PDF version of this parish newsletter here:
"The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, & repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations ….You are witnesses of these things." (Luke 24: 46b-48)
(Shutterstock licensed image ID:1353025616 Pavia, Italy. 2017/11/11. The painting of the Resurrected Jesus Christ with His apostles in the Cenacle. Second half of XV century. Currently in Castello Visconteo. A By Adam Jan Figel ).
THE PASTOR'S POST:
Part II – Father John Chalmers.
Presentation to the Priests Convocation in Brisbane, 25 March 2021
God's daily work is mending what's broken.
Here's a question to ponder: What would I be doing differently if you responded to all actions that happen to you as though they were the actions of God?
The Christian call is better known as the baptismal call. Let's take a look at what Frederick Buechner has to say about baptism. "Dunking is a good symbol of baptism. Going under symbolises the end of everything about your life that is less than human. Coming up again symbolises the beginning of something strange and new and hopeful. You can breathe again. "Evangelii Nuntiandi #14 couldn't be clearer: The task of evangelising all people constitutes the essential mission of the church. Evangelising is the church's deepest identity.
Evangelising means bringing the Good News into all the strata of humanity.
Vatican II documents (Evangelii Nuntiandi #18) tells us, evangelisation upsets human kind's criteria of judgment, determining values and points of interest, lines of thought, and sources of inspiration and models of life which are in contrast with the Word of God
Evangelii Nuntiandi #19 God's great gift to us is liberation from everything that oppresses men and women. Besides knowing what effective dialog looks like, these dispositions equally matter. The third call is the call of ordination to Holy Orders.
A small number of men are ordained to the diaconate and priesthood.
There are three components to legitimated authority. All three components are required authorised: institutional authority, social authority and personal authority. It is not sufficient to have and to hold only one of the three aspects. Institutional authority is granted by the institution. Social legitimacy gains (or fails to be granted legitimacy) by those people whom the person is seeking authority. Finally, the person seeking legitimacy is granted, in fear and trembling by myself.
These three elements are the makings of authoritative pastoral leadership. We must never forget how complex a process it is to entertain the granting of authentic pastoral leadership. It is equally ever in danger of our legitimacy being withdrawn. When a person is unable to connect with the parish, they are likely to make do with 'authoritarianism' rather than with 'authority'.
As an aside: have you noticed that the word ministry includes the word mini? Mini as distinct from maxi? Ministry is what you and I do. It's usually one of the small things of life. We do small things. A companion of ministry is 'maxistry'. We can leave the big, maxi effort to God, because we live and work as pastoral ministers towards God's future. It's not all and only about us. What we do in the present, even if it seems minimal, nurtured and nourished by the best of the past, sets us on the pathway to claiming, indeed creating the future that Jesus dreams of accomplishing with our help, where justice and fairness flow like a mighty river.
God's daily work is mending what's broken.
What would I be doing differently if I responded to all actions upon you as though they were the actions of God?
1. Something I heard that I need to give further thinking to.
2. I hadn't thought about before..
In keeping with the title of this presentation, here are two perspectives worth presenting from the Universal call and the Baptismal call.
From the Universal Call
Listen to the otherness of the other person; different tastes; different ways of doing things. Recognise what pushes your buttons and practice other ways of responding to irritation.
From the Baptismal Call
Baptism calls us to picture what God is up to or about in the work of mending creation. Even if we can't see the alternate future for which we work, by beginning from the other end of God's promise, we can live with a hope that is strong enough to transform the present.
Which quote is more accurate?
1. What would God have us do? Or
2. What might God be already doing amongst us?
A similar phrase goes this way: Exercising Pastoral Leadership. The word intentional pastoral ministry is an adjective, whereas exercising is an active adverb. The word pastoral is shared by both phrases. I like the whimsical "pastoral". It comprises two words; PAST and ORAL. We need to be able to hold the PAST pleasantly. We need to be able to let go of the past to embrace the future. What wisdom can you draw from the past?
Holy Orders sees a deacon or priest attentive to how God is really present in the life and times of the church. This sets them up to teach the Good News. The Church Gathers and Scatters. The task is not to choose between the two. The church gathers so that it may scatter faithfully unless we are capable of warming people's hearts, of walking with them in the night, dialoguing with their hopes and disappointments, of mending their brokenness, what hope can we have for the present, let alone for the future?
Inspired by no earthly ambition, the church seeks but a solitary goal, to carry forward the work of Christ himself under the lead of the befriending Spirit. When you and I wake up each morning; after a good strong cup of coffee, may we respond faithfully gracefully responding to God's actions upon us.
Fr Peter Dillon PP.
STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION
"Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' But they were startled and frightened…" - LUKE 24:36-37
Throughout the day we have many opportunities to "see the face of Jesus" in others and to "be the face of Jesus" to others. Do we take that opportunity to provide "peace" to those we encounter or are we afraid of what others will think of us and do nothing? Pray for the strength and courage to live a "God-centered" life and not a "self-centered" life.
