PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*:
You can also access an online -web- copy of the newsletter *Webcopy here*
“Among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
(John 1:26-7)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1745234897 - ELLWANGEN, GERMANY - MAY 05, 2014: The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, stained glass by Sieger Koder at Holy Spirit church in Ellwangen. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor- Zvonimir Atletic.
Stella Maris parishioner Peter Harford has passed away. His memorial prayers will be at Stella Maris this Monday at eleven am. (18/12/23)
SPECIAL RECONCILIATION TIMES IN ADVANCE OF CHRISTMAS -
Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters.
Saturday morning (16/12/23) - Sacred Heart Clear Island Waters- 9 am-10.30 am.
Also, special individual Reconciliations on Saturday (16/12/23): 4 pm Stella Maris, 4 pm Sacred Heart,
Sunday (17/12/23): St Vincents, Surfers. 9 am after the 8 am Mass, and 11 am after the 10 am Mass.
**Please note there is not a special obligation to go to confession before Christmas.
(Regular, timely reconciliations are advised throughout the year). **
SAINT VINCENT de Paul - Christmas Appeal - Local Conference
Thanks to everyone for your support of the Vinnies' annual Christmas appeal will occur with collections at the end of every Mass. This financial appeal is critical for our parish Vinnies conference to urgently assist those most in need.
Should you wish to understand more about our conference's good works or have any questions, you can email our conference at sv4217@svdpqld.org.au ; the President Craig.McMahon@svdpqld.org.au or the Treasurer Adrian.Biermann@svdpqld.org.au
Best regards, SVDP Surfers Paradise Conference
This is the last weekend to bring in items for the Christmas hampers, as Vinnie's teams will pack and deliver them very soon. Each year, this appeal allows for the distribution of hampers to over 100 families in our community and ensures they can enjoy a Christmas meal with their loved ones.
As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth, the Surfers Paradise Vinnies conference calls on all parishioners to help give hope to struggling local families.
FRANCE, PARIS AND LOURDES 2024 with Fr Dan Ryan, as he celebrates 50 years of priesthood.
Would you like to travel to France from mid-May to mid-June next year with me, Fr Dan Ryan, on a French Saints Pilgrimage, with a possible extension to Rome?
I have organised a pilgrimage with Harvest Journeys to travel through France and visit the Places of Saints.
The trip will include Paris(2nights), Rouen, Liseux(2), Mont-Saint-Michael(2), Chartes, Nevers(1), Taize, Paray le Monial(2), Ars, La Salette(1), Avignon, Lourdes(3), Montserrat(1), and Barcelona(1), Optional Rome Extension(3)
If you would like more information, you can contact Harvest Journeys on 1800 819 156 or harvestjourneys.com/pv2445. If you contact Harvest Journeys, mention my name and the pilgrimage is the French Saints Pilgrimage. There are a few brochures at the back of the church. Father Dan Ryan. A copy of the brochure is available here as well: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EuOjctr5PMLmUrxxhut9-IoMAI3OMQXQ/view?usp=sharing
Pastor’s Post:
This weekend is also known as Gaudete Sunday... which means rejoice...although we are still waiting and preparing for the Arrival of the LORD, his coming is ever nearer. Our hearts are lifted in joy and expectation for the Lord is near... the following hymn words inspire me in this joy and hope...
HYMN - (Suggested tune: qua 76 76 D Aurelia).
Wait when the seed is planted, Wait for the rain to fall;
Wait for the restless green sprout, Wait while the plant grows tall.
Wait for the coming Saviour, Wait through the heart's slow race;
Wait for the kingdom's dawning, Wait till we see his face!
Hope when the sun is setting, Hope through the dark of night;
Hope though the moon is waning, Hope as we long for light.
Hope for the coming Saviour, Hope through the heart's slow race;
Hope for the kingdom's dawning, Hope till we see his face!
Trust in the new spring's promise, Trust through the summer's heat;
Trust in the dying autumn, Trust through the winter sleet.
