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“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:22-23)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 417676597 - SLUPSK, POLAND - 21 MARCH 2016 stained glass window depicting Pentecost- Important information - Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: piosi
PASTOR’S POST -Oh Happy Day!
I once heard a priest say that the happiest Sunday of the year for him was First Communion Sunday, and the saddest was the next Sunday. His point being, that after so much joy and excitement of the day that the first communicants come forward to receive the body of Christ for the very first time is a day full of anticipation and hope, they seem to forget that this is not an end but a beginning.
Could this be the day when these young people come to appreciate what it means to be fully part of God’s people gathering as a parish community? Could this be the day that they have a sense of belonging to something broader than their own home family?
Could this be the day that they feel that God is not a distant presence but is there beside them, within them, as a life companion and strength in times of uncertainty?
There can be no more moving celebration in the Church’s calendar than this yearly admission of new, fully initiated young Catholics to the table of the Lord. Not only does the joy of the children and their families permeate throughout the whole community, but their fervour and innocence trigger strong personal memories of the earnestness of our own childhood faith and even regret that this faith may somehow have faded over the years. This can be a day of recovering lost riches and allowing God once again to welcome us back.
One of our worst childhood fears was the fear of being left out. When it came to picking teams, we feared that we were not good enough. We could not run fast enough. We didn’t know how to play the game. With exclusion came the feeling that people didn’t like us. However, we also learned that good friends do not leave us out. Good friends share what they have. They stand by us even when we make mistakes. They always treat us as equals, like a brother or sister. They forgive us when we ask and sometimes even when we forget to ask. Above all, they want us to be happy.
Today the Church, through the Sacrament of the Eucharist, reminds our children that they will never have a better friend than Jesus. He shares his special gifts with us: the gift of the Spirit and the gift of special food, his Body and Blood. No more standing back as others went forward to receive this sacred food.
The special food that Jesus gives us brings us together. That is why we call it communion; (in union with). Jesus does not wish his friends to be alone and solitary. He is saying to us, ‘I want you to be a community together, to care for one another, to support one another, to be the Body of Christ on earth’.
If we eat the right food in our daily diet, we will have more energy; we will be able to do more things. If we eat this special food that Jesus gives us, we will be able to do all the things he asks of us. We will be able to go out into the world and make a difference.
Over the next two Sundays, our parish will welcome 110 of its members to come forward to the table of the Eucharist and take with them what looks like a small white wafer, but which we believe to be the Body of Christ. They have been learning for the last few months what this food means. Not that they will fully understand the significance yet. Who does? But this very significant chapter in their faith story is opening before them. Their families will accompany them, and they will be wearing special clothes and a stole signifying the sacraments they have already received. There will be a brief celebration outside the Church after the ceremony, with hopefully a more substantial gathering of family and friends at home.
All this is meant to let them know that they have taken another step in their relationship with God since they have been seen as worthy to receive this special gift.
Because of the large number of communicants and their families, it has been decided to have two separate liturgies, apart from the normal Sunday gatherings. This is certainly not ideal but is seen to be a practical solution to what is a ‘happy’ problem. Too many people wish to attend Mass at the same time. If only this were an every weekend problem.
Please pray that these gatherings will be an awakening for these young people and their families that this is not a one-off celebration but a springboard for participation and connection to those who gather weekly to be fed on this precious food for the journey ahead.
Fr Peter Dillon PP
Parish Volunteers needed to walk the journey!
Catechists - Sponsors - Support
Ring the Parish Office 56717388 to volunteer - thank you!
HOSPITAL CALLS - AROUND THE DEANERY -
HELP THE PRIESTS OF THE DEANERY RESPOND TO URGENT CALLS EFFECTIVELY BY CALLING THE FOLLOWING PARISHES FIRST RESPONDERS TO NEEDS WITHIN THE HOSPITALS LISTED.
To efficiently deal with the pastoral needs around the Catholic Parishes of the Gold Coast, the parishes within this Deanery have the practice of having the first call for emergencies going to the priests of the parish where the hospital is located. Here is a helpful guide to the hospitals and their attendant priests. A nursing home call also follows this procedure, where the first priest to call is a priest from the parish within which the Nursing Home is located.
