PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*:
You can also access an online -web- copy of the newsletter *Webcopy here*
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Matthew 21:42)
Image Credit: Shutterstock licensed image: stock Photo ID: 70521388 - vineyards and winepress - Photo Contributor: Richard Semik
PASTOR’S POST.
GREETINGS FROM FR. ANTHONY ODIONYENFE
Hi everyone!
I hope I am permitted to call you all friends. If yes, then I would like to go back and remove my initial ‘Hi everyone, and now use “Hi friends!.. So my name is Anthony Odionyenfe, probably the newest kid in the bloc. I was born and bred in Nigeria but have been in Australia for a few days to two years now, and it’s a wonderful experience. I come from a family of seven: four girls and two boys (+ me) and that’s seven. Mum has gone to heaven, and Dad is alive and kicking hard. I just arrived from Living Waters Parish Caboolture. So feel free to say hello when you see me or ‘ibiala’ (in my native tongue) if you can. It’s nice to be in your midst as one of you and as a co-missionary with you all.
Surfers Paradise, I understand, is a community of communities making up one family of God, with love, care, kindness and concern for one another. And what a start for me with the first Tuesday mass of the month and the cuppa thereafter. It was everything you could ask for, and I enjoyed every bit of it and then meeting parishioners and lovely introductions with smiles. It was a great footing for me to land and be part of the community.
With you, we shall continue to grow stronger in faith and love and build up each other in our faith journey. You and I have been made stewards of God’s gifts in very many ways. I pray that we all bear the fruits of these gifts in whatever and whichever little ways we can.
God bless you all!
Fr Anthony.
Fr Anthony, Fr John Maher and Fr Paul at the Mass of Healing. 3/10/23 - Images by Sandy Menezes.
HAPPY TENTH ANNIVERSARY TO THE ROSARY STATUE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
We started the Statue on the first of October 2013 at our Home in Broadbeach waters. The statue has been going around the Parish for 10 years. To Celebrate the occasion, we have donated 40 Rosaries to the Parish, which will be at the Parish Piety shops Free at weekend Mass.
We need more Parishioners to join the program of having “Our Lady” at their home and saying the Rosary. Contact Maxine Sela on 0421051193 and have “Our Lady” at your home for a week. The Rosaries were blessed after the Healing Mass last Tuesday.
Details for Our Lady’s Statue for the next four weeks are
09/10/23 Helen & Theo Skjaerback Merrimac
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.
God Bless
Maxine and Pat Sela.
TWO WEEKS TO GO BEFORE THE ANNUAL CATHOLIC MISSION APPEAL.
https://www.catholicmission.org.au/see-our-work-in-action/timor
CHILDREN’S SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM 2023
In a few weeks, on Friday, October 20, Surfers Paradise Parish will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation. The children have been talking, learning and praying at home, guided by their parents and sponsors. They have completed 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
BIRTHDAYS CELEBRATED RECENTLY
Pat Gus Gerard
Ann Grace Connie
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK:
Also, (Alphabetical)
Jack Barretto, Nellie Bellinger, Jean Di Benedetto, Julie & Paul Bowden, Coralie Brennan, Kevin Brennan, Tim Brown, Margaret Buckingham, Josip Burda, Michelle Burda, Diana Castro, Felipe S Cataquiz (Senior), Cecily Cellinan, Doug Chester, Jo Clark, Leslie Clarke, Tina Conidi, Margaret & George Cook, Alfonso Covino, Margaret Cusack, Geraldine Daniels, John Fisher, Rosie May Fisher, Sally Gage, Lorraine Gallagher, Laurel Goddard, Ken Green, Fred Grioli, Jacob Haddad, Jenny Haines, Peter Harford, 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):
James Kiernan, Declan McDonald, Mary Ellen Carniel, Paul Owen Sweeney, Margaret Miller, Margaret Thompson, Maria Mihalic, Doreen Norma Slater, Alan Green (Perth), 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)
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.
