PDF version of this parish newsletter here:
You can also access an online copy of the newsletter *here*
“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?”
(Matthew 5:46)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 267734696 - Detail closeup of Scripture quote Love Your Enemies - Photo Contributor: Lane V. Erickson
Ash Wednesday Masses - Wednesday 22nd February 2023
Sacred Heart 9 am - (Clear Island Waters)
Sacred Heart 6 pm - (Clear Island Waters)
Also: Stations of the Cross each Friday of Lent at 6pm at Sacred Heart Church, 50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters. From 24th February 2023,
IMPORTANT NOTICE - Stella Maris Catholic Church at Broadbeach will be closed for essential work on the ceiling from now 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.
PASTOR’S POST - I Can’t Hear You
In preparation for the Plenary Council in Australia last year, we were asked to “listen to the voice of the Spirit”, to ask ourselves, “What is the Holy Spirit saying to the Church in Australia at this time?” It was a noble goal, and I have to say we gave it a very good effort. Parishes and dioceses collected an enormous number of responses and tried valiantly to collate them into what might become foundations for future planning and discussion. One of the key requirements was that we should ‘listen’ to each other and not just ‘talk at’ each other.
One of the key differences between ‘listening’ and 'hearing ‘is that listening presupposes that after hearing the words, we will be open to changing our opinion and perspective. That we will consider the logic and facts that others might offer and be open to considering another’s point of view. We should always be open to the fact that someone else in the room might know more than we do. Not an easy concept to accept, but a necessary one, if we hope to achieve any consensus, which was the great hope of the Plenary Council. Speaking and listening in this environment should not require shouting or anger, although passion and conviction are certainly acceptable. If my point is valid and my argument logical, then volume should not make it more acceptable.
Already this year, we have witnessed three very passionate protests that have, as far as I can see, done little to further their cause because they have presumed that speaking loudly and angrily will help people understand the issues. I’m referring to those who protested outside the Australian funeral of Cardinal George Pell, the Extinction Rebellion protesters and the Australia Day protest marches that got connected to the Voice to Parliament supporters and adversaries all on the same day.
I have no trouble at all with peoples’ right to protest as I regard it as one of the great freedoms offered to us here in Australia. My concern is with how the protests happen, such that it is understandable that those of us who are seeking to listen, in the very best sense of the word, have great difficulty hearing a clear voice and message. It is not unreasonable to expect that those who have a message to deliver, particularly one they feel passionate about, should try to be both clear and careful in making sure it hits the mark. For example, a person glueing themselves to a road surface or climbing onto the Storey Bridge and waving a printed message might succeed in stopping traffic, but as for attracting people to their cause or listening to their argument, I can’t see it happening. When you threaten someone or make them feel uncomfortable, as opposed to being concerned, then it is quite understandable for the listener to put up barriers and guard against being assaulted, even if it is only verbally.
The old adage of catching more flies with honey has new relevance now that those with a cause to push these days seem to need to scream and shake fists at those they expect to listen. Perhaps they think that if they see politicians yelling and belittling the opposing party with unsavoury language or sarcastic put-downs, then that is how you win an argument or show that you are serious. If you want me to listen, speak so that I can hear your argument. I want to listen, but sometimes I just can’t hear. Perhaps it’s time for a little less obfuscation and a little more conversation.
Fr Peter Dillon PP.
Project Compassion Sunday - 18 & 19 February
Please take home a Project Compassion box or set of donation envelopes to support Caritas Australia this Lenten season and help support vulnerable people around the world, now and For All Future Generations.
With your support, Caritas Australia has been able to support communities around the world to tackle poverty, food security, education, water and sanitation and disaster risk reduction. Project Compassion 2023 reminds us that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. As St Pope John Paul II said, “The future starts today, not tomorrow.”
Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow For All Future Generations.
You can donate through Project Compassion donation boxes and envelopes available from your parish, by visiting https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion, or by calling 1800 024 413.
ASH WEDNESDAY AND LENT BEGINS THIS COMING WEEK
Although Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, the fact that so many people make sure they begin Lent by attending the Mass for the giving of Ashes is a sign of the significance it has.
From ancient times this Lenten observance reflects the three central concerns we have in life:
Our duty to God (prayer), our duty to our bodies (fasting), and our duty to others (almsgiving).
