PDF version of this parish newsletter here:
Also, you can access an online copy of the newsletter *here*
“He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
(Luke 20:38)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1247037988 - Jesus and the tax collector Zacchaeus. The interior of the Coptic Church in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt, October 31, 2018. Photo Contributor: Stig Alenas
PASTOR’S POST. A Little Bit of Quiet.
I purchased my diary for 2023 this week, and as much as I was determined to use my magnificent, all-knowing, all-capable, incredibly smart mobile phone as my future method for keeping dates, rosters, addresses, birthdays and meeting times in order, I realise I am still anxious about incorrectly inputting or deleting or even losing my phone, that I’m going to coordinate the two for next year. (An intention that I suspect will last about three weeks into the new year.) In others words I don’t trust myself to know what I’m doing with my phone. Unlike Fr. Paul, who keeps all manner of numbers, dates, homilies, files, addresses and emails on his mobile phone, I opt for the easy excuse of, “My phone must be broken, because I’m sure I stored that valuable or important appointment time on this useless device”. I have a great fear of being late for or even missing an appointment as happened, only once, for an important wedding (aren’t they all?)
Hence the diary, or rather the tail end of this year’s diary, where I see that there is not one day that doesn’t have some meeting or event, of varying degrees of importance, scheduled between now and Christmas. How does it happen that we try to squeeze dinners, farewells, end-of-year get-togethers, AGMs, budget and planning meetings into these last two months of the year, as though all time will cease at the end of December? There is something so confining about seeing so many days already planned, with little space for those wonderful free times, when a little bit of silence and idleness can rejuvenate you for the days ahead. Even with the relatively calming time of Advent coming up, I still see busyness rather than peaceful preparation.
No doubt some therapist might tell me that I am subconsciously filling my days, to give my life value and purpose, or that if I stop being busy for a while I might not start up again. They might not be totally wrong, but I also suspect a lot of the issue is that my time management has got out of control and I haven’t learnt to organise it for my own wellbeing.
Perhaps as a remnant of my recent retreat, I have come to relish those rare times of silence, which can be so powerful in restoring some clarity and priority to our day. Rather than seeing these times as essential, we make them feel like a luxury or something undeserved. Is that why they are so rare, that we don’t give them a priority in our lives? We get so dictated to by our daily schedules that there are times when even prayer seems like a task to be completed, rather than the foundation that gives our duties perspective and context. Although it has taken some discipline, I have tried not to fill up my prayer time (which often requires a diary entry) with words or specific thoughts and intentions. These can tend to add to the crowd of noise that becomes so distracting and diverting from simply being with God in whatever brief time we allow ourselves.
Keeping quiet can sometimes allow God to get a word in.
Saint Anthony of Egypt who lived for 20 years in total silence, and, we are told, did not go insane in the process. In fact many people would come to him, just to be in his silent presence, learning how to be alone in company. Although it sounds like a really demanding task would it be possible to turn our phones to silent for 20 minutes each day, switch off the computer, television or radio at the same time. Find a space away from others and just allow your thoughts to go where they will. It might be a space that God decides to fill or maybe God might leave you to enjoy the quiet. If this sounds like too strong a discipline then maybe we are a little scared to be by ourselves with ourselves for this time. When did being quiet get to be so difficult?
Fr Peter Dillon PP
CATHOLIC MISSION APPEAL - PARISH
Thanks for your support in our Annual Catholic Mission appeal for our parish. If you did not have a chance to donate, you are welcome to visit the link here. https://www.catholicmission.org.au/
WARNING - WARNING - WARNING -
A SCAM HAS BEEN GOING AROUND WHERE EMAILS PURPORTING TO BE FROM FR PETER OR FR PAUL (OR OTHER PRIESTS ETC) ARE ASKING PARISHIONERS TO HELP THEM IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION - THE MESSAGE CLAIMS THAT THEY CANNOT BE CONTACTED AS THEY ARE “JUST ABOUT TO GO INTO A MEETING” BUT COULD THE PERSON REPLY BY EMAIL. THE SCAMMER THEN GIVES STORY THAT THE PRIEST IS TRYING TO HELP A FRIEND IN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY - AND THE OBJECT IS TO GET MONEY OR GIFT CARDS BOUGHT. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A SCAM. THE PRIESTS AND STAFF OF THE PARISH AND THE ARCHDIOCESE WOULD NEVER SOLICIT MONEY IN THAT WAY. PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND OR COOPERATE WITH ANY SUCH REQUESTS. PLEASE LET OTHERS KNOW WHO MIGHT BE LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED. WE DO NOT ASK PEOPLE FOR MONEY FOR PERSONAL MATTERS AND OUR PARISH OFFICIAL COLLECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED THROUGH PROPER CHANNELS.
BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE FOR THE MONTH OF HOLY SOULS
To celebrate ‘Life Remembrance Month’ during November, the Book of Remembrance will be placed and remain on a small table on the sanctuary, in front of the lectern.
You are invited to enter names of your deceased loved ones and friends who have gone before us. The book will be available at the back of the Church this weekend 27/28 October and then placed on the small table at the Sanctuary from 1st November where names may be added throughout the month. The book will remain in that position until Advent.
LIFTING CHAIR FOR SALE - Adjust electric lift chair
My name is Martin, and I am trying to help my 99-year-old grandad recoup some money that he spent on an electric lift chair (which is brand new) that he can no longer use and I'm hoping you or someone in your organisation/community might be interested in buying it. This new, super comfy Avante brand Studio Adjust electric lift and massage chair was purchased by my grandad in February this year - 2022, for $1,899 from a retailer in Tweed Heads. However, due to floods/COVID, it was only recently delivered to him - BUT sadly, my 99yr old grandad can no longer use it, and the retailer will not refund, so I'm trying to recoup some costs for him by selling the chair, to help with other medical bills. The fabric has had Scotchgard professionally applied in the store. The colour is called ‘wheat’ which can go with any interior decor. The chair has a dual motor lift and reclining action with a 6-motor vibration unit for massage. It includes remote controls (still in plastic), a user manual, receipts of purchase and 3x removal fabric pieces to help protect the fabric on the arm and headrest.
I'm happy to negotiate a price for those who are genuinely interested - however, full disclosure, I've also currently got it advertised on the Facebook marketplace for $1499.
If you are looking for a chair like this, don’t overpay in-store and wait months for one to be delivered, you can buy this new chair and use it straight away - and also know that you are financially helping a 99yr old pensioner. If you want to talk to my grandad to confirm this story check out, I'm more than happy to introduce you to him - although he is living at Mountain View Retirement Village in Murwillumbah. Pickup from the Robina location - or I can deliver within the Gold Coast area for a small extra fee.
If you or someone you know are interested or would like more photos/information, please feel free to reply to this email or call me directly on 0421874020. Kind Regards - Martin Palac. Mob: 0421 874 020.
Email: m_palac@hotmail.com
DURING CHURCH SERVICES - FANS IN THE CHURCH DURING the 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.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament this First Friday, 4th November, at Sacred Heart Church from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. All are welcome. 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 9 AM 5th November 2022.
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
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
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
CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES (Date Claimer)
{NO SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION ON CHRISTMAS EVE}
STELLA MARIS CHURCH, BROADBEACH
{Stella Maris. 254 Hedges Avenue, Broadbeach, 4218}
Christmas Eve: 5.00 PM VIGIL MASS.
Christmas Day: 7.00 AM
ST VINCENT’S CHURCH, SURFERS PARADISE
{St Vincent’s. 40 Hamilton Avenue. Surfers Paradise 4217}
Christmas Eve: 5.00 PM VIGIL MASS. (SPECIAL CHRISTMAS MASS TIME ONLY)
Christmas Day: 8.00 AM & 10.00 AM
Also, Sunday night 25th December - Christmas night Mass ( Sunday 25th) at 5:30pm at St Vincent's Church run by the Hispanic Community.
SACRED HEART CHURCH, CLEAR ISLAND WATERS
{Sacred Heart - 50 Fairway Drive. Clear Island Waters, 4226}
Christmas Eve (vigil): 5.00 PM=FAMILY MASS. & also special 8.00 PM MASS.