The vision of Stewardship speaks in every aspect of life, inviting everyone to be thankful, generous and accountable for what each has been given.
Your support is needed to help our Parish to continue valuable pastoral activities and to provide ongoing sustainability. To assist you to support the Parish, you can give via http://parishgiving.brisbanecatholic.org.au
If you can continue to support us, we would be most grateful. For all those who have been making payments via credit card and those who have donated directly into the parish account, we thank you. The spirit of generosity is alive in our Parish. If you would like confirmation of your donation or a receipt emailed to you please contact me at man.surfers@bne.catholic.net.au.
The beautiful new timber stands in the church are "pay-waves."("tap-and-go" machines). A handy new way of donating to the parish - just tap a credit card or bank card on the sensor and it takes $5. And once it has processed this first tap, (which may take 30 seconds), you can tap it again, to give another $5, and so on. A safe and handy way to give money. God bless you for your support. To join planned giving, please contact the Parish Office: (07) 5572 5433 (9am–12pm Mon-Fri)
SURFERS PARADISE PARISH SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
(For children who have already received Baptism and Confirmation)
Dates for First Communion 2021, Surfers Paradise Parish:
Parent Meeting - either April 20 or April 21
Practice Meeting - either May 25 or June 3
First Communion Celebration - either Sunday, May 30 at 11:00am or Sunday June 6 at 11:00am
All venues: Sacred Heart Church
Please note that First Communion preparation and celebration is offered to baptised and confirmed children who are in Year 4 or greater.
Children who have enrolled in our Parish Sacramental Program in previous years should not need to re-enrol. You should have received an email invitation. If you are unsure, please email Cathy Anderson andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au
CONFIRMATION
There will be a second opportunity to celebrate Confirmation in October this year, please go to the parish website www.surfersparadiseparish.com.au and complete an online enrolment application to ensure that your child is included in the October group.
Use the drop down menu under Sacraments.
If your child has been baptised and you wish them to continue their journey of initiation by the celebration and receiving of further sacraments, click on Confirmation (under Sacraments), read the explanation of the sacrament and then scroll down to and click on CHILDREN'S SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM APPLICATION FORM (in the blue box). Complete the form and click on submit.
Once you have submitted the form, you should receive an automated response to indicate that your application has been received by the parish team. The timing of a more personalised response to your application will vary depending on the sacrament for which you wish to prepare.
The timing of responses to Confirmation, First Communion and Reconciliation requests vary according to the time of year. As the children prepare for these sacraments in groups, our Sacramental Coordinator will use the information provided on the completed online forms to email parents approximately two months before the celebration of the sacrament. If you feel that you enrolled some time ago and you have not received sufficient information through our parish or school newsletters, please email Cathy Anderson andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au
BAPTISM
If you are seeking Baptism for your child, click on the website heading Baptism (under Sacraments), read the explanation of the sacrament and then scroll down to and click on BAPTISM ENROLMENT FORM (in the blue box). Complete the form and click on submit. Baptism requests will be responded to fairly quickly as baptisms occur weekly and bookings are quite heavy and consistent throughout the year.
St Paul 's Missionary Journey through His Letters
Fortnightly on a Tuesday
ALL WELCOME. Our next session will be on Tuesday 27th April at 6pm in the Parish Hospitality Room.
If you would like to participate in this please ring 0409 486 326. This is a great opportunity for us to reflect, discuss, share and enrich our faith and relationship with Christ.
A WONDERFUL AUDIO-VISUAL RESOURCE - SHALOM WORLD TV
This excellent world-wide online television network provides excellent Catholic content including live Masses from Australia and around the world. We have local people in our parish who are part of this great global outreach. Please visit and see the treasury of shows and articles. https://www.shalomworld.org/
Fr Paul is featured on the latest episode of Vocare (on Shalom World TV - This Tuesday - April 20th at 8pm Queensland local time.
https://www.shalomworld.org/show/vocare
Fr Warren Kinne was featured on an earlier episode - https://www.shalomworld.org/episode/bullets-noodles-and-a-motorbike-fr-warren-kinne
Tommy Raudonikis Funeral - Live Stream (Replay)
Thomas (Tommy) Raudonikis OAM had his Catholic Funeral Prayer service here at Sacred Heart Church on 16th April, at midday. Here is a link to saved livestream: https://livestream.com/able2/tommy-raudonikis-oam/videos/220001189
POPE FRANCIS: Let us Dare to Dream
Let Us Dream - The Path to a Better Future. By Pope Francis and Austen Ivereigh.
In this uplifting and practical book, written in collaboration with his biographer, Austen Ivereigh, the preeminent spiritual leader explains why we must—and how we can—make the world safer, fairer, and healthier for all people now.
In the COVID crisis, the beloved shepherd of over one billion Catholics saw the cruelty and inequity of our society exposed more vividly than ever before. He also saw, in the resilience, generosity, and creativity of so many people, the means to rescue our society, our economy, and our planet. In direct, powerful prose, Pope Francis urges us not to let the pain be in vain.
