PDF version of this parish newsletter here:
Also, you can access an online copy of the newsletter *here*
“Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” (Luke 17:17)
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PASTOR’S POST. The Miracle of Healing
My second appointment as a priest was as Chaplain to Prince Charles hospital in 1981. I had previously worked there as a nursing orderly during vacation time from the seminary. We were encouraged to get a job during our two month Christmas break so that we would have some idea of how others, who were not preparing for ordination, lived and worked. Prior to my hospital work, I had tended bar at a busy suburban hotel, such that both these vacation jobs led me to believe that I had chosen the better, if not easier, occupation. Apparently my time as an orderly was preparation enough for a two year appointment to what was then referred to as Chermside Chest Hospital.
Forty years ago, open heart surgery was performed at this hospital about three or four times a week and was considered a new and dangerous operation. Only half a dozen cardiac surgeons in Queensland were trained for this rare procedure and, while the success rate was high, the post-operative recovery took weeks, sometimes months. (One of the cardiac specialists at that hospital asked me to bless him as he applied his delicate skills, telling me he was simply allowing God to use his hands. Very inspiring and humbling for a fresh young priest). These days such surgeries are carried out daily in nearly all large hospitals, with patients needing only days of rehabilitation before they are discharged.
In those early days, I was in awe of the health professionals and the multi-level care that was offered to, not just patients, but their families as well, in what sometimes felt like a mini-city, with intense scrutiny of practices and procedures, to ensure that the care and respect for those in need of medical care was the driving principle for this and similar institutions. I got to see firsthand that medicine, and its many associated disciplines, was a vocation of compassion and commitment, just like the one I had hoped I had untaken myself. Hospitals were not just repair shops, but centres where lives are healed and hope was offered..
Over the years since then, I have visited many hospitals and nursing homes that have only improved on what I experienced back in those early days. Oddly enough, the great difference is that now such patient care has become more pressurised and relentless. Surely we have got smarter about how we heal and what causes the many ills of the community. Certainly while the population has grown and more hospital beds are required, I can only conclude that so have the number of people whose lives are being saved or whose illnesses are being addressed with more sophisticated methods. One aspect that has changed for the better are the work conditions and understanding of what is asked of those in the medical professions. However while I suspect that 12 hour shifts for doctors and nurses are no longer required, many are still going well above the stated requirements of the job.
Nearly every day recently there has been a media report about the state of our health system, both national and date wide. Issues around ambulance ramping, long wait time in accident and emergency departments, and issues around quality of care and informed medical advice. At the same time we are given chilling pictures of hospital wards in other countries experiencing civil and political unrest as well as natural disasters. The recent pitch invasion following an overcrowded soccer match in Indonesia, gave us an insight into what we might experience if we were hospitalised in some of these countries. My observation leads me to conclude that in Australia we have an outstanding medical system with a high level of training and holistic care of patients. While there are no doubt areas that require greater scrutiny and improvement, we should not forget that for all the issues and complaints about what is not working as it should, there are miracles of healing happening every day in every health care facility. Hospitals amaze me, as do the people who bring such healing and hope to them.
Fr Peter Dillon PP
DATE CLAIMER - CATHOLIC MISSION APPEAL - PARISH
The annual Catholic Mission appeal for our parish will be on the weekend of 22nd/23rd Oct 2022.
This year, Catholic Mission is partnering with the Church in Ethiopia, supporting a number of rural communities across the country. This support is primarily focused on subsistence farming and education. It will be the focus of our Parish Appeal across the Archdiocese this World Mission Month. We will be sharing the story of people such as Neela and her family with your parish community. https://www.catholicmission.org.au/ -
In a community where opportunities for skills training and employment are scarce, Fr Habte and the Church are coming alongside their community to make a change. Through the expansion of the current “Deberety” Farm to include a goat rearing centre, their vision continues beyond providing nutritious milk to families in need to include agricultural skills training and employment – opportunities that will allow families to provide for themselves. “It is a big hope to us as a church, to the community and the youth. That is why I say this is a great miracle.” Fr Habte
FANS IN THE CHURCH DURING HOT WEATHER ARE TO BE LEFT ON AND DOORS TO BE LEFT OPEN FOR AIR CIRCULATION AND BREEZES!
