PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*:
You can also access an online -web- copy of the newsletter *Webcopy here*
“Many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it” (Matthew 13:17)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: Stock Illustration ID: 503387440 - Sower seeding the seeds, the Gospel parable from the Bible about the Sower. Illustration Contributor: Thoom
PASTORS POST - Fr Peter - The Fruitfulness of God’s Word and the Treasure of the Seed of Faith
(photos from Stella Maris, farewelling Fr Peter)
We are very fortunate to live in a parish where many important ministries work hard each day to make the message, and the presence of God felt by many, particularly by those who are yet to hear God's voice.
But one of the most important of our ministries gets very little attention. It's the children's liturgy of the word. We offer it in only one of our churches every Sunday and not on school holidays, to offer their time to helping young people hear the word of God pitched at the level of young people.
The American theologian Monica Hellwig wrote: "A child's mind is like a seed. It can make barren ground fruitful, but it is fragile and vulnerable. If we don't carefully tend it and feed it properly, it is tough to get it to grow the right way". She told us that most adult Catholics learn their understanding of God and our connection to God from well-intentioned but ill-informed adults. Yet, we have held on to those beliefs without any enhancement or rational application for the rest of our lives.
I believe she is saying if we don't nurture and feed our faith knowledge, then we are doomed to thinking about and applying the Word of God at 80 years the same way we did when we first heard about God around 8 years of age. That, to me, is an uncomfortable truth.
Words, any words, contain an enormous amount of power. Power to change, to comfort. To inspire, to teach. To correct. To challenge or change a life.
Similarly, they can come to nothing and evaporate into the ether. Words are totally dependent on the one who speaks or writes them as well as the one who reads or hears them. And so it is with the word of God.
Some minds are closed to God's words, sometimes because they think they know all they need to know about life and how to live it or sometimes they fear any new understanding of life that may cause them to alter their present perspective. In each case these people become unteachable.
Others hear God's word initially with enthusiasm and relevance but tend to forget it when situations get difficult or some other perspective takes hold. These people start off well but get distracted, too busy or involved and prefer to take a less-demanding path.
Other people hear God's word carefully and gently. They work at trying to get to its meaning at ground level and then later at a deeper level, at its roots. When they feel they have a good grasp on its meaning, they then try to act on it and see how it can be applied throughout their lives.
It's for these people that the word of God finds a secure place to grow, for those who make the effort to understand it, ensuring that this word becomes an event in their lives and becomes a fruitful thing, not simply letters on a page.
Underlying today's parable, there is a telling confidence: in spite of all the obstacles present in the various types of soil, the word of God, despite apparent failure and repeated opposition, will indeed enjoy great fruitfulness.
So how would you describe your response to the message of God?
Does it take root in you?
Do you make a serious effort to understand it?
Do you welcome it with a great show and then go on to do your own thing?
Do you hear it and then smother it with your concerns?
As we answer these questions, we should be patient with ourselves. Like all seeds, this word of God needs time to grow. The sower knows that he has to wait for the weather and the slow thrust of life. There is no denying that the process takes time. But the seed has first to be sown by a farmer who understands and cares deeply about the process of growth.
And that is why the Children's Liturgy of the Word is so important, because if the seed in not even planted in any soil, then no life will ever flourish. Nothing will take root. All our wishing for young people to know God will amount to nothing if we just hope someone else will step up before us.
If we first take the time to nourish the Word in the young, God will wait on the gradual process. It might take a lifetime, and it may take a struggle to grow. But eventually, the word of God and our word might become one. And that would be a rich harvest indeed.
Fr Peter Dillon
LITURGY REFLECTION - The Introductory Rites at Mass - Reflection by Elizabeth Harrington
The Introductory Rites at Mass consist of an entrance song, greeting, penitential act or blessing/sprinkling of holy water, Gloria, and collect prayer. The two essential elements are the first and last of these.
The purpose of the Introductory Rites is to gather people as a worshipping community and prepare them to listen to God’s word and celebrate the Eucharist worthily.
The entrance song begins the Mass and announces that we are here to worship God as members of the Body of Christ, so it is very important that all join in the singing.
The sign of the cross that follows proclaims that we gather to celebrate as a community baptised in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The liturgical greeting (‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…’) states that the presence and power of the Lord is with the gathered community.
The most commonly used form of the penitential rite is option C. It is an acclamation of the mercy and compassion of God (‘You heal the wounds of sin and division’), not a time for self-accusation.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal describes the Gloria as ‘a very ancient and venerable hymn the text of which may not be replaced by any other text’.
