PDF version of this parish newsletter here:
Also, you can access an online copy of the newsletter *here*
“And there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.” Matthew 2:9-10.
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Vector ID: 2075919649 - Christmas Nativity scene. Hand-drawn background illustration. Vector EPS10. Vector Contributor: lukbar
PASTOR’S POST - Five of the Best
I am one of those very fortunate people who from the very first time I learnt my ABCs (and the other 23 letters), I have enjoyed the way that these letters connect with each other to form words, and then sentences and then paragraphs. In other words, I have always enjoyed reading. I am in awe of the way so many gifted people are able to draw word pictures, so that I can broaden my own experience of life and the world.
Ever since I happened upon the wondrous Enid Blyton’s Famous Five and Secret Seven adventures, did I understand that if we can’t have the range of escapades ourselves, we can live them vicariously through others. Perhaps it’s because I have a rather vivid imagination that I have been able to immerse myself in what is taking place on the written page. I feel very blessed that this love of words and their possibilities has never left me, such that if I’m reading books in my room or listening to them while I drive, I can be transported to places and experiences that thrill, challenge, frustrate and excite me – sometimes in the one book. To this end I thought I would like to share my five favourite books of ’22. By favourite, I mean memorable, and by five I mean the ones which rose to the top of the list of the 33 three books I have read last year or simply applied the “50 page” rule. This list does not include some excellent books that I refer to as “spiritual reading” or work-related books. These will get a mention in a later post.
Without doubt, my number one book was This is Happiness by Niall Williams. Transporting us to rural Ireland in the 1950s where a teenager called No, short for Noel, comes to live with his grandparents in a small village without electricity called FaHa. As he reflects on this time, now as an old man, he recalls the wonder of religion, village life and the rich wisdom and wit of this precious time, as the villagers decide if the electricity is going to be connected. A time that will never be repeated. (I have bought ten copies of this book to give to fellow readers and have only one copy left, hidden where it will never be found, even by me.)
The next one was The Echo Chamber by John Boyne. Another Irish writer, but a complete opposite to my previous selection. A well-positioned family of imperfect people all get caught up in the perils of social media in different and hilarious ways, too outlandish to summarise, but an absolute joy to follow the travails of this over-privileged and extremely politically-incorrect group of people. It strengthened my resolve never to be on Facebook.
In need of something that could transport me to another time, I found the prequel to my favourite book of all time, Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett. (a big call, I know). This house-brick 800 pager, titled The Evening and the Morning, set in the Middle Ages introduces us to a young boat builder, a Norman noble woman and a very capable monk who through a range of events triumph over enormous adversity to bring about significant change in the lives of those in their care. (I’m a sucker for a happy ending).
Still Life by Sarah Winman follows some truly loyal friends through post-World War II Italy who discover the richness of art, the joy of dinners with friends and the wonder of non-judgmental support, as they find their way to reconnections later in life. No friendship is wasted was the lesson I took from the book. It was my surprise find for the year containing my favourite sentence of the year “My mother was the knot that stopped the unravelling of our family”.
I’m now going to cheat a bit when I say five books, (I’m a reader, not a mathematician) and admit to reading all 8 books by English author Mick Herron, who authored the secret agent Slow Horses series. A group of misfits and dropouts from British MI5, now banished to work out of Slough House (hence they are called ‘slow horses’), who succeed in solving the mysteries that have eluded the big wigs at the headquarters of British Intelligence. While some of the language is a bit colourful, the relationship of these troubled souls under the leadership of a most unpleasant and sarcastic boss, fed my love of a thriller with a good peppering of wit.
I think I hear you wondering how I found the time to read so many books over the year, but can I remind you that there is some reward for single people who have no children, plus the fact that I have finally removed the television from my bedroom. Time can be found for the important things.
Fr Peter Dillon PP
Rest in Peace Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI - (16th April 1927-31st December 2022)
Eternal Rest grant to him, O Lord. And May perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in Peace. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI –
(Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger)
(16th April 1927-31st December 2022)
Pope Benedict XVI from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013.
Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger was born on 16 April, Holy Saturday, 1927, at Schulstraße 11, at 8:30 in the morning in his parents' home in Marktl, Bavaria, Germany. He was baptised the same day.
Ordination to Diaconate 29 October 1950
Ordination to the priesthood - 29 June 1951
Consecration as archbishop - 28 May 1977
Created cardinal - 27 June 1977 by Paul VI
Elected Pope 19 April 2005
Retired from role as Pope 28 February 2013
Entered Eternal life 31 December 2022
He was made a full professor in 1958 at the age of 31. After a long career as a professor of theology at several German universities, he was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising and created a cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1977
In 1981, he was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, one of the most important dicasteries of the Roman Curia. From 2002 until his election as pope, he was also Dean of the College of Cardinals. Prior to becoming pope, he was "a major figure on the Vatican stage for a quarter of a century"
He was a priest, bishop, pope, author, professor, theologian and pianist.