Robina Hospital - Burleigh Heads Parish on 5576 6466
Pindara Hospital - Surfers Paradise Parish 56717388
John Flynn Hospital -Coolangatta-Tugun Parish on 5598 2165
University & Gold Coast Private Hosp-Southport Parish 5510 2222
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK: (Alphabetical) Jack Barretto, Peter Barry, Phil Bawden, Nellie Bellinger, Jean Di Benedetto, Coralie Brennan, Kevin Brennan, Tim Brown, Margaret Buckingham, Diana Castro, Cecily Cellinan, Doug Chester, Jo Clark, Leslie Clarke, Leslie Clarke, Margaret & George Cook, Margaret Cusack, Geraldine Daniels, Anne Van Deurse, Beryl Dorfield, John Fisher, Rosie May Fisher, Sally Gage, Fred Grioli, Maria Teresa Gutierrez, Margaret Haerse, Jenny Haines, Lena Hiscock, Louise Holmes, Kim Ingram, Anna Janiek, Pat Jones, Kath Kiely, Diane & Steve Land, Patrick Joven de Leon, Nathan Lepp, Joseph Ah Lo, Sarina Losurdo, John Nathaniel Maher, Maria Manuela, Andrew McPherson, Phil McWilliam, Fabiola Menzs. , Shirley Montford,Joanne Mooney, Michael Murtagh, Lynn Nunan, Stephen O’Brien, Peter O’Brien, Natalie O’Reilly, Joanne Parkes, Kim Parkes, Kristy Peat, Kay Pitman, Gus Reeves, Patricia Roberts, John & Molly Robinson, Rogelio Rodriguez, Sue Rogers, Annie Scicluna, Felipe S Cataquiz Sr, Kathy Stevens, Betty Taylor, John Thomas, Baby Samuel Timothy, Leonardo Torcaso, Denise Tracey, Karen Vestergard, Anne Weatherburn, Lois Wood, Maria Yuna.
RECENTLY DECEASED: Maria Villa Bruno, Norma Ancrum, Delores Barrett, Shane Hall, Mary O’Grady, Joe McDonagh, Madge Taheny, Jill Bolger, Des Fox, John Marchmont, Robert Wasniowski, Jeanne Monisse, Denise Welsh, Clement Tong, Debbie Pinard, Andrija Kudus, Leo Anderson, Grant Steele, David Trebilco, Rose Grima, Brian Mooney, Albert Daly, Joyce Rosa Parisi, Douglas Glenn.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: Alen Brkic, Mary Ward, Jordan and Cleta Bismonte, Josip Grzic, Matthew Maric, Theresia Johannes, Adam McGuffie, Maurice Hayes, Patricia Geor, June Lewis, Dr Elaine Kluver, Margaret Lyon, Constantin Onea, Catherine Watson, Jacques Philoppe Desbleds, Beryl Hodge, Mary Therese Dean, Ivy Mulcahy, May Ashton, Shirley Pettiona, Isabelle Rose Brock, Kevin Cassels, Dorothy Gravener, Therese Lorraine Hunt, Theo Robert Farr, Marie Van Twest, Gerald Junck, Mary Fredricks, Barry Wayne Moore, Marie Hayden, Tony Howell, Rossaria Dom Barbaro, Raul Cruz, Henry Wirth, Judith Gilliland, Keith Patrick Hoolihan.
And Also: Arthur and Deran Swift, Pauline Restall, Margaret Bell Boyle, Leonor Corazon, Brian Nolan, Maria Lucia Zervos, Irmgard (Joan) Graz, Judith Anne O'Connor, Clarita Lopez, Distony Lunandi, Mansour Soueidan, David John Falvey, Douglas Pierce Bates, Jack Arthur Hurley, John Zervos, Ronald Stanley Perry, Donald Hope Atkinson, Andreas Gandjar Lunandi, June Valeen Deane, Helen Dunn, Gerald Thomas O'Halloran, Keith Cumner, Vittorio Lanci, Basilo Micale, Mellie Modral, Sr Ursula Gabbett, Kevin Martin Murphy, Lucena Gabriel Liwag, Patricia Margaret Mary Levick, Fay Ardron.
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS - SACRED HEART AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCHES
Holy Communion gifts are still available in our shops.
A few copies of the May edition of the Catholic Leader still available in the churches
THANK YOU FROM SPCL
Surfers Paradise Catholic Ladies had a "Morning Tea for Cancer" on Saturday the 20th of May. The event raised a total of $1,800.00 for Cancer Research. A special thank you to all the ladies who supported this event. A fashion show with clothes donated by St Vincent de Paul, a game of Trivia, Raffles, and lots of chatter made a great day.
First Friday Adoration
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at Sacred Heart Church this First Friday, 2nd June, from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. All welcome. Enquiries: Helen 0421935678. "Could you not watch with Me for one hour?" Mt 26:40.
FIRST SATURDAY MASS AND BENEDICTION
First Saturday Mass at Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters. 9 am the 3rd of June.
Followed by adoration and Benediction.
Spirituality of St Clare of Assisi.
Experiencing God's Love and Light through the Spirituality of St Clare of Assisi.