The final element of the Introductory Rites, the “Collect” (or opening prayer), begins with the invitation by the priest ‘Let us pray’. In the silence that follows, we offer our own prayers, which are gathered up in the words of the collect.
The Liturgy of the Word at Mass
The Liturgy of the Word is the first of the two central parts of the Mass.
This quote from Lectionary for Mass: Introduction expresses beautifully the role of scripture in worship:
The Church is nourished spiritually at the table of God’s word and at the table of the Eucharist: from the one it grows in wisdom and from the other in holiness.
The structure of the Liturgy of the Word at Sunday Mass is First Reading, Responsorial Psalm, Second Reading, Gospel Acclamation, Gospel, Homily, Profession of Faith (Creed), and Prayer of the Faithful.
The first reading is taken from the Old Testament, except in Easter Time when it comes from Acts. The psalm is a scriptural response to the first reading.
The second reading comes from one of the New Testament epistles (letters).
The gospel reading is the high point of the Liturgy of the Word, so the assembly stands and acclaims Christ’s presence by singing an acclamation.
The homily unfolds the mysteries of faith contained in the readings and relates it to our lives today. A short silence should follow the homily.
The pattern of the Liturgy of the Word is one of dialogue - between reader and listener, between God and us. We participate in this dialogue by listening carefully to the reader and preacher, by being attentive to what God is saying to us during the readings and the homily, and by joining in the assembly’s responses.
Elizabeth Harrington -
Calling Surfers Paradise Parish Altar Servers
On July 15, from 2:30 pm until 4:30 pm - Come and share some afternoon snacks, get to know other altar servers and then join in a training workshop with our parish Altar Server Coordinator, Nola Smith and our Children’s Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson.
Who's invited? All current altar servers from any of our three parish churches (Stella Maris, St Vincent’s or Sacred Heart); servers from any mass time slots are invited.
Is anyone else invited? We are also hoping to see some new faces, children who may have been wondering how they can become an altar servers. If you are interested and you have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion, as well as First Reconciliation, then please come along and meet everyone. You can just watch and listen and then decide if this is what God is asking you to do.
Is anyone else invited? Yes, please bring an adult, a parent would be great 🙂
If you have any questions about the day, please email Nola at churchaltarserving@gmail.com
What should I bring (other than an adult)? Please bring your best ideas and friendliest smile; the snacks etc. will be supplied?
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 and speedily 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. Please help us service the region effectively and help prevent delays in response by calling the nearest parish.
Robina Hospital - Burleigh Heads Parish. 5576 6466
Pindara Hospital - Surfers Paradise Parish. 56717388
John Flynn Hospital - Coolangatta-Tugun Parish. 5598 2165
University & Gld Coast Pvt Hosp.- Southport Parish. 5510 2222
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK:
Also, (Alphabetical) Jack Barretto, 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, Margaret & George Cook, Alfonso Covino, Margaret Cusack, Pam Davis, Geraldine Daniels, Anne Van Deurse, Beryl Dorfield, John Fisher, Rosie May Fisher, Sally Gage, Fred Grioli, Jacob Haddad, Margaret Haerse, Jenny Haines, Peter Harford, Lena Hiscock, Louise Holmes, Kim Ingram, Anna Janiek, Pat Jones, Leona Kelly, Kath Kiely, Bob Lahey, 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, Letty O’Sullivan, Joanne Parkes, Kay Pitman, Rachel Raines, Gus Reeves, Patricia Roberts, John & Molly Robinson, Rogelio Rodriguez, Sue Rogers, Bob Rogers, Annie Scicluna, Felipe S Cataquiz Sr, Kathy Stevens, Jim Stewart, Betty Taylor, Liza Teo, John Thomas, Baby Samuel Timothy, Leonardo Torcaso, Denise Tracey, Karen Vestergard, Lois Wood.