He begins Let Us Dream by exploring what this crisis can teach us about how to handle upheaval of any kind in our own lives and the world at large. With unprecedented candour, he reveals how three crises in his own life changed him dramatically for the better. By its very nature, he shows, the crisis presents us with a choice: we make a grievous error if we try to return to some pre-crisis state. But if we have the courage to change, we can emerge from the crisis better than before.
Francis then offers a brilliant, scathing critique of the systems and ideologies that conspired to produce the current crisis, from a global economy obsessed with profit and heedless of the people and environment it harms to politicians who foment their people's fear and use it to increase their own power at their people's expense. He reminds us that Christians' first duty is to serve others, especially the poor and the marginalized, just as Jesus did.
Finally, the Pope offers an inspiring and actionable blueprint for building a better world for all humanity by putting the poor and the planet at the heart of new thinking. For this plan, he draws not only on sacred sources, but on the latest findings from renowned scientists, economists, activists, and other thinkers. Yet rather than simply offer prescriptions, he shows how ordinary people acting together despite their differences can discover unforeseen possibilities.
Along the way, he offers dozens of wise and surprising observations on the value of unconventional thinking, on why we must dramatically increase women's leadership in the Church and throughout society, on what he learned while scouring the streets of Buenos Aires with garbage-pickers, and much more.
Let Us Dream is an epiphany, a call to arms, and a pleasure to read. It is Pope Francis at his most personal, profound and passionate. With this book and with open hearts, we can change the world.
The prologue of Pope Francis' book:
"I see this time as a reckoning. I think of what Jesus tells Peter in Luke 22:31, that the devil wants him to be sifted like wheat. To enter into a crisis is to be sifted. Your categories and ways of thinking get shaken up; your priorities and lifestyles are challenged. You cross a threshold, either by your own choice or by necessity, because there are crises, like the one we're going through, that you can't avoid.
The question is whether you're going to come through this crisis and if so, how. The basic rule of a crisis is that you don't come out of it the same. If you get through it, you come out better or worse, but never the same.
We are living a time of trial. The Bible talks of passing through fire to describe such trials, like a kiln testing the potter's handiwork (Sirach 27:5). The fact is that we are all tested in life. It's how we grow.
In the trials of life, you reveal your own heart: how solid it is, how merciful, how big or small. Normal times are like formal social situations: you never have to reveal yourself. You smile, you say the right things, and you come through unscathed, without ever having to show who you really are. But when you're in a crisis, it's the opposite. You have to choose. And in making your choice you reveal your heart.
Think of what happens in history. When people's hearts are tested they become aware of what has held them down. They also feel the presence of the Lord, who is faithful and responds to the cry of His people. The encounter that follows allows a new future to open up.
Think of what we've seen during this Covid-19 crisis. All those martyrs: men and women who have laid down their lives in service to those most in need. Think of the health workers, the doctors and nurses and other caregivers, as well as the chaplains and all who chose to accompany others in their pain. Taking the necessary precautions, they sought to offer others support and consolation. They were witnesses to closeness and tenderness. Many, tragically, died. To honour their witness, and the suffering of so many, we have to build tomorrow by following the paths they have lit for us.
But—and I say this with pain and shame—let's also think of the usurers, the payday lenders who have appeared at the doors of desperate people. If they stretch out their hands, it is to offer loans that can never be repaid, and which end up permanently indebting those who accept them. Such lenders speculate about the suffering of others.
It's not just particular individuals who are tested, but entire peoples. Think of governments having to choose in the pandemic. What matters more: to take care of people or keep the financial system going? Do we look after people, or sacrifice them for the sake of the stock market? Do we put the machinery of wealth on hold, knowing people will suffer, yet that way we save lives? In some cases, governments have tried to protect the economy first, maybe because they didn't understand the magnitude of the illness, or because they lacked the resources. Those governments have mort-gaged their people. In making those choices, their priorities are tested and their values exposed.
In a crisis there's always the temptation to retreat. Of course there are times when we must pull back for tactical reasons—as the Bible says: "To your tents, O Israel!" (1 Kings 12:16)—but there are situations when it is neither right nor human to do so. Jesus makes that clear in his famous parable of the Good Samaritan. When the Levite and the priest with-draw from the man left bleeding and beaten by thieves, they're making a "functional" retreat, by which I mean they're trying to preserve their own place—their roles, their status quo—when faced with a crisis that tests them.
In a crisis, our functionalism is shaken loose and we have to revise and modify our roles and habits to emerge from the crisis as better people. A crisis always demands that our whole self be present; you can't retreat, pull back into old ways and roles. Think of the Samaritan: he stops, pulls up, acts, enters into the world of the wounded man, throws him-self into the situation, into the other's suffering, and so creates a new future.
To act in a Samaritan way in a crisis means letting myself be struck by what I see, knowing that the suffering will change me. We Christians talk about this as taking up and embracing the Cross. Embracing the Cross, confident that what will come is new life, gives us the courage to stop lamenting and move out and serve others and so enable change, which will come only from compassion and service.