A quiet weekend retreat for women
Hosted and Facilitated by: Grace Harwood of Dragonfly Ministries. When: Friday 30 June at 6 pm – Sunday 2 July at 3pm. Where: Santa Teresa Spirituality Centre, Wellington Street, Ormiston. Cost: $380 ($350 for concessions) includes all accommodation, meals (an additional fee for special diets), resources, spiritual direction and facilitation. To register or enquire: grace@dragonflyministries.net.au or 0409 524 283
The Contemplative Women’s Group
“Sinking into the Feminine Divine” is an initiative of Burleigh Heads Catholic Parish, open to all women who may be interested in exploring contemplative experiences with other interested women. We meet informally and in quietude on the 4th Saturday of each month in Mary Mother of Mercy Church, 3 Sunlight Drive, Burleigh Waters, from 1.30 pm – 3.30 pm. We gather with a simple prayer and ritual, brief input, and then enter into around 45 minutes of silent contemplation and reflection. Resources are supplied. We then round off our time with a very simple supplied afternoon tea, sharing story as people choose to, and closing prayer. In this month of May, we will be walking with Julian of Norwich. Saturday 27th May, 1.30-3.30 pm. Join us as we walk the contemplative journey together. For information, please contact Sue Thomas at sue@suethomas.net.au.
Catholic Mission is Hiring- applications close 31/5/23
Catholic Mission - Donor Relations Officers (full-time, based in Brisbane and supporting dioceses in QLD.
Applications close on Wednesday, 31 May 2023. For more information regarding the role, pls visit our website below. https://www.catholicmission.org.au/jobs-at-catholic-mission
HISPANIC (LATINO AMERICAN) COMMUNITY
Mass is now celebrated every Sunday evening, 5:30 pm at St Vincent’s Catholic Church, 40 Hamilton Avenue, Surfers Paradise. Celebrant is Fr. Syrilus Madin. The Gold Coast contact: Juan Arrieta 0406 705 349
DATE CLAIMER: BRISBANE CITY POPS ORCHESTRA
Brisbane City Pops Orchestra, joined by local School choirs. Guardian Angels Church, Southport. Sunday 23 July 2023 at 2.00 pm. Please save the date
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-
29/5/2023 Nardine & Eyline Merrimac
5/6/2023 Rachael & Kermal Broadbeach
12/6/2023 Rachael & Kermal Broadbeach
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 -
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.
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, please arrive by 10.30 am to prepare adequately for class). For more information, call Ruth on 0421338110.
MARIAN VALLEY PILGRIMAGE:
Please come and join us at the Marian Valley for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima and Saint Anthony feast on 13.06.2023. On 24.06.2023, Annual Pilgrimage of the Maltese Community in the Honour of Christ the Redeemer. The bus will be picking up at 8.15 am at the Sacred Heart Church Clear Island Waters on Both days. The Cost for the bus fare is $25.00 return each day. You can secure your seat with a contact name and contact phone number with Xavier Solomon at 0404 843 260, Madeleine on 0405 252 367 or 5529 1573, All are welcome.
BIRTHDAYS
Congratulations Jan Carter
- celebrated 80 years last Friday week - a wonderful lady who supports others in our parish.
Jeunita Antao celebrated her birthday at Sharks last Saturday - everything went with a bang!! And some of them even dressed up for the occasion!! Great party Jeunita!
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.
SEVEN PRIORITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BRISBANE -
LAMPS ABLAZE: The Seven Apostolic Priorities of the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane, from 2023 onwards. (final of a seven-part series).
Pentecost
Priority: Embedding Synodal Governance
(Acts 2:1 - 11, Psalm 103:1, 24, 29-31, 24, 1 Cor 12:3 – 7, 12 - 13, John 20:10 - 23)
Introduction
Have ever been in a situation where you’re the only person who doesn’t speak the language that everyone is talking? It’s a strange feeling. You’re in the same place, you’re with other people, but you have no idea what is being said. You can’t understand what is going on, and you can’t contribute. Whether it was intentional or not, you are inevitably excluded. On this great celebration of Pentecost, we turn our attention to the birth of a truly inclusive Church and what this kind of inclusion means for the seventh and final apostolic priority: Embedding Synodal Governance.
Archbishop Mark writes:
“We have begun the long and complex process of moving towards a synodal mode of governance in the Church, but the process is far from complete, and there is much to be done to embed synodal governance more securely at every level in the Archdiocese… Synodality implies inclusion, and therefore we will have to keep asking how we might, at every level, include women in the decision-making processes of the Archdiocese. So too, synodality requires transparency and accountability, and we will have to keep asking what we need to do to make the Archdiocese more transparent and accountable.”