Christmas Day: 9.00 AM:
(No Sunday night mass at SH)
ALSO - (tba) -25/12/22- Sacred Heart - 12NOON POLISH MASS / 4PM ITALIAN MASS. (tba)
SPANISH MASS IN ST VINCENTS SUNDAY NIGHT (25/12/22)- TIME TBC
{NO CHRISTMAS EVENING Sunday night MASS AT CLEAR ISLAND WATERS OR ANYWHERE IN THE PARISH}
+++++++++++++
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
***PLEASE NOTE: ITALIAN MASS RETURN - “ ITALIAN MASS to be held at Sacred Heart Church at 4 p.m. on the 30th October, 13th November onwards. Everyone is welcome. No Mass on 6th November. 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:
You are alive for God. Trust that God will welcome you into the kingdom. (Luke 20:27-38). To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION -
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.”2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
There are two important lessons here. First, we are called to be generous with our encouragement and hope with others. As God shows us mercy, we must be merciful to others. Second, joy is contagious! The joy we receive from doing good works not only strengthens us, it encourages others as well. Share the joy of living your faith whenever you can. 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: Jean Di Benedetto, John Nathaniel Maher, Gus Reeves, Patrick Joven de Leon, Baby Samuel Timothy, Maria Yuna, Pauline Dolan, Peter Lofts, Phil Bawden, Maria Teresa Gutierrez, Geoffrey Dixon, Margaret Haerse, Annie Scicluna, Jo Clark, Kay Pitman, Michael Murtagh, Leslie Clarke, Lena Hiscock, Shirley Montford, Beryl Dorfield, Joanne Mooney, Patricia Roberts, 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, 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., 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, Milka Barac, Rodney & Norma McLennan, Lois & Doug Wood, 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: David Joshua Maher, Vivian Williams, Florence (Flora) Smith, Leo Lampago, Ray Burton, Patrick Byrnes, Bernard (Bernie) Markijevic, Penny Speedy, Antonio Cruz, Nivalda Lopes Da Silva, Marianne Nelson, Aparecida Jose Teixeira, Donnie Williamson, Betty Eviston, Duncan Dawson, Eamon O’Dowd, Patsy Kelleher, Mairead Stynes, Helen Watter, Paz Tumbokon, Derrick James Thompson, Fr Joe Sardie, Baby Adele, Phyllis Tansey, Fay Marie Giovine, Phillipa Kennedy, Liudmyla Ganshyna, Baby Theodore.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: ALL Holy souls (during this month of November). Augustus Reeves, Christine Baumann, Robert Aouad, Moira Winnifred McLellan, Anna Restaino, Shirley Patricia Williams, Adleen Elgin Radecki, Zelimir Bresic, Joan Mary Enright, Ronald George Blacker, Graham Irwin, Gertrud Marschner, Paul Mott, Anthony Netting, Carl Tamer, Reggie Naidoo, Michael Connaghan, Margaret Maclennan, Vera Rose, Phillip Aldur Kaljo, Dulcie May Ricks, Vere Menefy, Mario Pase, Elizabeth Margaret Coffey, John Reginald Slattery, Ivan Victor Clark. And also: Eamonn Damien Sherrard, Margaret Murphy, Kevin James Hilliard, Dr Raymond Arthur Miles, Myrene Rose Bartlett, Mary Margaret Holden, Mello Scharenguivel, Helen Wood, Varkey Padayallil, Shane Desira, Elisa Guzzo, Judith Ann Oakes, Shirley Marie Day, Mavis Beryl Boland, Beryl Margaret Davidson, Marianne Lila Kyle-Little (Peter Carey’s Cousin), June Butler, Joannes Maas, Patrick Roche.
HOLY SOULS: Joseph Ceh, Anne and Frank Dranpinia, Nick and Nicholas Brojdic, Moripe and John and Frank Ceh. Celline Arichibold, Pianonte Piniafell, Valladolid Family, Dume, Baugh, Yangan and Sherrard Families, Owen, Iris, John and Patrick Lynch, the Freebody Family, Reese Rowe, Jessie Caton, Cyril and Ruby Wilkie, Frederick Tucker, Bruck Wheeler, and the Wheeler, Westwell and Woodgate families.
TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH - Make peace with your vocation
Saint Leo the Great is one of the few popes remembered as the “Great.” This accomplished preacher and writer was also such a skilled diplomat that he convinced Attila the Hun to spare Rome from attack in 452 and later kept a plundering Vandal army from burning the city. This is a good time to recall that God has called us each by name to love and serve in our own way. Saint Leo used his gifts to uplift Christ. How do you use yours? Sharing God's peace is a good place to start.
“For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.” Luke 17:20-25. SIGN UP FOR "TAKE FIVE" DAILY ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
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.
Sacrament of 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 Surfers Paradise 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 CONFIRMATION - October 2023 (exact date to be finalised)
Within the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Confirmation is the second sacrament that children are invited to receive. Confirmation completes Baptism.
For the celebration of Confirmation in 2023, parents of children in Year 3 or older are invited to enrol their children in the continuing Sacramental Journey (Confirmation, Eucharist and then Reconciliation). In our parish, the Sacramental Journey involves preparation and celebration for children and their parents. It requires a small number of meetings and the completion of an At Home Preparation Program led by the parents and supported by the Parish Sacramental Team. The enrolment form (one form for each child) is available at our website www.surfersparadiseparish.com.au
Once on the website, use the drop down menu under Sacraments to click on Confirmation; scroll down the page to Children’s Sacramental Program Application Form. Next, please complete the orange and red form and finally, click on Submit. You will receive an automated email response to indicate that your form has been received. In Term 3, 2023, you will receive an email from the Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson, providing further details regarding meetings and documentation.
Please continue to regularly check the parish newsletter for Confirmation updates and further information.
Sacrament of EUCHARIST - First HOLY COMMUNION Either May 28 at 11:00am or June 4 at 11:00am, 2023
Eucharist is the sacrament that completes the process of Sacramental Initiation. The Sacrament of Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. Through this sacrament, the child can fully participate in the Eucharist (also known as the mass) by receiving Holy Communion.