Some respond to the suffering of a crisis with a shrug. They say, "God made the world that way, that's just how it is." But such a response misinterprets God's creation as static when it's a dynamic process. The world is always being made. Paul in his Letter to the Romans 8:22 says creation is groaning from birth pangs. God wants to bring forth the world with us, as partners, continually. He has invited us to join Him from the very beginning, in peaceful times and in times of crisis—at all times. It's not like we've been handed this thing all wrapped up and sealed: "Here, have the world."
In the Genesis account, God commands Adam and Eve to be fruitful. Humankind has a mandate to change, to build, to master creation in the positive sense of creating from it and with it. So what is to come doesn't depend on some unseen mechanism, a future in which humanity is a passive spectator. No: we're protagonists, we're—if I can stretch the word—co-creators. When the Lord told us to go forth and multiply, to master the earth, he's saying: Be creators of your future.
From this crisis, we can come out better or worse. We can slide backwards, or we can create something new. For now, what we need is the chance to change, to make space for the new thing we need. It's like God says to Isaiah: Come, let us talk this over. If you are ready to listen, we will have a great future. But if you refuse to listen, you'll be devoured by the sword (Isaiah 1:18–20).
There are so many swords that threaten to devour us. The Covid crisis may seem special because it affects most of humankind. But it is only special in how visible it is. There are a thousand other crises that are just as dire but are just far enough from some of us that we can act as if they don't exist. Think, for example, of the wars scattered across different parts of the world; of the production and trade in weapons; of the hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing poverty, hunger, and lack of opportunity; of climate change. These tragedies may seem distant from us, as part of the daily news that, sadly, fails to move us to change our agendas and priorities. But like the Covid crisis, they affect the whole of humanity.
Just look at the figures, what a nation spends on weapons, and your blood runs cold. Then compare those figures with UNICEF's statistics on how many children lack school-ing and go to bed hungry, and you realize who pays the price for arms spending. In the first four months of this year, 3.7 million people died of hunger. And how many have died from war? Arms spending destroys humanity. It is a very serious coronavirus, but because its victims are hidden from us we don't talk about it.
Similarly hidden to some is the destruction of the natural world. We thought it didn't affect us, because it was happening elsewhere. But suddenly we see it, we get it: a boat crosses the North Pole for the first time, and we realize the distant floods and forest fires are part of the same crisis that involves us all.
Look at us now: we put on face masks to protect ourselves and others from a virus we can't see. But what about all those other unseen viruses we need to protect ourselves from? How will we deal with the hidden pandemics of this world, the pandemics of hunger and violence and climate change?
If we are to come out of this crisis less selfish than we went in, we have to let ourselves be touched by others' pain. There's a line in Friedrich Hölderlin's Hyperion that speaks to me, about how the danger that threatens in a crisis is never total; there's always a way out. "Where the danger is, also grows the saving power."1 That's the genius in the human story: there's always a way to escape destruction. Where humankind has to act is precisely there, in the threat itself; that's where the door opens. That line of Hölderlin's has been by my side at different points in my life.
This is a moment to dream big, to rethink our priorities—what we value, what we want, what we seek—and to commit to act in our daily life on what we have dreamed of. What I hear at this moment is similar to what Isaiah hears God saying through him: Come, let us talk this over. Let us dare to dream.
God asks us to dare to create something new. We cannot return to the false securities of the political and economic systems we had before the crisis. We need economies that give to all access to the fruits of creation, to the basic needs of life: to land, lodging, and labour. We need a politics that can integrate and dialogue with the poor, the excluded, and the vulnerable, that gives people a say in the decisions that impact their lives. We need to slow down, take stock, and design better ways of living together on this earth.
It's a task for all of us, to which each one of us is invited. But it's a time especially for the restless of heart, that healthy restlessness that spurs us into action. Now, more than ever, what is revealed is the fallacy of making individualism the organising principle of society. What will be our new principle?
We need a movement of people who know we need each other, who have a sense of responsibility to others and the world. We need to proclaim that being kind, having faith, and working for the common good are great life goals that need courage and vigor; while glib superficiality and the mockery of ethics have done us no good. The modern era, which has developed equality and liberty with such determination, now needs to focus on fraternity with the same drive and tenacity to confront the challenges ahead. Fraternity will enable free-dom and equality to take its rightful place in the symphony.
Millions of people have asked themselves and each other where they might find God in this crisis. What comes to my mind is the overflow. I'm thinking of great rivers that gently swell, so gradually that you hardly notice them, but then the moment comes, and they burst their banks and pour forth. In our society, God's mercy breaks out at such "overflow moments": bursting out, breaking the traditional confines that have kept so many people from what they deserve, shaking up our roles and our thinking. The overflow is to be found in the suffering that this crisis has revealed and the creative ways in which so many people have responded.
I see an overflow of mercy spilling out in our midst. Hearts have been tested. The crisis has called forth in some new courage and compassion. Some have been sifted and have responded with the desire to reimagine our world; others have come to the aid of those in need in concrete ways that can transform our neighbour's suffering.