RECENTLY DECEASED: (Chronological - Most recent first):
Rodney McLennan, Ian Chester, Moureen Elaine Tracey, Domizio Gandini, Rocco Bellantoni, Jack Cartwright (Gympie), Luciano Albergo, Antonio Invernizzi, Barry McMahon, Beatriz Dos Santos, Bernadette Martin, Bill Drummond, Charles George Dayney, Daniel Clancy, Delores Barrett, Don Brinkworth, Dr Frank Miau, Elijah Christian, Graham Price, Joseph Griffa, June Toole, Lorraine Geraghty, Maria Brazinas, Mario Paul Mazza, Melissa Ann Lord, Noel Ferdinands, Norma Ancrum, Patricia Rankin, Paul de Launay.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: (Alphabetical)
Joseph Patrick Condon, Billy Edmonds, Terrence Gavin (Terry) Faloon, Margaret Mary Gordon, Fr Owen Hayes, Thomas Hirst, (Father of Robyn Hunt), Ruby Agnes Johnson, Judith Kloser, Margaret Ann (Ann) Mason, Fr William McCarthy, Corbett Benedict (Corby) McKay, Ermis Moro, Carmen Nicholas, Fr Robert O'Donoghue, Victor O'Reilly, Eftim Orloff, Norman Pearce, Fr Gerald Ronayne, Archbishop Frank Rush, William Sammut, Patrick Sexton, Fr Cyril Shand, Joseph Shen (Jiasheng Shen), Fr Greg Jordan SJ, Emilia Smarzewska, Alan Smith, Rita Steptoe, Bryan Suter, Stefan Iosif Szemes.
And Also: (Alphabetical):
John Ennis Ashby, Dave Binder, Gemma Carmel Bingham, Patrick (Pat) Boyle, Peter Butler, Natalie Kan, Irene Cappellazzo, Christopher Cassels, Pam Chapman, Mal Condon, Grace Cooper (UK), Elaine Hannah Cotter, Elizabeth Anne Fredericks, Fr John Healy, Fr Thomas Hegerty, Fay Theresa Kassulke, Alan Clark Krushka, Lia Maher, Jill Masters, Rev Fr J Coley McKenzie, Fr Archibald Mills, Leo Francis Nugent, Fr Denis O'Rourke, Sharon Patricia Pak, Salvatore Di Pietro, Shirley Roche, Rita Mary Smith, Noel Smith, Phillip Taplin, Bill Wall, Robert Noel Watson, Tom And Lucy Yule.
PLANNED GIVING ENVELOPES ARE READY FOR COLLECTION IN THE CHURCHES NOW.
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS - SACRED HEART AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCHES
The July edition of the CATHOLIC LEADER is available now in our shops and at the back of the churches.
Three deacons relish life in parishes before their big day
Bishop Ken Howell ready to take the reigns in Toowoomba
Thousands march through Brisbane CBD celebrating Corpus Christi
Pope gives UN peace message
Following the steps of a saint - Mary Mackillop
Shops are open before and after Mass each weekend. Other times, please contact the Parish Office, phone 56717388 9 am-12 pm Monday-Friday.
SURFERS PARADISE BINGO & FRIENDSHIP MORNING
Our Bingo Morning will be on the Thursday the 20th of July 10am-2pm. Admission $20.00 which includes 1 Bingo Card, Raffle Tickets, Door Prizes Morning tea and Lunch.
The Surfers Paradise Catholic Ladies invite everyone to their Bingo and Friendship morning
this Thursday 20th July at the Parish Hospitality Centre, 50 Fairway Drive at Clear Island Waters from 10am -2pm.
Admission is $20 for the morning and includes - 1 bingo card, raffle tickets, door prizes, morning tea and lunch. Contact Maxine 0421 051193 or Wendy 0412 237 832
PRAYER GROUP - SPANISH SPEAKER
Jesus de la Misericordia. Invites you to participate every 2nd Saturday of the month from 11 am to 2 pm. Place: Hospitality Room. Sacred Heart Church. “We praise, We praise, We grow spiritually from the Word of the Lord.” More information, please ring Grace: 0410 006 484.
Contemplative Women’s Group.
Contemplative Women’s Group: Sinking into the Feminine Divine. We meet the 4th Saturday of every month from 1.30pm – 3.30pm in Mary Mother of Mercy Church, for a time of contemplation and sharing, as we depth the charism and legacy of a woman of faith. This month, Saturday 22nd July, we are walking with Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann.
1.30pm – 3.30pm, Mary Mother of Mercy Church, 3 Sunlight Drive, Burleigh Waters. Contact sue@suethomas.net.au for more information. Or just turn up by 1.30pm. No cost. Simple afternoon tea supplied. Come, join us on the path.
This year, please join our team and come along to find out about the work of the Catholic Mission and how you can engage in the mission through our ambassador training.
Fr Michael Grace from Holy Family Parish, Indooroopilly, will be our special speaker who will share about his visit to Timor-Leste and his involvement with the mission. We are very excited to be launching our first e-book, which will be a wonderful resource and powerful tool to share the work of our mission ambassadors and to engage with our community in mission.
