PDF version of this parish newsletter here:
You can also access an online copy of the newsletter *here*
“I have not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil them.” (Matthew 5:17)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 427294936. SLUPSK, POLAND - 21 MARCH 2016 - Prophet Moses with stone boards. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: piosi
IMPORTANT NOTICE -
Stella Maris Catholic Church at Broadbeach will be closed for essential work on the ceiling from Monday, 13th February, until the 10th of March 2023. There will be no masses at the Stella (Broadbeach) church during that time period. Our apologies for the inconvenience, but the whole church will need to be closed as extensive scaffolding needs to be set up throughout the building. This is an important logistical project to fix the ceiling.
Ash Wednesday Masses - Wednesday 22nd February 2023
Sacred Heart 9 am - (Clear Island Waters)
Sacred Heart 6 pm - (Clear Island Waters)
PASTOR’S POST - Bad News Sells
I’m not sure that reading the newspaper is the best way to start the day. Apart from the recipes and the crossword, nearly everything else is bad news, and it’s not only from overseas. Despite our best intentions to be otherwise, we must acknowledge that our country, indeed our world, has become a negative and somewhat pessimistic environment. Not, mark you, without good reason.
Family life is splintered, cohabitation and out-of-marriage births are considered just another lifestyle; 49,000 divorces in Australia in 2021, pervasive crime, teenage murderers, a cancerous drug culture - and on and on it goes. Politics, religion and family life are battered and ridiculed, and it seems full of scandal.
Economically, our world has 1,945 billionaires controlling assets greater than the combined annual income of countries with 45% of the world’s people. An emerging global elite, mostly urban-based, is amassing great wealth and power while more than half of humanity is left out. We still have half the people on the planet with incomes less than $2 a day – more than a billion people. For poor people in this two-class world, it is a breeding ground for hopelessness, anger, and frustration. The interesting aside to this is, ask anyone how business is going, and they will all say- ‘times are tough’. People are finding it almost impossible to say that life is going well when they really have all they need, if not all they want.
The result of this data is an overwhelming foreboding that people are more and more reduced to commodities and a consequent feeling of worthlessness, a loss of a sense of human dignity. Today’s children are constantly reminded of their finitude, vulnerability, and dispensability from the beginning. Later they can get body replacement parts and mind-altering drugs. When they grow up, their jobs will always be in jeopardy as they become pawns in the marketplace economy.
Yes, something is wrong. The social isolation of the suburbs, the solitary households where one in four Australian households consists of one person, is a far cry from the communal ancestral hunter-gatherer forebears. Parents getting up each day and handing their child over to someone they barely know is a far cry from the primitive watchful eyes of grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends. Technology appears to have done away with neighbourly interdependence - the telephone, refrigerator, microwavable meals and most of all, television and handheld communication devices not only isolate people from direct human interaction but also distort their perceptions of what is real or what is a highly produced TV program. Now, how are we all feeling?
The issues I have just been naming for you are not new. You have all been aware of them in some form. It’s just when they are lumped together without being seasoned by the positive attitudes and gains, then we start to think that the picture looks very bleak. This is why people looked to the first two decades of the new millennium in an almost salvific light. As though a tick of a clock at midnight was going to bring with it a blanket of sensibility and righteousness that would make all paths straight, and goodness and peace shall once again reign throughout the land.
It has come as something of a surprise to discover that the great life quest for most people is not money or comfort but happiness and security. Contented family life and good health have replaced the great goals of possessions and power. The great irony is that the more we search for these new goals, the more stressed and overworked we become. Never before has our world had such unhappy and unfulfilled inhabitants, despite all the learnings and technology that is supposed to be providing for our every need? Mcdonald's and Microsoft have not managed to convince us that life is a party.
The problem for most of us in this age of redefinition is that our level of anxiety hovers below the threshold of major crises. We are made uncomfortable by the tension between the patterns of the past and the discontinuities of the present. We still find ourselves trying to fit uncomfortable new experiences into the framework of comfortable old spaces.