And Also: (Alphabetical):
Gwenyth Aiken, Frank Alcock, Fr Basil Bergin, Craig Antoine Blanch, Fr Clive Britten, Fr William Cuneo, Edward Lawrence(Ned) Darcy, Duncan Anthony Dawson, Imelda Petronella (Millie) Duijn, Gordon Farquhar, Reginald Ronald Glover, Brian Kenway, Yvonne Henrietta Lofthouse, Terry Maloney, Veronica Ella Mantle, Mario Paul Mazza, Yvonne Mary McMahon, Rhonda Milne, Fr John O'Callaghan, Mons Jeremiah O'Leary, Muriel Rasey, Elio Romanin, John Sudgen, Diana Angela Tam-Barrett, Helen Watter, John Roy Wotherspoon.
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
Confirmation cards and gifts are still available.
OUR LADY’S STATUE - SPECIAL CELEBRATION - Happy Tenth Anniversary!
The 10th Anniversary of the Statue was on the 1st October.
To celebrate, 40 Rosaries are available for Free Distribution at the Piety shops this week with a Card on the Rosary. The Rosaries were blessed on Tuesday after the anointing Mass.
God Bless - and thanks to coordinators - Maxine & Pat
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
09/10/23 Helen & Theo Skjaerback Merrimac
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.
BREAK OPEN THE WORD YEAR B
Orders will be placed this week for the 2024 BREAK OPEN THE WORD, YEAR B, which commences on the First Sunday of Advent.
This book contains readings and psalms for each Sunday with NEW commentary providing fresh and insightful background to the text and assistance on how to read it, along with a section entitled “The Ministry of Reader”. The popular pronunciation guide is still included. The Parish will subsidise the book as in previous years if you are a rostered parish reader.
All readers are invited to order a copy to enable you to practice the reading before your rostered Mass. If you have copies of previous years' books for Years A, B, or C, these can be used by following the appropriate Liturgical Sunday of the year.
A reminder that we follow the New Revised Standard Version, which is found at the back of the book. The Jerusalem Bible version can be found at the front of the book.
If you would like to order a 2024 Break Open the Word for Year B, please email the Parish Office surfers@bne.catholic.net.au or telephone 5671 7388 from 9am-12noon Monday - Friday, or text Pat 0404 805819
MEDITATION PRAYER GROUP
In the Morris prayer room, Tuesdays from 10 am to 12 noon. The Meditation Group would very much like to welcome new members. Please phone Pam Egtberts at 0428090703.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament this First Friday, 6th October, at Sacred Heart Church from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. All welcome. Enquiries: Helen 0421935678. "Could you not watch one hour with Me" Mt 26:4
FIRST SATURDAY MASS AND BENEDICTION
First Saturday Mass at Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters. 9 am Saturday - 7th October. Followed by adoration and Benediction. {This is a votive Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary}.
Dante Alighieri Society Gold Coast- Italian Class
We are offering an ITALIAN LANGUAGE COURSE for Absolute Beginners. Starting Thurs 5th October 2023
8-week course. Day and Evening classes are available. Perfect for travelling or simple conversation!!
Phone Rita 5527 0797. School Director. ** Please register your interest by completing the enrolment form online or by phoning Rita for more details. The Dante Alighieri Society promotes the Italian language and culture. Rooms are located at the rear of the Italo-Australian Club, Clear Island Waters. www.dantegoldcoast.com.au
PRAYER GROUP - SPANISH SPEAKER
Jesus de la Misericordia. Invites you to participate every 2nd Saturday of the month from 11 am to 2 pm. Place: Hospitality Room. Sacred Heart Church. “We praise, We praise, We grow spiritually from the Word of the Lord.” For more information, please ring Grace: 0410 006 484.
MARIAN VALLEY PILGRIMAGE
Please join us at the Marian Valley for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on 13.10.2023. The bus will pick people up at 8:15 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Church Clear Island Waters. The Cost for the bus fare is $25.00 return. You can secure your seat with a contact name and phone number with Xavier Solomon at 0404 843 260 or Madeleine at 0405 252 367 or 5529 1573; all are welcome.
