Nowadays, people are beginning to believe that to live together in life-long marriage is the exception. Parish records show that the number of weddings in Catholic churches has dramatically dropped in most parts of the world. Golden and silver wedding jubilees have indeed become very rare. We hardly know of couples living together in marriage until old age.

During the time of Moses, God gave His commandments to His people through Moses. But the people had real difficulty following most of the commandments, especially on marriage. Divorce and polygamy were so common that they thought these were the right way. So, in order to maintain some kind of order in the community, and to regulate matters involving divorce, Moses had to promulgate a decree of divorce. It is not right and it is definitely a violation of God's command. But since they persisted in their ways – "because of the hardness of your hearts" – Moses had to do something to maintain peace and order among the people. That was the reason why divorce was allowed among the Israelites at that time.

Why is marriage such a necessary human institution? The answer is simple: it is necessary for the survival of the human race. In the Gospel, quoting the Book of Genesis, Jesus said, "From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female." (Mk 10:6). The man and the woman were intended by God to be complementary with each other. The man alone is not complete: "The Lord God said: 'It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him.'" (Gen 2:18).He becomes complete only when he is joined with the woman. And the bond that joins them is love. Love is not just a feeling or emotion. It is a lifelong decision to stick it out together through thick and thin, "for better or worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health," until death. This union of man and woman is best expressed in the sexual act. This act naturally brings forth children that ensure the posterity of mankind. Hence, the idea of same-sex "marriage" is totally unacceptable. It is impossible for persons of the same sex to produce offspring. That is why, "from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female."

And in order that the procreation and upbringing of children will be assured so that the future of mankind is safeguarded, couples have to be in a stable relationship. Marriage is what makes their relationship stable. Married couples are able to establish a stable family where children are well cared for and raised up as good and responsible citizens of society. So important is marriage that Jesus raised this human institution to the level of a sacrament, so that the union of man and woman enjoys the blessing and protection of God.

One thing people need to do today is to say yes. Married couples must be able to say yes to each other. That is what it means by love as total self-giving. Marriage is not a fifty-fifty relationship; it is a one hundred percent relationship – total giving of self to each other. And most importantly, husbands and wives, and their children must be able to say yes to God all the time. Saying no to God is what sin consists of. And when sin comes in, the devil is not far behind to inflict chaos and ruin to our families and our homes.

God wants us to live in peace and happiness. This will happen only if we go back to His original teachings and follow them faithfully. Trouble comes in when we turn away from God, when we let our selfishness and pride rule our lives, and when we deviate from the original plan of God. Let us bring back God into the center of our homes and families. "The family that prays together, stays together." Then peace, happiness and salvation will be ours now and for always.

Fr. Antonius David Tristianto, O.Carm. 

Man is a social being. We all have the natural human need to belong – a family, community, friends, and various associations. The disciples were, indeed, happy to be part of the group of Jesus. That must have made them feel important and special. But at the same time, that also led them to feel exclusive – and proud. In last Sunday's Gospel, they were, in fact, arguing about who was the greatest among them. And in the Gospel today, they learned about some people outside the group who were casting out demons in the name of Jesus. They tried to stop them. They sincerely believed that the gift of exorcising demons was exclusive to them. This is similar with the case in the first reading. Joshua tried to stop Eldad and Medad from prophesying because they were not present in the camp when the Spirit of God through Moses descended upon the group of elders. But Moses knew better. He told them: "Are you jealous for my sake? If only all the people of the Lord were prophets! If only the Lord would bestow his spirit on them!" (Numbers 11:29).

It is such a wonderful thing to be part of the group of Jesus, to be the insiders. But this does not mean that we exclude others from joining us, that we treat others as outsiders. That is not what God wants. And we cannot limit God's actions, nor can we stop Him from imparting His gifts and blessings to others who do not belong to our group. Nobody has the monopoly of God's gifts and favors. Rather than excluding others, we should look at ourselves and learn to appreciate the great privilege of being part of the group of Jesus, members of his Mystical Body.