There is no simple fix, but we could start by deciding that we won’t be controlled by other people’s bad news. We actually might even actively look for reasons to be cheerful. Don't wait for the media to find them for you. Most of us try to live by the good news from our faith that says, “I am with you always” and “with God on our side, what can be against us?” As Jesus says quite clearly in John’s gospel. “Do not LET your hearts be troubled”.
Fr Peter Dillon PP.
You can help communities affected by the Syria and Turkey Earthquake.
Our partner Caritas Syria and other Caritas agencies on the ground are coordinating with local authorities and other organisations to see how they can best assist. Your generous support can help provide emergency relief to help families recover and rebuild from the disaster.
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
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 celebrated together at Stella Marish 5 pm Mass last Saturday and presented our candidates with the Nicene Creed in a special ritual after the homily and congratulated everyone on reaching this next step in their journey. We 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. If there is anyone who feels a calling to become a support or sponsor for one of our catechumens or candidates, we would love to have you join us on Saturday afternoons at 2.30 pm in the Parish Hospitality Centre, 50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters or ring the Parish Office to let them know of your intention 5671 7388. You will be most welcome.
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
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
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT - SHALOM MEDIA ONLINE (9/2/23)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNTZxNoC9to
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
A VOCATION VIEW: GIFTS OF PRICELESS VALUE
God, in his wisdom, predestined our glory before the ages began. Some people he predestines to be priests or religious - might you be one of them? Listen to the call!
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
“For I tell you unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20
The Pharisees lived according to the letter of the law, and they used this to elevate themselves above the other people. Jesus is clear – it’s the love that you have in your heart for God and others that will get you to heaven. Simply following church rules to the letter and not out of love does not necessarily put you on the path to heaven. Attending Sunday Mass and then gossiping about a fellow parishioner in the parking lot is an example of being a modern-day Pharisee.
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: Lois Wood, Graham Stafford, Phil McWilliam, Coralie Brennan, Kim Ingram, Karen Vestergard, John Thomas, Pat Jones, Felipe S Cataquiz Sr, Claudia Maddocks, 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, 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, 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, Kim Parkes, Cecily Cellinan, Kevin Brennan, Margaret Cusack, Fabiola Menzs. And all suffering from Covid-19 and its effects.
RECENTLY DECEASED: Derek Carpenter, Peter Evert, Cheryl Hamwood, Donna Maria Cross, John Monahan, Dan Ziebarth, Yvonne Sheekey, Patrick O’Connell, Joseph Conti, Sr. Regina (Rita) Keyes, Elaine Casonati, Bernadette Hennessey, Maurice Stout, Baby Georgia Roberts-Farr, Teresa Duffy, Enzo Palmieri, Sylvia Sciberras, Manuel Dos Santos, John Mandile, Dell Bloomfield, Lionel Duggan, William Patrick, Konrad Dziurdziak, Constable Matthew Arnold, Constable Rachel McCrow, Alan Dare, Brian Quinlan, Maureen Jobling, Dao Jensen.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: Maria Eidejus, Colleen Radnedge, Sarah Clancy, Bob Jackson, Nikola Trajkovski, Terry Maher, Valma Brew, Colman O'Byrne, Angelina Mandarino, James Ryan, Marija Ac, Charles Robinson, James Douglas Hendrie, Barry Thomas Haug, Antonija Saceric, Mary Agnes Joan Geard, George McLeod, Myra Edna Moffatt, Sue Chard, Leila Floyd, Joyce Lilian Mitchell (Skinner), Patricia Anderson, Lara Michelle Kennedy, Norman James Thomson, Patricia Anderson, Fr Bryan Lee, Rose Refalo, Sue Crossdale, Len Heffernan, Mollie O'Byrne, Peg Perkins, Alan Morgan. And also: Antoun Christophi, Therese Salama, Mark Connell, Wendy (Wen) Royal Maclachlan, Glenis Maria Gaffney, Barbara Joan Degiovanni, Judith Anne Jones, James Hendrie, Bette Edwards, Peter Cotton, Gloria Mcleod, Sarah & Chris Lard, Donna Cross, Vern William Mannix, Paul Barry, Peter Francis Kennedy, Jim Gardiner, Peter Warren Bennett, Gary Patrick Walsh, Nora Winifred (Freda) McGrath, Patricia Powell, Judith Boggan, Geoffrey Williams, Naurelle Cahill, Hipolito Trochon, Michael Dalton, Colleen Eileen McCarthy, Peter James Ryan, Irene Cappellazzo.
TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH - Create a true love story.
No one ever said relationships were easy. Commitments, whether in marriage, religious life, or elsewhere, take spiritual insight to discern, patience to maintain, time to mature, and a whole lot of love to keep the engine moving on the tracks. Today's celebration of World Marriage Day is meant to support the development of a culture of life and love within our most fundamental relationships. As Pope Francis declared in Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love): "The welfare of the family is decisive for the future of the world and that of the church." Take the journey to joy and love. Work to make each relationship life-giving. “We speak a wisdom to those who are mature, not a wisdom of this age.” (1 Corinthians 2:6). 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 proper social distancing where possible. This 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.
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 (for Children in Year 3 or greater)
Within the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Confirmation is the second sacrament that children are invited to receive. Confirmation completes Baptism. The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation for the Surfers Paradise Parish will be on the evening of October 20, 2023.
Includes compulsory meetings: 1. Parent Meeting – Either Tuesday, July 11 at 5:30 pm Or Wednesday, July 12 at 5:30 pm in Sacred Heart Church (Children are not required at this meeting but are welcome to attend if this assists with childminding.)
2. Final Meeting and Practice - Either Monday, October 9 at 5:30 pm Or Tuesday, October 10 at 5:30 pm in Sacred Heart Church (Child/ren and one adult are required to attend.)
For the celebration of Confirmation in 2023, parents of children in Year 3 or older (and who have been baptised) 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 2, 2023, you will receive an email from our 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 (for Children in Year 4 or greater)
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 addition to completing the At Home Preparation Program for First Communion, there are two compulsory meetings: 1. Parent Meeting – Either Monday, March 27 at 5:30 pm Or Tuesday, March 28 at 5:30 pm in Sacred Heart Church (Children are not required at this meeting but are welcome to attend if this assists with childminding.) 2. Final Meeting and Practice – Either Monday, May 22nd at 5:30 pm or Tuesday, May 23rd at 5:30 pm (Child/ren and one adult are required to attend.)
First Holy Communion for those who were confirmed in Surfers Paradise Parish in 2022. These children are welcome to join our 2023 group. To ensure that each of these children is included in the group for Preparation for First Holy Communion in 2023, we ask that parents email their interest, as soon as possible, to our Children’s Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson at andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au
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 also receive an email from our Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson, andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au, providing further details regarding meetings and documentation concerning our At Home Preparation Program.
We ask that all families continue checking the parish newsletter regularly for First Holy Communion updates and further information. The Surfers Paradise Parish newsletter is available at our website www.surfersparadiseparish.com.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 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 -
Our Lord turns the heat up in this weekend's readings. He really lays things on the line... We have been given real freedom, so there are no excuses. We are called to be children of God, not petty rule-makers or breakers. The Lord wants to share his heart with us... wants to implant his love deep in our souls.... and from that, true discipleship flows.... which reaches out, gives, includes and helps.....
While Mahatma Gandhi was a practising Hindu, Christianity intrigued him greatly. In his reading of the Gospels, Gandhi was deeply impressed by Jesus. He wanted to know more about this Jesus that Christians referred to as "the Christ, the Messiah."
One Sunday morning, Gandhi decided that he would visit one of the Christian churches in Calcutta. Upon seeking entrance to the church, he was stopped at the door by the ushers.
