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“Immediately they left their nets and followed him” (Matthew 4:20)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Vector ID: 115070653 - black and white Christian sign of the fish. vector illustration. Vector Contributor: Vectorfair
PASTOR’S POST - Way Back When.
Although we didn’t realise it at the time, most of us reading this post grew up in a surprisingly ecologically sound generation that could teach the modern world some valuable lessons. We were recyclers, conservationists and possibly much healthier than much of today’s world, more out of necessity than good planning. Although we didn’t use terms like ‘global warming’ or ‘greenhouse effect’, we seemed to value whatever we purchased and didn’t allow anything to be wasted. With more and more of today’s inventions providing us with freedom and opportunities for enjoyment, we have sacrificed many of the practices that kept us healthy and thrifty. The more devices we acquire to make life easier, we end up giving ourselves other concerns about how to have every convenience available and then how to afford to keep them going.
For instance, how many electrical devices did you have in your childhood home? A refrigerator (two doors for those comfortably off), a radio and certainly one-only television for the entire household, maybe a two-bar heater, vacuum cleaner and various kitchen appliances, frying pan, Mixmaster and electric jug for when the wood stove was not lit. For some reason, we seemed to manage with one telephone for the house when children were required to ask permission to use it and one car which could accommodate a family of six, albeit with little concern for safety, which was not an uncommon family size at the time.
If you were required to locate someone in the house, you didn’t text them to see where they were, you simply yelled, and if there was no initial response, you yelled louder. Family news was shared around the dinner table, not via Instagram or Facebook, and UberEats of the day required someone to cycle down to the fish and chip shop for Friday night dinner. The contents were wrapped in butcher’s paper. (I’m not sure if the fish was sustainable, but the chips certainly weren’t).
Breakfast cereal was mainly porridge or Weetbix, with Rice Bubbles or Cornflakes as holiday treats. The bread came in two forms, white or brown, and milk, delivered daily, was either blue or gold top (I cannot recall the difference, except that it was connected to the cream content and needed to be shaken before use). All the milk bottles were returned and reused, while the bread (unsliced) came in a paper bag, again reusable many times over. Nearly every container had multiple uses, brown paper for covering school books, newspapers for butchers to wrap meat, jars for homemade jams and cardboard for lighting the open fire or barbeque. I recall Glad Wrap was very new on the market and so expensive that my mother took to washing it in case she could get one more use from it. No need for recycling bins back then. After the first use, everything went back into the garden, the kitchen cupboard or the shed for future use, possibly years later.
I cannot recall ever seeing a dishwasher, storage freezer, microwave, Thermomix, air-conditioner, pizza oven, steamer, plate warmer or air fryer. Specialty appliance stores didn’t seem to exist until the 70s. I’m not even sure mobile phones, tablets or home computers were even thought of, if not invented.
All these memories have surfaced since we have been told to prepare for increased prices in electricity, gas, petrol and general cost of living expenses. Perhaps naively, I didn’t notice how people in my childhood days had to battle with similar issues of daily living costs as they do today. I certainly know we weren’t as conscious of our responsibility for the care of the earth as we are now when we are paying for the excesses and ignorance of previous times, but we certainly seemed to need less to make us happy, and we didn’t discard something that may have had another life. An appliance had to die a certain death before being replaced, and repair shops were much more common than today. While we might be much smarter and more ecologically alert now with our inventions and their applications, and we were certainly a ‘make do with what we had’ society in those ancient times of the 60s and 70s, it wasn’t such a bad way to live.
Fr Peter Dillon PP
Becoming Catholic! A Journey of Faith
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS
Rite of Acceptance
into the Order of Catechumens
and Full Communion of Candidates
Presentation to the Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish Community
21st January 2023 Saturday 5pm Sacred Heart Church
It is with great pleasure we welcome those Catechumens and Candidates who have commenced a journey of enquiry and faith towards Easter in 2023.
Catechumens – Andre De Melo, Nikki Miruzzi, and Seda Karauzumcu, are seeking Baptism
Candidates – Georgia Bull, Maria Torres Reyes and Paula Littlechild are seeking Full Communion with the Catholic Church.
We will celebrate their Rite of Acceptance and Presentation of the Bible at the 5pm Mass at Sacred Heart Church this Saturday 21 January 2023 and invite all Parishioners of our Parish to pray for our Catechumens and Candidates during this journey to Easter as they come to know Jesus more deeply in their lives and to join us each week in celebrating the Mass.
We ask for many blessings on all who journey in faith and offer our support and prayers for you and your families during this time.
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 learning more about their Catholic faith as an adult, please contact
Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, Clear Island Waters Q 4226.