His Motto- “Cooperators of the Truth”
POPE BENEDICT'S SPIRITUAL TESTAMENT
Every Pope soon after they are appointed write a Spiritual Testament to be released upon their death. Here is Pope Emeritus Benedict’s Testament,
The Vatican on Saturday evening published the Spiritual Testament of Benedict XVI, written on Aug. 29, 2006, one year and four months into his pontificate. (translated: CNA)
“My spiritual testament
If in this late hour of my life I look back at the decades I have been through, first I see how many reasons I have to give thanks. First and foremost I thank God himself, the giver of every good gift, who gave me life and guided me through various confusing times; always picking me up whenever I began to slip and always giving me again the light of his face. In retrospect I see and understand that even the dark and tiring stretches of this journey were for my salvation and that it was in them that He guided me well.
I thank my parents, who gave me life in a difficult time and who, at the cost of great sacrifice, with their love prepared for me a magnificent abode that, like clear light, illuminates all my days to this day. My father’s lucid faith taught us children to believe, and as a signpost it has always been steadfast in the midst of all my scientific acquisitions; the profound devotion and great goodness of my mother represent a legacy for which I can never give thanks enough. My sister has assisted me for decades selflessly and with affectionate care; my brother, with the lucidity of his judgments, his vigorous resolve and serenity of heart, has always paved the way for me; without this constant preceding and accompanying me I could not have found the right path.
From my heart I thank God for the many friends, men and women, whom He has always placed at my side; for the collaborators in all the stages of my journey; for the teachers and students He has given me. I gratefully entrust them all to His goodness. And I want to thank the Lord for my beautiful homeland in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, in which I have always seen the splendour of the Creator Himself shining through. I thank the people of my homeland because in them I have been able again and again to experience the beauty of faith. I pray that our land remains a land of faith, and I beg you, dear countrymen: Do not let yourselves be turned away from the faith. And finally I thank God for all the beauty I have been able to experience at all the phases of my journey, especially, however, in Rome and in Italy, which has become my second homeland.
To all those whom I have wronged in any way, I heartily ask for forgiveness.
What I said before to my countrymen, I now say to all those in the Church who have been entrusted to my service: Stand firm in the faith! Do not let yourselves be confused! It often seems that science — the natural sciences on the one hand and historical research (especially exegesis of Sacred Scripture) on the other — are able to offer irrefutable results at odds with the Catholic faith. I have experienced the transformations of the natural sciences since long ago and have been able to see how, on the contrary, apparent certainties against the faith have vanished, proving to be not science, but philosophical interpretations only apparently pertaining to science; just as, on the other hand, it is in dialogue with the natural sciences that faith, too, has learned to understand better the limit of the scope of its claims, and thus its specificity. It is now sixty years that I have been accompanying the journey of Theology, particularly of the Biblical Sciences, and with the succession of different generations I have seen theses that seemed unshakable collapse, proving to be mere hypotheses: the liberal generation (Harnack, Jülicher etc.), the existentialist generation (Bultmann etc.), the Marxist generation. I saw and see how out of the tangle of assumptions the reasonableness of faith emerged and emerges again. Jesus Christ is truly the way, the truth and the life — and the Church, with all its insufficiencies, is truly His body.
Finally, I humbly ask: Pray for me, so that the Lord, despite all my sins and insufficiencies, welcomes me into the eternal dwellings. To all those entrusted to me, day by day, my heartfelt prayer goes out.” (testament ends).
Psalm 42 (Longing for God and God’s Help in Distress)
1 As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold, the face of God? 3 My tears have been my food, day and night,
while people say to me continually, ‘Where is your God?’ 4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul:
how I went with the throng,[a] and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help 6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep, at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows, have gone over me.
8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night, his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my rock, ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?’ 10 As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, ‘Where is your God?’ 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my saviour and my God.
ST VINCENT de PAUL CHRISTMAS APPEAL
Thanks to the local St Vincent de Paul conference and all the wonderful helpers. Thanks, also, to the community for the wonderful work and help in donating, preparing, and delivering the Christmas hampers to many needy families. Thanks, too, for the donations to the work of the local conference for all-year support. This is Christianity in action at its best. Should you wish to understand more about our conference's good works or have any questions, you can email our conference at sv4217@svdpqld.org.au, or the President Craig.McMahon@svdpqld.org.au,
or the Treasurer Adrian.Biermann@svdpqld.org.au.
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT FOR JANUARY 2023
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for First Friday, 6th January 2023, at Sacred Heart Church from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. All welcome. Enquiries: Helen 0421935678.
"Could you not watch one hour with Me?" MT 26:40
FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH MASS, ADORATION AND BENEDICTION
Saturday 7th of January 2023. At 9 am. Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters.
SHALOM - ADORATION OF THE SACRAMENT - with Fr Paul- please see video link below - https://youtu.be/iRc0x1W1CYo
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
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
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Vector ID: 340202321 - Christmas star and the birth of Jesus, illustration. Vector Contributor: losw
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
A HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR
Shutterstock Licensed Image: Stock Vector ID: 1552511834 - People celebrating Christmas in summer partying on the beach and exchanging gifts - Vector Contributor: elenabsl
A VOCATION VIEW: GIFTS OF PRICELESS VALUE
More valuable than material gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, is the invaluable gift of our lives. There is no greater gift than to lay down one's life for one's friends. 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
“Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11
The image of the Magi kneeling before the infant Jesus and opening their treasure chests for Him is an image that we should all try to follow each day.In gratitude for all that we have been given, we are called to generously share all of our gifts, not just the ones we pick and choose.God wants us to be generous with everything, but especially that one thing that means the most to us.
