PDF version of this parish newsletter here:
Also, you can access an online copy of the newsletter *here*
“Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit.” (Luke 12:35)
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 463471922 - Top 500 Bible verses. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32 - Photo Contributor: Oleg Golovnev
ANNUAL CATHOLIC CAMPAIGN (Date Claimer) - OFFICIAL COLLECTION
SCHEDULED FOR 20 - 21 August 2022 *Please click here to give now*
Be the face of Christ for others.
We are called to be the face, hands, and heart of Christ in our communities. Every day, God showers us with blessings so we will have gifts to share. Your gift to the Annual Catholic Campaign supports those in need. catholicfoundation.org.au/catholic-campaign/
SCHEDULED FOR 20 - 21 August 2022 *Please click here to give now*
PASTOR’S POST. What Does God Look Like?
I was asked by one of the deliciously innocent Year One students from a parish school: “What does God look like?” A totally understandable question from any one of us, but coming from an inquisitive child, I realized I needed to be careful not to impose an image that might close off any future understandings they might have about, not only what God might look like, but how God might have an impact in their life based on that image. I strongly believe that how we pray and how we include God in our daily lives, depends on how we picture God in our mind. Gender, age, skin colour, length of hair and facial expression always influence the way we communicate with other people, so it is really no different with God. Honestly, we have been bombarded with so many pictures and perspectives of the Father, Son and Spirit that it’s quite difficult to settle on any one identity. It’s just another of our human imperfections that sometimes we judge with our eyes, even before the other speaks.
While I struggled with a meaningful response to the wide-eyed student, (at this stage the entire class seemed to be waiting for the answer, including the teacher, who was offering no way out of this potentially life-changing answer), I recalled a verse from Psalm 139 that tells us that we are made in God’s image and likeness. We Catholics aren’t very good at remembering scripture chapters and verses, so I can only assume that God popped that reference into my head at the right time. It then follows that if we have been made to look like God and we all look different from one another, then God might look as different as all of the people in the world or at least in a Grade One class. God can come with different faces and voices, and that is why we should see each other as God appearing to us and speaking with us. Of course I had to qualify this by saying that when people speak harshly to us and treat us unkindly then that is when people don’t let the goodness of God come through and they shut God out. I’m not sure I was totally convincing, but it was a tough audience.
Clearly, for older believers, the face of God is not nearly as important as our ‘image’ of God, how we understand the nature of God and how we relate to that nature. For many people their first introduction to God is the only understanding they have of God throughout their lives. If that first image was one of kindness and wisdom, of forgiveness and understanding, then it is not difficult to carry that understanding through life’s dilemmas and complexities. If, on the other hand, we first meet God as an unbending and punishing figure, demanding sacrifice and constantly wanting praise and adulation, then we would find it difficult to approach God with our daily issues and failings. Even the language we use about God has a major bearing on how we can include God in the ‘happenings’ of our world. Words like salvation. Redemption, omnipotence, adoration seem to be words we only use in reference to God without really understanding what they mean.
Is our image of God one that would allow us to discuss the minutiae of our life or is God only interested in the big stuff, like wars, death and suffering? With this myriad of images there is a temptation to turn God into the picture or image that we want God to be. An amalgam of what brings us most comfort or perhaps a discipline that we don’t feel strong enough to provide for ourselves. This attitude encourages us to not seek any deeper understanding of God, because we already have “the God” who brings us most comfort. Amid all our different images and language the primary question is not so much, do you believe in God, as what do you think you would believe in if you didn’t believe in God? Now there’s a topic for another post.
Fr Peter Dillon PP
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION -
First Friday Adoration at Sacred Heart Church will be Friday 5th August 2022: 7pm to 8.30pm. Enquiries: Helen 0421935678 -
"Could you not watch one hour with Me?" Mt 26:40
FIRST SATURDAY MORNING MASS FOLLOWED BY ADORATION & BENEDICTION
SACRED HEART CHURCH 9AM 6TH AUGUST 2022.
YOU MAY RECALL THE FLOODING THAT WAS OCCURING IN THE FRONT CAR PARK OF SACRED HEART. THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF IT, FROM THE DRAINAGE PIPES:
This is thirty years of tree roots getting slowly but surely into the pipes. All clear now! Thanks!
HAPPY SIXTY-FIFTH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY TO PAT AND JOHN CLANCY
Mary Patricia and Patrick John Clancy
receiving a special blessing celebrating their 65th Wedding Anniversary on the 3rd August 2022 at the 9am morning Mass at Sacred Heart Church.
What a dapper couple! And a wonderful asset to our Parish Community.
Social Justice Statement 2022-23
(now released in anticipation of Social Justice Sunday 28th August)
Respect: Confronting Violence and Abuse points out that the roots of domestic and family violence “lie in the abuse of power to control and dominate others” and that “this stands in contrast to the relationships to which God calls us”.
Our relationships should be “marked by equality and reciprocity rather than domination and violence, respect and freedom rather than coercion and control”.
We know that most often those who suffer violence and abuse in homes and families, in workplaces, and in communities, are women and children while the perpetrators are most often men. We support women in calling for respect in relationships; their lives and those of their children are sacred.
Respect: Confronting Violence and Abuse focuses in a special way on the problem of spiritual violence and abuse. It discusses how religious teachings – including our own – may be manipulated by perpetrators to excuse violence or to exert control over others.
Cultural factors in the Church and in society often also play an important role in the violence and abuse suffered in families, households, communities, and workplaces. This behaviour is sinful.
We believe that respect, dignity and justice, transformation and hope are possible.
The Statement affirms the work being done by faith communities and organisations to support those who experience domestic and family violence and abuse, and to address the drivers and enablers of violence. It points to further ways in which we can all respond to spiritual violence.
Finally, it calls for faith communities to support and believe those going through domestic and family violence and abuse, to hold perpetrators to account and work towards individual and social transformation.
Resources such as the liturgy notes and some promotional material are now available.