1. An Inclusive Church is Born
In today’s first reading, Luke chronicles the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. There is a sound like a violent wind, tongues of fire appearing on the heads of the Apostles, and they begin speaking in other languages. At times the movement of the Holy Spirit can be subtle and gentle, but Pentecost was not one of those times. The whole commotion drew a crowd, and those gathered from every nation “heard them speaking in their own languages.” The significance of this cannot be overstated. The Spirit of God was moving through the Apostles so that every tribe and nation could hear the Gospel and be included in Christ. Here we recognise something essential to the Christian tradition: the Church is inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit, everyone is welcomed and invited, and the Gospel is to be preached in ways that everyone can understand.
In a recent general audience, Pope Francis said, “If the Church does not pray to and invoke the Spirit, it closes in on itself, in sterile and exhausting debates, in wearisome polarisations, while the flame of the mission is extinguished.”
This is a challenge to us all! Are we a community that is inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit? Do new people feel welcomed and connected when they join us at Mass? Do we communicate the Gospel in a relevant language – that can be understood by every generation?
2. An Inclusive Leadership for an Inclusive Church
It follows that a truly inclusive Church must have truly inclusive leadership. In recent years, Pope Francis has been encouraging this with reference to the word “synodality.” It might sound like a churchy technical word, but its impact, if applied authentically, can be transformational. Synodality is the process of walking together in open dialogue and mutual respect with a path – deliberately journeying – not aimlessly wandering about. Pope Francis said that a “synodal Church is a Church which listens, which realises that listening is more than simply hearing. It is a mutual listening in which everyone has something to learn. The faithful people, the College of Bishops, the Bishop of Rome: all listening to each other, and all listening to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth.”
This means that we are moving as a Church to a model of leadership that is more open, transparent and inclusive. We clergy are on a journey to learn how to lead in a synodal way, how to listen, and how to engage and empower all the baptised in the life of the Church. Pray for us!
3. A Church with One Body and Many Parts
In the second reading, St Paul explains that every baptised person is “given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” This means that everyone has something unique to offer the Church and the world. Being Catholic means more than coming to Mass. At Pentecost, we are reminded that all of us are called to the mission of Christ to make disciples. The Holy Spirit has empowered each of us to contribute to this mission. So, we’re invited today to consider how God might be calling us and activating us to engage in this mission. What are the gifts the Holy Spirit has given to you? How can you bring these gifts to the service of the mission?
Conclusion
On this birthday of the Church, we are reminded that the Church is inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be inclusive and to preach the Gospel in a language that everyone can understand. We are challenged to ask ourselves, are we a parish/community that is inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit?
We recognise that a truly inclusive Church must have truly inclusive leadership. This apostolic priority of embedding synodal governance challenges us all to go on a journey toward becoming a Church where the faithful people, the college of bishops, and the Bishop of Rome are all listening to each other and all listening to the Holy Spirit, the “Spirit of truth.”
Finally, we see that all the baptised are given the gifts of the Spirit to serve the mission of the Church in different ways. What is your gift? How can you engage this gift in the mission of the Church? How can we, as a community, help you to discover your unique giftedness and create space for you to share it with others?
May the Holy Spirit guide us and lead us as we journey toward becoming a more inclusive, synodal and Spirit-empowered Church.
“LAMPS ABLAZE” - TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL DOCUMENT - PLEASE VISIT THIS LINK: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oVNiTRAhQn_5aTDZ9mo2dDh9bGeqxewL/view
300 FAMILIES ATTENDED THE ST MICHAEL’S OPEN DAY LAST WEEKEND. THANKS TO STAFF, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FOR THE WONDERFUL RESULT
A VOCATION VIEW:
"There are different gifts, but the same Spirit." Each of us has been graced with certain gifts of the Spirit. And they are active if we utilise them for the building up of the Church. Name the way the Lord has gifted you. To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:7
To receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit you must open your heart and invite Him in! Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts, words and actions every day! Be grateful for all the gifts God has given you! Regardless of our individual circumstances, God has given all of us many blessings. What we do with those gifts is our gift back to God! By generously sharing everything we have and everything we are, we become more “God-centered” and less “self-centred”, and our lives genuinely reflect God’s light, love and mercy.
The vision of Stewardship speaks in every aspect of life, inviting everyone to be thankful, generous and accountable for what each has been given.
TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH - “I, the Lord of wind and flame.”