What does it really mean to be considered "insiders"? The Gospel this Sunday outlines several important points.

First, to be a genuine insider, there should be an attitude of openness. Jesus said: "There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us" (9:39-40). This simply means there are many people outside who are also being used by God as His instruments. We may not know who they are, but God knows them, and He rewards them for sure: "Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will not lose his reward" (9:41). We should be open to accept others as our co-workers in the Lord's vineyard. That is what it means by the word "catholic" – universal.

Second, a true member of Christ must always maintain the attitude of a child. The many painful divisions and misunderstandings among us are usually caused by pride, ambition and jealousy. St. James pointed that out in last Sunday's lesson: "Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice" (James 3:16). We are constantly seeking things that divide us. But if we can accept the poverty, loneliness and insecurity within each of us, we will find enough ground for unity."

Third, the genuine member of the Church knows perfectly well the infinite value of the heavenly treasures and is, therefore, all too ready to sacrifice everything in order to please God and win heaven. That is the meaning of the teaching in the Gospel about cutting one's limbs and gouging out an eye, which is to be interpreted figuratively.

We come together once again as members of the family of God. Let us not just look at one another, contented that we belong to God's chosen family. Rather, let us look beyond ourselves, and begin to realize that we have our mission to bring people in. Let us not just enjoy the unity among ourselves, but should also strive to expand this unity towards others outside. After all, this is the prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane: "I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you" (Jn 17:20-21).

Fr. Antonius David Tristianto, O.Carm. 

• There will be regular mass at 9:15 AM but NO Adoration on 22 Sep (Wed), which is a Public Holiday.St. Anne's will be closed after Mass on that day.
• There will be Lector Training sessions on both 19 and 26 Sep 2021 (3:00-4:00 PM) at the parish hall upstairs. Fr. Albertus will talk about the Spirituality of the Lector and the Liturgy. It is recommended that all lectors come; new lectors are required to attend.
• Deadline for registration for 2021-2022 Religious Education classes is Mon, 20 Sep 2021.For complete instructions and to register, please visit the parish website at www.stannes.hk
• New Eucharistic Minister training will be held on the following Sundays: 3 and 10 Oct 2021 at 4:00 PM.
• The commissioning for the Eucharist Ministers, Readers, and Acolytes will be held on 17 Oct 2021 at the 11:15 AM Mass.

If you are looking or a meaningful way to contribute to our parish community and if you enjoy making music, then please join us in the music ministry. 

We welcome all vocalists and instrumentalists, all ages, and all nationalities, and we always welcome new members. We are also looking for a new coordinator to help with scheduling and communications.

If you are interested to find out more, come talk with one of the choir members after mass, or e-mail Peggie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Why did Jesus place a child in their midst? It should be noted that before this, Jesus was teaching his disciples about the necessity of undergoing his sufferings and death on the cross. And the Gospel said: "But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him" (Mk 9:32). Most likely, they heard him very clearly, but they chose to close their minds and hearts to the Lord's teaching because they were obsessed with something else: they were discussing and arguing about who was the greatest among them. While Jesus was talking about his own struggle to become nothing through his self-offering on the cross, his followers were working out their selfish ambitions for power and shamelessly jostling for position. They were in the midst of a fierce competition, instead of unity and cooperation.

This explains why there is so much trouble and conflict all around us. The famous author, T.S. Elliot said: "Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important." St. James is very clear on this: "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice… Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?" (James 3:16, 4:1).

So Jesus placed in front of his disciples a small child – somebody who is nobody in society – in order to bring home the point that greatness is not in being first, not in having more, and not in being important. In the example of a child, greatness is in humility, simplicity and total dependence on God. In other words, the child is the clear reflection of Jesus. He is like the little child in relation to his heavenly Father. That is why he said: "Whoever receives one such child as this in my name, receives me."