All resources are available from 3 August, 2022. https://socialjustice.catholic.org.au/2022/08/02/sjs2022-23/
The Statement will be released online on 3 August, 2022. A national gathering will take place later in the year. The statement will be available in electronic form only and a file suitable for commercial printing will be available for you to organise your own print run. Unlike last year, where a pre-order system was in place, this year we are encouraging you to arrange your own printing based on local needs. A postcard sized prayer and action card that accompanies the Statement will be available electronically and in hard copy via the ACBC Online Shop. https://www.catholic.org.au/shop/acbc-shop#!/Social-Justice/c/35837019
NATIONAL VOCATIONS AWARENESS WEEK
As Catholics, we believe that God has a plan for our lives. He calls some to marriage, some to the priesthood, and others to consecrated life or to live as generous single people.
During this week, you are invited to pray about how God is calling you to live your own vocation more deeply.
We also pray for more and generous vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. We all have a vocation. The word vocation comes from the Latin vocare, which in English means to call. God calls each one of us to holiness. Being called to holiness means being called to love God and others.
Someone’s specific vocation is the particular path or the unique specific way that he or she is called to follow Christ, to be more like him, but with their own personality, and characteristics, their gifts, talents, weaknesses and circumstances. Following God’s call is not about becoming someone that we are not, but about becoming more fully the ones He created us to be. How am I called to love others, making God’s love present in the world?
CATHOLIC LEADER - MONTHLY NEWSPAPER (AVAILABLE THIS WEEKEND)
Catholic Leader promotional points for August 2022
• Three new priests ordained for Queensland province
• The Plenary Council coverage highlighting the motions that will shape the future of the Church
• Darwin Bishop Charles Gauci talks about the challenges faced by country parishes.
• Theresa Grace shares her story overcoming health challenges to achieve her success in her studies.
• Meet Linda Perrett, who will be Blessed Carlo Catholic College's foundational Principle
• Columns from Archbishop Mark Coleridge and BCE executive director Dr Sally Towns
Africa Food Crisis
Drought and conflict in the Horn of Africa have left over 18 million people facing severe hunger. Four consecutive failed rainy seasons have devastated the crops of millions across the region.
We must act now and Make Hunger History.
Your generous donation means our partners in countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Eritrea can respond quickly to support vulnerable communities during this crisis.
Visit www.caritas.org.au/food-crisis or call 1800 024 413 toll free to donate now.
SAFEGUARDING SURVEY
Initially Prep to Year 3, with an extra year level being added each year until 2026. The school is master-planned to accommodate approximately 550 students. - Website: Star Of The Sea Merrimac and Facebook Page: Star of the Sea
Catholic Education Week…
is celebrated in Catholic schools in Queensland from 24 to 30 July 2022.
This annual event promotes Catholic schools' special ethos and highlights the great things happening daily in Catholic schools. The theme for this year’s celebrations is “Communities of Faith, Hope and Love.”
On Monday, 25th July, Saint Vincent’s School gathered to celebrate Catholic Education. We believe that every learner is created in the image and likeness of God. As a Catholic Christian community, St Vincent’s strive to educate all to live out the gospel of Jesus Christ as successful creative and confident learners, empowered to shape and enrich our world. We thank God for our parents, teachers and school officers, who support us as we grow and learn in faith.
Fr Peter offered this blessing at our liturgy:
May God, whose gift of faith inspires our community, show us the way to share the light of Christ with all.
Amen.
May God, a spirit of hope, continue to inspire us to share all we have with our neighbours. Amen.
May God, the heart of our faith-filled communities, continue to inspire us to share Jesus’ commandment of Love. Amen.
God of Love,
We thank you for the gift of Faith, may it grow in us
each day. Help us to use your gifts of Hope and Love so that we may serve others in your name. We ask this
through Jesus, your Son. All: Amen.
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
***PLEASE NOTE: ITALIAN MASS WITHIN PARISH SUSPENDED UNTIL OCTOBER
The celebration of the Italian Sunday Mass at the Sacred Heart Church Clear Island Waters WILL BE SUSPENDED FOR THREE MONTHS (JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 2022) and will resume regularly as from Sunday 2nd October 2022.
Fr Angelo Cagna, the present Chaplain, will be on sabbatical leave for six months (30 June 2022 - 31 December 2022). Fr Savino Bernardi, a Scalabrinian priest from Sydney, will supply the Italian Sunday Mass for October, November and December 2022. For any other matters regarding the Italian Chaplaincy and Community, Giovanna Santomauro (Mob 0418 198 437) will be the liaison officer.
A VOCATION VIEW:
Be alert to God’s presence even in the least expected times, places and events. You will be ready to respond to God’s call. (Luke 12:32-48). To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION -
“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” Luke 12:34
Jesus encourages us to build up our treasure in heaven. The world encourages us to build up our treasure in real estate, investments, and material goods. How much time are you investing in building up a worldly treasure? How much time are you investing in building up a heavenly treasure? To invest more in the things of heaven, you must let go of some of the things of this world. The vision of Stewardship speaks in every aspect of life, inviting everyone to be thankful, generous and accountable for what each has been given.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK: Tom Ross, Joanne Parkes, Joan Simmonds, Maria Manuela, Jack Barretto, Kath Kiely, Joanne Mooney, Doug Chester, Kathy Stevens, Mutya Nario Lopez, Stephen Cokim, Nellie Bellinger, Leslie Clarke, Raymundo C. Isaga, Kristy Peat, Leon Mostert, Anna Janiek, Andrew McPherson, Louise Holmes, Ray Burton, Don Williamson, Michael & Denise Tracey, Betty O’Connell, Margaret Cook, Fred Grioli, Lynn Nunan, Elaine Casonati, Michael Murtagh, Kim Parkes, Cecily Cellinan, Kevin Brennan, Margaret Cusack, Fabiola Menzs, Peter O’Brien, Rachel Raines, Mary Jackson, Nenette Csundo, Vince Shanahan, Ilene Simpkins, Claire Perera, Jayani Antony, Panfilo Bantugan, Sandii Wall, Therese Mullins, Michael Connell, Zeb Deane, Miriam Hill, Amando A. Mirasol Jr., Gus Reeves, John & Molly Robinson, Laila Mikael, Jean Di Benedetto, James Goodwin, Scott Mitchell, Malcolm Ward, John O’Brien, Ludwig Mueller, Kent Vince, Colleen Grehan, Carmelita Dulu, Bobby Courtney, Lisa Mangan, Robyn Skein, Kye Oh, Olga Hamshari, Margaret Haerse, Milka Barac, Rodney & Norma McLennan, Lois & Doug Wood, Duncan Dawson, William Franklin, Maria Mihalic, Annie Scicluna, Margaret Thompson, Patricia Moor, Helen Bohringer, Savannah Ayoub, Maeve Lombard, Arthur Haddad, Michelle MacDonald, Mary Kerr. And all suffering from Covid-19 and its effects.