The Spirit of holiness enters the gathering in driving wind and burning flame. It also comes more gently as Jesus breathes on his friends and wishes them peace. How can the Spirit be so forceful yet soft as a breath? In the same way, love is impassioned in some hours, light as a caress in others. Sometimes our loving presence is required in bold, dynamic, and powerful action. At other times, presence alone is enough: a hand held, or silence shared. The more fully immersed in Spirit we are, the more we'll know what to do when the time comes. SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST
“There came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind... Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire.” Acts 2:2-6. SIGN UP FOR "TAKE FIVE" DAILY ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL - PENTECOST
The Easter Season comes to an end this weekend with the Great Feast of Pentecost.
The-descent-of-the-Holy-Spirit upon Christ's disciples. Jesus is now very much present and powerfully active through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the church and in his followers of every time and place.
We, the followers of Christ, continue the wonderful work of the Kingdom. We do this work in tangible ways - putting into action the "warming breath" of God's Spirit of justice, love and practical care... "God breathed into the first Human being the day of our creation. The book of Genesis tells us that the Lord put his lips to ours and breathed in us and gave us his spirit of life. And so we became human beings. And John tells us that on the day of Pentecost, the risen Lord breathed on us a second time and gave us new life. After receiving the Holy Spirit, courage replaced caution, and a "fire" was lit in our hearts that scattered the darkness of fear forever. We, like those first disciples, are now a new creation. We have been called to live an "heroic life, " and to be instruments of God's peace and mercy in this beautiful and broken world."
The Holy Spirit makes us disciples, able to be the "Warm breath of human kindness at a time of terrible coldness and need".....
The Gospel today, from Saint John, tells us about the coming of the Holy Spirit. It is clear that these early disciples were hiding behind closed doors, very afraid. The coming of the Holy Spirit takes their fears away! These original followers of Christ seem to need peace because that is the first greeting that the Lord gives to them: "Peace be with you!" - May we (too) know the peace of Christ in our own lives! With peace comes the capacity to forgive the sins of others. This forgiveness is clearly a gift of the Lord, who loves us. This gift is given to each of us individually and also to the Church through its ministry of service.
At the heart of our Christian life, fear is taken away; peace and forgiveness are given to us. May we dispel the fears of others and proclaim the peace and forgiveness given to us in Christ.
In the first reading, too, the disciples were (again) described as being fearful…… They were still afraid to speak publicly and to proclaim Jesus to others. Even though they knew by now that he had Risen from the dead and had Ascended to the Heavenly Father. They had to wait for the Holy Spirit to take hold of them and give them courage in the face of doubt, persecution, ridicule and rejection. Perhaps at times, we, too, may be shy about proclaiming our faith in the Lord. Perhaps today, we can pray for this Spirit to descend upon us and to give us renewed courage so that our faith becomes so much a part of ourselves that it comes naturally to us and makes it easier to speak of our faith in an unforced manner.
Our gifts are different. Each person has different gifts. We need all the gifts that each person has so that we can continue the work of Christ in our world. How different our world looks when we begin to recognise that each person brings his or her own gifts and that we need those gifts to live in the fullness of Jesus Christ.
I have my favourite quotes about the Holy Spirit… there is something about this text that I do believe captures the truth about the power and action of the Holy Spirit in our lives….. it is written by the brilliant
Jesuit writer Karl Rahner. He writes:
"Did we ever do a kindness to a person from whom we could not expect as much of a shadow of gratitude or appreciation, while at the same time, we had not even the compensation of feeling that we had acted unselfishly or decently in doing so? Let us look into our lives, then, and see if we can discover whether any such experience ever came our way. If we find that it did, we may be sure that the spirit was at work within us then, and eternity and ourselves had a brief encounter, that the spirit means more than an ingredient in the make-up of a transient world. That explains the remarkable lives of the saints… They know well that God's grace can also bless the dull round of daily tasks well done and bring the doers a step nearer to God…. When we Christians… experience the action of the spirit, it means that we are, in point of fact, having contact with the supernatural, although that contact may be scarcely perceptible." (Karl Rahner SJ, 1904-1984, In Belief Today, 40-41).
I love that quote! Because, to me, it says very powerfully (and in an example that is very 'everyday' and unexceptional) that we KNOW the Spirit is at work in our lives, especially when the love and sacrifice we show is clearly coming from a loving hand bigger than our own lives and our own limited motives and actions.
When we do actions that are loving and unselfish, we are deeply aware that there is a power and a loving presence at work in us that is outside of just ourselves. ….Transcending our limitations … and not explainable by our own actions… but bigger, ……. And "of which are just a cooperating part…."
It is God, …. It is God's Spirit at work in and through us. At work in the world. A power of unselfishness, sacrifice, love and service. Unconditional love. That is at the heart of creation.