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: 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, Betty & Patrick O’Connell, Margaret & George Cook, 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: 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, Fr Dennis Riley, Julio Enrique Astorga, Dr Michael Tracey, Joseph Horvatt, Ian Richard Kentley, Angela Hawes, Michelle Thomas, Aniela Halina Hedditch, Precious Bautista, Marco Mazic, John Bastable, Jameal Tooma, Clare Hammond, Anthony Hendry, Pauline Dolan, Ray Burton.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: Remo Bos, Charmaine Jannette Leafe, Walter Leslie Davis, Doris Angela Pace-Balzan, Veronica Frances (Frances) Dawson, Sergio Di Pietro, James Woodhouse, Rosalia Archetto Feo, Carol Ann Newman, Fr Norman Ronald Birch, Margaret Mary Kelly, Veronica Junette Smith, Rex Joseph McShane, Colin Meneely, Russell Albury, John Gordon, Nicole Simmons, Violet Mary Nickson, Terry Conway, Elvira Fantinelli, Christine Carberry, Melinda Craig, Carmen Callus, Jeanette Louise Vial, Joseph Johannes Em van Deurse, Shirley Mary Selby, Anna Snelleksz, Trevor David Simes, Edmund O’Brien, Lionel Ernest Cunynghame, Geraldine Coyne. And also: Gregory Robert Mahoney, Brian J Maher, Patricia Gado, Victor Paul Aguggia, Santo Auteri, Maurie Cass, and Monica Cass, Janet Anne Winks, Jim Lepanto Avuri, Alan James Russo, Merv Cross, Michael Joseph George, Mark Addison, Zora Spiranovic, Dalibor Novak, Kevin Wills, Margaret Wotherspoon, John William Maddocks, Stephen James Baker, Fr Pat (Doc) Kenny, Ms Lesley Court, Kevin Patrick Carmody, Kevin Gleeson, Dale Strode, Donald Ralph Thomas, Trevor Ralfe, Pauline Bocking.
TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH - Bless this mess
Conduct a perimeter walk of your home. What do you see? Each room tells a story, and every corner contains a chapter about who lives there and what happens between these walls. What sort of blessing might each area need? What requires a blessing: the kitchen table, living room sofa, or home office desk? A child's room or an elder's sickbed? Don't forget the front door—the passageway to every other story that involves us. “Rise up in splendour, Jerusalem! Your light has come.” Isaiah 60:1-6 . 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. If you feel unwell, please stay home until you feel better. The requirement to attend masses, even Holy Days of obligation, remains suspended at this time. 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/
SOME CHRISTMAS READING - LITURGY NEWS NOW READY FOR DOWNLOAD - VOL 52, NO 4. Summer 2022.
Archdiocese of Brisbane - Free Liturgy Magazine
To download your free copy of Liturgy News - please click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JOiU_eo43MjRYqIVBvq6ILjtvUz8E_YX/view?usp=sharing
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). 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 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 meetings and documentation required.
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.
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.
First Holy Communion for those new to our parish...
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 Term 1, 2023, you will receive an email from the Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson, providing further details regarding meetings and documentation concerning the At Home Preparation Program.
Please continue regularly checking the parish newsletter for First Holy Communion updates and further information.
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 -
Today's feast celebrates the revelation of Christ, who is the light to all nations. God reaches out and welcomes people of every culture and nation to be part of the Heavenly Kingdom.
we, too, draw near to the Christ-Child, and we, too, present our gifts and tributes to the Lord.
Whenever I read this gospel passage… I cannot help but be struck by the disturbing irony in it…..
King Herod summons the Wise men from the East… they come to listen to him…. they don't know him,….. they know he is a King… they would probably assume he was a noble and gracious King…. but he is not… is filled with hatred and jealousy…. and murderous intentions….
Herod manages to control his emotions while consulting with the Wise men….. he seems genuinely interested in the Star and the possibility of a king being born……… I almost imagine he is choking on his words when he says… "When you find him, tell me too… because I too want to go and ….. do….. him………(ahem)…. 'homage'…… We, the listeners…. The audience to this Gospel drama…. Know better…. Herod hates Jesus… and rejects his Kingship…. And wants to kill him…. He might as well have said…. " (when you find him, tell me too… because I too want to go and ….. 'do him in' !!!).
Herod wants nothing more than to kill Jesus! he is a liar! He wants to tear down, not build up! …. to destroy and blot out forever the child who is the hoped-for 'Light for all nations'….. Can there be any hatred greater than one that wants to blot out HOPE from the earth……for the sake of his own power… his own comfort???? It is fitting that the Wise Men, after meeting Jesus, 'go home by another road' – it says they listened to Herod… but it is clear that they didn't swallow everything he said…..
