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“Are you envious because I am generous?” (Matthew 20: 15)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: Stock Vector ID: 2198537223 -Jesus, good Shepherd. Carrying a sheep on his shoulders - Vector Contributor: Xolopiks
PASTOR’S POST - Sr Elvera will be farewelled as she moves permanently to Brisbane. Sr. Elvera has been a commuting member of this community for many years.
This weekend at Stella Maris, we say a heartfelt goodbye to a long-time parish member, Sr Elvera Sesta.
Sr Elvera has been a beloved member of this parish and this part of paradise for over Sixty Years.
Sr Elvera Sesta OAM was awarded a 2017 Order of Australia Medal for her service to education for over 50 years as of that date.
Sr Elvera is a beloved Presentation Sister, synonymous with St Rita’s Clayfield.
MOST students would race out the door when they finished Year 12, but Presentation Sister Elvera Sesta decided to make the classroom her home.
Sr Sesta has spent most of her adult life teaching at the same school she attended as a child, St Rita’s College, Clayfield.
Her legacy at St. Rita’s College began in 1947 when she was an 8-year-old boarding school student.
“My dad had died in the beginning of 1947, and then my mother shortly after that remarried,” Sr Sesta said.
“Initially, I’m of Greek decent, and when she remarried, she married an Italian – they thought it would be better if I were in boarding school, so I was sent there in 1947.”
In 1960, she entered the convent for the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – something her parents initially “weren’t fussed on” – and began teaching chemistry and biology at her alma mater.
She was appointed principal of the College for 20 years between 1989 and 2008, making her the longest-serving principal at the school.
After a short time away from teaching, she returned to the classroom in 2010 as a religion teacher,
“I always wanted to be a teacher,” Sr Sesta said.
“I’ve given my whole life to education, really.
“I think the good thing about teaching is imparting knowledge because that’s the fabric you work with, and then once they get the knowledge, being able to do something with it and seeing the light go on in the head.
“And that, I think, is encouraging.”
Sr Sesta’s hard work in educating thousands of young women has not gone unnoticed. In 2017 the then Governor General, Sir Peter Cosgrove, announced Sr Sesta as one of 891 Australians and over 30 Catholics in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Sr Elvera will be based in Brisbane on weekdays, but would regularly be here in the parish on most weekends and also term holidays. Sr. Elvera maintains a strong regular connection with her Brisbane Presentation Sisters and St Rita’s we have been blessed to have her regular presence with us here in this community too. We will miss her smiling face and wonderful supportive presence. Sr Elvera’s last mass before she moves full-time to Brisbane will be at Stella Maris at 5 p.m. this Saturday (23rd September). May God bless and keep her always.
Fr Paul
(Background source of photo and article - The Catholic Leader. Emilie Ng - 12 June 2017 - Updated on 1 April 2021)
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.
It comes as no surprise that print and distribution costs have been skyrocketing 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, as well as special offers to subscribe over the next couple of 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
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. Doors and windows must also be kept open for healthy airflow. We apologise to those exceptional people who feel the cold in hot weather. Still, we are trying to keep as many people comfortable and healthy as possible in the hot and muggy conditions. Many more people feel the heat in hot weather, and there is a significant risk of heat-related conditions. 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 adequately meet the needs of the whole community 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 to allow 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]. Please, 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.
World Day of Migrants and Refugees
The Church has celebrated World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) since 1914. It is always an occasion to express concern for different vulnerable people on the move, to pray for them as they face many challenges, and to increase awareness about the opportunities that migration offers.
Every year, the WDMR is the last Sunday of September; (In 2023, that is this weekend - 24th September. As the title for his annual message, the Holy Father has chosen “Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay”.
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS —FOR THE 109th WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES 2023 - (24 September 2023)
Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay
Dear brothers and sisters!
The migratory flows of our times express a complex and varied phenomenon that, to be properly understood, requires a careful analysis of every aspect of its different stages, from departure to arrival, including the possibility of return. To contribute to this effort, I have chosen to devote the Message for the 109th World Day of Migrants and Refugees to the freedom that should always mark the decision to leave one’s native land.
“Free to leave, free to stay” was the title of an initiative of solidarity promoted several years ago by the Italian Episcopal Conference as a concrete response to the challenges posed by contemporary migration movements. From attentive listening to the Particular Churches, I have seen that ensuring freedom is a widely shared pastoral concern.