Trust in the coming Saviour, Trust in the heart's slow race;
Trust in the kingdom's dawning, Trust till we see his face! (P204. Magnificat DEC 2019: vol 10; no.2).
Fr Paul.
CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES IN SURFERS PARADISE CATHOLIC PARISH
INVITING CHILDREN TO JOIN IN THE NATIVITY PLAY
Each year at this time, we invite our parish children (and any visiting children) to be involved in our annual Nativity Play. Our surfers Paradise Parish Nativity Play is presented as part of our Family Mass on Christmas Eve in Sacred Heart Church at the 5pm Vigil Mass (Sunday, December 24).
We ask parents to explain to children who volunteer, that they may be asked to play the part of Mary, Joseph, an angel, a shepherd, a wise man or even one of the animals in the stable.
At each practice, each child needs to be in the care of an adult (either the child’s parent, a carer or an adult delegated by the parents).
Adults from the parish who will be organising practices for the Nativity Play:
Cathy Anderson and Marylou Ayres - Parish Sacramental Team
Christeen Harth - Parish Music Coordinator
Loren Kozlova - member of Parish CLOW team and registered teacher
All children are welcome but each child will need to attend each of our three practices:
Practice 1: Tuesday, December 19 [10:30 am to midday in Sacred Heart Church]
Practice 2: Thursday, December 21 [10:30 am to midday in Sacred Heart Church]
Practice 3: Saturday, December 23 [11:30 am to 1pm in Sacred Heart Church]
Christmas Vigil Mass: Sunday December 24 [Arrive at church 4:15 pm for 5pm Mass]
CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES (Date Claimer)
{NO SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION ON CHRISTMAS EVE}
STELLA MARIS CHURCH, BROADBEACH
{Stella Maris. 254 Hedges Avenue, Broadbeach, 4218}
Christmas Eve: 5.00 PM VIGIL MASS.
Christmas Day: 7.00 AM
ST VINCENT’S CHURCH, SURFERS PARADISE
{St Vincent’s. 40 Hamilton Avenue. Surfers Paradise 4217}
Christmas Eve: 5.00 PM VIGIL MASS. (SPECIAL CHRISTMAS MASS TIME ONLY)
Christmas Day: 8.00 AM & 10.00 AM
Also, Hispanic Community Monday night mass, 25th December - Christmas night Mass (Monday 25th) at 5:30 pm at St Vincent's Church, run by the Hispanic Community.
SACRED HEART CHURCH, CLEAR ISLAND WATERS
{Sacred Heart - 50 Fairway Drive. Clear Island Waters, 4226}
Christmas Eve (vigil): 5.00 PM=FAMILY MASS with Children’s Nativity Play
(See note below for more information)
8.00 PM SPECIAL MASS (Christmas Eve only).
Christmas Day: 9.00 AM
(No Sunday night mass at SH, except the 4 pm Italian Mass)
12.30 PM POLISH MASS (confirmed) - Sacred Heart (25th and 26th)
4 PM ITALIAN MASS. (confirmed) - Sacred Heart
SPANISH MASS AT ST VINCENT’S Church at Surfers Paradise. MONDAY NIGHT (25/12/22)- 5:30 PM
MESSAGE STICK FROM ARCHDIOCESE
CHILDREN’S SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM 2023/24
To begin or to continue the journey of faith with your child, please use the information provided in the table below.