Instead…. they have been converted… they are different…. changed……. New men… in fact… will never again be able to go down the old paths… it is all-new, having met and discovered Jesus. …. They will not tell (hateful) Herod about what they have seen… but resolutely go home by a new pathway…. (their lives changed) to live the new reality of what they have experienced……
In the gospel today, the Wise Men from the East ultimately FIND the King for whom they had searched so diligently …….. Jesus! …. a humble baby lying in the manger… is found to be the revelation of God to the world……. the LIGHT of revelation for all.
The gospel today uses the quote from Micah…. "you Bethlehem are by no means the LEAST"…. this is important…… not only is Bethlehem FAR FROM BEING the LEAST of all cities… but this humble baby in a humble manger is not by any means the LEAST of all babies…. and the shepherds are not anywhere near the least of all people…… there is more than one REVELATION going on here (for the eyes of faith to see!)… The message is repeated in later sections of Matthew's gospel: (The wise men, and us too… are being shown something deeply important…..)
….. at first sight, the 'poor and forgotten' of our society are insignificant…. but this is WRONG…. they are GREAT… because it is THROUGH THEM. that the Lord is coming to us…….
The reaction of the Magi is interesting, too…… when they enter the presence of God… revealed in his humble baby in a manger… they immediately open up treasure chests filled with gifts……
This must always be our reaction, too, in the presence of God….. when we come before the presence of Jesus… we too must open up our hearts and offer God our gifts…… the response of a person to the revelation of God's presence is one of openness, generosity and service………
The Magi… offered Jesus gifts of Gold (for Kingship)//, Frankincense (acknowledging Jesus as Priest and sacrifice)// and Myrrh (for burial- looking to the eventual death of the Lord on the Cross)//……. We, too, come before Jesus, and we, too, offer our gifts to the Lord…..
What are the gifts that WE are laying before the Lord??……. let us think about what gifts we are presenting to Jesus for him to use……. Gifts God gave us in the first place.
let us take some time, at the start of this new year… to come into the presence of Jesus…… the Light to all nations….. and think about what gift (individual to each of us)……that we are called upon to present before the Lord …..for the Lord to use and transform….. that great first reading, from Isaiah, also shows something interesting… 'what is our response to seeing the revelation of Christ… who is a light shining in the darkness of the world……"… our response must be this… "arise… shine… for your light has come,.. and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us…"…. so when we encounter Christ.. we must become lights ourselves….. going out… to radiate Christ's light to everyone we meet……
This message reminds us… 'we must believe so that the world can begin to believe' - WE must radiate Christ's light to the world.. and all peoples…. so that people can experience Christ's light shining through us too.
Today… we kneel before the Christ child… we bow… and open up our treasure chests… what gift is it that we lay before our Lord…????
References: Fr Paul W. Kelly; also Mark Link: Vision – Year A; Gustavo Gutierrez: Sharing the Word through the Liturgical Year; Abbot's homily: http://www.christdesert.org
Image: Shutterstock Licensed. ID: 498753523. Christmas nativity religious Bethlehem crib scene, with the Holy family of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus and three wise men. background, illustration. By Thoom.
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.
The Memorial of St Raymond of Peñafort (1175-1275) “Father of Canon Law”
“Look then on Jesus, the author and preserver of faith – in complete sinlessness, He suffered and at the hands of those who were His own and was numbered among the wicked. As you drink the cup of the Lord Jesus (how glorious it is!), give thanks to the Lord, the Giver of all blessings.”
“The preacher of God’s truth has told us that all who want to live righteously, in Christ, will suffer persecution. . . .”
“This is that enviable and blessed cross of Christ . . . the cross in which alone we must make our boast, as Paul, God’s chosen instrument, has told us.”
Jan 9 - Baptism of the Lord - Monday, Jan 09, 2023.
Be a carrier of peace. Pigeons and doves are different species within the same family of birds. The homing pigeon, also called the mail or carrier pigeon, is a variety bred for its ability to find its way home over extremely long distances of up to 1,000 miles or more. Because of this skill, they were used to carry messages throughout history. The dove, of course, is a symbol of peace and hope, and famously carried an olive branch to Noah on the Ark after the great flood. If you want to send a similar message, you don’t have to go nearly as far. Just extend peace and hope across the dinner table or over the neighbour’s fence.
January 13 - m - Saint Hilary, bishop and doctor of the Church.
The word is out. Saint Hilary, born in Poitiers in southwest France in 315, had a learned education but was not raised a Christian. Able to read biblical languages. However, he was drawn to Christianity by the beauty and power of the prologue of the Gospel of John (John 1:1-18) and spent his life in strong defence of the divinity of Jesus, a controversial subject at the time. Recognition of his tireless efforts eventually earned him the high title of Doctor of the Church. Perhaps John’s prologue has a word to speak to you as well. Why not dip into its powerful language today?
“Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’?” (Mark 2:1-12)
©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
THE (WEEKDAY) FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD JESUS - YEAR A
(Monday 9th January 2023). Due to Christmas Day (2022) and New Year’s Day (2023) being both on a Sunday this time around, the usual Sunday Feasts of Holy Family and The Baptism of the Lord are moved to a weekday. To access the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which this year will be celebrated Monday, 9th January 2023, please visit this link:
Weekday Homily The Baptism of the Lord A - (9th January 2023) - (EPISODE- 400)
First Reading: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7.