Phone: 5671 7388 surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
HOLY WATER IS BACK!
Due to Covid safety precautions, we have not have the Holy Water in the fonts at the churches. We now feel it is time to re-introduce this beautiful sacramental, which reminds us of of baptism into Christ and his saving death and resurrection to save us and renew us in his love. Please feel free to bless yourself with the Holy Water in the fonts. Just a note, though, please be aware that those with immune issues or who are more vulnerable to the effects of covid and other illnesses, please be discerning as to whether you wish to partake of this sacramental, as it is a communal bowl of holy water. Please keep safe and use the sacrament with discretion and awareness of your health needs. God bless.
ITALIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES FOR ADULTS.
Gold Coast Dante Alighieri Society. 2/18 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters. Classes For All Levels Commence End Of January. www.dantegoldcoast.Com.au - For Further Information, Please Call Rita On 55270797 or Giovanna On 55395528.
Christian RI (Religious Instruction) needs you.
Did you know that over 175,000* Queensland state school students have opted into religious instruction? In Queensland, parents consent for their children to participate in religious instruction. We need people like you to help them explore and discover faith and values.
Whatever your skills, we can use someone like you:
• Instructors
• Administrative support
• People to pray for RI.
Regardless of their background, parents and carers want their children to grow up to be great adults with strong values. RI gives kids the space and opportunity to question, explore and discover faith and values. The lessons are fun and engaging and make a real difference.
We need more people like you to put their hands up to be RI Instructors. RI can fit alongside your life commitments, and we'll be there every step of the way with high-quality training and ongoing support. We're committed to fulfilling our promise to deliver quality RI to schools. Get involved today - Go to www.christianri.org.au
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 of 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 suits your needs or bring something warm to put on. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
HOSPITAL CALLS - AROUND THE DEANERY -
HELP THE PRIESTS OF THE DEANERY RESPOND TO URGENT CALLS EFFECTIVELY BY CALLING THE FOLLOWING PARISHES FIRST RESPONDERS TO NEEDS WITHIN THE HOSPITALS LISTED.
To efficiently 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
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
A VOCATION VIEW: GIFTS OF PRICELESS VALUE
Jesus said: "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of people." Today he could say: "I will make you mechanics of souls; doctors of wounded hearts, counsellors of broken families; clowns in a joyless society." But regardless, Come. To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION - TRUE GENEROSITY
“He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed Him.”Matthew 4:22
Just as Jesus called the first apostles, He calls each of us to follow Him, too. Not everyone is called to leave their business or family behind, but we are expected to put God first in everything. In gratitude to God, we should give our first and best of everything to Him: our time in daily prayer, our talent in participating in one of our parish ministries and our treasure to support the financial needs of our parish mission.
The vision of Stewardship speaks in every aspect of life, inviting everyone to be thankful, generous and accountable for what each has been given.
PRAYERS IN THANKSGIVING FOR THE 50th Anniversary of the Profession of Sister of Charity Sr Leone Whitmack, in Northern Territory.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK: Margaret Buckingham, Nathan Lepp, Betty O’Connell, Margaret & George Cook, Geraldine Daniels, Diane & Steve Land, John & Molly Robinson, Peter Barry, Phil Bawden, Kath Kiely, Natalie O’Reilly, John Nathaniel Maher, Peter O’Brien, Betty Taylor, Rosie May Fisher, Denise Tracey, Millicent Monteiro, Sally Gage, Jean Di Benedetto, Sebastian Condon, Maria Manuela, Rogelio Rodriguez, Gus Reeves, Patrick Joven de Leon, Baby Samuel Timothy, Maria Yuna, Peter Lofts, Maria Teresa Gutierrez, 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, Jack Barretto, Doug Chester, Kathy Stevens, Nellie Bellinger, Leslie Clarke, Kristy Peat, Anna Janiek, Andrew McPherson, Louise Holmes, Fred Grioli, Lynn Nunan, Elaine Casonati, Kim Parkes, Cecily Cellinan, Kevin Brennan, Margaret Cusack, Fabiola Menzs. And all suffering from Covid-19 and its effects.