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
“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.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK: (Alphabetical)
Jack Barretto, Nellie Bellinger, Kevin Brennan, Tim Brown, Margaret Buckingham, Elizabeth Capoluco, 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, Nia Falekakala, John Fisher, Rosie May Fisher, Sally Gage, Lorraine Gallagher, Laurel Goddard, Fred Grioli, Jacob Haddad, Jenny Haines, Dion Herft, Lena Hiscock, Mary Hirst, 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, Ann Marie Loder, Sarina Losurdo, John Nathaniel Maher, Maria Manuela, Andrew McPherson, Phil McWilliam, Fabiola Menzs, Joanne Mooney, Maryann Moore, Hugh Morand, Amy Elizabeth Morgan, Rick Murphy (USA), 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, Bob Rogers, Thor Skjaerbaek, Kathy Stevens, Brenda Stewart, Jim Stewart, Rose Stewart, Betty Taylor, Liza Teo, John Thomas, Baby Samuel Timothy, Leonardo Torcaso, Denise Tracey, Anne Van Deurse, Karen Vestergard, Lois Wood.
RECENTLY DECEASED: (Chronological - Most recent first):
Peter Harford, Helen Bohringer, Michael Joseph Scanlan, Paul Hodges, Kevin Wellspring, Carmel Eadie, Lindsay Horne, John Foulds, Mick Sherrard, Keith Weissel, Edick Youhanna, Josip Burda, Pascual Tantengco Jr., Carmel Wilkinson, Dr Frank Miau.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: (Alphabetical)
Fr James Bolton osa, Margaret Borg, Ada Teresa Bradshaw, Fr William Cashman, Noel (Max) Patrick Christmas, Barry Charles Day, Fr John Dobson, Fr Patrick Doyle osa, Caridad Duazo, Teresa Duffy, Konrad Zbigniew Dziurdziak, Maureen Fitzgerald, William Fouad Gazal, Denis Graham, Paul Thomas Grennan, Fr Peter Grice, Fr Francis Hefferan, Murray James Hill, Fr Ron Illidge, Maureen Jobling, Stanley (Stan) Kassulke, Walter de Launey, Patricia Lazaro, Mary Jean Lenthall, Vera McCormick, Frankie Anne Mackedie, Bill Magno, John Brian McCabe, Gary John Moore, Patricia Nolan, Jack O'Brien, Fr Thomas O'Callaghan, William Patrick., Fr Denis Power, Henry Martin Prince, Imelda Mary Rundell, Abina Jean (Jean) Saalmann, Alfred Ernest (Alf) Symonds, Robert John (Bob) Thorburn, Maria Vos, Fr Vincent Wheeler, Grazyna Zyner.
And Also: (Alphabetical):
Mary Anderson, Fr Kevin Aspinall, Maria Magdalena Bizzotto, Brian Leslie Boehme, James William Boland, Castellaro Family Members, Desmond Robert Castle, Wadad Doumani, Josephine Elizabeth (Josie) Dowd, Elda Ferluga, Bishop John Gerry, Jeno (Jim) Goboly, Disa Fleurette Hunt (Daughter of Robyn And Terry Hunt), Warwick Gerard Jones, Judy Jones, Warwick Gerard (Rick) Jones, Gail Patricia Little, Taufau Ah Lo, Charly Macky, Anthony Malouf, John Peter Bartolomeo Mandile, Kenneth Raymond Martin, Ken Martin, John McCabe (Husband of Maureen), Fr William McKeown, Jarmila Julie Muller, Fr Peter (Fintan) O'Beirne, Con Ante Pizzo, Henry Restall, Joe Bugeja, Melita Bugeja, Pat Foster, Craig, Most Rev Joseph Angelo Grech, Maria Consiglio,Charlie Restall White, Emidia Micallef.
Dulcie Ricks, Mello Scharenguivel, Jack O’Brien, Maureen Smith, Darryl Patrick Sulzberger, Luigi Tassone, Albina Kristina Vah, William Raymond (Billy) Willbrandt.
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
Still available
December Catholic Leader, (last printed edition), Daily Mass Books,
2024 Columban Calendars, Church Art Calendars, Wood Scroll Calendars,
2024 God’s Word, includes daily readings and reflection,
Children’s storybooks, Adult and Children’s Bibles,
Christmas cards, Christmas figurines and nativities available until sold out.
