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“He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and those who cannot,to speak.” (Mark 7:31-37).
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Vector ID: 2182829123. An illustration of Jesus Christ heals a blind man. People gather to watch. Biblical Series. Vector Contributor -AndryDj
PASTOR’S POST -
In today's Gospel, we hear of one of Jesus’ healings—this time of a deaf man who, by Jesus' touch, begins to hear and, therefore, speak. As with all his healing miracles, Jesus brings the man back into the human community from the isolation to which his deafness and inability to communicate had condemned him. The outcast finally comes home.
Thank goodness in these modern days, the widespread use of the beautiful “Auslan” sign language and other forms of sign language, as well as the ready availability of translation from “voice-to-text” and the regular use of interpreters at significant civic events, has opened up a broader world to those who cannot hear or speak. We now understand the rich, vibrant, and unique culture, subtlety, and detail within deaf communities. The Lord continues to open our eyes, ears, and lips to widen our understanding of how God makes many connections and enables communication and appreciation of others in their differences.
What the prophet Isaiah foretold, Jesus now does, and what Jesus did then, the Church does now. A Church that doesn’t open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf, which doesn’t help the lame to leap like a deer, and the tongue of the silent to now sing for joy, cannot be the Church of Jesus Christ.
That’s why we have the services of the Church, which is indeed a missionary Church that reaches out to those who are physically, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually cast out.
We heard recently, during the Catholic Campaign, that Archdiocesan services such as Centacare’s Pastoral Ministries are a hidden but essential outreach of the Church. The MacKillop Catholic School Access Fund makes Catholic education possible for children whose families are in financial or spiritual crisis. The Priest’s Foundation ensures that priests who have given their lives in service are adequately cared for when they are sick or retired. Holy Spirit Seminary educates future priests so they can embrace the outcast. Thanks again to everyone who was able to help by ongoing prayer, financial support, or both. It is so important and so much needed.
Ours is a very dry land, and it can also be a desert of the heart. Christ calls us to ensure the waters of compassion flow forth into every desert—from thirsty ground will come living water, springing up to eternal life.
Fr Paul Kelly
INSTALLATION THANK-YOU
My heartfelt thanks to everyone for the beautiful Installation Mass last Saturday. It was a time of joy and peace. It was lovely to be surrounded by my beloved family - my mother, sister, brothers and sisters-in-law, and of course parishioners - the reason we are here in the first place, and led by the Archbishop in the Eucharist, and joined by fellow priests and Deacon Gary. A sincere thankyou to everyone! It’s an honour and a joy to be of service to this community.
SAINT KEVINS SCHOOL HAS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM CALLED “STORY DOG”
It involves volunteers helping with reading. Here is Cherie from the parish, with one of the students who would be reading with Cherie and her lovely dog, Remy. In a peaceful and pleasant setting, the children's focus improves, their literacy skills increase and their confidence soars. Dogs and their accepting, loving nature spark this program and help children relax, open up, try harder and have fun while reading to a friendly, calm dog— excellent work done by all.
Thanks to APRE Mrs Vannesse Miller for this photo.
The Cathedral of Saint Stephen in Brisbane
Its annual Wedding Anniversary Mass is coming up on Saturday, the 28th of September at 11:30 am.
THIS WEEK, THE ARCHDIOCESE HELD THE FIRST SESSION OF ITS LOCAL SYNOD - ON 6-7 SEPTEMBER IN BRISBANE.
At the synod, the Very Reverend Morgan Batt (the Dean of South Coast Deanery here), Fr Paul Kelly, and Robyn Hunt represent our deanery. The next session will be the second week of October. Please keep the Synod and its processes, led by the Holy Spirit, in your prayers.
Please see the next page for the Synod Prayer …..
THE BIBLE TIMELINE – THE STORY OF SALVATION
ADULT FAITH FORMATION BIBLE STUDY
From One Holy Couple (Creation) to One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church (Today)
WHEN: On the last Sunday of the Month – commencing on 28th July 2024.
WHERE: in the Parish Hospitality Room - (next to Sacred Heart Church - 50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters
Queensland 4226, on Sundays from 10 am – 12 pm.
There is no cost; however, you will need to purchase The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation, Study Set ($35.95 plus postage), which can be obtained from Ascension Press – The Faith Formation Leader. The Study Set will contain The Bible Timeline Study Book, Chart and Bookmark - https://ascensionpress.com/
NOTE: If you want us to purchase for you (we may save a little postage in bulk), we will need your details by Tuesday next week (23rd July) to ensure that you have the material on time for 28th July.