RECENTLY DECEASED: Yvonne Sheekey, Patrick O’Connell, Baby Georgia Roberts-Farr, Teresa Duffy (Co. Sligo, Ireland), Enzo Palmieri, Pamela Elane Shelton, Sylvia Sciberras, Manuel Dos Santos, John Mandile, William Fouad Gazal, Noreen Jessie Patterson, Dell Bloomfield, Lionel Duggan, William Patrick, Konrad Dziurdziak, Baby Luciana Alvarez Rivera, Constable Matthew Arnold, Constable Rachel McCrow, Alan Dare, Brian Quinlan, Maureen Jobling, Dao Jensen, Del Lange, Eleanor Wilson, Felix Grech, Maria Magdalena Bizzotto, C. L. Kennedy, Helen Margaret White, Dorothy Whiteman, Donald Greenwood, Paul Broughton, Jan Falk, Bernece Brown, David Joshua Maher, Michael Thomas Fitzgerald, Julio Enrique Astorga, Dr Michael Tracey, Joseph Horvatt, Ian Marco Mazic, John Bastable, Jameal Tooma, Clare Hammond, Anthony Hendry, Pauline Dolan, Ray Burton.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: Joe Habib, Maria Beer, Ivan Michael Clark, Albert Antonio Vosti, Johann Ofner, Trevor Raymond Kar, Kenneth Charles Emmerton, Kath Power, Paul Anthony Zappa, Peter Bernardi, Stan Hancock, Nicola Di Giannantonio, Gloria Klaasen, Susan-Gai Walsh, Margaret Anne Browning, Manuel Dos Santos, Armando Covino, Kenneth John (Ken) Maccheroni, Anne Elizabeth Carney, John Pascoe, Jeffrey Eric Fittler, Klaus Diga, Dr David Lee, Len Scully.
And also: Margaret Cooper, Enid Cox, Kent Moray, Harold Alexander, Leonie Jackson, Ignatius Ngati, Jim Zadcko, Brendan David Fitzhardinge Berkeley, Margaret Paterson, Garth Stanley Rippin, Thomas Stephen Carney, Ronald John Grigalius, Brian Miller, Antonio Falcone, Rafael Toda, Thomas Lloyd Muggleton, Helena Lema, Martin Voldosola, Joan Denise Hegerty, Christine Lucy Harding, Stanley James Jackson, Michael Samuel, Joseph Nicholas (Joe) Friedman, Alfredo Boluso, David John Newlands, Rita Conway, Terry Conway, Rebecca Duazo, Deris Eunice Howell, Joan Cumner, Joe Borg, Josephine Lenaghan, Nell McLeod, Grazyna Palac, Raymond Cezerẽ (Ray) Hoareau, Wally Bereth, Del O’Neill, Martin James (Jim) Kerlin, William Rankin Birmingham, Ted Llewellen, Margaret Mary Byrnes, Margaret (Peg) Byrnes.
TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH - There is strength in gentleness
Francis de Sales is famous for his gentleness. He used it on his stubborn father, convincing him he was meant to become a priest instead of a lawyer. It was a virtue Francis tapped to win hardened Calvinists back to the Catholic faith following the Protestant Reformation, a time of much bitterness. Explaining that a “spoonful of honey gathers more flies than a barrel full of vinegar,” Saint Francis practised what he preached by greeting everyone with simple kindness, speaking good-naturedly about the goodness, truth, and beauty of the Catholic faith. “Be who you are and be that well,” he reminds us in Introduction to the Devout Life. “Behold, I come to do your will, O God.” (Hebrews 10:1-10). SIGN UP FOR "TAKE FIVE" DAILY ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
MASK WEARING:
The risk of Flu and Covid virus is still present. There are quite a few vulnerable people in our community, so please consider using masks and hand sanitiser and reasonable social distancing where possible is still highly prudent. If you feel unwell, please stay home until you feel better.
The requirement to attend masses, even Holy Days of obligation, remains suspended.
No formal times for reconciliation are scheduled to ensure minimum crowd density. Venial sin is remitted by Eucharist, as also are acts of personal penance and contrition. Reconciliation is available by prior appointment - avoiding peak holiday times and Solemnities.
APPEAL FOR UKRAINE - In Ukraine. Find out more at: https://www.caritas.org.au/donate/ukraine-appeal/
A message from Aid to the Church in Need Australia: ACN is the Pontifical Foundation dedicated to supporting the suffering and persecuted Church.
Aid to the Church in Need is asking for support to aid sisters in Kenya in building a new mother house and formation centre for their local community. Hunger, illiteracy, and lack of medical provision, combined with desperately poor roads and a lack of clean drinking water make life incredibly difficult for many people in Kenya. The diocesan congregation of the "Visitation Daughters of the Immaculate Heart" were established in order to help this needy population - but to continue their work they need your help! The sisters' work includes caring for expectant mothers, acting as midwives, providing counselling, caring for the sick and looking after the elderly and orphans who are frequently abandoned by society. Your support will help these sisters to continue their mission by providing them with a permanent convent. To make an offering and learn more visit https://aidtochurch.org/monthlyproject or scan the Qr code.
