PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*:
You can also access an online -web- copy of the newsletter *Webcopy here*
“‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.” (Matthew 21:28-9)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: Stock Vector ID: 1401112289 - three men speaking, silhouette vector - Important information -Vector Contributor: Eladora
PASTOR’S POST
A Correction.
As we welcome Fr Anthony to the Parish as Associate Pastor, I must also apologise for an error. Fr Anthony’s name is pronounced in the usual way, “Anthony” and not as I stated earlier as “Antony.”
His surname, Odionyenfe, is pronounced, I believe, as "Od'ee'on- yen-fey."
Please feel free to spread the word.
God bless.
“I fall in love because of the reality of the people here, ” says Sr Carolina, a Nurse at The Maria Auxiliadora Clinic In Timore-Leste.
Walk with Sr Carolina as she guides the community of Venilale to good health.
Thank you for choosing to support the work of the Catholic Mission and for sharing the essential and vital work of missionaries with your parishioners. This year, we invite you to partner with the essential work of the community and Church in Timor-Leste as they look to address the gaps in care and empower the community to take control of their health through the presence of the missionary Sisters and their well-trusted health clinic.
Although very short, today's gospel is really a key teaching in Christ's gospel. It goes to the heart of what Our Lord was doing and saying.
Jesus did not come to do away with the religious tradition of his day but rather to fulfil it. And at the heart of this religious tradition is the core of God's message. However, Jesus taught several times about the danger of a mere outward observance of religion. Much more important (and ultimately the only thing that matters) is that one is faithful to the truth of God's message by DOING God's will, irrespective of whether one SEEMS to be living up to the message or not. Appearances can (so often) be quite deceiving.
The irony of today's message is that all of us can say, "Well, of course! That is common sense." The son who said no to his father but ended up
DOING his will is clearly the righteous one, and the one who only SAID that he would obey his father but did n0t is in the wrong. It is so blatantly obvious. The listeners of Jesus, when he first taught this, would also have responded: 'Well, of course!' The trouble is that we KNOW this teaching is correct, but so many people continue to fall for the trap of it nevertheless.
We keep falling for this trap of judging others by appearances, not realities. Since none of us can see inside the heart of another, we naturally go by what we see and by what people say or how things appear to be. But why do we keep falling for the trap of appearances versus realities?
This parable (In Matthew’s Gospel) of the two sons is vital.
Saint Thérèse (whose insights are so profound but straightforward that she was declared a Doctor of the Church) was all too aware of the dangers taught by Christ in this weekend's parable… So much so that Thérèse took no comfort from praise and little distress from criticism. A person could be praised for a particular action that appears heroic and charitable…..but inwardly (perhaps unknown to others), their attitude and desires are not loving or consistent with God's ways… Also, a person might conceivably be motivated by deep and selfless concern, but their actions are taken wrongly by others and appear selfish and worthy of criticism. The message appears clear…. We are to do what is right and loving irrespective of appearance… and be cautious in jumping to conclusions about people's motives. They are known to God alone.
As I say, we know this conceptually… but Jesus would not have had to repeat this teaching in various forms unless he was well aware that we so often can fall for the trap of appearances. This can cause enormous mischief and misunderstanding and can thwart the real object of Our Lord's teaching.
Let us ask the Lord to help purify our inner life… and our inward dispositions and attitudes so that everything we do, in thought, word and action, be motivated by the love of God. Love of neighbour as oneself… and may we have the strength to continue to do actions (motivated by love) that could risk attracting condemnation and criticism of others who base their judgement on merely outward appearances.
Fr Paul
A MESSAGE FROM THE CATHOLIC LEADER, NEWSPAPER, EDITOR RE THE FUTURE OF THE PUBLICATION
Dear Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish,
The way we produce and distribute The Catholic Leader print edition is changing.
Unsurprisingly, print and distribution costs have skyrocketed over the last five years. Our Church newspaper is going to need to adapt to those changes. After much consideration and consultation, we have decided the newspaper will move to a subscriber-only model.
This means we will no longer provide the newspaper in bulk packages for sale in churches and Mass centres from January 2024. A subscriber-only model means we will print and distribute on tighter margins with less excess. It means we will have a streamlined distribution method for all readers. It means readers will receive the newspaper at the front door of their home.
