‘Let my actions be a continual prayer and speak to you of my love’
‘Mā aku mahi ka rangona tonutia ngā karakia me taku aroha ki ā koe’.
– Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert

INTRODUCTION

‘Let my actions be a continual prayer and speak to you of my love’
‘Mā aku mahi ka rangona tonutia ngā karakia me taku aroha ki ā koe’.

Welcome to our Celebration Sunday Parish Resources for 2024.
Nau mau haere mai, kia tau te rangimārie ki a koutou kātoa – May peace be with you all!

Celebration Sunday is set aside to commemorate and celebrate the life, spirituality, and good works of Venerable Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert.

The Sisters of Compassion are thankful to the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference for making this day part of the Aotearoa New Zealand National Liturgy Calendar. This special day enables the people of Aotearoa New Zealand to continue to learn about this amazing woman of our time, and why we continue to pray for her beatification.

Readings: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

First Reading: Genesis 2: 7a, 8b, 18-24
‘This one, at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, this one shall be called ‘woman’.

Psalm 128: 1-6
‘May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.’

Second Reading: Hebrews 2:9-11
Christ was made perfect through suffering so that we might all be consecrated.

Alleluia verse: 1 John 4:12
‘If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is brought to perfection in us.’

Gospel: Mark 10:2-16
‘What God has joined, no human must separate.’

The theme of ‘Love-in-action – Aroha-tukua’, has been chosen based on the readings for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, and the continuing work of mission of the Sisters of Compassion. The words of Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert we wish to highlight this year are:

‘Let my actions be a continual prayer and speak to you of my love’
‘Mā aku mahi ka rangona tonutia ngā karakia me taku aroha ki ā koe’.

In this Year of Prayer, launched by Pope Francis on Sunday 21 January 2024, we engage with the prayerful spirituality of Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert. The missal readings for Sunday 6th October speak of right relationship, love, showing compassion in difficult times, and putting tender kindness into action, in our relationships, families, and communities.

Parishes and communities are invited to mark the day of celebration for Venerable Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert on Sunday 6th of October by including a special Prayer of the Faithful at Masses, publishing an article or reflection in their newsletters, and making resources and prayer materials available to their community.

Resource Pack: Included in this pack are resources we hope you will find useful. The links below can be used to access the material online. If you wish to receive physical copies of the content, please email our Communications team at: communications@compassion.org.nz by Friday 20th September 2024.

On behalf of Sister Margaret Anne Mills, Congregational Leader and the Sisters of Compassion Congregation and Staff, we thank you for your ongoing support and would like to wish you a very Happy Celebration Sunday!

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

E te Atua o te Aroha me te Pūaroha – God of Love and Compassion
On this Celebration Sunday, we remember the life of Suzanne Aubert Meri Hōhepa and the way she put
tender kindness into action. We pray that her example of love-in-action, compassion in difficult times,
generosity of spirit, advocacy for the poor and reliance on God’s love, will continue to inspire the people of
Aotearoa New Zealand.
E te Ariki – whakarongo mai rā ki a mātou.

PRAYER FOR THE BEATIFICATION OF SUZANNE AUBERT

Lord Jesus Christ, you taught us that as often as we show compassion
to the least of your brothers and sisters, we show it to you.
Hear our prayers that Venerable Suzanne Aubert, who loved the
Maori people and devoted her life to the poor, the sick and the
underprivileged, and whom the Church has declared to be one of your
true and humble followers, may soon be recognised as a saint.
Amen.

Download: Prayer for the Beatification of Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert

CLOSING PRAYER

Kia īnoi tatou, Let us pray:

God of compassion and love, may the example of the life of Venerable Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert guide us in our lives with all tenderness.

May our actions reflect your love O Lord,
May we show your love in our eyes,
May your truth be on our lips,
May we welcome the lost and lonely,
May we feed the poor and hungry,
May we shelter the homeless in our society.
Loving God, may we give freely with true generosity and may we look upon ourselves with kindness and
compassion too, and understand your abounding and infinite love for us.
We ask this prayer through Christ Our Lord.
Amen.

NEWSLETTER NOTICE

Celebration Sunday 2024

‘Let my actions be a continual prayer and speak to you of my love’
‘Mā aku mahi ka rangona tonutia ngā karakia me taku aroha ki ā koe’.
– Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert

This weekend at our Masses, we join with the Sisters of Compassion and all peoples of Aotearoa, New Zealand to celebrate the life of Venerable Suzanne Aubert Meri Hōhepa.
Following her example, we pray that our actions will be a continual prayer that speak of Christ’s love for all.

REFLECTION

Praying with Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert

Leader: Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert said,
‘Let my actions be a continual prayer and speak to you of my love’.
‘Mā aku mahi ka rangona tonutia ngā karakia me taku aroha ki ā koe’.

Together we pray:
Ki te ingoa o te Matua, o te Tamaiti, o te Wairua Tapu. Āmene
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Together we pray the response: Lord, in our daily lives, may our actions speak of your love.

Leader: Take a moment to pause and gaze on this image of Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert
You are invited to sit in stillness with Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert
– now pause, breathe in, breathe out.

What thoughts or feelings arise in you?

How does the quote speak to you?

What does it mean to you, that your actions could be a continual prayer?

How might your actions speak of Christ’s love?

Do you seek forgiveness for actions that you regret?

Bring these petitions to your prayer today.

How does your prayer lead you into loving action?

REFLECTION

Response: Lord, in our daily lives, may our actions speak of your love.

Leader reads slowly:

Pause
Breathe in Life,
Breathe out Fear,
Breathe in Life,
Breathe out Fear,
Breathe in Love,
Breathe out Pain,
Breathe in God,
Breathe out Peace
Pause again

Response: Lord, in our daily lives, may our actions speak of your love.

Together we join and sing the waiata to close our reflection time today:
(Tune: Kumbayah)

E te Atua, aroha mai         O God love us
E te Atua, aroha mai         O God love us
E te Atua, aroha mai         O God love us
Āke, āke tonu e                   forever and ever, Amen
Āke, āke tonu e                   forever and ever, Amen

PRAYER TO SUZANNE AUBERT

Venerable Meri Hōhepa, our mother Suzanne,

I give thanks for your compassionate heart
modelled on Mary at the foot of the Cross.

Guide me as I seek to follow your way:
to be kind without weakness,
to be open to the call of suffering,
to be gracious, joyful and welcoming.

Help me live as you lived,
with humility and courage,
treasuring and sharing the gift of
compassion te pūaroha.

Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

– Written by Father James Lyons

PRAYER TO SUZANNE AUBERT

E Meri Hōhepa te Kahurangi, tō tātou whaea
e Hūhana, e whakawhetai ana ahau
mō tōu ngākau pūaroha e whakatauria nei i te āhua
o te noho a Maria ki ngā rekereke o te Rīpeka.

Arahina ahau i ahau e whai ana i tōu tauira:
kia mākohakoha , te ngoikore nei,
kia taringa areare ki te reo karanga
o taumaha hārukiruki,
kia whakawhetai, kia hari, kia maioha.

Tohua mai te ara ora i whaia e koe,
i runga i te māhaki me te māia
me te whakamanawa, tuari hoki
i tēnei taonganui o te pūaroha.

Mā te Karaiti tō mātou Ariki.
Āmene.

– Written by Father James Lyons

CHILDREN’S LITURGY: LOVE-IN-ACTION ACTIVITY
Link to download the activity