ST VINCENT’S CHURCH
Everyone is invited to a Christmas morning tea gathering after the 10am Mass on Sunday 17th December, please bring a plate to share.
OUR LADY’S STATUE -
Praying the Rosary - Our Lady’s Statue in the Parish -
Details of the Statue of Our Lady are going around the Parish.
If you want her in your home and say the Rosary,
Please contact Maxine or Pat on 0412 519 404.
Our Lady’s Statue details for the next four weeks are:
18/12/2023 Merla & Rodney Chevron Island
25/12/2023 Merla & Rodney Chevron Island
01/01/2024 Merla & Rodney Chevron Island
08/01/2024 Bernadette Hensley Arundel
Please phone Maxine Sela on 0421 051 193 if you want the Statue.
BIBLE STUDY/PRAYER GROUP - ST VINCENT’S CHURCH, SURFERS PARADISE.
The group will resume in the new year on Thursday 18th January.
The Bible Study Prayer Group Thursday from 5-6pm at St Vincent’s Church, 40 Hamilton Ave Surfers Paradise. Come along and read/study Break Open the Word once a week on a Thursday evening from 5 to 6pm. Further enquiries to Ashley 040984069.
MEDITATION PRAYER GROUP
In the Morris prayer room, Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. The Meditation Group would very much like to welcome new members. Please phone Pam Egtberts at 0428090703.
ART AND CRAFT GROUP - NOW ON HOLIDAY RECESS - RESUMPTION DATE 24 JANUARY 2024
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.)
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 or you can bring in your ideas
A very relaxing and social environment - meet new friends! You are most welcome to join.
For further information, phone John 0412 759 205 or the Parish Office.
THE SACRED HEART BRIDGE CLUB- NOW ON HOLIDAY RECESS - WILL RESUME ON THE 8TH JANUARY 2024
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.
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 - NOW ON HOLIDAY RECESS - WILL RESUME ON 16TH JANUARY 2024
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 - LAST DAY FOR THE YEAR 2023 ON 19TH DECEMBER AND WILL RESUME ON 9TH JANUARY 2024
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.
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:
Rejoice always! Our Savior is near! The call to priesthood and/or religious life is a source of great joy to those who embrace their call with their whole heart, mind and soul. (1 Thes 5:16)
To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
“Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” – (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
This scripture reading sums up Stewardship. “Rejoice always” means place your trust in God; He will provide all you need. “Pray constantly” means prayer should be a running conversation with God throughout the day. “Give thanks in all circumstances” means even in dire situations, thank God. Suffering a little bit helps build empathy for others in similar situations and shows our dependence on God.
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 - Oh, Antiphons!
At evening prayer tonight, the church begins to invoke seven names for Jesus, traditionally called the “O Antiphons.” These names—Wisdom, Sacred Lord, Flower of Jesse’s Stem, Key of David, Radiant Dawn, King of All Nations, Emmanuel—suggest to us how the stories of the Old Testament foreshadow the arrival of God-With-Us. As Mary Winifred observes in Hasten the Kingdom: Praying the O Antiphons of Advent: "The Word, which joyfully shouted all the galaxies into being, left All Power and came silently into the womb of a young girl." Seek to encounter Jesus today in wise people, books, and practices.
“[John] came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.” (John 1:6-8, 19-28). ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
Shutterstock licensed Image: stock photo ID: 697915306. ISTANBUL, TURKEY - OCTOBER 30, 2015: Deesis - Byzantine mosaic in Hagia Sophia church, showing Jesus Christ and John the Baptist (Ioannes Prodromos), probably dates from 1261. By Zzvet.
GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND
*Prologue: Our Advent journey of waiting is nearing its end. Only one more Sunday after this, and then Christmas will be upon us!
There is a tone of increasing joy and expectation in the readings and prayers this weekend. The whole weekend is called "Rejoice Sunday," as we are filled with joy at the nearness of the Lord and the salvation he brings to us, and our loved ones and friends. This offer of salvation is for all people of every time and place. O Come, Lord Jesus and deliver us, without delay.