ART AND CRAFT GROUP -
The Group meets in the Parish Hospitality Centre on Wednesdays from 9 to 12. Activities include art (watercolour, oils, acrylics, pen and ink drawing, etc.), as well as various kinds of Craftwork (Knitting, Embroidery, Crocheting, Card making, Sewing, etc.), making Rosary Beads (later sent to the missions), and any other activities that individuals may have an interest in. We come together to enjoy each other's company in a relaxed environment. New members, both men and women, are most welcome to join. For further information, phone John 0412 759 205 or the Parish Office.
THE SACRED HEART BRIDGE CLUB-
Meets at the Sacred Heart - Parish Hospitality Centre, Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters.
Playing Bridge keeps your brain active and increases your social network! So why not give us a try?
Learn to play Bridge at “Our Friendly Club” - Free Lesson. “Introduction to Bridge” - It is Easy to learn the format. No previous card-playing experience is necessary. All are welcome. For more information and to enrol, please phone Cheryl at 5538 8821 or Mob at 0417 772 701.
Contemplative Women’s Group.
Contemplative Women’s Group: Sinking into the Feminine Divine. We meet on the 4th Saturday of every month from 1.30 pm – 3.30 pm in Mary Mother of Mercy Church for contemplation and sharing as we depth the charism and legacy of a woman of faith. 3 Sunlight Drive, Burleigh Waters. Contact sue@suethomas.net.au for more information. Or just turn up by 1.30 p.m. No cost. Simple afternoon tea was supplied. Come, join us on the path.
EXERCISE CLASS - LOW IMPACT - FOR HEART HEALTH -
Join Rochelle for a fun, functional exercise class at Casey Hall. Low-impact cardiovascular exercises for heart health, improve strength and balance- an all-around fitness class for over 65’s. Stretch and strengthen the whole body, make new friends and feel great. Tuesday mornings @9.30 Beginners welcome. Contact Rochelle for further information on 0438 333 308.
YOGA AT THE PARISH HOSPITALITY CENTRE
Join us for our social class in the Parish Hospitality Centre next to the Parish Office. Classes run every Tuesday at 10:45 a.m. Learn to relax yet gain greater flexibility, inner strength, body awareness and concentration while increasing your breath support and general well-being. Ruth is an IYTA-accredited instructor with wide experience and runs a caring, carefully monitored one-hour session costing $10 (new attendees, please arrive by 10:30 a.m. to prepare adequately for class). For more information, call Ruth on 0421338110.
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
FRIDAY 13TH - Cathedral of St Stephen, Brisbane City - 8 am to 6 pm
SATURDAY. 14TH - Stella Maris, Maroochydore - 9 am to 6.30 pm
SUNDAY. 15TH - Mary Immaculate, Annerley - 6.30 am to 7 pm
MONDAY 16TH - Mary Immaculate, Annerley - 8.30 am to 11 am and 3 pm to 8.30 pm
TUESDAY 17TH - Holy Spirit, Bray Park - 11 am to 9 pm
WEDNESDAY. 18TH - Little Flower, Kedron - 8 am to 7 pm
THURSDAY 19TH - Guardian Angels, Wynnum - 4 pm to 7 pm
FRIDAY 20TH - Our Lady of Victories, Bowen Hills - 4 pm to 9 pm
SATURDAY 21ST - Our Lady of Victories, Bowen Hills - 6.30 am to 10 am and 1 pm to 3 pm
SUNDAY 22ND - Marian Valley Shrine, Canungra - 9 am to 6 pm
Up-to-date information at www.stdonboscobrisbane.weebly.com
CO.AS.IT
“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:
An employer would fire any employee who never does the job properly. God's plan calls us to live our vocation daily as best as possible. To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone…” - Matthew 21:42
Jesus was rejected by the religious and political leaders of his day and ordinary citizens, but he was still obedient to God, the Father. Similarly, living a stewardship lifestyle may cause you to be “rejected” by others, but we, too, are called to be obedient. Saying grace before a meal in a restaurant may attract some strange looks from some. But to others, it is a sign that God is alive and well!