RECENTLY DECEASED: Barbara Arthurson, William Walker, Remi Young, Ken Ledster, Carmen Nicolas, Alvin Smith, Billy Edmonds, Ellen Moffitt, Anne Logan, Noel Watson, Alice Morrasayan, John Tobin, Daphne Andreas, Kwang Hua Lim, John Gerard Robinson Jnr, Joseph Kania, Joe Hilton, John Massingham, Paula Stafford, Luke Tansey, John Vincent Davis, Muriel Lynch, Maryanne Vanek, Agata (Tina) Zammit, Frances Collins, Therese Hunt, Bill Gilmore.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: Samir Moussa, Raymond Mye, Paolo Mario (Paul) Giacomantonio, Joe Vella, Reg Sheehan, Shirley Ann Hishon, Gloria June Louise Diamond, Joan Degan, Patrick Needham, Roslyn Mary Fisher, Wayne John Egan, Fausto Mascia, Margaret Gore, Vera Endrody, Nea Mary Butler, Stewart Gallagher, Bruce Milgate, Nicholas Anthony Kyle (two days old) (his brother also passed away in infancy), Noelle Hope Matthew, Alyce Catherine Boswell, Francesco Mennella, Russell Forrestal, Charles Cam, Janine Ailsa (Jan) Bastian, John Joseph Sesta, Gary Foster, Patricia (Pat) Sievers, Mary (Molly) Biltoft. And also: George Neville Jensen, Clare Cameron, V.F Joseph, Mavis Joseph, Fr Bill Taylor Cm, Josephine (Joyce) Farrugia, Marjorie Veronica Bates, William John (Bill) Burroughs, Fay Virtue (Nee Tierney) Tyrril, Rachel Desira, Denis Frederick Fletcher, Fay Sorensen, Elizabeth Josephine Gagiero, David D'arcy, Vivienne Miau, Herbert Ernest Mitchell, (Grandpop of Robyn Hunt), Luigi Valdarchi, Jack Burrow, Edgar Triffett, Lyn Daly, Eileen O'Reilly (Christeen Harth’s Mum), Bozo Kardum, Eileen Coyle.
TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH: Tap into the power of faith
"The power of faith is enormous," Church Father Cyril of Jerusalem declared. "It is so great that it not only saves the believer: thanks to one person's faith, others are also saved." But what does it mean to have this special power? Faith isn't about believing items listed in a creed. It's not about acceding to doctrines or to church authorities. Faith means trusting in God the way a child takes the hand of a beloved guardian and allows herself to be led in perfect confidence. "All shall be well," Julian of Norwich avowed. Share this faith that "all manner of things shall be well." “Faith is the realisation of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1-2). SIGN UP FOR "TAKE FIVE" DAILY ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
PLANNED GIVING ENVELOPES
Planned Giving Envelopes can be collected from the Parish Office Monday to Friday between 9 am -12 pm Thank you for your continued generosity towards the upkeep of our Parish.
MASK WEARING
The risk of Flu and of Covid is still present, and there are quite a few vulnerable people in our community, so please consider using masks and hand sanitiser and reasonable social distancing where possible still highly prudent.
BAPTISM for Children in Surfers Paradise
Baptism is the first of three Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Surfers Paradise Parish follows the policies of the Archdiocese of Brisbane as it welcomes each person into the family of the Church through the waters of Baptism.
Infants and children are baptised at the request of parents. Within the Baptism ritual, parents promise to accept the responsibility of training their children in the practice of the faith and to raise their children to understand and live God’s commandments. Parents can request baptism for their child by filling out an enrolment form, available on our parish website www.surfersparadiseparish.com.au Once the online baptism form has been received, the Parish Office will email details for preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism and confirm the online booking.
Families wishing to be involved in our Surfers Paradise Parish Sacramental Program should regularly check the weekly newsletter for information updates, or they can email our Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson, at andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au
Sacrament of CONFIRMATION 2022
We are excited to announce that we have begun our preparation for Confirmation with 120 children. The children’s parents have attended an Introductory Meeting that focussed on the Sacraments of Initiation - Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion, as well as one of the Sacraments of Healing - Reconciliation (Penance). The meaning of the Sacrament and the essence of each childhood Catholic Sacraments were explained. Also, the Brisbane Archdiocese’s Sacramental Policy was presented to parents so they could understand the changes around an order of sacraments that have occurred since their childhood faith journey began.
Each family has received a copy of the At Home Preparation for Confirmation. Over the next month, families will pray together and work through the videos and activities to complete the preparation. The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation will take place in Surfers Paradise Parish on Friday, September 2, at 5 pm and 7 pm.
Sacrament of EUCHARIST - First HOLY COMMUNION 2022
The last group of our parish children for First Holy Communion 2022 will celebrate on August 13 at the 5 pm Vigil Mass at Sacred Heart Church. They will complete our 2022 First Communion celebrations.