HOMILY -
There is something ironic here. John the Baptist himself illustrates in his own life, the disciple who is humble and self-forgetting, rejecting the temptation to pride, and being open to change his thinking, to match the ways of God. This extraordinary Prophet, who came to testify to the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World, himself practises the very word he preaches - because John the Baptist got a bit of a shock when Jesus arrived.
John had been preaching the old 'fire and brimstone' model of the Old Testament prophets. He taught that the judgement of God was close at hand. He warned people that God will come in power with his threshing sword and uproot the weeds and sort out the wheat from the chaff and throw the rubbish into the fire. He warned people that Christ would bring down God's judgment upon the earth - uprooting the stubborn plants... But then, astoundingly, along comes Jesus. Our Lord announces, (in line with our first reading), a time of grace and mercy. This is a season of jubilee, including the complete and wholesale cancellation of debt, as well as freedom of prisoners, the forgiveness of sin and renewed life and favour from God.
John is understandably confused. It is as if he was preparing everyone to celebrate a funeral and then at the very last minute someone rushes up and says, "Actually it's a wedding feast, not a funeral." That was the dramatic revelation that probably took John the Baptist, (and many others), by surprise. We know John the Baptist was fairly surprised and confused because we are told in Matthew's Gospel (11:13) that he sends disciples to ask Jesus: "are you the one who IS to come; or OUGHT we to wait for another????"
Let us instead be joyful followers, in the spirit of John. may we be ever ready and willing to adjust course according to the sudden and unexpected commands of God. God sees the whole picture and knows best. Certainly better than our mortal perceptions.
We would not be a very useful instrument in God's hand unless we are open to adjusting our direction at the sudden instructions of the master-craftsman. To be truly open to those fine adjustments, we must not assume that our vision is the perfect touchstone of how everything should be. Rather, we remain open to God's word, and the wisdom of the faith community and the experiences and insights of our brothers and sisters around us.
We can so easily want to stretch God's ways and thoughts so that they suit our desires and expectations. We are constantly on guard against this so that we can, just like John the Baptist, "decrease," so that Christ will "increase"...
References: Homily- Fr Paul W. Kelly
Shutterstock licensed Image: stock photo ID: 697915306. ISTANBUL, TURKEY - OCTOBER 30, 2015: Deesis - Byzantine mosaic in Hagia Sophia church, showing Jesus Christ and John the Baptist (Ioannes Prodromos), probably dates from 1261. By Zzvet
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
St Peter Canisius
"(St Peter Canisius had) an extraordinary devotion to the Holy Eucharist – his devotion to the Holy Sacrifice were such that people would come from great distances to watch him offer Mass, so devoutly did he celebrate. He was one of the people that urged frequent Communion at the Council of Trent and was one of those who got the Council of Trent to pass a little-known decree, little known because it took almost three hundred years for that decree to really come to life. The Council of Trent, mind you, sixteenth century, encouraged daily Communion – you would never guess it, would you? Peter Canisius was one of those who, under instructions from Ignatius,
made sure that the Council passed that decree and he spent hours before the Blessed Sacrament." Ven Servant of God Fr John A Hardon S.J. (1914-2000)
If you have too much to do, with God's help you will find time to do it all.
"Such should be the shepherd in the Church who, like Paul, becomes all things to all men, so that the sick may find healing in him; the sad, joy; the desperate, hope; the ignorant, instruction; those in doubt, advice; the penitent, forgiveness and comfort and finally, everyone, whatever is necessary, for salvation. And so Christ, when He wished to appoint the chief teachers of the world and of the Church, did not limit Himself to saying to his disciples: “You are the light of the world”; but also added these words: 'A city seated on a mountain cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a measure but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all who are in the house.' Those churchmen err, who imagine, that it is by brilliant preaching, rather than by holiness of all-embracing love, they fulfil their office."