That fills me with hope that we might come out of this crisis better. But we have to see clearly, choose well, and act right. Let's talk about how.
Let's allow God's words to Isaiah to speak to us: Come, let us talk this over. Let us dare to dream.
It is an illusion to think that we can go back to where we were. Attempts at restoration always take us down a dead-end street." Rather, "this is a moment to dream big, to rethink our priorities - what we value, what we want, what we seek."
(source: https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/p/Let-Us-Dream-Pope-Francis-extract?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=iNC;
also quoting MSC Mission Outreach periodical - issue 83 - P. 3)
(Image Simon and Schuster Publishers )
For this book, please visit your local bookstore or Religious bookstore, or see:- https://www.amazon.com.au/Let-Us-Dream-Better-Future/dp/1982171863
NEW SCHOOL WITHIN OUR PARISH -
Starts 2022
Initially Prep to Year 3, and then extending
THE GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND -
In the gospel, this weekend, the absolute truth of PHYSICAL resurrection of Christ, is again reinforced.
Jesus even shares a meal with his disciples; and makes a point of eating what sounds like a delightful piece of grilled fish to show his disciples he is indeed flesh and blood.
It is quite a claim to suggest that Jesus has risen. The Disciples initially couldn't believe what they were hearing when reports started coming in that Jesus has risen again. If it were merely a made-up story, it would be easy to suggest that he was merely Spiritually risen, and experienced a kind of ethereal and spiritual way, but that is not what is being said and not what has ever been claimed. Jesus is RISEN, and he has truly risen! His disciples saw him, touched him, ate with him and spoke with him on several occasions.
The true genius of the Christian faith is our belief in the Resurrection and what it says about the relationship and connection between the BODY and the SOUL. For Christians, the body is not just some annoying outer shell that encases the pure spirit of a person and which would be better off being cast off so that the person can achieve perfection.
The Greek philosophy (which was very popular and influential in the time of Jesus, and has been very influential throughout history), tends to see a division between body and spirit. The Greek philosophy sees the "Spirit" as pure and divine and good, and the body, (the physical), as corruptible, sinful and bad.
Even in the Jewish faith, the spirit or the soul was considered (by many) to indeed live on after death, but only some believed in the resurrection of the body. The Jewish understanding tended to see the flesh as earthly and the soul as heavenly.
The Christian belief in the incarnation of Christ (God becoming flesh.. and dwelling among us) and that Jesus is truly God and truly human, shows a profound understanding of the human person who believes in the holiness and the dignity of the body and the material world. We have been saved by Jesus – (God made flesh) - who took on our nature and never cast off.
We believe that Christ's human nature was never cast off….. He kept his glorified human body when he returned to the Father in Heaven -- This belief informs our teachings on justice and the dignity of the human person and of the sanctity of the human body and why suffering is not something to take lightly.
Jesus Resurrection takes this a step further. The human person's destiny is that they will one day live with God in Heaven (body and soul). The body is sacred and will be raised and is not to be cast-off to attain perfection. God will perfect us physically and spiritually. The earthly, the physical and the material DO matter in Christian spirituality, and cannot be ignored or put out of the picture.
The disciples, in today's gospel, are shown to be in fear and doubt when suddenly Jesus appears to them and reassures them, giving them literally a solid and tangible foundation for their belief (his physical resurrection), the truth of which will keep them going in good times and in bad,., in peacetime and in persecution.
Jesus opened the minds and hearts of his disciples…. Otherwise, they would have gone on sitting and hiding in the upper room, and they would still not have understood. They would not have had the courage to go out and preach the Gospel - It is essential that the disciples (and each one of us) are "OPEN" to Jesus' message.
Our discipleship and following of Christ (if it is to remain authentic) must always have a deeply practical element of action and right behaviour to it. Our faith must show itself in practical ways for our physical world and the physical body.
One of the readings today pointedly reminds us "anyone who says 'I know (God)'… but doesn't keep God's commandments is a liar." … Anyone who says 'I know Jesus'… but does not live according to Jesus' actions, teachings, values.. and behaviours… /….anyone who does not show real respect for the world and the human person, does NOT have the TRUTH in them.
The other important point from today's readings is that the Resurrection of Christ and his sacrifice on the cross, tells us a lot about sin and its forgiveness. We sin! - Sadly, this is often what we humans do. But that is never where we leave things. We cannot ever make a concession to weakness and wallow in the lowest common denominator of our frailty. We can often do the wrong thing and sometimes it is knowingly, sometimes it is out of ignorance, and sometimes it is out of negligent failure to know what we ought. We, humans, are flawed, but nevertheless, infinitely loved by God who created us.
God knows what we are like and loves us unconditionally as a parent loves their child.
And, just like a parent's love for a child, - a parent does not condone or encourage bad behaviour or 'willful refusal to change one's ways' because of the lame excuse that "we are all human and we all make mistakes." Just because we are human and prone to sin is no excuse to stay in our bad habits and remain in ignorance. We are called, as beloved children of God, to grow and change constantly. We are called to spend our whole lives on a journey of learning, openness, repentance, conversion and transformation, with God's grace.
