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“‘Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.’” (Matthew 15:27)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1997392661 - VIENNA, AUSTRIA - JUNI 24, 2021: The fresco of the Faith of the Canaanite woman in the Votivkirche church by brothers Carl and Franz Jobst (sc. half of 19. cent.). Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova
PASTORS POST - Nurturing Good Habits
I remember my brother telling me once about a local church in Brisbane that had recently had a sudden upsurge in young families and young people attending Sunday ceremonies.
I was intrigued and wondered what it might have been that had changed. The area was still an older suburb, and the “demographics” had not changed, so what might explain it? My brother suggested a rather interesting possibility. He said that the street where the church was situated had become filled with fashionable coffee shops, cake shops and a bakery. It appears that many people were now developing a special and enjoyable Sunday “habit” to which they looked forward each weekend.
These people would get up and go to Church and gather together to give thanks to God and gain nourishment for the week to come, and then after the Mass; they would wander down the street for a leisurely breakfast or a morning tea/coffee break. Church-going had become part of their Sunday rhythm, making their whole morning (and week) a seamless and enjoyable journey from praise to relaxation and time with friends and family.
Basically, Sunday breakfast, Sunday Lunch, and even Sunday coffee taste infinitely better after the beautiful celebration of Mass.
This really sparked my memory. I recalled how our family used to go to morning Mass.
Even though I was always a little slow at waking up and getting going in the morning after we had been to church I felt renewed for the coming week. Then we would stop off at the hot bread kitchen and get a piping-hot loaf of bread and go home and have a delicious morning tea and lunch with this fresh bread. (Sometimes, we would be tricky and scoop out the soft, hot centre from a large top slice, leaving the outer crust intact).
This is not meant to trivialise the importance of Sunday worship as an important gathering of the community to pray and praise God. Still, it reminds me that it is in developing habits and making our activities part of our daily rhythm that it is most likely that we will eagerly continue (long-term) to make it part of our daily life rather than some kind of “duty” that might seem like it is putting the regular daily activities “on hold.” Church becomes part of the fabric of our week. It is wonderful to enshrine Sunday worship as a part of our family’s enjoyable weekly habit. I am sure that those who make this the fabric of the week will likely make it something future generations will also want for their families.
Fr Paul.
This year has been challenging and rewarding in many ways, and while there is much to worry over, there is also so much to be grateful for. Today will hear a specially prepared homily from Archbishop Mark Coleridge to share the importance of the Annual Catholic Campaign and how we can continue to be the face of Christ for others in our community.
Many need our care, and this campaign reaches out to those who need our support most. I encourage you to support it this year.
The Annual Catholic Campaign reminds us we are part of the larger Church. Our parishes work together to support vital ministries and services. Funds raised will support ministries that directly impact this parish, such as:
• training future priests,
• caring for elderly priests when they become frail and unwell,
• helping struggling families access a Catholic education and
• caring for those suffering physically and emotionally in our local community.
When making your gift, please put your donation inside the envelope provided …
…. so it remains separate from the parish collection. If you add your details to the envelope, you will receive a tax receipt in the mail.
Over the past years, our parish has given generously and together, we have made a lasting impact on the lives of so many people in our community.
Thank you for your generosity and for ensuring our Church is here to help in times of need.
https://catholicfoundation.org.au/give-now/
Linking this weekend’s Annual Catholic Appeal to the Readings this weekend:
This woman in today’s Gospel had some cheek. She wasn’t Jewish; she was pagan. But she knew a Jew when she saw one, and Jesus was very much the Jew, his face, speech, and garb. Not only was he Jewish, but he was also a rabbi, and she knew that pagan women didn’t speak to Jews, let alone to rabbis. No wonder Jesus responded to her as he did in a world where Jews didn’t have dealings with pagans and men didn’t have dealings with women, at least the kind of dealings we see between Jesus and the woman in today’s Gospel.
In fact, Jesus plays along with popular perception, but only to turn it on its head. He starts by giving her the silent treatment; then he says to others, “It isn’t right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs”; and finally, he replies to her, “Woman, you have great faith. Let it be done as you wish”.
That’s where the popular perception is turned on its head. She’s an outsider, but what matters to Jesus, in the end, is not that she’s an outsider but that she’s a human being in great need who happens to have great faith. And there’s nothing vague about her faith: it’s faith in Jesus and in his power to do something about her tormented daughter. It’s that power, entering through the door of faith, which heals the daughter. The mother recognises in Jesus not just the authority of a Jewish rabbi but the power of God, who is much more concerned with human needs than with tribal boundaries.
