Prayer of Hope

Dear friends
I chanced upon this prayer a couple of weeks ago, and I'm posting it here as a prayer of hope. It has a very positive, joyful, hopeful ring to it. I offer it to all of you.

"O Lord, only you can count all the blessings of my life. I give you thanks for the gifts of memory and expectation, for pleasure that comforts and pain that brings needed change, for deep meanings revealed and for that which remains unknown because I may not be able to accept it, for variety and difference in my world, for melody and silence, for all my senses…and above all for the overpowering feeling that somehow I am loved and accepted by You and that nothing can separate me from that Love. In Jesus name I pray. Amen."

Info on the painting:
The Girlhood of Mary Virgin
(1848-983.2 x 65.4 cm) (oil on canvas)
The lily, a flower symbolising Mary's purity, is here being grown in a pot and carefully tended by a child angel. This refers to the Angel Gabriel who will later announce to Mary that she is to bear the Son of God. Rossetti gives us a snapshot of Mary as a child, seated with her mother St Anne and embroidering a lily while her father St Joachim prunes a vine in the background. The painting is rich in Christian symbolism: the dove alludes to the Holy Spirit, the vine to Christian truth, the rose on the windowsill is another flower associated with the Virgin, and the lamp is a symbol of piety. Even the colours of the books that the lily pot stands on refer to Christian virtues, such as gold for charity and green for hope.

A Word of Thanks

Dear Friends:
Just this month alone, many good people have dropped by St Ann's , just to hand in a donation for the new Complex project. Some have given little, others have given more. But to all of you there, please accept a word of thanks from us, accompanied by a prayer for many blessings.
All those who donate to this project are remembered and prayed for in a special way at a Holy Mass on the second Friday of every month at St Ann's.
In fact, we make it a point to pray for anyone who asks for prayers, regardless of whether they make a donation or not. So many people have found solace just by asking us to remember them in our prayers.
So, please drop us a line if you need someone to accompany you in praying for a particular need.
Thank you dear Friends, and may God continue to bless you!

Remit via Telegraphic Transfer

For those who'd like to donate TO THE ST ANN'S COMPLEX PROJECT via Telegraphic Transfer, here are the relevant details! Thanks!

Swift code: SCB LMY KXXXX

Name: St Ann’s Church Building Fund
Address: Gereja Katolik St Ann, Pasar Batu 10, Kota Padawan, 93250 Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia.

Account number: 420-1-5662713-0

Bank:
Standard Chartered Bank,
Wisma Bukit Mata Kuching,
Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman,
93100 Kuching, Sarawak,
East Malaysia.

(PO Box 12, 93900 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia)

Attention: Remittance Officer
Tel: +6 (082) 205121 or +6 (082) 205104
Fax: +6 (082) 256552

Launching of Project of New Complex

KOTA PADAWAN-A Celebration of the Eucharist to mark St Ann's Feast Day at St Ann's Parish, 10th Mile, Kota Padawan, Kuching on Sunda 23rd July 2006 was attended by about 2500 parishioners. The Mass was presided by the Minister Provincial of the Franciscan Friars, Friar Stephen Bliss OFM. Concelebrating with him were Friar Michael D'Cruz OFM, the Custos of Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, as well as visiting friars and priests. Notable was Rev Fr Terry Burke, MHM, who had served at St Ann many years ago. Activities held in conjunction with St Ann's Feastday included a sale of sorts-mainly donated food items, clothes and toys, which was held at the 10th Mile Community Hall. At the conclusion of the Mass, the proposed new St Ann's Complex project was launched. The model was unveiled after a multimedia presentation which explained the reason behind this new endeavour. The parish of St Ann is appealing to generous hearts to support this project through prayers and financial aid.
-Ani Solep