“An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him” (Mt 2:13). The flight of the Holy Family into Egypt was not the result of a free decision, nor were many of the migrations that marked the history of the people of Israel. The decision to migrate should always be free, yet in many cases, even today, it is not. Conflicts, natural disasters, or, more simply, the impossibility of living a dignified and prosperous life in one’s native land is forcing millions of persons to leave. Already in 2003, Saint John Paul II stated that “as regards migrants and refugees, building conditions of peace means in practice being seriously committed to safeguarding first of all the right not to emigrate, that is, the right to live in peace and dignity in one's own country” (Message for the 90th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, 3).
“They took their livestock and the goods that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him” (Gen 46:6). A grave famine forced Jacob and his entire family to seek refuge in Egypt, where his son Joseph ensured their survival.
Persecutions, wars, atmospheric phenomena and dire poverty are today's most visible causes of forced migrations. Migrants flee because of poverty, fear or desperation. Eliminating these causes and thus putting an end to forced migration calls for shared commitment on the part of all, following the responsibilities of each. This commitment begins with asking what we can do and what we need to stop doing. We must make every effort to halt the arms race, economic colonialism, plundering of other people’s resources, and the devastation of our common home.
“All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:44-45). The ideal of the first Christian community seems so distant from today’s reality! To make migration a truly free choice, efforts must be made to ensure that everyone has an equal share in the common good, respect for his or her fundamental rights, and access to an integral human development. Only in this way will we be able to offer each person the possibility of a dignified and fulfilling life, whether individually or within families. The principal responsibility falls to the countries of origin and their leaders, who are called to practice good politics – one that is transparent, honest, farsighted and at the service of all, especially those most vulnerable. At the same time, they must be empowered to do this without finding themselves robbed of their natural and human resources and without outside interference aimed at serving the interests of a few. Where circumstances make possible a decision either to migrate or to stay, there is a need to ensure that the decision is well-informed and carefully considered to avoid many men, women and children falling victim to perilous illusions or unscrupulous traffickers.
“In this year of jubilee you shall return, every one of you, to your property” (Lev 25:13). For the people of Israel, the celebration of the jubilee year represented an act of collective justice: “Everyone was allowed to return to their original situation, with the cancellation of all debts, restoration of the land, and an opportunity once more to enjoy the freedom proper to the members of the People of God” (Catechesis, 10 February 2016).
As we approach the Holy Year of 2025, we do well to remember this aspect of the jubilee celebrations. Individual countries and the international community need joint efforts to ensure that all enjoy the right not to be forced to emigrate. In other words, the chance to live in peace and dignity in one's own country. This right has yet to be codified, but it is of fundamental importance, and its protection must be seen as a shared responsibility on the part of all States concerning a common good that transcends national borders.
Indeed, since the world’s resources are not unlimited, the development of economically poorer countries depends on the capacity for sharing that we can manage to generate among all countries. Until this right is guaranteed – and here we speak of a long process – many people will still have to emigrate to seek a better life.
“For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed me; I was naked, and you gave me clothing; I was sick, and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me” (Mt 25:35-36). These words are a constant admonition to see in the migrant not simply a brother or sister in difficulty but Christ himself, who knocks at our door. Consequently, even as we work to ensure that in every case, migration is the fruit of a free decision, we are called to show maximum respect for the dignity of each migrant; this entails accompanying and managing waves of migration as best we can, constructing bridges and not walls, expanding channels for safe and regular migration. In whatever place we decide to build our future, in the country of our birth or elsewhere, the important thing is that there always be a community ready to welcome, protect, promote and integrate everyone, without distinctions and without excluding anyone.
The synodal path we have undertaken as a Church leads us to see in those who are most vulnerable – among whom are many migrants and refugees – special companions on our way, to be loved and cared for as brothers and sisters. Only by walking together will we be able to go far and reach the common goal of our journey.
(Pope Francis: Rome, Saint John Lateran, 11 May 2023).
Fr Paul
St Vincent’s School Feast Day MASS WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE:
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 fulfilling their promises on their children's behalf 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)
Jack Barretto, Nellie Bellinger, Jean Di Benedetto, Julie & Paul Bowden, Coralie Brennan, Kevin Brennan, Tim Brown, Margaret Buckingham, Josip 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):
Nelson Bancoro(Philippines), John O’Brien, Mario Mazza, Edward Joseph "Eddie" Dunne, Margaret Thompson, Stanton Geoffrey (Geoff) Curtis, Jenifer Slattery, Dorothy Penney, Len Murphy, Janis Delgado, Dennis Rowan, John Hanly, Dr Frank Miau.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: (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.