Fr Peter, Fr Paul, and everyone at Surfers Paradise Parish are looking forward to celebrating the second, third, fourth, and many subsequent Holy Communions with these children who have brought many blessings to our parish family. 2023 First Communion Preparation and Celebration dates will be included in the newsletter later this year.
Sacrament of PENANCE - RECONCILIATION
If you missed the March opportunity for your child to celebrate their First Reconciliation, we would like to offer you another opportunity this year. The First Rite of Reconciliation will be celebrated on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at 5:30 pm in Sacred Heart Church.
Reconciliation is a Sacrament of Healing. The Children’s Sacramental Program follows the Sacraments of Initiation. Reconciliation, also known as Penance, follows Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion.
The Surfers Paradise Sacramental Team has prepared a program similar to the Confirmation and First Communion At Home Preparation Programs. If your child was previously enrolled in the Surfers Paradise Parish Sacramental Program and then was either Confirmed or made their First Communion in Surfers Paradise, there is no requirement for you to complete a new online enrolment form. Children making their First Communion in June 2022 will also be eligible to participate in this Preparation for Reconciliation.
If you are unsure if your child will be included in the group, please email our Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson, at andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
The story of Abraham is extraordinary because, even without seeing the promise fulfilled, Abraham never stopped believing in it. Abraham trusted in the promise, expected its fulfilment, and lived it as a deep truth even though he would not see the promise completely fulfilled in his lifetime. Abraham is a wonderful model of faith. He didn't need to see it fulfilled or hold it in his own hands to set his life according to the promise.
God's word was enough for him.
Is that good enough for us when Jesus says God is pleased to give us the Kingdom?
Or will we cling to different 'backup", material comforts / or bury our hearts along with them?
God is faithful to his promises to us. Our Lord fulfils these promises and assures us that we are beloved children of God and heirs to God's Kingdom. We believe in this and live in this promise... with Faith, Hope, and Love. (adapted from PrepareTheWord.com. PrepareTheWord.com, ©2012, TrueQuest Communications)
+++
I remember once when I was having lunch at a Cafe and when I went up to pay, and as I was walking away, the bloke behind the counter absentmindedly said: "enjoy the rest of your life". 😀, I think he meant, "enjoy the rest of your day", - but goodness me, it made me smile - and also gave me a bit of a surprise. I thought to myself, “Does he know something I don't” - 😂.
But in some way, we all should all enjoy the rest of our lives and, even more importantly, cherish each day and savour the lives of those around us and deeply acknowledge in our hearts with appreciation and reverence, the beautiful and fragile gift of life that we have all been given.... and be quite intentional about putting this gift of our lives at the service of the gospel - which is Christ's gospel of life and love.
Preparing, as the readings remind us this weekend, is not merely being ready for the end of our lives. but it also being ready to respond wherever and whenever God is at work in our lives. God wants us to be able to leap up and join in at any time when God is working away at something here and now.
How prepared am I, and how does my awareness of the need to 'always be ready to respond to our Master affect my everyday actions, choices, behaviour, and priorities.**
It reminds us of the sobering meaning: of making us think about what we want to achieve in this life, because time is comparatively short, and there is only a relatively limited time to build upon the things that last…. even for people who live very long and healthy lives, time goes by so fast and one hundred years is really not that long a time. so for everyone, time is to be savoured.
The readings today focus on two major themes….. Faith….. and Readiness…..
Faith is about putting our trust and belief into something even if we cannot see the results now or in the near future. Faith allows us to keep going forward, according to our vision and values, even when the goal seems out of sight and even at times when the prize seems unlikely to be achieved.
The Second reading reminds us of Abraham, our father in faith, who trusted in God's Promise; - even though he did not live to see the full results of it. But God kept his promise, and Abraham trusted in this promise and was rewarded. So too with Moses. Moses is promised by God that God will always be with him and his people and that God will lead them to the promised land. God does indeed achieve this promise, after a very long and trying journey of forty years… and Moses only gets to glimpse the achievement of this promise at the end of his life, but he does indeed know that God fulfilled his promises.
Our faith and trust in God allow us to keep going, especially when things are tough because we are right to trust in God's promises….. but we also know God's timelines are not our own…. it can be helpful and reassuring to know that God keeps his promises, and also that God achieves his promises in his own time and his own way - we might be expecting God to fulfil our hopes in days or weeks or perhaps years: but God works away constantly and works in the hearts and minds and events of life, so it might take years, decades or longer but God achieves what God sets out to do. Who am I to demand that God's plans all be fulfilled in my time and with me as its witness? That is prideful; God's kingdom doesn't revolve around me, but we are all delighted participants in God's wonderful plan. We put our trust in God and our hope in him and humbly walk in his paths, doing our bit. Offering our small contribution to the much bigger picture God is painting.
The other theme this weekend is READINESS>…… Be watchful! … stay alert! Be ready !….. Be about the work that the master has given you! None of us knows the time or hour…. This can be understood in several ways….
There is no time like the present to do God's work. As I mentioned, even a long life is too short to achieve everything that could be done to build up the Kingdom.
Also, the end times will come at a time that no one expects….. but also….
even if our lives turn out to be very long, and even if the end of time is indeed a long way off, there is still good reason to be urgent in our work….. A faithful disciple of Jesus should be alert and ready and busy, because, the Lord may want us to respond immediately to something God is doing in our lives, and if we are not ready, we may miss the opportunity or we may be unprepared to respond or unable to act in a way that helps to cooperate with God's action in our lives.
God's grace and activity is constantly coming into our lives and if we are not alert… if we are not ready…. We could miss countless opportunities to participate in building up God's Kingdom. God invites us to participate eagerly and swiftly and respond to God's many initiatives in our lives, the lives of others, and in the life of the community..