Please Don't Ask The Coordinator To Turn Them Off. Also, please do not close the doors in the church as we need a flow of fresh air. Coordinators are following Church Health and Safety directions. It may be necessary to relocate to another seat that may better suit your needs or bring something warm to put on. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
LITURGY NEWS
The latest edition of the Liturgy Brisbane publication Liturgy News is now available for free. Please click here: LITURGY NEWS
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 gives you the opportunity to grow in your relationship with your spouse or your community. Our last live-in weekend for 2022 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 For testimonies from ordinary families who have experienced a Marriage Encounter weekend visit https://www.shalomworld.org/show/family-discovering-coupleness
Information website: www.wwme.org.au
HOSPITAL CALLS - AROUND THE DEANERY -
HELP THE PRIESTS OF THE DEANERY RESPOND TO URGENT CALLS EFFECTIVELY BY CALLING THE FOLLOWING PARISHES FIRST TO THE RESPOND TO NEEDS WITHIN THE HOSPITALS LISTED.
To efficiently deal with the pastoral needs around the Catholic Parishes of the Gold Coast, the parishes within this Deanery have the practice of having the first call for emergencies going to the priests of the parish where the hospital is located. Here is a helpful guide to the hospitals and their attendant priests. A nursing home call also follows this procedure, where the first priest to call is a priest from the parish within which the Nursing Home is located.
Robina Hospital - Burleigh Heads Parish on 5576 6466
Pindara Hospital - Surfers Paradise Parish 56717388
John Flynn Hospital -Coolangatta-Tugun Parish on 5598 2165
University & Gold Coast Private Hosp-Southport Parish 5510 2222
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
Becoming Catholic! A Journey of Faith
Are you interested in becoming Catholic or learning about the Catholic faith? Welcome!
The Catholic Church’s mission is to offer people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to deepen their understanding and relationship with Jesus Christ. Becoming Catholic involves a journey of faith, accompanied by the support of a parish community. This process is called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, (RCIA). During the RCIA process, you meet with others to share, reflect, pray and learn more about the Catholic faith. Ceremonies or ‘rites’ at each stage signify the steps along the way. If you or someone you know would like to know more about becoming Catholic or starting to become Catholic as an adult, please contact -
Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, Clear Island Waters Q 4226. Phone: 5671 7388 surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
***PLEASE NOTE: ITALIAN MASS RETURN - UPDATE
“ ITALIAN MASS IN OCTOBER - to be held at Sacred Heart Church at 4 p.m. on the 23rd October and 30th October. Everyone is welcome. But, NO ITALIAN MASS on the 9th and 16th of October as the Italian Scalabrinian priest will be in Rome for the Canonization and Pilgrimage of San Giovanni Scalabrini. Please contact Giovanna on 07 55395528 or email gianna52@hotmail.com for further information about the Italian Mass on the Gold Coast.
A VOCATION VIEW:
Gratitude leads to praise. For what are you thankful? Share your gratitude. (Luke 17:11-19). To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION -
“Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Luke 17:18
Most of us live relatively “easy” lives. We have food, shelter, clothing and money.We go on vacation every year and own a car or two.Most of us take this all for granted.Did you ever notice that people with the least amount of possessions are usually the most grateful?Shouldn’t this be the other way around?Take time every day and thank God for all He has given you and discern how He is calling you to share your gifts.
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: Phil Bawden, Geoffrey Dixon, Margaret Haerse, Annie Scicluna, Jo Clark, Kay Pitman, Michael Murtagh, Leslie Clarke, Lena Hiscock, John Nathaniel Maher, Ray Burton, Shirley Montford, Beryl Dorfield, Joanne Mooney, Patricia Roberts, Jenelle Mullins, John Thomas, Tom Ross, Joanne Parkes, Maria Manuela, Jack Barretto, Kath Kiely, Doug Chester, Kathy Stevens, Nellie Bellinger, Leslie Clarke, Raymundo C. Isaga, Kristy Peat, Anna Janiek, Andrew McPherson, Louise Holmes, Don Williamson, Michael & Denise Tracey, Betty & Patrick O’Connell, Margaret & George Cook, Fred Grioli, Lynn Nunan, Elaine Casonati, 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, 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: Paz Tumbokon, Derrick James Thompson, Fr Joe Sardie, Baby Adele, Phyllis Taheny, Fay Marie Giovine, Phillipa Kennedy, Liudmyla Ganshyna, Baby Theodore, Rhona Egan, John Weinber, Sr Carmel Hodkinson PBVM, Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022), Helen McMeniman, Sr Mary O’Brien, John Smith, Gienna Rufus, Kees Van Grinsven, Bob Hood, Nicole Tierney, Garry Robert Sullivan, Joan Simmonds, Ken Ledster, Les Edmonds, John Joseph Despard, Daphne Andreas, Michael Armstrong.