And Also: (Alphabetical):
Peter Robert Noble Beasley, Lee Cross, Ella Maria Cross, Noeline Davies, Fr Francis Douglas, David Gerald Fioravanti, Liudmyla Ganshyna, Fr L Graham, John Hanna, Barry Harth, Phillipa Kennedy, Tom Killin, Andrea Kujawa, Peter Daniel Lawlor, Leandro (Leo) De Marco, Liberata Mario (Lib) Meo, Barbara Murray, Maria Nazari, Margaret Netting, Rev Dr Geoffrey O'Donoghue, Mons James Prout, John Maurice Quilligan, Keith Smith, Tadeusz Wieslaw (Ted) Szczesny, John Vizzard, Paul Damian Wyatt, Kazimierz Zolerowski.
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
Reasonably priced gold and silver chains with a saint’s medal or crucifix, available unboxed.
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 two weeks is as follows-
25/9/2023 Glarry & Rudi Camera Nerang
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.
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 come and join us at the Marian Valley for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on the 13.10.2023. The bus will be picking up at 8.15 am at the Sacred Heart Church Clear Island Waters. The Cost for the bus fare $25.00 return. You can secure your seat with contact name and contact phone number with Xavier Solomon 0404 843 260, Madeleine on 0405 252 367 or 5529 1573, All are welcome.
CO.AS.IT concert
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
“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 can never be called "generous". All that we possess we have received from God. It is our vocation to return to God all the talents God has entrusted to us.
To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
“Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last”.- Matthew 20:16
You’ve heard the saying, “It’s not where you start but how you finish.” This certainly applies to this Bible passage. We have a responsibility not only for our own lives but for the lives of others as well. We are called to generously share our gifts with others, not hoard them for our own use. Our sincere gratitude and cheerful generosity will help us live “God-centered” and not “self-centred” lives.
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 - At home in the world
Free to leave, free to stay. Liberty of movement is a right most of us take for granted. Have you resided in more than one place? On this 109th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Pope Francis asks us to imagine a world where everyone can stay or go as they please. It necessitates a world in which staying is safe: free from discrimination, violence, and dire poverty. All would be protected by equal rights and respect and could reach their potential in their present circumstances. Until that day, welcoming the stranger is our sacred obligation.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8)
ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
HOMILY:
Prologue: [ some of the gospel values that shine out this weekend is the universal brotherhood and sisterhood of all humans; also, God is generous and loving and gives people what they need. Meanwhile, Envy and resentment are corrosive in any community"].
When people decide what activities to put their energies and priorities into, it seems familiar to ask the question....."What's in it for me?" ...... "What will I get out of this?" However, this only works for some.
In our world, many people are severely disadvantaged and in need. And all things are sadly not equal. In a world where far too many people only receive something if they can give something of equal value back, some are in a dire situation because they are so poor, so disadvantaged, that they cannot benefit anyone else – They have nothing valued by others –(in a monetary sense), that they can give, and so they miss out.
They do not fit into a system based on near-equal "give and take" and are left precariously dangling on the edge.
Someone on the news once commented: .."After all, we are not merely an economy; we are a community,"...
That is a very timely reminder!....
Jesus went out to the margins, searched for these people, and made a special effort to ensure that they were very much included in his Kingdom. This is what the generous landowner is doing. The workers who were left without any day's work at the eleventh hour (still a term we use today) still needed to eat and feed their families. If no one had employed them that day, they and their families would have gone without a day's food. The landowner knew this and was compassionate and kind. He also knew that his harvest was urgent and plentiful and the labourers few, so he gave them what they needed -- a day's food. Not that they 'earned' a day's pay, but that they NEEDED a day's pay – living as they were on just enough to get them by, one day at a time. And in any case, when it comes to God's gifts, none of us have really EARNED God's favour and love; it is freely and generously given and offered to all.
Jesus wants us to have that same generosity and welcome to others around us. They are also welcome because God is loving, forgiving and generous to them, just as God treats us.
What a wonderful and quite revolutionary attitude. A world-changing attitude.
