PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*:
You can also access an online -web- copy of the E-newsletter *Webcopy here*
FROM JUNE 7th, 2026, SAINT VINCENT’S CHURCH -SURFERS PARADISE - WILL PERMANENTLY CHANGE MASSES TO 9 AM & 11 AM SUNDAYS - PLEASE LET EVERYONE KNOW WHO WOULD BENEFIT
PASTOR’S POST -
Ignite Launch at Dreamworld with the youth last weekend was an amazing experience, not only because it was a wonderful and thrilling time riding roller coasters, but because it helped our group connect to the wider Catholic Church. There were about three or four hundred teens and young adults, all at different stages of their own faith journey, coming together as one for a very fun and engaging day. It was then topped off at night when we all stayed behind after the park closed for a burger dinner, followed by a lively praise and worship rally. The young people danced to the tunes of Emmanuel Worship, and then heard an inspiring talk by Fr Rob Galea.
To see so many young people together had such incredible energy. This energy not only showed what the Church of the Brisbane Archdiocese looks like now, but what it can be in the future. Whether the young ones were testing the waters of faith or whether they had been on the faith journey for some time, all of them were exalted by the day to embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus Christ. This is very fitting considering the feast of Pentecost which we celebrate this weekend. Pentecost is all about being commissioned by Jesus Christ to live as people of faith. He commissions us to do this by sending us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the very same God and the very same Jesus Christ, who in the person of the Holy Spirit, equips and commissions all who are willing to believe, purposefully live a life of faith effectively in the world.
The Holy Spirit very much brought all of us together at Dreamworld last weekend, and this same Spirit is who calls and empowers these young people to take their part as people of Christ’s Church into the future. Friends, let us continue to pray for our young people, that they feel the fire of the Holy Spirit burn within them, and that they might respond wholeheartedly to this call. Let us too, also receive the Holy Spirit, and embrace the calling that the Spirit has for us.
Fr Bradley Davies
MASS TIMES CHANGES AT SAINT VINCENT’S SURFERS
As we assess the future viability of our masses and acknowledge that we may not always have the regular assistance of our much-appreciated retired priests, it is time to future-proof them. Our goal is to enable the two permanently appointed priests of the parish (currently Fr Paul and Fr Bradley), to celebrate most of the parish masses, when needed, if our wonderful supply priests are not available.
We still intend to roster our current priests within the parish for as long as they feel able and are available. However, in situations where they are not—for various reasons—we can now cover the masses with our full-time priest staff of two.
From the first weekend of June 2026, St Vincent’s Church in Hamilton Avenue will operate on a new timetable. Masses will be at 9:00 am and 11:00 am on Sundays from 7 June onwards.
Reason for the change:
Increasingly, a priest who might celebrate the 7:00 am Stella Mass may have to rush to celebrate an 8:00 am Mass. This is not really feasible or safe, and is rushed and stressful.
In the past, we had a vocalist and organist who regularly rushed from playing at the 7:00 am Mass to the 8:00 am Mass, which was not sustainable or safe, and we raised these logistical difficulties several times.
Benefits of the new roster.
The new roster could allow one musician to play at several masses without being unacceptably pressured to arrive and be ready for the next Mass.
It enables roster changes without excessive stress, even with events that occur suddenly or with little notice.
This rostering approach aims to be flexible and practical, ensuring smooth Mass operations and reducing strain on staff and volunteers.
Fr Paul
Important Announcement:
Please do not use the parking spaces of the Inspiring Choices HQ (the former Centacare Building Office) - Their management will take necessary action of towing vehicles - at the vehicle owner’s expense - not authorised to park in the reserved parking spaces for their patients and staff. Thank you.
Seminarian Oliver Bajon and Parishioner Troy Halls at the Newman Dinner in Banyo last week
The guest speaker spoke about the ideal of a university (and education) in forming not just the intellect but the whole individual and the need for us to be on campus and in community with each other - especially now that everything is moving online and campus culture is increasingly slipping away. Oliver leading us in Compline was also a very nice surprise!
MAXINE SELA - HAPPY 80th BIRTHDAY
And also
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAN CARTER
PICTURED- Grace Risotto congratulates Jan Carter
IGNITE LAUNCH AT DREAMWORLD - YOUTH GROUP
Please click the following links for the pictures not shown in this version
PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*:
You can also access an online -web- copy of the E-newsletter *Webcopy here*
FR WARREN KINNE 80TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
A BIOGRAPHY OF FR WARREN KINNE - BOOK LAUNCH
Mass at Sacred Heart with Fr Warren, 24th May 9 am followed by the book launch at the Parish Hospitality Centre - morning tea provided 🙏 ALL WELCOME
Books $20 - for those not able to come, books will be available in St Vincents and Sacred Heart Church Religious Gift Shops - all monies go to the Columban Missions.
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Caritas Australia Lebanon Emergency Appeal
Lebanon is facing one of its most severe humanitarian crises in years, as a sudden surge in violence and mass evacuation orders force families to flee with nothing.
Within 24 hours, Caritas Lebanon reported 667,831 newly displaced people seeking safety. Despite the volatile environment, Caritas Lebanon teams are operating across seven governorates, delivering food, essential items, healthcare, psychosocial support, water and hygiene assistance, and protection services.
Let us stand in solidarity with our partners in Lebanon.
Learn more or make a donation today at www.caritas.org.au/lebanon
Urgent Attention
Please do not park across the footpath at St Vincent’s church. You will likely be issued with a parking fine. Parking past the gate also prevents pedestrians from being able to use the footpath.
WOOL PROJECT
NEEDED - WOOL OR ACRYLIC YARN
Once again, we are grateful to the very generous people who have donated cash and wool to the 'crochet club' with Sr. Lis Keane and Mary Lepp. Thank you so very much, and the first shipment of beautiful, colourful rugs is on its way to Perth and then on to the disabled children, along with their wheelchairs. Our Grateful Thanks to all. Sr Lis and Mary🙏🤗
Sr. Lis Keane and Mary Lepp are seeking donations of 8-ply wool or acrylic yarn to assist the ladies at Numinbah Prison who are crocheting rugs to go with Br. Ollie's Wheelchairs for Disabled Children in disadvantaged countries. Your assistance with either yarn (note: there are no colour restrictions) or small cash donations ($20 - $25.00) would be very gratefully received and can be left at Sacred Heart Church or Office under either of our names. Our prayers and grateful thanks for your help.
Sr Lis Keane and Mary Lepp.
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A letter in the style of Jane Austen:
Pentecost, dear reader, comes upon us with the quiet urgency of a well-timed invitation to the drawing room. In the manner of our Emma’s composed discernment, the Holy Spirit glides into the rooms where fear has kept its lamp lit low, and there, with a gentle insistence, awakens courage. The disciples, who had huddled like shy debutantes at a winter ball, are transformed: not by thunderbolts, but by a breath so warm that it banishes the shivers of doubt and the chill of retreat.
How delightful it is to think that Providence, ever the gracious hostess, sends not mere counsel but a companionship—a Spirit to nurse justice, to tender mercy, to animate acts of daily kindness. The breath of God, the very life‑giver from Genesis, returns upon us in a revitalised form, and we become, as if newly dressed, capable of a steadfast, public proclamation without awkwardness or ostentation. Fear, that tiresome intruder, melts away as if by a benevolent country breeze.
We are not all cast in one mould of talent, and Austen knew well the value of variety: so it is with gifts. Each person contributes a thread to the web of Christ’s Kingdom, the whole not diminished by variety but enriched by it. And if a certain light of peace glows within, let it be shared; let forgiveness flow as freely as good humour in a well‑ordered drawing room.
Thus, the Spirit teaches us to speak of faith with ease, to act with constancy, and to love without calculation. In this, Pentecost remains a living invitation to live, not merely to believe.
{JA & PK}
HEALTH AND SAFETY MESSAGE
A friendly reminder about the safe use of BBQs in our Parish communities. BBQs are often used at Parish functions and events, however they can create safety risks including fire, gas leaks, burns, slips, trips, weather exposure and food safety concerns.
The attached Archdiocese of Brisbane Safe Work Procedure (SWP) – Use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) BBQs provides simple safety requirements for using LPG BBQs in Parish settings. Upon receipt, this SWP is to be implemented and used at your Parish.
