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“So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.” (Matthew 22:9)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: Stock Illustration ID: CHIANGMAI, THAILAND - MARCH 31, 2015. Printed image of Jesus was peaching to the crowd, in Grace Church Chiangmai, Thailand . Printed from the end of 20 cent. Originally by Korean artist. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Freedom Studio
PASTOR’S POST.
ONE WEEK TO GO BEFORE THE ANNUAL CATHOLIC MISSION APPEAL.
NEXT WEEKEND, OUR PARISH IS HOSTING THE ANNUAL CATHOLIC MISSION APPEAL.
PLEASE SUPPORT THIS WITH YOUR PRAYERS AND RESOURCES.
https://www.catholicmission.org.au/see-our-work-in-action/timor
PASTOR’S POST.
As we approach the Month of Holy Souls (November), it is a fitting time to think about how we reverence our loved ones, particularly how we farewell them, commend them to God and dedicate a sacred space for their earthly resting place.
Traditionally, Catholics have buried their dead in cemeteries immediately after the funeral. Since 1963, the Catholic Church has allowed cremation, which has become common practice.
Many churches have established a columbarium to receive the deceased's ashes in or near the church. Like the graveyard of old, this preserves the remains and names of those we love at the heart of the praying Christian community of the parish. We have a truly beautiful columbarium, located just outside the Blessed Sacrament chapel at Sacred Heart Church and located in a peaceful garden overlooking the lake. There is a special committal ceremony for interring ashes into these sacred spaces.
In the wider community, so-called “private ceremonies”, or even the complete absence of any funeral rites, seem an increasing phenomenon. The Christian tradition sees death as something that engages the immediate relatives and all the brothers and sisters in Christ, who are part of the wider Christian family. No Christian funeral is ever truly “private,” just as no Baptism is truly a “private” event. Some family members may be unaware of the close bonds their loved one had with fellow parishioners, friends and neighbours, who would dearly appreciate the opportunity to attend a Christian funeral.
Over the years, I have been surprised when a long-term, regular mass-going member of a Catholic community is buried or cremated without any ceremony because their immediate family were unaware of the significance of a Catholic funeral for their loved one. We must let our families know of our desire for a Catholic Church funeral and make this wish known clearly (preferably in writing and kept with other important documents, readily accessible to those who will be responsible for carrying out the arrangements). If people attending are unfamiliar with the mass responses and are not regular participants in the Eucharist, a funeral prayer service might be most appropriate rather than a Mass. The final resting places of our beloved are a lasting reminder that Christ will raise us to eternal life.
In the Catholic funeral rites, the deceased's body is the most important symbol of the person whom we farewell and commend to God’s mercy and for whom we pray. We treat the body with reverence, sprinkling it with water and venerating it with incense. After the Catholic funeral liturgy in the presence of the body, our care for the dead takes us from the church to the place of burial or cremation.
When the body is cremated, preferably after the funeral, Catholic practice treats the ashes as we would the body, namely as a primary symbol of the person, with due honour and respect. The human remains after cremation are buried or placed in a columbarium.
In August 2016, Pope Francis permitted the publication of a clarification on the conservation of the ashes of the deceased. Some confusion has arisen in recent years as cremation become a popular choice. This statement affirmed that cremation was an acceptable option. It also added that “the conservation of the ashes of the departed in a domestic residence is not permitted. ..and the ashes may not be divided among various family members. It is also not permitted to scatter the ashes of the faithful departed in the air, on land, at sea or in some other way, nor may they be preserved in mementos, jewellery or other objects.
Fr Paul, (Quoting “Ad resurgendum cum Christo”, Liturgy Lines, and http://www.artofdyingwell.org/what-is-dying-well/catholic-funerals-cremations/burial-or-cremation/ )
CHILDREN’S SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM 2023
Next 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 various 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: (Alphabetical)
Leo Aguggia, 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, Dion Herft, 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, Thor Skjaerbaek, Kathy Stevens, Brenda Stewart, Jim Stewart, Betty Taylor, Liza Teo, John Thomas, Baby Samuel Timothy, Leonardo Torcaso, Denise Tracey, Anne Van Deurse, Karen Vestergard, Carmel Wilkinson, Lois Wood.
RECENTLY DECEASED: (Chronological - Most recent first):
Cynthia Alice Rufus (mother of Tess Meyn), Violet Capra, James Kiernan, Mary Carniel, Paul Sweeney, Margaret Miller, Maria Mihalic, Doreen Slater, Nelson Bancoro (Philippines), John O’Brien, Dorothy Penney, Len Murphy, Janis Delgado, Dennis Rowan, John Hanly, Mario Mazza, Dr Frank Miau.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: (Alphabetical)
Fr George Ainslie, Philippe Melham Aouad, Danielle Suzanne Marthe Marie Begaud, Fr Thomas Brady, Leonie Carey, Fr Michael Donlon, Fr John Dwyer, Virginia Mary Fay, Marta Goran, Fr Patrick Grennan, Flora Hodge, Cecil John (Digger) Hogan, Fr John Humphries, Helen McIntosh Davidson Kelly, Carmen Kruse, Rodney Bertram Matthews, Fr James McDermott, Christine McQuee, William Henry Mitchell, Elizabeth Neilsen, Rosario Nocal, Bessie Rice, Julie Mary Ritchie, John Michael Rosenlund, Fr John Rosenskjar, Stephen John Schreck, Cecilia Louisa Vlemmix
And Also: (Alphabetical):
Bali Attack Anniversary, Ignatius Johanes Ngati, Theresa Joseph Johanes, Bob Biltoft, Leo Brennan, Raymond (Ray) Burton, Anne Mary Donaldson, Noel Francis (Frank) Evans, Eva "Midge" Gardner, Marie Elizabeth Giles, Lee Gordon, Gwendolyn Isobel Hodges, Fr Andrew Horan, Marie Kjöller, Bernard (Bernie) Markijevic, Yvonne Mary McMahon, Fr Gerald McSweeney, Norm Modral, Patricia Morgan, Rita Marianne Nelson, Sue-Anne O’Reilly, Alex Rentoul, Grayton Barryman Rosemeyer, Eileen Roulent, Keiran John Ryan, Nalin Sena, Steven John Smithers, Ivan Patricio Susin, (Pronounced Taff), Peter Lawrence Taffe, Kathleen Eileen Vosti, Edwin Emile Ware, William (Bill) Arthur Weise, Eugene Donald Williamson.