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 - 20 October 2023
The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation for the Surfers Paradise Parish will be on the evening of 20 October 2023.
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, then Eucharist and lastly, Reconciliation). The Sacramental Journey in our parish 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 for each child) is available at our website www.surfersparadiseparish.com.au.
Once on the website, use the drop-down menu under Sacraments, then click on Confirmation; scroll down the page to the Children’s Sacramental Program Application Form. Next, please complete the orange and red form and click Submit. You will receive an automated email indicating 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 the required meetings and documentation.
Please continue regularly checking the parish newsletter for Confirmation updates and further information.
Sacrament of EUCHARIST - First HOLY COMMUNION - Either May 28 at 11:00 am or June 4 at 11:00 am, 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.
First Holy Communion for those who were confirmed in Surfers Paradise Parish in 2022... Children in Year 4 or greater who received the Sacrament of Confirmation in Surfers Paradise Parish in 2022 are automatically included in preparation for their First Holy Communion in 2023. During Term 1, 2023, parents of these children will receive an email inviting them and their child to participate in the Preparation for First Holy Communion. In the next month, you will receive an email from our Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson, andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au This will contain information including dates for meetings relating to the preparation.
First Holy Communion for those new to our parish in 2023...
Parents of children in Year 4 or greater who have been baptised and confirmed elsewhere are invited to enrol their children in the continuing Sacramental Journey (Baptism, Confirmation, First Holy Communion and Reconciliation) with Surfers Paradise Parish. 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 the Children’s Sacramental Program Application Form. Next, please complete the orange and red form and click Submit. You will receive an automated email indicating that your form has been received. In the next month, you will receive an email from our Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson, andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au providing further details regarding meetings and documentation concerning the At Home Preparation Program.
Please continue checking the parish newsletter regularly for First Holy Communion updates and further information, or contact our Sacramental Coordinator at andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au
Sacrament of PENANCE - RECONCILIATION November 9 at 5:30 pm, 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 who 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.
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
If we thought that the infant church was more filled with the Spirit.,… more united…… more idyllic than ours today….. The second reading quickly brings us back to reality…
Back in New Testament times, the Corinthian community had just as many misunderstandings, conflicts, personality clashes and power plays and ego clashes as one can see in modern society. At the time of Paul's letter to them, the Corinthian community was quite divided…. It was bickering and fragmenting…. Ambition, pride, political wrangling, and misunderstanding were damaging the community… and the second reading tells us that people were taking sides along the lines of various personalities in the community. Instead of the message of Jesus' Gospel… Saint Paul implored the community members to remember their unity in Jesus… So that we put our service in the hands of Jesus' good news, St Paul reminds us that fostering a sense of unity – that is, seeing ourselves as all on about one and the same mission, one single project with different aspects - this mindset is absolutely essential.
The calling of the disciples is a wonderful example to us of a disciple's response and having a deeper metaphorical meaning…. Jesus called his disciples, and they dropped everything and followed him immediately, leaving everything behind. They did this literally and also figuratively… They left their previous life behind and its attachments, and also they – in a sense – forgot themselves and their own plans and ambitions and followed a new path of being on about Christ's vision.
Saint Paul, in the second reading, continues this theme of self-forgetting and Christ-focusing! If there is to be any ambition (as St Paul puts it elsewhere in his writings)….it must only be the ambition to support each other and all others - In Christ - with all our hearts... If there is to be any competition in the Christian community… it is only to be trying to excel in truly showing each other, mutually, the kindness and compassion of Christ and by striving with all our effort at working together with our vision looking outward and forward, towards the goal Our Lord himself has set…..... St Paul, when he says this, knew that this was not always easy... It requires sacrifice, humility and real dedication... (division can occur for different reasons.. people may genuinely disagree on how to achieve a goal or a value… but as St Paul says in another letter, the answer to such dilemmas goes down to the fundamental debt we have to one another….….(this time to the Roman community of believers)…
The only thing we owe each other is this….- the debt of mutual love …… And everything we do, everything we say, must be for the furtherance of Christ's gospel, at the service of the establishment of God's Kingdom, and never merely our own needs and ambitions. We are all "for Christ" and not for anything else or anyone else.
Jesus is the light... In baptism, we are called to carry this 'light of Christ to others.....
Jesus shone his own divine light on others by forgiving, healing, welcoming, sharing, inviting and giving.....we think about the many ways we are invited to bring Christ's light to others... And especially in all we do and say ….to make the light of Christ shine brighter in us, through us, and be seen at work in the community....... On this Australia Day long weekend, we give thanks for all the wonderful gifts we have received in this country... The gifts we have, are given to share...... Striving to be united in one purpose and heart.