Before using an LPG BBQ, please ensure:
· the BBQ is only used outdoors in a well-ventilated area
the area is safe, clear and suitable for cooking
the BBQ is not used in high winds or unsafe weather
the gas bottle, hose, regulator and fittings are checked and in good condition
the gas bottle is within its 10-year test date
a soapy water leak test is completed before lighting
the manufacturer’s instructions are followed
a suitable fire blanket or fire extinguisher is nearby
the BBQ is operated only by a trained and responsible adult
children and young people under 18 shall not operate the BBQ.
While the BBQ is being used, please ensure it is always supervised, flammable items are kept away, suitable BBQ utensils and footwear are used, and spills, grease or cooking fats are cleaned up promptly to prevent slips.
After use, please ensure the gas bottle and BBQ valves are turned off, the BBQ is cleaned once cooled, and gas bottles are stored upright, secure and away from ignition sources.
ART FROM THE HOLY LANDS
A LITTLE PIECE OF BETHLEHEM IN THE FORM OF ART
We are very aware of how terrible the situation is in the Holy Lands. So much uncertainty and destruction.
Usually the Holy Lands are a very busy place for pilgrimages - but with the violence and destruction -the people in the region are isolated and have very few pilgrims or visitors. From time to time I have obtained various holy objects from the Holy Lands, particularly Bethlehem, for their spiritual significance and as an assistance to prayer and contemplation. It also happens to help the Christian artists and families and religious supplies people who are doing it extremely tough spiritually, economically and physically.
I thought it might be nice to present some stunning items of religious significance for your consideration. These are mosaics, made by local artists there from small coloured rocks and placed into frames. We have a few such items in the Sacred Heart Church already, (purchased through private funds), namely Jesus the Good Shepherd, and also Saint Michael the Archangel in the parish office foyer.
Here are some items from Bethlehem artists. If anyone wanted to purchase an item for their own use or for donation to the church, it could add great inspiration to people’s prayer life and also help struggling artists in the Holy Lands. These pictures are very large, and printed below (not to scale).
Palm Sunday 1.2 metres x 1.6metres (stone mosaic, framed) - USD$9,000 (frame and shipping included)
The Holy Family = USD$7,500 1mx1.4m (shipping included)
Jesus Washes the disciples’ feet= USD$6,000. 1.2m x 1.2m (shipping included)
The Miraculous catch of fish= USD $11,000 - very large - 2m x 1.6 m
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Reflection on Eucharist by JRR Tolkien -
Here is the Tolkien quote from a letter to his son on the Eucharist I mentioned:
"Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament. . . . There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth, and more than that: Death.
“By the divine paradox, that which ends life, and demands the surrender of all, and yet by the taste—or foretaste—of which alone can what you seek in your earthly relationships (love, faithfulness, joy) be maintained, or take on that complexion of reality, of eternal endurance, which every man’s heart desires."
(Taken from a long letter to his son in anticipation of the son’s forthcoming Marriage).
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CATHOLIC LEADER NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION
Please subscribe to The Catholic Leader in print.
- Many of you may already know The Catholic Leader, our Archdiocesan Catholic
newspaper
- It has shared stories of faith, service and hope from parishes and communities
across our Archdiocese for nearly 100 years
- The print edition relies on the support of our Catholic community to continue
- An annual subscription costs $70 and includes 12 editions delivered directly to
your home.
- To enjoy faith-filled stories and to help you stay connected to the life of the
Church, subscribe to the Catholic Leader
- To subscribe to the Catholic Leader you can call 3324 3555 or visit their website https://catholicleader.com.au/subscribe/
- Please inquire at the Parish Office if you would like the Catholic Leaders contact
details or more information.
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Bishops seek focus on cost-of-living crisis
Australia’s Catholic bishops have urged courage and tenderness in addressing the nation’s cost-of-living crisis. “As disciples of Jesus, we cannot turn away from these realities. The Gospel calls us to see Christ in those who suffer and to walk alongside them with compassion. The statement and related resources can be found at Social Justice Statements
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THE JUBILEE YEAR OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI (2026)
800TH ANNIVERSARY OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI.
Quotes:
Let us begin again…
Remember the words of our Lord,Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you (Mt. 5: 44).
How holy and beloved, how pleasing and lowly, how peaceful, delightful, lovable and desirable above all things it is to have a Brother like this, who laid down his life for his sheep.
We must hate our lower nature with its vices and sins; by living a worldly life, it would deprive us of the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and of eternal life.
In that love which is God, I entreat all my friars, ministers and subjects, to put away every attachment, all care and solicitude, and serve, love, honor, and adore our Lord and God with a pure heart and mind.
We should make a dwelling-place within ourselves where he can stay, he who is the Lord God almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Watch, then, praying at all times,that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to be,and to stand before the Son of Man.Lord, King of heaven and earth, we give you thanks for yourself. Of your own holy will you created all things spiritual and physical, made us in your own image and likeness, and gave us a place in paradise, through your only Son, in the Holy Spirit.
Call no one on earth your father; for one is your Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called masters; for one only is your Master, the Christ who is in heaven.
Even as thou hast sent me into the world, so I also have sent them into the world. And for them I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
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THE BIBLE TIMELINE – THE STORY OF SALVATION
ADULT FAITH FORMATION BIBLE STUDY
CONTINUES on LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH 2026
Next gathering Sunday 31st May 2026
Session 19 Messianic Fulfilment Part 11
What an enormous effort by those who have participated - only 5 sessions left.
Session 20 - Messianic Fulfilment - Part 111 - 28th June 2026
Session 21 - The Church - Part 1- 26th July 2026
Session 22 - The Church Part 11 - 30th August 2026
Session 23 - The Church Part 111 - 27th September 2026
In the Parish Hospitality Centre - (next to Sacred Heart Church), 50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters, Queensland 4226, on the Last Sunday of the month from 10 am – 12 pm.
There is no cost; however, to participate, you will need to purchase The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation Study Set, which can be obtained from Ascension Press or Garrett Publishing - ask the office if we have any still on hand first. The Study Set will contain The Bible Timeline Study Book, Chart and Bookmark - https://ascensionpress.com/ https://garrattpublishing.com.au/
Caritas Australia End of Financial Year Appeal
As we approach the end of the financial year, Caritas Australia invites you to help families facing conflict, hunger and displacement. Your support is needed to get critical aid into countries like Sudan, which is facing the largest humanitarian crisis in the world today. Over 30 million people are in urgent need of assistance, the healthcare system has collapsed, and families are facing chronic food insecurity. Your tax‑deductible gift this End of Financial Year can provide lifesaving essentials such as nutritious food, clean water and vital medicines to families in need.
Make a donation today at https://www.caritas.org.au/make-hunger-history
Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish
Youth Group
- Ignis Dei (Fire of God)
Next gathering Sunday, 24th of May
7 pm to 9 pm in the Parish Hospitality Centre,
50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters
Come along as we have a bite to eat, and journey through and discuss a video series on the Mass presented by Emeritus Archbishop Mark Coleridge! Finalising the night with Adoration and Night Prayer
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ASCEND - IGNITE CONFERENCE 2026. 24-27 SEPTEMBER 2026
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FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Friday, June 5th 2026. At Sacred Heart Catholic Church. 50 Fairway Drive. Clear Island Waters. 4226. From 7 pm
FIRST SATURDAY MASS -
Saturday 6th June, 2026. 9 am Sacred Heart Church. First Saturday schedule for Mass, Adoration and Benediction on the First Saturday of each month.
Anointing Mass – Mass of Healing FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH (February-November Inclusive)
Tuesday 2nd June 2026. At 10 am, followed by a cuppa and refreshments. Sacred Heart Catholic Church. 50 Fairway Drive. Clear Island Waters. 4226.
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Saint Vincent de Paul Society Reflections
For more details on the conference's activities, please contact Conference President Wendy Webb at wendy.webb@svdpqld.org.au
Pentecost Sunday - Year A - Sunday, May 24, 2026
THE LORD, THE GIVER OF LIFE
THIS WEEK...