For many, this will mean changing habits set for many years. To help ease the transition period for our readers, we will provide regular communications about what is happening and why and special offers to subscribe over the next few months.
We are grateful to you all - our readers, contributors, parishes, St Vincent de Paul Society groups and ministries who have stood by us. We are changing how we do things, but at our core, we are the same Leader team with the same mission to share the Gospel and shine a light on the human face of the Church.
We understand many of you will have questions. we encourage you to email or call, and we will be happy to help.
Kind Regards, Matt Emerick. Managing Editor
PHOTOS FROM SR. ELVERA’S FAREWELL AT STELLA (26/9/23)
FANS IN THE CHURCH DURING HOT WEATHER ARE TO BE LEFT ON
(Please Don’t Ask The Coordinator To Turn Them Off. They Are Following Church Policy)
Now that Summer is fast approaching. The churches are warming up swiftly; all the fans will be being turned on for each mass as it is warming up. This is the same procedure as every year. Doors and windows must also be kept open for healthy airflow. We apologise to those who feel the cold in hot weather. Still, we are trying to maximise the comfort and health of as many as possible in the hot and muggy conditions. Naturally, many more people feel the heat in hot weather, and there is a significant risk of heat-related conditions from the heat. We are sorry to say that we cannot satisfy the varying needs of individuals amongst such a large group of people. We cannot have most people sweltering or fainting because a few people feel cold in hot conditions. If you feel cold in hot weather, please come prepared with a jumper, throw rug” or the like. There is no way to meet every individual in the community's needs adequately. If a few people with extraordinary needs request that the fans be turned off, especially when those needs can be dealt with individually by bringing warmer jackets, etc.. Please do not put the mass coordinators under pressure by making these personalised requests, as they have been instructed to keep the fans on. [Also, the coordinators have been advised that the side doors and windows will open for fresh air. If the doors are not open once mass has started, you are welcome to ask a coordinator or usher to open them as per the policy]. If the coordinator opens a door or window, please do not close it or argue about it. If the fans are turned on to suit the average conditions, please leave them on.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
CHILDREN’S SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM 2023
In a few weeks on Friday, October 20, Surfers Paradise Parish will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation. The children have been talking, learning and praying at home, guided by their parents and sponsors. They have completed a range of activities as part of an At Home Preparation for Confirmation document. We ask the members of our Parish Family to continue to remember these children and their families in prayer.
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK:
Also, (Alphabetical)
Jack Barretto, Nellie Bellinger, Jean Di Benedetto, Julie & Paul Bowden, Coralie Brennan, Kevin Brennan, Tim Brown, Margaret Buckingham, Josip Burda, Michelle Burda, Diana Castro, Felipe S Cataquiz (Senior), Cecily Cellinan, Doug Chester, Jo Clark, Leslie Clarke, Tina Conidi, Margaret & George Cook, Alfonso Covino, Margaret Cusack, Geraldine Daniels, John Fisher, Rosie May Fisher, Sally Gage, Lorraine Gallagher, Laurel Goddard, Ken Green, Fred Grioli, Jacob Haddad, Jenny Haines, Peter Harford, Lena Hiscock, Paul Hodges, Louise Holmes, Kim Ingram, Anna Janiek, Pat Jones, Leona Kelly, Marianne Kennedy, Kath Kiely, Betu Kim, Jan Kristenson, Bob Lahey, Diane & Steve Land, Sue Langham, Patrick Joven de Leon, Nathan Lepp, Joseph Ah Lo, Sarina Losurdo, John Nathaniel Maher, Maria Manuela, Andrew McPherson, Phil McWilliam, Annie Mealing, Fabiola Menzs, Joanne Mooney, Maryann Moore, Hugh Morand, Amy Elizabeth Morgan, Michael & Lesley Murtagh, Joanna Muthu, 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, Neil Rogers, 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):
Margaret Miller, Fr Pat Tynan, Maria Mihalic, Doreen Norma Slater, Alan Green (Perth), Pauline Coorey, Nelson Bancoro (Philippines), John O’Brien, "Eddie" Dunne, Margaret Thompson, Dorothy Penney, Len Murphy, Janis Delgado, Dennis Rowan, John Hanly, Mario Mazza, Dr Frank Miau.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: (Alphabetical)
Gwenyth Aiken, Frank Alcock, Fr Basil Bergin, Craig Antoine Blanch, Fr Clive Britten, Fr William Cuneo, Edward Lawrence(Ned) Darcy, Duncan Anthony Dawson, Imelda Petronella (Millie) Duijn, Gordon Farquhar, Reginald Ronald Glover, Brian Kenway, Yvonne Henrietta Lofthouse, Terry Maloney, Veronica Ella Mantle, Mario Paul Mazza, Yvonne Mary McMahon, Rhonda Milne, Fr John O'Callaghan, Mons Jeremiah O'Leary, Muriel Rasey, Elio Romanin, John Sudgen, Diana Angela Tam-Barrett, Helen Watter, John Roy Wotherspoon.