References: Fr Paul W. Kelly; Barclay, W. (1975). The Gospel of Matthew. Part I. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press.
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 628135922 - ANTWERP, BELGIUM - APRIL 22, 2017: Stained Glass window in the 15th Century Elzenveld Chapel in Antwerp, Belgium, depicting Jesus Calling Four Fishermen to Follow Him Important information. Editorial Use Only.Photo Contributor: jorisvo
To listen to the Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) - https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
Also found at - https://tinyurl.
St Francis de Sales
“The measure of love is to love without measure.”
“Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them—every day begin the task anew.”
“Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.”
“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit.
Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.
What is anything in life compared to the peace of soul?”
“If, when stung by slander or ill-nature, we wax proud and swell with anger, it is a proof that our gentleness and humility are unreal and mere artificial show.”
“The same everlasting Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and every day.
Either he will shield you from suffering or give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings.”
“The truly patient man neither complains of his hard lot nor desires to be pitied by others. He speaks of his sufferings in a natural, true, and sincere way, without murmuring, complaining, or exaggerating them.”
“Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself...do not be disheartened by your imperfections, but always rise up with fresh courage.”
“God takes pleasure to see you take your little steps; and like a good father who holds his child by the hand, He will accommodate His steps to yours and will be content to go no faster than you. Why do you worry?”
“You learn to speak by speaking, study by studying, run by running, work by working; and just so, learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves.”
“Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually: The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart has trusted in Him, and I am helped. He is not only with me but in me, and I in Him.”
“It is a fact that people are always well aware of what is due them. Unfortunately, they remain oblivious of what they owe to others.”
“The many troubles in your household will tend to your edification if you strive to bear them all in gentleness, patience, and kindness. Keep this before you, and constantly remember that God's loving eyes are upon you amid all these little worries and vexations, watching whether you take them as He desires. Offer up all such occasions to Him, and if sometimes you are put out, and give way to impatience, do not be discouraged, but make haste to regain your lost composure.”
“Fits of anger, vexation, and bitterness against ourselves tend to pride, and they spring from no other source than self-love, which is disturbed and upset at seeing that it is imperfect.”
“During the night, we must wait for the light.”
“Do not become upset when difficulty comes your way. Laugh in its face and know that you are in the hands of God.”
“Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections.”
“Examine your heart often to see if it is such toward your neighbour as you would like his to be toward you were you in his place. This is the touchstone of true reason.”
“The whole world is not worth one soul.”
“Make friends with the invisible angels who are always with you. Often invoke them, constantly praise them, and use their help and assistance in all your temporal and spiritual affairs.”
“Certainly all virtues are very dear to God, but humility pleases Him above all the others, and it seems that He can refuse it nothing.”
“Humility consists in not esteeming ourselves above other men, and is not seeking to be esteemed above them.”
“It is wonderful how attractive a gentle, pleasant manner is, and how much it wins hearts.”
“Truly it is a blessing to love on earth as we hope to love in Heaven, and to begin that friendship here which is to endure forever there.”
“Do not think that you will be able to succeed in your affairs by your own efforts, but only by the assistance of God; and on setting out, consign yourself to His care, believing that He will do that which will be best for you.”
“Our possessions are not ours- God has given them to us to cultivate, that we may make them fruitful and profitable in His Service, and so doing we shall please Him.”
“Have Jesus always for your patron, His Cross for a mast on which you must spread your resolutions as a sail. Your anchor shall be a profound confidence in Him, and you shall sail prosperously.”
“Let us walk ... joyously, dear souls, among the difficulties of this passing life ... These pains will end when our life ends, after which there will be only joy, contentment, and eternal consolation.”
“We all colour devotion according to our own likings and dispositions. One man sets great value on fasting, and believes himself to be leading a very devout life, so long as he fasts rigorously, although while his heart is full of bitterness;–and while he will not moisten his lips with wine, perhaps not even with water, in his great abstinence, he does not scruple to steep them in his neighbour’s blood, through slander and detraction.”
January 25 - F - The Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
This date, first linked with the conversion of Saint Paul in the so-called Martyrdom of Jerome (c. 431), became established in the liturgy of Gaul. Celebrates the work of God's grace at a major turning point in the life of Paul himself and in the history of the infant Church.