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
Columban Calendars $10 have arrived and are available in the shops until sold out
Gold chains with a saints medal, will make an inexpensive gift at only $3. (unboxed)
ANOINTING MASS ON THE FIRST TUESDAY FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER WILL BE ON THE 7TH AT 10AM
There will be no 9AM mass on this day.
Please join for light refreshments in the Parish Hospitality Centre right after the anointing mass.
BINGO MORNING (19/10/23) THIS COMING THURSDAY
Our Bingo Morning will be on this Thursday, the 19th of October 10am-2pm. Admission is $20.00 and includes 1 Bingo Card, Raffle Tickets, Door Prizes, Morning tea and Lunch. We welcome New Parishioners and our current Parishioners who have not come for this function. Please ring Maxine Sela at 0421051193, or Wendy Webb at 0412237832, if you are coming.
OUR LADY’S STATUE - Tenth Anniversary!
Praying the Rosary - Our Lady’s Statue in the Parish -
Details of the Statue of Our Lady are going around the Parish.
If you want to have her in your home and say the Rosary,
Please contact Maxine or Pat on 0412 519 404.
Details for Our Lady’s Statue for the next four weeks are
16/10/23 Helen & Theo Skjaerback Merrimac
23/10/23 Nadine & Ayline - Merrimac
30/10/23 Nadine & Ayline - Merrimac
Please phone Maxine Sela on 0421 051 193 if you want the Statue.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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, especially in the presence of a holy relic of this saint. Brisbane is its last stop!
Brisbane Program - 13th to 22nd October 2023
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
“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.
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) or vulnerable adults. The organisation is fully committed to child safety and has zero tolerance for abusing children or vulnerable adults.
A VOCATION VIEW:
Once we have been captured by the beauty of God's promised reward, we want to go out into our world and invite others into the heavenly banquet. Who will tell the Good News? Now is a good time to begin. To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
“My God will fully supply whatever you need…” - Philippians 4:19
God really does provide for those who are grateful and generous. This is very difficult for people who don’t live a stewardship lifestyle to believe. People are sceptical and say it’s just a coincidence. If you are sceptical, try living a stewardship lifestyle for just one month – be generous with your gifts of time in prayer, talent in charitable works, and treasure, and then see how God provides for your needs.
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 - Stretch your spirituality
Your doctor says that even a little exercise is important to keep the body flexible. Joints that move regularly are body parts that can function well for a while longer. Walking 20 minutes a day or taking a water aerobics class are easy ways to lubricate the joints we need to perform our daily tasks. Saint Paul reminds us that flexibility is also a significant aspect of the spiritual life. Can we accept good times and bad, seasons of plenty or want, with the same light grip? Moving through circumstances fluidly makes for a freer life and a gentler death. “I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need.” (Philippians 4:12-13).
ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
LITURGY NEWS MAGAZINE - FREE COPY - SPRING EDITION 2023.
News and background articles that are invaluable for parishes and schools. Priests, religion teachers, pastoral associates, liturgy committees… this magazine is for you!
Please download your free copy here: https://www.liturgybrisbane.net.au/resources/liturgy-news/issues/vol-53-no-3-september-2023/
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
[Gospel values included in the readings: We are deeply reassured that God walks with us to protect us and accompany us through all the highs and lows of life. We are in good and faithful hands. God’s invitation is for all, but not all will accept it. Avoid apathy and distraction]
Hearing these wonderful readings is deeply reassuring this weekend.
We are given the beautiful picture of the heavenly banquet feast where there are no more tears, no more illness, no more suffering or death. On the lips of everyone: “See, we were right to put our hope and trust in God. Because he has saved us.”
This is echoed in the superb psalm. The Lord is my Shepherd. He knows us each by name. He protects and reassures us along the pathway of life so that we are never alone, come what may. We will be okay. Our God is with us and faithful in all his promises to us.
We will live in the Lord’s house forever and ever, taking our place at the Heavenly wedding feast prepared for us (and for all) who accept God’s wonderful invitation.
The Lord's parable reminds us that anyone invited to the feast that lasts forever is not invited because they deserve it nor because they have earnt it. We CANNOT earn our place at God’s table and we don’t deserve it. God's invitation is generous, loving and is open to anyone who says "yes."