The purpose of fasting and abstinence is not to punish ourselves, nor is it a time of testing our willpower and personal strength, but rather, it is to teach us detachment from whatever may keep us from a closer connection to God. In self-denial and in giving of our time to more prayer and good works, our hearts move even closer to God. Distractions like excess food or any other things that take up our time and energy are avoided, helping us become more focused, attentive and charitable.
In this Lenten fasting, we also remember and imitate the example of Jesus, who fasted 40 days in the wilderness, as he prepared to begin his life-giving ministry.
For us also, its also a recognition that sin has not only personal consequences but also sin has communal dimensions - and so Lent provides us as a community a means of expressing our common repentance.
Lent is a six-week gift to the church from God, as a time of nurturing positive habits of prayer, self-denial and giving of our time and resources for worthy causes. Lent builds up our spiritual health and good spiritual habits and attitudes that become so automatic and natural to us that we do them without hesitation, and for no other reason than our love for God. So, as the reading for Ash Wednesday says, “our left-hand does not know what our right hand is doing.”
Here is a handy guide to the pattern of our Lenten observances:
Days of Penance
Abstinence for meat, and fasting, are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Fasting is the equivalent of eating only one meal in that day, (although a few smaller meals that add up to the equivalent of one meal is also fine). All who have completed their 18th year and have not yet begun their 60th year are bound to fast. All who have completed their 14th year are bound to abstain.
Abstaining can be foregoing anything to clear any barriers to us living and breathing Christ’s Gospel.
You can help communities affected by the Syria and Türkiye earthquakes.
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. DONATE NOW- Syria and Türkiye earthquakes
STATIONS OF THE CROSS - FRIDAYS OF LENT
We will be celebrating the Stations of the Cross each Friday of Lent at 6pm at
Sacred Heart Church, 50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters
24th February 2023
3rd March 2023
10th March 2023
17th March 2023
24th March 2023
31st March 2023
COME and JOIN US
IF you would like to facilitate this for the Fridays in Lent OR even if you would be willing to facilitate on one of the Fridays above please contact the Parish Office on
07 5671 7388 as we would be most grateful for your assistance.
We will be using “Everyone’s Way of the Cross” for our stations this year.
A CALL TO HOLINESS - REFLECTION
Sonya reflects on Matthew 5:17-37.
OUR PARISH SCHOOLS HAVE MADE A WONDERFUL START TO THE YEAR WITH THEIR OPENING MASSES - MAY GOD BE WITH YOU ALL.
Commissioning of Staff and Leadership from our Four Schools - Sunday 12th Feb - Sacred Heart 9am Mass
ST VINCENT'S OPENING LITURGY: Clear Island Waters
Saint Michael’s Catholic Secondary School - Merrimac
Saint Kevin’s Primary School - Benowa
STAR OF THE SEA CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL - MERRIMAC
Had their wonderful Opening Mass at Stella Maris Church Broadbeach (which is latin for “Star of the Sea”).
Becoming Catholic! A Journey of Faith
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS
Catechumens – Andre De Melo, Nikki Miruzzi, and Seda Karauzumcu, are seeking Baptism
Candidates – Georgia Bull, Maria Torres Reyes, and Paula Littlechild are seeking Full Communion with the Catholic Church.
We will celebrate together this weekend at Sacred Heart. The Catechumens and Candidates have been invited this weekend to lunch with the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo, Pope Francis’ ambassador to Australia, Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Brisbane Diocese, and the Priests across the South Coast Deanery. What a wonderful opportunity and privilege this will be for our candidates and for the Archbishops as well to meet up with those who are journeying to Baptism and Reception into our Church this Easter.
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.
URGENTLY STILL NEEDED: 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
FANS and DOORS in OUR CHURCHES
DURING CHURCH SERVICES - FANS IN THE CHURCH DURING the HOT WEATHER ARE TO BE LEFT ON PLEASE AND DOORS TO BE LEFT OPEN PLEASE 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.
BIRTHDAY SMILES AT THE OFFICE
Sonya, Carmel and Cathy celebrated their birthdays this month with a delicious cake.
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
Stock Photo ID: 350652656 - Rocca di Papa, Italy - circa June 2015 - Modern colourful stained glass window with Jesus Christ and Sacred Heart, Divine Mercy in a parish church - Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Thoom
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT - SHALOM MEDIA ONLINE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNTZxNoC9to
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
A VOCATION VIEW: GIFTS OF PRICELESS VALUE
We read in Leviticus: "You must love your neighbour, as yourself!" Some are being called to love their neighbour as a priest or religious. Pray that many will answer the call to love.