Acts 9 tells the story in a third-person narrative: As he neared Damascus on his journey, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Paul got up from the ground, but he could see nothing when he opened his eyes. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days, he was blind and did not eat or drink anything. — Acts 9:3–9, NIV[13]
January 26 - Australia Day
(From the Preface of Australia Day)
From ancient times, you made this land
a home for many peoples
and became their rock of strength;
when they were hungry, you gave them food,
and when thirsty, water even in the desert.
To all, your providence has proclaimed
the Good News of Jesus Christ, your Son,
sent by you to be the Saviour of all the world,
who has brought peace by his sacrifice on the Cross.
And so, we lift our voices to you this day,
and with the people you have made your own,
from every race and tongue, every place and time.
we join in the song of the Angels in heaven
January 27 - m - Saint Angela Merici, virgin
Born in Desenzano (Italy) about 1474. Died in Brescia on this day in 1540. Became a Franciscan tertiary and subsequently founded the Company of Saint Ursula (Ursulines). Her vision provided an alternative to the forms of religious life available for women: members remained in their own homes, living as virgins and observing a rule she composed. She is remembered as a woman of prayer, for her evangelical way of life, for her pilgrimages, and for her creative response to the needs of women in the Church.
Quotes:
You will accomplish more by kind words and a courteous manner than by anger or sharp rebuke, which should never be used except in necessity.
Do not lose heart, even if you should discover that you lack the qualities necessary for the work to which you are called. He who called you will not desert you, but he will stretch out his saving hand when you are in need.
Strive to be faithful to that which God has called you.
Reflect that, in reality, you have a greater need to serve [the poor] than they have of your service.
Beware of trying to accomplish anything by force.
We must give alms. Charity wins souls and draws them to virtue.
Keep to the ancient way and custom of the Church, established and confirmed by so many Saints under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And live a new life. Pray, and get others to pray, that God does not abandon His Church, but reform it as He pleases, and as He sees best for us, and more to His honour and glory.
©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
POPE FRANCIS: (From Amoris Laetitia)
POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION AMORIS LÆTITIA OF THE HOLY FATHER, FRANCIS
(19 March, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, in the year 2016).
Pastoral care for families “need to make it clear that the Gospel of the family responds to the deepest expectations of the human person: a response to each one’s dignity and fulfilment in reciprocity, communion and fruitfulness. This consists not merely in presenting a set of rules, but in proposing values that are clearly needed today, even in the most secularised of countries”. (201)
“The main contribution to the pastoral care of families is offered by the parish, which is the family of families, where small communities, ecclesial movements and associations live in harmony”.232 Along with a pastoral outreach aimed specifically at families, this shows the need for “a more adequate formation... of priests, deacons, men and women religious, catechists and other pastoral workers”.233 In the replies to the worldwide consultation, it became clear that ordained ministers often lack the training to deal with the complex problems currently facing families. (202)
Seminarians should receive a more extensive interdisciplinary, and not merely doctrinal, formation in engagement and marriage. It is helpful for seminarians to combine time in the seminary with time spent in parishes. There they can have greater contact with the concrete realities of family life since in their future ministry they will largely be dealing with families. "The presence of lay people, families and especially the presence of women in priestly formation, promotes an appreciation of the diversity and complementarily of the different vocations in the Church". (203)
I encourage Christian communities to recognize the great benefit that they themselves receive from supporting engaged couples as they grow in love. There are a number of legitimate ways to structure programmes of marriage preparation, and each local Church will discern how best to provide a suitable formation without distancing young people from the sacrament. Here too, "it is not great knowledge, but rather the ability feel and relish things interiorly that contents and satisfies the soul". (207)
Those best prepared for marriage are probably those who learned what Christian marriage is from their own parents, who chose each other unconditionally and daily renew this decision. Nor should we underestimate the pastoral value of traditional religious practices. To give just one example: I think of Saint Valentine's Day; in some countries, commercial interests are quicker to see the potential of this celebration than are we in the Church. (208)
Both short-term and long-term marriage preparation should ensure that the couple does not view the wedding ceremony as the end of the road but instead embark upon marriage as a life-long calling based on a firm and realistic decision to face all trials and difficult moments together. (211)
The spouses come to the wedding ceremony exhausted and harried rather than focused and ready for the great step they are about to take. The same kind of preoccupation with a big celebration also affects certain de facto unions; because of the expenses involved, the couple never gets married. Here let me say a word to fiancés. Have the courage to be different. Don't let yourselves get swallowed up by a society of consumption and empty appearance. What is important is the love you share, strengthened and sanctified by grace. (212)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 165469175 - Vatican City, Rome, Italy - Pope Francis on the popemobile send a kiss to the faithful in St. Peter's Square. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: neneo
BIBLE STUDY
My name is Ashley, and with the blessing of Father Peter I would like to initiate a bible study/prayer group here at the Surfers Paradise Parish, locally at St Vincent’s Church.