‘When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground’ Psalm 104:30
PRAYER
O Holy Spirit, come into my heart, and by Your power draw it to You. Make it burn with Your love and dissolve it from all that is not of You.
Acts 2: 1-11
1 Cor 12:3-7,12-13
Jn 20: 19-23
In 1895, the 22-year-old Carmelite nun of Lisieux, Therese, encountered the Holy Spirit
in a way comparable to the disciples' experience at Pentecost. St
Therese recounted, ‘Well, I was beginning my Way of the Cross, and suddenly I was
seized with such a violent love for the good God that I cannot explain it except by
saying I seemed to be plunged wholly into fire… I was burning with love, and I felt that
one more moment I could not have borne without dying.’ The unquenchable flame of Love consumed her being and gave her a new life.
On Pentecost Sunday, the disciples experienced infinite love not as a feeling but as a
divine being who imparts new life. We are reminded of this each time we pray the
Creed, “I believe in the Holy Spirit, The Lord, the Giver of Life.’ The Holy Spirit gives us
life in a profound way when we are conceived in the waters of our earthly mother’s
womb. He also gives us life through the waters of Baptism, when we are conceived
again in the womb of our mother the Church. At Confirmation, the Holy Spirit gives us
life this time, as fire. This fire purges us of our fear and emboldens us to embark on
our mission as pleasing sacrifices to God. St Cyprian reminds us of this when he says,
‘also in the sacrifices, whatsoever God accounted accepted, fire descended from
heaven, which consumed what was sacrificed’ (St Cyprian).
Transformed by the fire of the Holy Spirit, the disciples came out of hiding and boldly
preached about the marvels of God. They preached in languages that could be
understood by all the nations present in Jerusalem that day. Like the disciples, we too
are invited to share in the transformational fire of the Holy Spirit. We are also called to
become living sacrifices that come out of hiding and share the marvellous love of God.
By doing this, Vincentians seek to become more like Christ. ‘They hope that someday
it will be no longer they who love, but Christ who loves through them’ (Vincentian
Rule, 2.1) (Reflection by Nirmal Nanayakkara)
How have you experienced the Holy Spirit bringing as the Lord, the Giver of Life?
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MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
GO CASHLESS DONATIONS -
AVAILABLE AT THE ENTRANCES OF THREE CHURCHES - tap once to donate $10, tap and other higher denominations are now available on the new devices.
HOSPITAL CALLS - AROUND THE DEANERY -
HELP THE PRIESTS OF THE DEANERY RESPOND TO URGENT CALLS EFFECTIVELY BY CALLING THE FOLLOWING PARISHES' FIRST RESPONDERS TO NEEDS WITHIN THE HOSPITALS LISTED.
To efficiently and promptly address pastoral needs across the Catholic parishes of the Gold Coast, the parishes in this Deanery practice that the first call for emergencies goes to the priests of the parish where the hospital is located. Here is a helpful guide to the hospitals and their attendant priests. A nursing home call also follows this procedure: the first priest to call is from the parish where the Nursing Home is located. Please help us serve the region effectively and prevent response delays by calling the nearest parish.
Robina Hospital - Burleigh Heads Parish. 5558 0120
Pindara Hospital - Surfers Paradise Parish. 56717388
John Flynn Hospital - Coolangatta-Tugun Parish. 5598 2165
University & Gold Coast Private Hosp.- Southport Parish. 5510 2222
CHILDHOOD SACRAMENTS - 2026
Baptism
Who: Birth to 7 years (older children may need extra preparation)
Enrolment & booking: Online
(STEP 1 REGISTER; STEP 2 BAPTISM ENQUIRY)
Eligible - Children aged from birth to 7:
Email Merla Nario: surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
Children aged 8+ years: email - sacramental.surfers@bne.catholic.net.au to start prep
When: Most Sundays, 10:30 am, Sacred Heart Church
Administrative fee: $130
How to enrol / info:
Parish site: surfersparadiseparish.com.au (Sacraments > Baptism)
Confirmation 2026 Rehearsals: 11 or 12 August, 5:30 pm
Confirmation: 21 August 2026, 5:00 or 7:00 pm
Preparation: Preparation Program (parents + children)
Administrative fee: $150 total for Confirmation & Eucharist prep
How to enrol / info:
Parish site: surfersparadiseparish.com.au (Sacraments > Confirmation)
Enrol: STEP 1 REGISTER; STEP 2 ENROL
For more info: sacramental.surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
Eucharist (First Holy Communion) 2026
(this group has begun and is closed except for those presently completing it)
Who: Year 4+; Baptised & Confirmed (approx 9 to ten years of age)
When (sequence): all elements are required.
Reconciliations: Tuesday 19 May, 5:30 pm (parent and child attend)
Rehearsals: Tuesday 26 or Wed 27 May, 5:30 pm (parent and child attend)
First Communions: 31 May, 11:00 am or 7 June, 11:00 am (parent and child attend)
Administrative fee: $120 preparation (excludes Confirmation)
Notes:
If the child was confirmed in 2025, auto-included for 2026 prep; no extra fee if already paid in 2025
If confirmed in another parish, follow the First Communion enrolment steps
How to enrol / info:
Parish site: surfersparadiseparish.com.au (Sacraments > First Holy Communion)
Enrol: STEP 1 REGISTER; STEP 2 ENROL
For more info: sacramental.surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
General
All sacraments at Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters, Qld 4226
Enrolment status or information requests: via parish site links or Sacramental Team emails above.
IN OUR PRAYERS (Please let us know when to remove a name from the list).
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK: Please also pray for the following, who are ill. (Alphabetical)
Liz Marie Alcaza, Lindsay Allan, Robert Andreas, Joseph Antony, Milroy Antony, Ellen Ball, Tricia Baumann, Phil Bawden, Gregory Bechly, Nellie Bellinger, Mary and Leon Brosnan, Tim Brown, Margaret and Tony Buckingham, Vicky and Andrew Campora, Gerard Carroll, Danielle Cavielli, Nadia Ceh, Tina Conidi, Helen Cooper, Jamie Creed, Shirley Croft, Christopher Cunningham, Mary Curmi, Bernie Delaney, Lenore Dobbie, Christopher Eid, Dawn Evered, Judi Farrow, John Fletcher, John Fox, Lorraine Gallagher, Maralyn Gow, Eleanor (Nelly) Graham, Jenny Haines, Denise Hales, Betty Hannon, Gary Haywood, Jenny Johnson, Kevin & Francis Junee, Leona Kelly, Robyn Kennedy, Marjorie Kennedy, Kath Kiely, Jan Kristenson, Robert Lahey, Dallas Laine, Dannielle Therese Larney, Thi Le, Alvin Lee, Nathan Lepp, Maureen Lloyd, Ann Loder, Veronica Lubomski, Aaron Lucas, Victoria MacDonald, Fr John Maher, Jim Mathews, l. McGuigan, Phil and Anne McGuigan, Leonie McMahon, Anthea McMullin, Joanne Mooney, Maryann Moore, Michael & Leslie Murtagh, Eileen O’Mara, John O’Neill, Margaret Orme, Tommy Osborne, Kevin Owen, Jamie Paterson, Susan Paterson, Sarah Pawley, Janina Pazek, Clare Perera, Lesley Petroni, Paul Picone, Rachel Raines, Gus Reeves, Melba Rentoul, Fabian Restaino, Sally Rickard, Alan Robinson, Bob Rogers, Joan Cecilia Rudd, Jens Ryan-Raison, Marnia Ryan-Raison, Alf Schembri, Vilma Sudonallo, Betty Taylor, Gary Thompson, Leonie and Leonardo Torcaso, Denise Tracey, Lynette Wyer.