Finally… just an interesting insight that I hadn't thought of before… we often read this text about how (after the Spirit descended) people of different languages and cultures could all hear and understand….. but what is interesting is… the people were not speaking the same language… they were still speaking in the language of those different cultures….. but even so… they could understand…. This is a reminder that the Spirit brings not uniformity but diversity and variety…. But we are all ONE in that diversity because the common language we speak is the language of God… and that is LOVE…..
REFERENCES: FR. PAUL W. KELLY; Also quoting from the St Mary's College daily diary entry on the Holy Spirit; MISSION 2000 – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR B. BY MARK LINK S.J; “SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR.” GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ; MONASTERY OF CHRIST IN THE DESERT. ABBOT'S HOMILY.
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1881688891 - St. Louis, Missouri USA - April 15, 2019. Close Up of the Pentecost Mosaic in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis with the apostles and Mary of Nazareth engulfed by the flames of the Holy Spirit. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Teresa Otto
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 Philip Neri
We must sometimes bear with little defects in others, as we have, against our will, to bear
with natural defects in ourselves. If we wish to keep peace with our neighbour, we should
never remind anyone of his natural defects.
The greatness of our love of God must be tested by the desire we have to suffer for His
love.
We must often remember what Christ said, that not he who begins, but he that perseveres
to the end, shall be saved.
My children, if you desire perseverance, be devout to our Blessed Lady.
Let us be humble and keep ourselves down: - Obedience! Humility! Detachment!
The great thing is to become Saints.
Where there is no great mortification, there is no great sanctity.
"If a man finds it very hard to forgive injuries, let him look at a Crucifix, and think that Christ
shed all His Blood for him, and not only forgave His enemies but even prayed to His
Heavenly Father to forgive them also. Let him remember that when he says the Pater
Noster every day, instead of asking pardon for his sins, he is calling down vengeance on
himself."
There is nothing more dangerous in the spiritual life than to wish to rule ourselves after our
own way of thinking.
“God, in His promises to hear our prayers, is desirous to bestow Himself upon us; if you find
anything better than Him, ask it, but if you ask anything beneath Him, you put an affront
upon Him and hurt yourself, by preferring to Him, a creature which He created.
Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O
Lord, are my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves portions among creatures, for my
part, You are my portion, You alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605) “The Apostle to the English”
You alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.
“Ask God to lead you by Faith, Only God, seek only Him.”
“God alone!”
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
"And Mary said, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.'
And the angel departed from her."- Luke 1:38
"His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do [it]."- John 2:5
"And Mary said, 'My soul glorifies the Lord.'"- Luke 1:46-55
"O sinner, be not discouraged but have recourse to Mary in all your necessities. Call her to
your assistance, for such is the divine Will that she should help in every kind of necessity."- St Basil the Great
"If you invoke the Blessed Virgin when you are tempted, she will come at once to your help,
and Satan will leave you."- Saint John Vianney
"If you ever feel distressed during your day, call upon our Lady, just say this simple prayer:
'Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.' I must admit, this prayer has never
failed me."- Blessed Mother Teresa
"Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with perfect
confidence."- Saint Francis de Sales
"The Son of God became man for our salvation but only in Mary and through Mary."- Saint
Louis Marie de Montfort
The Visitation
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my saviour. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me
blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, and dispersed the arrogance of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Saint Justin, Martyr
He was born at the beginning of the second century in Nablus, in Samaria, to a pagan Greek
family. He was an earnest seeker of truth and studied many systems of philosophy before
being led, through Platonism, to Christianity. While remaining a layman, he accepted the
duty of making the truth known and travelled from place to place, proclaiming the gospel. In
151 AD, he travelled from Ephesus to Rome, where he opened a school of philosophy and wrote
defences and expositions of Christianity, which have survived to this day and are the earliest
known writings of their kind. In the persecution of 165, in the reign of the emperor Marcus
Aurelius, he was denounced as a Christian, arrested and beheaded. The transcript of his trial
by the prefect of Rome, Rusticus, has also survived: it can be found in today’s Office of
Justin treats the Greek philosophy that he studied as mostly true but incomplete. In
contrast to the Hebrew tendency to view God as making revelations to them and to no one
else, he follows the parable of the Sower. He sees God as sowing the seed of wisdom
throughout the world to grow wherever the soil would receive it. When we dispute with
people who disagree with us, we would do well to assume that they, too, are seeking wisdom
and have found the truth of a kind. Since there is only one God and one Truth, it is our task
not to contradict or belittle their achievement but to show them how their strivings and
searches are ultimately fulfilled in Christ. This is harder to do – not least because we have to take the trouble to understand our own faith thoroughly – but it is ultimately more worthwhile.
See also the article in the Catholic Encyclopaedia.