Saint Paul’s letter today is superb too. He says: “Look, in my ministry, I have been full of joy, and I have had times of sorrow and suffering too. I have been starving and satisfied at different times. Now, I am contented to live my life within the providence of God’s care and demand nothing other than to take things as they come. Remaining available, eager, but detached; to respond to God’s word and help build up God’s Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is not for the faint-hearted. It will be given to those who respond to the invitation, and who are prepared to embrace fully its different values and ways. With God’s grace and God’s vision, no hardship will be unendurable, and no eventuality will change our journey towards God.
We are being asked by Our Lord: “Can you imagine God’s vision for the future? What the Kingdom look like through God's eyes? Will you accept how different the thoughts, attitudes and priorities are for those who are citizens of the Kingdom?” There is no room for arguments about who’s “IN” and who’s “OUT”!
The first ones to receive the invitation to God’s banquet feast are the respectable-looking people, who outwardly show they wish to live according to God’s ways. However, when the call goes out for people to attend the party, they are busy with other priorities. What distracts them is not all bad, (some things were quite pressing: Properties, businesses, farms), but they are putting their focus on things that would eventually disappear and they had forgotten to invest in the Kingdom that lasts forever.
In Our Lord’s time, wedding invitations went out well in advance and were accepted definitively. The final call, just before the event occurred, was a mere formality. It would be an unspeakable insult to decline when the final call arrived. They had already accepted and had made their firm commitment. They miss out! And so, the master sends out messengers to the highways and byways. That is, to everyone, respectable or not. All are invited. From now on, the invitation is being made, (not to a select and exclusive minority of privileged people), but in the wider public forum - to ALL people. All who respond are welcome. There is no special preference anymore. Sinners, outcasts, Gentiles and Jews were all invited.
Those accepting the invitation are not any better than those who declined. Except for the poor and the outcasts, not having any other options and seeing what a rare gift this was, accepted and attended. Again it reminds us not to be complacent or superior, as all of us are truly blessed to be invited but we might have tickets on ourselves if we think we can presume that we deserve a permanent place without responding to it. (It is a reminder that in this modern day and age, one hears a lot of stories of people who have invited others to a party or a function and many accept but then don’t turn up or cancel at the last minute, or others don’t reply but turn up, causing great distress to their hosts. The old-fashioned courtesies still apply). This parable reminds us, that the invitation is for all, but the invitation can be refused. The Kingdom is open to all but guaranteed to none. We don’t earn the Kingdom but we sadly can decline it; which would be madness!
And one final thought. The waifs and strays enter the banquet but then one gets kicked out for not wearing a wedding garment. It seems unfair at first glance. However, the invitation is for all, but acceptance means a change of standards and values symbolized by being clothed in the garment that resembles and represents the Baptismal Garment of goodness and Christ-like living.
References: Fr Paul W. Kelly; Bergant, D. and Fragomeni, R. (2001). Preaching the new lectionary. Year A. Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press.Cronin, G. (2003). Celebrating the Gospels. 1st ed. Liguori, Mo.: Liguori. 372-3; DeBona, G. (2013). Between the Ambo and the altar. Year A. 1st ed. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press. 263-266; Gutiérrez, G. and Dees, C. (1997). Sharing the Word through the liturgical year. 1st ed. Maryknoll: Orbis Books. P. 239-40
Shutterstock licensed image: stock illustration ID: 536007283 - The parable of the King invited all to his Banquet - Illustration Contributor: askib.
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 15 - Saint Teresa of Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church
There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers.
To have the courage for whatever comes in life - everything lies in that.
I know the power obedience has of making things easy which seems impossible.
We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can - namely, surrender our will and
fulfil God's will in us.
I do not fear Satan half so much as I fear those who fear him.
Be gentle to all and stern with yourself.
Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love, for they enkindle and melt the
soul.
Our body has this defect that, the more it is provided care and comforts, the more needs
and desires it finds.
For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.
“Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change.
Patience achieves everything.”
“May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.”
Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices.”
“It is love alone that gives worth to all things.”
“Christ has no Body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no Body now on earth but yours.”
“It is foolish to think that we will enter heaven without entering into ourselves.”
“Thank God for the things that I do not own.”
“The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes.”
“You pay God a compliment by asking great things of Him.”
“If this is how you treat your friends, no wonder you have so many enemies.”
St Margaret Mary Alacoque.
"I need nothing but God, and to lose myself in the heart of Jesus."
My love reigns in suffering, it triumphs in humility and enjoys itself in unity." - Words of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary.
Cling to God, and leave all the rest to Him: He will not let you perish. Your soul is very dear to Him, He wishes to save it.
Keep your heart in peace and let nothing trouble you, not even your faults. You must humble yourself and amend them peacefully, without being discouraged or cast down, for God's dwelling is in peace.
We must never be discouraged or give way to anxiety. . . but ever have recourse to the adorable Heart of Jesus.
Look upon yourself as a tree planted beside the water, which bears its fruit in due season; the more it is shaken by the wind, the deeper it strikes its roots into the ground.
May faith be the torch that illuminates, animates, and sustains you.
Go courageously to God, along the way He has traced out for you, steadfastly embracing the means He offers you.
My greatest happiness is to be before the Blessed Sacrament, where my heart is, as it were, in Its centre.
But above all preserve peace of heart. This is more valuable than any treasure.
I think He intends to try you like gold in the crucible, so as to number you amongst His most faithful servants. Therefore you must lovingly embrace all occasions of suffering, considering them as precious tokens of His love. To suffer in silence and without complaint is what He asks of you.
Let every knee bend before Thee, O greatness of my God, so supremely humbled in the Sacred Host. May every heart love Thee, every spirit adore Thee and every will be subject to Thee!