He was told he was not welcome, nor would he be permitted to attend this particular church as it was for either "high-caste Indians or whites only." He fitted neither of those narrow descriptions. Because of the rejection, the Mahatma turned his back on Christianity, saying: 'If it weren't for Christians, I'd be a Christian?' (%%)
Sadly, this is another in the list of history's all-too-many examples of Christians becoming a stumbling block for those trying to approach Christ. An unspeakable tragedy that repeats itself far too often. Even to this day, we have to be so vigilant against being unchristian Christians.
This can happen in considerable ways, and also in small but still quite devastating... and the results can be the same... the contradiction witnessed by observers; between the love from God (on the one hand) and the legalism and the harshness of some of God's disciples (on the other), can be a real "turn-off."
(I am sure many of us can blush when we recall times when we modelled the complete opposite of Christ's loving message in our own actions and reactions. These contradictions are a trap into which any one of us can fall. The Lord doesn't want us to lose heart or give up but warns us to be very wary and constantly on our guard against our contradictions and to repent and work with God's grace to reshape our attitudes without delay). And save us, Lord, from acting opposite to your ways and not even seeing the contradiction! Christ didn't preach, heal, forgive, suffer, die and rise again for that kind of self-indulgence and lack of self-awareness.
Today's Gospel is summed up beautifully in this quote from the British writer Michael Green: "(God's) Law is not the limit of obedience; rather, it is the springboard from which we dive into the (wonderful, refreshing, life-giving and deep waters of) love and devotion to Our Lord. The Law of God is the "curbing" along the road of love."1. (paraphrased). We don't spend all our time looking at the sides of the road but by travelling wonderfully down the centre lane of this highway of God's love.
The law was never meant to be the end in itself but rather a distillation and expression of God's values. When people only focus on the letter of the law or outward observances, they are completely missing the point.
Jesus was warning the Pharisees that this is exactly what they have ended up doing. They had not gone deeper into the meaning and Spirit behind the law, and so they had become hollow. The "Pharisees" are not just those people who opposed Jesus 2000 years ago... Not merely the actual Pharisees who were living like hypocrites, but this group also represent anyone - even today... even within our own Christian faith tradition, who keeps outward observances whilst their hearts (and attitudes) remain far from the Lord. Our Lord preaches to the Pharisees of this day and even the pharisee that might be lurking away in our own hearts.
God's wise saying to us in the first reading is quite powerful. God says, 'Of course, I have given you true freedom. You are free to touch the cool water.. it will feel cool…. And you are free to touch your hand to the flame if you want. but beware… choosing to touch fire will burn you. So choose wisely.. choose the good… avoid the harmful. Use your freedom to choose life and choose God's ways. At the heart of God's desire for us is to walk the paths that are for our good and avoid any avenues that will prove nothing but harmful to us.
Jesus is calling his disciples to learn the meaning and purpose of God's law and not merely its outward expressions or legalistic constraints. We hope that God will grant us the wisdom to discern the loving-kindness and compassion behind the rules and regulations and apply ourselves to that love.
Jesus is inviting us to never just settle for the outer shell of observance but rather dive deeply into being a loving disciple who lives truly as a son or a daughter of God amongst many siblings.
"love of God and Love of neighbour is the one law that admits of no exception! Furthermore, all other laws must be held against the litmus test of how they apply this overarching law of LOVE."
So, it is not good enough merely to keep the commandments by 'not killing anyone' because we also must strive not to have anger and uncharitable thoughts against our brother or sister. It is not sufficient to say, "I have never actually been unfaithful", when it is possible to break the spirit of this command by being disrespectful in the way we look at others — or how it's sadly possible to treat others as objects, devoid of their personhood. What a parody one could make of God's law by limiting it only to extremes l, or diluting it with endless lists of curious observances.