The prophet Isaiah speaks of caring for justice, by which he means the right relationship between God and the human being and between human beings. Tribalism of any kind, the world of “us and them”, is never the right relationship. It’s always wrong. That’s why the prophet has God saying that he will bring even foreigners to his holy mountain and that his house will be called “a house of prayer for all people,” not just for the worthy or “my mob” but for everyone.
St Paul, too, speaks of himself as an apostle sent to the pagans, the outsiders to whom God now extends his mercy, the mercy offered not just to insiders but to all humankind, he says. This radical inclusiveness has its roots in the mercy of God, which excludes no one. All have been disobedient, says Paul, but all have been offered mercy in Jesus. This is the right relationship with God: it takes what is wrong and sets it aright.
This, too, is the heart of the Annual Catholic Campaign. The Campaign is one very concrete sign of the mercy of God at work, entering the world of wrong relationships and setting it aright, breaking down the tribal walls, the walls of “us and them”, and building bridges so that all people, but especially those most in need, can take their place in the house of God.
That mercy flows from Jesus but through us who, like the Syro-Phoenician woman, put our faith in him and his healing power. Our faith opens a door into the lives of people in need, and through that door, in mysterious and even hidden ways, comes the healing power of the Risen Lord, for whom no wound cannot be healed, no torment that cannot be calmed.
For the Syro-Phoenician woman, the need is her daughter. In the Annual Catholic Campaign, we bring our needs to Jesus. The first is Holy Spirit Seminary which trains our ordained leaders of the future who are as important as they ever were, even if the numbers aren’t what they used to be. These men need to be formed to be, in a special way, the ministers of Christ’s mercy, and the Campaign makes that possible.
Then there is the Priests Foundation which helps support our retired and sick priests who have dedicated their lives to meeting human needs with the merciful love of God. As their number grows greater, so too does the need to boost the Foundation, which makes care for them possible. Our generosity has to match not just their number but their need.
A third need we bring to the Lord is the Mary MacKillop Catholic School Access Fund, which helps provide bursaries for students whose families are facing financial hardship and, at times, even homelessness. The Fund ensures these students can access quality Catholic education through our Brisbane Catholic Education schools.
There are also Centacare’s Pastoral Ministries which provide support to families in distress and victims of domestic violence, to those suffering mental illness and those in prison, to hospital chaplaincy and the disabled. Much of this work is hidden, but these ministries are one of the most important outreaches of the Church to people in real need.
Finally, there is the Annual Grants Program which provides start-up support to creative grassroots ministries in the parishes and the wider Catholic community. Each year grants are made to a wide range of initiatives in areas as diverse as service of the poor, youth ministry, faith education, and the teaching of prayer. The grants are not large, but the fruits of these works are—all these needs we bring to the Lord, just like the woman in today’s Gospel. We come in faith, knowing that he listens and responds to real human needs. We’re well aware of our powerlessness, but we know his power. We also know that he responds through our generosity. That’s why I make this appeal because he wants to work through you. Your donation, whatever it may be, allows the Lord’s mercy to flow through the Church into the lives of needy human beings. You can donate in various ways through the Annual Catholic Campaign. One way you might consider is a regular monthly gift of an amount that means something to you.
However you respond, you will be helping the Lord himself to respond. The Campaign’s theme this year is “Be the Face of Christ for Others”. The woman in today’s Gospel saw the face of a Jewish rabbi, but she saw more: she saw the face of God. The face of the Church can also seem ordinary enough, as can the face of each of us. But if we open the door of faith and allow God’s mercy to flow through us into the lives of those in need, then people will see in the Church and each of us the face of Christ himself. That’s what the Annual Catholic Campaign is all about.
https://catholicfoundation.org.au/give-now/
READ MORE → GIVE NOW →
https://catholicfoundation.org.au/ways-to-help/annual-catholic-campaign/
Social Justice Statement
Australia’s Catholic bishops have called on the nation to seek “a new engagement” with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in their annual Social Justice Statement being launched today—(source: ACBC Media Blog).
Since the 1940s, the bishops have published annual statements that urge the Catholic community to reflect and act on social, economic and ecological issues. The statements are published as a focal point for Social Justice Sunday, which will be marked on August 27 this year.