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: Robert Sharwood, Nalin Sena, Alex Renotul, Edwin Emile Ware, Noel Francis (Frank) Evans, Marie Kjöller, Eileen Roulent, Anne Mary Donaldson, Steven John Smithers, Leo Brennan, Fr Andrew Horan, Gwendolyn Isobel Hodges, Grayton Barryman Rosemeyer, Thomas & Winifred Robertson, Emmanuel Primo Odiamar, Ivan Patricio Susin, Lee Gordon, Patricia Morgan, Bali Attack Anniversary, William (Bill) Arthur Weise, Bob Biltoft, Kathleen Eileen Vosti, Norm Modral, Marie Elizabeth Giles, Eva "Midge" Gardner, Keiran John Ryan, Peter Lawrence Taffe. And also: Brian Kenway, Yvonne Henrietta Lofthouse, Veronica Ella Mantle, Reginald Ronald Glover, Rhonda Milne, Craig Antoine Blanch, Gwenyth Aiken, Gordon Farquhar, Imelda Petronella (Millie) Duijn, Edward Lawrence(Ned) Darcy, Elio Romanin, Diana Angela Tam-Barrett, Yvonne Mary McMahon, Frank Alcock, Muriel Rasey (Previous Sacre Coeur Owner), John Roy Wotherspoon, John Sudgen, Terry Maloney.
TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH - The price we're willing to pay
He failed at many things: marriage, business, sobriety. He was involved in dark dealings: espionage, black market trading, opulent living, ties with the Nazi party. Yet we know Oskar Schindler mostly because of the heroic mantle of protection he threw over some thousand Jewish workers in his enamelware factory. Schindler originally hired Jews because they were cheap labour. In the long-run, those cheap workers cost him a fortune. What changed an amoral businessman into a celebrated humanitarian? Schindler saw through the lie of his culture, and it repulsed him. As his grateful beneficiaries put it: “Whoever saves one life saves the world entirely." - {2 Timothy 2:8-10; “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory}.
“For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfilment, and will not disappoint.” Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4; 2
“Thus says the LORD the God of hosts: Woe to the complacent in Zion!” Amos 6:1a, 4-7; 1.
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MASK WEARING
The risk of Flu and Covid virus 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 their 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.
Sacrament of PENANCE - RECONCILIATION October 2022
Over 50 children are now preparing for the First Rite of Reconciliation which will be celebrated on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at 5:30 pm in Sacred Heart Church. These children are fully initiated members of our Catholic family of faith and they are now preparing for Reconciliation which is a Sacrament of Healing. Within the Children’s Sacramental Program, Reconciliation, also known as Penance, follows Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion.
On the cross, Jesus has already given his life for each of us. In the sacrament of Reconciliation, we simply give God a chance to share with us the infinite merits of his Son. We accept God’s invitation to be restored in our relationship with God and the Church.
The Surfers Paradise Sacramental Team has prepared a program similar to the Confirmation and First Communion At Home Preparation Programs. Please pray for these children and their families as they prepare to embrace God’s love and forgiveness through this healing sacrament.
Sacrament of CONFIRMATION 2023
Dates and information for enrolling in Confirmation Preparation for 2023 will be available soon.
Sacrament of EUCHARIST - First HOLY COMMUNION 2023
Dates and information for enrolling in First Holy Communion Preparation for 2023 will be available soon.
SILENT WEEKEND RETREAT
God delights in me. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
18 – 20 NOVEMBER 2022. At SANTA TERESA RETREAT CENTRE - Ormiston, Brisbane.
Santa Teresa has a main chapel and a small adoration chapel. Outdoor prayer spaces include a Labyrinth, Cana walk, Hermitage, Yarning Circle, prayer walks and Stations of the Cross. It sits on beautifully landscaped grounds overlooking Moreton Bay. Catering: It is a fully catered facility (breakfast, lunch, dinner, morning & afternoon teas), with a chef who can accommodate any dietary requirements. Their website https://santateresa.org.au Accommodation: single bed & ensuite. Cost: $350 per person for two nights
Program: Group sessions [Meditation, Reflection, Creative Contemplation, Mass, Blessings, etc.] Individual companioning available with Spiritual Directors Catherine Smith & Lynne Head-Weir Bookings essential: Mareece 0413071552 Email: mareecem@hotmail.com - For further information: contact any one of us.