So, a major victory achieved through Christ's death and resurrection must be seen as the forgiveness of human sin. "The scriptures point out that it is difficult for us to admit that we are sinners and that there is sin in the world. Today we speak of 'mistakes,' of 'faults,' of 'misunderstandings'—but sin is also there and not to be denied. Sin is a reality that is still a very unpopular topic, even though really, it is not being falsely humble to say… we are all sinners.
We are all invited to look into our hearts and to know that we need salvation. Jesus needed to die for each and every one of us. We do well to recognize that our own choices against God are part of the sins in our world. Can we accept that Jesus came to die for us and for our sins and that in Him we are redeemed (purchased back by God) – Body and soul?
And we must now live in the light of this wonderful truth!
To listen to the whole 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
Fr. Paul Kelly.
{References: Fr Paul Kelly}
{Image Credit: Shutterstock licensed stock vector ID: 254006194 scene of Mary Magdalene became the first person to see Jesus after his resurrection in triangles style M By mashabr}
Each day in the Catholic liturgical calendar has a rank. This indicates the order of priority or precedence of a particular celebration, especially when there may be an overlap or where more than one celebration occurs on the same date.
We have a dilemma coming up in the next week. Usually, the local Australian and New Zealand nations both celebrate the mass for Anzac Day on the 25th of April. This date and commemoration have enormous importance and significance to the local churches here in this region. Since this date often lands right in the middle of the Easter Season, and occasionally lands even on a Sunday and a Sunday of the preeminent Easter Season, the Solemnity of Easter and the Octave of Easter is ranked so highly that it overrides all other Solemnities, Feasts and memorials. We can understand why this is so. Easter is a holiest and foundational Solemnity. Sundays and particularly Sundays of Easter are so crucial that they are not overridden by any other feast. In this circumstance, since Anzac Day occurs on a Sunday within the Easter season, the Readings and most of the texts continue to be those of the Fourth Sunday of Easter. However, since Easter and Resurrection are very fitting themes for Anzac Day, this important regional commemoration can still be marked very well within this celebration of Sunday within Easter. In our Prayers of Intercession, and with the homily and symbols and even special prayers and commemorations and even possibly the Ode and minutes silence within the Mass.
Generally, the five basic ranks for the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, in descending order of importance, are as follows:
Solemnity—the highest-ranking type of feast day. It commemorates an event in Jesus or Mary's life or celebrates a Saint important to the whole Church or the local community. The Mass of solemnity has proper readings and prayers, the Gloria and Credo are recited, and occasionally there will be use of incense, a processional hymn and procession, and a recessional hymn/recession. Outside of Advent, Lent and Eastertide, a solemnity falling on a Sunday is celebrated in place of the Sunday. The equivalent type in the older Tridentine or Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite and the 1962 Missal of Pope John XXIII would be a I Class Feast.
Feast—the rank of secondary liturgical days including lesser events in the life of Jesus, Mary or an Apostle (theologically speaking) or for major saints. The Gloria is recited but not the Credo, and there are proper readings and prayers for the feast. A Feast pertaining to the Lord (e.g. Transfiguration) falling on a Sunday during Ordinary Time replaces the Sunday Liturgy and such will have the Credo recited at Mass. The equivalent in the older Tridentine or Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite and the 1962 Missal of Pope John XXIII would be a II Class Feast.
Memorial—the commemoration of a saint of lesser importance. Many memorials are optional or only observed in specific dioceses, regions or nations. The equivalent in the Tridentine/Extraordinary Form would be a III Class Feast.
Seasonal Weekday—a weekday in a "strong" liturgical season (Advent, Christmastide, Lent, or Eastertide), on which no solemnity, feast, or memorial happens to be observed. On Weekdays of Lent, memorials are celebrated as an optional memorial and such liturgy of Lent shall be used. The equivalent in the Extraordinary Form would be I, II and III Class Ferial days, and the even older Tridentine forms would be classified as Major
Ferials. (ordinary day within ordinary time).
Feria or Ferial Weekday—a weekday in ordinary time on which no solemnity, feast or memorial happens to be observed. The equivalent in the Extraordinary Form would be a IV Class Ferial, and in the older Tridentine forms would be Minor Ferials.
All holy days of obligation are also solemnities; however, not all solemnities are holy days of obligation. For example, The Nativity of the Lord Jesus (Christmas) (25 December) is a solemnity that is always a holy day of obligation, whereas the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (24 June) is not a holy day of obligation.
In certain locales, certain days which are celebrated as feasts or memorials in most of the Church are celebrated as solemnities; for example, St. Patrick's Day is a solemnity in Ireland, but is normally a memorial for the rest of the Church; Our Lady of Sorrows is a solemnity in Slovakia, whereas it is a memorial in all other places.
The ranking of particular celebrations can change according to local customs. For example, religious orders often celebrate their patron saint's day as solemnity within their areas of ministry. Nations and Dioceses who have specific patron saints, celebrate those days within their regions as solemnities.