Psalm: 29:1-2, 3-4, 9-10 The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Second Reading: Acts 10:34-38
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! The heavens were opened, and the Father's voice was heard: this is my beloved Son; hear him. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17
Image: Shutterstock Licensed stock photo ID: 1562076073. OHRID, MACEDONIA - MAY 04, 2019: Baptism of the Lord, fresco in the Church of Saint Paraskeva of the Balkans near Saint Naum Monastery, Ohrid in Macedonia.
Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for The Baptism of the Lord A - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-weekday-solemnity-the-baptism-of-the-lord-year-a-episode-400/s-wsmmXgTxFRD (EPISODE- 400)
The Christmas season ends today - (The feast of the Baptism of the Lord) and ordinary time begins today, with the celebration of the start of Christ's public ministry. Which is very fitting indeed. John the Baptist giving Jesus Baptism had quite a different effect on his baptising others. For us, baptism by John would be an admission of our sinfulness and desire for God's mercy. For Jesus, it was the revelation that he was the Son of God, the Messiah. The one to save us from our sins. Today we recall our baptism, and we know that we have been cleansed and united to God by the waters made Holy and imbued with the power of the Holy Spirit, by Jesus. What a wonderful mission we are called to.
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John the Baptist (who came ahead of Jesus the Messiah to prepare the way for him) was very confused when Our Lord appeared along with a huge number of penitents and asked John to Baptise HIM!! John's was a baptism of repentance for sin... and John knew perfectly well, as did our Lord himself, that Jesus had nothing to repent of nor did he have any sins... Also, John had said that the humble baptism he was preaching, was nothing compared to the Baptism with the Spirit that Jesus would give to the world... and yet here the Lord is, asking John to Baptise HIM??!!
Jesus reassures John with the mysterious explanation: "Let it be so for now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness." In other words, "we both must do this, as it is the wish of the Heavenly Father, as a part of the plan to save his beloved people."
The full meaning of righteousness is not able to be accurately translated into English here because one word in English doesn't capture it... and using that word confuses it with more modern uses which bring in ideas of self-righteousness and legalism. In the full original sense, righteousness is not a mere outward quality or an outward series of action, but it is a measure of the qualities of God, who is utterly good and just, perfectly consistent and authentic... So to "fulfil all righteousness" is to act in a way that goes to the inner core and truth of God's heart. It is cooperating with God whose plan is to save his people, to take their side, to be their defender and protector, their patron, and to make the inner life of the heart match the outer expression of one's actions. True righteousness is a quality that only God has fully, as it is God's nature, reflecting authenticity, goodness and justice. (1)
I know I still haven't captured the true meaning of the term "righteousness," but at least this puts a sense of the huge depths the meaning.
Jesus was showing the wonderful quality that he always had... utter obedience to the will of his beloved, Heavenly Father. It didn't matter if things made sense to anyone at this point; this was what the Father wanted and asked for, and Our Lord was going to make sure he fulfilled this desire. John, although confused, was convinced by this and cooperated.
Also, by being Baptised as he was, Jesus was revealing what kind of Plan he and his heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit had in mind for his children... and it is consistent with other parts of the scriptures... the answer is also revealed in Pope Francis homily on the last day of year (from a few years back), where he said:
"God changed the world through a man born poor, in an undistinguished town of a simple woman of faith.
"We must not be afraid or feel inadequate for such an important mission. Let us remember: God doesn't choose us for our "bravura," (our magnificence, our brilliance, our astounding technical skills, or any sort of excellence), but, in fact, God chooses us because we are small and we feel small."
"God's decision is clear: to reveal His love, He chose a small, poor, scorned city, and later in his life, when He reached Jerusalem, he joined the population of sinners and the rejected. None of the inhabitants of the city realized that the Son of God made Man was walking through its streets, probably not even initially His disciples." (The Pope stressed that God dwells not only in the temple but among the people). … "He dwells among His People; He walks with them and lives their life. His fidelity is strong and palpable... touchable...that is, concrete; it is such a "nearness" to the daily existence and struggles of His beloved children. …
When God wants to make all things new through His Son, He doesn't begin from the Temple, but from the human birth made possible by the cooperation and obedience of a humble and poor woman of His own People. This choice of God is extraordinary!"(2)
So, it was always God's plan that through the love and nearness of Jesus, his beloved son, he would save the people from their sins by immersing himself in their world and into their plight. (Like a modern-day-lifesaver, he dived into the water to save the drowning person), He identified himself and associated with sinners and outcasts and people bowed down by the chains of this world's injustice and tragedy, and he even allowed himself to be mistakenly accused of being a sinner himself... he even died a sinner's death, and a criminal's death, so as to take on the sins of all who were guilty.
In that sense, we can see why he submitted to baptism. Not to atone or admit for any personal sin, but to be with his people who were drowning in their own sin and alienation. He got into the "muddiness and messiness – the dangerous currents" of life, even though he was blameless himself... in order to save others... He was also approved of and associated himself with the people's sincere movement of repentance and conversion that John's preaching and preparation, plus the people's heartfelt response was leading to. This gathering of people and their unprecedented admission that even though they were the chosen people of God, they had strayed and were in need of purification was a powerful sign of the Kingdom arriving, which Jesus was now ushering in.