The grumbling workers have lost sight of the point. The work of the Kingdom is urgent and important, and the labourers are very few, the harvest plentiful… in fact, it's more than plentiful…. The harvest God intends is that everyone (absolutely everyone) be included as part of God's kingdom…. so there is no time for hesitation…. Everyone is needed……... all are called….
How many of life's daily hurts, disappointments and turmoils really come from harbouring wrong assumptions, unreal expectations and flawed ways of thinking? …… How many arguments have resulted from envy and resentment and not from true need?
To summarise this gospel… a writer once said…. "the world asks, HOW MUCH did the landowner give? But Jesus invites us to ask a much better and far more important question: "WHY did the landowner give as he did?"
The answer is that God is generous and caring. As the parable asks, are we envious because our God is extremely generous? Surely, God can deal as he wants with his own. Why cannot God give people what they need, not necessarily deserve?
God gives us what we NEED, not so much what we WANT (and often, - to be honest-, there is a vast difference between wants and needs). And Jesus asks us to do the same for others. This parable invites us to see not with the eyes of a day labourer who, in this example, has no real concern for the project they were working on but rather to live as an invested partner, embracing and owning the vision of the landowner, who wants to achieve a rich harvest and share it with everyone.
Fr Paul W. Kelly; Mark Link. Vision. Praying Scripture in a contemporary way. Year A.
Image Credit: Stock Photo ID: 707108752 - Workers at grape harvest. Harvesting Blauer Portugieser. Photo Contributor: zsolt_uveges
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
SEPTEMBER 26 - Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian, martyrs:
Cosmas and Damian were twin brothers born in Syria in the third century. They were also doctors and became known as “the holy money-less ones" because they cared for the sick free of charge. The strange practice of accepting no money for medical care was their way of embodying God’s providential love and care for his people. And folks took notice.
The twin brothers were arrested on September 27, during the persecution of Christians by Diocletian in 303. Soon after, the faithful brothers defied death by water, fire and crucifixion before they were finally beheaded in Cilicia, along with their three brothers. They were buried in Cyrrhus, Syria.
Veneration to Cosmas and Damian began immediately. The faithful asked for their intercession, especially in matters of physical illness. St. Gregory of Tours spoke about the twin brothers this way: “These two physicians cured as many people by their prayers as they did by their medical knowledge, and now in heaven, they still care for the sick miraculously.”
St. Cosmas and St. Damian are patron saints of pharmacists, physicians, and surgeons. Fine art usually depicts them in lined robes, hoods or cylindrical physicians’ hats, carrying surgeons’ bags and instruments. A box of ointment and medical emblems represents them.
Saint Vincent de Paul: (SEPTEMBER 27 - Saint Vincent de Paul, priest)
“Humility is nothing more than the truth, and pride is nothing but lying.”
“You will find that Charity is a heavy burden to carry, heavier than the kettle of soup and the full basket. But you will keep your gentleness and your smile. It is not enough to give soup and bread. This is what the rich can do. You are the servant of the poor, always smiling and good-humoured. They are your masters, terribly sensitive and exacting masters, you will see. And the uglier and the dirtier they will be, the more unjust and insulting, the more love you must give them. It is only for your love alone that the poor will forgive you the bread you give to them.”
“Make it a practice to judge persons and things in the most favourable light at all times and under all circumstances.”
“Go to the poor: you will find God.”
“Charity is certainly greater than any rule. Moreover, all rules must lead to charity.”
“The kingdom of God is peace in the Holy Spirit; He will reign in you if your heart is at peace. So, be at peace, Mademoiselle, and you will honour the God of peace and love in a sovereign way.”
SEPTEMBER 28 - Saint Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, martyrs
Saint Lorenzo (Lawrence) Ruiz (1600-1637), a husband and father, was the first saint of the Philippines and the first Filipino martyred for the Christian Faith. He and 15 others were martyred at Nagasaki, Japan in 1637. The group included two consecrated women, two other laymen, two brothers and nine priests.
Lorenzo Ruiz was born in Binondo, Manila, Philippines, to a Chinese Father and a Filipino mother who were both Catholic. Educated by the Dominicans, he was a devoted and active Catholic, a member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary, and a third-order Dominican. He was a husband and father of two sons and a daughter.