St Mary’s Coomera Parish Retreat Team Catherine Smith: csmith3183@gmail.com
Lynne Head-Weir: lynneheadweir2@gmail.com; Anne-Marie O’Connor: amoconnor54@hotmail.com ; Mareece Grant : mareecem@hotmail.com
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL - A Grateful and remembering heart
From the most ancient times... including in the time of Abraham and Moses.... right through to the time of Christ's disciples, one of the most important things for a true disciple is to continue to have and to foster a humble, grateful, remembering heart. When a person or a community forgets the blessings of the past, and ceases to be grateful for what we have rather than be sad about what we have not.... everything goes awry. A grateful humble, remembering heart is our duty and our salvation... this is Faith, Hope and love.
A writer, (whose name is not known), once declared….
"Happy are they who dwell not on what they have not,
but rather,
Happy are the ones who give thanks, for all that they do have."
The gospel today is a very fitting reminder of the importance of being grateful for the gifts that God has given us…
So often it is all too easy to remember and stew over the things that have gone wrong….. the burdens and struggles…… but it can be at the expense of forgetting and minimising all the wonderful things that God provides to us. There are so many things to be thankful for in life, that its so important to take the time out to remember them, and to give thanks…..
The readings remind us that "There is nothing better, and more and more necessary than a grateful, remembering heart." (pk)
One of the lepers was a Samaritan… Samaritans were hated by the Jewish people of the time….. they were not accepted …. But here was a group of lepers that included Jewish people and a Samaritan as well. What this shows is that these other Jewish lepers have accepted a Samaritan among them; rejection, marginalisation and Pain has brought them together. There is no distinction amongst these outcasts…….. suffering and exclusion has brought them together into one community. Also, Jesus accepts people with no distinctions……. They are all in need of healing, and he gives them all what they need…..irrespective of where they come from or what they believe.
However, the Samaritan is the only one who comes back to give thanks. In Jewish law… a person was not considered 'purified' or healed until the priests declared them clean again.. so they could be healed but not yet officially recognized… So, the other nine go off to fulfil the "letter of the law" of the requirements for purity, but the Samaritan realises, 'wait a minute, I am ALREADY healed and purified by Jesus.. So, he immediately turns back to give thanks to the source of that healing and grace... Thanks to God, (to Jesus who is God made flesh). Samaritans were considered inferior and half pagan, and also Samaritans were considered "impure" and not to be associated with. Yet, the Samaritan here in this gospel is the only one who opens his heart to the Lord (v. 15) and who expresses the real content of purity.
The clean of heart are not those who merely observe rules and appear irreproachable, or who belong to a particular group of people, but rather those who are consistent and whose hearts and attitudes match their outward actions;……. People who act with humility, appreciation, and gratitude, for the overwhelming and generous graces that they have received.
The Samaritan is the one who remembers Jesus — This man is grateful; He is doubly marginalised as a leper and as a "foreigner". And so, while Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem where he will be killed at the hands of the defenders of formal legal rules about purity, Jesus gives life to this man who is truly pure in heart: "your faith has made you well."
It is all too easy to be tempted to "stew over" the things that have gone wrong… all the hurts and snubs and mistakes.. There are so many things to be grateful for in life, and it is so important to take the time out regularly, to remember the many blessings and graces…, and to give heartfelt thanks…..and keep them in the front of our minds. Especially for times of struggle.
In the old testament, the people of Israel regularly forgot the many blessings that God had given them and that led to grumbling and complaining. // Forgetting, grumbling and ruminating on the negative, can so easily lead to failing to count our blessings, which can then lead to turning away from God. …
St Paul in the second reading captures this well. He basically is saying… I have suffered everything for the gospel… however.. I will continue to trust in God and praise him… I will continue to focus on the GOOD news, because it is more powerful than bad news.. and no matter what happens.. there is more good news than bad.. and the good news of Christ will have the last word in everything…
It is really important to regularly sit at personal prayer-time, with a journal and a pen in hand…..and spend some quality time writing down any and every blessing, grace and joy that has come our way this day, this week.. this month.. or any time throughout our life…. In this prayer exercise, the object is to list ONLY the positive things that come to mind, the things we are grateful for… the countless gifts God has showered upon us….big and small…. Extraordinary as well as ordinary….. It will certainly keep our sense of perspective…. I truly believe that if we sat in prayer writing down all the blessings and gifts that we receive daily, we would fill that book of thanksgiving.. that book of graces… in days.. and by the end of the year we would have books piled up to the roof…..