It is attachment to creatures and self-satisfaction that weakens the blessings of love in your heart. You must die to all that if you wish the pure love of God to reign therein.
Have recourse trustfully to God's loving kindness and He will not forsake you, for He longs to bestow His graces. Though you may have had the misfortune to offend Him, He is always ready to receive you, provided you return humbly to Him.
We must submit to the Will of God and kiss the hand that strikes us, for we know it is better to suffer in this life than in the next, since one moment of suffering willingly accepted for the love of God, is worth an eternity of happiness.
Let us begin in earnest to work out our salvation, for no one will do it for us, since even He Himself, Who made us without ourselves, will not save us without ourselves.
Are you making no progress in prayer? Then you need only offer God the prayers that the Savior has poured out for us in the sacrament of the altar. Offer God His fervent love in reparation for your sluggishness.
He will take good care to provide what is necessary for our sanctification, provided we are careful to accept everything according to His designs.
Do not distress yourself on account of any distaste or dryness you experience in God's service. He wills that you should serve Him fervently and constantly it is true, but without any other help than simple faith, and thus your love will be more disinterested, and your service the more pleasing to Him.
O my Saviour, who am I, that Thou shouldst have so long awaited my repentance!
Since God wishes it - there is nothing to be done. . . Why should you thus torment yourself? Get rid of whatever He shows you to be an obstacle to His love, for His only desire is that you should live stripped of all that is not Himself.
Until we have acquired genuine prayer, we are like people teaching children to begin to walk.
https://www.azquotes.com/author/25112-Margaret_Mary_Alacoque
St Hedwig
“We must adore the decrees of the Almighty, not only in days of happiness but also in those of sorrow and bereavement.”
Would you oppose the will of God? Our lives are His.
The greater one is by birth, the greater one must be in virtue and the more distinguished we are in station, the more we must distinguish ourselves by our conduct, in order to be a bright example to others.
OCTOBER 17 - Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr
St. Ignatius of Antioch "I have no taste for corruptible food nor for the pleasures of this life. I desire the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David; and for drink, I desire his blood, which is love incorruptible" (Letter to the Romans 7:3 [A.D. 110]). "Take note of those who hold heterodox opinions on the grace of Jesus Christ which has come to us, and see how contrary their opinions are to the mind of God. . . . They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins and which that Father, in his goodness, raised up again. They who deny the gift of God are perishing in their disputes" (Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6:2–7:1 [A.D. 110]).
We recognize a tree by its fruit, and we ought to be able to recognize a Christian by his actions. The fruit of faith should be evident in our lives, for being a Christian is more than making sound professions of faith. It should reveal itself in practical and visible ways. Indeed it is better to keep quiet about our beliefs, and live them out, than to talk eloquently about what we believe, but fail to live by it.
Christianity is not a matter of persuading people of particular ideas, but of inviting them to share in the greatness of Christ. So pray that I may never fall into the trap of impressing people with clever speech, but instead, I may learn to speak with humility, desiring only to impress people with Christ himself.
Do not have Jesus Christ on your lips, and the world in your heart.
My dear Jesus, my Saviour, is so deeply written in my heart, that I feel confident, that if my heart were to be cut open and chopped to pieces, the name of Jesus would be found written on every piece.
Christianity is greatest when it is hated by the world.
See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. [] Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. [] Whatsoever [the bishop] shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.
It is better to be silent and be real than to talk and not be real.
It is right, therefore, that we not just be called Christians, but that we actually be Christians.
I am writing to all the Churches and I enjoin all, that I am dying willingly for God's sake, if only you do not prevent it. I beg you, do not do me an untimely kindness. Allow me to be eaten by the beasts, which are my way of reaching to God. I am God's wheat, and I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ.
Take heed often to come together to give thanks to God and show forth His praise. For when you assemble frequently in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and the destruction at which he aims is prevented by the unity of your faith.
It is impossible for a man to be freed from the habit of sin before he hates it, just as it is impossible to receive forgiveness before confessing his trespasses.
Do everything as if He were dwelling in us. Thus we shall be His temples and He will be within us as our God - as He actually is.
No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire. Do not talk about Jesus Christ as long as you love this world.
Now do I begin to be a disciple of Christ, and care for nothing in this world, that so I may find Jesus. Let fire, or the cross, or wild beasts, or the breaking of my bones, or the cutting of me to pieces, or the shattering of my whole body, yea, all the tortures of the devil - let them all come upon me, only let me enjoy my God.
Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.
It is not that I want merely to be called a Christian, but actually to be one. Yes, if I prove to be one, then I can have the name.
A Christian is not his own master, since all his time belongs to God.
But look at the men who have those perverted notions about the grace of Jesus Christ which has come down to us, and see how contrary to the mind of God they are. . . . They even abstain from the Eucharist and from the public prayers, because they will not admit that the Eucharist is the self-same body of our Savior Jesus Christ which flesh suffered for our sins, and which the Father of His goodness raised up again.
I wish not merely to be called Christian but also to be Christian.
I hunger for the bread of God, the flesh of Jesus Christ ...; I long to drink of his blood, the gift of unending love.
Our task is not one of producing persuasive propaganda; Christianity shows its greatness when it is hated by the world.
He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire.
Let no man's place, or dignity, or riches, puff him up, and let no man's low condition or poverty abase him. The chief points are faith towards God, hope towards Christ, the enjoyment of those good things for which we look, and love towards God and our neighbour.