And Also: (Alphabetical):
Shirley Alford, Catherine Alford, Peter Avery, Wilma Claire Burcham, Shane Burgess, Nea Mary Butler, Fr Walter Cain, Kelly John Chen, Fr James Conneely, Anita Cruz, John Maxwell Dixon, Giacomo Gallo, Ricardo Joseph Herft, Fr Samuel Hunter, Cecilia Mary Kelly, Mary Jean Lenthall, Charles Henry Lynch, Fr Guilford Lyons, Fanny Macky, Fr Bernard McLaughlin, Muriel Doris Miller, Rita Mccarthy (Fr Michael's Mother), Franz Mrak, Maureen Murphy, Maria Nazari, Fr George Nugent, Fr Michael O'Connell, Fr Denis O'Keeffe, Christine Antoinette O'Leary, Beverley O’Shea, Dulcie May Ricks, Geoffrey Rose, Vera Rose, Fr Joseph Sardie, Fr Eugene Sheeran, Allan Taranto, Derrick James Thompson, Fr Richard 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
Older People and Grandparents - A Message from Pope Francis -
Jesus uses parables to teach us about the kingdom of God. He recounts simple stories that touch the hearts of his listeners. Full of imagery, such language resembles the language that grandparents often use with their grandchildren, perhaps while holding them on their laps. In this way, they pass on a wisdom important for life.
I think of our grandparents and the elderly, who have already travelled far along life’s journey. If they look back, they see so many beautiful things they have succeeded in doing. Yet they also see defeats, mistakes, things that – as they say – “if I went back, I would not do again”. Yet today, the Lord offers us a gentle word that invites us to accept the mystery of life with serenity and patience, to leave judgment to him, and not to live regretful and remorseful lives. It is as if Jesus wanted to say to us: “Look at the good wheat that has sprouted along the path of your life and let it keep growing, entrusting everything to me, for I always forgive: in the end, the good will be stronger than the evil”. Old age is indeed a blessed time, for it is the season to be reconciled, a time for looking tenderly at the light that has shone despite the shadows, confident in the hope that the good wheat sown by God will prevail over the weeds.
Here, I think of our grandparents: how beautiful are these thriving trees, in whose “branches” children and grandchildren build their own “nests”, learning the warmth of home and experiencing the tenderness of an embrace. This is about growing together: the verdant tree and the little ones who need a nest, grandparents with their children and grandchildren, the elderly with the youngest. Brothers and sisters, how much we need a new bond between young and old, so that the sap of those who have a long experience of life behind them will nourish the shoots of hope of those who are growing. In this fruitful exchange, we can learn the beauty of life, build a fraternal society, and, in the Church, be enabled to encounter one another and dialogue between tradition and the newness of the Spirit.
Another parable of Jesus is where the yeast and the flour grow together (cf. Mt 13:33). This mixing makes the whole dough rise. Jesus uses the verb “to mix”. This reminds us of the “art” or “mystique” of “living together, of mingling and encounter, of embracing and supporting one another… To go out of ourselves and to join others” (Evangelii Gaudium, 87). This is the way to overcome individualism and selfishness and to build a more human and fraternal world. Indeed, today, the word of God calls us to be vigilant so that we do not marginalise the elderly in our families or lives. Let us be careful so that our crowded cities do not become “centres of loneliness”; that politics, called to provide for the needs of the most fragile, never forgets the elderly nor allows the market to banish them as “unprofitable waste”. May we not chase after the utopias of efficiency and performance at full speed, lest we become incapable of slowing down to accompany those who struggle to keep up. Please, let us mingle and grow together.