Even specialists in emotional health remind us that what we focus on positive or negative can have profound effects on our sense of wellbeing… it's a bit like if we eat the wrong types of food .. not very nourishing food that is not full of the nutrition we need, if we eat too much junk food.. if we take into our bodies too much of the wrong things it will be bad for us… Same with what we focus on in our daily lives.. if we take in the negatives and minimise the positives… it will distort our perceptions and be bad for us. That is not to say we should be unrealistic or in denial about the many real difficult issues and struggles in life; but the sense of perspective helps us to keep turning to God and trusting that God's care is still with us.. God's blessings are, (as the psalms remind us), "not all in the past…" and we continue to praise God and trust in God's faithfulness and care.
Remembering Jesus Christ as St Paul asks us to do in the second reading…… (2 Tm 2:8) is about accepting Jesus' message of love without building up purely legal or religious boundaries and walls.
It always strikes me as incredibly important that the word we use to describe what we do here on Sundays as a community of faith is called "Eucharist"… which is an ancient Greek word that means 'thanksgiving.' This is not only what we do here on Sunday… It is also the people we are called to be in Christ… It is right and it is just to be people who 'always and everywhere…(- in word and in action) - give the Lord thanks and praise!"
References: Fr Paul W. Kelly; MISSION 2000 – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR C. BY MARK LINK S.J.;
SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR. GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ.
Image credit: By Renata Sedmakova. Shutterstock licensed photo ID: 1074985211. PARMA, ITALY - APRIL 16, 2018: The fresco Jesus healing the ten lepers in byzantine iconic style in Baptistery probably by Grisopolo from 13. cent.
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.
OCTOBER 11 - m - Saint John XXIII, pope
The wisdom of Pope Saint John XXIII:
"... just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul."
"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations but your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what is still possible for you to do."
"See everything, overlook a great deal, correct a little."
"Prayer is the raising of the mind to God. We must always remember this. The actual words matter less."
"I have looked into your eyes with my eyes. I have put my heart near your heart."
― "Mankind is a great, immense family... This is proved by what we feel in our hearts at Christmas."
"We deem it opportune to remind our children of their duty to take an active part in public life and to contribute toward the attainment of the common good of the entire human family as well as to that of their own political community. They should endeavour, therefore, in the light of their Christian faith and led by love, to ensure that the various institutions—whether economic, social, cultural or political in purpose—should be such as not to create obstacles but rather to facilitate or render less arduous man's perfecting of himself in both the natural order and the supernatural... Every believer in our world must be a spark of light, a centre of love, a vivifying leaven amidst his fellow men. And he will be this all the more perfectly, the more closely he lives in communion with God in the intimacy of his own soul" ― Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris: On Establishing Universal Peace
OCTOBER 14 - m - Saint Callistus I, pope and martyr
"If offences abound, then, let mercy also abound; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption. In the Lord's hand, all things are abundant because He is the Lord of powers and the King of glory. For the apostle says: "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." Saint Callistus, speaking on God's mercy.
©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: Pope Francis on the Marginalised:
"This is important: to get to know people, listen, expand the circle of ideas. The world is crisscrossed by roads that come closer together and move apart, but the important thing is that they lead towards the Good."
"Openness to God makes us open towards the marginalised of this world, and gives us the courage to leave the confines of our own security and comfort to become bruised, hurting and dirty as we joyfully approach the suffering of others in a spirit of solidarity."
"Even in the developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all too apparent. Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples."
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1946367511 - Photo Contributor: GIACOMO MORI
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS AT THE SACRED HEART CHURCH AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCH
The October Catholic Leader, Queensland’s monthly newspaper available now $4.
Queen was one to build not walls but bridge : Archbishop
Church joins talk to help solve housing crisis
“I was in prison” and they still care enough to visit
Service is a calling for all: Pope
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament this First Friday 7th October at Sacred Heart Church from 7pm to 8.30pm. All are welcome. Enquiries: Helen 0421935678. "Could you not watch one hour with Me" Mt 26:40
FROM SIN AND SORROW TO SERVICE (CHERISH LIFE): KAY PAINTER
Kay has spoken at forums in the United Nations and the White House, as well as national/international television and radio programs. Her testimony leads us down the rocky paths of abortion/adultery/divorce
before recognising the welcoming hand of God. Join Kay live:
When: 2.30-4.30 pm, Tuesday the 11th of October 2022
Where: Sacred Heart Hospitality Centre, 50 Fairway Drive Clear Island Waters.