In 2023, children in Year 4 or greater who have previously been enrolled in our Surfers Paradise Parish Sacramental Journey are invited to participate in preparation for their First Holy Communion. During Term 1, 2023, these families will receive an email inviting their child to participate in the At Home Preparation Program for first Holy Communion.
For those who are new to our parish in 2023, parents of children in Year 4 or greater are invited to enrol their children in the continuing Sacramental Journey (Baptism, Confirmation, First Holy Communion and then Reconciliation). The enrolment form is available at our website www.surfersparadiseparish.com.au
Once on the website, use the drop down menu under Sacraments to click on First Holy Communion; scroll down the page to Children’s Sacramental Program Application Form. Next, please complete the orange and red form and finally, click on Submit. You will receive an automated email response to indicate that your form has been received. In Term 1, 2023, you will receive an email from the Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson, providing further details regarding meetings and documentation in relation to the At Home Preparation Program.
Please continue to regularly check the parish newsletter for First Holy Communion updates and further information.
Sacrament of PENANCE - RECONCILIATION November 9 at 5:30pm, 2023
Penance is a sacrament of forgiveness and celebrates God’s love and mercy towards us. It is about acknowledging and naming those times when we know we have done wrong, and then making peace and restoring the relationships with those who have been affected by our poor choices. The Sacrament of Penance is celebrated through the Rites of Reconciliation.
In Term 3, parents of children who have completed their Sacraments of Initiation with Surfers Paradise Parish will receive an email invitation to participate in the At Home Preparation Program for Reconciliation.
For those whose children received the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) in other parishes and who wish their child to prepare for the Sacrament of Penance in Surfers Paradise Parish, The enrolment form is available at our website www.surfersparadiseparish.com.au Please continue to regularly check the parish newsletter for Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation) updates and further information.
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 the 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 - “I am the God of the living,... for all are alive to God.”
The readings this weekend are timely for the month of November, which is traditionally the time of prayer for the Souls of those who have gone before us into eternal life… Also, as the year starts winding down, and the end of the church year is in only a couple of weeks; the readings start looking at the end "of all things" and the promise of what is to come after that….
We are constantly brought back to the fact that God is faithful. God keeps his promises to us.
God has promised that each one of us is absolutely precious in God's eyes…. and that God does never cease to care for us.
The life of every single person has eternal value. From conception to natural death. This eternal value continues far beyond what can be seen in this life.
Our life continues on into the life of God's Heavenly Kingdom...
The tensions, tragedies, injustices and suffering of this life, all eventually give way to God's faithfulness to all his beloved children… Us, who are his deeply cherished sons and daughters…
We are, and we will always be "God's beloved children" ….. All through this life and in the next….(forever)
Especially this month, our prayers are with the those who have gone before us… //We believe that, one day, we will all be brought together again…in God's Heavenly Kingdom of life, peace and joy….
Our Christian faith does not gloss over death and its enormous impact….. in fact,… the Cross of Christ is a very stark, shocking and central symbol of our faith. The Crucifixion of Christ is an unflinching sign of the suffering and tragedy in so many people's lives// The Cross is unable to be watered down and it cannot be gotten around…//….
We believe that the Cross of Christ is a sign of God's absolute commitment to us ///…. God is in united full with us and has committed himself absolutely to us, to our condition and to our joys and sorrows, our triumphs and also our suffering. …
Jesus reveals to us God made human….. he is the one who "stays in-there, with us," through the best and the absolute worst that life throws at us…. And Our Lord suffered AND DIED for the salvation of all. We note with significance that Christ suffered and died not only for the good and the 'worthy,' but for all his beloved children, - and particularly those considered (by the standards of the world), to be unworthy; Especially those labelled, (by some) as 'worthless'…. //
Our lord not only endured death in order to save us, but he suffered the worst kind of death… //… And the reason he went through all of this because he loved us, and "threw in his lot" permanently with us. And he rose up to defeat the power of sin and death.
The first reading shows a grave injustice being done to a group of people who want to be faithful to the Lord. What is happening to them is cruel and wrong…. They continue to hold onto what is right in the face of the most brutal and inhuman treatment … trusting that God will not abandon them…. This immediately brings to mind people of every time and place who have suffered every kind of unspeakable wrong and whose dignity and sanctity of life were completely ignored. Jesus shows us that God sees this and will not overlook the ones who suffered injustice and wrongdoing. God comes and suffers with and in these people to show us that God will comfort these. They are not forgotten, even if they are nameless and unknown to others. God demands that all people be given the dignity that his own love has given them. And that what we do to these little ones, we are doing to God himself. And he will not forget it or abide it. It is also important that this unity God has with us (his beloved children) means that God calls for an end to mistreatment, disrespect and violence, here and now, in this life! And if this urgent call is not respected, God will most certainly restore it in the next. But Our Lord's example reminds us that it is not good enough for those doing wrong to wait to cease their wrongdoing or rectify their harm until the next life. This call is for NOW, and For all.