This year’s statement, Listen, Learn, Love: A New Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, will be launched in western Sydney this morning by Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, chair of the Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service.
“One of the objectives of this statement is that we want Catholics to understand that Catholic social teaching and Catholic social action are not simply theoretical and academic exercises,” Bishop Long will say.
“We hear what God is saying to us about justice by being with our sisters and brothers on the peripheries of society.”
While the Social Justice Statement is a teaching document of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, a large part of this year’s statement was written by members of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council. It is part of the message’s exhortation to “listen”.
“Listening is hard. Hearing about young people taking their lives, about so many people ending up in jail, of children still being taken away from their parents and grandparents and about the ongoing racism is tough,” Bishop Long will say.
“It must be so much more difficult for these people to tell us about their painful experiences. We are deeply grateful to those who shared their stories of pain with us.”
The theme for this year’s statement was chosen in May 2022, well before the Voice to Parliament referendum was mooted and before the timing of a vote was proposed. While the bishops don’t suggest how people should vote, Bishop Long says, “Whatever the outcome of this year’s referendum, we ask the Church in Australia to make efforts to lead the way for our fellow Australians” in pursuing reconciliation.
Access the statement at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wubi_CdMYKO7Tak_338ny2WLwU1v-bi1/view?usp=drive_link
[Bishops’ statement calls for ‘new engagement’ with First Peoples (ACBC Media Blog)]
CHILDREN’S SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM 2023
In Surfers Paradise Parish; we have 112 children who have recently begun Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. We ask the members of our Parish Family to remember these children and their families in prayer:
May God bless these parents as they continue to fulfil the promises they made on behalf of their children at baptism. As they approach this sacred task, may the Holy Spirit guide them. Just as the Lord Jesus made the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak, may he once again touch the ears of these children to receive his word and their mouths to proclaim his faith to the praise and glory of God the Father. Amen.
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK:
Also, (Alphabetical) Lorraine Gallagher, Jack Barretto, Julie & Paul Bowden, Nellie Bellinger, Jean Di Benedetto, Coralie Brennan, Kevin Brennan, Tim Brown, Margaret Buckingham, Diana Castro, Felipe S Cataquiz (Senior), Cecily Cellinan, Doug Chester, Jo Clark, Leslie Clarke, Margaret & George Cook, Alfonso Covino, Margaret Cusack, Geraldine Daniels, John Fisher, Rosie May Fisher, Sally Gage, Laurel Goddard, Ken Green, Fred Grioli, Jacob Haddad, Jenny Haines, Peter Harford, Lena Hiscock, Louise Holmes, Kim Ingram, Anna Janiek, Pat Jones, Leona Kelly, Kath Kiely, Betu Kim, Jan Kristenson, 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, Joanne Mooney, Maryann Moore, Hugh Morand, Michael & Lesley 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, Rogelio Rodriguez, Bob Rogers, Kathy Stevens, Jim Stewart, Betty Taylor, Liza Teo, John Thomas, Baby Samuel Timothy, Leonardo Torcaso, Denise Tracey, Anne Van Deurse, Karen Vestergard, Lois Wood.
RECENTLY DECEASED: (Chronological - Most recent first):
Anne Welsh, Dorothy Penney, Red Marriott, Len Murphy, Anthony Fernandez (Pakistan), Rosario Delpopolo (Brisbane), Noeline Phyllis Laker Messenger, Pam Davis, Margaret Redler, Margot Goldburg, Ralph Tobiano, Tommie O’Grady, Pasqualino Morabito, Janis Delgado, Maryanne Cassar, Dennis Rowan, John Hanly, Beverly Ann Morand, Denham De Silva, Paddy Hoolahan, Carlo Boladian, Barbara Mary Currie, Marcia McCausland, Rebecca O’Reilly, Fritz Bower, Beatriz Dos Santos, Dr Frank Miau.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: (Alphabetical)
Noel John Ancrum, Shirley Ann Appleby, Fr Harry Bliss, Lynette Buesel, Fr Michael Carey, Fr Dermott Casey, Danny Connelly, Fr James Cullen, Joseph Donato, Joseph Kendall Farrell, Kathleen (Kath) Gleeson, Narda Hallam, Colin Vincent Jenkinson, Anthony Lenchuca, Fr Michael Masterson, Kichizo Matsumoto, Maureen Mary Moore, Maureen Moore, Lisa Maree Moore, Fr Frank Moynihan, Babsie Naidoo, Ron Neilsen, Ronald Neilsen, Fr Thomas O'Brien, Fr James O'Reilly, Fr John O'Shea, John Francis Paul, Mercedes Romanin, Fr William Ross, Joan Simmons, Garry Robert Sullivan, Maurice (Maurie) Turner, Fr Richard Wilson.