"Never before had there been such a unique national movement of penitence and of a collective search for God. This was the very moment for which Jesus had been waiting. People were very conscious of their sin and deeply aware of their need for God as never before. This was his opportunity, and in his baptism, he identified himself with the people whom he lovingly came as God made flesh, in order to save them, in this hour of their new consciousness of their sin and of their search for God. So what better time and place for him to begin his public ministry! (3)
And in this complete obedience and humility, The Father searched his heart (which he already knew perfectly well) and found no fault, no sin... and declared to all who would accept it... this is indeed not just a son of mine, (as in one who does God's will) but this is THE son of mine.. my only son... I am pleased with him... listen to him... (and in these words he recalled the ancient predictions that an obedient servant and son would suffer for the sins of others... Jesus is now clearly seen as the messiah and also one whose mission is 'suffering love' to save all who are trapped by sin and injustice.
This Gospel also reveals the superb reality that God, the Trinity is utterly involved in this mission... as The Father confirms, the Son obeys and the Spirit empowers. All three persons of the Trinity are featured in this astounding moment. this is the beginning of the Kingdom of Heaven...
Christ being baptized is showing us that he takes very seriously his desire to share in our human nature, to be united with his people…..especially all who are bowed down and trapped in their own sinfulness or hopelessness... God takes on ALL of our humanity and shows us the way to live our lives.
Baptism means literally a "plunging into water" - so too we are plunged into Christ's life and his way of living… immersing ourselves completely in his self-emptying way of loving…. a love that gives everything… even unto death (on a cross).
Jesus invites us, by going into this water, to follow him into the "living streams of his good news as experienced in our daily lives and actions"…. The regular practice of loving as Christ loves, is at times extremely challenging, to say the least. Jesus the suffering servant, subjects himself to his human condition out of love, service and sacrifice.(4)
Christ's Baptism signals the Commencement of his PUBLIC ministry. He has come from quiet and humble obscurity – from 30 or so years of everyday living, and now is dramatically appearing on the public scene… revealed at last as the Messiah, the chosen one…… the suffering servant of the Father…. and the son of God……with whom the Father is well pleased.
Jesus' baptism is an invitation for us to reflect upon the public and communal dimensions of our baptismal call…………
Jesus shows us that discipleship is not merely a personal thing… not just a private activity…… Being part of Christ's good news is a participation in a very public ministry of Christ himself…….. (not just about me and my sins, or my life, or my own righteousness or lack thereof).
And so, it is a good time to ask ourselves "in what ways do I step forward publicly as Jesus did, as a way of announcing and living practically the new reality represented in Christ; 2. what can I do to live out my baptismal commitment more openly, more publicly, more consistently. Christianity is a distinctly communal religion never solely a private devotion…….There is no such thing as a solo Christian, even when we might be working away on our own.(5).
How do we put this into action? …… ……. …..everyone who conducts their daily lives, their family life, their jobs and any other daily activities in the intentional spirit of Jesus' good news (humility, gentleness, justice, mercy, practical care, attentiveness to God's word, attention to my brothers and sisters around me and their needs, and compassionate love in everything)– everyone who daily decides to live this way is living their Baptismal calling in a very practical way…..
May the Lord who calls us to follow him into the waters of Baptism, raise us to newness of life, so that, united with Jesus, we may serve him in everything we do and say….. Giving public witness to all, by our love and service …
References: Fr Paul W. Kelly; 1. "The New Jerome Biblical Commentary." Brown; Fitzmyer; Murphy (eds.). Published by Geoffrey Chapman (1991); Barclay, W. (1975). The Gospel of Matthew. Part I. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press;
https://www.biblestudymagazine.com/bible-study-magazine-blog/tag/sedeq; 2. Pope Francis called forth in his homily on December 31, 2019, paraphrased in parts for clarity. https://zenit.org/articles/celebration-of-first-vespers-of-solemnity-of-mary-most-holy-mother-of-god-and-te-deum-of-thanksgiving-for-past-year/ ; 3. Barclay, W. (1975). The Gospel of Matthew. Part I. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press; 4. Abbot's Homilies - Benedictine Abbey of Christ in the Desert. [online] Benedictine; 5. Notes are taken from Prayer Time, Cycle A. Robert J. Heyer, ed. 2007; DeBona, G. (2013). Between the Ambo and the altar. Year A. 1st ed. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press.
Image credit: Shutterstock Licensed stock photo ID: 1562076073. OHRID, MACEDONIA - MAY 04, 2019: Baptism of the Lord, fresco in the Church of Saint Paraskeva of the Balkans near Saint Naum Monastery, Ohrid in Macedonia.
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).