There are so many ways God is at work in our daily life… we simply cannot afford to miss the many opportunities that come our way because our attention is distracted or because we are focusing on the wrong priorities…
There is a strange passage in the gospel… if the master finds the servants at home doing his work, the master will put an apron on and get the servants to sit down and the master will wait on them. I rather like the idea of being a servant of God given how gracious and loving God is. This image of the master sitting down the workers and serving them is really delightful. … Jesus had said in another gospel and in a different passage... "I come among you as one who serves." It is clear that if the master finds his servants at work doing good, then their minds and hearts have become more like the masters, and so they deserve to be treated more like a co-worker and a member of the family than merely a servant. They now have the mind and values of the master…. And they are no longer acting like a mere slave who only does work because they are forced to, or only does what is right when being supervised, We are disciples who are active, alert and immersed in the work of the Kingdom; we are shareholders in the Kingdom and not merely hired, day-workers who are not necessarily committed to the bigger vision and the full project… And What a wonderful project it is!
(REFERENCES: - Fr Paul W. Kelly, **ACTION 2000 – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR C. BY MARK LINK S.J; PrepareTheWord.com. PrepareTheWord.com, ©2012, TrueQuest Communications).
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed.Stock Photo ID: 394513273 - ROME, ITALY - MARCH 9, 2016: The fresco of St. Luke the Evangelist in church Chiesa di Santa Maria in Aquiro by Cesare Mariani from (1826 - 1901 in neo-mannerist style. Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova
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.
(Some taken from - .. Complete Quotes and Anecdotes - Tony Castle)
Saint Teresa of Kolkata
There is a beautiful reflection, attributed to Saint Teresa of Kolkata, (which was actually written by an American man named Kent M. Keith and published in a 1968 College Pamphlet. However, a framed copy of this reflection was kept on the wall in one of Mother Teresa's Orphanages). It goes like this: "People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centred; forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway. If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you; be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others may destroy overnight; Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous; be happy anyway. The good you do today will often be forgotten; do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it may never be enough; give your best anyway. (Kent M. Keith. "The Paradoxical Commandments: Finding Personal Meaning in a Crazy World." October 25, 2001." (ISBN-10: 1930722052).)
The Wisdom of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)
"Do not accept anything as love which lacks truth."
"All those who seek truth, seek God, whether this is clear to them or not."
"To suffer and to be happy although suffering, to have one's feet on the earth, to walk on the dirty and rough paths of this earth and yet to be enthroned with Christ at the Father's right hand, to laugh and cry with the children of this world and ceaselessly sing the praises of God with the choirs of angels—this is the life of the Christian until the morning of eternity breaks forth."
"Intellect is the light which illuminates its path, and without this light, emotion changes back and forth. In fact, if emotions prevail over the intellect, it is able to obscure the light and distort the picture of the entire world…. Emotional stirrings need the control of reason and the direction of the will." "At first, after her conversion she thought she would have to renounce all that was secular and live totally immersed in God, but then she realized that, even in the contemplative life, you cannot sever all connection with the world, that the deeper you are drawn into God, the more you must go out of yourself to the world in order to carry the divine life into it." (https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/82877.Edith_Stein).
ST LAWRENCE -
"(St Lawrence) loved Christ in his life, he imitated Him in his death…After all, we shall not be able to give a better proof of love than by imitating His example… Christ humbled himself: you have something, Christian, to latch on to. Christ became obedient. – Why do you behave proudly? After running the course of these humiliations and laying death low, Christ ascended into heaven – let us follow Him there. Let us listen to the Apostle telling us, 'If you have risen with Christ, savour the things that are above and is, seated at God's right hand.'" (From a sermon delivered by St. Augustine in about 400 AD on the occasion of the Feast of Saint Lawrence.) (https://anastpaul.com/2017/08/10/quotes-of-the-day-10-august-the-feast-of-st-lawrence/)
The Prefect of Rome brought Saint Lawrence before him and demanded that he hand over the treasures of the church. Lawrence was given three days to gather the possessions, and he returned with what he claimed to be the church's true treasures. The Prefect expected money and other valuables. But Lawrence pointed to the humble people of God and their poverty. "Behold then, all our riches!" The Prefect was so incensed by this, that he ordered Lawrence be tortured and executed.
St. Clare of Assisi
"Love Him totally, who gave Himself totally for your love." ―
"We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become. If we love things, we become a thing. If we love nothing, we become nothing. Imitation is not a literal mimicking of Christ, rather it means becoming the image of the beloved, an image disclosed through transformation. This means we are to become vessels of God's compassionate love for others."
"Love that cannot suffer is not worthy of that name." (https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2981647.St_Clare_of_Assisi)
St. Maximilian Kolbe
"No one in the world can change Truth. What we can do and and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we have found it. The real conflict is the inner conflict. Beyond armies of occupation and the hetacombs of extermination camps, there are two irreconcilable enemies in the depth of every soul: good and evil, sin and love. And what use are the victories on the battlefield if we ourselves are defeated in our innermost personal selves?" ― St. Maximilian Kolbe
"In order that obedience be supernatural it must not proceed from reason, but from faith." ― St. Maximilian Kolbe, Let Yourself Be Led by the Immaculate. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/551010.Maximilian_Kolbe )
– St Jane Frances de Chantal
Follow your own way of speaking to our Lord, sincerely, lovingly, confidently and simply, ...
“In prayer one must hold fast and never let go, ...
“Suffering borne in the will, quietly and patiently, ...
“The great method of prayer is to have none. ...
(source: ©2022 TrueQuest Communications. TakeFiveForFaith.com; mail@takefiveforfaith.com. All rights reserved. Noncommercial reprints are permitted with the following credit: Reprinted with permission from TakeFiveForFaith.com. Scripture citations from the New American Bible Revised Edition. For more information about TAKE FIVE and our regular contributors, go to PrepareTheWord.com.Free daily email and app available online at TakeFiveForFaith.com/subscribe.)
APPEAL FOR THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE - Caritas International (Catholic)
Ukraine Crisis
Over 2.6 million people have fled their homes in Ukraine, and there have been at least 1,581 civilian casualties.
You can help the Caritas Ukraine staff on the ground to provide families with emergency food, water, shelter and hygiene support.