When a Solemnity or major Feastday is celebrated, the readings set for that Solemnity or Feast overrides the regular ordinary time readings. However, since there is a great value in keeping the regular ordinary readings flowing, it is often recommended that for memorials and optional memorials, one could choose the prayers of the Saint or occasion but keep the regular ordinary readings for that date, lest the ordinary continuous flow of the reading from the scriptures is so often interrupted as to be disrupted. There is a special book brought out each year called an Ordo, which recommends which texts and readings and options can and should be used.
(source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranking_of_liturgical_days_in_the_Roman_Rite and Fr Paul Kelly).
(Shutterstock licensed - Image: ID: 745568959. Votive candles - Solemnity - Slovakia. By Lukas Beno)
TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH: Pray for all who heal a world in pain
On April 7, 1948, the World Health Organization was established as a leading global health authority within the United Nations system. In 2021, the WHO counts 7,000 members from 150 countries. It declares that the health of all people is essential to attaining peace and security, and among other things chooses a particular health theme each year to mark its anniversary. Past themes include mental health, maternal and childcare, and climate change. Mindful that the world's aging population is living longer, the WHO set this year's theme as "Aging and Health." In this Easter season, as we take note of the healing miracles within the early Christian community, ask the Lord to bless all who work to safeguard the health of humanity.
Acts 3:1-10 - "And a man crippled from birth was carried and placed at the gate of the temple."
SIGN UP FOR "TAKE FIVE" DAILY https://www.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe
MASS TIMES (PRE-BOOKING ESSENTIAL): SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
Additional to the above times, we will continue to celebrate weekday Mass at Sacred Heart at 9am. The 9am Saturday Mass will be on the First Saturday of the month (1st May) at Sacred Heart.
Please remember that as per restrictions we are still expected to book and check in for mass, maintain a social-distance of 1.5m, receive Holy Communion in the hand only, refrain from physical contact when offering the Sign of Peace, and to sanitise when entering and exiting the premises. We ask that people consult the parish website www.surfers paradise parish.com.au, to keep up to date with any changes relating to masses.
Mass Booking: bookeo.com/catholicmassgoldcoast Thank you for your cooperation at this time.
SACRED HEART AND ST VINCENT'S RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS
A donation is all that is required for pre-loved religious goods available at the Sacred Heart Shop.
The April edition of the Catholic Leader is still available at $4.
Back in the shops whilst still available is the daily devotional book 'God Calling.
Marriage Encounter Weekends - Virtual or live-in, May 2021
A Marriage Encounter Weekend to enrich and revitalise your Sacrament. It gives you the opportunity to grow in your relationship with your spouse or your community.
Virtual weekend via Zoom, 30th April – 2 May 2021, commencing at 7 pm on Friday – concluding at 4 pm Sunday. Contact Julie and Zyg Staszyc: 0437 388 513 Email: sabookings@wwme.org.au
Live-in weekend Friday 28 May - Sunday 30 May at Ormiston (on Brisbane's bayside).
Contact Maria and David Murphy: (07) 3342 1456, dandmmurphy@optusnet.com.au
Information website: www.wwme.org.au
OUR LADY'S STATUE
The Statue of Our Lady is going around the Parish. If you would like to take part in the saying of the Rosary with Our Lady's Statue, please contact Maxine Sela on 5539 9539.
The Roster for the next few weeks:
We 19/4/2021 Eva Mollowski of Palm Beach
W/e 26/4/2021 Eva Mollowski of Palm Beach
W/c 3/5/2021 Helen & Thor Skjaerbaer of Merrimac
W/c 10/5/2021 Helen & Thor Skjaerbaer of Merrimac
God Bless, Maxine & Pat Sela
CHILDREN'S ART - FOR NATIONAL CHILD PROTECTION WEEK
This year's Children's Art Activity for National Child Protection Week encourages us to talk to children and young people about what they think is important in their neighbourhoods.
The activity ties in with this year's theme that 'Every child, in every community, needs a fair go' because 'To treat all of Australia's children fairly, we need to make sure every family and community has what kids need to thrive and be healthy.'
If you love chatting with children and young people about their ideas (either through your work or family or friends), please join us in creating artworks about our local communities. Ideally, we are looking for collaborative artworks, but individual entries will also be most welcome.
Entries received before 4 May will go in the running for a range of small prizes.
For more information: visit the NAPCAN website where you can download the full Children's Art Activity flyer
(partial insert below ). If you have particular questions, please email contact@napcan.org.au
THE SACRED HEART BRIDGE CLUB
Meets at the Sacred Heart - Parish Hospitality Centre, Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters.
Playing Bridge keeps your brain active and increases your social network! So why not give us a try?
Learn to play Bridge at "Our Friendly Club" - Free Lesson. "Introduction to Bridge"
Easy to learn format, no previous card playing experience necessary. All are welcome.
