectancy into a joyful Christmas and a happy New Year.