POPE FRANCIS: Women are now helping to select Catholic bishops
by Michael Sean Winters OpinionVatican
The Vatican announced July 13 that the pope had named Maria Lia Zervino, president of the union, seated nearest the pope on the right, to be a member of the Dicastery for Bishops. (CNS/Vatican Media)
Reforming the church has been compared to turning a large ship around: You can't hurry the task or you risk capsizing the ship. Last week (July 13), however, Pope Francis hurried his reforms quite a lot. The appointment of three women to serve on the Dicastery for Bishops is an enormous change in the life of the Roman Curia and in the life of the universal church.
The Dicastery, known as the Congregation for Bishops until the reforms Francis implemented on Pentecost, is the body that receives the ternas — lists of three candidates — from the apostolic nuncios scattered around the globe for all open bishoprics that are not located in mission territory. The Dicastery for Evangelization handles the ternas for mission dioceses and the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches handles Eastern-rite Catholic appointments. The dicasteries review the nominations, and then can approve the terna and send it to the pope, modify the terna by, say, changing the order of the names, or reject the terna and ask the nuncio to start over.
Most popes, especially once they have been in office for a bit, will have some ideas about whom they might wish to appoint to a major diocese. But most of the appointments are to smaller, less prominent dioceses, and no pope would have a handle on the vast number of priests who might be candidates. Most of the ternas that come to him from the Dicastery for Bishops get approved. That means the members of that congregation wield an enormous influence over the selection of the next generation of church leaders.
Women have been involved in the selection of bishops before, but only when the process was largely in the hands of secular rulers. Through much of early modern church history, a Catholic sovereign had the right to nominate candidates for open bishoprics. In addition to powerful women sovereigns like Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, it was not unknown that a king's mistress might exercise influence over the process. Madame de Maintenon, the Jansenistic mistress to Louis XIV, helped put Louis-Antoine de Noailles on the cathedra at Notre Dame de Paris in 1695.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, however (and ironically often because of the separation of church and state, which the Catholic Church fought), the pope gained control over the process of naming bishops in most countries. The task of naming candidates was entrusted to Vatican diplomats and the Consistorial Congregation, as it was then known, and it became the Congregation for Bishops in the reforms after Vatican II. Popes have never had as much power over the universal church as they have in the last two centuries.
Now women will be part of the process again. Two religious sisters — Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist Raffaella Petrini and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians Sr. Yvonne Reungoat – and one laywoman, Maria Lia Zervino, will help the pope choose the next generation of church leaders. It is virtually impossible to overstate how overdue the involvement of women in ecclesial decision-making is.
Petrini has a U.S. connection: The generalate and motherhouse of her order is located in Meriden, Connecticut, an old mill town that has seen better days.
More is at work here than the introduction of women into decision-making roles. Zervino is a layperson. The decision to decouple decision-making authority from ordination touches on deep theological issues.
The pope is declericalizing decision-making in the church, opening posts to non-clerics and those not under vows. There is something to be said for entrusting decision-making in the church to those who have taken a vow or promise of obedience. Our Lord's life and ministry, and especially his passion and death, were marked above all by his obedience to the Father, and so that church that carries the Lord's name and continues his ministry must center obedience in its internal life. I worry that the laity too easily forget that obedience, like prayer and suffering, are the true sources of power in the Christian faith.
But we shall see. The mash-up clericalism has perpetrated on the church in our time has certainly made it necessary to try something new. The vow of obedience was not enough to prevent the practice of arrogance.
This declericalization of decision-making invites the whole church, including the clergy, to see ordination for what it is, a gift. If we view ordination as a ticket to authority and power, we will very quickly turn the clerical state into a breeding ground for pride, not a vehicle for grace. The camaraderie appropriate to the presbyterate will become — and has become — cliquish and unhealthy. Concern to protect the institution's power and assets overtook concern to protect the institution's integrity and mission.
These reforms, then, are not just about rearranging assignments on an organizational chart. They are not primarily managerial at all. At their deepest level, the reforms renew the church both in light of contemporary needs but also from the wellspring of our theology of grace. Francis, with his call for a universal synodal process, is inviting us all to attend to these deeper issues. In his reform of the curia, he is showing what attending to such deeper issues can yield.
(Source: Michael Sean Winters covers the nexus of religion and politics for NCR. https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/women-are-now-helping-select-catholic-bishops-it-historic-and-long-overdue ).
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1610606485. VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - JANUARY 09 2020: Pope Francis addresses diplomats accredited to the Holy See during an audience for the traditional exchange of New Year greetings. Photo Contributor: PIXEL2020
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS
Are open before and after the weekend Masses.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION -
First Friday Adoration at Sacred Heart Church will be Friday 5th August 2022: 7pm to 8.30pm. Enquiries: Helen 0421935678 -
"Could you not watch one hour with Me?" Mt 26:40
FIRST SATURDAY MORNING MASS FOLLOWED BY ADORATION & BENEDICTION
SACRED HEART CHURCH 9AM 6TH AUGUST 2022.
THE SACRED HEART BRIDGE CLUB- (20 Years Young)-
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 the format. No previous card playing experience is necessary. All are welcome.
For more information and to enrol, Please phone: Cheryl 5538 8821 or Mob 0417 772 701
Worldwide Marriage Encounter:
A weekend experience for married couples, priests and religious, away from the distractions of everyday living. Take time out of your busy schedule to invest in your most precious asset and revitalise your Sacrament. This is a unique opportunity to reconnect, rekindle and refresh your relationship. It allows you to grow in your relationship with your spouse or community.
Our COVID-SAFE live-in weekends will be held from Friday evening, 14 October, to Sunday afternoon, 16 October (including Mass) at Santa Teresa, Ormiston. For bookings/details, contact Maria and David Murphy: 0481 307 821 qldbookings@wwme.org.au Watch Archbishop Mark Coleridge’s support video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o_Wp6qGB44
Information website: www.wwme.org.au
EXERCISE CLASS - LOW IMPACT - FOR HEART HEALTH -
Spring has sprung! 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 further information on 0438 333 308.