In each one of us, there is the adult and the child part. The adult in us is more calculating and security-conscious, goal-oriented and success-driven, ambitious and proud. But the child in us is carefree and daring, more concerned about celebration and cooperation, has less interest on ambition, power and success, and does not think of failure and death. Receiving a child as Jesus teaches simply means to accept the child part of our personality. We do not discard the adult part, but we give chance to the child part to emerge, so that we will be less afraid, less ambitious, but more authentic in our feelings and expressions, and more willing to take the leap of faith to follow Jesus. In this kind of disposition, we learn to let go, and let God!

This is precisely what the Lord is teaching us when he said: "Anyone wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all" (Mk 9:35). We should not be afraid to be last, for we will be the first. We should not be afraid to be the least and the servant of all, for that is the key to true greatness. And let us not be afraid to be like little children, for that is the way to inherit the kingdom of God.

A quotation said: "It takes a lot of littleness in order to be great." Are we looking for happiness and peace? Try what Fr. Robert Hugh Benson realized: "To feel extraordinarily small and unimportant is always a wholesome feeling."

Fr. Antonius David Tristianto, O.Carm.

• The parish needs VOLUNTEERS to help in the following essential ministries: Acolytes, Funeral Services, Music, and Filipino Catholic Ministry.We urge parishioners to serve the aforementioned ministries.If you are interested, please get the form next to parish bulletin at the back of the church.

• New Eucharistic Minister training will be held on the following Sundays: 12 September, 3 and 10 October 2021 at 4:00 PM.
• There will be Lector Training sessions on both 19 and 26 September 2021 (3:00-4:00 PM) at the parish hall upstairs. The training will focus on the techniques and quality of reading. Fr. Albertus will talk about the Spirituality of the Lector and the Liturgy. It is recommended that all lectors come; new lectors are required to attend.
• The commissioning for the Eucharist Ministers, Readers, and Acolytes will be held on 17 October 2021 at the 11:15 AM Mass.

During the time of Jesus, the people were confused. They had diverse ideas about him. They regarded him as a political messiah, a teacher, a healer, wonderworker, prophet, king, and many others besides. In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus asked his disciples a sort of a survey question: "Who do people say that I am?" He was not really interested in their answer. He was just testing them whether they were affected by the confusing ideas of people about him. His most important question, however, followed the first: "But who do you say that I am?"

This is the same question Jesus asks of us: "Who do you say that I am?" There are now thousands of religions and sects all over the world, each one preaching about Jesus. But we are not sure whether the Jesus they are preaching is the true Jesus. That is why many people are confused.

Peter gave the correct answer: "You are the Messiah." But Jesus did two surprising things: first, "he warned them not to tell anyone about him" and second, he called Peter "Satan." Although Peter gave the correct answer, this truth about the identity of Jesus was not yet to be made known to the people. Doing so prematurely would risk his mission. The people would be very excited and disturbed and this could threaten the Roman authorities. And secondly, the salvation that Jesus was to bring about was by way of the cross, and the people would not be able to understand and take it. So, his identity had to remain as the "Messianic Secret."

Jesus also surprised everybody by rebuking Peter: "Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." This was because, when Jesus was talking about his forthcoming sufferings and death on the cross, Peter objected and tried to dissuade him: "No! There must be some other way, not the cross! The cross is for criminals and evil-doers, not for you!" These words of Peter must have tempted Jesus. So, he quickly rebuked Peter with the hard words ever: "Get behind me, Satan!" Underlying these two surprising actions of Jesus is the reality of the cross. He had to keep his identity hidden from the people because of the cross he was about to carry. And He called Peter "Satan" because he was trying to prevent him from taking up the cross, and thereby disobey his heavenly Father's will.

Who is Jesus? In order not to be confused, there is one particular thing, which will definitely identify the true Jesus: it is the cross. The true Jesus always has the cross. There is no cross- less Jesus. That is why he said: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me" (Mt 16:24). He is the Suffering Servant of Yahweh that the Prophet Isaiah talks about in the first reading. The cross has been the symbol of man's cruelty. It has been used as the instrument of abuse and death to punish criminals and enemies of the state. But Jesus was no criminal. He has no sin. He cannot be punished. Yet he was nailed to the cross. He voluntarily suffered and offered up his life on the cross as sacrifice to atone for man's sins and offenses against God. From that time on, the cross became the most perfect symbol of self-sacrifice, love and salvation. Jesus said: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." (Jn 15:13).