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
“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you….” Matthew 5:44
Love your enemies, easier said than done. But, remember, the foundation of stewardship is prayer. When we are in close communication with God, it opens our heart, and it turns our attention away from “me” and moves it towards God and others. It changes my heart and actions, allowing for a little more empathy for “my enemy.” When we pray for others, even our enemies, it may soften their hearts as well.
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: Annie Scicluna, Paul Thomas Hawkins, Lois Wood, Phil McWilliam, Coralie Brennan, Kim Ingram, Karen Vestergard, John Thomas, Pat Jones, Felipe S Cataquiz Sr, 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, 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: Nicholas Eamon Ashworth, Marie Patricia “Pat” Sullivan, Graciela del Carmen Chapman, Alan Hague, Marie Kuljanic, Graham Stafford, 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, Brian Quinlan, Maureen Jobling, Dao Jensen.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: Norm Mullins, Victoria Saxon, Pat Anderson, Joan Frances Hurley, Barclay Hodge, Jeanette (Jenny) Avery, Carmel Elizabeth Bright, Milan Piglich, Bernie Tathem, Peter Cotton,Mary Schreiber, Andre Bellony, Allan Thomas Vaughan, Jerzy Wieczorek, Jabour Haddad, Maria Eidejus, Raymond Gardiner, Milan Piglich, Bobby Joseph Casperz, Veronica Bond, Thomas James Michael (Mike) Farrell, Brian Peter Pinard, George Ferguson Shaw, Hans Wagner, Theodore Cocks, Gregory London, Mary Ng Siew Kuen, Neil Bloxsidge, Jordan Barker, Valerie Mary Elshaw, Stanislaw Zbigniew Zielinski, Michael Robertson, Dorothy de Launey, Giuseppe Nardi, Joy Whitbread, Bill Hignett.
And also: Mark Connell, 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.
TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH - Kindness and care, from beginning to end.
Sometimes you have to do things for yourself. Mathilda Beasley (1833-1903), of Creole and Native American parents, founded a Franciscan community of colour in Savannah with little help from normal church channels. Her sisters cared for orphaned children, continuing the work until things ran out: money, housing, and the health of Mother Beasley. Though the community was suppressed, Mother Beasley was the third founder of an order of African-American sisters in the United States, after Elizabeth Lange and Henriette Delille. God measures our efforts, not our success.
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.
Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation includes two 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 baptised children in Year 3 or older are invited to enrol their children in the continuing Sacramental Journey (that is: 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 (Please complete 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 (in the blue box). Next, 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)
The celebration of First Holy Communion will be on 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 (in the blue box). 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 couple of weeks, 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 -
continuing from last week.... the source and the goal of discipleship is to share in the heart of God.... to dwell in God's love and reflect God's love.... love is at the heart of everything. to become truly Christ-like; not only in our appearances but in essence... which is to BE love... // this changes everything... we focus not on perfecting external actions... but put all our energies into allowing God's love and compassion to grow in our hearts and flow out into our attitudes and actions...
Saint Paul uses a wonderful image to show us that God is building us up into a worthy dwelling place for him to live in us. But he says that we are not being formed into any old home for God,…… "We are invited to become not just an occasional holiday shack for God, but a permanent home and, (even more so...), a "Temple" for God to live in. And the Greek word for "temple" used here implies not just the facade of the Temple of Jerusalem but the inner sanctuary - the "Holy of Holies" (where only one priest could enter at a time. Apparently, the priest on duty had a rope tied around them so if they fainted or died while in this inner sanctuary, they could be hauled out by the rope without anyone else entering!)
So, each of us is invited to become, body, soul and mind, an extremely holy place for God to dwell.
What renovations do we need God's grace to create in us to make us a worthy place? (a temple)?
A temple is a building that is "purpose-built". Every room and every item in that place is there for the purpose of worshipping God (who abides in that temple) and for doing God's works. ……
So, our lives, and everything about us, are similarly put to the use of God; We become willing instruments of God's Kingdom… We are God's temple, says Saint Paul, and this is an amazing thought.
This weekend, with the Gospel, two words bear deeper reflection; and need a bit of clarification.