"Better that only a few Catholics should be left, staunch and sincere in their religion than that they should, remaining many, desire as it were, to be in collusion with the Church's enemies and in conformity with the open foes of our faith.
These ceremonies which are used in the administration of the Sacraments, each of which we receive as delivered and entrusted to us through the hands of the fathers, must especially be retained and observed with great devotion.
It behoves us unanimously and inviolably to observe the ecclesiastical traditions, whether codified or simply retained by the customary practice of the Church.
Saint John of Kanty
"Fight all error but do it with good humour, patience, kindness and love. Harshness will damage your own soul and spoil the best cause."
"What kind of work can be nobler than to cultivate the minds of young people, guarding it carefully, so that the knowledge and love of God and His holy precepts go hand-in-hand with learning? To form young Christians and citizens-isn't this the most beautiful and noble-minded way to make use of life, of all one's talents and energy?"
"Going hand-in-hand with that true brand of humility one saw in him a great childlike humility. There was nothing deceitful or ambiguous in his actions and words. Whatever was in his heart he unhesitantly and honestly revealed. If he thought that his words, even when speaking the truth, could accidentally offend someone, he humbly asked for forgiveness before approaching the altar." Pope Clement X (In the Bull of Canonisation of St John of Kanty on 16 July 1767)
POPE FRANCIS:
XVI ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS. First Session. (4-29 October 2023). Synthesis Report - (CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK)
3. Entering the Community of Faith: Christian Initiation
Convergences
1. Christian initiation is the journey by which the Lord, through the ministry of the Church, introduces us to Easter faith and draws us into Trinitarian and ecclesial communion. This journey takes a variety of forms depending on the age at which it is undertaken and differing emphases characteristic of Eastern and Western traditions. However, listening to the Word and conversion of life, liturgical celebration and insertion into the community and its mission are always intertwined. Precisely for this reason, the catechumenal journey, with the gradualness of its stages and steps, is the paradigm for every ecclesial experience of walking together.
Initiation brings us into contact with a great variety of vocations and ecclesial ministries. All of these express the maternal face of a Church, a way of being that teaches its children to walk by walking with them. It listens to them and, as it responds to their doubts and questions, is enriched by the newness that each person brings through his or her history, language and culture. Through this pastoral action, the Christian community encounters synodality for the first time, often without being fully aware of it.
2. Before any distinction of charisms and ministries, "we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body" (1Cor. 12:13). Therefore, among all the baptised, there is a genuine equality of dignity and a common responsibility for mission, according to the vocation of each. By the anointing of the Spirit, who "teaches all things" (1Jn 2:27), all believers possess an instinct for the truth of the Gospel, the sensus fidei. This consists in a certain connaturality with divine realities and the aptitude to grasp what conforms to the truth of faith intuitively. Synodal processes enhance this gift, allowing the existence of that consensus of the faithful (consensus fidelium) to be confirmed. This process provides a sure criterion for determining whether a particular doctrine or practice belongs to the Apostolic faith.
3. The grace of Pentecost abides in the Church through the Sacrament of Confirmation. It enriches the faithful with the abundance of the gifts of the Spirit. It calls them to develop their specific vocation, rooted in their common baptismal dignity, in the service of mission. Its importance requires greater emphasis and it needs to be located in relation to the variety of charisms and ministries that form the synodal face of the Church.
4. The celebration of the Eucharist, especially on Sunday, is the first and fundamental form by which the Holy People of God gather and meet. When this is not possible, the community although desiring the Eucharist gathers to celebrate a Liturgy of the Word. In the Eucharist, we celebrate a mystery of grace which is given to us. By calling us to participate in his Body and Blood, the Lord forms us into one body, with one another and with Himself. Beginning with Paul's use of the term koinonia (cf. 1 Cor. 10:16-17), the Christian tradition has treasured the word "communion" to indicate at the same time full participation in the Eucharist, and, the nature of relationships among the faithful and among the Churches. While it opens us to the contemplation of the divine life, to the unfathomable depths of the Trinitarian mystery, this term also refers to the ‘everydayness’ of our relationships: in the simplest gestures by which we open ourselves to one another the breath of the Spirit genuinely breathes. This is why communion, which springs from the Eucharist and is celebrated in it, configures and directs the paths of synodality.