This will initially be on a trial period, and prayerfully if successful, we should be able to continue with this group indefinitely.
I was involved with a similar bible study prayer group at the Ipswich Catholic Parish where Father Peter was one of the priests that allowed that prayer group to participate and continue with this bible study/ prayer group.
I had facilitated the bible study prayer group for several years before moving down here to Surfers Paradise recently, and I dearly miss having the fellowship with the people of that community.
We will be reading/studying Break Open the Word once a week on a Friday evening from 5 pm to 6 pm commencing on Friday 10th February, please keep this important date in mind. When studying the Break Open the Word book it helped me to remember the readings for the upcoming Sunday service and to enjoy fellowship with other Catholics.
There will be questions about what we will be reading. In the end, we will all leave the study session being like-minded, and what I look forward too is to seeing if we are on the same page regarding what the priests will be talking about/reflecting on with the readings that we studied on the previous Friday evening. Thank you once again. Ashley - Keys 0409840693
WANTED: Carer to share a house with an elderly lady in a retirement village at Nerang.
Companion for her and to be around for a night for peace of mind - since losing her husband on Boxing Day. Free rent - in exchange for care and companionship, mainly from late afternoon to morning. We have daytime carers set up, so it's not a full-time role. Contact Steve Wisby at 0418751637.
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 is
23/1/2023 Eileen and Julian Camara - Nerang
30/1/2023 Blanche Braganza & Family - Benowa
6/2/2023 Blanche Braganza & Family - Benowa
ART AND CRAFT GROUP - (Resumed).
The Group meets in the Parish Hospitality Centre on Wednesdays from 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.
THE SACRED HEART BRIDGE CLUB- (Resumed)
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 at 5538 8821 or Mob at 0417 772 701.
EXERCISE CLASS - LOW IMPACT - FOR HEART HEALTH -
(Resumes on 24 January 2023)
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.
MEDITATION PRAYER GROUP (Resumes 7 February 2023)
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 at 0428090703.
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 two 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.
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 well-being. 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.
ITALIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES FOR ADULTS
GOLD COAST DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY
2/18 FAIRWAY DRIVE, CLEAR ISLAND WATERS
ENROLMENTS in ROOMS 4.30 - 6 P.M. TUESDAY 17 JANUARY.
CLASSES FOR ALL LEVELS COMMENCE END OF JANUARY.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CALL RITA ON 55270797
OR GIOVANNA ON 55395528.
SURVEY INTO ARCHDIOCESE WEBSITE…….
The Archdiocese would appreciate your feedback by completing this short survey about how you access Catholic content. Your answers to the survey will help the Archdiocese do a better job of connecting you with the content you would like to see more of. Please click the link to complete the survey http://bit.ly/3VHEkcl
https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/careers/
The Archdiocese of Brisbane has standards of conduct for workers to maintain a safe and healthy environment for children. Our commitment to these standards requires conducting working with children checks and background referencing for all persons who will engage in direct and regular involvement with children and young people (0 - 18 years) and/or vulnerable adults. The organisation is fully committed to child safety and has zero tolerance for abusing children or vulnerable adults.
SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF POPE FRANCIS’ GROUNDBREAKING LETTER - LAUDATO SI’ - An excerpt from the Pope’s groundbreaking Encyclical.
CHAPTER FOUR - INTEGRAL ECOLOGY
137. Since everything is closely interrelated, and today’s problems call for a vision capable of taking into account every aspect of the global crisis, I suggest that we now consider some elements of an integral ecology, one which clearly respects its human and social dimensions.
I. ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ECOLOGY
138. Ecology studies the relationship between living organisms and the environment in which they develop. This necessarily entails reflection and debate about the conditions required for the life and survival of society, and the honesty needed to question certain models of development, production and consumption. It cannot be emphasized enough how everything is interconnected. Time and space are not independent of one another, and not even atoms or subatomic particles can be considered in isolation. Just as the different aspects of the planet – physical, chemical and biological – are interrelated, so too living species are part of a network which we will never fully explore and understand. A good part of our genetic code is shared by many living beings. It follows that the fragmentation of knowledge and the isolation of bits of information can actually become a form of ignorance, unless they are integrated into a broader vision of reality.