The beauty of this message is that God wants justice to be done, and assistance given to those in need now - in this life. the Lord does not want people saying: "God will make it all right in the next life, so we will leave things as they are down here on earth and God can sort it out in the next life." …. No. A thousand times NO. .......God indeed has the last say in everything. That is true! But God wants us to act justly, compassionately and mercifully here and now…. Only if justice cannot be attained despite the every best effort in this life, God will ensure it is done in the next… however, the Lord, commands and work without ceasing for that justice that is desperately needed by so many in this life ……
Our Lord promises us that God will never give up on us…. Never abandon us…. Even if (at times) we really feel like we have abandoned… God is still there… - with us - and in us … always… …
Thank goodness our Lord Jesus called out on the cross: "My God , My God why have you abandoned me." By this, through Jesus' own life, suffering, death and resurrection he amplifies and gives voice to all people throughout history who suffer alone, who are abandoned by others and who cry out to feel the presence and support of God.
But God knows every one of these people's names. God sees their suffering and God will not forget them. And (just as vitally), God wants us to see them and not forget them also.
The Gospel of Christ, as preached and lived by Our Lord, assures us that even the most unknown and unremarked suffering or injustice was done to the most invisible people in society; God cares about them and what happens to them and has not abandoned them - but instead constantly calls on all people of goodwill to do something about it. Even if a person does not feel God's reassurance amid the suffering, God is still THERE with them. Our Lord went through precisely the same abandonment and denial of dignity.
when we run to God with all the disasters that befall us, including when we are bereaved by loss and suffering injustice… We beg God for answers…. And although we do not hear a physical voice replying to us… (except the voice of the Scriptures.. and except the voice and response of those filled with God's love - who reach out like the hand of God, in real and practical ways…. // nevertheless I truly believe… that the silence is not an empty silence … but rather, that silence is a pause filled with promise…(like the kind of silence you hear straight after asking an urgent request of someone and in the silence, seconds before you get a reply - a positive one.. (the big difference is that in these situations, the pause between the response is extended)… it is more of a pregnant pause….. where the reply will certainly be…. "I will raise you up… I will bring life out of death".
And this promise is not just for the next life. God is constantly at work, bringing new life to all of the many abrupt endings and failures in life…. (big or small)
As Jesus assures us in the Gospel: He is the God of the living. For, to God, all are still alive.
References: Fr Paul W. Kelly; MISSION 2000 – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR B. BY MARK LINK S.J; 2010 – A BOOK OF GRACE-FILLED DAYS. BY ALICE CAMILLE.
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Illustration ID: 1931600960 - Tomb of Jesus Christ. Crucifixion And Resurrection. Religion, Easter theme. 3D illustration - Illustration Contributor - PHOTOCREO Michal Bednarek
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.
All NOVEMBER 9 - The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
Build your vocation steeped in love.
For nearly a millennium, the Catholic Church has marked on this day the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, so named for the hill upon which it sits just east of the Colosseum in Rome. The cathedral of the Diocese of Rome is the official seat of the pope (the bishop of Rome) and is dedicated to both of the New Testament’s two most famous Johns: the Baptist and the Apostle. At this halfway point of National Vocation Awareness Week, consider the far-reaching impact of these servants honoured in the Catholic Church’s highest-ranking edifice. Let’s dedicate ourselves as they did to spread the Good News of love and, through our own holy vocations, attain our heavenly reward!
Wisdom from Pope Saint Leo the Great:
No one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the cross. No one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ.
Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace is the mother of unity. Peace is the rest of the blessed souls. Peace is the dwelling place of eternity.
Those who are not good to others are bad to themselves.
Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife.
Let no one be ashamed of the cross by which Christ has redeemed the world. None of us must be afraid to suffer for the sake of justice or doubt the fulfilment of the promises, for it is through toil that we come to rest and through death that we pass to life.
The faith by which we live shall never vary in any age . . . for one is the faith which sanctifies the Just of all ages.
The cross of Christ is the true ground and chief cause of Christian hope.
The faith of those who live their faith is a serene faith. What you long for will be given to you; what you love will be yours forever.
Teach nothing new, but instil into all men's hearts those things which the Fathers of revered memory have with the harmony of statement taught... Preach nothing else than what we received from our forefathers... Accordingly, both in the rule of faith and in the observance of discipline, let the standard of antiquity be maintained throughout.
Saint Martin of Tours:
Perhaps one of the things that Martin is best known for is when he encountered a shivering, half-naked beggar in Amiens. Martin removed his cloak and cut it in half with a sword, covering the man. The half of the cloak he kept for himself became famous and was known as "St. Martin's cloak." Additionally, that evening, Martin had a vision that Jesus Christ appeared to him and said: "Martin, a mere catechumen has clothed me."