St Marcellinus and St Peter
Marcellinus and Peter were beheaded on the outskirts of Rome. A few years after the event,
a little boy from Rome heard about their deaths from the mouth of their very executioner,
who later became a Christian. That little boy was named Damasus, and he went on to
become Pope from 366 to 384. Decades later, remembering the story he had heard as a
child, Pope Damasus honoured Marcellinus and Peter by adorning their tomb with a marble
inscription recounting the details of their martyrdom as he had heard them so long ago.
Unfortunately, the inscription is lost.
Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions (- 1885/7)
Many Christians, Catholic and Protestant, were killed by the Ugandan king Mwanga. Some
of them were servants in the king’s palace or even his personal attendants. Charles Lwanga
and his twenty-one companions (the youngest, Kizito, was only 13) were executed for being
Christians, for rebuking the king for his debauchery and his murder of an Anglican
missionary, for “praying from a book,” and for refusing to allow themselves to be ritually
tortured by the king. They died between 1885 and 1887. Most of them were burned alive
in a group after being tortured.
Within a year of their deaths, the number of catechumens in the country quadrupled. St
Charles Lwanga is the patron of Catholic Action and of black African youth, and the Ugandan
martyrs’ feast day is a public holiday in Uganda.
POPE FRANCIS: A Pentecost Homily
“The Spirit, the living memory of the church, reminds us that we are born from a gift and that we grow by giving, not by holding on, but by giving of ourselves,” Pope Francis told Christians worldwide in his homily from St. Peter’s Basilica on Pentecost Sunday.
He alerted believers to “three enemies” that are “always lurking at the door of our hearts” and “prevent us from giving ourselves”: narcissism, victimhood and pessimism.
Francis explained that “narcissism makes us idolise ourselves, to be concerned only with what is good for us. The narcissist thinks: ‘Life is good if I profit from it’.” He said we see “how wrong” narcissism is when there is a temptation to “think only of our own needs, to be indifferent to those of others, and not to admit our frailties and mistakes.”
He also denounced “victimhood,” noting that victims complain, “No one understands me, no one helps me, no one loves me, everyone has it in for me!” and so “the victim’s heart is closed.”
Finally, he denounced “pessimism,” or endlessly complaining that “nothing is going well [in] society, politics, the church.” He said a pessimist “gets angry with the world, sits back and does nothing.” Pessimism is particularly damaging at this time, he said, when the world is making the effort of “beginning anew” because Pessimism is “the tendency to see everything in the worst light and to keep saying that nothing will return as before.”
Francis said, “When someone thinks this way, the one thing that certainly does not return is hope.” He added that now “we are experiencing a famine of hope, and we need to appreciate the gift of life, the gift that each of us is.”
Later, speaking from the papal study window in the Apostolic Palace at midday, he greeted hundreds of Romans, wearing masks and respecting social distance in St. Peter’s Square….
He also said, “We need the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit today. The church needs it to walk in harmony and to witness courageously to the Gospel.
Francis began his homily by recalling the words of St. Paul in the first letter to the Corinthians that in the church, “there are different kinds of spiritual gifts,” but it is “the same God who produces all of them in everyone.” He said St. Paul tells us that “the Holy Spirit is the one who brings together the many, and that the church was born this way: We are all different, yet united by the same Holy Spirit.”
He recalled the origin of the church and the diversity of its first members: “Some were fishermen, simple people accustomed to living by the work of their hands, but there were also others, like Matthew, who was an educated tax collector.” They came from “different backgrounds and social contexts” and in terms of character, “some were meek, and others were excitable; they all had different ideas and sensibilities.” But, he said, “Jesus did not change them; he did not make them into a set of pre-packaged models. He left their differences, and now he unites them by anointing them with the Holy Spirit.”
Turning to “the church of today,” Francis asked, “What is it that unites us? What is the basis of our unity?” He noted that “we too have our differences…of opinions, choices, sensibilities” and that “the temptation is always fiercely to defend our ideas, believing them to be good for everybody and agreeing only with those who think as we do.” But, he said, “This is a faith created in our own image; it is not what the Spirit wants.”
He continued, “We might think that what unites us are our beliefs and our morality. But there is much more: our principle of unity is the Holy Spirit.” He said, “The Spirit comes to us, in our differences and difficulties, to tell us that we have one Lord—Jesus—and one Father and that for this reason, we are brothers and sisters!”
“We might think that what unites us are our beliefs and our morality. But there is much more: our principle of unity is the Holy Spirit.”