It is not good enough to do everything in the “name of Jesus” if our ordinary everyday 'yes' is not reliable, or our 'no' does not mean what it says. _this particular passage really interests me more than ever... a simple yes or no is powerful. but a yes or a no with additional extra added explanations, reasons or comments.... are quite often little more than excuses, fibs, self-justifications or gripes. So truly, our yes needs to be yes, and our no, no... No more, no less.
And, even more challenging, the readings today remind us that we should never blame God for our own failings: "Do not say it is the Lord's doing that I fell away." These are merely excuses that try to remove our own adult, free responsibility. Whilst we have real freedom, we are reminded quite sharply by this weekend's scriptures: The Lord never gave people permission to sin or to ignore his laws.
Yes, God has given us true freedom, but this is a freedom to live God's law and to act responsibly, maturely, and lovingly.
References: Fr Paul W. Kelly; (%%) [ By LAMA CHUCK STANFORD and ARVIND KHETIA. Article - APRIL 17, 2015 07:00 AM: from https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.kansascity.com/living/religion/article18756585.html ];
Also referenced in Link, M. (1992). Vision. Year A. Allen, Tex.: Tabor Pub; My Daily Visitor (Our Sunday Visitor); Break Open the Word
IImage Credit- Shutterstock Licensed.Stock Photo ID: 2105703446. Judaic - prophet - faith -church - Talmud law space. Photo Contributor: ArtMari
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.com/FHLpwk
St Cyril and Methodius, Seven holy founders of Servite order:
“Behold, my brother, we have shared the same destiny, ploughing the same furrow; I now fall in the field at the end of my day. I know that you greatly love your Mountain, but do not, for the sake of the Mountain, give up your work of teaching.” (St. Cyril, Monk – on his deathbed – to St. Methodius.
Bishop; Memorial of Sts. Cyril and Methodius – February 14th)
Cyril and Methodius firmly believed that the Liturgy should be celebrated in the native language of the people, for greater inclusion in the Mass—a tradition which continues today. At that time, many were committed to only celebrating Mass in Greek or Latin, but these holy brothers dedicated themselves to proving otherwise. Before they departed for Moravia, they created a script for Slavonic (which had not previously existed). Known as Glagolithic, this written script is considered the precursor to Cyrillic (named after Saint Cyril). The creation of this script would allow the translation of Scripture and Liturgy into the language of the people.
Servites: Can you imagine seven prominent men of any great city banding together, leaving their homes and professions and going into solitude for a life directly given to God? That is what happened in the cultured and prosperous city of Florence in the middle of the 13th century. The city was torn by political strife as well as the heresy of the Cathari, who believed that physical reality was inherently evil. Morals were low, and religion seemed meaningless. In 1240, seven noblemen of Florence mutually decided to withdraw from the city to a solitary place for prayer and direct service of God. Community members combined monastic life and active ministry. In the monastery, they led a life of prayer, work and silence, while in the active apostolate, they engaged in parochial work, teaching, preaching and other ministerial activities.
Since criminals and people with evil purposes often band together for their common interests, good people often have to do the same. Faced with the immorality and blood feuds of thirteenth-century Florence, the Seven Holy Founders banded together for their own spiritual good and succeeded in founding a whole new religious order. Good companions are one of the most powerful help toward a holy life, for all of us are faced in a new and urgent way with the challenge to make our lives decisively centred on Christ. In this new day, we often find those ‘good companions’ online; let us, too, band together and live a holy life amidst the dangers around us! (source: http://bitly.ws/o9Ne )
©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).