To be open to a genuine encounter with others, “a kind look” is essential. This is incompatible with a negative attitude that readily points out other people’s shortcomings while overlooking one’s own. A kind look helps us to see beyond our own limitations, to be patient and to cooperate with others, despite our differences. (para 100)
My advice is never to let the day end without making peace in the family. “And how am I going to make peace? By getting down on my knees? No! Just by a small gesture, a little something, harmony within your family will be restored. Just a little caress; no words are necessary. But do not let the day end without making peace in your family”. (para 104)
Being willing to speak ill of another person is a way of asserting ourselves, and venting resentment and envy without concern for the harm we may do. We often forget that slander can be quite sinful; it is a grave offence against God when it seriously harms another person’s good name and causes damage that is hard to repair. Hence God’s word forthrightly states that the tongue “is a world of iniquity” that “stains the whole body” (Jas 3:6); it is a “restless evil, full of deadly poison” (3:8). Whereas the tongue can be used to “curse those who are made in the likeness of God” (3:9), love cherishes the good name of others, even one’s enemies. In upholding God’s law, we must never forget this specific requirement of love. (PARA 112)
Hate for hate only intensifies the existence of hate and evil in the universe. If I hit you, and you hit me, and I hit you back, and you hit me back, and so on, you see, that goes on ad infinitum. It just never ends. Somebody must have a little sense, and that’s a strong person. The strong person is the person who can cut off the chain of hate, the chain of evil… Somebody must have religion enough and morality enough to cut it off and inject within the very structure of the universe that strong and powerful element of love” (PARA 118).
Children not only want their parents to love one another but also to be faithful and remain together. These and similar signs show that it is in the very nature of conjugal love to be definitive. The lasting union expressed by the marriage vows is more than a formality or a traditional formula; it is rooted in the natural inclinations of the human person. (para 123)
In the family: “three words need to be used. I want to repeat this! Three words: ‘Please’, ‘Thank you’, ‘Sorry’. Three essential words!”.132 “In our families when we are not overbearing and ask: ‘May I?’; in our families when we are not selfish and can say: ‘Thank you!’; and in our families when someone realizes that he or she did something wrong and is able to say ‘Sorry!’, our family experiences peace and joy” (para 133)
Sexuality is not a means of gratification or entertainment; it is an interpersonal language wherein the other is taken seriously, in his or her sacred and inviolable dignity. As such, “the human heart comes to participate, so to speak, in another kind of spontaneity”.151 In this context, the erotic appears as a specifically human manifestation of sexuality. It enables us to discover “the nuptial meaning of the body and the authentic dignity of the gift”.152 In his catecheses on the theology of the body, Saint John Paul II taught that sexual differentiation not only is “a source of fruitfulness and procreation”, but also possesses “the capacity of expressing love: that love precisely in which the human person becomes a gift”.153 A healthy sexual desire, albeit closely joined to a pursuit of pleasure, always involves a sense of wonder, and for that very reason can humanize the impulses. (para 151)
In our own day, sexuality risks being poisoned by the mentality of “use and discard”. The body of the other is often viewed as an object to be used as long as it offers satisfaction and is rejected once it is no longer appealing. Can we really ignore or overlook the continuing forms of domination, arrogance, abuse, sexual perversion and violence that are the product of a warped understanding of sexuality? Or the fact that the dignity of others and our human vocation to love thus end up being less important than an obscure need to “find oneself”? (para 153)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1609497850. 21 Nov 2019: Pope's Mass - Pope Francis presides over Mass for 30,000 faithful. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Brickinfo Media
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS - SACRED HEART AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCHES
Copies of the Christmas edition of the Catholic Leader are still available. The first edition for the new year will be available in February.
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT FOR JANUARY 2023
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for First Friday, 6th January 2023, at Sacred Heart Church from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. All welcome. Enquiries: Helen 0421935678. "Could you not watch one hour with Me?" MT 26:40
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:
CONGRATULATIONS.
This past week, our parishioners, Margot and Warwick McCabe celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary.
Wishing you both a fantastic diamond anniversary and hoping you have many more happy years as loving husband and wife.
ART AND CRAFT GROUP - (Resumes on 18 January 2023)
from the Art and Craft Group: “Our organisation gives people a venue to come together to socialise and to produce plenty of art and craft pieces, and we have broadened the range of craft possibilities outside of painting and knitting. A special mention of our Beads group - 500 pairs of rosary beads were sent to Armenia, with several Hundred more off to other European countries, and a special batch to New Zealand! So, our warmest wishes to everyone for this Season.” Sincerely, John Barr. 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- (Resumes on 21 January 2023)
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. We expect to start our Adoration cycle on the first Tuesday in November 2022.
YOGA AT THE PARISH HOSPITALITY CENTRE (Resumes on 10 January 2023)
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.
The Fabric of Our Lives - A Quiet Weekend for Women of Faith
God is the Master Crafter, and each day lived in relationship with God is an opportunity to create something wonderful - a life which is gradually woven by the coming together of relationships, events and experiences, and ultimately, overseen by the One who is love. This weekend is an opportunity to explore the bits and pieces of every day and the extraordinary moments that come together to create a life – our life.
Hosted and Facilitated by: Grace Harwood of Dragonfly Ministries
Friday 20 January at 6 pm – Sunday 22 January at 3 pm.
Where: Santa Teresa Spirituality Centre, Wellington Street, Ormiston
Cost: $380 ($350 for concessions) includes all accommodation, meals (an additional fee for special diets), resources, spiritual direction and facilitation.