Lord, if your people need me, I will not refuse the work. May your will be done!
Hitherto I have served you as a soldier; allow me now to become a soldier to God. Let the man who is to serve you receive your donative. I am a soldier of Christ; it is not permissible for me to fight.
Refusing further service as a Roman soldier: I am a soldier of Christ: combat is not permitted to me.
©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: “Bear witness on peripheries like Fr. Puglisi and St. Francis”
Pope Francis meets with 250 members of Italy's "Frontier Community", and underscores the importance of living the Gospel and focusing on the Risen Christ in their outreach to disadvantaged youth, so that they may rise above the darkness of their difficulties.
Pope Francis addressed the members of the "Communità Frontiera", or "Frontier Community", which operates in southern Italy, noting that the word "frontier" can sometimes be used as a slogan. Still, it has deeper meanings to which they are giving witness. The members attending the audience included a large number of young people in addition to the community leaders.
The Pope encouraged them all in their commitment to helping youth in difficulty and drawing inspiration from the charisms of St. Francis of Assisi and Blessed Giuseppe Puglisi.
A way of life:
The Pope explained how both St. Francis and Blessed Fr. Puglisi witnessed to the Gospel on the peripheries, also seeing it as, first and foremost, a way of life. Living on the boundaries or peripheries (frontier) recalls how Jesus lived who comes to encounter us, to find the lost sheep, the Pope explained.
And similarly St. Francis, in following Christ, put aside his riches and became a beggar to abandon himself completely to the providence of the Father who is in heaven.
The Pope said these choices allowed him to share the condition of the "little ones," the least, who beg for bread but also and above all for love.
The "frontier" witness is also the style of Fr. Pino Puglisi, the Pope observed, recalling how he took care of the youth in his parish in the Brancaccio area, going out to meet them and take them off the streets to educate them to serve God and their neighbour and not to their own interests and those of the area organized crime syndicates.
The style of the Gospel:
The real frontier of the world is the human heart, the Pope explained, inviting us to sow seeds of the Gospel here, on this "frontier" so that relationships are marked by closeness, tenderness, and compassion, as can be appreciated in the many stories of the close to one hundred youth cared for by the community.
The Pope described each of their personal stories as totally unique, but all with a common thread uniting them, that of love that overcomes evil and generates life. He underscored how love is welcoming and listening; love is closeness, tenderness, and compassion; and love is respect, dignity, and elevating the human person.
Jesus at the centre:
In the southern Italian town of Mola di Bari, the Pope recalled that their community was called to animate the City of Young People: a name that reminds us of the vocation of Don Bosco, who was motivated by a call to dedicate his ministry to young people so that they might become good Christians and citizens.
To do this, it is necessary to keep the Risen Christ at the centre of our focus, which is the image displayed at the centre of the coat of arms of the Communità Frontiera.
The Pope encouraged them to consecrate themselves to the Risen Christ to transmit His light so that young people living in darkness may "come to light" and be reborn to a new life.
Frontier commitment:
Communità Frontiera works in southern Italy in the province of Enna with a Day Center for minors where it cares for 100 youth. In the province of Bari it created the first residential and semi-residential part of "Città dei Ragazzi" (city of young people), recognized by Italy's Ministry of the Interior as a Pilot Project for Southern Italy for the prevention of juvenile delinquency.
Founded in the diocese of Piazza Armerina, today it is a public association of the faithful, affiliated with the Order of Friars Minor Conventual.
Representing a real "field hospital", the Città dei Ragazzi was inaugurated on 15 September 2011, the memorial of the martyrdom of Fr. Giuseppe Puglisi. The Centre aims to heal the inner wounds of young boys caused by crime and the inability of adults to fulfil their educational role. The community's motto is "There are no bad boys, but there are those who have not had the chance to know good."
(By Paolo Ondarza: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-10/pope-witness-on-the-boundaries-like-fr-Puglisi-and-st-francis.html )
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Image: 1946367511 - Copyright (c) 2021 GIACOMO MORINI/Shutterstock. No use without permission.
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS AT THE SACRED HEART CHURCH AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCH
The November edition of the Catholic Leader is available now at only $4.
Two new Christening dresses, slightly shop soiled, at a greatly reduced price $20 each Enquires to Pat 0404 805 819
Various greeting cards available at the low price of 50cents each
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament this First Friday 4th November 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
FIRST SATURDAY MORNING MASS FOLLOWED BY ADORATION & BENEDICTION
SACRED HEART CHURCH 9 AM 5th November 2022.