Brothers and sisters, God’s word calls us not to separate ourselves, close in on ourselves or think we can do it alone but to grow together. Let us listen to each other, talk together and support one another. Let us not forget our grandparents or the elderly, for so often we have been lifted up, gotten back on track, felt loved and been healed within, all by a caress of theirs. They have made sacrifices for us, and we cannot let them drop down the list of our priorities. Let us grow together; let us go forward together. May the Lord bless our journey!
(edited text - for the full version please visit:- https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2023/documents/20230723-omelia-giornatanonni-anziani.html#:~:text=Holy%20Mass%20%2D%20World%20Day%20for,(23%20July%202023)%20%7C%20Francis )
Shutterstock Licensed Image: Stock Photo ID: 2076422326 - little girl granddaughter reading book with positive senior grandfather while sitting on a sofa together and enjoying leisure time on the weekend at home Photo Contributor - Evgeny Atamanenko
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS - SACRED HEART AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCHES
A great selection of children’s Bible stories available in both stores.
Statues, Rosaries, rosaries, prayer books, prayer cards, holy cards, medals, scapulars, greeting cards.
Confirmation cards and gifts available.
Dante Alighieri Society Gold Coast- Italian Class
We are offering an ITALIAN LANGUAGE COURSE for Absolute Beginners. Starting Thurs 5th October 2023
8 week course. Day and Evening classes are available. Perfect for travelling or simple conversation!!
Phone Rita 5527 0797. School Director. ** Please register your interest by completing the enrolment form online or by phoning Rita for more details. The Dante Alighieri Society promotes the Italian language and culture. Rooms are located at the rear of the Italo-Australian Club, Clear Island Waters. www.dantegoldcoast.com.au
OUR LADY’S STATUE
Praying the Rosary - Our Lady’s Statue in the Parish -
Details of the Statue of Our Lady are 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 two weeks is as follows-
4/10/23 Peter Carey and family Mermaid Beach
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.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament this First Friday 6th October at Sacred Heart Church from 7pm to 8.30pm. All welcome. Enquiries: Helen 0421935678. "Could you not watch one hour with Me" Mt 26:4
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.
MARIAN VALLEY PILGRIMAGE
Please join us at the Marian Valley for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on 13.10.2023. The bus will be picking up at 8:15 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Church Clear Island Waters. The Cost for the bus fare is $25.00 return. You can secure your seat with a contact name and phone number with Xavier Solomon at 0404 843 260, or Madeleine at 0405 252 367 or 5529 1573; all are welcome.
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 contemplation and sharing as we depth the charism and legacy of a woman of faith. 3 Sunlight Drive, Burleigh Waters. Contact sue@suethomas.net.au for more information. Or just turn up by 1.30 p.m. 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 a.m. Learn to relax yet gain greater flexibility, inner strength, body awareness and concentration 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 a.m. to prepare adequately for class). For more information, call Ruth on 0421338110.
24 HOURS OF THE HOLY ROSARY FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST, THE CHURCH, MARY, AND AUSTRALIA “THE LAND OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS”
SHRINE OF OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS MARIAN VALLEY on 6 – 7 OCTOBER 2023
For more information, please visit this link: https://marianvalley.org.au/2023/08/31/24-hours-of-the-holy-rosary/ or call (07) 5533 3617
St. Don Bosco's Relic Visit to Brisbane
The Salesians of St. Don Bosco are celebrating 100 years since they arrived in Australia to work
in the spirit of St. Don Bosco. The Relic is touring Australia to allow people to pray to St Don Bosco in a special way with the relic. Brisbane is its last stop!