This year we are supporting the Salesian Sisters and the Church in Venilale, Timor-Leste, to maintain and stock the clinic for the community who are having tuberculosis, malnutrition and maternal mortality conditions.
This month Aid to the Church in Need is raising money to build a parish house in Sierra Leone. The parishioners of the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour have been trying to help their priest who is living in a house that is decaying due to heavy rainfall and salt-laden sea air but they themselves are poor and have little to give. ACN has promised to help but we need your help to make this possible. To learn more and to make an offering visit www.aidtochurch.org/monthlyprojector or scan the QR code.
Women’s Night of Spirituality
will be held at 7 pm on Tuesday 25 July in St Ignatius Church, Kensington Tce, Toowong.
The event will take the format of a panel to discuss “Nurturing the nurturer” – how does a person in a nurturing role, sustain their own spirit?
Entry by donation & supper provided.
Please mark the date in your calendar.
See further details on the event flyer available on the parish website www.stignatiustoowong.org.au
This event will be live-streamed on the night and the link will be available via the parish website www.stignatiustoowong.org.au
Holy Land Pilgrimage
Trace the journey of Jesus from the land of his birth to the way he carried his cross and gave the eternal sacrifice in this 12-day Holy Land pilgrimage to Jordan & Israel led by Fr Thomas Areekuzhy MCBS. This pilgrimage features places from the Old & New Testament and includes Petra, Mt Nebo, Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee and Jerusalem for an all-inclusive offer of $6,590 AUD. The fare includes Airfare + Local Transfers in Deluxe Coaches + Stay in Premium Hotels + All Breakfasts & Dinners + English-speaking professional guides. Departure from Melbourne on 15 October 2023. For inquiries & bookings call 1300 721 561 or email us info@magiholidays.com.au
Grand Plans for Grandparents – World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly
The Church is preparing to celebrate the third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on Sunday, 23 July.
It's a special day when the Church honours and recognises the important role that grandparents and elderly individuals play as they share their faith with their grandchildren and witness Jesus through their lives. The Church observes World Day each year on the fourth Sunday in July, close to the feast of Jesus' grandparents, Saints Joachim and Anne.
The theme for this year's World Day, "His mercy is from age to age" (Lk 1:50), is connected to the upcoming World Youth Day in Portugal, where the theme, "Mary arose and went with haste" (Lk 1:39), highlights the profound connection between the young and the old through the magnificent encounter between Mary and Elizabeth.
To celebrate here in the Archdiocese of Brisbane, we will be holding an event called Grand Plans for Grandparents – celebrating World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.
Please share this invitation with the grandparents of your community to join us for this special morning tea and celebration.
Who's it for? Grandparents!
Time: 9:15-11:15 am, Morning Tea included
Date: Saturday 22 July 2023
Location: Hanly Room, Francis Rush Centre (194 Charlotte St, Brisbane City)
Dress code: smart casual
RSVP: 17 July
Cost: $15
Free parking available via 194 Charlotte Street (underneath the Cathedral)
Stay on for Mass at Cathedral at 11:30 am where you'll receive a special blessing, reaffirming the impact you have on your family's spiritual journey.
Register here: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/HRtTCQnMqvhXWOkwcv-GAw?domain=evangelisationbrisbane.us11.list-manage.com
“TAP `N” GO CASHLESS DONATIONS -
AVAILABLE AT THE ENTRANCES OF THE THREE CHURCHES - tap once to donate $10 and tap again when it has reset for another $10, and so on.
PLANNED GIVING ENVELOPES
ARE READY FOR COLLECTION IN THE CHURCHES NOW
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.
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-
17/7/2023 Maree & Alex Anderson - Broadbeach
24/7/2023 Maree & Alex Anderson - Broadbeach
31/7/2023 Bernadette Hensley - Arundel
07/8/2023 Bernadette Hensley - Arundel
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, Card making, 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.
ST STEPHENS CATHEDRAL SAINT MARY MACKILLOP MASS
To honour St Mary MacKillop’s legacy and seek her intercession, I invite you to join me for Mass on Tuesday, 8 August 2023 at 10a m at the Cathedral of St Stephen.
I also invite you to consider a contribution to support the Mary MacKillop Bursary Fund. Your kindness and compassion mirror the heart of St Mary of the Cross and make it possible for her legacy to continue in our Brisbane Catholic schools today. With your gift, you provide educational opportunities to children and families in situations of hardship.