And Also: (Alphabetical):
Barry John Arderne, Carolyn Cameron, Fr Bryan Carmichael, Maria Di Certo, Frank Covino, Bernie Crane, John Davis, John Joseph Despard, Gary Foster, John Richard Gardner, Dorothy Heather Girle, Peter and Evelyn Hill, Fr Michael Greene, Peter George Jitani, Justin McCarthy King, Fr Joe McGeehan, Patricia Medway, Marija (Marie) Ivka (nee Sunich) Mercep, Sylvia Moray, Sarah Nealon, Marie Peters, Giuseppina Rovella, Rose Mary Saldanha, Tessie Guevarra Thompson.
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 & Gold Coast Pvt Hosp.- Southport Parish. 5510 2222
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS - SACRED HEART AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCHES
Beautiful rosary beads, statues, prayer cards and much more available in our shops, are available before and after Mass each weekend. Other times, please contact the Parish Office, phone 56717388 9 am-12 pm Monday-Friday. The August edition of The Catholic Leader is available now for only $4
Inside this month’s Leader
Brisbane warmly welcomes three new priests
Coverage of Bishop Howell’s installation in Toowoomba
Catholic Education Week
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 as follows-
21/8/2023 Merla & Rodney Antony - Chevron Island
28/8/2023 Maxine & Pat Sela - Main Beach
4/9/2023 Katherine & Erwin Adolfo - Clear Island Waters
11/9/2023 Katherine & Erwin Adolfo - Clear Island Waters
18/9/2023 Gary & Rudi Kamara - Southport
25/9/2023 Gary & Rudi Kamara - Southport
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.
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.” For more information, please ring Grace: 0410 006 484.
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.
Contemplative Women’s Group.
Contemplative Women’s Group: Sinking into the Feminine Divine. We meet on the 4th Saturday of every month from 1.30 pm – 3.30 pm 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. 1.30 – 3.30 pm, Mary Mother of Mercy Church, 3 Sunlight Drive, Burleigh Waters. Contact sue@suethomas.net.au for more information. Or just turn up by 1.30 pm. No cost. Simple afternoon tea was supplied. Come, join us on the path.
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.
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 BEAUTIFUL
The BOLD and BEAUTIFUL Friendship Group are meeting at 12 noon for lunch on Thursday, 24th August at FASTWOK, Q-Super Centre in Mermaid Waters. All are welcome. If you need more information please contact Amanda Rowe at 0421 487 009.
CALLING ALL SINGERS
Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to be part of a massed choir to sing at St Stephen’s Cathedral on Friday 29 September at 5:30pm as part of the National Liturgy and Liturgical Music Conference taking place here in Brisbane. Archbishop Mark will preside at this special Mass which will be attended by bishops, clergy, religious and lay conference delegates from around the country. Please complete the registration form at https://lbsurvey.weebly.com/conference-choristers.html where you will be able to download the list of music tracks. For enquiries phone Liturgy Brisbane on 3324 3321.
“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.
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:
It is so easy to push people out of our lives. But the Lord knows no boundaries, races, or colours. Spread the Good News that we are all God's people.
To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
“For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.”-Romans 11:29.
God has a special mission in mind for each of us. He has given us the gifts we need to accomplish that mission. We are called to be good stewards by using those gifts to do the work that He has planned for each of us. If we deny our gifts or fail to use them as God calls us to use them, then some part of His work will be left undone. Each of us has a part in God’s salvation plan.