For more details text Cherish Life on 0457 781 513.
GOLD COAST PARISHES — 24 hours Adoration - Southport
Tuesday 1 pm to Wednesday 1 pm every week at Guardian Angels Church 99 Scarborough Street, Southport. Parking onsite, the church is secured from 6 pm to 8 am. We are joining the effort to have Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Archdiocese of Brisbane. To make this a success we need 2 people per hour. Please indicate your availability for a one-hour commitment. email brisbane.adoration@gmail.com - We will be in touch in mid-October to confirm your exact time and other details. We expect to start our Adoration cycle on the first Tuesday in November 2022
menALIVE is running a parish men's weekend
“Calling all Men!! A Parish mission for men By menALIVE is being hosted by Corinda/Graceville Parish on the weekend of 15/16th of October. For the brochure, please visit here: See details and Register here
https://www.menalive.org.au/menalive-weekend/
Volunteer Opportunities - English Teachers, Youth Workers & Youth Ministers
The Cagliero Project is an initiative of the Australia-Pacific Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco, providing overseas volunteer experiences for Australians who wish to work with disadvantaged young people.
We are seeking enthusiastic volunteers for January 2023 departure. Our volunteer placements run for 6-12 months and are centred around working with young people in educational settings. We are currently recruiting volunteers for Cambodia, Samoa, Timor Leste, Australia and the Solomon Islands.
We aim to utilise the skills and talents of our volunteers to provide the best possible contribution to the host community. Our aim is not to ‘help’ but to walk in solidarity with young people and for volunteers and hosts to have a mutual learning experience. We are also present in host communities to be role models - people that young people can aspire to be.
Cagliero volunteers who commit themselves to work in the ‘Salesian way’. This means that young people are the central focus of all work. The Salesian way also means approaching life in a joyful way with a loving heart. The experience as a Cagliero volunteer is not about the volunteer but is focused on the people we go to serve. However, serving as a Cagliero volunteer will probably be the most rewarding thing you ever do!
For more information, or to send us an inquiry, follow this link: http://cagliero.org.au/
Applications close on October 31st, 2022. Contact: Lauren Hichaaba, Director of the Cagliero Project
Email: lhichaaba@salesians.org.au
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
OUR LADY’S STATUE
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 four weeks are:
10/10/2022 Merla & Rodney Antony
17/10/2022 Merla & Rodney Antony
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”
Is 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
PILGRIMS FOR OUR LADY OF FATIMA Feast 13th October
Please come and join us at the Marian Valley Church for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on the 13.10.2022. The bus will be picking up at 8.15 am at the Sacred Heart Church Clear Island Waters. The Cost for the bus fare is $25.00 return. You can secure your seat with your contact name and contact phone number Xavier Solomon at 0404 843 260, Madeleine at 0405 252 367 or 5529 1573. All are welcome.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Xavier on 0404 843 260.
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 twelve-Noon
For further information, ring the Parish Office or Maxine Sela on 0421051193.
YOGA AT THE PARISH HOSPITALITY CENTRE-
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.
CO.AS.IT. COMMUNITY SERVICES
is a not-for-profit organisation based on Chevron Island with Head Office in Brisbane, Co.As.It. Community services is a peak body within the aged care and community services industry that has won industry recognition for providing high-quality services and excellent care. October is a month for Seniors Celebration and Co.As.It. Community Services is hosting a Euro Concert to bring the community together. Attached, please find the Euro Concert Flyer.
You can find out more about this event by clicking on the link below.
https://www.coasit.asn.au/events/euro-concert-gold-coast/
Position Vacant – Pastoral Ministry Coordinator - Sunnybank Parish
Applications are open for a position at Sunnybank Parish.
This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, committed person to join the Parish team and assist them with the coordination of a variety of pastoral ministry programs.
The position is permanent part-time, 28 hours per week, with the days of work to be negotiated.
For additional information, please visit the Archdiocese of Brisbane website https://clientapps.jobadder.com/68451/aob-internal-career-opportunities/548356/pastoral-ministry-coordinator-sunnybank-parish - Applications close: 14 October 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 - The Tribunal of the Catholic Church and its pastoral role in respect of marriage nullity cases - Fr Paul Kelly.