Your accord and harmonious love is a hymn to Jesus Christ...in perfect harmony, and taking your pitch from God, you may sing in unison and in one voice to the Father through Jesus Christ.
It is better for me to die on behalf of Jesus Christ than to reign over all the ends of the earth.
Saint Luke the Evangelist: (Quoting the teachings of Our Lord).
“For with God, nothing will be impossible.”
“And so I tell you, keep asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives. Everyone who seeks finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
- “To whom much is given, much will be required from him.”
- “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
St JohnBrébeuf:
-“I was at times so weary that my body could do no more. But at the same time, my soul was filled with great happiness as I realised that I was suffering this for God.”
“God is the witness of our sufferings, and will soon be our exceeding great reward. Let us die in this faith...Sustain with courage the few remaining torments. They will end our lives. The glory which follows them will never have an end.”
Saint Paul of the Cross (1694 – 1775):
The passion of Jesus is a sea of sorrows, but it is also an ocean of love. Ask the Lord to teach you to fish in this ocean. Dive into its depths. No matter how deep you go, you will never reach the bottom. Let us throw ourselves into the ocean of His goodness, where every failing will be cancelled and anxiety turned into love.
The Cross is the way to Paradise, but only when it is borne willingly.
Let everything in creation draw you to God. Refresh your mind with some innocent recreation and needful rest, if it were only to saunter through the garden or the fields, listening to the sermon preached by the flowers, the trees, the meadows, the sun, the sky, and the whole universe. You will find that they exhort you to love and praise God; that they excite you to extol the greatness of the Sovereign Architect Who has given them their being.
Entrust yourself entirely to God. He is a Father and a most loving Father at that, who would rather let heaven and earth collapse than abandon anyone who trusted in him.
The Passion of Christ is Divine Love's greatest and most stupendous work. The greatest and most overwhelming work of God's love.
Be very careful to retain peace of heart, because Satan casts his lines in troubled waters.
Place your hopes in the mercy of God and the merits of our Redeemer; say often, looking at the crucifix: There are centred all my hopes.
I tell you that victory consists in conquering self. That is the greatest enemy.
Meditation on Jesus Christ's crucified is a precious balm that sweetens all pains.
Celebrate the feast of Christmas every day, even every moment in the interior temple of your spirit, remaining like a baby in the bosom of the heavenly Father, where you will be reborn each moment in the Divine Word, Jesus Christ.
Here, learn the science of the Saints: All is to be found in the passion of Jesus. Make every effort to remain hidden in the wounds of Jesus, and you will be enriched with every good and every true light, enabling you to fly to that Perfection that is consonant with your way of life.
He that rises after his falls, with confidence in God and profound humility of heart, will become, in God's hands, a proper instrument for the accomplishment of great things; but he who acts otherwise can never do any good.
In uniting yourself to God's will, you take on new life and gather great courage, willingly embracing the cross and kissing His hand even when it chastises you, a hand that reaches out to you in love and has no other intention but your greater spiritual well-being.
When you feel the assaults of passion and anger, then is the time to be silent as Jesus was silent in the midst of His ignominies and sufferings.
You do wrong to complain of your crosses and sufferings. Believe me, you know not what it is to suffer. God preserve you from suffering even one day what has been endured by a certain soul, whose name I must not disclose!
Avoid failing, not only against purity but even against the least rules of exact modesty.
Let a weak and frail man come here suppliantly to adore the Sacrament of Christ, not to discuss high things or wish to penetrate difficulties, but to bow down to secret things in humble veneration, and to abandon God's mysteries to God, for Truth deceives no man- Almighty God can do all things. Amen.
POPE FRANCIS: His Holiness calls silence ‘essential’ at prayer vigil for Synod on Synodality
Pope Francis told those gathered at an ecumenical prayer vigil days before the opening of the Synod on Synodality that silence is essential for Christians.
“In a world full of noise, we are no longer accustomed to silence; indeed sometimes we struggle with it, because silence forces us to face God and ourselves. Yet it lies at the foundation of the Word and of life,” the pope said in St. Peter’s Square on Sept. 30.
Before thousands of young people and Christian leaders from around the world, Francis emphasized the importance of silent prayer.
“Silence is essential in the life of the believer,” he said. “Indeed, it lies at the beginning and end of Christ’s earthly existence. The Word, the Word of the Father, became ‘silence’ in the manger and on the cross, on the night of the Nativity and on the night of his Passion.”
Pope Francis spoke near the end of a two-hour prayer vigil held on the eve of the Oct. 4 opening of the 16th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The first of two sessions of the synod is taking place at the Vatican throughout October.
Before thousands of young people and Christian leaders from around the world, Francis emphasized the importance of silent prayer. Credit: Vatican Media
Before thousands of young people and Christian leaders from around the world, Francis emphasized the importance of silent prayer. Credit: Vatican Media
The prayer service, called “Together,” which was organized by the ecumenical community Taizé, included eight minutes of silence for personal prayer.
“Like the great crowd in the Book of Revelation, we prayed in silence, listening to a ‘great silence,’” Francis said. “Indeed, silence is important and powerful: it can express unspeakable sorrow in the face of misfortune, but also, in moments of joy, a gladness that goes beyond words.”
Three other heads of churches attended the prayer vigil together with other Catholic and Christian leaders: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, Primate of the Anglican Church Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, and Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II. The three leaders also had individual private meetings with Pope Francis the morning of Sept. 30.