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 - To the greater good!
The Poet Richard Wilbur (1921-2017) fought in the Second World War. It convinced him that writing verse was serious business: “One does not use poetry ... to organise oneself and the world, until one’s world somehow gets out of hand.” Wilbur explained: “I feel that the universe is full of glorious energy ... and that the ultimate character of things is comely and good. I am perfectly aware that I say this in the teeth of all sorts of contrary evidence and that I must be basing it partly on temperament and partly on faith.” Believe in the ultimate goodness, regardless of any evidence to the contrary! “Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious ... think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8). ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
["'gospel' values included in the readings this weekend: that God is long-suffering and patient. God trusts us and gives us the blessing, gift, and responsibility of autonomy – in the hope and trust that we will use this freedom and discretion well and only for good. God lovingly desires to give us what we need and patiently calls us back to obedience. Of course, time ends up running out sooner or later. God expects us to bear the fruits of the Kingdom of Heaven]
This gospel says many perfect things about our God and some very disappointing things about our human response to God's generosity and patience.
The image of the unsatisfactory vineyard would be very familiar to the people of Israel, as shown by the first reading. The Lord puts all this love and care into building a fruitful and life-giving environment for his people, and what he gets back is "sour grapes."
What causes bitter grapes is too much acid and not enough sugar. The fruit might be too small and crowded or just a wild variety of grapes. It is a fitting image because if we foment bitterness, resentment, harshness, negativity and a lack of cordiality in our lives if we crowd out our time and energy with too many competing priorities, or if we allow pride and willfulness to be our way, it will produce a bitter and pitiful harvest. The fruits will not be good.
We see that God is extremely loving. The land owner did not just give them an empty parcel and said, "There you go, now build a vineyard and give me the fruits of it." Instead, the Master plants it himself, fences it off, builds accommodation and security and then builds the wine press for the fruits to be processed.
The landowner is not a control freak. He hands over the vineyard and does not stand over them or set up an oppressive system to ensure they do the right thing. He trusts his tenants, entrusts the job to them, and then steps back to give them time to do their job unhindered.
The Master is extremely patient. He is undoubtedly not ruthless. After the first messenger was sent and rejected, he would have been entitled to destroy the wicked tenants immediately. Still, instead, he continues to give them the benefit of the doubt (Perhaps there has been a miscommunication. Perhaps there is a reason for this shocking behaviour). The master is being more than reasonable. He sends a long line of messengers to ask for what is his. God has no acid or bitterness; his fruits are all patience, forbearance and compassion. He is long-suffering, giving many chances for change and growth, but in the end, he must have the fruits of the vineyard as he deserves.
The master spares nothing. He even risks his most precious treasure, his beloved son, and sends him to sort this out peacefully. As the great Easter hymn says, "To ransom a slave, God gave away his own son!" What an astounding act of love and unearthly generosity to his ungrateful people.
Finally, when their rebellion and arrogance is no longer in doubt, the Master demands the fruits be given and again acts prudently, lovingly and justly – this cannot go on like this….., And so, he hands over the vineyard to people who will care for it and use it as intended?
In many different ways, and through the people we meet, God sends us all sorts of invitations and opportunities…., inviting us to widen our hearts and adjust our attitudes. Meanwhile, with God's help, we continue working peacefully, positively, respectfully, and with grateful hearts.
Fr Paul W. Kelly; Barclay, W. (1975). The Gospel of Matthew. Part II. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press].
Image Credit: Shutterstock licensed image: Stock Photo ID: 44008519 - stone Heart and red petals. Photo Contributor: Isame
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 9. Saint Denis of Paris was a 3rd-century Christian martyr and saint. According to his hagiographies, he was bishop of Paris in the third century and, together with his companions Rusticus and Eleutherius, was martyred for his faith by decapitation. (Wikipedia).