RECENTLY DECEASED: (Chronological - Most recent first):
Nick Ferris, Mary-Ann Rogers, Dr Sally Towns, Philip Aziz Soryal, Grace Lim, Mary Elizabeth Murphy, Nunziata (Nancy) Tognini, Mr Julio Costa Da Conceição, Susan Quirk.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH:
This week’s Anniversaries (Alphabetical) (Sunday, May 24, 2026-Saturday, 30 May 2026)
Fay Ardron, Fr Rod Cameron, Fr Michael Carew, Concetta Maria Cran, Silvio Cristofori, Keith Cumner, Mary Therese Dean, Jacques Philoppe Desbleds, Sr Ursula Gabbett, Patricia Dorothy Helen Geor, Lorraine Ellen Geraghty, Maurice John Hayes, Beryl Hodge, Fr Maxwell Irvine, Fr Philip (o.s.a) Kehoe, Dr Elaine Lillian Kluver, Vittorio Lanci, Patricia Margaret Mary Levick, June Therese Lewis, Margaret Mary Lyon, Josip Grzic and Matthew Maric, Fr John Francis McCarthy, Bill McDermott, Adam Alfred McGuffie, Fr Basil Meaney, Basilo Micale, Mellie Modral, Ivy Mulcahy, Kevin Martin Murphy, Gerald Thomas O'Halloran, Constantin Fracisc Onea, Fr Victor Roberts, Mary Ward, Catherine Anne Watson, Lois Wood.
Last Weekend’s Anniversaries of Death (Sunday, May 17, 2026-Saturday, 23 May 2026)
Norma Jean Ancrum, Donald Hope Atkinson, Douglas Pierce Bates, Benjamin Gary Bayes, Margaret Bell Boyle, Lilian Elizabeth Cheetham, Daniel Clancy, Rosemarie Ann Cocks, Patricia Connaghan, Leonor Corazon, June Valeen Deane, Nancy Denaro, Helen Dunn, David John Falvey, Irmgard (Joan) Graz, Ross Patrick Hickey, Thomas Hirst, Deris Howell, Jack Arthur Hurley, Marina Innocenti, Adoracion Santos Lapitan, Clarita Lopez, Debra Love, Distony Lunandi, Andreas Gandjar Lunandi, Fr Carmello Micallef, Fr Michael Murphy, Angel Dee Nipperess, Brian Nolan, Judith Anne O'Connor, Ronald Stanley Perry, Jean Georges Rabbath, Geoffrey John Rapp, Mansour Soueidan, Karen Ann Tansey, Roy Thain, Maria Lucia Zervos, John Zervos.
HOLY GROUNDS CAFE -
The Café - “Sacred Grounds” is Located at the Former Atrium Building near the Sacred Heart Church.
Dmitri, Svetlana and Demid Schodin, are the operators of Sacred Grounds Cafe on the grounds of the parish. They are a very friendly, lovely, young family. The cafe's food is delicious, and the atmosphere is vibrant and warm. Come and make them feel welcome and support a local business! The Sacred Grounds will be open from 7 am to 4 pm each day. They specialise in Coffee, breakfasts, lunches, and a takeaway menu, and they even bake on premises!
The café near the Sacred Heart Church is a wonderful gathering place for parishioners, school parents, staff, and
the wider public. The café is in the old Atrium building.
This allows community building whilst giving the church the space it needs for its Masses, Weddings, Baptisms and solemn Funerals. Please support this excellent continuation of the parish vision.
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS - SACRED HEART AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCHES
Open before and after the weekend Masses.
Stock has been replenished this week.
If you would like a specific item ordered please leave your name and contact no. at the shops
ART AND CRAFT GROUP
The Group meets in the Parish Hospitality Centre on Wednesdays
from 9 am to 12 noon. Activities include
Art (watercolour, oils, acrylics, pen and ink drawing, etc.)
Various kinds of Craftwork (Knitting, Embroidery, Crocheting, Card making, Sewing, etc.)
Making Rosary Beads (later sent to the missions)
And any other activities that individuals may have an interest in, or you can bring in your own ideas. A very relaxing and social environment - meet new friends! You are most welcome to join. For further information, phone the Parish Office.
THE SACRED HEART BRIDGE CLUB-
Sacred Heart Bridge Club - Join Our Bridge Club! - Meet, Play, and Enjoy the Game of Bridge. Looking for a fun, social, and stimulating activity? Whether you're a returning player or a Beginner wanting to learn, our Bridge Club welcomes players of all levels!
Where: Hospitality Room
When: Monday and Wednesday from 1.00 pm
Contact: Cheryl on 0417 772 701
✔ Friendly Atmosphere ✔ Lessons for Beginners ✔ Weekly Games ✔ Tea, Coffee & Good Company! Come for the cards, stay for the camaraderie!
WCCM - WORLD COMMUNITY FOR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION
This meditation group meets each Tuesday in the Morris Prayer Room located at 50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters. Meditation starts from 10 am to 10:30 am. If you are new to meditation, we will assist you in learning about WCCM and the practice of Christian Meditation. For more information, please contact Pam Egberts at 0493 742 670.
SACRED HEART ROSARY PRAYER GROUP
Please join us to pray The Stations of the Cross, The Divine Mercy and The Rosary each day at 8:00 am at the Sacred Heart Church before 9 a.m. Mass, Monday through Friday, including First Saturdays.
MARIAN VALLEY - SHRINE PILGRIMAGE
Please come and join us at the Marian Valley Shrine for Our Lady of Fatima’s Feast on Saturday the 23rd of May 2026 Main Celebration of Our Lady of Help of Christian, Patroness of Australia and Shrine of Marian Valley. Bus leaves sharp at 8.15am on both days, from No. 50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters. The cost of the bus fare return per person for each trip is $35.00. You can secure your seat for both days with contact name and contact phone number with Xavier Solomon 0404 843 260 and Medeleine 5529 1573. If you need further info, please call Xavier 0404 843 260.
YOGA AT THE PARISH HOSPITALITY CENTRE -
Join us for our social class in the Parish Hospitality Centre next to the Parish Office. Classes run every Tuesday at 10:45 a.m. Learn to relax while gaining greater flexibility, inner strength, body awareness, and concentration, while increasing your breath support and overall well-being. Ruth is an IYTA-accredited instructor with extensive experience and offers a caring, carefully monitored one-hour session for $10 (new attendees, please arrive by 10:30 a.m. to prepare adequately for class). For more information, please email surfers@bne.catholic.net.au.
OUR LADY’S STATUE -
Praying the Rosary - Our Lady’s Statue in the Parish - Details of the Statue of Our Lady are going around the Parish. If you would like her in your home and to say the Rosary, please contact Maxine or Pat. For more information, please email: psela@bigpond.com or surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
18/05/26 Maxine & Pat Sela - Main Beach
25/05/26 Garry and Ruci Camera Southport
01/06/26 Garry and Ruci Camera Southport
08/06/26 Nardine and Ayline- Merrimac
15/06/26 Nardine and Ayline Merrimac
22/06/26 Helen & Thor Skjaerback Merrimac
29/06/26 Helen & Thor Skjaerback Merrimac
06/07/26 Juliet & Abdul Speir Nerang
13/07/26 Juliet & Abdul Speir Nerang
EXERCISE CLASS - LOW IMPACT - FOR HEART HEALTH -
Join Rochelle for a fun, functional exercise class at Casey Hall. Low-impact cardiovascular exercises for heart health, improve strength and balance- an all-around fitness class for over 65’s. Stretch and strengthen the whole body, make new friends and feel great. Tuesday mornings @9.30 Beginners welcome. Contact Rochelle. For more information, please email: surfers@bne.catholic.net.au or call 07 5671 7388.
BIBLE STUDY/PRAYER GROUP - ST VINCENT’S CHURCH, SURFERS PARADISE.
The Bible Study Prayer Group meets every Friday from 5 pm-6 pm at St Vincent’s Church (40 Hamilton Ave, Surfers Paradise).
Join us for a read/study break and open The Word weekly from 5 pm to 6 pm. For further enquiries, please contact the Parish Office. surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
PRAYER GROUP - SPANISH SPEAKER
Jesús de la Misericordia. Invites you to participate on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 11 am to 2 pm. Place: Hospitality Room. Sacred Heart Church. “We praise, We praise, We grow spiritually from the Word of the Lord.” For more information, please contact Grace. For more information, please email: grace.flowers.art@hotmail.com or surfers@bne.catholic.net.au -
SACRED HEART CHURCH PARKING
A special notice - when parking, please leave the emergency and taxi pickup “yellow painted area” clear for ambulance or brief taxi drop off and pickup and the disabled parking areas are only for disability permit persons - thanks for your assistance in ensuring this important compliance]
PARISH PODCAST
To tune in to Our parish Podcast of the Mass for Sundays and Solemnities, please visit regularly the following link: To listen to the Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) - https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks Also found at - https://tinyurl.com/FHLpwk
A VOCATION VIEW:
"There are different gifts, but the same Spirit." Each of us has been graced with certain gifts of the Spirit. And they are active if we utilise them to build up the Church. Name the way the Lord has gifted you.
