Lucille Galleli

About Lucille Galleli

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Giving Tree 2024

This year Our Lady of Mercy celebrates its 50th anniversary. The Giving Tree project is an important part of this history and takes place during Advent – a time for waiting with joy and for giving.

Over the years the project has evolved into a Christmas campaign to help the less fortunate of the parish. The Confirmation class now sponsors and organises the project and they ask us to participate by donating food items for OLM Caritas and Good Neighbour fund. Bring a food item, and leave it under the tree. Make sure to give your name to the class and they will make a decoration with your name on it and hang it on the tree.

All donations are welcome but especially the following:

Long grain rice

Canned goods

Milk

Tomato sauce

Pasta

Beans

Oil

Cola cap

Breakfast cereal

Flour

And as a special Christmas treat perishables such as chicken, yoghurt and Christmas treats like chocolate and turron.

Theologians’ Corner – Sept 2024: Year of Hope

OLM Theologians’ Corner

22 Sept 2024

Twenty-five of us met in the parish rooms for the first post-summer Theologians’ Corner. Father Alex led the meeting and we talked about the Jubilee Year of Hope declared by Pope Francis.

We reflected upon what this journey of hope could mean for us in our lives. We talked about the practical implications of living this hope and considered how we could proactively develop patience and share hope with others. Comments addressed the legal ramifications of helping a stranger in distress to the often unheeded needs of people in our circle of friends and family.

This meeting was very much a starting point for us engage with the Jubilee message and the talk will be sure to continue on the OLM Theologians’ corner Whatsapp group.

Resources

Resources for this meeting

TC Resources

April 2025: Easter Break

March 2025: The Creed. Session 3/3

Feb 2025: The Creed. Session 2/3

Jan 2025: The Creed. Session 1/3

December 2024: Advent Retreat

Nov 2024: Advent prep for the heart

Oct 2024: The Rosary

Sept 2024: The Year of Hope

June – August: Summer Break

May 2024: Eschatology

April 2024: Redemptoris Mater

March 2024: Lenten retreat

Feb 2024: Readings of the first Sunday of Lent

Jan 2024: Lumen Fidei

Recommended books: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Father also recommended the movie “La sociedad de la nieve”, but urged caution: https://www.netflix.com/es/title/81268316

Dec 2023: Advent retreat

Nov 2023: OLM Synod Results

Oct 2023: What it would mean to be a synodal church?

October 2024: The Rosary

Why Pray the Rosary

Rosary Article.pdf

Reflection Questions: What is your experience of praying the Rosary? How do you pray? What is your relationship with Mary like? How do you see her?

Greeters

Being a greeter means you have the opportunity to welcome our parish family to Mass on Sunday. Everyone is
pleased to see a smiling, friendly face when they arrive.

Greeters can also give help and information, especially to those coming to OLM for the first time. They may want to register as parishioners or maybe they are tourists feeling a bit lost and looking for a Mass in English.

Greeting is a very rewarding ministry and requires little effort. Just turn up at 10.40am on Sunday once every 6 weeks or so. There is a schedule set every month.

We always welcome new greeters. Please contact Julie if you would like to volunteer. All you need is a smile!

Ministry Leader

Julie H

Redemptoris Mater – Theologians’ Corner April ’24

REDEMPTORIS MATER – https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031987_redemptoris-mater.html
Guide: Fr Alex

Father took us through the document giving us insights on Pope John Paul II’s vision of Mother Mary as protector and the mosaic that marks the spot of the vision in St Peter’s square. The image has two captions.The first is Totus Tuus (all yours), John Paul II’s motto, from a book of St Louis Grignon de Montfort. The second is “Mother of the Church”

The Encyclical offers much insight, however, the discussion highlighted three important points:

“The Annunciation” is an opportunity for faith to join our will and intellect. When we do, we receive God’s grace allows us to encounter him and live out our vocation. Like Mary, she gives her total self to God and in return she is “full of grace” because God acknowledges the goodness in her, and it is a recognition of who she is in salvation history–a vessel prepared to receive Christ.
“The Pieta” is the reality of Mary’s vocation. As a mother, she witnessed the brutality of her son’s passion and by holding him reminds us the depths of a mother’s love. This closeness binds her to him. She becomes a mother to us all.
In “Pentecost” we receive new life in the resurrection and the Holy Spirit gives us gifts to go out and preach the Gospel. Now, Mary moves from being the receiver of the message to going out and being the messenger. All Christians are called to imitate Mary’s closeness and faithfulness so that we can hold Christ in our hearts and preach the Gospel.