Saint Denis holding his head. Statue at the left portal of Notre Dame de Paris. Denis is the most famous cephalophore (“head carrier”) in Christian history, with a popular story claiming that the decapitated bishop picked up his head and walked several miles while preaching a sermon on repentance.
St. Denis is the patron saint of France and against headaches.
St. Denis was born and raised in Italy. He is also known as St. Dionysius. He was sent to Gaul by Pope St. Clement. He is probably the first Bishop of Paris. St. Denis was martyred along with two companions, according to the writings of St. Gregory of Tours. His companions are believed to be St. Rustreus and St. Eleutherius, a priest and deacon. They were beheaded with a sword under the persecution of Emperor Valerius in 258. The head of St. Denis was carried into the nearby village before their bodies were thrown into the Seine River. St. Denis' body was recovered, and a chapel was built over his tomb.
St. Denis is among the 14 helpers invoked in the Middle Ages against the Black Plaque. It is for this reason he became the patron saint against headaches.
“Saint-Denis and companions, you courageously travelled to an unknown land, to an unknown people, to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You did so with prayer and trust in God’s divine guidance. God used you during your lives and continues to use you in your deaths. Please pray for us that all that we are and do will be done solely for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Saints Denis, Rusticus, and Eleutherius pray for us.
October 9. Saint John Leonardi.(1541-1609) Confessor, Priest, Founder
“The medicine of God, is Jesus Christ, Crucified and Risen, the measure of all things.”
“Christ first of all, Christ in the centre of the heart, in the centre of history and of the cosmos. Humanity needs Christ intensely because He is our “measure. There is no realm,
that cannot be touched by His strength; there is no evil, that cannot find remedy in Him, there is no problem, that cannot be solved in Him. Either Christ or nothing!”
The following Holy Scripture sums up this saint’s view: “Those who want to work for moral reform in the world must seek the glory of God before all else. Because He is the source of all good, they must wait for His help and pray for it, in this difficult and necessary undertaking.”
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.”
Giovanni (John) Leonardi was born into a middle-class family in the small town of Diecimo, Republic of Lucca, modern-day Italy. When John was four, the Council of Trent held its first session, and when he turned twenty-two, it held its last. Around the age of seventeen, John began studying to become a pharmacist, a well-respected occupation at that time. After ten years of study, he became certified and worked as a pharmacist’s assistant for the next few years. However, the work of providing medicine for the body soon deepened a desire he had held for years—the mission of providing spiritual medicine for the soul as a priest. After a few years of theological preparation, John was ordained a priest in 1572 at the age of thirty-one.
At the heart of Father Leonardi’s personal convictions was a desire to enter into a personal relationship with Christ. He not only lived this conviction, he also promoted it within his priestly ministry. After he was ordained, he served in his local parish in Lucca where he worked with youth and visited the sick and imprisoned. His devotion to Christ and desire for personal and ecclesiastical reform drew a group of young men whom he spiritually directed and formed in the faith. By 1574, the community of young men led to the formation of a group that would later evolve into a new diocesan congregation called the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God of Lucca. They rented the church of Santa Maria della Rosa, where a community life took shape.
Because the Council of Trent had recently concluded, mandating various reforms, a newly inspired religious order might seem like a good way to help implement those reforms. Indeed, it was! However, Father Leonardi and his companions soon discovered that not everyone in Lucca was ready for reform, and some saw the formation of this new congregation as a threat. Therefore, other religious and even civil authorities began to oppose it. Opposition became so fierce that Father John spent much of the rest of his life in exile from Lucca, by mandate of the local government. Change and internal Church reform are difficult. Father John pressed on, however, and eventually gained wider support, including support from the local bishop and the pope.