To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION - Different Gifts, One Spirit
“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:7
To receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, you must open your heart and invite Him in! Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts, words and actions every day! Be grateful for all the gifts God has given you! Regardless of our individual circumstances, God has given us all many blessings. What we do with those gifts is our gift back to God! By generously sharing everything we have and everything we are, we become more “God-centered” and less “self-centred”, and our lives genuinely reflect God’s light, love and mercy.
The vision of Stewardship speaks in every aspect of life, inviting everyone to be thankful, generous and accountable for what each has been given.
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TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH - SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST
“I, the Lord of wind and flame.” The Spirit of holiness enters the gathering in driving wind and burning flame. It also comes more gently, as Jesus breathes on his friends and wishes them peace. How can the Spirit be so forceful, yet soft as a breath? The same way love is impassioned in some hours, light as a caress in others. Sometimes our loving presence is required in bold, dynamic, and powerful action. At other times, presence alone is enough: a hand held or silence shared. The more fully immersed in Spirit we are, the more we'll know what to do when the time comes.
“There came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind.... Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire.” Acts 2:2-6.
SIGN UP FOR "TAKE FIVE" ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
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https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/careers
The Archdiocese of Brisbane has standards of conduct for workers to maintain a safe and healthy environment for children. Our commitment to these standards requires conducting Working With Children checks and background referencing for all persons who will engage in direct and regular involvement with children and young people (0 - 18 years) or adults at risk. The organisation is fully committed to child safety and has zero tolerance for abusing children or adults at risk.
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL
-To listen to the whole Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, including the Easter Mass - please visit this link:
Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) - https:- soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks.
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
PENTECOST
The Easter Season comes to an end this weekend with the Great Feast of Pentecost. The-descent-of-the-Holy-Spirit upon Christ's disciples. Jesus is now very much present and powerfully active, through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the church and in his followers of every time and place.
We, the followers of Christ, continue the wonderful work of the Kingdom. We do this work in tangible ways - putting into action the "warming breath" of God's Spirit of justice, love and practical care... "God breathed into the first Human being the day of our creation. The book of Genesis tells us that the Lord put his lips to ours and breathed in us and gave us his spirit of life. And so we became human beings. And John tells us that on the day of Pentecost, the risen Lord breathed on us a second time and gave us new life. After receiving the Holy Spirit, courage replaced caution, and a "fire" was lit in our hearts that forever scatters the darkness of fear. We, like those first disciples, are now a new creation. We have been called to live a "heroic life" and to be instruments of God's peace and mercy in this beautiful and broken world."
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The Holy Spirit makes us disciples.
We're made by the breath of the Spirit to become the warm breath of human kindness in a time of terrible coldness and need. The Spirit is needed more than ever.
The Gospel today from Saint John tells us about the coming of the Holy Spirit, and it's clear that these early disciples, before the coming of the Spirit, were hiding away behind closed doors, very much afraid, and rightfully so, their lives were at risk.
The coming of the Holy Spirit takes away their fear. These original followers of Christ seem to need peace because that's the first greeting the Lord gives them. The Lord gives us the good things that we need.
So when the risen Lord appears, he says to the disciples, peace be with you. May we too know the peace of Christ in our own lives. With peace comes the capacity to forgive the sins of others.
This forgiveness is also clearly a gift of the Lord who loves us deeply, all of us. This gift is given to each of us individually, and also to the Church through its ministry of service. At the heart of our Christian life, with the coming of the Holy Spirit, fear is taken away.
Peace and forgiveness are given, poured out on us. May we also then be instruments to dispel the fears of others, and proclaim peace, mercy, forgiveness to others through Christ. In the first reading, the disciples were again described as being very fearful.
They were still afraid. They wouldn't go out in public, and they certainly wouldn't speak in public. They were frightened to proclaim Jesus to others, even though they knew by now that he had risen from the dead, and had ascended to the Heavenly Father, and promised that he would never really be away from them.
They had to wait for the Holy Spirit to take hold of them, and give them the courage they needed in the face of doubt, persecution, ridicule, and rejection. Perhaps too, there are times when we feel quite frightened or shy about proclaiming our faith in the Lord, and the values that flow from it.
Today at this Feast of Pentecost, we can pray for the Holy Spirit to descend upon us anew, and give us renewed courage, so that our faith becomes so much a part of ourselves, that it comes naturally to us, makes it easier to speak our faith in an unforced manner.
Each and every one of us have been given gifts from the Holy Spirit, and our gifts are different. Each person has different gifts. We need all the gifts that every person has, so that we can continue as a group to work, and to continue the work of Christ in our world.
How very different our world would look if we began to recognize the truth that each and every person brings our own gifts, and that we need those gifts to live in the fullness of Jesus Christ. The gifts we have, God has given them to us to share. I have a favorite quote about the Holy Spirit.
There's something about this text that I do believe captures the truth about the power and action of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It's written by the brilliant Jesuit writer Karl Rahner, who died in 1984.
He writes, “Did you ever do a kindness to a person, from whom you could not even expect even as much as a shadow of gratitude or appreciation, while at the same time you had not even the compensation of feeling that you'd acted unselfishly or decently in doing so? Let us look into our lives, then, and see if we can discover any such experience that ever came our way. If we find that it did, we may be sure that the Spirit was at work within us then, and eternity and ourselves had a brief encounter. That the Spirit means more than an ingredient in the makeup of a transient world. That explains the remarkable lives of the saints. They know well that God's grace can also bless the dull round of daily tasks well done, and bring the doers a step nearer to God. When we Christians experience the action of the Spirit, it means that we are, in point of fact, having contact with the supernatural, although that contact may be scarcely perceptible.”
I love that quote.
Rahner really touched on the power, presence and action of the Holy Spirit in everyday life. To me, it powerfully says that we know the Spirit is at work in our lives, especially when the love and sacrifice we show are clearly coming from a loving hand that's bigger than our own lives and our own limited motives and actions. Something is at work bigger than ourselves.
When we do actions that are loving and unselfish, we're very much aware that there's a power and loving presence at work in us that's bigger than us. It's beyond just ourselves, transcending our limitations in a beautiful way, and not explained by our own actions, but by something much bigger, of which we're just a cooperating part, a happily cooperating part at that. It is God.
It is God's Spirit at work in us and through us, at work in the world. A power of unselfish, sacrificing love and service. Unconditional love, which is at the very heart of creation.
God. A very clear and obvious hallmark of the Holy Spirit's presence and action is unselfish love. Whenever we see something that is done for no other good than the good of the other, the Holy Spirit is very much at work, and this is God's signature of the Holy Spirit.
Finally, we often read about the coming of the Holy Spirit and how, after the Spirit descended, people from different languages and cultures could hear and understand one another. But what's interesting is that the people after the coming of the Spirit were not suddenly given one common language. They weren't just speaking the same language.
They were still speaking in the different languages of their own culture and region. But here's the beauty of it, and this is the unique and wonderful miracle. Even though different languages were still spoken, they all understood the one message.
That's a reminder the Spirit brings not uniformity, not sameness, but diversity and variety. We're all one in that diversity because we're sharing the common language of God's Word, Christ, made present through the Holy Spirit. We're speaking the language that is universal, and that is the language of God, who is love.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
St Mary's College daily diary entry on the Holy Spirit;
MISSION 2000 – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR B. BY MARK LINK S.J;
"SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR." GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ; MONASTERY OF CHRIST IN THE DESERT. ABBOT'S HOMILY.
Image Credit: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/ze3tTzcSMDjJ6o2cD6DG/descent-of-the-holy-spirit?ru=Paul-Evangelion
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To listen to the Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this
To listen to the Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) - https:- soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks.
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THE WISDOM OF THE SAINTS:
(Sunday, May 24, 2026 -Saturday, 30 May 2026)
Our Lady, Help of Christians, Patron of Australia. 24 May. Solemnity.
