Mount Maunganui Parish, St Thomas More Catholic ...

The Power of Prayer can Open Doors
Noah, our great grandson is just five years old and started school at St Mary’s in
Rotorua in October. He stays at his grandparents’ place often and one evening a
bird flew down the chimney of their woodburner. It stayed there all night and the
next morning they could hear it fluttering in the chimney. Noah said to Nonnie (the
name he calls his grandmother) “we must pray and ask God to get the bird out.” She
said, “Go ahead and pray, Noah”. “Dear Lord”, he said “please get the bird out of the
chimney and into the firebox, thank you Lord, Amen”.
While they were having breakfast about twenty minutes later, they heard a tapping
sound and finding it was coming from the woodburner, upon opening the door there
was the bird looking at them. It flew around, settled, then flew out of the window
upstairs.
I pondered on this story and was reminded that without prayer, the little bird had
remained in the chimney all night but only a short time after Noah prayed, the bird
found its way to the light. When we pray God opens doors that we think can never
be opened!
Carol Crawford
A Christmas Message from Deacon Henk
Merry Christmas to you wonderful parishioners of Te Puke and the Mount.
What a great honour it is to be part of your communities . I always consider
working alongside you such a great privilege. Thank you so much for making
these parishes so welcoming.
May God richly bless you for all you do to bring about his kingdom.
Your Brother in Christ,
Deacon Henk.
December 2011 Page 13