Brisbane Program - 13th to 22nd October, 2023
FRIDAY 13TH - Cathedral of St Stephen, Brisbane City - 8 am to 6 pm
SATURDAY. 14TH - Stella Maris, Maroochydore - 9 am to 6.30 pm
SUNDAY. 15TH - Mary Immaculate, Annerley - 6.30 am to 7 pm
MONDAY 16TH - Mary Immaculate, Annerley - 8.30 am to 11 am
and 3 pm to 8.30 pm
TUESDAY 17TH - Holy Spirit, Bray Park - 11 am to 9 pm
WEDNESDAY. 18TH - Little Flower, Kedron - 8 am to 7 pm
THURSDAY 19TH - Guardian Angels, Wynnum - 4 pm to 7 pm
FRIDAY 20TH - Our Lady of Victories, Bowen Hills - 4 pm to 9 pm
SATURDAY 21ST - Our Lady of Victories, Bowen Hills - 6.30 am to 10 am
and 1 pm to 3 pm
SUNDAY 22ND - Marian Valley Shrine, Canungra - 9 am to 6 pm
Up-to-date information at www.stdonboscobrisbane.weebly.com
CO.AS.IT concert
“TAP `N” GO CASHLESS DONATIONS -
AVAILABLE AT THE ENTRANCES OF THREE CHURCHES - tap once to donate $10, tap again when it has reset for another $10, and so on.
The Sisters of Saint Joseph have prepared an Australian Pilgrimage, “In the Footsteps of Mary MacKillop” commencing in Melbourne on 17 October, journeying through Victoria and South Australia, and ending at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney on 28 October 2023. During the pilgrimage, we visit many places associated with Mary MacKillop’s life and ministry. For information please contact national.pilgrimage@mmp.org.au or on 89124818.
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:
We cannot act overly proud because we have responded to God's call. Responding is our duty and source of happiness; serving God with perseverance and happiness fulfils us.
To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
Today’s readings challenge the modern-day disciple to imitate Christ's actions and attitudes more fully. This is, after all, the point of our stewardship way of life.
St. Paul encapsulates the actions and attitudes we must strive for in the Second Reading, from the Letter to the Philippians. “Do nothing out of selfishness or vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests but also those of others.” In other words, Paul continues, “Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.” Whether at work, school or within our own homes, our actions should be focused on others first in imitation of Christ, Who is always perfectly focused on others.
But there is another reason for seeing others as more important than ourselves, which will help us become better stewards. It is the recognition that the “others” in my life — whether my spouse and children, my next-door neighbour, or even the co-worker that gets on my last nerve — all these others are gifts from God, to be treasured and nurtured for God’s glory.
And in case this seems like too much to ask of us, St. Paul gives us another reminder about the Savior we are imitating as we embrace this attitude towards others. “Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave… he humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Unimaginable humility.
We should be able to handle this high bar, however. Our God is a loving and patient Father. He embraces every faltering step we take in imitation of His Son. Jesus demonstrates this comforting truth through the parable He tells in today’s Gospel from Matthew. It is the story of two sons whose father instructs them to go out and work in his vineyard that day. The second son answers right away: “Yes, sir.” But he does not follow through. Despite the lip service, he has failed to follow his father’s will.
The first son can’t get on board with his father’s command. He responds, “I will not.” At least he is honest! And this honest, less-than-perfect response should be consoling to us Christian stewards. Haven’t we all felt this way at times when God’s will for us seems to be just too hard? We can be honest with God at these times. He knows already, after all. But when we stay engaged in a real relationship with Him, even if it’s just to say, “I don’t think I can, Lord,” He will supply us with the grace we need to change our minds and do what He asks us to do.
We are called to a high and holy standard — living as Christ’s disciples daily and with every person the Lord places in our path. But we can move towards this goal in “baby steps.” We can even take a step backward occasionally because our Father is merciful and kind. What matters is that we keep baby-stepping along, assured of the grace we need to imitate the actions and attitudes of Christ more closely. This is the beauty of the stewardship way of life.
(Article source, Including Image: https://www.catholicsteward.com/2020/09/25/stewardship-reflection-on-lectionary-readings-september-27-2020/ )
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 - Seamless unity
We work best when we work together. A society pulling in opposite directions tears itself apart. Jesus's final prayer at the Last Supper is for unity among his friends. Saint Paul likewise implores his communities to be of one heart. Today, on Respect Life Sunday, we soberly confess that we can't both honour the sacred gift of life and allow poverty, injustice, exclusion, and indifference to remain unchallenged. Coincidentally, it's the International Day of Older Persons in a world where people over 60 outnumber children under 5. Make this world a welcome place for everyone.
“Complete my joy by agreeing, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.” (Philippians 2:2)
ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 86557228 - Ezekiel by Carlo Chelli on the Colonna dell'Immacolata, Rome, Italy base. Photo Contributor: Only Fabrizio
(This is an extended reflection upon the Gospel, as partially printed in the pastor’s post above).