The Virgin Mary has often been invoked in times of religious strife under the title of Help of Christians. In thanksgiving for the release of Pope Pius VII from captivity in 1814, the feast was established the following year on the anniversary of his restoration. The first Australian provincial synod held in Sydney in 1844 placed the Church in Australia under Mary's patronage invoked by the title Help of Christians. The solemn feast is an occasion to seek Mary's help and protection for our Church and nation.
Saint Philip Neri
Saint Philip Neri was a 16th century Italian priest who was much beloved among the citizens of Rome for his compassion, humor and holiness. His devotion to God in serving others reminds us that living as a disciple of Christ is the source of joy. He was a great light of the Counter-Reformation, winning many souls for God.
There is nothing the devil fears so much, or so much tries to hinder, as prayer.
A joyful heart is more easily made perfect than a downcast one.
To preserve our cheerfulness amid sicknesses and troubles, is a sign of a right and good spirit.
The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of life as though it were the last.
First let a little love find entrance into their hearts, and the rest will follow.
The greatness of our love of God must be tested by the desire we have of suffering for His love.
The Lord grants in a moment what we may have been unable to obtain in dozens of years.
The cross is the gift God gives to his friends.
Christian joy is a gift of God flowing from a good conscience.
My children, if you desire perseverance, be devout to our Blessed Lady.
At communion we ought to ask for the remedy of the vice to which we feel ourselves most inclined.
Obedience is the true holocaust which we sacrifice to God on the altar of our hearts.
He who always acts under obedience may be assured that he will not have to give an account of his actions to God.
Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if he wants anything of you, He will fit you for the work and give you strength.
He who is unable to spend a long time together in prayer, should often lift up his mind to God by short prayers.
Believe me, there is no more powerful means to obtain God's grace than to employ the intercessions of the Holy Virgin.
We must often remember what Christ said, that not he who begins, but he that perseveres to the end, shall be saved.
There is nothing more dangerous in the spiritual life, than to wish to rule ourselves after our own way of thinking.
He who wishes for anything but Christ, does not know what he wishes; he who asks for anything but Christ, does not know what he is asking; he who works, and not for Christ, does not know what he is doing.
The man who loves God with a true heart, and prizes him above all things, sometimes sheds floods of tears at prayer, and has in abundance of favours and spiritual feelings coming upon him with such vehemence, that he is forced to cry out, "Lord! let me be quiet!
In sickness we ought to ask God to give us patience, because it often happens, that when a man gets well, he not only does not do the good he proposed to do when he was sick, but he multiplies his sins and his ingratitude.
They who have been exercised in the service of God for a long time, may in their prayers imagine all sorts of insults offered to them, such as blows, wounds, and the like, and so in order to imitate Christ by their charity, may accustom their hearts beforehand to forgive real injuries when they come.
During mental prayer, it is well, at times, to imagine that many insults and injuries are being heaped upon us, that misfortunes have befallen us, and then strive to train our heart to bear and forgive these things patiently, in imitation of our Saviour. This is the way to acquire a strong spirit.
We are not saints yet, but we, too, should beware. Uprightness and virtue do have their rewards, in self-respect and in respect from others, and it is easy to find ourselves aiming for the result rather than the cause. Let us aim for joy, rather than respectability. Let us make fools of ourselves from time to time, and thus see ourselves, for a moment, as the all-wise God sees us.
If a man finds it very hard to forgive injuries, let him look at a Crucifix, and think that Christ shed all His Blood for him, and not only forgave His enemies, but even prayed His Heavenly Father to forgive them also. Let him remember that when he says the Pater Noster, every day, instead of asking pardon for his sins, he is calling down vengeance on himself.
Saint Philip Neri, pray that we serve God with joy and humility as you did.
SaintPaul VI
1. Merely to remain true to the faith is not enough. Certainly we must preserve and defend the treasure of truth and grace that we have inherited through Christian tradition. ... But neither the preservation nor the defense of the faith exhausts the duty of the Church in regard to the gifts it has been given. The very nature of the gifts which Christ has given the Church demands that they be extended to others and shared with others. – Ecclesiam Suam, 1964
2. The fact that we are distinct from the world does not mean that we are entirely separated from it. Nor does it mean that we are indifferent to it, afraid of it, or contemptuous of it. When the Church distinguishes itself from humanity, it does so not in order to oppose it, but to come closer to it. A physician who realizes the danger of disease, protects himself and others from it, but at the same time he strives to cure those who have contracted it. The Church does the same thing. It does not regard God's mercy as an exclusive privilege, nor does the greatness of the privilege it enjoys make it feel unconcerned for those who do not share it. On the contrary, it finds in its own salvation an argument for showing more concern and more love for those who live close at hand, or to whom it can go in its endeavour to make all alike share the blessing of salvation. – Ecclesiam Suam, 1964
3. For if the sacred liturgy holds first place in the life of the Church, then the Eucharistic Mystery stands at the heart and centre of the liturgy, since it is the font of life that cleanses us and strengthens us to live not for ourselves but for God and to be united to each other by the closest ties of love. – Mysterium Fidei, 1965
4. To put it in a word, the edifice of modern civilization has to be built on spiritual principles, for they are the only ones capable not only of supporting it, but of shedding light on it and inspiring it. And we are convinced, as you know, that these indispensable principles of higher wisdom cannot rest on anything but faith in God. – Address of the Holy Father Paul VI to the United Nations Organization, 1965
5. Neither individuals nor nations should regard the possession of more and more goods as the ultimate objective. Every kind of progress is a two-edged sword. It is necessary if man is to grow as a human being; yet it can also enslave him, if he comes to regard it as the supreme good and cannot look beyond it. When this happens, men harden their hearts, shut out others from their minds and gather together solely for reasons of self-interest rather than out of friendship; dissension and disunity follow soon after. Thus the exclusive pursuit of material possessions prevents man's growth as a human being and stands in opposition to his true grandeur. – Populorum Progressio, 1967
6. Now if the earth truly was created to provide man with the necessities of life and the tools for his own progress, it follows that every man has the right to glean what he needs from the earth. … All other rights, whatever they may be, including the rights of property and free trade, are to be subordinated to this principle. They should in no way hinder it; in fact, they should actively facilitate its implementation. Redirecting these rights back to their original purpose must be regarded as an important and urgent social duty. – Populorum Progressio, 1967
7. For man cannot attain that true happiness for which he yearns with all the strength of his spirit, unless he keeps the laws which the Most High God has engraved in his very nature. – Humanae Vitae, 1968
8. The world cannot give up its dream of universal Peace. It is precisely because Peace is always coming to be, always incomplete, always fragile, always under attack, always difficult, that We proclaim it. We proclaim it as a duty, an inescapable duty. – Message of His Holiness Pope Paul VI for the Celebration of the Day of Peace, January 1, 1969
9. True peace must be founded upon justice, upon a sense of the intangible dignity of man, upon the recognition of an abiding and happy equality between men, upon the basic principle of human brotherhood, that is, of the respect and love due to each man, because he is man. The victorious word springs forth: because he is a brother. My brother, our brother. – Message of His Holiness Pope Paul VI for the Celebration of the Day of Peace, January 1, 1971
10. Legislation is necessary, but it is not sufficient for setting up true relationships of justice and equity. In teaching us charity, the Gospel instructs us in the preferential respect due to the poor and the special situation they have in society: the more fortunate should renounce some of their rights so as to place their goods more generously at the service of others. If, beyond legal rules, there is really no deeper feeling of respect for and service to others, then even equality before the law can serve as an alibi for flagrant discrimination, continued exploitation and actual contempt. Without a renewed education in solidarity, an overemphasis of equality can give rise to an individualism in which each one claims his own rights without wishing to be answerable for the common good. – Octogesima Adveniens, 1971
11. At the heart of the world there dwells the mystery of man discovering himself to be God's son in the course of a historical and psychological process in which constraint and freedom as well as the weight of sin and the breath of the Spirit alternate and struggle for the upper hand. – Octogesima Adveniens, 1971
12. Mankind today is seeking a new earth: new not because it will be filled with the superfluous luxuries that technological and industrial progress can provide; but new because the hungry will be fed, the homeless housed, the ill cared for, the illiterate educated – a world where all men can live more humanly. This will be a new earth of justice and love in which those who have been blessed with much will share what they have with those who have less. And for the Christian who has received the gift of eternal life the chance to help others becomes the occasion to express gratitude for the salvation received from the Lord. – Letter of Paul VI to the Archbishops and Bishops of the United States of America, January 8, 1972
13. For joy cannot be dissociated from sharing. In God Himself, all is joy because all is giving. – Gaudete in Domino, 1975
14. Do you really believe what you are proclaiming? Do you live what you believe? Do you really preach what you live? The witness of life has become more than ever an essential condition for real effectiveness in preaching. – Evangelii Nuntiandi, 1975
15. Is it then a crime against others' freedom to proclaim with joy a Good News which one has come to know through the Lord's mercy? And why should only falsehood and error, debasement and pornography have the right to be put before people and often unfortunately imposed on them by the destructive propaganda of the mass media, by the tolerance of legislation, the timidity of the good and the impudence of the wicked? The respectful presentation of Christ and His kingdom is more than the evangelizer's right; it is his duty. It is likewise the right of his fellow men to receive from him the proclamation of the Good News of salvation. – Evangelii Nuntiandi, 1975
PAPAL REFLECTION
Image Credit- Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Vector ID: 2285846983 - The Pope AND the Catholic Church and the mercy of God. Vector Contributor: doom.ko
Pope on Pentecost: The Spirit shatters our inner chains and transforms us
During the Mass for the Solemnity of Pentecost, Pope Leo XIV recalls how the Holy Spirit accomplished 'something extraordinary' in the lives of the Apostles, and suggests that today, the Holy Spirit likewise descends upon us, ready to shatter our inner chains, fears, and hardened hearts, to make us new.