Italian Mass:
There will not be an Italian Mass on Sunday 6th November but Italian masses will resume from the 13th November. Sunday - Sacred Heart Church at 4 p.m. Please contact Giovanna on 07 55395528 or email gianna52@hotmail.com for further information about the Italian Mass on the Gold Coast.
Irish Community Annual November Remembrance Mass
We invite members of the Irish and Irish Australian Community to our Annual November Remembrance Mass which will be celebrated on: Sunday 13 November at 11.30am in Guardian Angels Church, Scarborough Street, Southport. Fr John Maher will be the celebrant.
We will gather as a community to pray for the peaceful repose of our deceased relatives and friends, especially for those loved ones who died during the past year. A Remembrance Book will be available at the beginning of Mass in which you can enter the names of the deceased that you wish prayed for. Although primarily for our Irish and Irish Australian Community, all are welcome to attend. And please join us afterwards for tea/coffee, giving you an opportunity to catch up with old friends and to find new ones.
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 seven weeks are:
7/11/22 Bernadette Hensley & Family, Arundel
14/11/22 Bernadette Hensley & Family, Arundel
21/11/22 Rachel & Kermal Courtino, Broadbeach
28/11/22 Rachel & Kermal Courtino, Broadbeach
5/12/2022 Garry & Rudi Camera, Benowa
THE SACRED HEART BRIDGE CLUB- (20th Anniversary this year)-
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
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.
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
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.
PILGRIMS FOR MARIAN VALLEY
Please come and join us at the Marian Valley Church for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on 13.11.2022. 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 a contact name and contact phone number with Xavier Solomon at 0404 843 260, Madeleine at 0405 252 367 or 5529 1573. All are welcome.
Roll up your sleeves; make a difference overseas.
Do you require professional renewal, or are you seeking a retirement challenge? Communities abroad are asking for qualified and experienced Australians able to mentor their people in education, health, administration, trades, agriculture and more.
Imagine yourself re-engaging your vocational passion in Africa, Asia or the Pacific. Since 1961 Palms Australia has been recruiting Australians able to offer mentoring that will allow overseas counterparts opportunities otherwise unattainable. Sharing your skills will strengthen the capacity of workers overseas to serve their communities for generations to come, long after you return home.
Communities in American Samoa, Cambodia, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Zambia are seeking to fill a variety of roles.
Enquire about those roles via www.palms.org.au or by calling 02 9560 533 or 0422 472 567.
Relevant recruitment processes underway:
- Administrator @ Holy Spirit Seminary https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/careers/?ja-job=587407
- Catholic Chaplaincy Coordinator @ UQ https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/careers/?ja-job=587440
- Youth Coordinator @ Mango Hill / North Lakes https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/careers/?ja-job=579972
- Parish Secretary @ Stafford https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/careers/?ja-job=573058
- Project Officer - Justice, Ecology and Peace<https://au3.jobadder.com/job-ads/584032 > @ Evangelisation Brisbane https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/careers/?ja-job=584032
- Administrator @ St Mary’s Coomera https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/careers/?ja-job=591985
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 the abuse of children or vulnerable adults.
LITURGY SPOT - Solemnities, Feasts, Memorials and optional memorials.
During the flow of the church calendar year, there are different times and seasons. During the year, we have the major seasons of Christmas, and Lent and their preparatory seasons: Advent (preparing for Christmas) and Lent (preparing for Easter). We also have special Solemnities such as Mary the Mother of God and the Immaculate Conception, and All Saints day, and then we have compulsory memorials of saints whose lives are so inspiring to the universal church that we mark these feasts all around the world. Then we have optional memorials for saints who are still very inspiring, but it is not required to commemorate their feast. The reason why not all saints days are compulsory is that there is a regular rhythm to the whole season, and if there are too many feasts and saints days, it can interrupt the beautiful flow of the regular cycle of readings that continue throughout a two-year weekly cycle. So, there is a complex list of priorities for saints days. This can change in local areas especially when a saint is of great significance to one region and little known in another. There is a book called an “Ordo” produced each year by the local church and it lists the priority list of the celebrations. This is how we decide the mass of the day. The presence of particular personal pieties does not determine the pattern of the church’s calendar, and optional feasts and memorials should only be celebrated for strong pastoral reasons and are determined by the priest who celebrates the mass. Even when an optional memorial or even a compulsory memorial is celebrated, it is still often recommended to continue to use the readings for that time of year, rather than the special saint’s readings, again to ensure a proper flow of the regular reading cycle and minimise interruptions.
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 …)
So, WHAT IS BEING SOUGHT?
We need to hear from the wedding couple about their family background and personality and what was going on before the wedding and at the wedding. The tribunal also wants to understand key moments during the marriage and the breakdown of the marriage, but pertinent to what that says of the promises at the time of marriage.