COMMUNION TO RESIDENTS AT NURSING HOMES. HELP IS STILL NEEDED!
We have had to reduce our visits with Holy Communion to the residents at Nursing Homes and urgently require more people to assist with this service. Can you spare 3 hours per month for this important Ministry?
Listed below are Nursing homes with their Day and time of visitation.
Lady Small Haven, Benowa. Tuesdays 9.30 am to 11.00 am
Merrimac Park Private Care, Merrimac. Wednesdays 1.30 pm to 3.00 pm
Bupa Nursing Home, Merrimac. Thursdays 9.30 am to 11.00 am
Tricare, Mermaid Beach Nursing Home, Mermaid Beach Fridays 10.15 am to 12.00noon
Tricare, Cypress Gardens Nursing Home, Clear Island Waters. Sundays after 9.00 am Mass Sacred Heart to 12.00 noon
For further information, ring the Parish Office or Maxine Sela on 0421051193.
ANNUAL CATHOLIC CAMPAIGN (Date Claimer) - OFFICIAL COLLECTION
SCHEDULED FOR 20 - 21 August 2022 *Please click here to give now*
MEDITATION PRAYER GROUP
In the Morris prayer room Tuesdays from 10 am to 12 noon. The Meditation Group would very much like to welcome new members. Please phone Pam Egtberts 0428090703
ART AND CRAFT GROUP - Every Wednesday in the PHC from 9 am until 12noon.
The Group meets in the Parish Hospitality Centre on Wednesdays, 9 to 12. Activities include art (watercolour, oils, acrylics, pen and ink drawing etc.), as well as various kinds of Craftwork (Knitting, Embroidery, Crocheting, Cardmaking, Sewing etc.), making Rosary Beads (later sent to the missions), and any other activities that individuals may have an interest in. We come together to enjoy each other's company in a relaxed environment. New members, both men and women, are most welcome to join. For further information, phone John 0412 759 205 or the Parish Office.
Praying the Rosary - Our Lady’s Statue in the Parish
Details of the statue of Our Lady which is going around the Parish. If you would like to have her in your home and say the Rosary: please contact Maxine or Pat on 0412 519 404
The Roster for the next six weeks are
8/8/2022 Helen & Thor Skjaerback - Merrimac
15/8/2022 Helen & Thor Skjaerback - Merrimac
22/8/2022 Joanne Ferguson - Clear Island Waters
29/8/2022 Joanne Ferguson - Clear Island Waters
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.
ABOUT -A Passionist Family Group gathering for all ages - families, couples, singles. A weekend to celebrate our shared goals and values. Adult and children/young people group activities provided by the Passionist Youth Retreat team and PFGM team.
DATE Friday 2 September 2022 4:00 PM - Sunday 4 September 2022 10:00 AM (UTC+10)
LOCATION Get directions Bornhoffen PCYC. 3510 Murwillumbah Road, Natural Bridge QLD 4211
For more information: - https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=919030&
Catholic Mission is Hiring! DIOCESAN DIRECTOR | Full-time | Permanent
For the Archdiocese of Brisbane and the Diocese of Toowoomba
• Permanent Full-time position based in Brisbane with responsibility for Archdiocese of Brisbane and Diocese of Toowoomba.
• Be part of a highly experienced and inspirational national and diocesan team.
• Become an integral part of a global network of Catholic development work. See https://www.catholicmission.org.au/jobs-at-catholic-mission for the Advertisement and the Position Description.
Position Vacant – Finance Officer - Southport
Applications are open for a position at the Southport Catholic Parish. A person with excellent finance experience required for a part time position of Finance Officer working 22.8 hours a week over 3 days.
For additional information, please visit the Archdiocese of Brisbane website https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/ and to careers. Applications close: 21 August 2022
Position Vacant – Parish Secretary Booval Parish
Applications are open for a position at the Booval Parish. A person with excellent administration and secretarial skills is required for a part-time 2-year contract position of Parish Secretary for 20 hours per week, 5 hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. For additional information, please visit the Archdiocese of Brisbane website- https://clientapps.jobadder.com/68451/aob-internal-career-opportunities
Closing date – 21 August 2022. Please note that short-listed applicants may be interviewed before this date. Interested applicants are therefore encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Position Vacant – Finance & Compliance Officer- Gatton Laidley
Applications are open for the above position at the Gatton Laidley Parish. The position is a part-time 10 hours a week with the days to be negotiated with the Parish Manager.
For additional information, please visit the Archdiocese of Brisbane website https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/ and to careers.
Applications close: 26 August 2022.
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) and/or vulnerable adults. The organisation is fully committed to child safety and has zero tolerance for abuse of children or vulnerable adults.
ADULT FAITH - Conscience.
We know that the Catholic Church has many teachings to explain various moral and ethical values that we hold as Christians. Every Christian is expected, in good faith and with openness, presuming on the truth of the subject matter, to inform themselves of the teachings of the church and fully consult all sources of wisdom, from scripture, church documents, wise people, etc. The church teaches that there are objective truths existent in the world. Some things are objectively right and some are objectively wrong. The church also teaches that one can never do an objective wrong, even if good is intended to come from that action. But now comes an amazing aspect of our faith: Our conscience is the place we as individual human beings try to make a judgement about what we alone should do (or not do) in a particular circumstance. It is a person’s “most secret core and sanctuary.” Conscience always relate to ‘subjective’ realities and does not attempt to make comments on objective truths. As a result, the conscience is a person’s final, or supreme arbiter of right or wrong in a given situation. It is so powerful, that a person not only may follow their conscience but MUST obey their conscience in any matter. In other words, “at my deepest level I believe this reality to be true, so I MUST act out of this belief or else I am not being true to my deepest reality.” It is, however, possible that a person may be in error about the truth of their belief, but if they are in good conscience (that is, not deliberately keeping themselves ignorant of the facts or willfully refusing to inquire into a matter) then they must follow their conscience even if objectively what they are doing is wrong in the eyes of others. The church however does not teach individual conscience as objective truth because: 1. The conscience can be in error and, 2. Conscience relates to particular personal circumstances. A person who makes a conscience decision that is in contradiction to a church teaching would do so only if they truly and fully believe that their action is true to their inner sanctuary. They would do so very reluctantly and after discussing, praying, consulting and reflecting very seriously on the possibility that they might be in error. Nevertheless, then after that, they must follow their conscience. Naturally, a person who, in good conscience, acts against a church teaching, stands alone before their God, and would know that the church (which is also in good conscience) would believe their actions “objectively” wrong and so they can’t expect the church to publicly condone it or make their action the norm for others to follow.
SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF POPE FRANCIS’ GROUNDBREAKING LETTER - LAUDATO SI’ - An excerpt from the Pope’s groundbreaking Encyclical.
III. LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY
32. The earth’s resources are also being plundered because of short-sighted approaches to the economy, commerce and production. The loss of forests and woodlands entails the loss of species which may constitute extremely important resources in the future, not only for food but also for curing disease and other uses. Different species contain genes which could be key resources in years ahead for meeting human needs and regulating environmental problems.
33. It is not enough, however, to think of different species merely as potential “resources” to be exploited, while overlooking the fact that they have value in themselves. Each year sees the disappearance of thousands of plant and animal species which we will never know, which our children will never see, because they have been lost for ever. The great majority become extinct for reasons related to human activity. Because of us, thousands of species will no longer give glory to God by their very existence, nor convey their message to us. We have no such right.
34. It may well disturb us to learn of the extinction of mammals or birds, since they are more visible. But the good functioning of ecosystems also requires fungi, algae, worms, insects, reptiles and an innumerable variety of microorganisms. Some less numerous species, although generally unseen, nonetheless play a critical role in maintaining the equilibrium of a particular place. Human beings must intervene when a geosystem reaches a critical state. But nowadays, such intervention in nature has become more and more frequent. As a consequence, serious problems arise, leading to further interventions; human activity becomes ubiquitous, with all the risks which this entails. Often a vicious circle results, as human intervention to resolve a problem further aggravates the situation. For example, many birds and insects which disappear due to synthetic agrotoxins are helpful for agriculture: their disappearance will have to be compensated for by yet other techniques which may well prove harmful. We must be grateful for the praiseworthy efforts being made by scientists and engineers dedicated to finding solutions to man-made problems. But a sober look at our world shows that the degree of human intervention, often in the service of business interests and consumerism, is actually making our earth less rich and beautiful, ever more limited and grey, even as technological advances and consumer goods continue to abound limitlessly. We seem to think that we can substitute an irreplaceable and irretrievable beauty with something which we have created ourselves.
35. In assessing the environmental impact of any project, concern is usually shown for its effects on soil, water and air, yet few careful studies are made of its impact on biodiversity, as if the loss of species or animals and plant groups were of little importance. Highways, new plantations, the fencing-off of certain areas, the damming of water sources, and similar developments, crowd out natural habitats and, at times, break them up in such a way that animal populations can no longer migrate or roam freely. As a result, some species face extinction. Alternatives exist which at least lessen the impact of these projects, like the creation of biological corridors, but few countries demonstrate such concern and foresight. Frequently, when certain species are exploited commercially, little attention is paid to studying their reproductive patterns in order to prevent their depletion and the consequent imbalance of the ecosystem.
36. Caring for ecosystems demands far-sightedness, since no one looking for quick and easy profit is truly interested in their preservation. But the cost of the damage caused by such selfish lack of concern is much greater than the economic benefits to be obtained. Where certain species are destroyed or seriously harmed, the values involved are incalculable. We can be silent witnesses to terrible injustices if we think that we can obtain significant benefits by making the rest of humanity, present and future, pay the extremely high costs of environmental deterioration.
37. Some countries have made significant progress in establishing sanctuaries on land and in the oceans where any human intervention is prohibited which might modify their features or alter their original structures. In the protection of biodiversity, specialists insist on the need for particular attention to be shown to areas richer both in the number of species and in endemic, rare or less protected species. Certain places need greater protection because of their immense importance for the global ecosystem, or because they represent important water reserves and thus safeguard other forms of life.
38. Let us mention, for example, those richly biodiverse lungs of our planet which are the Amazon and the Congo basins, or the great aquifers and glaciers. We know how important these are for the entire earth and for the future of humanity. The ecosystems of tropical forests possess an enormously complex biodiversity which is almost impossible to appreciate fully, yet when these forests are burned down or levelled for purposes of cultivation, within the space of a few years countless species are lost and the areas frequently become arid wastelands. A delicate balance has to be maintained when speaking about these places, for we cannot overlook the huge global economic interests which, under the guise of protecting them, can undermine the sovereignty of individual nations. In fact, there are “proposals to internationalize the Amazon, which only serve the economic interests of transnational corporations”.[24] We cannot fail to praise the commitment of international agencies and civil society organizations which draw public attention to these issues and offer critical cooperation, employing legitimate means of pressure, to ensure that each government carries out its proper and inalienable responsibility to preserve its country’s environment and natural resources, without capitulating to spurious local or international interests.
39. The replacement of virgin forest with plantations of trees, usually monocultures, is rarely adequately analyzed. Yet this can seriously compromise a biodiversity which the new species being introduced does not accommodate. Similarly, wetlands converted into cultivated land lose the enormous biodiversity which they formerly hosted. In some coastal areas the disappearance of ecosystems sustained by mangrove swamps is a source of serious concern.
Acknowledgement of Country
This is Kombumerri Country - The Traditional Custodians 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, who are 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 the memories, traditions, culture and hopes of our Indigenous people. We pay tribute to those who have contributed in many ways to the life of the community. 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/)
Commitment To Child Safety and Vulnerable-Adult Safety
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