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
"Today, too, what took place in the Upper Room takes place anew in our midst. Like a mighty wind that overtakes us, like a crash that startles us, like a fire that illuminates us, the gift of the Holy Spirit descends upon us."
Pope Leo XIV offered this comforting reminder during his Mass for the Solemnity of Pentecost, which also marked the Mass for the Jubilee of Ecclesial Movements, Associations and New Communities, on Sunday morning in St. Peter's Square.
During his homily, the Holy Father underscored how the Holy Spirit accomplished "something extraordinary" in the lives of the Apostles.
Shatters inner chains of Apostles and anoints them
While "following Jesus’ death, they had retreated behind closed doors, in fear and sadness," now, Pope Leo observed, "they receive a new way of seeing things, an interior understanding that helps them to interpret the events that occurred and to experience intimately the presence of the Risen Lord."
In this context, the Pope marveled that the Holy Spirit "overcomes their fear, shatters their inner chains, heals their wounds, anoints them with strength and grants them the courage to go out to all and to proclaim God’s mighty works."
Pope Leo XIV recalled that at Pentecost, the doors of the Upper Room were opened because the Spirit opens borders, as he quoted the late Pope Benedict XVI's words in a 2005 Pentecost homily: “The Holy Spirit bestows understanding. The Spirit overcomes the ‘breach’ that began in Babel, the confusion of mind and heart that sets us one against the other. The Spirit opens borders..."
'The Spirit opens borders'
Calling this an eloquent image of Pentecost, Pope Leo XIV went on to reflect on this idea, noting the Spirit "opens border" first of all in our hearts, and "is the Gift that opens our lives to love."
"His presence," the Pope reassured, "breaks down our hardness of heart, our narrowness of mind, our selfishness, the fears that enchain us and the narcissism that makes us think only of ourselves."
The Holy Spirit, he went on to suggest, comes "to challenge us."
New way of approaching life
Moreover, the Spirit, Pope Leo stressed, allows us to find a new way of approaching and experiencing life, observing, "He puts us in touch with our inmost self, beneath all the masks we wear. He leads us to an encounter with the Lord by teaching us to experience the joy that is His gift."
"He convinces us, that only by abiding in love," the Pope suggested, "will we receive the strength to remain faithful to His word and to let it transform us."
Opening our hearts, overcoming our rigidity and passions
He also observed that the Spirit also opens borders in our relationship with others.
Recalling Jesus' explanation that the gift of the Spirit "is the love between Him and the Father that comes to dwell within us," the Pope said this enables us to "open our hearts to our brothers and sisters, overcoming our rigidity, moving beyond our fear of those who are different, and mastering the passions that stir within."
Moreover, he said, the Spirit "transforms those deeper, hidden dangers that disturb our relationships, like suspicion, prejudice or the desire to manipulate others," adding, " I think too, with great pain, of those cases where relationships are marked by an unhealthy desire for domination, an attitude that often leads to violence, as is shown, tragically, by numerous recent cases of femicide."
'Critical yardstick for the Church'
The Pope explained that the Holy Spirit brings the fruits within us to maturity in order to cultivate good and healthy relationships, and in doing so, broadens the borders of our relationships and opens us to the joy of fraternity.
"This," he stressed, "is also a critical yardstick for the Church," reminding that we are only "truly the Church of the Risen Lord and disciples of Pentecost," "if there are no borders or divisions among us; if we are able to dialogue and accept one another in the Church, and to reconcile our diversities; and if, as Church, we become a welcoming and hospitable place for all."
Pentecost renews
The Holy Father also recognized that the Holy Spirit also opens borders between peoples, underscoring that "God’s 'breath' unites our hearts," "makes us view others as our brothers and sisters," and "breaks down barriers and tears down the walls of indifference and hatred."
With this in mind, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed, "Pentecost renews the Church, renews the world!"
"May the strong wind of the Spirit," Pope Leo concluded before imploring the Blessed Mother in prayer, "come upon us and within us, open the borders of our hearts, grant us the grace of encounter with God, enlarge the horizons of our love and sustain our efforts to build a world in which peace reigns."
Pope Leo XIV on Pentecost Sunday (@Vatican Media)
Receiving Holy Communion: A Gentle Reminder
The reception of Holy Communion is one of the most sacred moments of our Catholic life. To assist both communicants and communion ministers, it is helpful that our actions are clear, reverent, and consistent.
The Australian Catholic Bishops have asked that we observe common practices so that Communion may be received smoothly and prayerfully.
Preparing as You Approach
As you come forward in the procession, please be ready and clear about how you intend to receive Communion. Avoid last‑second changes or unclear gestures, as these can be confusing for the minister.
Those not receiving Communion should approach with arms crossed over the chest in a clear, dignified manner so the minister understands that a blessing is being requested.
Those receiving Communion should show their intention clearly, and well before reaching the minister.
Receiving Communion in the Hand
If you receive the Host in the hand:
Place your dominant hand underneath your other hand. Lift your hands up to a comfortable height, flat and steady, well before it is your turn.
Once in front of the minister, please stand as still as possible. Your head and body should be still.
Hold your hands clearly so the minister can see and reach your uplifted hands easily.
The Priest or minister will say “The Body of Christ” and you reply “AMEN”.
Once the Host is placed onto your hand, you then reverently pick up the host with your dominant hand which has been underneath the upper hand and please consume the host immediately, before walking away.
Unless there is a medical reason, the host is to be received, not taken.
the host is placed on the flat open hand of the recipient, with the person's dominant hand underneath this hand. Once the host is placed in your hand, you bring your dominant hand from underneath the upper hand and pick up the host and place it in your mouth. When the communion is presented to you, please never grab or clutch at the host. The host is always received, not taken. The host is placed on the hand of the recipient who then takes and consumes it reverently.
Please do not put only one hand forward - (unless there is a medical reason). Please use both hands: one open and flattened hand is resting upon the other flattened and open hand.
Please do not have your hands side by side to each other, but one hand above the other. Presenting two hands side by side is greatly confusing for the communion minister as they have to needlessly decide which hand to place the host upon, and the host could accidentally fall through the two hands as the recipient separates their hands to consume the host. Ministers present large numbers of people with hosts, so confusing hand positions cause delays and can lead to hosts falling.
Please see below the correct and incorrect positions - shown by either a tick or a cross.