Three other heads of churches attended the prayer vigil together with other Catholic and Christian leaders: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, Primate of the Anglican Church Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, and Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II. Credit: Vatican Media
Three other heads of churches attended the prayer vigil together with other Catholic and Christian leaders: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, Primate of the Anglican Church Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, and Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II. Credit: Vatican Media
The two-hour service featured the singing of Taizé hymns and other songs, scripture readings, testimonies by young Christians from around the world, a re-enactment of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and a prayer called “The Way of God the Creator,” which reflected on the gift of God’s creation as spoken about in the Bible.
There were also intercessory prayers introduced by Christian church leaders and read by fraternal delegates to the synod. Fraternal delegates are synod participants from other Christian traditions. Unlike most delegates, they do not have the right to vote.
After the prayer vigil on the evening of Sept. 30, through the evening of Oct. 3, the synod’s participants will take part in a spiritual retreat in Sacrofano, Italy, about 15 miles north of Rome.
Credit: By Hannah Brockhaus. Vatican City, Sep 30, 2023. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255530/pope-francis-calls-silence-essential-at-prayer-vigil-for-synod-on-synodality
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 137906828 - VATICAN CITY - CIRCA 2013: a postage stamp printed in Vatican City showing an image of Pope Francis I, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, circa 2013. Important information. Editorial Use Only.
Photo Contributor: catwalker
MYSTERY & MISSION : THE ART OF LITURGICAL CELEBRATION CONFERENCE HELD AT HILTON BRISBANE 28-30 SEPTEMBER 2023.
The Conference was organised by Archdiocese of Brisbane, Brisbane Catholic Education, Archdiocesan Development Fund and Liturgy Brisbane
SUMMARY NOTES – compiled by Faith Howell (conference participant)
DAY ONE
Opening Ritual and Welcome
Welcome to Country Symbolism – Fire, Burning Bush, Tongues of Fire. The spirit of Jesus was always there around the campfire. Later, the Missionaries brought Jesus in his humanity. The Word became flesh. Sacred silence. Listening. Ceremonial people. The land had been sanctified because of their ceremonies. The land is sacred. Blessing with water. Southern Cross. Night-time sky. Eternal love of Trinity. Humbly opening ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit so that we can encounter Christ. “Hearts on Fire” hymn. Representation of these themes in an artwork by Helen Bachman, a proud Mununjali woman from The Yugambeh language group.
Keynote Speech by Professor Timothy O’Malley. Academic Director of the Notre Dame Centre for Liturgy and Director of Education at the McGrath Institute for Church Life (USA)
What is secularism in Australia and how does it affect full participation in the liturgy of the Church?
There is a widespread belief in a disenchanted cosmos. No enchanted world. Just the brain and the mind. You can reduce any condition to biological and psychological realities. Nothing is spiritual.
Alternatively, the work of Hans Joas in his book “Faith as an Option” champions the irresistible appeal of faith. This option is proposed in a persuasive rather than a required way.
O’Malley identifies three crises in the modern world.
A crisis of memory
Religion is a chain of memory. When broken we need to put it together in a new context. Tradition is a historically extended, socially embedded argument grounded in a community of people who propose what constitutes a good life. Young people have anxiety, needing to construct things ‘on the fly’. Making sense of the world without the framework of tradition. Character is shaped by stories that have captivated us. Stories of the good life which become part of our memory. Community and stories. To abide in a place, to have a story and to make sense of the good life.
A crisis of authority
Trust is at an all-time low. Institutional memory and religious institutions are not trusted. There is a tendency to try to change this via strategic planning rather than mission. Who and what is the Church? How do we explain the mystery of the Church? It is difficult for people to make a long-term commitment to anything. Distrust in an age of control. Things do go wrong so we cannot control everything. Have fidelity and commitment in the midst of complexities. Have a capacity for resonance with the world. Precondition of our ability to find the resonance with the world. To hold the world at a distance while we make sense of it. Not to run away from it.
A crisis of festivity
Burn out. No time for slowing down. Excess of stimuli, information and impulses. Our ability to perceive the world becomes fragmented and scattered. This affects the structure of our ability and attention. Whereas festivals embody the good life – e.g. overflowing candles, lights, flowers. Without festivals life becomes impoverished and freezes into mere survival resulting in anxiety and exhaustion.
The Medicine of Liturgical Memory:
An agent to restore the memory. We are participants in the divine nature. The central story is GOD IS LOVE. At the heart of the eucharistic celebration we surrender all things to God, sacrifice and gift, essence of sacrifice and worship, divinisation. Divinisation to say “thank you”. It is not just production.
The Medicine of Liturgical Communion:
This is the place where divine love is made present. We are not just a bureaucracy. We are the communion of love made flesh in the sometimes complex, perplexing and annoying aspects of our individual stories.
Eucharistic Assembly:
We have no right to make rankings. It is through the life of Jesus that we see true equality. We cannot refuse anyone. God comes to all as pure gift.
The Medicine of Liturgical Festivity:
Vatican. Dropping of rose petals at the Pantheon on the Feast of Pentecost at the end of Mass. How do we create cultures of festivities grounded in the liturgy? e.g. Hispanic Catholics.
Life as Praxis:
The end of the liturgy is the offering of life and transforming of life.
Liturgical living takes evangelisation seriously.
Workshop – Dr Jennifer O’Brien (recently retired member of the Adelaide Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission. Taught to sing the Gregorian Chant by Sister Janet Mead).
Breathing the Spirit: Liturgical Song
Song is the breath of the Spirit. Giving thanks to God. Divine Assembly. Enabling the congregation to sing in prayer. It generally takes five years to build up a repertoire for a congregation. No more than three Mass settings should be used. The choir should not take over the role of the assembly. Can the music bear the mystery of what is being celebrated?