I hope you will be able to join us for this special celebration as we turn to the patron of the Archdiocese on her feast day.
Join us on Tuesday, 8 August 2023 for Mass at 10 am at the Cathedral of St Stephen
To register your attendance, please click here to RSVP, email rsvp@bne.catholic.net.au or phone (07) 3324 3200.
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.
The Bold and the Beautiful
Friendship group is meeting for lunch at 12 noon on Thursday, 27th July. Coffee at New Life Cafe on Markeri Street. All are welcome. If you need more information, please contact Amanda Rowe at 0421 487 009.
“Signs of Hope - People of Faith” Concerts with Peter Kearney
Signs of Hope-People of Faith. Concerts with Peter Kearney - songwriter, singer, guitarist. Songs, stories and reflections about people whose faithful lives have brought compassion, hope and justice into our world. Three venues: 1. THE GAP. Monday 31st July, 7.30pm in St John’s Wood/The Gap Parish Hall.
2. BURLEIGH WATERS. Wednesday August 2nd, 7.00pm in Mary Mother of Mercy Church.
3. WAVELL HEIGHTS. Thursday August 3rd , 6.30pm in St Paschal’s Catholic Church.
No set $ admission. Donations welcome at interval. Peter’s hymns and songs have been published in fifteen albums. His best-known compositions include ‘Fill My House’, ‘The Beatitudes’ and 'Where is Your Song my Lord?'
Bishop Howell installed as seventh Bishop of Toowoomba
{Bishop Ken Howell delivers the homily during the installation Mass yesterday (Supplied)}
TO SEE A REPLAY OF THE MASS OF INSTALLATION FOR BISHOP KEN, PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING LINK:
https://youtu.be/qrmhJAZGXJo?t=146
Bishop Ken Howell was yesterday installed as the seventh Bishop of Toowoomba, inside a full St Patrick’s Cathedral in the Queensland diocese. (Source: The Catholic Leader).
A priest in Brisbane for the past four decades, 65-year-old Bishop Howell was officially welcomed to the Toowoomba Diocese, which stretches across the southwest of the state, at a liturgical reception that included some 25 archbishops and bishops and more than 80 clergy.
Civic and community leaders, parish delegates from the diocese and inter-faith representatives were also present.
Former Toowoomba bishops Robert McGuckin and William Morris presented Bishop Howell with the crosier of the first Bishop of Toowoomba, Bishop James Byrne.
A smoking ceremony served as a welcome to Toowoomba’s new bishop, as a procession of priests took place.
Inside the cathedral, Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge called for the Apostolic Decree to be read and followed with some words of insight about Bishop Howell and his 40 years of service as a priest in Brisbane.
“He leaves the diocese of his birth, baptism, education and ordination … a man who is Brisbane to the core but who must now learn to love another diocese which will surely learn to love him,” Archbishop Coleridge said.
“Ken is a true man of the Church, which is bigger than any diocese. He’s no ideologue or self-promoter. [He is] a good driver in heavy traffic, a believer and, in the end, a human being.”
Bishop Howell told the congregation he was “deeply humbled to be called by Pope Francis to shepherd this local Church”.
“I realise that I have been given a great responsibility to care for the faithful and to engage in the life of the broader community across the diocese,” Bishop Howell said.
He said he didn’t underestimate the “people of faith” in the life of the Toowoomba Diocese.
“Yours has been the story of contributing to the various communities for well over 100 years,” Bishop Howell said.
“For me, now is the time to learn more about your life, and to grow in a deeper appreciation of the great history of times, places and people.”
FULL STORY: Bishop Ken Howell installed as Seventh Bishop of Toowoomba (By Mark Bowling, The Catholic Leader)
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.
A VOCATION VIEW:
The seed of a vocation seeks fertile surroundings. Sometimes it gets stepped on, sometimes it gets choked, and sometimes it lacks depth. But other times, it is nourished by loving and caring friends.
To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
“The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word but then the cares of the world and the lure of riches choke the word, and it bears no fruit.”-Matthew 13:22
Does the lure of riches and material goods choke God out of your life? Are you so caught up in earthly activities that you have no time for God? Gratitude and generosity are virtues that we should strive to do on a daily basis. Every decision we make either takes us one step closer to God or one step further away. What we receive at Mass every Sunday should be shared with others all the other days of the week as well.
TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH - Pause before speaking
Words are deeds, as theologian Peter Kreeft astutely reminds us. When we speak our thoughts into the air, we are doing something. So many words circulate in the machinery of our media that we tend to take them for granted and view them as cheap or even meaningless. But words matter. They take root in our minds and hearts, as well as in the thoughts and feelings of people who receive them from us. Before you utter the response, make the call, or hit the send key, pause to contemplate what impact your words may have on someone else. “My word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11). ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
The wonderful image of the sower and the seed that falls on all sorts of different environments reminds us that just as a seed has within it everything needed to produce a viable plant, it will produce nothing unless it is properly watered and nourished and finds the right soil or medium to take hold. It is similar to the idea of a delicious meal that contains all the nutrition needed to help a person stay healthy - But the meal is useless unless it is eaten. It is also like a light bulb that has the potential to light up a room, but only if it is fitted into the socket and switched on. How important is the environment in which the Word of God is received? We need to keep constantly close to the water of Life… God's living word and sacraments.
Our Lord tells us that the seed represents the WORD of GOD… and we could also say that the seed also represents FAITH in Jesus (and faith in WHO he is, in what he teaches and (just as importantly) how he lived….. AND……., faith in the gospel.
This “seed” could also represent the many opportunities that we all have been given to help build up the Kingdom of God.
We cannot underestimate how important is: 1. the environment with which the Word of God is received and nurtured and, 2. Our response and our promoting of and living the values and God’s word, ……
These factors are absolutely essential in helping God's values to flourish everywhere. God wants and needs our cooperation and our working with him in helping God's Kingdom Come.
True, like the first reading, God is absolutely determined that the Word that comes from his mouth will NOT return empty and will achieve what God wants. However, we humans can cooperate with what God is doing, and (sadly) we are capable of resisting and even trying to block what God is doing. God is determined to get around our resistance and to achieve his plans, but we should not take this lightly -- The non-cooperation of people or the resistance of people could seriously slow down the progress of God's vision for the world. God may have to take alternate steps or 'go a long way around' in achieving God's goals due to human resistance or lack of openness.
Just as a seed needs good soil, water, shelter, nourishment and protection, so too our faith, our knowledge, and our life need to continue to be planted and lovingly nurtured in an environment that will foster continued growth and learning.
There are many challenges in life, too, we must be careful that the precious seed of faith is planted, nurtured and attended to daily, or else it will not grow. Other priorities and values might “crowd out” the growth of faith. Setbacks and hardships have the potential to stifle what we have. We need to actively protect, promote and encourage the good treasure we have received so that it will indeed bear much fruit.
We believe that the sacraments of the Church are concrete guarantees and tangible experiences of an inner reality. So, when a priest says the words of forgiveness in the sacrament of penance (in the name of the church and in the name of Jesus), we believe that this effectively conveys the sacrament of God’s forgiveness and healing. And when the church baptises a person, we believe that the “God-given gift of FAITH is very much really and truly passed on in this action of pouring the water, professing Trinitarian faith and conducting the prayers.
And if a person is baptised, faith is definitely given (100% guaranteed)….but just like this gospel reminds us today.., if one has baptism and then hardly does anything to nurture, deepen or nourish that faith, then that real and effective “seed of faith” (which is surely there), would be rather like a seed in 'un-watered, un-tended and unplowed, hardened ground,' it can hardly be expected to bear much or any fruit.
Mind you, God can achieve amazing results of grace and love in what seems to be the most inhospitable situations, but we never take this for granted.. and strive to give God’s word the most nurturing environment possible… with prayer, reflection and good works.
Have you ever seen a rather healthy-looking plant springing up from a roof gutter of a house? It shouldn't be there, and how has it gotten what it needs to grow? We don't quite know; however, life finds a way! But again, we do not underestimate the power of working in every way we can to give the seed of God's word the very best environment and every opportunity to produce the greatest harvest.
Interestingly Jesus even realised that the results in his kingdom would be, at times, patchy because notice he says that the good seed produces One-hundred, sixty, thirty. Notice that is actually a declining sequence of numbers. So we have to be prepared for all sorts of results in the sowing of God’s effective word. And, although God’s word never returns without bearing fruit, it still remains very much our task to ensure that the word is given the nourishment and encouragement it needs to bear the most fruit.
So, in baptism and the other sacraments. They are certainly effective, but they cannot be disconnected from the concepts of conversion of heart,// of the practice of the faith,// of personal engagement,// daily prayer, participation in the sacraments regularly, regular spiritual reading and faith-study and reflection, and of course practical, loving and compassionate action in our daily lives and priorities. The forgiveness and healing given in the sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance) are quite real. Still, the sacrament bears most fruit when watered by the moving tears of repentance and nourished by a change of heart, attitude and behaviour.