Firstly we are told by Jesus: "Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect" –
This is not an invitation to perfectionism (which is quite a different thing).
In fact, we actually see in Our Lord's life and ministry that he was the opposite of a "nit-picking" legalist, who was prickly around other people because they didn't do everything "just right." The Greek word "perfect," here, actually means "Telios" that is (like the word 'telescope')/ an unfolding to achieve its maximum potential/ achieving full capacity/ Reaching maturity/ Becoming whole or complete… "To be best suited for its purpose"…. (For example.. a 'tailored suit' is Telios – that is, it is designed to fit the wearer's proportions perfectly).
….
So, we are invited to allow God's Kingdom to fit us like a designer Baptismal garment/.. matching just right !/ …. But, we are the ones who are being shaped to fit God's ways, and not the opposite... of us trying to cut down God's Kingdom to suit our convenience.
The second problematic saying is "love your enemies"…
This is extremely difficult to teach. "Pray for those who hurt you"……
Firstly the Greek word used here is not like the love of husband and wife. Also, this word is (understandably) nothing like the love that one has for a family member or a close friend…. It is 'agape" - That is, the different kind of love that wishes well to the other, show basic human respect and indicates an act of reason. It is not so much a love coming from the heart, but (surprisingly, in this situation) it is a decision (made by the head and enabled by a conscious, considered resolution). It is a deliberate choice to SHOW respect/kindness, restraint, and regard to all people, irrespective of their actions and irrespective of our feelings towards them.
Doing this mirrors how God treats us all.
(This does NOT mean that we become doormats or punching bags for Christ! That would be unjust and unacceptable. And in any case, Jesus is giving this teaching to disciples, most of whom would have been quite capable of knocking the head off someone who slapped them even once! Christ's new followers would have needed to use their willpower not to strike back! Christ is teaching us that, Abiding in God's love, we don't have to lower our response or attitude to that of those who seek to harm us. We do not need to return evil for evil – which would simply continue the vicious cycle of violence and hate.
This is asking us something that does not come naturally. The bonds of natural affection and friendship are in some ways easier, but this is about the call of God's love - not the limits of the "bare minimum" God might expect.
To the demands of the law, there are always limitations and exceptions …./ But to the claims of love, there are limits or exceptions/ And such a concept as "limits" makes no sense to one who loves.
"A basic mistake in earthly wisdom is to think of life in terms of the law, instead of love. If we love a person deeply, passionately, humbly and selflessly, we will be quite sure that (in a poetic sense) if we were to give that person all we possessed, we would still be in default; if we gave that person the sun, the moon and the stars, we would still be in debt, (a willing debt of love, that is !)/ 'One who is in love is always in debt'; The last thing that enters their mind is that they have earned a reward or can demand a response. If a person has a legalistic view of life, they may constantly think in terms of the reward that has been won and what is "owed" to them;/ But, if a person has a loving view of life, the idea of reward would be jarring. …. (Again, here I think of parents… They love their children unconditionally… They give because they love… If they were doing it for reward or expecting the balance sheet one day to be truly "evened up"…., they will most certainly be waiting a long time !…… but that is not how a loving parent acts… and God does not think that way either…
(Jesus invites us to enter into this mindset deeper and deeper each day).
How much is sufficient? how much is enough? when given to one's beloved?…..
(how long is a piece of string?) …. It is a different way of seeing the world…"#
So, Are we ready for this astounding invitation from today's Gospel?"A person will be perfect ('Telios') (GSN5046) …. (or to put it more precisely… "mature and fit for the purpose for which we were created)," when we reflect the image and likeness of God, (for that is what God intended from the beginning of creation) (The Book of Genesis).
God's qualities are universal benevolence and kindness, unconquerable goodwill,
and Constant seeking of the highest good of every person.
God is love and shows love (to the saint and to the sinner alike).
No matter what people do in response, God seeks nothing but their highest good.
Jesus is laying down three great rules—(which I feel anxious to lay down without watering it down or explaining it away, even though it calls us to go deeper than is comfortable or familiar)….The Christian avoids resentment or retaliation for insults
(no matter how deliberate), returning kindness and reverence in the face of injury.