Why is the psalm important? It fosters meditation on the Word of God. The Gospel Acclamation “Alleluia” creates an atmosphere of beauty and joy. During Advent the Alleluia could be repeated to the tune of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”.
Music for the Procession of Gifts – “Drawn to You” by Sarah Hart or “For the Beauty of the Earth” or just instrumental music.
The Holy Holy introduces the community to the ecstatic praise of God. When we sing we have to breath and annunciate together, as opposed to speaking.
Communion is the action of the community gathered. Musicians should be last to Communion not first because the Communion hymn should start as the priest receives Communion.
Every action of the liturgy is the action of Christ the Priest. It is our Liturgy. We are the Body of Christ.
We have to be confident musicians. Most hymns are too high and need to be transposed down.
Workshop – Sophy Morely and Dr Paul Taylor – Celebrating Liturgy Through Psalms
Fr Christopher Willcock – Jesuit priest and composer of the music for ‘God of Peace’ for Pope John Paul II’s 1986 Papal Mass at QEII Stadium in Brisbane – described three types of psalms:
Psalms of Praise
Psalms of Petition
Seasonal Psalms
However, he added that any psalm can be used at any time.
There are 22 common responsorial psalms and 10 responses which can go with any of them.
As a cantor I should know the response. Look up for the response and look out at the congregation. Then look down to sing the verse. Use the psalms as your personal prayer.
Recommended reading: “A Friendly Guide to the Book of Psalms” by Mary Reaburn.
DAY TWO
Musical Presentation by Sarah Hart and the Mater Dei African Choir: (1) Canticle of Daniel and (2) Canticle of Zechariah sung to the tune of “O Little Town of Bethlehem”.
Sarah Hart is a US musician who was nominated for a Grammy Award and is a leading figure in contemporary Catholic music.
Keynote Speech by Rev Dr Tom Elich, (Director of Liturgy Brisbane for the past 35 years. He formally handed the directorship to Dr Clare Schwantes at this Conference). – Opening the Windows of the Church: Liturgy Sixty Years after Sacrosanctum Concilium.
Embracing the new by putting down the old versus affirming the value of what we have done before and embracing the future.
Discern and nuance what the message is and where it is leading us. Reception as ongoing interpretation.
Liturgy – a movement of the Holy Spirit in the Church. How we constitute the Body of Christ in the world.
Mystery & Mission – the Conference theme. Mystery refers to what has been revealed by God, shown in Chirst and immersed in scripture. We need to open ourselves to God in the Liturgy in Word and Sacrament. God’s saving plan is revealed in Christ. The Church as the context through which the Sacraments are opened up. Beauty always engenders wonder. Liturgy has to be a real encounter with the Risen Lord. We recognise Him in the Breaking of the Bread.
Note: Pope Francis, Desiderio Desideravi (2022). The totality of the faithful united in Christ. It takes us by the hand by means of symbolic language.
The liturgy is sacramental. It requires a way of seeing. Our astonishment comes from the Pascal Mystery rendered present in the sacramental sign. People have lost the capacity to recognise the sacramental sign. The whole of creation is a manifestation of the love of God. The whole of creation – rock, bread and wine etc. are used in the liturgy symbols so we can see more deeply.
The Liturgical Assembly is the primary symbol of Christ. The mystical body of Christ in time and space.
I (as a parishioner) am part of something bigger and I am there to facilitate. Participation – full, conscious and active – in the restoration and promotion of the liturgy.
We participate in the mystery of Christ dying and rising. Contemplating the mystery of God’s grace. We make an opening in our material world for the Holy Spirit to enter.
Workshop – Dr Anthony Young et al. (Dr Young is Director of Music Ministry at St Ignatius School, Toowong and Dean of Teaching and Learning at St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane).
We All Offer the Mass
How do we put our schools and parishes back together?
Ignite the light of faith. Vibrant community.
One of the senior students from St Laurence’s College talked about his experience in the school choir.
A staff member from St Ignatius School gave a talk on how the school is involving parents in the school community through their children’s involvement in the school choir.
Please note that my notes here are sketchy. Dr Young went through some warm-up exercises for choral singing.
Workshop – Dr Jason J McFarland, ACU – What’s the Point of Liturgical Change
Experiencing community as sacred and blessed.
Communitas – the body of Christ. Bearing all things together.
Roman longing (for tradition).
The limits of freedom and the value of stability in the liturgy.
Categories of Liturgical Change:
Legitimate, Officially Approved Variation
Variation of the Spirit of the Official Rites
Variation at Odds with the Spirit of the Official Rites
Improvisation as the Normative Way to do Liturgy
Ill-informed variation
Creative Fidelity (ordered liberty) – in the presenter’s opinion this is the soundest option.
What we have so far failed to do:
Sacramentality – liturgy must imbue a sacramental world view
Social transformation and liturgical connection to it
Experimentation and inculturation (with aspects of Aboriginal culture)
Liturgical formation and training at parishes, seminaries and theological colleges
A Way Forward
Holy See Documents
Translating the Roman Missal
Negotiation and conflict are inherent to the process of liturgical change.
Panel Discussion – Bishop Paul (Ballarat), Dr Jenny O’Brien, Sarah Hart, Sr Louise Gannon (Newcastle), Dr Tom Elich, Dr Anthony Young
How do we see beyond the surface to the Pascal Mystery of Christ?