[Gospel values included in this weekend's readings: Doing the will of the Father is much more important than merely giving God lip service. Also, God is not unjust, even if God's ways are unlike ours.]
Although very short, today's gospel is a key teaching in Christ's gospel. It goes to the heart of what Our Lord was doing and saying.
Jesus taught several times about the danger of a mere outward observance of religion.
Much more important (and ultimately the only thing that matters), is that one is faithful to the truth of God's message by DOING God's will, irrespective of whether one SEEMS to be living up to the message or not.
Appearances can (so often) be quite deceiving.
This parable of the two sons – on disobedient and the other obedient, is essential.
St. Paul picks up on this theme in his famous and popular first letter to the Corinthians 12:31: "… If I speak in the tongues of mortals and angels but do not have
love, I am merely a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the power of prophecy, and understand all mysteries of the universe, and If I had all knowledge and faith, to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. I gain nothing if I give away all my possessions and hand over my body but do not have love."
This teaching is so central to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who wrote that she took no comfort from praise and experienced little distress from criticism. She knew, as in the gospel, that a person could be praised for an action that appears charitable, whilst all the time, inwardly (unknown to others), the person's motive is not consistent with God's ways… Likewise, a person might be motivated by utter kindness, but their actions are mistaken for selfishness and malice. The message appears clear: we are to do what is right and loving in imitation of Our Lord's generous kindness, irrespective of how others might judge it. We must act lovingly, justly, and humbly, even when appearances are deceptive. We are invited to gently brush aside criticisms and compliments in favour of standing judged by God alone as to how well and truly we are loved. Only God can judge this, no matter how well we pride ourselves in being good judges of character. Only God can truly see into the hearts and minds of his creations and see what truly exists within us. We strive to avoid jumping to conclusions about people's motives. The motives of others and their inner heart are ultimately only fully known to God alone. We know this intuitively but often find it hard to implement.
Let us ask the Lord to help purify our inner life… and make our inner attitudes match our outward words and actions so that everything we do, in thought, word and action, be motivated by a true love of God. And Love of neighbours as ourselves…. (Fr. Paul Kelly)
Fr Paul W. Kelly
The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. (1898)].
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 86557228 - Ezekiel by Carlo Chelli on the base of the Colonna dell'Immacolata, Rome, Italy. Photo Contributor: Only Fabrizio
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
OCTOBER 1 (this year, the feast of St Therese is overridden by the Sunday Mass for the week) - Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church
“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”
“For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, a cry of recognition and love, embracing both trial and joy.”
“Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing.”
“The world's thy ship and not thy home.”
“God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized; so in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.”
“Holiness consists simply in doing God's will, and being just what God wants us to be.”
“I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would no longer be enamelled with lovely hues. And so it is in the world of souls, Our Lord's living garden.”
“When one loves, one does not calculate.”
“A word or a smile is often enough to put fresh life in a despondent soul.”
“I know now that true charity consists in bearing all our neighbours' defects– not being surprised at their weakness, but edified at their smallest virtues.”
“It's true, I suffer a great deal--but do I suffer well? That is the question.” ― Therese de Lisieux, St. Therese of Lisieux: Her Last Conversations
“When I die, I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens,I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth.”
OCTOBER 4 - Saint Francis of Assisi, religious
“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”
“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light, and sadness, joy, O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood, to understand, to be loved, and to love. For it is in giving that we receive, It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” ― St. Francis of Assisi
“Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
“He who works with his hands is a labourer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands, head, and heart is an artist.”
“For it is in giving that we receive.”
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today”
“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that have received--only what you have given.”
“If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.”
“I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, He can work through anyone.”
“While proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.”
“We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.”
“True progress quietly and persistently moves along without notice.”
“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.”
“Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.”
“No one is to be called an enemy; all are your benefactors, and no one does you harm. You have no enemy except yourselves.”
“Sanctify yourself, and you will sanctify society.”
“What we are looking for is what is looking.”
“Nor did demons crucify Him; it is you who have crucified Him and crucified Him still when you delight in your vices and sins. ”
OCTOBER 5 - Saint Faustina Kowalska, virgin
“Suffering is the greatest treasure on earth; it purifies the soul. In suffering, we learn who our true friend is.”