The Christian does not stand or fall upon their legal rights or on any other rights they may believe themselves to possess; The Christian thinks not about their right to do as they like but rather always think of our duty to be of help and to do good work with all our ability for the glory of God. We cannot achieve this alone. This can ONLY be achieved when the grace and love of God abide in us and flows outwards into actions of kindness, mercy and compassion. "When we love, we are a sign and sacrament of the Kingdom of God… And, Jesus says to us: 'Love !, (not as others love but as I love), and BE that SIGN !"
References: Fr Paul W. Kelly; Strong's Biblical Concordance: HelpsBible.com. copyright © 1987, 2011 by Helps Ministries, Inc; # Barclay, W. (1975). The Gospel of MATTHEW. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press; Cronin, G. (2003). Celebrating the Gospels. 1st ed. Liguori, Mo.: Liguori; DeBona, G. (2013). Between the Ambo and the altar. 1st ed. Minnesota: Liturgical Press; Hodge, Vincent. Note on the Greek word for "Temple," used in 1 Corinthians 3:17; also see http://www.godrules.net/library/strongs2b/gre3485.htm
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 722119933 - Jesus christ crucifix cross on heaven sunrise - Christianity -Mercy - Forgiveness - Love - Giving - Photo Contributor: Art Stocker
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
Peter Damian:
In the short treatise Dominus vobiscum (The Book of "The Lord be with You") (PL 145:231-252), he questions whether a hermit praying in solitude should use the plural; Damian concludes that the hermit should use the plural since he is linked to the whole church by faith and fellowship.
In this letter, Peter defends his views, an undertaking that takes him into the discussion of the scope of divine power, the possibility of God's annulling the past, and the problems that arise from using the language of human temporality to describe divine possibilities in an eternal present. Damian had claimed that God could indeed restore lost virginity. The central question of the nature and scope of divine power is related to previous discussions of the question and to the more sophisticated debates of the later Middle Ages. Damian's apparent claims that the law of contradiction does not apply to God and that God is able to annul the past deserve recognition. In these discussions, Damian shows himself the equal of any of the dialecticians that he so severely criticises.
The best penance is to have patience with the sorrows God permits. A very good penance is to dedicate oneself to fulfil the duties of every day with exactitude and to study and work with all our strength.
Do not be depressed. Do not let your weakness make you impatient. Instead, let the serenity of your spirit shine through your face. Let the joy of your mind burst forth.
He pours light into our minds, arouses our desire and gives us strength... As the soul is the life of the body, the Holy Spirit is the life of our souls.
Nobody can fight properly and boldly for the faith if he clings to a fear of being stripped of earthly possessions.
We hold our tongues in check because if they are undisciplined they empty the soul of the strength of heavenly grace, and weaken its healthful vigour.
For the wisdom of the flesh brings death, but that of the spirit brings life and peace, since the wisdom of the flesh is the enemy of God; it is not subject to God's law, nor can it be. And since the wisdom of the flesh is unable to bear the yoke of God's law, it cannot look upon it either,for its eyes are clouded with the smoke of pride.
And what more should I say since sin expels the whole host of the virtues from the chamber of the human heart and introduces every barbarous vice as if the bolts of the doors were pulled out.
St Polycarp:
Eighty and six years have I served Christ, nor has He ever done me any harm. How, then, could I blaspheme my King who saved Me? I bless Thee for deeming me worthy of this day and this hour that I may be among Thy martyrs and drink the cup of my Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us, therefore, forsake the vanity of the crowd and their false teachings and turn back to the word delivered to us from the beginning.
Beware of greed and remain pure and just. Restrain yourself from every vice. He who cannot restrain himself, how will he be able to teach others restraint?
By grace ye are saved, not of works,' but by the will of God through Jesus Christ.
If we please Him in this present world, we shall also receive the future world, according to as He has promised to us that He will raise us again from the dead and that if we live worthily of Him, 'we shall also reign together with Him,' provided only we believe . . .
Now may the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the eternal high priest himself, the Son of God Jesus Christ, build you up in faith and truth and in all gentleness and in all freedom from anger and forbearance and steadfastness and patient endurance and purity.
If you imagine for a moment that I would do that, then I think you pretend that you don't know who I am. Hear it. I am a Christian.
If anyone does not refrain from the love of money, he will be defiled by idolatry and so be judged as if he were one of the heathen.
I exhort you, press on in your course, and exhort all men that they may be saved.