Some people choose to Receive Communion on the Tongue
If you receive Communion on the tongue:
Approach the minister with hands together in a prayer‑like position. 🙏
When you reach the minister, stand as still as possible. Extend your tongue clearly and prominently, allowing the priest or minister to place the Host securely and reverently. Please do NOT merely open your teeth a fraction, as one cannot expect the minister to put the host in like a postal slot.
Merely opening the mouth without extending the tongue outside the mouth is not acceptable.
here is the correct way …
Below are some incorrect ways..:
Avoid movement of your head or body at the moment the Host is being given.
Please do not put your head back, as that makes the mouth even further away from the minister and would also require the minister to drop the host into a person's mouth, which is extremely awkward and also could cause choking.
Receiving the Chalice
It is encouraged to receive communion under both species- that is, the host and the chalice. It is a more full sign of the Last Supper where Jesus said “take and eat” as well as “take and drink”
having said this, it is not compulsory to receive both the host and chalice but it is encouraged.
The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus is truly received in his Body and Blood in the host and also in the Precious Blood of the chalice. If someone only receives the Host, they receive Jesus in his Body and Blood. If someone only receives the chalice they receive Jesus in his Body and Blood. Those who receive both receive Jesus in his Body and Blood but in a more full sign.
The Chalice, when it is offered, is handed to the recipient. Please receive the chalice with your two hands, but be careful to take the chalice in a place other than where the minister is holding it.
From the picture above, notice that the minister is holding the chalice in the middle and the person receiving the chalice is taking it reverently with two hands, and safely holding the chalice at a different position, namely at the bottom and near the top.
As an example of an incorrect situation: If the recipient took the chalice at the same place where the minister was holding it, the minister would not be able to release their grip of the chalice and it would cause much confusion and could even cause the chalice to be dropped. This seems like an obvious trap to avoid, but we personally have had the situation several times when someone has taken the chalice at the same position that I was holding it and I have had to politely ask them to “please could you let go of my hand, as I am stuck.” It is an astounding thing to happen and a worrying moment.
It is completely forbidden to take the chalice by trying to sip the chalice while the minister is still holding the chalice. The chalice must be taken gently into the two hands of the person receiving it and firmly into the hands of the recipient who then raises the chalice to their own lips and takes a small, reverent sip and carefully hands the chalice back to the minister.
The ministers of communion will hold up the host and say “the body of Christ” -
and the minister of the chalice will hold it up and say “the Blood of Christ” as the situation applies. The recipient says in a clear voice: “Amen.” The proper answer is not “yes” or “thanks” or “it is” or “we are” or “cheers” or anything else other than “Amen”.
Communion ministers are not meant to overpersonalise communion by saying “the body of Christ, Jenny” or “the body of Christ, Ted” - In communion we are all one body in Christ coming together, collectively as the body of Christ. Distinctions at that holy moment are unnecessary and unhelpful. In any case, unless one knows the names of every single person in the whole church, including visitors and people who are coming in late, or strangers, then naming some people but not others is exclusionary.
Therefore there is great wisdom in following the exact wording of the ritual, which is for the communion minister to simply say “the Body of Christ”, or “the Blood of Christ.”
The universal answer to both statements is always simply a clear and audible “Amen”
The Common Gesture of Reverence
The Australian bishops have asked that all Catholics adopt a common posture of reverence before receiving Holy Communion.
In Australia, in place of genuflecting or kneeling before or as receiving in communion, the bishops ask that people, while the person in front of them is receiving communion, give a simple bow of the head and then come forward and receive communion without any further bows or kneeling or genuflecting.
The appropriate moment to bow the head is when the person in front of you is receiving Communion.
After bowing, walk fully upright towards the minister with your hands in position for receiving communion and receive Communion without further bowing.
Bowing while standing directly in front of the minister (as they are handing you the host or the chalice) can cause great practical difficulties, as the recipients hands and/or head moves just as the Host or chalice is being given to them.
For example, one often sees a minister handing the host to the communion recipient and trying to place the host onto their extended hands just as they bow their head, (which is too late and should have happened before this time); and their hand moves down and away from the minister just as they are trying to place it in their hand. It looks bad and doesn’t work.
Consuming the Host
It is vital that the Host be consumed immediately upon reception.
Please do not walk away holding the Host.
Ministers will become understandably concerned if someone moves off from the communion line without consuming the Host. This leads to unnecessary confusion or disruption. A person who walks away without consuming the host immediately will likely be asked to consume it immediately. People in line who take the host and look at it curiously and don’t consume the host immediately usually are a red-alert to the priest and the ministers that this person should not be receiving communion and does not appear to know what they are doing or what the meaning of communion is.
Parents and adult carers, please explain to younger children about the difference between receiving communion and receiving a blessing.
This includes ensuring that the children have their hands in the correct position.
Children who have not yet made their communion and who are walking in the communion line should be reminded, before they come forward, that they need to have their hands in a cross formation across their chest as a sign that they seek a blessing and not communion.
“Receiving a blessing” or receiving communion” are mutually exclusive things, so sometimes a child will come forward for a blessing and then stand waiting to
also receive communion and that is a sign that they don’t fully understand what is meant to be happening. “It is one or the other, not both.”
A Final Note
Communion may be received either in the hand or on the tongue; People are encouraged to receive in the hand. Kneeling is not required. If someone desires to receive on the tongue they r kneel they can, but the bishops strongly recommend a common posture by all the community. They recommend a bow of the head whilst the person in front of you is receiving the host. What matters most is that our actions are reverent, clear, and considerate of those who minister the sacrament.
Thank you for helping ensure that the reception of Holy Communion remains a moment of prayer, dignity, and shared faith for all.
** The significance of the ancient Catholic Blessing Symbol. “20 C+M+B 26”
An ancient medieval practice in the Catholic Church was to bless one’s home with blessed chalk on the annual Solemnity of the Epiphany. On the door or the lintel will be this symbol:
20 + C + M + B + 26 *
* “Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar” (the traditional names of the Three Wise Men)
And also representing the prayer: *Christus Mansionem Benedicat
May Christ bless this home.
This means that 2000 years ago, after Christ’s birth, the Wise Men visited, paid homage to the Lord, and were welcomed into the Holy Family’s hospitality. We dedicate the present year, ‘26, of this century to the protection of the Lord.
May the Lord bless this abode.
The letters C+M+B represent Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior, the three Wise Men. CMB is also the initials of the Latin prayer “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” - “May Christ Bless this dwelling place/ abode/ home.”
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SYNOD 24 - ARCHDIOCESE OF BRISBANE - ACTION PLANS
For in-depth resources please visit the following link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1taBpy2wR96rMslEbWHpiDI3jaDpS_rzYJ_iqYLQWygw/edit?usp=sharing
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Commitment to Child Safety and Adults at Risk. We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all members of our community. Please see the pages below for more information. ………………..
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Acknowledgement of Country -
This is Kombumerri Country, the traditional custodian of this region.
We respectfully acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First People of this country. We pay our respects to the Kombumerri people, the traditional custodians of the land, waterways and seas upon which we live, work and socialise throughout this Catholic Parish of Surfers Paradise. We acknowledge Elders, past and present and emerging, as they hold our Indigenous people's memories, traditions, culture and hopes. We pay tribute to those who have contributed to the community's life in many ways. We affirm our commitment to justice, healing, and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. (See further: The Kombumerri People and https://kombumerritogetherproject.com/digital-resources/yugambeh-language/)
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For more details on safeguarding, please visit here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ja2NmPbkoqk5Jw4bfDdZVRwWHAIPQfn7qU5uQZ3oYD8/edit?usp=sharing
Sacred Heart Church and Parish office - (directions and location)
50 Fairway Drive. Clear Island Waters. Queensland 4226
(The best entry is the southern entrance off Fairway Drive, nearest to Santa Cruz Boulevard).
map: -
Our parish office location is found here: Please see here for a map with details of the location of the parish office. Please see below for a photo of the Catholic Parish office ……(with the name “Glendalough - Parish Office” written on a sign over the door - Glendalough is pronounced “Glenda-lock” and is named after a famous Irish location where Catholic Saint Kevin lived- one of our schools in the parish is named St Kevin’s in honour that patron saint).
Below is a picture of the Sacred Heart church, which is located on the same grounds (to the left of the parish office)