139. When we speak of the “environment”, what we really mean is a relationship existing between nature and the society which lives in it. Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live. We are part of nature, included in it and thus in constant interaction with it. Recognizing the reasons why a given area is polluted requires a study of the workings of society, its economy, its behaviour patterns, and the ways it grasps reality. Given the scale of change, it is no longer possible to find a specific, discrete answer for each part of the problem. It is essential to seek comprehensive solutions which consider the interactions within natural systems themselves and with social systems. We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental. Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.
140. Due to the number and variety of factors to be taken into account when determining the environmental impact of a concrete undertaking, it is essential to give researchers their due role, to facilitate their interaction, and to ensure broad academic freedom. Ongoing research should also give us a better understanding of how different creatures relate to one another in making up the larger units which today we term “ecosystems”. We take these systems into account not only to determine how best to use them, but also because they have an intrinsic value independent of their usefulness. Each organism, as a creature of God, is good and admirable in itself; the same is true of the harmonious ensemble of organisms existing in a defined space and functioning as a system. Although we are often not aware of it, we depend on these larger systems for our own existence. We need only recall how ecosystems interact in dispersing carbon dioxide, purifying water, controlling illnesses and epidemics, forming soil, breaking down waste, and in many other ways which we overlook or simply do not know about. Once they become conscious of this, many people realize that we live and act on the basis of a reality which has previously been given to us, which precedes our existence and our abilities. So, when we speak of “sustainable use”, consideration must always be given to each ecosystem’s regenerative ability in its different areas and aspects.
141. Economic growth, for its part, tends to produce predictable reactions and a certain standardization with the aim of simplifying procedures and reducing costs. This suggests the need for an “economic ecology” capable of appealing to a broader vision of reality. The protection of the environment is in fact “an integral part of the development process and cannot be considered in isolation from it”.[114] We urgently need a humanism capable of bringing together the different fields of knowledge, including economics, in the service of a more integral and integrating vision. Today, the analysis of environmental problems cannot be separated from the analysis of human, family, work-related and urban contexts, nor from how individuals relate to themselves, which leads in turn to how they relate to others and to the environment. There is an interrelation between ecosystems and between the various spheres of social interaction, demonstrating yet again that “the whole is greater than the part”.[115]
142. If everything is related, then the health of a society’s institutions has consequences for the environment and the quality of human life. “Every violation of solidarity and civic friendship harms the environment”.[116] In this sense, social ecology is necessarily institutional, and gradually extends to the whole of society, from the primary social group, the family, to the wider local, national and international communities. Within each social stratum, and between them, institutions develop to regulate human relationships. Anything which weakens those institutions has negative consequences, such as injustice, violence and loss of freedom. A number of countries have a relatively low level of institutional effectiveness, which results in greater problems for their people while benefiting those who profit from this situation. Whether in the administration of the state, the various levels of civil society, or relationships between individuals themselves, lack of respect for the law is becoming more common. Laws may be well framed yet remain a dead letter. Can we hope, then, that in such cases, legislation and regulations dealing with the environment will really prove effective? We know, for example, that countries which have clear legislation about the protection of forests continue to keep silent as they watch laws repeatedly being broken. Moreover, what takes place in any one area can have a direct or indirect influence on other areas. Thus, for example, drug use in affluent societies creates a continual and growing demand for products imported from poorer regions, where behaviour is corrupted, lives are destroyed, and the environment continues to deteriorate.
LOOKING FORWARD: 2023-2025
The celebration of an ordinary Jubilee, (the next of which is 2025), entails years of preparation because of the demands involved in such an event. In these years of preparation, it is especially important to provide the particular Churches scattered throughout the world with tools that foster pastoral care that will most effectively convey the dynamic momentum necessary so that the Jubilee can be a truly ecclesial event that sustains faith and is a precursor for evangelisation.
Pope Francis has asked that these two years leading up to the Jubilee be focused on particular themes.
The year 2023 will be devoted to revisiting the fundamental topics of the four Constitutions so that the Church can breathe anew the profound and timely teaching produced by Vatican II, whose 60th anniversary will be celebrated on October 11th, 2023. For this reason, a series of user-friendly resources, written in an appealing language, are being produced to arouse curiosity in those who have no memory of the event and to help them enter into the essence of the Council to discover the innovative longing that enabled the Church to enter the third millennium of its history consciously.
https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/it/logo.html
https://www.exaudi.org/jubilee-2025/
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 our Indigenous people's memories, traditions, culture and hopes. We pay tribute to those who have contributed to the community's life in many ways. We affirm our commitment to justice, healing, and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
(see further: The Kombumerri People and https://kombumerritogetherproject.com/digital-resources/yugambeh-language/)
Commitment To Child Safety and Vulnerable-Adult Safety …….
See overleaf…….
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