Our journey as Christians is like climbing a mountain. It is an upward ascent to perfection and holiness. Jesus said: "Be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect." It is never easy. It is the way of the cross. It is the way of rendering good works and loving service to those in need as the Apostle James said in the second reading. It is the way of forgiveness and love, even love of our enemies. It is the way of self-denial in the midst of temptations to comfort and extravagance. It is never easy. So, if we are looking for an easy life, if we are looking for comfort and pleasure, beware! A quotation says: "If the going gets so easy, be careful! You may be going downhill!"

The 14^th of September, we celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation or the Triumph of the Cross. It seeks to remind us that we have to remain loyal to Jesus and to follow him no matter what lies ahead. The Suffering Servant in the book of the prophet Isaiah said these words: "I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame" (Is 50:7). "Setting one's face like flint" means to look straightforward; to focus oneself towards one direction, never turning his head to other distractions. This is precisely what the Lord wants us to do. He walks ahead of us with the cross on his shoulders. Let us follow him, with our faces set like flint, knowing that he will lead us to victory and eternal glory.

Fr. Antonius David Tristianto, O.Carm. 

• The parish needs VOLUNTEERS to help in the following essential ministries: Acolytes, Funeral Services, and Filipino Catholic Ministry. We urge parishioners to serve the aforementioned ministries. If you are interested, please get the form next to parish bulletin at the back of the church.
• The Adoration will be held on 5 September (Sunday) at 2:00 - 3:30 PM in our church. All are welcome, including non-Catholics.
• New Eucharistic Minister training will be held on 12 September, 3 and 10 October 2021 at 4:00 PM.
• The commissioning for the Eucharist Ministers, Readers, and Acolytes will be held on 17 October 2021 at the 11:15 AM Mass.

In the gospel today Jesus meets a man who is deaf and also has a problem in his speech. It is his friends who bring him to Jesus. We note the sensitivity of Jesus. He takes the man apart in order to cure him. We see the gentleness of Jesus in dealing with the man in a very personal and caring way. He doesn't want to embarrass him or treat him as a case. He treats him as another human being in need of respect and gentleness because of his situation.

But more than a physical healing Jesus allows him to go back into society freed to participate in all social and religious activities. The fact is that at the time of Jesus deafness and the inability to speak were seen as punishments from God. So, in healing him Jesus gives him back his religious and social rights and so the man ceases to be marginalized.

In the text neither the man nor his friends get a name suggesting that the man stands for all of us who need to have our ears opened by God to hear what keeps us enslaved so as free us from things that harm us. As a community open to and really hearing the word of God we must show solidarity with those who suffer physically and socially. Today an obvious situation would be how we treat immigrants, asylum seekers, people with various diseases. Very often they are rejected. The gospel text, then, is fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah which says that 'the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.'

In the gospel text we see too that Jesus has crossed the borders from the land of the Jews into what is known as pagan territory to bring the Good News to non-Jews, saying that God wishes to heal and care for all peoples irrespective of religious or other labels. This is an invitation to us to cross the borders to those who do not belong to us socially or religiously, like immigrants, refugees or people of other faiths or indeed those who do not believe at all.

Jesus has gone back to his heavenly Father and he leaves the work of opening the ears of the blind and opening the tongues of the deaf to us. He is not asking us for success stories but rather he asks how we help others to hear by our compassionate listening, by our respectful attitudes. How do we speak to others? Is our manner of speech if in a courteous way not an invitation to others who may be aggressive and angry, etc. to learn a different way of speaking and addressing others?