Christ, Assembly, Love
Strategy for making training and resources available for muscians
How to engage people?
How do we get our congregations to sing? Teaching one new song every 6 weeks. Pastor involvement.
Celebrating the Eucharist as a community in union with Christ.
We are in intimate solidarity with people all over the world.
DAY THREE
Keynote Speech – Associate Professor Maeve Louise Heaney (Xavier Chair for Theological Formation at ACU) – Not One Without the Other: When Mission and Mystery are Dialogue Partners
Faith seeking understanding between religion and culture. Everyone theologises. Our faith is historical and a bridge to life as a moving tradition of all we live and all we believe.
“Time is greater than space” – Pope Francis
To live is to change; to be perfect is to have changed often.
Dr Heaney then referenced Blessed John Henry Newman’s “Lead Kindly Light”.
Lead, Kindly Light
Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Beatified by Pope Benedict XVI
September 19, 2010
by Blessed John Henry Newman (1834)
Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on;
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on.
Keep Thou my feet;
I do not ask to see the distant scene;
one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that
Thou shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead Thou me on.
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, pride ruled my will;
remember not past years.
So long Thy power hath blessed me, sure it still
Will lead me on.
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone;
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.
In order that God’s truth remain the same, we need to move with it. The Church exists to evangelise.
Does our ‘performance’ help people to experience God?
We are constantly in need of evangelisation and renewal.
Father (Old Testament) – Jesus (New Testament) – Spirit (Pentecost)
or the reverse order,
Spirit – Jesus – Father (who is always beyond us).
Cantor Masterclass – Josie Ryan
Musicians from different Parishes took turns in singing their pre-prepared psalms for Josie to constructively critique.
The cantor’s role is to lead and sustain the people singing and not to display virtuosity for its own sake.
Refrain from the descant. Have the tune prominent.
Insight and responsiveness. Awareness of the presider and the congregation.
Experiential knowledge of God and prayer.
Wisdom from attentive listening to the Word of God – having a sense of your role/part
Love of the liturgy and an understanding of its role
A sound cultural, spiritual formation
Recommended website: Francesca La Rosa
The cantor’s prayer. Praying the words then it’s whatever comes naturally.
Workshop – Cathy Murrowood – Hospitality and the Mystery of God Among Us
Recommended reading: “Fit for Sacred Use” – a 2018 text on church architecture. See the Ballarat Diocese web site.
Hospitality is an indispensable aspect in welcoming people into the house of God.
We are all ministers of hospitality.
We are all both host and guest.
Faith awakens the text of the readings. The people of God depend on well-trained ministers.
Readers should have a warm tone, use effective pauses, careful emphasis, and speak at half the speed of normal conversational language.
On average 10% of the congregation will have hearing loss.
Body language and eye contact are important.
We are vessels of the Holy Spirit and Servants of the People of God.
Silence promotes meditation and space for the creative influence of the Holy Spirit.
Document – “Holy Communion from the Altar”
Hospitable Music Ministers
Develop a common repertoire
Choose music that is ‘singable’
Include a variety of musical forms
Are aware of the capabilities of the assembly
Provide clear introductions
Position themselves with the assembly
Don’t drown out the assembly
Include short, pre-Mass practices
Embrace silences
Seek feedback with peers
Dr Miriam Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann
Father
Creator
Twilight
Dawn
Nature
Waiting for God to make his Word known
Spirit of Didi
Quiet Listening
Deep Stillness
CONFERENCE PRAYER
Holy Spirit,
You speak wisdom into our silences,
and you sing joy into our liturgies.
You make our hearts ready for prayer,
and you make our hands ready for service.
You make Christ present to us in the sacraments,
and in the living bodies of the people he calls his friends.
Enfold us in the mystery of your love.
Refresh our memory of all that God has done for us.
Breathe into us courage, confidence, and creativity for change.
Do not let us rest
until you have made us a blessing to the world you love:
ambassadors of justice, messengers of peace,
ministers of healing, agents of transformation,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
{Many thanks to Stella Maris Vocalist, Faith Howell, for attending and reporting on this conference}. Fr Paul.
EXPLORING OUR FAITH - The Sacrament of Baptism
“Indeed Baptism is ‘the sacrament of faith in a particular way since it is the sacramental entry into the life of faith.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1236)
Although one receives faith initially in the sacrament of Baptism, faith “needs the community of believers. It is only within the faith of the Church that each faithful can believe. The faith required for Baptism is not perfect and mature, but a beginning that is called to develop. For all the baptised, children or adults, faith must grow after Baptism. For this reason, the Church celebrates each year at the Easter Vigil the renewal of baptismal promises. Preparation for Baptism leads only to the threshold of new life.
Baptism is the source of that new life in Christ from which the entire Christian life springs forth. For the grace of Baptism to unfold, the parents’ help is important. So too is the role of the godfather and godmother, who must be firm believers, able and ready to help the newly baptised – child or adult on the road of Christian life. Their task is a truly ecclesial function. The whole ecclesial community bears some responsibility for developing and safeguarding the grace given at Baptism.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1253-1255)
Who can receive the Sacrament of Baptism
The two principal effects are purification from sins and new birth in the Holy Spirit
Made a child of God (Partaker of the divine nature)
Incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ
Sacramental bond of all Christians
Indelible spiritual mark (Seal of the Lord)
Source:https://www.cathedralstm.org/about-our-catholic-faith/exploring-catholic-faith/sacramental-life/
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
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