Short History of Our Lady of The Valleys Parish

Our Parish was established by Cardinal John Dew on the 1st February 2015. It came about as a result of the amalgamation of the parishes of St Francis Xavier Stokes Valley and Our Lady of Grace Parish Heretaunga. While our Parish history is relatively short the history of Catholics in this area under these two parishes shows both a richness and depths of faith in our forebears.

The first Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Valleys Parish was Father Ronald Bennett.

Our Lady of Grace Parish

Our Lady of Grace Parish Heretaunga was established in 1951.

St Francis Xavier Parish

St Francis Xavier Parish was established in 1962.

Fuller history of both previous parishes are available from the Parish Office.

Mary – Our Lady – Our Patron Saint

Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, is the patron saint of our Parish. Roman Catholic veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus, which has grown over time in importance, is manifested not only in prayer but also in the visual arts, poetry and music

In her life Mary strived to faithfully follow the will of God as she heard it come to her. She was with Jesus through all of his earthly life, even being at his crucifixion.

During Jesus ministry Mary, his mother, appears a number of times in the Gospel accounts. In each one she directs our attention to Jesus Christ, ‘Do what he tells you to do’ she tells at the wedding feast of Cana.

Belief in the incarnation of God the Son through Mary is the basis for calling her the Mother of God. This expression is found in prayers such as dated from the third or no later than the fourth century, and was declared a dogma at the Council of Ephesus in 431. At the Second Vatican Council and in Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Redemptoris Mater, she is spoken of also as Mother of the Church.

Growth of Roman Catholic veneration of Mary and Mariology has often come, not from official declarations, but from Marian writings of the saints, popular devotion, and at times reported Marian apparitions.

Mary is known under a variety of titles including Our Lady, Mother of God, Mother of the Church, the Immaculate Conception, Most Faithful Disciple and Queen of Heaven and Earth.

Marian Movements and Societies with millions of members have arisen from belief in events such as Fatima and Lourdes and other reasons.

As members of Our Lady of the Valley Parish we strive to Mary in being faith-filled followers of Jesus Christ, striving to do as he did, striving to follow his commands and directions in our lives.

Traditional Marian Prayers

Hail Mary

Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Holy Queen

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

The Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence I fly unto you, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you do I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

The Magnificat

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my soul exults in God my saviour;
because he has looked upon his lowly handmaiden.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm,
he has routed the proud of heart.
he has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent away empty.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy
– according to the promise he made to our ancestors-
of his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever.

Luke 1:46-55