Finally, Jesus said to the deaf man who had also a speech impediment 'Ephphatha' that is 'Be opened'. Is he not addressing the same words to us? An invitation also to us. 'Be opened' – to the goodness of other people, the innocence of babies, the gentleness of the old, the beauties of creation, the knowing smile, the so many gifts we receive from God daily.

'Be opened' to the unspoken cry for friendship of another, to the call of a lonely person living nearby, the call to share what is surplus to me and no longer needed instead of leaving them in my cupboard when I may never use them again.

Can I practicalize the 'Be opened' invitation of Jesus? We all know that we ourselves and others will be the better for it.

For sure the deaf man with the impediment stands for each of us, woman and man. God speaks to us daily through others in so many ways. Do we hear what he is saying and are our lips continually free from negative comments and other impediments so as to use them to praise and thank God continuously and to encourage others who are down and to try to be positive in our words towards all?

Fr. Antonius David Tristianto, O.Carm.

Please note that WEEKDAY MASS now starts at 9:15 AM.

The parish is facing a shortage of manpower at the moment, especially Acolytes, Sunday School Teachers, Funeral Services Coordinators, and Filipino Catholic Ministers.We encourage all parishioners to Consider Volunteering for the Church's Ministries.If you are interested, please get the form next to parish bulletin at the back of the church.

Training for the new Eucharistic Ministers will be held on August 29 (Sunday) at 4:00 PM in the church.

There is a story about a saint who, while still alive, was granted the privilege of seeing heaven. He was at the entrance, waiting for St. Peter. While waiting, he walked around, and was very surprised to see hundreds of thousands of human ears hanging all over the place. He managed to ask an angel about those ears. And the angel replied: "Those ears belong to people who were good listeners of the Gospel of Jesus. They loved to listen to the Word of God. But they did not practice what they heard. So, it's only their ears that are here."

Brothers and sisters, following Jesus is not a matter of listening, or talking. Rather, it is a matter of doing and obeying God's will. In the second reading, the Apostle Saint James urge us: "Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.This was precisely the problem with the Pharisees.They were good listeners and preachers of the word of God. In fact, they were the acknowledged spiritual leaders of the Jewish people. But they were not doers. After all, listening and preaching are easier than doing what the word of God tells us.

In our first reading today from Deuteronomy, Moses says, "In your observance of the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I am commanding you, you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it" (Deut 4:2). The Pharisees were definitely guilty of this self-deception, and worse, also of deceiving others. They were guilty of adding, subtracting and distorting God's commandments in order for them to look good and to readily condemn others. They were quick in criticizing others for not observing the ritual washing of hands, as if unwashed hands are worse than unclean hearts. So Jesus pointed out directly: "Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person, but the things that come out from within are what defile" (Mark 7:14-15). And he went on to mention the sins that most of us are prone to fall into: "evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly" (Mk 7:21f.).

The world nowadays has been very successful in deceiving us. We have learned to live with ambiguity, double meanings and double standards, especially in matters of morality and spirituality. We have managed to justify our sins and make them appear and sound harmless by the clever use of words and expressions. Abortion is no longer called murder, but "reproductive rights"; euthanasia which was called "mercy killing" is now referred to as "compassion for the terminally ill"; This is the bitter fruit of what Pope Benedict XVI called "the dictatorship of relativism." We have learned to live with immorality and lies for we ceased standing up for truth and goodness. We have compromised our Christian principles and values in favor of this world. This is aptly expressed in an old adage: "Unless we live in accordance with what we believe, in due time we will believe according to what we live."

The readings this Sunday invite us to have sincere and honest examination of conscience. Once and for all, let us set ourselves free from self-deception. Let the word of God, without adding or omitting anything from it, guide us to the truth, no matter how unpleasant and painful it is. For the truth will set us free and lead us to true repentance and conversion of hearts. The time has come to stop being mere listeners, but doers and followers of the word of God. Then, as St. James said, we will be blessed in all we do.

Fr. Antonius David Tristianto, O.Carm. 