In 1636, while working as a clerk for the Church, Lorenzo was falsely accused of murder and forced to leave his country. The Dominican fathers, who knew Lorenzo, arranged to have him take a ship to Japan. Soon after arriving in Japan, Lorenzo was captured for being Catholic and brought to Nagasaki, where he was tortured. He was promised a safe journey back to his family if he renounced his faith, but he refused. He was tortured for days and finally murdered on September 29, 1637, by a notorious torture tool known as "the pit." Their bodies were crushed while hanging upside down for three days; and then burned. The ashes were thrown into the Pacific Ocean.
On February 18, 1981, when Pope St. John Paul II beatified him in the Philippines, Lorenzo Ruiz became the first person outside the Vatican. He and his companions were canonised in Rome on October 18, 1987. Saint Lorenzo is the patron saint of the Philippines and the Filipino people.
“When government officials asked, ‘If we grant you life, will you renounce your faith?’ Lorenzo replied: ‘That I will never do because I am a Christian, and I shall die for God, and Him. I would give many thousands of lives if I had them. And so, do with me as you please.’”
Saint Wenceslaus, martyr (SEPTEMBER 28)
“But his deeds I think you know better than I could tell you; for, as is read in his Passion, no one doubts that rising every night from his noble bed, with bare feet and only one chamberlain, he went around to God’s churches and gave alms generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted by every difficulty, so much so that he was considered, not a prince, but the father of all the wretched.” Chronicler of St. Wenceslaus.
Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel, and Saint Raphael, archangels (SEPTEMBER 29)
“But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!.’” Jude 1:9
Saint Jerome: (SEPTEMBER 30 - Saint Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church)
Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 'Til your good is better, and your better is best.
The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes, without speaking, confess the secrets of the heart.
Catch, then, O catch the transient hour; Improve each moment as it flies!
The line, often adopted by strong men in controversy, justifies the means by the end.
The friendship that can cease has never been real.
True friendship ought never to conceal what it thinks.
Early impressions are hard to eradicate from the mind. When wool has been dyed purple, who can restore it to its previous whiteness?
Why do you not practice what you preach?
Beauty, when unadorned, is adorned the most.
POPE FRANCIS:
PRAYER - God, Father Almighty,
grant us the grace to work tirelessly for justice, solidarity and peace so that all your children may enjoy the freedom to choose whether to migrate or to stay.
Grant us the courage to denounce all the horrors of our world and to combat every injustice that mars the beauty of your children and the harmony of our common home.
Sustain us by the power of your Spirit so that we can reflect your tender love to every migrant whom you place in our path and spread in hearts and every situation the culture of encounter and care. Amen.
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 2348519349. Pope Francis - Important information - Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Muhammad Aamir Sumsum
Why does Bishop Barron keep attacking Pope Francis' allies? BY MICHAEL SEAN WINTERS (National Catholic Reporter Newspaper Service - August 30, 2023).
Recently, I criticised comments made by Bishop Robert Barron, known for his "Word on Fire" ministry and the bishop of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, in which he complained about the Catholic faith being "dumbed down." I found his comments ahistorical and thought they suggested that only very smart, well-informed and well-read Catholics could qualify as good Catholics.
Now Barron has criticised British author and papal biographer Austen Ivereigh. Specifically, Barron charged that Ivereigh had made conversion a "dirty word," shunned evangelisation adequately understood and that the disagreement was essentially terminological.
"What Ivereigh is calling 'evangelisation' is, in point of fact, 'pre-evangelization.' One can indeed prepare the ground for Christ in a thousand different ways: through invitation, conversation, debate, argument, the establishment of friendship, etc.," Barron writes. "One might legitimately say, at this stage of the process, that one is not pressing the matter of conversion, but one is most definitely paving the way for it. Unless it conduces toward real evangelisation, pre-evangelization is absurd."
It is hard not to conclude that Barron's real target is not the biographer, Ivereigh, but the “biographee,” Pope Francis.
Ivereigh has, in turn, responded at the website Where Peter Is. He writes:
Francis is clear, then, about evangelisation: witness through open-hearted hospitality, service of the poor, a life lived according to the Beatitudes. But he is also clear when this becomes proselytism, and here's the challenging part. The witness can be in tension with, even contradicted by, our attempt to evangelise using persuasion, strategies, theological explanations, and apologetics programs. Why? Because in so far as these lead us to put our faith in our own powers, they suffocate the "meekness of the Spirit in the conversion."
That is, there is something semi-Pelagian in Barron's approach. The principal agent of evangelisation is the Holy Spirit, not the intelligent bishop.