(Tribunal of marriage - continued- Fr Paul Kelly …)
Structure and Personnel related to Marital Matters
The bishop is considered to be the ordinary judge of legal matters within his territory, (diocese or archdiocese), but he ordinarily and usually delegates his judicial pastoral care to a priest called the “Judicial Vicar,” (JV), who exercises the bishop’s powers over marriage matters; acting in the bishop’s name. The Judicial Vicar (JV) is in charge of the matrimonial tribunal of his diocese. Inter-diocesan tribunals can also be created to cover several dioceses, in the case of a number of smaller dioceses working together to pool resources.
It is the right of the couple who are parties to a marriage to ask the Church for a determination relating to any doubts relating to the validity of their marriage.
Any inquiry into this request by one or both of the couple presumes the validity of the marriage, and the onus on proving invalidity is on the person questioning it. The church never has to prove a marriage valid (that is presumed as of right), and facts must be shown that would overturn that presumption quite clearly.
Something essential to the consent between the couple at the time of marriage would have to be shown to be significantly missing or flawed if the assumption of validity were to be overturned. This approach is because of the church's high respect and esteem for the sanctity of marriage, as declared by Jesus. So this question is never treated lightly.
Some of the terms used in civil law (secular) are also used by the church, but it is very important to stress that the full meaning of these terms can be quite different when used in a church tribunal.
For example, an “Advocate.” - In civil law (not in Church law), the Advocate is like a barrister, and they represent the person making a claim or defending against the claim. In civil law, it is the barrister or advocate's job to prove the case of their client with any means allowed.
A church Advocate’s job, along with all other ministers in the process, is different from a civil proceeding. They seek to find the truth of the marriage and its circumstances, and the truth of the parties involved. So, the advocate helps explain the law to the person they represent and put forward relevant issues to the judges, particularly in difficult or contested situations. They are definitely not there to act like a barrister in a civil court case. The advocate (as with all other parties to the inquiry) is working to determine what the truth is. They are not there to do as the applicant or respondent demands (come what may), and they are not a mere mouthpiece of the person they are advocating for, and nor are they there to find “cracks” in the marriage or “fish” for reasons to declare the marriage invalid. They are there to get the truth and to discern any areas that come up from that truth that will help the judge decide on the truth. Nor can they ignore facts that contradict the person they represent, as this would not be in service of the truth.
SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF POPE FRANCIS’ GROUNDBREAKING LETTER - LAUDATO SI’ - An excerpt from the Pope’s groundbreaking Encyclical.
CHAPTER TWO
THE GOSPEL OF CREATION
62. Why should this document, addressed to all people of good will, include a chapter dealing with the convictions of believers? I am well aware that in the areas of politics and philosophy there are those who firmly reject the idea of a Creator, or consider it irrelevant, and consequently dismiss as irrational the rich contribution which religions can make towards an integral ecology and the full development of humanity. Others view religions simply as a subculture to be tolerated. Nonetheless, science and religion, with their distinctive approaches to understanding reality, can enter into an intense dialogue fruitful for both.
I. THE LIGHT OFFERED BY FAITH
63. Given the complexity of the ecological crisis and its multiple causes, we need to realize that the solutions will not emerge from just one way of interpreting and transforming reality. Respect must also be shown for the various cultural riches of different peoples, their art and poetry, their interior life and spirituality. If we are truly concerned to develop an ecology capable of remedying the damage we have done, no branch of the sciences and no form of wisdom can be left out, and that includes religion and the language particular to it. The Catholic Church is open to dialogue with philosophical thought; this has enabled her to produce various syntheses between faith and reason. The development of the Church’s social teaching represents such a synthesis with regard to social issues; this teaching is called to be enriched by taking up new challenges.
64. Furthermore, although this Encyclical welcomes dialogue with everyone so that together we can seek paths of liberation, I would like from the outset to show how faith convictions can offer Christians, and some other believers as well, ample motivation to care for nature and for the most vulnerable of their brothers and sisters. If the simple fact of being human moves people to care for the environment of which they are a part, Christians in their turn “realize that their responsibility within creation, and their duty towards nature and the Creator, are an essential part of their faith”.[36] It is good for humanity and the world at large when we believers better recognize the ecological commitments which stem from our convictions.
