Sunday, 21 December 2025
4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Questions for the Week:
FIRST READING: ISAIAH 7:10-14
Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah prophesies to King Ahaz that a virgin would bear a son and name him, Emmanuel (“God is with us”). When have you felt close to God this Advent season?
SECOND READING: ROMANS 1:1-7
Paul instructs the Roman Christians that they are “called to be holy.” What do you see as some of the steps toward growing in holiness?
GOSPEL: MATTHEW 1:18-24
We hear how Joseph struggled initially with the news of Mary’s pregnancy. How do you discern making difficult decisions?
©LPi
A Word from Fr Danny:
A week ago, the terrible events at Bondi took place, and tragedy so close to home can lead to a number of reactions: fear, anger, resignation, and perhaps most disturbingly, indifference. Does the event of Christmas have anything to say about this tragedy? Perhaps the most obvious reference is to the Holy Innocents, who were killed because of their proximity to Christ.
One of the most widely reported aspects of this tragedy has been the actions of one man who went towards danger and intervened in a heroic way. Perhaps in this we see that institutional and systemic change is one thing, but just as the whole of human history was changed by Mary saying yes to the angel Gabriel, so too we can impact many by saying yes to Christ and striving for heroic virtue. This is holiness. And perhaps this begins with being moved with joy and thanksgiving by seeing Christ as the hero who came into the world to save me.
- Fr Danny
NZCBC in collaboration with Fr Frank Bird presents SCRIPTURE FOCUS THIS ADVENT: You are invited to prepare for Sunday Mass by reading and reflecting on the Scripture we will hear that weekend. Marist priest Fr Frank Bird has for several years been helping people make those preparations through his Living the Word project. As the name suggests, Living the Word is an invitation for Catholics and others to allow the Word of God to shape their lives. You can download the resources, and access other rich content, at www.livingtheword.org.nz/pray
PARISH NEWS & EVENTS
Here’s what's happening
Sunday, 21 December: 4th Sunday of Advent
5pm Saturday Vigil Mass, Tūrangi | 9am Mass, Taupō
Sacrament of Penance
8.30am | Chapel | Taupō
Divine Mercy
3pm | Chapel | Taupō
Monday, 22 December
Mass
7pm | Church | Taupō
Tuesday, 23 December
Mass
9am | Church | Taupō
Wednesday, 24 December | Christmas Eve
Fair-Weather Gardeners
12pm - 3pm | Taupō
Carols | Taupō
7.30pm | Church | Taupō
Vigil Mass | Taupō
8pm | Church | Taupō
Carols | Tūrangi
11.30pm | Church | Tūrangi
Midnight Mass | Tūrangi
Midnight | Church | Tūrangi
Thursday, 25 December | Christmas Day
Carols
8.30am | Church | Taupō
Mass
9am | Church | Taupō
Friday, 26 December
Mass
12pm | Church | Taupō
Divine Mercy
3pm | Chapel | Taupō
Holy Hour | Adoration, Confession & Benediction
6.30pm | Church | Taupō
Saturday, 27 December
Mass
9am | Church | Taupō
Sacrament of Penance
9.30am | Taupō
Vigil Mass
5pm | Church | Tūrangi
Sunday, 28 December: The Holy Family
5pm Saturday Vigil Mass, Tūrangi | 9am Mass, Taupō
Sacrament of Penance
8.30am | Chapel | Taupō
Divine Mercy
3pm | Chapel | Taupō
Monday, 29 December
Mass
7pm | Church | Taupō
Tuesday, 30 December
Mass
9am | Church | Taupō
Wednesday, 31 December
Ave Connect | Rosary
11.30am | Church | Tūrangi
Mass | Tūrangi
12pm | Church | Tūrangi
Fair-Weather Gardeners
12pm - 3pm | Taupō
Ave Connect | Rosary
7pm | Chapel | Taupō
Thursday, 1 January
Mass
9am | Church | Taupō
Friday, 2 January
Mass
12pm | Church | Taupō
Divine Mercy
3pm | Chapel | Taupō
Holy Hour | Adoration, Confession & Benediction
6.30pm | Church | Taupō
Saturday, 3 January
Mass
9am | Church | Taupō
Sacrament of Penance
9.30am | Taupō
Ministers for Sunday, 21 December
4th Sunday of Advent
Taupō
Tūrangi
THIS WEEK….
Don’t our gardens look beautiful?! If you’re keen to lend a hand on a casual basis, to pull a few weeds, come along on a Wednesday anytime between 12noon and 3pm and join some of our gardening team.
COMING UP…
RETREATS
Retreats
Tyburn Monastery, Ngakuru &
Cluny Retreat Centre, Tauranga
DIOCESAN NEWS & EVENTS
Traveling this Christmas? Our Diocese Christmas Mass Times are now live. Click the button for more info.
Called by Name is a Catholic Summer Camp for children going into Year 7, up to those who have just completed Year 9.
Run by Catholic parents, this event has been supported by the Bernadette Trust through the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton.
The main purpose is to help children enter their tumultuous teenage years knowing they are seen, known and loved by God, that there is a plan and a purpose for their lives.
The camp will endeavour to encourage our youth to begin the journey of taking ownership of their own prayer life, by giving them the time and space at camp to listen to testimonies of older teens, spend time in personal prayer, Adoration, and be given the opportunity for Confession, while having summer camp-style fun with other Catholic kids.
Jan 18 to Jan 21, 2026. Waitawheta Camp, 439 Waitawheta Road, Waihi
INTERNATIONAL NEWS & EVENTS
Click the image above to go to the Jubilee Year website.