In 1583, the new congregation was canonically established by the Bishop of Lucca with the approval of Pope Gregory XIII. They were not yet a formal religious order, so they only took simple vows. They were, however, encouraged in their mission and worked to implement the reforms of the Council of Trent, including forming the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine within Lucca, just as many other saintly reformers had been doing in other dioceses.
Over the next two-and-a-half decades, bishops, cardinals, and popes called upon Father Leonardi to assist with the reform of the Church, including other religious orders. Most of his later years were spent in Rome, due to ongoing opposition in Lucca. In Rome, he worked with the future Saint Philip Neri, founded a seminary for the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, and promoted Forty Hours Devotion and frequent Communion. In 1606, a serious plague ravaged Rome, and Father John contracted it while ministering to the sick. He remained sickly for the next few years, dying in 1609. In 1621, Pope Gregory XV elevated the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God of Lucca to the status of a religious order, enabling them to take formal vows. The congregation continues its good work today.
Saint John Leonardi was inspired by the Holy Spirit to assist in the reform of the Church and foster a deeply personal relationship with Christ, especially through adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, frequent Communion, and good catechesis. It often happens that the work the Holy Spirit inspires in one is opposed by those who do not listen to the promptings of that same Spirit. Saint John Leonardi is a prime example of this, and his perseverance throughout lends more credence to his holiness and divine mission.
As we honor this religious founder and confessor, ponder the fact that God’s will is not always embraced by the world with open arms. Therefore, when we act as instruments of God’s will and Truth, others will not always embrace us. This opposition can, at times, lead to discouragement. As you ponder Saint John’s life today, allow his fidelity and perseverance in the face of persecution to inspire you to press on with the mission God has given to you. Reject discouragement, pray for courage, and seek to implement God’s will in your life. (https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/october-9-saint-john-leonardi/)
OCTOBER 11 - m - Saint John XXIII, Pope
The Wisdom of Pope Saint John XXIII:
"... just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul."
"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations but your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what is still possible for you to do."
"See everything, overlook a great deal, correct a little."
"Prayer is the raising of the mind to God. We must always remember this. The actual words matter less."
"I have looked into your eyes with my eyes. I have put my heart near your heart."
― "Mankind is a great, immense family... This is proved by what we feel in our hearts at Christmas."
"We deem it opportune to remind our children of their duty to take an active part in public life and to contribute toward the attainment of the common good of the entire human family and that of their own political community. They should endeavour, therefore, in the light of their Christian faith and led by love, to ensure that the various institutions—whether economic, social, cultural or political in purpose—should be such as not to create obstacles but rather to facilitate or render less arduous man's perfecting of himself in both the natural order and the supernatural... Every believer in our world must be a spark of light, a centre of love, a vivifying leaven amidst his fellow men. And he will be this all the more perfectly, the more closely he lives in communion with God in the intimacy of his own soul" ― Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris: On Establishing Universal Peace
OCTOBER 14 - m - Saint Callistus I, pope and martyr
"If offences abound, then let mercy also abound; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption. All things are abundant in the Lord's hand because He is the Lord of powers and the King of glory. For the apostle says: "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." Saint Callistus, speaking on God's mercy.
POPE FRANCIS: Pope Francis’ next environmental document to be called ‘Laudate Deum’
Pope Francis’ new document on the environment, to be released Oct. 4, will be called Laudate Deum.
The pope shared the name of his latest apostolic exhortation during a meeting with Latin American university rectors on Sept. 21. However, the speech was only made public by Vatican News in Spanish on Monday afternoon.
According to Vatican News, while speaking about the environment and the “culture of abandonment,” Pope Francis revealed that his new document on the topic will be titled Laudate Deum, which means “Praise God” in Latin.
It will be, he said, “a look at what has happened and say what needs to be done,” Vatican News reported.
In the same speech to 200 university personnel, Francis reflected on what he has termed a throwaway culture, saying it reveals “a lack of education to use the things that remain, to remake them, to replace them in the order of the common use of things.”
He encouraged a “good use of nature,” including practical actions that can help the environment, such as installing solar panels.