II. THE WISDOM OF THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNTS
65. Without repeating the entire theology of creation, we can ask what the great biblical narratives say about the relationship of human beings with the world. In the first creation account in the Book of Genesis, God’s plan includes creating humanity. After the creation of man and woman, “God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good” (Gen 1:31). The Bible teaches that every man and woman is created out of love and made in God’s image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26). This shows us the immense dignity of each person, “who is not just something, but someone. He is capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession and of freely giving himself and entering into communion with other persons”.[37] Saint John Paul II stated that the special love of the Creator for each human being “confers upon him or her an infinite dignity”.[38] Those who are committed to defending human dignity can find in the Christian faith the deepest reasons for this commitment. How wonderful is the certainty that each human life is not adrift in the midst of hopeless chaos, in a world ruled by pure chance or endlessly recurring cycles! The Creator can say to each one of us: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jer 1:5). We were conceived in the heart of God, and for this reason “each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary”.[39]
66. The creation accounts in the book of Genesis contain, in their own symbolic and narrative language, profound teachings about human existence and its historical reality. They suggest that human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbour and with the earth itself. According to the Bible, these three vital relationships have been broken, both outwardly and within us. This rupture is sin. The harmony between the Creator, humanity and creation as a whole was disrupted by our presuming to take the place of God and refusing to acknowledge our creaturely limitations. This in turn distorted our mandate to “have dominion” over the earth (cf. Gen 1:28), to “till it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). As a result, the originally harmonious relationship between human beings and nature became conflictual (cf. Gen 3:17-19). It is significant that the harmony which Saint Francis of Assisi experienced with all creatures was seen as a healing of that rupture. Saint Bonaventure held that, through universal reconciliation with every creature, Saint Francis in some way returned to the state of original innocence.[40] This is a far cry from our situation today, where sin is manifest in all its destructive power in wars, the various forms of violence and abuse, the abandonment of the most vulnerable, and attacks on nature.
67. We are not God. The earth was here before us and it has been given to us. This allows us to respond to the charge that Judaeo-Christian thinking, on the basis of the Genesis account which grants man “dominion” over the earth (cf. Gen 1:28), has encouraged the unbridled exploitation of nature by painting him as domineering and destructive by nature. This is not a correct interpretation of the Bible as understood by the Church. Although it is true that we Christians have at times incorrectly interpreted the Scriptures, nowadays we must forcefully reject the notion that our being created in God’s image and given dominion over the earth justifies absolute domination over other creatures. The biblical texts are to be read in their context, with an appropriate hermeneutic, recognizing that they tell us to “till and keep” the garden of the world (cf. Gen 2:15). “Tilling” refers to cultivating, ploughing or working, while “keeping” means caring, protecting, overseeing and preserving. This implies a relationship of mutual responsibility between human beings and nature. Each community can take from the bounty of the earth whatever it needs for subsistence, but it also has the duty to protect the earth and to ensure its fruitfulness for coming generations. “The earth is the Lord’s” (Ps 24:1); to him belongs “the earth with all that is within it” (Dt 10:14). Thus God rejects every claim to absolute ownership: “The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with me” (Lev 25:23).
68. This responsibility for God’s earth means that human beings, endowed with intelligence, must respect the laws of nature and the delicate equilibria existing between the creatures of this world, for “he commanded and they were created; and he established them for ever and ever; he fixed their bounds and he set a law which cannot pass away” (Ps 148:5b-6). The laws found in the Bible dwell on relationships, not only among individuals but also with other living beings. “You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and withhold your help… If you chance to come upon a bird’s nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting upon the young or upon the eggs; you shall not take the mother with the young” (Dt 22:4, 6). Along these same lines, rest on the seventh day is meant not only for human beings, but also so “that your ox and your donkey may have rest” (Ex 23:12). Clearly, the Bible has no place for a tyrannical anthropocentrism unconcerned for other creatures.
69. Together with our obligation to use the earth’s goods responsibly, we are called to recognize that other living beings have a value of their own in God’s eyes: “by their mere existence they bless him and give him glory”,[41] and indeed, “the Lord rejoices in all his works” (Ps 104:31). By virtue of our unique dignity and our gift of intelligence, we are called to respect creation and its inherent laws, for “the Lord by wisdom founded the earth” (Prov 3:19). In our time, the Church does not simply state that other creatures are completely subordinated to the good of human beings, as if they have no worth in themselves and can be treated as we wish. The German bishops have taught that, where other creatures are concerned, “we can speak of the priority of being over that of being useful”.[42] The Catechism clearly and forcefully criticizes a distorted anthropocentrism: “Each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection… Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God’s infinite wisdom and goodness. Man must therefore respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things”.[43]
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 community's life. We affirm our commitment to justice, healing, and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
(see further: The Kombumerri People and https://kombumerritogetherproject.com/digital-resources/yugambeh-language/)
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