In some cases, respect for one's own dignity and the good of the children requires not giving in to excessive demands or preventing a grave injustice, violence or chronic ill-treatment. In such cases, "separation becomes inevitable. At times it even becomes morally necessary, precisely when it is a matter of removing the more vulnerable spouse or young children from serious injury due to abuse and violence, humiliation and exploitation, and disregard and indifference". Even so, "separation must be considered as a last resort after all other reasonable attempts at reconciliation have proved vain".(241)
The Synod Fathers noted that "special discernment is indispensable for the pastoral care of those who are separated, divorced or abandoned. Respect needs to be shown especially for the sufferings of those who have unjustly endured separation, divorce or abandonment, or those who have been forced by maltreatment from a husband or a wife to interrupt their life together". At the same time, "divorced people who have not remarried, and often bear witness to marital fidelity, ought to be encouraged to find in the Eucharist the nourishment they need to sustain them in their present state of life. (242)
the divorced who have entered a new union must be made to feel part of the Church. "They are not excommunicated" and should not be treated as such since they remain part of the ecclesial community. These situations "require careful discernment and respectful accompaniment. Language or conduct that might lead them to feel discriminated against should be avoided, and they should be encouraged to participate in the life of the community. The Christian community's care of such persons is not to be considered a weakening of its faith and testimony to the indissolubility of marriage; rather, such care is a particular expression of its charity". (243).
A large number of Synod Fathers also "emphasised the need to make the procedure in cases of nullity more accessible and less time-consuming, and, if possible, free of charge. The slowness of the process causes distress and strain on the parties. My two recent documents dealing with this issue have simplified the procedures for the declaration of matrimonial nullity. (244)
Do we feel the immense psychological burden borne by children in families where the members mistreat and hurt one another, to the point of breaking the bonds of marital fidelity?" Such harmful experiences do not help children to grow in the maturity needed to make outstanding commitments. For this reason, Christian communities must not abandon divorced parents who have entered a new union but should include and support them in their efforts to raise their children. Helping heal the wounds of parents and supporting them spiritually is also beneficial for children, who need the familiar face of the Church to see them through this traumatic experience. (246)
During the Synod, we discussed the situation of families whose members include persons who experience same-sex attraction, a situation not easy either for parents or children. We would like before all else to reaffirm that every person, regardless of sexual orientation, should be respected in his or her dignity and treated with consideration, while 'every sign of unjust discrimination' is to be carefully avoided, particularly any form of aggression and violence. (250)
"The Church must accompany with attention and care the weakest of her children, who show signs of a wounded and troubled love, by restoring in them hope and confidence, like the beacon of a lighthouse in a port or a torch carried among the people to enlighten those who have lost their way, or are in the midst of a storm.” Let us not forget that the Church’s task is often like that of a field hospital. (291)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 532243396. BRZEGI, POLAND - JULY 30, 2016: World Youth Day 2016 , Brzegi near Krakow o/p pope Francis. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Marcin Kadziolka
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS - SACRED HEART AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCHES
Catholic Leader is available this weekend.
● 11-page memorial feature remembering the life of Pope Benedict XVI
● Cardinal Geroge Pell remembered in Australia and across the world
● Super siblings eager to explore St Kevin’s new Prep playground as thousands of students return to school across the archdiocese
● Our Lady’s College, Annerley students take to learning Auslan
● Archbishop Mark Coleridge reflects after the death of Pope Benedict XVI
● Evangelisation is the ‘oxygen’ of Christian life, Pope Francis says
● Brisbane seminarians meet Pope Francis at the Vatican
● The hidden faces of domestic violence in Queensland homes
● The Bible is ‘key to evangelisation’ and soul of theology, US Bishop says
● Brisbane mum joins Gospel mission evangelising on the streets of Adelaide
● Columnist Pat Keady speaks on Christian hope in a climate of discouragement
● Paul Desuara’s search for meaning led to him saying, ‘Jesus, I want you’
PARISH BINGO MORNING TEA
Hosted by the Surfers Paradise Catholic Ladies. Our first Bingo Morning for 2023 will be on Thursday, 16th February, 10 am-2 pm. We have moved the Bingo Morning Tea to the 3rd Thursday of each
month for the balance of 2023. Admission is $20.00, which includes 1 Bingo Card, Raffle Tickets, Door Prizes, Morning tea and Lunch. We Welcome New Parishioners as well as our current Parishioners who have not come for this function. Please ring Maxine Sela at 0421051193 or Wendy Webb at 0412237832 if you are coming.