“Love endures everything, love is stronger than death, love fears nothing.”
“Jesus loves hidden souls. A hidden flower is the most fragrant. I must strive to make the interior of my soul a resting place for the Heart of Jesus.”
“If the angels were capable of envy, they would envy us for two things: one is the receiving of Holy Communion, and the other is suffering.”
“The Holy Spirit does not speak to a distracted and garrulous soul. He speaks by His quiet inspirations to a recollected soul, to a soul that knows how to keep silent.”
“Some day, we will know the value of suffering, but then we will no longer be able to suffer.”
“The past does not belong to me; the future is not mine; with all my soul I try to make use of the present moment.”
“Pure love is capable of great deeds, not broken by difficulty or adversity. As it remains strong amid great difficulties, so too it persevere in the laborious and drab life of each day. It”
“Now, rest your head on My bosom, on My heart, and draw from it strength and power for these sufferings because you will find neither relief nor help nor comfort anywhere else.”
“Act so that all those who come in contact with you will go away joyful. Sow happiness about you because you have received much from God; give generously to others. They should take leave of you with their hearts filled with joy, even if they have no more than touched the hem of your garment.”
OCTOBER 6 - Saint Bruno, priest (c 1030-1101)
“While the world changes, the Cross stands firm.” while the world changes - St. Bruno
“By your work, you show what you love and what you know.” by your work - st bruno - 6 Oct 2017
“No act is charitable if it is not just.”
“In the solitude and silence of the wilderness.. for their labour in the contest, God gives his athletes the reward they desire:
a peace that the world does not know and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
“If the bow is stretched for too long, it becomes slack and unfit for its purpose.”.
OCTOBER 7 - Our Lady of the Rosary
“One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular I will save the world.”
“Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world.”
“No one can live continually in sin and continue to say the Rosary. Either he will give up the sin or he will give up the Rosary”
“Those who say the Rosary frequently and fervently will gradually grow in grace and holiness and will enjoy the special protection of Our Lady and the abiding friendship of God.” -Bishop Hugh Boyle
“The Family that prays together, stays together.” -Father Patrick Peyton
“If families give Our Lady fifteen minutes a day by reciting the Rosary, I assure them that their homes will become, by God’s grace, peaceful places. -Father Patrick Peyton
“If our age in its pride laughs at and rejects Our Lady’s Rosary, a countless legion of the most saintly men of every age and of every condition has not only held it most dear and have most piously recited it but have also used it at all times as a most powerful weapon to overcome the devil, to preserve the purity of their lives, to acquire virtue more zealously, in a word, to promote peace among men.” -Pope Pius XI
EXPLORING OUR FAITH - What is Your Image of God?
Christians believe in one God, yet people have different ideas of what this God is like.
GOD THE POLICE OFFICER: Is God sitting on a cloud with a book and writing down everything we’ve done wrong? If so, we will almost certainly see our God in terms of “do’s and don’ts”. We will probably relate to others with a “reward and punishment” mindset, too. Is God someone who says, “I knew you would make a mistake; it was just a matter of time”? Then we will inevitably see our own lives and others like this too. We may also believe we cannot be loveable unless perfect. Are there Divine laws because God is fussy and wants everything tidy, or does your God feel comfortable in the messy situations that life often throws us into? Does your God want to see you only when you’ve got yourself sorted out, or as you are, in good times and bad?
GOD THE PRACTICAL JOKER: Does God send trials to people to test their love? If we think this, we may find ourselves saying to someone who has suffered a terrible loss in their life, “Just accept this; God is testing you, or God is doing this to strengthen you!” Attitudes like this can also find us saying, “If someone is poor, then God intended this to be their state in life.”
GOD, THE UNCONDITIONALLY LOVING PARENT: God is a parent or friend who wants us to live according to God’s vision because this is truly life-giving. God is not waiting for us to fail but is always ready to pick us up if we fall. How differently would we relate then? We could see God as one who demands truth and justice not because it is a rule or a law but because it is right and life-giving. We could even imagine that when tragic things happen in the world, God might be mourning with us rather than being the cause of the sadness). We live in a world lovingly created by God that is free and constantly unfolding. It is also a world that is sometimes messy, uncertain and risky. But God is with us always.
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