5. From the Eucharist we learn to articulate unity and diversity: unity of the Church and multiplicity of Christian communities; unity of the sacramental mystery and variety of liturgical traditions; unity of celebration and diversity of vocations, charisms and ministries. Nothing shows more than the Eucharist that the harmony created by the Spirit is not uniformity and that every ecclesial gift is intended for common edification.
6. The Sacrament of Baptism cannot be understood in isolation or outside the logic of Christian initiation, nor can it be understood in an individualistic way. Therefore, we need to explore further the contribution that a more unified vision of Christian initiation can make to the understanding of synodality.
7. A mature exercise of the sensus fidei requires not only reception of Baptism but a life lived in authentic discipleship that develops the grace of Baptism. This enables us to distinguish the action of the Spirit from merely dominant forms of thinking or cultural conditioning, or from matters inconsistent with the Gospel. Understanding the exercise of the sensus fidei is to be deepened with appropriate theological reflection.
8. Reflection on synodality can offer renewed insights into the understanding of Confirmation, by which the grace of the Spirit articulates the variety of gifts and charisms in the harmony of Pentecost. In light of different ecclesial experiences, ways to make the preparation and celebration of this Sacrament more fruitful should be considered, to awaken in all the faithful the call to community building, mission in the world and witness to the faith.
9. From a pastoral theological perspective, it is important to continue research into how the catechumenal way can offer inspiration for other pastoral paths, such as that of marriage preparation, or accompaniment in choosing professional and social commitments, or formation for the ordained ministry, in which the whole ecclesial community should be involved.
10. If the Eucharist shapes synodality, then the first step we should take is to celebrate the Mass in a way that befits the gift, with an authentic sense of friendship in Christ. Liturgy celebrated with authenticity is the first and fundamental school of discipleship. Its beauty and simplicity should form us prior to any other organised formation programme.
11. A second step refers to the widely reported need to make liturgical language more accessible to the faithful and more embodied in the diversity of cultures. Without calling continuity with tradition and the need for better liturgical formation into question, deeper reflection is needed. Episcopal Conferences should be entrusted with a wider responsibility in this regard, according to the Motu Proprio Magnum principium.
12. A third step consists in the pastoral commitment to widen community prayer beyond the celebration of Mass. Alternative forms of liturgical prayer, as well as practices of popular piety, in which the distinctiveness of local cultures is reflected, are elements of great importance in fostering the involvement of all the faithful. They introduce the faithful to the Christian mystery and bring those less familiar with the Church closer to an encounter with the Lord. Among the forms of popular piety, Marian devotion stands out because of its ability to sustain and nourish the faith of many.
(to be continued next week)
Source: https://www.synod.va/en/synodal-process/the-universal-phase/documents.html
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Vector ID: 1223436574- Pope Francis vector portrait.- Vector Contributor: kiciulla
God's self-communication- the meaning of Life, the universe and everything.
By Karl Rahner SJ (1904 –1984)
The fulfillment of human existence consists in receiving God's Self-communication and that the human being is actually constituted by this divine self-communication. He identifies grace with the self-communication of God. In this vein, he writes:
God wishes to communicate himself, to pour forth the love which he himself is. That is the first and the last of his real plans and hence of his real world too. Everything else exists so that this one thing might be: the eternal miracle of infinite Love. And so God makes a creature he can love: he creates man. He creates him in such a way that he can receive this Love which is God himself, and that he can and must at the same time accept it for what it is: the ever astounding wonder, the unexpected, unexacted gift [...] Thus in this second respect God must so create man that love does not only pour forth free and unexacted, but also so that man as real partner, as one who can accept or reject it, can experience and accept it as the unexacted event and wonder not owed to him, the real man. Karl Rahner (1904-1984)
What is the purpose of Market On Fairway.?