For more information and to enrol, Please phone: Cheryl 5538 8821 or Mob 0417 772 701
YOGA AT THE PARISH HOSPITALITY CENTRE
Come join us for our friendly class in the Parish Hospitality Centre next to the Parish Office. Classes run every Tuesday at 10:45 am. Learn to relax, yet gain greater flexibility, inner strength, body awareness and concentration, all while increasing your breath support and general wellbeing. Ruth is an IYTA accredited instructor with wide experience and runs a caring, carefully monitored one-hour session costing $10 (new attendees need to arrive by 10.30 am to prepare adequately for class). For more information call Ruth on 0421338110.
Your copy of "Liturgy News"
For fifty years, thousands of people around Australia have subscribed to "Liturgy News." This small but influential quarterly magazine has kept them up-to-date in their liturgical understanding. Now, by producing it as an electronic PDF, we can make it available to you free of charge. It has not only the news, but also background articles that are invaluable for parishes and schools. Priests, religion teachers, pastoral associates, liturgy committees… this magazine is for you! Please don't delete. Save it. Share it. Read it. Fr Tom Elich, editor of Liturgy News.
Get your free copy here: https://34e55186-523b-4a36-b544-6de481e65a51.filesusr.com/ugd/8c123c_8dfe8b3540a34644ab8d5be88af3d810.pdf
And, you can get on the regular mailing list for this free resource by clicking the link here: https://shop.liturgybrisbane.net.au/collections/liturgy-news
ARCHDIOCESAN JOB -Position Vacant –Receptionist/Funeral Assistant - Brisbane
Applications are open for a position at Holy Cross Funerals. A person with excellent administration and secretarial skills is required for a part time position of Receptionist/Funeral Assistant for 30 hours per week Monday to Friday.
For additional information, please visit the Archdiocese of Brisbane website https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/
and to careers.
COMPANIONS ON THE JOURNEY - Nerang
The need is acute! PALMS INTERNATIONAL
Low-income communities are not asking us for money or gifts. They reject degrading dependence. They want you to share your skills to help develop self-reliance and sustainable solutions to poverty. The call is to all trades and professions to help build the ability of their people and their organisations' capacity. To properly prepare for a 2022 placement you do need to enquire now.
Join our online InfoZoom on 2 May, visit palms.org.au, or call Palms now on 02 9560 5333
You can visit the Stay Connected page on our website to find an extensive list of information and resources.
Liturgy for you at Home (produced by SPP): https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
Weekly Homily (produced by SPP): https://homilycatholic.blogspot.com
Surfers Paradise Parish Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/surferscatholic/
Breaking Parish News (SPP Blog): https://news-parish.blogspot.com/
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK: Rita Press, Maryann Cassar, Margaret Hearse, Milka Barac, Mary Ashton, Kurt Hillesheim, Neil Rogers, Jacqueline Costigan(Bethania), Bill Goodrem, Rodney and Norma McLennan, Lois and Doug Wood, Sam Maxwell, William Franklin, Gerry Stoffels (Capetown, SA), Maria Mihalic, Margaret Dawes, Bill Gilmore, Annie Scicluna, Anne Logan, Dymphna Hogg, Elaine Cotter, Margaret Thompson, Patricia Moor, Helen Bohringer, Margaret Cook, Peter O'Brien, Angela Duvnjak, Rachel Raines, Savannah Ayoub, Gus Reeves, Baby Maeve Lombard, Kathy Kiely, Ron Perry, Rosslyn Wallis, Arthur Haddad, Jean Di Benedetto, Michael Tracey, Joanne Mooney, Joanne Parkes, Michelle MacDonald, John & Molly Robinson, Mary Kerr, Eileen McCarthy. And all those suffering from the effects of Covid-19.
RECENTLY DECEASED: Barbie White, Fr Romo Servatius Subhaga SVD (Bali), Vincent Murray, Beatrice Sheyare, Graham Smith, Ross Campbell, Thomas (Tommy) Raudonikis, Therese Mary Clift, Faye Shanahan, Ben Hamlet, John Donelly Shiels, Josephine Desira, Judy Dempsey (Wagga), Angelita Javillonar, Yvonne Cassidy, (sister of Gerard Denaro), Sheila Asher, Maria Gafa, Virgil Klaassen.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: John Purcell, Elsie Wall, Ian Berman, Sylvia Goodwin, Relatives & Friends of the Hooworth Family, Olive Yvonne Matthews, Nicholas Leo (Nic) Angelucci, Jim Rawlings, Patricia Dooley, Daniel Xavier Farrugia, Alan John (Mick) Burcham, Margaret Elizabeth Boulton, Charles Gerad Debnam, Karl Ernest Horner, Nicholas Braid, Stan Ryan, Yvonne Holt, Joseph Frank Robinson, (Son Of Connie), Bernadette Mary Bennett, Joan Street, Vincent Hodge Snr.
"The Archdiocese of Brisbane holds that children and vulnerable adults are a gift from God with an intrinsic right to dignity of life, respect and security from physical and emotional harm. They are to be treasured, nurtured and protected from any harm." As a Parish Community, we pray for a change of heart, that we respond to our grief by reaching out to one another in truth and love.
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