The tribunal also needs a select few people who can be helpful witnesses for each of the parties to the marriage. These need to be people who knew the wedding couple or one of them, really well. We need people who can shed clear light on the period of time before and also at the time of the wedding. A witness can help shed light on the personalities and circumstances and relevant incidents with the two parties as they entered into marriage. Later events after the marriage day are mainly of interest only insofar as they may shed light on what was present from the start - even if the situation did not come to light until later.
The best way the ministers of the tribunal can help the cause is if everyone involved answers the questions proposed by the auditors and answer candidly, truthfully and openly. We are trying to build up an accurate mosaic picture (so to speak), of the life and personality and circumstances that made for the conditions with which these two people entered into marriage.
It is important to keep in mind we are not seeking to pin blame on one or the other party. This does not deny that much hurt and some terrible things may have happened. Many hurtful things may have been done and said over the length of a marriage. We are trying to look into the whole picture of the people to help understand the real factors that led to the breakdown of the marriage.
The Tribunal is asking everyone in the process not to take sides, as people might do in a secular legal court action. This is a pastoral ministry as much as it is judicial. Everyone needs to work together to be on the side of the truth (that is the only side this tribunal is taking - the side of truth). We are seeking clarity of insight into the matters.
Due to the important matters that need to be asked, the auditors (who interview on behalf of the judges), will need to ask some sensitive questions. These questions will be asked respectfully and sensitively and all with the aim of understanding the truth of the relationship being looked at. Your candour, cooperation and balanced responses to these matters will make this process better.
SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF POPE FRANCIS’ GROUNDBREAKING LETTER - LAUDATO SI’ - An excerpt from the Pope’s groundbreaking Encyclical.
81. Human beings, even if we postulate a process of evolution, also possess a uniqueness which cannot be fully explained by the evolution of other open systems. Each of us has his or her own personal identity and is capable of entering into dialogue with others and with God himself. Our capacity to reason, to develop arguments, to be inventive, to interpret reality and to create art, along with other not yet discovered capacities, are signs of a uniqueness which transcends the spheres of physics and biology. The sheer novelty involved in the emergence of a personal being within a material universe presupposes a direct action of God and a particular call to life and to relationship on the part of a “Thou” who addresses himself to another “thou”. The biblical accounts of creation invite us to see each human being as a subject who can never be reduced to the status of an object.
82. Yet it would also be mistaken to view other living beings as mere objects subjected to arbitrary human domination. When nature is viewed solely as a source of profit and gain, this has serious consequences for society. This vision of “might is right” has engendered immense inequality, injustice and acts of violence against the majority of humanity, since resources end up in the hands of the first comer or the most powerful: the winner takes all. Completely at odds with this model are the ideals of harmony, justice, fraternity and peace as proposed by Jesus. As he said of the powers of his own age: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant” (Mt 20:25-26).
83. The ultimate destiny of the universe is in the fullness of God, which has already been attained by the risen Christ, the measure of the maturity of all things.[53] Here we can add yet another argument for rejecting every tyrannical and irresponsible domination of human beings over other creatures. The ultimate purpose of other creatures is not to be found in us. Rather, all creatures are moving forward with us and through us towards a common point of arrival, which is God, in that transcendent fullness where the risen Christ embraces and illumines all things. Human beings, endowed with intelligence and love, and drawn by the fullness of Christ, are called to lead all creatures back to their Creator.
IV. THE MESSAGE OF EACH CREATURE IN THE HARMONY OF CREATION
84. Our insistence that each human being is an image of God should not make us overlook the fact that each creature has its own purpose. None is superfluous. The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, his boundless affection for us. Soil, water, mountains: everything is, as it were, a caress of God. The history of our friendship with God is always linked to particular places which take on an intensely personal meaning; we all remember places, and revisiting those memories does us much good. Anyone who has grown up in the hills or used to sit by the spring to drink, or played outdoors in the neighbourhood square; going back to these places is a chance to recover something of their true selves.
85. God has written a precious book, “whose letters are the multitude of created things present in the universe”.[54] The Canadian bishops rightly pointed out that no creature is excluded from this manifestation of God: “From panoramic vistas to the tiniest living form, nature is a constant source of wonder and awe. It is also a continuing revelation of the divine”.[55] The bishops of Japan, for their part, made a thought-provoking observation: “To sense each creature singing the hymn of its existence is to live joyfully in God’s love and hope”.[56] This contemplation of creation allows us to discover in each thing a teaching which God wishes to hand on to us, since “for the believer, to contemplate creation is to hear a message, to listen to a paradoxical and silent voice”.[57] We can say that “alongside revelation properly so-called, contained in sacred Scripture, there is a divine manifestation in the blaze of the sun and the fall of night”.[58] Paying attention to this manifestation, we learn to see ourselves in relation to all other creatures: “I express myself in expressing the world; in my effort to decipher the sacredness of the world, I explore my own”.[59]
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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