A place where creativity and concern for personal income open doors to a world of dreams.
I invite you to participate without the commitment of a contract or exuberant exposure, your work has a lot of value as each discovers their talent. All applications will be emailed, I hope to hear from you. From Grace R. grace.flowers.art@hotmail.com
Reception of Message Stick
Acknowledgment of Country
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.
Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Response: Amen
Leader: Happy are those who dwell in your house, O Lord
Response: For they will praise you for evermore.
Leader: In Indigenous culture, the Message Stick is an invitation. We are being called to gather together and celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Opening and Blessing of the Cathedral of St. Stephen in May 2024. For the Roman Catholic Church members in the Archdiocese of Brisbane, this Cathedral is our family home. We give thanks for all that God has done for us and the ways in which God continues to work among us. For those who come to the city centre, the Cathedral is an important place of prayer, hospitality and celebration. The Cathedral stands as a sign and invitation for all people to find shelter beneath your wings, O God and that we might grow as people of faith, hope and love through your Holy Spirit.
Reading:
A reading from the First Letter of Peter (1 Peter 1-5)
Seek peace by striving to rid yourselves of all anger, bitterness, resentment, insincerity, envy, and all words that cause harm. Like newborn infants, long for nourishing, spiritual food, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Come to the Lord, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
The Word of Lord. Thanks be to God.
Prayers of Intercession
For the Archdiocese of Brisbane; that together we will continue to hear the Living Word of Jesus and be faithful to the joy and the demands of the Gospel. Lord, hear us.
R: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For Archbishop Mark, Bishop Tim and all the leaders of the Archdiocese; that they may be wise and courageous witnesses to the power of faith, hope and love. Lord, hear us.
R: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For all who enter the Cathedral to celebrate, to pray or to seek sanctuary; that the Cathedral will always speak to them of the God who loves them, and who accompanies them through all of life’s joys and sorrows. Lord, hear us.
R: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For those who are seeking and searching for meaning in their lives; may they always feel at home in the Cathedral surrounds and come to know that God is very near to them. Lord, hear us.
R: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For the generations of believers who have helped build the Cathedral and its community; may they have a share in the great Heavenly banquet hall and may their prayers and intercession be a source of blessing for us. Lord, hear us.
R: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.
The Lord’s Prayer:
As your faithful people, we pray:
Our Father, Who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy Kingdom come
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil. Amen.
PRAYER FOR THE SESQUICENTENARY OF THE CATHEDRAL OF ST STEPHEN
Down by the river, heavenly Father,
on this earth our mother,
where children of the Dreaming
long made a home before us,
our forebears in faith have built
this mother church of St Stephen,
a family home for you and us.
Stone by stone and prayer by prayer
they have raised this holy house,
familiar forms on foreign land,
a place where Brisbane could know
Christ’s sacrifice and feast,
where you could speak and we could listen,
where the tide of your mercy could flow.
Here saints and sinners have come,
bringing their young and their dead,
all their hopes and their dreams.
Through times of sorrow and joy
the stones have spoken of Easter,
of a life that is bigger than death,
of a love that has the last word.
Through one hundred and fifty years,
we have made the building
and the building has made us,
a temple of living stones.
Now we tell the story of your grace,
thankful as we remember.
By that same unfailing grace
may this cathedral never cease to be
a home for all at the heart of the city
and a house for you, God-with-us,
on this earth down by the river.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Final Blessing
May the Lord who longs to gather together the whole human family,
Lead us to understand more deeply that we are all sisters and brothers.
May God give us the nourishment of Word and Sacrament,
so that continually renewed and remade,
we might be faithful and loving disciples in this life,
and sharers in the great feast in the banquet hall of Eternal life.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Leader: Let us bless the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God. Amen.
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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