Our Lord frequently begged his disciples… pray and fast often .. so that you will not come into the time of trial… he appeared also to be saying.. pray and prepare so that God will give you strength during times of trial, to avoid the cares of this world crowding in around us,…..
Our Lord teaches us that we not only ought to pray, reflect and prepare for the possibility of hard times (and difficult environments), but we must expect them and use every spiritual resource God gives us to nurture and strengthen the graces and gifts from God, - lest the wonderful seed of faith and the fruits of the Kingdom it produces might be very poor. …
God has sown the seed in the hearts of each of us, and now we must nurture and feed and water and nourish that seed of faith and love daily…/. And even more so when we sometimes find the environment around us rocky, weedy, scorching or crowded… then staying constantly connected to the water of life will sustain us come what may.
Reference: Fr Paul W. Kelly.
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: Stock Vector ID: 1734373853. Closeup view dry good cereal crop twig. White text space. Black hand-drawn Lord Jesus Christ new word sharp prickly stem anger icon border pattern picture design—retro art cartoon line sketch style. Important information. Release information: Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc. Vector Contributor: ArtMari
To listen to the Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) - https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
Also found at - https://tinyurl.com/FHLpwk
MEMORIAL OF APOLLINARIS, BISHOP, MARTYR.
Overachiever for God
We’re approaching the dog days of summer, but if you’re tempted to retreat from work, Saint Lawrence of Brindisi might inspire you otherwise. This overachieving saint was a brilliant linguist and preacher who held positions of leadership in his religious order, the Capuchin Franciscans. He founded multiple friaries, defended against heresies, and performed diplomatic missions. He died of apparent heat exhaustion following a diplomatic mission—working tirelessly until the end. Saint Lawrence poured his all into upholding the faith. Take a moment to consider how you, too, might uplift the faith.
MEMORIAL OF LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI, CAPUCHIN PRIEST, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH
It’s a paradox
Experiencing God is awesome and incomprehensible—what Catholic theologian Karl Rahner described as “Holy Mystery” and “Infinite Horizon.” And yet, this very same God draws close to us, becoming fully human to dwell with us. The experiences of Mary Magdalene with Jesus clearly demonstrate this. Having just saved the world, Jesus, in his first post-Resurrection appearance, comes not in a blaze of glory, but in the tender encounter with Mary and the very intimate calling of her name. Allow yourself to rest in this paradox, knowing that ours is not to figure out the mystery but to be embraced by it!
FEAST OF MARY MAGDALENE, DISCIPLE OF THE LORD
John 20:1-2, 11-18 (603). “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni,’ which means Teacher.”
POPE FRANCIS:
At his first general audience in three weeks, Pope Francis praised the evangelization efforts of St. Mary MacKillop, a religious sister who devoted her life to providing Catholic education to the poor in rural Australia.
“Mary MacKillop was convinced that the purpose of education is the integral development of the person both as an individual and as a member of the community; and that this requires wisdom, patience and charity on the part of every teacher,” the pope said in a hot St. Peter’s Square on June 28.
Commenting on the late June weather, Francis asked pilgrims at the start of the event “to be a little patient today in this heat.”
“Thank you for coming in this heat, with this sunshine, thank you so much for your visit,” he added.
Pope Francis held his usual weekly audience for the first time since June 7, the morning of the day he underwent a three-hour abdominal surgery under anesthesia to correct an incisional hernia.
Last week’s public audience was cancelled to allow the pope more time to recover from surgery. In July the weekly audience is canceled for a summer break. It will resume on Aug. 9, after Pope Francis returns from a visit to Portugal for World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon.
Continuing a series of lessons on apostolic zeal, Pope Francis on Wednesday highlighted Australia’s first and only Catholic saint: Mary MacKillop.
MacKillop was the first of eight children born to Scottish immigrants in 1842, in what is now known as Melbourne. At the time, the European settlement in Australia had been established for a little over 50 years.
MacKillop, whose family had its own economic problems, dreamed of offering free education to Australia’s Catholic rural poor.
With the help of her spiritual director and mentor, she developed a plan for a congregation of sisters to aid those in need in Australia’s vast countryside. She took the religious name St. Mary of the Cross, and founded what would go on to be the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
MacKillop’s sisters established many schools and orphanages across Australia, including in the “bush.”