Be all of you subject one to another, having your conduct blameless among the Gentiles, that you may both receive praise for your good works, and the Lord may not be blasphemed through you. But woe to him by whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed! Teach, therefore, sobriety to all, and manifest it also in your own conduct
(facing martyrdom). “But why do you delay? Come, do what you will.”
©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).
For the Church's pastors are not only responsible for promoting Christian marriage, but also the "pastoral discernment of the situations of a great many who no longer live this reality. Entering into pastoral dialogue with these persons is needed to distinguish elements in their lives that can lead to a greater openness to the Gospel of marriage and its fullness." (293).
In some countries, de facto unions are very numerous. Whatever the case, "all these situations require a constructive response seeking to transform them into opportunities that can lead to the full reality of marriage and family in conformity with the Gospel. These couples need to be welcomed and guided patiently and discreetly." (294).
Along these lines, Saint John Paul II proposed the so-called "law of gradualness" in the knowledge that the human being "knows, loves and accomplishes moral good by different stages of growth". This is not a "gradualness of law" but rather a gradualness in the prudential exercise of free acts on the part of subjects who are not in a position to understand, appreciate, or fully carry out the objective demands of the law. (295)
Here, I would like to reiterate something I sought to make clear to the whole Church, lest we take the wrong path: "There are two ways of thinking which recur throughout the Church's history: casting off and reinstating. The Church's way from the time of the Council of
Jerusalem has always been the way of Jesus, the way of mercy and reinstatement ..... The way of the Church is not to condemn anyone forever. (296)
No one can be condemned forever because that is not the logic of the Gospel! Here I am not speaking only of the divorced and remarried, but of everyone, in whatever situation they find themselves. Naturally, if someone flaunts an objective sin as if it were part of the Christian ideal or wants to impose something other than what the Church teaches, he or she can in no way presume to teach or preach to others; this is a case of something which separates from the community. (297)
As for the way of dealing with different "irregular" situations, the Synod Fathers reached a general consensus, which I support: "In considering a pastoral approach towards people who have contracted a civil marriage, who are divorced and remarried, or simply living together, the Church has the responsibility of helping them understand the divine pedagogy of grace in their lives and offering them assistance so they can reach the fullness of God's
plan for them", something which is always possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. (297)
I am in agreement with the many Synod Fathers who observed that "the baptised who are divorced and civilly remarried need to be more fully integrated into Christian communities in the variety of ways possible while avoiding any occasion of scandal. Such persons need to feel not as excommunicated members of the Church but instead as living members, able to live and grow in the Church and experience her as a mother who welcomes them always, who takes care of them with affection and encourages them along the path of life and the Gospel. (299)
85. Priests have the duty to "accompany [the divorced and remarried] in helping them to understand their situation according to the teaching of the Church and the guidelines of the bishop. Useful in this process is an examination of conscience through moments of reflection and repentance". (300)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1530635405 - Vatican City, 13th October 2019. Pope Francis walks past a Swiss Guard as he arrives to celebrate a Mass for the canonization of five blessed, in St. Peter's Square. STRICTLY ONLY FOR EDITORIAL USE -
Photo Contributor- Riccardo De Luca - Update
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 the 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’
BIBLE STUDY
The Bible Study/Prayer Group continues each Friday evening from 5-6pm at St Vincent’s Church
40 Hamilton Avenue Surfers Paradise.
By studying “Break Open the Word” it helps you to remember the readings for the upcoming Sunday Mass and of course enjoy fellowship with other members of the Parish. Enquires to Ashley 0409 840 693
OUR LADY’S STATUE
Praying the Rosary - Our Lady’s Statue in the Parish -
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
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” - It 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 social 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.
HELP SYRIA. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has launched an emergency appeal for the people in northern Syria desperate for help following the devastating earthquakes. ACN is begging for funds to support their long-time local project partners on the ground in Syria. To read more about what ACN is doing and to make an offering please visit www.aidtochurch.org/syriaearthquake 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 growth opportunities 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 5333 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.
V. JUSTICE BETWEEN THE GENERATIONS
159. The notion of the common good also extends to future generations. The global economic crises have made painfully obvious the detrimental effects of disregarding our common destiny, which cannot exclude those who come after us. We can no longer speak of sustainable development apart from intergenerational solidarity. Once we start to think about the kind of world we are leaving to future generations, we look at things differently; we realize that the world is a gift that we have freely received and must share with others. Since the world has been given to us, we can no longer view reality in a purely utilitarian way, in which efficiency and productivity are entirely geared to our individual benefit. Intergenerational solidarity is not optional, but rather a basic question of justice, since the world we have received also belongs to those who will follow us. The Portuguese bishops have called upon us to acknowledge this obligation of justice: “The environment is part of a logic of receptivity. It is on loan to each generation, which must then hand it on to the next”.[124] An integral ecology is marked by this broader vision.