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 - That all may be one
The spirit of division is about being right. The spirit of unity is about embracing Christ. In which direction are we heading? Ecumenism seems an almost quaint idea in the 21st-century church. Other issues seem to have become more critical for many than getting Christians on the same page. Yet a divided church is a scandal to a world that questions our sincerity if we can't even agree on Jesus— dialogue with others without the need to criticise beliefs or change minds. Create opportunities to pray, study, work, and mission together with local Christians. They will know we are Christians by our love. ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
Shutterstock Licensed Stock photo ID: 689294923 - Hungry dog waiting for the food. Photo Contributor: Nattanan Zia
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
[’ gospel’ values included in the readings: inclusion, welcome, openness, mercy, compassion, persistence in faith]
The readings this weekend remind us of one of the key teachings and attitudes of Our Lord…. This reveals to us, a central value and attitude in the life of the Holy Trinity: (Father, Son and Holy Spirit!)…. and that is openness, inclusion and welcome. Love that reaches out and is always open to the other; and a love that is always open to “yet one more person being part of the family.”... and one more, and one more after that, and so on endlessly, ......
Our Lord shows us God’s nature as inclusive, welcoming, compassionate, forgiving and flexible to be able to respond to others and their needs. God’s values are constant, eternal and powerful, and at the same time, God is open and responsive. Wonderful!
Whenever we come across situations that are restrictive, “not –listening”, unwelcoming and exclusive, then it is very likely that the value is not resonating with Our Lord’s teachings. The church, in obedience and in imitation of the Lord, is always striving to be a welcoming, compassionate, open and inclusive community.
The faith of that lady who persisted in asking Our Lord for what she needed is sadly in stark contrast with the response many of Our Lord’s own people were giving to Our Lord himself, who was ‘one of them’ – one of their own people.. one of the chosen ones. Many of his own people were rejecting him. And here was a lady from a different place and a different religion who knows she is taking a risk in even approaching him, and yet she keeps persisting even when she gets an initial and notable rebuff from the disciples and even by Our Lord’s initial response.
The lady persists because she KNOWS that Jesus is the one who can help. She knows that he is the Messiah who will welcome the chosen ones to his table, even if she is not one of his flock. And she hopes and prays that her faith in him and her proximity to the table of God’s grace, will be enough to at least share in the overflow of blessings that she knows will come from this table. The Canaanite woman is willing to share in any “scrap or morsel” of the richness God has to offer, which, ironically, is not being appreciated by those who sit at the table…..And she is RIGHT. Our Lord does not merely say, you can enjoy the scraps that fall from the chosen one’s table… He is saying to her; because of your faith, because of your persistence…. you can JOIN the table… for - What faith!! What persistence!!
We cannot see the faces of all involved in this scene, but if we did see their body language, I think a deeper reality would become apparent. Our Lord’s reaction to her, at first glance, appears (on paper) to be cold and can seem to be rather harsh.... but I believe that he was really asking her in terminology very familiar and common at the time: “Is it right that I who was sent to the chosen ones of Israel, should take the food I have to give them and cast it to outsiders??” Or perhaps he was giving her an opportunity to show just how strong her faith in him was; and how strong her determination was. How very different her response is to the lukewarm response of these “chosen ones” around him, for whom he was indeed first offering his good news.
I imagine that when the lady responded how she did, Our Lord would have smiled, thrown his head back and laughed! Not a scornful laugh, though! Rather, a laugh of delight, approval and recognition. THIS lady GETS it! Here is someone who gets what i am offering and she is not even from our own clan. This lady understands, when many of my people do not, or will not! This humble woman just wants to share in any small piece of the blessings that others cannot even see. And then his warmth and inclusion are complete!
There are references to Our Lord starting out addressing the chosen ones of Israel, but clearly, by the end of his ministry, this has widened right out to include everyone and anyone who will respond positively to him and his message.
The chosen ones are now anyone and everyone who responds in faith and love and trust to what The Lord is offering...
This is a blessing so great it simply cannot be overstated!!
REFERENCES: FR. PAUL W. KELLY; MISSION 2000 – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR A. BY MARK LINK S.J.
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1083122126 -PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 09: Jesus and the Canaanite woman, stained glass window from Saint Germain-l'Auxerrois church in Paris, France on January 09, 2018. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Zvonimir Atletic
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
Pope Saint Pius X
Born Giuseppe Sarto at Riese (Italy) in 1835. Died in Rome on 20 August 1914. Elected pope in 1903 after being bishop of Mantua and patriarch of Venice. In pursuit of his motto, "to renew all things in Christ", he initiated reforms of the liturgy and canon law and took stern measures against "modernist" trends in theology. His efforts to avert World War I were frustrated. He is remembered for his poverty and for his promotion of liturgical participation, especially of frequent communion, to which he admitted young children.
