The Mission of our Parish   We the community of St Francis Parish of Stoke, challenged to follow Christ, are called to proclaim the kingdom of God by: - celebrating God in our lives    - sharing our living faith - growing in the community       - working for justice and peace Weekly Message from our Parish Priest Dear Parishioners The poet, Dorothy Gurney once wrote: The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth,-- One is nearer God's heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth. Suzanne Aubert, who loved gardening, wrote: “What do we do in the garden? We dung, we dig, we rake, we hoe, we sow, we water, we clean up, we spade, we plant, we pluck the weeds, and finally we gather, after God has given the increase… Let us go there in union with the Sacred Humanity who worked harder than we, and who ceases not to work mysteriously in the garden of our souls. For Jesus in the Eucharist is the Divine Gardener par excellence… Let us then try well to work under this Divine Gardener in the garden of our hearts, by working well in our earthly garden.” If you enjoy gardening, you’re in good company. If not, you can admire the work of others and pray with St Francis, our patron: “Praised be you my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.” Keep enjoying the summer,   Fr Maurice.         NEWS January:         New Zealand's first candidate for sainthood:   Mother Mary Aubert -   Founder of the Sisters of Compassion - The process of her canonisation (official recognition as a saint) and our Father Maurice's involvement for Rome as Postulator ..  Read on .. December:  New Zealand Bishops  re: Hamilton Family Planning (Abortion) request .    Click for detail                           PETITION FORM FOR ALL N.Z.   ("print from it format")      Click for Pdf  June:  Pastoral Letter From the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference  Click for detail Recent Website changes (changes / additions are always being made so it can help to Refresh <or press the F5 key>  your browser as soon as it opens  - this means you always get the latest version) :  Please click   here  to view new changes ... Have you photos you want to share with our Parish?     Send them here   they will be added to a Gallery OR to "Of Interest" / "Newsworthy" pages)