Then in a passage aimed at overcoming divisions in the church, Francis told believers: “Let us begin anew from here; let us look at the church with the eyes of the Spirit and not as the world does. The world sees us only as on the right or left; the Spirit sees us as sons and daughters of the Father and brothers and sisters of Jesus. The world sees conservatives and progressives; the Spirit sees children of God. A worldly gaze sees structures to be made more efficient; a spiritual gaze sees brothers and sisters pleading for mercy. The Spirit loves us and knows everyone’s place in the grand scheme of things: for him, we are not bits of confetti blown about by the wind, rather we are irreplaceable fragments in his mosaic.”
Elsewhere, he said, “unless there is tight organisation and a clear strategy, things fall apart,” but “in the church, the Spirit guarantees unity to those who proclaim the message. The Apostles set off: unprepared, yet putting their lives on the line. One thing kept them going: the desire to give what they received.”
He said that it is important to remember that God “acts not by taking away, but by giving.” He explained, “If we have in mind a God who takes away and imposes himself, we too will want to take away and impose ourselves: occupying spaces, demanding recognition, seeking power. But if we have in our hearts a God who is a gift, everything changes. If we realise that what we are is his gift, free and unmerited, then we too will want to make our lives a gift.”
Indeed, he said, it is “by loving humbly, serving freely and joyfully,” that we “we will offer to the world the true image of God.”
He concluded with this prayer: “Holy Spirit, The memory of God, revive in us the memory of the gift received. Free us from the paralysis of selfishness and awaken in us the desire to serve, to do good. Come, Holy Spirit: you are harmony; make us builders of unity. You always give yourself; grant us the courage to go out of ourselves, to love and help each other, in order to become one family. Amen.”
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 533689129 - pope Francis - Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Marcin Kadziolka
EXPLORING OUR FAITH
The Bible mentions Zion a lot. Where or what is Zion?
The idea of Zion continues to migrate, expand and evolve over the many generations.
Zion is a where and a what. Let's start with Jerusalem, built on two hills east and west, 2400 feet above sea level in its present location. Ancient Jerusalem stood slightly lower to the southeast, outside the walls of what's presently known as the Old City. David captured the fortress of Zion from the Jebusites around 1000 BCE, renaming it the City of David. His capital city was built around it on the eastern hill. Yet apparently, by the time of first-century historian Josephus, it was the western hill, larger and higher, that was known as Zion.
Either way, elevated Zion made an excellent capital: naturally defensible on all sides except the north, with a water supply from the Gihon spring on the eastern hill.
After the construction of the temple by King Solomon, Zion came to refer more specifically to the temple, mount north of David's city, as the many psalms celebrating the ascent to the temple attest. This may be when the location of Zion decisively shifts from east to west. In Solomon's time, the designation Jerusalem—"the foundation of Salem," an earlier name known at the time of Abraham—seems to eclipse other names for the location, both inside and outside the walls. So we see already that Zion was once the name of a hill and also a fortress on that hill. It became synonymous with the City of David and finally interchangeable with the site of the Temple built in Solomon's time.
But the idea of Zion continues to migrate. Ezekiel's prophecies re-envision both temple and Jerusalem with a celestial dimension. The Book of Revelation takes them out of time altogether. Geography falls away as "God's holy mountain" (Ps. 2) is infused with an eternal identity. So it happens that, in the Byzantine era, the ridge southwest of contemporary Jerusalem became designated as Zion. This ridge contains the traditional sites of both the tomb of David and the Cenacle—the latter being the upper room where the Last Supper was held. Could it be that "God's holy mountain," the place where God chooses to dwell, is reassigned by the actions at the Last Supper? In the new and everlasting covenant of our Eucharist, the "upper" room where this sacrament is instituted is revealed as a new Zion. In that case, each of the elevated sanctuaries upon which our altars stand is a little Zion too.
Scriptures: 2 Samuel 5:6-12; 1 Kings 8:1; 1 Chronicles 11:4-5; 2 Chronicles 5:1-2; Psalms 2:6; 46:5; 78:68-69; Isaiah 2:2-5; 60:1-3; 66:18-20; Ezekiel 47:1-12; Micah 4:1-3; Zechariah 8:20-23; Joel 4:16-18; Matthew 21:5; John 12:15; Romans 9:33; 11:26; Hebrews 12:22; 1 Peter 2:6; Revelation 14:1
Books:
The Holy City: Jerusalem in the Theology of the Old Testament - Leslie Hoppe, OFM (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2000)
The Long Journey: In Search of Justice and Peace in Jerusalem - James G. Paharik (Liturgical Press, 2009)
Alice L. Camille
Prepare the Word resources - © 2023 - TrueQuest Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.
Commitment To Child Safety and Vulnerable-Adult Safety
……………..See overleaf …..
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/)
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