One of our participants talked about how it is our mission to learn languages to spread the Word. Another shared her experience of how French brought her closer to Mother Mary. A spirited discussion followed on intercession, apostles, saints, heaven, iconography and other insights into faith across different cultures.

The presentation is available here.

If conversations on Catholic Theology interest you, join us and indulge!

Lenten Retreat 2024

This year’s Lenten Day of Reflection at the parish began with time for individual prayer on John 8:1-11. The Gospel passage is an instance of a text in which a crowd is present, as is the case on Palm Sunday, too. Through Ignatian Contemplation, parishioners were invited to place themselves into the story and consider, for instance, how they might have acted or what they may have said.

After individual prayer, small groups were formed to share the fruits of this prayer time with one another. This sharing was guided by reflection questions that invited each person to name his or her own inner Pharisee, recognizing when and with whom one is most likely to judge others harshly. Finally, there was an invitation to reflect on the “saints of forgiveness” in each person’s life, the people who serve as models of how to forgive.

Parishioners then reconvened in the Fellowship Room for a brief presentation that included images used by Marina McCoy in her book The Ignatian Guide to Forgiveness: 10 Steps to Healing. A series of Holy Week paintings where also used to encourage reflection upon, and recognition of, the various messages found within just a single piece of art. Often the very same piece of art can give multiple, sometimes seemingly conflicting messages to its viewers.

The OLM Potluck Lunch

Judging by the enormous queue outside the Fellowship Room, the OLM Potluck Lunch on Sunday 10 February was a tremendous success. Old and young from all over the planet shared their appetite and culinary skills for one of OLM’s social highlights of the year.

The food was varied and delicious from kebabs to ham, pancit, rice, salads, empanadas, spicy chicken to special chocolates all washed down with soft drinks and coffees. The atmosphere was lively with known and new faces catching up and swapping stories.

There was no shortage of volunteers to serve the food and clean up afterwards. One of the many virtues of OLM is the diversity and generosity of its parishioners. The Potluck Lunch was, once again, a great example of that.

Patrick’s Ordination

In a moving ceremony held in Madrid’s San Francisco de Borja parish, six Jesuits embarked on a new journey as they were ordained deacons. The occasion was graced by the presence of Cardinal Archbishop José Cobo Cano, and was a celebration of commitment and spiritual dedication, attended by family, friends, and members of the religious community. The ordination drew participants from across the globe, underscoring the universal call to service that defines the Jesuit mission.

A unique highlight of the ceremony was the enriching contribution of the music ministry from Our Lady of Mercy parish. Their choir, alongside the Ignatian choir of Madrid, infused the event with a transcendent atmosphere, bridging languages and cultures through the universal language of music. This musical accompaniment was a testament to the unifying power of faith and the joyous celebration of new beginnings in the church’s life. Through their voices, the choirs of Our Lady of Mercy and the Ignatian community in Madrid brought to life the ceremony’s message of hope, service, and global fellowship.

Society of Jesus covered the ordination here

Photos taken by the SJ photographer

Video of the Ordination

Choir Prayer

Prayer of Preparation for a Cantor or Choir Member

Prayer of A Cantor or Choir Member

Lord of Life, I pause in prayer before the beginning of this service.

Fill my voice with love for You

May the notes that will sound find their harmony as they pass through my heart.

May the song of my mouth be a hymn a praise to You.

May I seek by my voice to give glory to You rather than to bring attention to myself.

May I seek humble service to the parish community by the sharing of this gift with which You, my Lord, have blessed me.

Use me, Lord of Rhythm and Harmony, as You would play upon a hollow reed so that those whom I am called to serve may be attuned to Your Spirit and moved to prayer.

May my gift of service truly be my prayer to you this day.
Amen.”

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