Pope Francis said MacKillop believed Catholic education was also “a great form of evangelization.”
“Indeed, education does not consist of filling the head with ideas, just this no,” he said. “In what does education consist? In accompanying and encouraging students on the path of human and spiritual growth, showing them how friendship with the Risen Jesus expands the heart and makes life more human.”
“To educate is to help to think well; to feel well — the language of the heart; and to do well — the language of the hands,” Francis continued. “This vision is fully relevant today...”
The pope noted that MacKillop did not, however, have an easy path to fulfilling her mission of sharing the Good News with those in need.
“You see: all the saints have found opposition, even within the Church,” he explained.
MacKillop “had to pay bills, negotiate with local bishops and priests, manage the schools and look after the professional and spiritual formation of her sisters; and, later, she suffered health problems. Yet, through it all, she remained calm, patiently carrying the cross that is an integral part of the mission,” he said.
“Mary,” Pope Francis emphasised, “had great faith in God’s Providence: she was always confident that in any situation God provides.”
The pope also underlined the saint’s great care for the poor and marginalised, which pushed her “to go where others would not or could not go.”
“This is very important,” he said. “On the road to holiness, which is the Christian road, the poor and the marginalised are protagonists, and a person cannot move forward in holiness unless he also devotes himself to them in one way or another. They, who need the Lord’s help, carry the presence of the Lord.”
Francis recalled being struck once by a line he read that said: “the protagonist of the story is the beggar: beggars are those who draw attention to injustice, which is the great poverty in the world.”
He also lamented that money is spent on making weapons instead of on producing food.
“Don’t forget: there is no holiness if, in one way or another, there is no care for the poor, for the needy, for those who are somewhat on the margins of society,” he said.
SOURCE: By Hannah Brockhaus. Vatican City, Jun 28, 2023 / 05:03 am. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254678/pope-francis-st-mary-mackillop-believed-catholic-education-is-a-form-of-evangelization
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: Royalty-free stock photo ID: 1358932310. Stock Photo ID: 1358932310. Pope Francis, visiting the Ejmiadzin․ Armenia. Ejmiadzin. June 26, 2016. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: GYG Studio.
EXPLORING OUR FAITH - Who is Jesus?
Who is Jesus?
Catholics believe that the loving presence of God has been communicated to the world in an extraordinary and definitive way through the person of Jesus Christ. He lived over 2,000 years ago in Palestine and taught about God’s love and plan for each and every person.
Jesus was a Jew who lived in Nazareth before he began preaching a bold message that the Kingdom of God had come upon the earth. People experienced him as a person of extraordinary love, bringing healing, hope and forgiveness of sins to those he encountered. So great was his impact on the Jewish people of his day, that the religious and political leaders of his time felt threatened and had him put to death by crucifixion.
His death devastated his small group of followers, but after three days, Jesus appeared to them, having been raised from the dead. They experienced his living presence in a whole new way. Their lives were transformed.
They came to recognise Jesus as the Son of God, the ‘Christ’, God-with-us. While Jesus had said many times that he and the Father were one, it was not until after they experienced him as their risen Lord that they finally understood that God had been revealed to them in the person of Jesus.
These followers of Jesus, came to be known as Christians, since they went about proclaiming that the Jesus whom they knew and loved, whom they had seen crucified and whom they met after he had risen from the dead was not only the one ‘anointed by God’ (Greek – Christos) to lead human beings to fullness of life, but was indeed the Son of God.
Source: https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/life/teachings-of-the-catholic-church/#who-is-jesus
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/)
St Kevin’s Catholic School, Community business directory: https://www.sk.qld.edu.au/Pages/Rainbow-Connection.aspx
Urgent Message - Scam Alert!
We have received several messages from people indicating that they have been texted by a scammer impersonating Fr Peter.
Please do not respond to this scammer or do anything they instruct.
The person sends a text saying they are Fr Peter and that he cannot ring as he is in a meeting, but please help me buy gift cards for a sick person.
This is definitely a scam.
The priests of this parish would not ask people to buy gift cards or send money.
We only have the usual collections and appeals via church for official purposes.
Don't even reply to the SMS or email if you get one. You could report it to your phone provider or internet provider.
We do not solicit money or gifts - and please warn anyone else who might not receive this message.,
Yours Sincerely,
Fr pk
(PS, the same applies to any other priest or member of the church, we would not be seeking money or gifts and you would be advised not to respond to these sneaky scams).
No comments:
Post a Comment