“Where is the road which leads us to Jesus Christ? It is before our eyes: it is the Church. We have to recall to everyone, great and small, the absolute necessity we are under to have recourse to this Church to work out our eternal salvation.”
“I was born poor, I have lived in poverty, and I wish to die poor.”
“All the strength of Satan’s reign is due to the easygoing weakness of Catholics.”
“The Rosary is the most beautiful and the most rich in graces of all prayers; it is the prayer that touches most the Heart of the Mother of God … and if you wish peace to reign in your homes, recite the family Rosary.”
“Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven.”
“Without any doubt, there is a desire in all hearts for peace. But how foolish is he who seeks this peace apart from God; if God is driven out, justice is banished, and once justice fails, all hope of peace is lost.”
“It is necessary that Christ nourish children before they are dominated by their passions, so they can with greater courage resist the assaults of the devil, of the flesh, and their other enemies, whether internal or external.”
“Truly we are passing through disastrous times, when we may well make our own the lamentation of the Prophet: ‘There is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God in the land’ (Hosea 4:1).
“Yet amid this tide of evil, the Virgin Most Merciful rises before our eyes like a rainbow, as the arbiter of peace between God and man.”
“The greatest obstacle in the apostolate of the Church is the timidity, or rather the cowardice, of the faithful.”
“Let the storm rage and the sky darken – not for that shall we be dismayed. If we trust as we should in Mary, we shall recognise in her, the Virgin Most Powerful ‘who with virginal foot did crush the head of the serpent.'”
The Queenship of The Blessed Virgin Mary. 22 August. Memorial.
This feast was established by Pius XII in 1955 and was celebrated on 31 May. Since 1969 it has been observed on 22 August to stress its relationship to the Assumption (15 August): taken up into glory, Mary became queen of heaven and earth.
SAINT ROSE OF LIMA -
"If only mortals would learn how great it is to possess divine grace, beautiful, noble, and precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights! No one would complain about his cross or troubles that may happen to him if he would come to know the scales on which they are weighed when they are distributed to men."
"Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven."
"When we serve the poor and the sick, we serve Jesus. We must not fail to help our neighbours, because in them we serve Jesus." .
St Bartholomew (Apostle):
“Here is a true child of Israel. There is no guile in him.”
Bartholomew/Nathanael answered him: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” (John 1:47-48)
St Louis IX. King of France.
"I think more of the church where I was baptised than Rheims Cathedral where I was crowned (as King of France). It is a greater thing to be a child of God than to be the ruler of a kingdom.
To deal justly and equitably with your subjects, be straightforward and firm, turning neither to the right hand nor the left, but always following what is just and upholding the cause of the poor until the truth is clear.
Our clothing and armour ought to be of such a kind that men of mature experience will not
say that we have spent too much on them, nor younger men say we have spent too little.
In prosperity, give thanks to God with humility and fear lest you abuse God's benefits and so offend him by pride.
To avoid contention, never contradict anyone, except in case of sin or some danger to a neighbour; and when necessary to contradict others and to oppose your opinion to theirs, do it with so much mildness and tact as not to appear to do violence to their mind, for nothing is ever gained by taking up things with excessive warmth and hastiness.
St Joseph Calasanz (1557-1648)
"As Scripture says, "Those who instruct many in justice will shine as stars for all eternity." They will attain this more easily if they make a covenant of perpetual obedience and strive to cling to Christ and please Him alone because, in His words, "What you did to one of the least of my brethren, you did to me."
"Moreover, the strongest support is provided not only to protect the young from evil but also to rouse them and attract them more easily and gently to the performance of good works. Like the twigs of plants, the young are easily influenced as long as someone works to change their souls. But if they are allowed to grow a hardened heart, we know that the possibility of one day bending them diminishes greatly and is sometimes utterly lost."
POPE FRANCIS:
At Pope Francis’ first official World Youth Day event in Portugal, he told the 500,000 young people that their presence was no accident and that God has called each one by name. Source: CNA.
“Dear friends, there is a happiness that Jesus has prepared for you, for each of you: It does not come from accumulating things but from putting your life on the line. The Lord also says to each of you: ‘Go, for there is a world that needs what you, and you alone, can give it,” the Pope said in Lisbon’s Eduardo VII Park last night.
As young people waved flags from the more than 190 nations represented at this year’s World Youth Day welcome ceremony, Pope Francis said: “We have been called because we are loved.”
