2020 LIFELINK CHRISTMAS APPEAL: Allow the Lord to mould our hearts, says Archbishop Costelloe
Archbishop Costelloe blesses the parish priests and representatives during the special liturgical service in advance of the official launch of the Archbishop’s Christmas Appeal for LifeLink 2020. Photo: Ron Tan.
By Jamie O’Brien
The story of the Good Samaritan took centre stage at a special liturgical service for Parish Priests and representatives in advance of the official launch of the Archbishop’s Christmas Appeal for LifeLink 2020.
“It speaks of love of neighbor and of practical, down-to-earth faith which is never content with words but knows that words have to be put into action,” Archbishop Costelloe SDB explained.
“For me the most powerful part of the story is the description of the Samaritan man as someone who was ‘moved with pity’,” he continued.
Archbishop Costelloe and Bishop Don Sproxton during the special liturgical service on Tuesday 2 November at St Mary’s Cathedral, in advance of the official launch of the Archbishop’s Christmas Appeal for LifeLink 2020. Photo: Ron Tan.
As part of the liturgy, LifeLink Chair and Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton read the story of the Good Samaritan. This was followed by an address by Archbishop Costelloe. This year, Archbishop Costelloe highlighted, has been difficult for everyone.
“Christmas 2020 will be especially challenging for so many people who, in more normal times, might not be in great need of help but who, because of sickness, unemployment or other unforeseen financial and personal difficulties, might well be as much in need of the soothing oil of kindness and generosity as the injured man was of the oil and wine poured on his wounds by the Good Samaritan,” he said.
Parish priests and representatives came together on Tuesday 2 November at St Mary’s Cathedral for the special liturgical service in advance of the official launch of the Archbishop’s Christmas Appeal for LifeLink 2020. Photo: Ron Tan.
More than 160 parish priests and their representatives from 72 parishes attended the evening’s prelaunch which was an opportunity for Archbishop Costelloe and Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton to express their thanks to parish priests and representatives for their support with the appeal each year.
The Archbishop’s 2020 Christmas Appeal Letter will be distributed after each Mass in parishes throughout the Archdiocese this weekend, and a special video message from the Archbishop will be shown to parishioners at the end of each Mass.
The official launch of the Archbishop’s Christmas Appeal for LifeLink will be held in parishes on the weekend of Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November.
It goes without saying, Archbishop Costelloe continued, that the raising of money through his Christmas Appeal for LifeLink is an important and practical way of lifting the burden of loneliness, of poverty, of homelessness and of hopelessness for many people who access LifeLink agencies.
Archbishop Costelloe blesses the parish priests and representatives during the special liturgical service in advance of the official launch of the Archbishop’s Christmas Appeal for LifeLink 2020. Photo: Ron Tan.
“But beyond the raising of money it would be my hope that what really happens is that we, and the people of our parishes, will respond as generously as we can because we have allowed the Lord to mould our hearts so that we really are moved with pity: that we see as Jesus sees, and listen as Jesus listens, and respond as Jesus responds, and love as Jesus loves. “Then we will have really taken the parable of the Good Samaritan to heart because we will, as Jesus says in relation to the Good Samaritan, “go and do likewise”,” he said.
At the Liturgical Service, a new “Welcome to LifeLink” informational video was officially released, which was developed and produced in consultation with students and teachers from selected secondary schools in the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth, and with the support of Catholic Education Western Australia.
This new video is now available online at www.lifelink.com.au.
The Archbishop’s Christmas Appeal video message is also available online at www.lifelink.com.au
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Mary MacKillop Catholic Community Primary School
Cassowary Drive, Ballajura WA 6066, Australia
9241 7500
9249 9315
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St John Paul II Catholic Primary School
6 Kurrajong Boulevard, Banksia Grove WA 6031, Australia
9303 7101
9404 8777
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St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School
1051 Connolly Drive, Butler WA 6036, Australia
9562 9500
9562 4929
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St Emilie's Catholic Primary School
151 Amherst Road, Canning Vale WA 6155, Australia
9256 9696
9256 9699
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Holy Spirit School
Cnr Bent Street & Brompton Road, City Beach WA 6015, Australia
9341 2551
9341 4335
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St Andrew's Catholic Primary School
60 Victorsen Parade, Clarkson WA 6030, Australia
9407 8000
9407 8015
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Notre Dame Catholic Primary School
360 Daly Street, Cloverdale WA 6105, Australia
6272 7100
9277 2234
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Francis Jordan Catholic School
25 Peterborough Drive, Currambine WA 6028, Australia
9305 4990
9305 4991
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St Helena's Catholic Primary School
55 Fortescue Place, Ellenbrook WA 6069, Australia
9297 7500
9296 8307
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Our Lady of Mercy Primary School
55 Hudson Avenue, Girrawheen WA 6064, Australia
9207 7677
9343 1998
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Mary's Mount Primary School
47 Davies Crescent, Gooseberry Hill WA 6076, Australia
9290 5200
9293 3425
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St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School
30 Ranworth Road, Hocking WA 6065, Australia
9303 7600
9303 7636
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Aranmore Catholic Primary School
20 Brentham Street, Leederville WA 6007, Australia
9444 9366
9242 2784
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St Pius X Catholic School
Ley Street & Cloister Avenue, Manning WA 6152, Australia
9416 5600
9416 5601
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St Simon Peter Catholic Primary School
18 Prendiville Avenue, Ocean Reef WA 6027, Australia
9301 6888
9401 7155
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St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
252 Grand Ocean Boulevard, Port Kennedy WA 6172, Australia
9593 4066
9593 6596
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St Columba's Catholic Primary School
30 York Street, South Perth WA 6151, Australia
6436 9500
9367 3110
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St Kieran Catholic Primary School
116 Tyler Street, Tuart Hill WA 6060, Australia
6383 2600
9242 5338
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Ursula Frayne Catholic College
15 Duncan Street, Victoria Park WA 6100, Australia
9470 0900
9470 2094
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St Gerard's Catholic Primary School
31 Changton Way, Westminster WA 6061, Australia
6241 8500
6241 8555