MARIAN VALLEY BUS
Please come and join us at the Marian Valley Church for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on 13.02.2023. The bus will be picking up at 8.15 am at the Sacred Heart Church Clear Island Waters. The Cost for the bus fare is $25.00 return. You can secure your seat with the contact name and contact phone number of Xavier Solomon at 0404 843 260, Madeleine at 0405 252 367 or 5529 1573. All are welcome.
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 “Break Open the Word” this 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 see 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
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
13/2/2022 Eyline and Nardine - Merrimac
20/2/2022 Eyline and Nardine - Merrimac
27/2/2023 Helen & Thor Skjaerback - Merrimac
6/3/2023 Helen & Thor Skjaerback - Merrimac
ART AND CRAFT GROUP -
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-
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 -
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
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.
The Lenten Programme - TRIUMPH - from the Wollongong NSW diocese, will be run by the Sacred Heart Meditation group on Tuesdays in Lent from 10am - 12md commencing Tuesday 22nd February. If you are interested in attending or for any enquiries please ring Pam Egtberts 0428 090 703.
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.
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 still supporting the Catholic Church in Ukraine in its commitment to stay on the ground and keep serving its flock in the face of material and economic war. ACN is helping priests and religious, who are working across the country in parishes, with refugees, in orphanages and homes for the elderly. The main cities where we are sending immediate help are Kyiv, Zaporizhya, Odessa and the region of Donetsk. We are doing everything we can to assist our Ukrainian brothers and sisters to be strengthened in their faith so that they may continue to be a light in Ukraine. ACN needs your help to continue this mission.
To make an offering and learn more visit https://aidtochurch.org/ukraine or scan the Qr code.
Mission: Change their lives ... and yours.
Communities in Africa, Asia or the Pacific are seeking Australians from a variety of professions and trades to share their skills with those who have less opportunity to develop their talents.
· You will re-ignite your professional passion as you share skills with colleagues abroad;
· You will strengthen individuals and organisational processes and procedures so that generations of people will have opportunities for growth long after you return home.
· You will Learn. It is a life changing opportunity to work with and live amongst some of the most appreciative and resilient people you will ever meet.
· You will be Supported. Since 1961, Palms Australia has supported qualified and experienced Catholics motivated to undertake this Mission.
Explore 35 positions by scanning the QR code below. On our website you can also see news including stories from those currently supported in Timor-Leste, Samoa, American Samoa and Thailand.
RING: 02 9560 533 or 0422 472 567. WEB: www.palms.org.au
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.
IV. THE PRINCIPLE OF THE COMMON GOOD
156. An integral ecology is inseparable from the notion of the common good, a central and unifying principle of social ethics. The common good is “the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfilment”.[122]
157. Underlying the principle of the common good is respect for the human person as such, endowed with basic and inalienable rights ordered to his or her integral development. It also has to do with the overall welfare of society and the development of a variety of intermediate groups, applying the principle of subsidiarity. Outstanding among those groups is the family, as the basic cell of society. Finally, the common good calls for social peace, the stability and security provided by a certain order which cannot be achieved without particular concern for distributive justice; whenever this is violated, violence always ensues. Society as a whole, and the state in particular, is obliged to defend and promote the common good.
158. In the present condition of global society, where injustices abound, and growing numbers of people are deprived of basic human rights and considered expendable, the principle of the common good immediately becomes, logically and inevitably, a summons to solidarity and a preferential option for the poorest of our brothers and sisters. This option entails recognising the implications of the universal destination of the world’s goods, but, as I mentioned in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium,[123] it demands before all else an appreciation of the immense dignity of the poor in the light of our deepest convictions as believers. We need only look around us to see that, today, this option is an ethical imperative essential for effectively attaining 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 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…….
No comments:
Post a Comment