But there is a related concern here to which Ivereigh alludes, which I voiced back in 2019. There is something manipulative about Barron's approach. Back then, I noticed it in the way he discussed the insights of Hans Urs von Balthasar about beauty as an attribute of God, insights that have played a prominent role in the thinking of Pope Francis, Benedict XVI and John Paul II. For them, beauty is itself a kind of witness, but for Barron, beauty always seems like it is part of a marketing strategy. He dazzles the putative convert with it. There is little sense of the person to be evangelised as a subject, a person of dignity and freedom. They are an object, someone to be instructed, and Barron is the instructor.
In the quote above, Barron writes, "One is not pressing the matter of conversion, but one is most definitely paving the way for it." Suppose you are calculating how and when to press. In that case, it is pretty certain you are not engaging the person as every bit as mysterious, noble and sinful as oneself, someone in whom God is already at work in ways hidden from either or both of you. Where Balthasar was always suspicious of the Enlightenment, Cartesian cogito and all that followed, Barron is a man of his age, an age of marketing and consumerism.
In his column criticising Ivereigh, Barron also trots out his exegesis of the Gospel account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. He writes:
Jesus walks with and carefully listens to his erstwhile disciples, even as they move in the wrong direction. All of Pope Francis's teaching on listening and accompaniment is beautifully congruent with the opening of this narrative. It was a necessary propaedeutic, but what emerges from this pre-evangelistic conversation is a relatively superficial and disjointed understanding of the Lord: they have many facts right but don't see the pattern. It was an encounter with Christ, but no careful reader of the story would conclude that it rendered anything close to an adequate understanding of Jesus.
After listening for some time, Jesus speaks and does so definitively: "How foolish you are; how slow to understand."
Compare that with this reflection on the same text offered by Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley at the funeral of his dear friend, Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete:
One of the most fascinating lines in this Gospel is where Luke records that Jesus "gave the impression that He was going on farther." At that moment, the disciples might have said: "great talking to you. So long. See you around." This Gospel would never have been written if they had not invited Jesus to stay with them. Christ wants to be invited. At supper, Jesus shares His identity with them and allows them to recognise Him in His self-giving by breaking the bread.
You can spot the difference immediately. For Barron, the encounter is about the teachings of Jesus and for O'Malley, the encounter is about the relationship with Jesus.
Barron is not wrong that our Catholic faith bestows a rich intellectual tradition on all who find a home within her. There is something Kantian about his fixation on ideas and on his ideas to the exclusion of other ideas and approaches. There is one way, which is always his way, even when the pope proposes an alternate way!
Barron is not sinister, and he is immensely talented too, but his blinders are more and more apparent every time he takes on someone aligned with Pope Francis.
Source: Published: https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/ncr-voices/why-does-bishop-barron-keep-attacking-pope-francis-allies
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 2348519349. Pope Francis - Important information - Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Muhammad Aamir Sumsum
EXPLORING OUR FAITH -
Sep 27, 2023, is World Tourism Day. According to the United Nations, the tourism sector employs one in every 10 people on Earth, and millions more benefit economically from tourism, though the wealth generated is only sometimes shared equitably. For tourists, exploring new places and enjoying favourite ones can be exhilarating—but bad behaviour can ruin a trip. Keeping an attitude of openness, gratitude, and respect for local people and customs while on vacation or a tour can transform the experience. Archbishop Rino Fisichella of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization wrote in anticipation of today’s observance, “A tourism that respects the person and the environment opens the way to perceiving the goodness of the Father who reaches out to everyone with his love.” It’s hard to imagine a better souvenir than that.
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 218094346 - PARIS, FRANCE, View of the Eiffel tower in Paris. Paris beautiful destinations in Europe. Important information- Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: lapas77
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 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 that the number is from an international phone number, not the person's..
Please do not respond to this scammer or do anything they instruct.
If you or other parishioners receive this SMS message (and any other illegitimate SMS) please forward the SMS to 0429999888 (this is the Australian Government spam reporting line).
The person sends a text saying they are the name of a familiar priest (for example) and that this person cannot ring as he is in a meeting, but please help me buy gift cards for a sick person.
This is 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.
Do not reply to the SMS or email if you get one. Please report it as indicated in the paragraphs above. (that is, We recommend if you or other parishioners receive this SMS message (and any other illegitimate SMS) please forward the SMS to 0429999888 (this is the Australian Government spam reporting line).
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 seek money or gifts, and you would be advised not to respond to these sneaky scams).
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