To register or enquire: grace@dragonflyministries.net.au or 0409 524 283.
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.
125. If we reflect on the proper relationship between human beings and the world around us, we see the need for a correct understanding of work; if we talk about the relationship between human beings and things, the question arises as to the meaning and purpose of all human activity. This has to do not only with manual or agricultural labour but with any activity involving a modification of existing reality, from producing a social report to the design of technological development. Underlying every form of work is a concept of the relationship which we can and must have with what is other than ourselves. Together with the awe-filled contemplation of creation that we find in Saint Francis of Assisi, the Christian spiritual tradition has also developed a rich and balanced understanding of the meaning of work, as, for example, in the life of Blessed Charles de Foucauld and his followers.
126. We can also look to the great tradition of monasticism. Originally, it was a kind of flight from the world, an escape from the decadence of the cities. The monks sought the desert, convinced that it was the best place for encountering the presence of God. Later, Saint Benedict of Norcia proposed that his monks live in a community, combining prayer and spiritual reading with manual labour (ora et labora). Seeing manual labour as spiritually meaningful proved revolutionary. Personal growth and sanctification came to be sought in the interplay of recollection and work. This way of experiencing work makes us more protective and respectful of the environment; it imbues our relationship with the world with healthy sobriety.
127. We are convinced that “man is the source, the focus and the aim of all economic and social life”.[100] Nonetheless, once our human capacity for contemplation and reverence is impaired, it becomes easy for the meaning of work to be misunderstood.[101] We need to remember that men and women have “the capacity to improve their lot, to further their moral growth and to develop their spiritual endowments”.[102] Work should be the setting for this rich personal growth, where many aspects of life enter into play: creativity, planning for the future, developing our talents, living out our values, relating to others, and giving glory to God. It follows that, in the reality of today’s global society, it is essential that “we continue to prioritize the goal of access to steady employment for everyone”,[103] no matter the limited interests of business and dubious economic reasoning.
128. We were created with a vocation to work. The goal should not be that technological progress increasingly replace human work, for this would be detrimental to humanity. Work is a necessity, part of the meaning of life on this earth, a path to growth, human development and personal fulfilment. Helping the poor financially must always be a provisional solution in the face of pressing needs. The broader objective should always be to allow them a dignified life through work. Yet the orientation of the economy has favoured a kind of technological progress in which the costs of production are reduced by laying off workers and replacing them with machines. This is yet another way in which we can end up working against ourselves. The loss of jobs also has a negative impact on the economy “through the progressive erosion of social capital: the network of relationships of trust, dependability, and respect for rules, all of which are indispensable for any form of civil coexistence”.[104] In other words, “human costs always include economic costs, and economic dysfunctions always involve human costs”.[105] To stop investing in people, in order to gain greater short-term financial gain, is bad business for society.
129. In order to continue providing employment, it is imperative to promote an economy that favours
productive diversity and business creativity. For example, there is a great variety of small-scale food production systems which feed the greater part of the world’s people, using a modest amount of land and producing less waste, be it in small agricultural parcels, in orchards and gardens, hunting and wild harvesting or local fishing. Economies of scale, especially in the agricultural sector, end up forcing smallholders to sell their land or abandon their traditional crops. Their attempts to move to other, more diversified, means of production prove fruitless because of the difficulty of linkage with regional and global markets, or because the infrastructure for sales and transport is geared toward larger businesses. Civil authorities have the right and duty to adopt clear and firm measures in support of small producers and differentiated production. To ensure economic freedom from which all can effectively benefit, restraints occasionally have to be imposed on those possessing greater resources and financial power. To claim economic freedom while real conditions bar many people from actual access to it, and while possibilities for employment continue to shrink, is to practise a doublespeak that brings politics into disrepute. Business is a noble vocation, directed at producing wealth and improving our world. It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the areas in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good.
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 two 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.
The Logo represents four stylised figures to indicate humanity from the four corners of the earth. They are embracing each other to indicate the solidarity and brotherhood that must unite peoples. You will notice that the opener is hanging onto the cross. It is the sign not only of the faith that it embraces but of the hope that can never be abandoned because we need it always and, above all, in moments of greatest need.
It is helpful to observe the waves below. They are choppy to indicate that the pilgrimage of life does not always move in still waters. Personal and world events often impose a call to hope with greater intensity. It is for this reason that the lower part of the Cross must be underlined, which extends and transforms itself into an anchor, which imposes itself on the wave motion. As we know, the anchor has often been used as a metaphor for hope.
The anchor of hope is the name that, in seafaring jargon, is given to the reserve anchor, used by boats to carry out emergency manoeuvres to stabilise the ship during storms. Do not overlook that the image shows how much the pilgrim's journey is not an individual fact but a community with the imprint of a growing dynamism that tends ever more towards the Cross. The Cross is by no means static, but dynamic too; it curves towards humanity as if to go towards it and not leave it alone, offering the certainty of its presence and the security of hope. Finally, the Motto of Jubilee 2025 is visible in green.
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 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/)
Commitment To Child Safety and Vulnerable-Adult Safety …….
See overleaf…….
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