The pope also noted how environmental degradation can lead to another kind of “degradation,” namely, how we treat others, especially those already living with fewer resources.
Pope Francis announced last month he would be releasing a follow-up document to the 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’. He later said it would be published on Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
Oct. 4 is also the first day of a monthlong assembly for the Synod on Synodality and the conclusion of the Season of Creation, a Vatican-supported ecumenical initiative about caring for the environment.
Laudato Si’ is the second of three encyclicals published in Pope Francis’ pontificate thus far. It was released in June 2015.
The theme of the encyclical, which means “Praise be to you,” is human ecology, a phrase first used by Pope Benedict XVI. The document addresses issues such as climate change, care for the environment, and the defence of human life and dignity.
Pope Francis said on Aug. 30 that the second part of Laudato Si’ would be the papal document known as an “exhortation.”
Francis has published five apostolic exhortations during his pontificate, including Evangelii Gaudium in 2013 and Amoris Laetitia in 2016.
SOURCE: Credit: Vatican Media - Hannah Brockhaus - By Hannah Brockhaus. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255478/pope-francis-next-environmental-document-to-be-called-laudate-deum
EXPLORING OUR FAITH - Sacramental Life
At the basis of the Catholic faith is the belief in Christ who not only saved us from sin by His passion but also that Christ founded the Church whereby we are united in a “hidden and real way to Christ who suffered and was glorified.” (Lumen Gentium, 7) In the Church, “Christ now lives and acts in and with His Church, in a new way appropriate to this new age. He acts through the sacraments in what is called ‘the sacramental economy;’ this is the communication of the fruits of Christ’s Paschal mystery in the celebration of the Church’s sacramental liturgy.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1076) The sacraments can be divided into three groups:
Sacraments of Christian Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist – Lay the foundations of every Christian life. “The sharing in the divine nature given to men through the grace of Christ bears a certain likeness to the origin, development, and nourishment of natural life. The faithful are born anew by Baptism, strengthened by the sacrament of Confirmation, and receive the food of eternal life in the Eucharist. Using these sacraments of Christian Initiation, they thus receive in increasing measure the treasures of the divine life and advance toward the perfection of charity” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1212)
Sacraments of Healing: Penance and Anointing of the Sick – “Through the sacraments of Christian initiation, man receives the new life of Christ. Now we carry this life ‘in earthen vessels,’ and it remains ‘hidden with Christ in God.’ We are still in our ‘earthly tent,’ subject to suffering, illness, and death. This new life as a child of God can be weakened and even lost by sin. The Lord Jesus Christ, physician of our souls and bodies, has willed that his Church continues, in the power of the Holy Spirit, his work of healing and salvation, even among her own members. This is the purpose of the two sacraments of healing.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1420-1421)
Sacraments at the Service of Communion: Matrimony and Holy Orders – These sacraments are directed “towards the salvation of others; if they contribute as well to personal salvation, it is through service to others that they do so. They confer a particular mission in the Church and serve to build up the People of God. Those who receive the sacrament of Holy Orders are consecrated in Christ’s name ‘to feed the Church by the word and grace of God.’ For those who receive Matrimony, ‘Christian spouses are fortified and, as it were, consecrated for the duties and dignity of their state by a special sacrament.’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1534-1535)
What are the Sacraments?
“Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification” (St. Augustine)
There are seven sacraments. They were instituted by Christ and given to the Church to administer. They are necessary for salvation. The sacraments are the vehicles of grace that they convey. They are validly administered by carrying out the sign with the proper intention. The purpose of the seven sacraments is to make people holy, to build up the body of Christ, and to give worship to God. Although they are signs, they impart what they signify (I.E – Pouring water with the words “I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” actually washes away sin and imparts the Holy Spirit). The sacraments impart grace, but, in addition, the very act of celebrating them disposes the faithful most effectively to receive this grace fruitfully, to worship God rightly, and to practice charity. [http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/]
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
No comments:
Post a Comment