Taize prayer will be held on 27 August (Friday) at 8 p.m. at St. Anne's Church, and there will be synchronized playback on Facebook.  

We welcome all brothers and sisters to participate.

1. The 1st Sunday Eucharistic Adoration will be held on 1 August at 2:00 - 3:30 in our church. We hope that more can participate.
2. The parish is facing a shortage of manpower at the moment, especially Acolytes, Eucharistic Ministers, Sunday School team, and Filipino Catholic Ministers. We encourage all parishioners to consider volunteering for the Church's Ministries.  If you are interested, please get the form next to the parish bulletin at the back of the church.
3. Baptism for babies will be at 3:00 p.m. on 25 September ( Saturday ) & 3:00 p.m. 25 December ( Saturday ) this year.  Please collect the form placed next to the parish bulletin at the back of the church.  For further details please refer to our notice board. 

Taize prayer will be held on 30 July (Friday) at 8 p.m. at St. Anne's Church, and there will be synchronized playback on Facebook. 

We welcome all brothers and sisters to participate. 

If you enjoy making music, please join us in the music ministry. We welcome all vocalists and instrumentalists, our members are all ages and all nationalities, and we always welcome new members. We are also looking for a NEW COORDINATOR to help with scheduling and communications. If you are interested to find out more, come talk with one of the choir members after mass, or e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

We would understand if Jesus was not recognized by people from other towns. But not to be recognized and even rejected by his town mates in Nazareth is truly heartbreaking. That is why the Gospel said that Jesus could not work any miracle there, "apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them."

There are several reasons why the people of Nazareth did not recognize and accept Jesus. First, they were in error. They thought they knew what a Messiah should be. They rejected Jesus because he did not conform to their mistaken idea of a true messiah. They thought they knew Jesus: that he is the carpenter, the son of Mary, a simple and ordinary guy next door. They were very sure of this because they have known him since childhood. What they did not know was his divinity hidden behind his humanity. They were familiar with him, but it was only on the superficial level. The image they had of him, which they held on to with great tenacity, became a block to their learning more about him. As it is always said, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing." It is always prone to errors, prejudices and misconceptions.

Second, the people of Nazareth did not recognize and accept Jesus because "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." A prophet is the spokesman of God. He speaks what God wants to say to His people, whether they like the message or not. Jesus is the prophet par excellence. In the past God spoke through human instruments; but now God speaks through His own Son, Jesus. It is not surprising therefore, that he will be rejected, even by his own town mates, because his message and teachings ran counter to their values and preconceived notions and ideas about God.

And finally, the people of Nazareth lacked the most important element to be able to accept Jesus: the gift of faith. The Gospel said: "He was amazed at their lack of faith." If faith can move mountains, lack of faith builds mountains that block the hand of God. Nothing is impossible with Jesus. He has the power to do any miracle. But he just could not do any miracle in his hometown because of their lack of faith. He knew that in such a situation, tragic things could result instead of spiritual benefits for the people. Working a miracle for people who have no faith will do more harm than good. As a quote says, "For those who do not have faith, no miracle is enough; for those who have faith, no miracle is necessary."

Let us examine ourselves. Have we truly accepted Jesus as our Lord? The Lord invites us now, not just to be familiar with him, but more importantly, to be intimate with him, to enter into a personal relationship with him so that we will truly know and love him.

Fr. Antonius David Tristianto, O.Carm. 

1. Fr. Paulus, the parish priest of St. Anne's Church, will not be in the office from 06 June to 15 August.  Fr. David Tristianto will be the person in charge of the office during this time.

2. COVID PREVENTION MEASURES – Please refer HERE for the latest Chancery Notice with regard to pastoral measures in relation to public masses, guidelines, etc.

MEDITATION is a way of deep praying. Through the silence, it helps you understand yourself and leads you into the presence of God.

Come and learn this silent form of prayer - prayer of the heart.

The St Anne's group meets 7:00 PM every Tuesday in the sanctuary. Come a little earlier to quiet down.