“In God’s eyes, we are precious children, and he calls us each day to embrace and encourage us, to make of us a unique and original masterpiece whose beauty we can only begin to glimpse.
“Dear young people, on this World Youth Day, let us help one another to recognise this reality; may these days be vibrant echoes of that loving call of God because we are precious in God’s eyes, despite what our eyes sometimes see, despite what our eyes are sometimes clouded by negativity and dazzled by so many distractions,” he said.
Unlike social media algorithms that associate a name with likes and preferences, God truly knows each person’s uniqueness, the Pope told the young people, adding: “God’s heart beats uniquely for you.”
Pope Francis received an enthusiastic welcome as he arrived in the Popemobile to shouts of “Papa Francisco” from Portuguese and Spanish-speaking pilgrims.
The 86-year-old Pope appeared tired at times during the nearly two-hour ceremony in which singers and dancers performed on a large, elevated stage, but he spoke with enthusiasm and frequently added comments not included in his prepared remarks.
Pope Francis is scheduled to attend several World Youth Day events before he departs Portugal on Sunday night, including the Stations of the Cross on Friday night and a rosary with young people who are sick at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima on Saturday.
Article credit: https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/make-room-everyone-church-pope-francis-tells-young-people-portugal
Image Credit- Pope Francis greets the World Youth Day crowd in Lisbon’s Eduardo VII Park yesterday (Neil Helmore)
EXPLORING OUR FAITH -
What is Baptism?
Baptism is the first of three Sacraments of Initiation in the Catholic Church, the other two being Confirmation and Eucharist. Through Baptism, we are incorporated into the body of Christ.
Baptism is celebrated by immersion or the pouring of water (three times) with the words
“I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit”.
Parents who ask to have their children baptised accept the responsibility of training them in the practice of the faith and bringing them up to keep God’s commandments.
A handy video: https://youtu.be/MQw5wVgp5YY
INTENDED MARRIAGE PROCLAMATION (AS PER REQUEST OF OVERSEAS DIOCESE) (Week III)
Com o favor de Deus e da Santa Mãe Igreja querem se casar: BENJAMIN RYAN e FABIOLA LERCH DUARTE
Ele, filho de DANIEL CLIFFORD RYAN e ZVIA RYAN, residente há 1 anos na SURFERS PARADISE
CATHOLIC PARISH - AUSTRALIA. Ela, filha de JANOR TRINDADE DUARTE e ROSEMARI LERCH, residente há 1 anos na SURFERS PARADISE CATHOLIC PARISH - AUSTRALIA. O casamento será realizado em 14/10/2023 na PAR. MADRE DE DEUS (CATEDRAL). Quem souber de algum motivo para que este Casamento não seja realizado,está obrigado, em consciência, a avisar o Pároco. PEDIDO DE PROCLAMAÇÃO - NOIVA. SURFERS PARADISE CATHOLIC PARISH - AUSTRALIA. Revmo. Sr. Pároco. Favor, publicar e informar.
(transl):
With the favour of God and the Holy Mother Church, they want to marry: BENJAMIN RYAN and FABIOLA LERCH DUARTE. He is the son of DANIEL CLIFFORD RYAN and ZVIA RYAN, a resident for 1 year at SURFERS PARADISE.
CATHOLIC PARISH - AUSTRALIA. She is the daughter of JANOR TRINDADE DUARTE and ROSEMARI LERCH, resident for 1 year at SURFERS PARADISE CATHOLIC PARISH - AUSTRALIA. The wedding will take place on 10/14/2023 at PAR. MOTHER OF GOD (CATHEDRAL). Anyone who knows of any reason why this Marriage should not take place is obliged, in conscience, to notify the parish priest. REQUEST FOR PROCLAMATION - BRIDE. SURFERS PARADISE CATHOLIC PARISH - AUSTRALIA. Rev. Fr Parish Priest. Please publish and inform.
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, 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 various archdiocesan priests.
Technology Solutions is aware of a series of text messages being sent to staff purporting to come from Archdiocesan Clergy. This offers a timely reminder to check all electronic communications carefully. On inspection, the eagle-eyed will notice the number is from an international phone number and not from the person's actual number.
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.
Priests 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. Please report it as indicated in the paragraphs above.
We do not solicit money or gifts - and please warn anyone else who might not receive this message.,
(PS, the same applies to any other priest or church member, we would not be seeking money or gifts, and you would be advised not to respond to these sneaky scams).
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