160. What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up? This question not only concerns the environment in isolation; the issue cannot be approached piecemeal. When we ask ourselves what kind of world we want to leave behind, we think in the first place of its general direction, its meaning and its values. Unless we struggle with these deeper issues, I do not believe that our concern for ecology will produce significant results. But if these issues are courageously faced, we are led inexorably to ask other pointed questions: What is the purpose of our life in this world? Why are we here? What is the goal of our work and all our efforts? What need does the earth have of us? It is no longer enough, then, simply to state that we should be concerned for future generations. We need to see that what is at stake is our own dignity. Leaving an inhabitable planet to future generations is, first and foremost, up to us. The issue is one which dramatically affects us, for it has to do with the ultimate meaning of our earthly sojourn.
161. Doomsday predictions can no longer be met with irony or disdain. We may well be leaving to coming generations of debris, desolation and filth. The pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet’s capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes, such as those which even now periodically occur in different areas of the world. The effects of the present imbalance can only be reduced by our decisive action, here and now. We need to reflect on our accountability before those who will have to endure the dire consequences.
162. Our difficulty in taking up this challenge seriously has much to do with an ethical and cultural decline that has accompanied the deterioration of the environment. Men and women of our postmodern world run the risk of rampant individualism, and many problems of society are connected with today’s self-centred culture of instant gratification. We see this in the crisis of family and social ties and the difficulties of recognising each other. Parents can be prone to impulsive and wasteful consumption, which then affects their children who find it increasingly difficult to acquire a home of their own and build a family. Furthermore, our inability to think seriously about future generations is linked to our inability to broaden the scope of our present interests and to give consideration to those who remain excluded from development. Let us not only keep the poor of the future in mind but also today’s poor, whose life on this earth is brief and who cannot keep on waiting. Hence, “in addition to a fairer sense of intergenerational solidarity, there is also an urgent moral need for a renewed sense of intragenerational solidarity”.[125]
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…….
ULURU STATEMENT FROM THE HEART
Standing on Quandamooka country, Archbishop Coleridge, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, gazed across Moreton Bay to Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), site of Australia’s first Catholic mission to First Nations peoples, set up by Italian Passionist Fathers more than 170 years ago.
“God is going to take out of us that heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh – the heart of Jesus… that recognises the other as a human being,” he said.
Speaking just days before the start of the first assembly of the Church’s historic Plenary Council of Australia, Archbishop Coleridge described the poor health and incarceration rate indigenous Australians – the highest in the world – as “a national disgrace”.
Following Mass, Archbishop Coleridge formerly endorsed the Uluru Statement From the Heart, a landmark document signed by 250 indigenous leaders in 2017 and invited all Australians “to walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples” towards a better nation.
ULURU STATEMENT FROM THE HEART:
We, gathered at the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, coming from all points of the southern sky, make this statement from the heart:
Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes were the first sovereign Nations of the Australian continent and its adjacent islands, and possessed it under our own laws and customs. This our ancestors did, according to the reckoning of our culture, from the Creation, according to the common law from ‘time immemorial’, and according to science more than 60,000 years ago.
This sovereignty is a spiritual notion: the ancestral tie between the land, or ‘mother nature’, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were born therefrom, remain attached thereto, and must one day return thither to be united with our ancestors. This link is the basis of the ownership of the soil, or better, of sovereignty. It has never been ceded or extinguished, and co-exists with the sovereignty of the Crown.
How could it be otherwise? That peoples possessed a land for sixty millennia and this sacred link disappears from world history in merely the last two hundred years?
With substantive constitutional change and structural reform, we believe this ancient sovereignty can shine through as a fuller expression of Australia’s nationhood.
Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.
These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem. This is the torment of our powerlessness.
We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.
We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.
Makarrata is the culmination of our agenda: the coming together after a struggle. It captures our aspirations for a fair and truthful relationship with the people of Australia and a better future for our children based on justice and self-determination.
We seek a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history.
In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.
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