Around seven years ago, we looked at Unlocking the Mysteries of the Bible. This study program is the complete study version, an In-depth Exploration of Salvation History, which will require considerable pre-reading monthly of various sections of the Bible, and that is why we will do it monthly to ensure we allow ourselves sufficient time to give this Study our full participation. This way, we will get the most from the sessions, and once we see the big picture of the Bible, we will be able to understand Scripture in a whole new way. The Mass readings will make more sense. You will see how our beliefs as Catholics are rooted in Scripture, your prayers will come to life, and you will know how you are part of this remarkable story.
The Bible Timeline® study program takes you on a guided journey through salvation history. Presenter Jeff Cavins shows you how fourteen of the Bible’s narrative books tell the biblical story from beginning to end and gives you the keys to understanding the amazing story woven through Scripture. Using a unique colour-coded chart, you will learn the
Bible's significant people, places, and events and discover how they all come together to reveal the remarkable story of our Faith. Bookings can be made by ringing the Parish Office (new): (07) 5671 7388 (9 am – 2 pm Mon-Fri). We’re excited to be able to present this resource, so please join us.
HOLLYWOOD STAR MAKES THIRD PRAYERFUL APPEARANCE AT SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH - Latest video view was 2.5 million (as of Thurs 5th), and with previous posts at 4.9 million and 17.5 million views!
A familiar face joins in for the Installation Mass at Sacred Heart.
Happy Sunday - Stay Prayed Up.
Catholic and Actor Mark Wahlberg attended and participated in the Installation Mass at the parish last weekend and sent his wonderful weekly prayer greeting on his Instagram. God bless him for his inspiring witness to the Catholic/ Christian faith. “Stay prayed up!” #hallowapp #markwahlberg.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_XW7mzS6O3/?igsh=MXY0czF0aHJyZzBhYw==
SCAM ALERT!
Scam messages are doing the rounds again.If you receive a suspicious or confusing SMS message (and any other illegitimate SMS), or a suspicious email, we recommend forwarding it to 0429 999 888 (the Australian Government spam reporting line). Or if it is an email message of concern, please forward it to: report@submit.spam.acma.gov.au
To tune in to The Weekend Mass (the sound podcast), please regularly visit the link below to listen to the Mass (including the sermon) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish. Please see this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) - (It is updated at intervals just before the following Sunday or Feastday - https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
Also found at - https://tinyurl.com/FHLpwk.
Cathy Anderson andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au.
Please use the information in the table below to begin or continue the faith journey with your child.
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
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: Please also pray for the following who are ill. (Alphabetical)
Robert Andreas, Milroy Antony, Tricia Baumann, Nadia Che, Tina Conidi, Helen Cooper, Alfonso Covino, Shirley Croft, Christopher Eid, Lorraine Gallagher, Ellanie Gonzalez, Jenny Haines, Tommy Harris, Kevin Junee, Marjorie Kennedy, Kath Kiely, Jan Kristenson, Dannielle Therese Larney, Nathan Lepp, Sharyn Lucas, l McGuigan, Joanne Mooney, Maryann Moore, Denis Mullins, Margaret Orme, Letty O’Sullivan, Carmela Parente, Lesley Petroni, Rachel Raines, Bob Rogers, Maureen Scott, Brenda Stewart, Betty Taylor, Leonardo Torcaso, Denise Tracey, Paul Trad, Billy Webb.
RECENTLY DECEASED: (Chronological - Most recent first):
Colleen Williams, Merle Maiden, Bill Brewer, Damian Mullins, Chieko Kajwara, John Brown, Terry Bourke, Jay Ahrt.Garcia, Sr Anna Ventura, Sophie Wang, Chieko Kajiwara, Veda Hope, John Thomas, Sheila Nelly Brick, Iluminada Concepcion, Peter Casserly, Diane Van Der Valk, Enrico Di Moia, Norma McLennan, Bernard Colahan, Paula Beric, Joanne Parkes, Ken Vincent, Robert De Souza, Chris Kopacz, Panfilo Bantugan.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: (Alphabetical)
Frank Alaba, Vincent Attard, Balanza Family, Carina Faith Barrington, Fr Dudley Boland, Franciska Bukowski, Camillo Ciabattoni, Stanton Geoffrey Curtis, Edna Foy, Fr Terence Ganzer, Josephine Di Giorgio, Fay Marie Giovine, Gerada Hendriksen, Thomas Edward Holt, Briggita Kelleris, Harry Kelleris, Thelma and Leo Lampago, Fanny Macky, Maria di Martino, Janina Momont, Patrick Mulcahy, Fr Sean Nugent, Mario Pase, Fr Joseph Pender, Fr James Power, Bożenna Rayson, Kaye Maria Sheppard, Daniel Simpson, Iole Svir, World Trade Centre (11/9/2001) Attack Anniversary WTC, Louise Marie Young.
And Also: (Alphabetical):
Frederick Jerome (Fred) Anderson, Del Enid Anderson, Colin Francis Bingham, Molly Brennan, Max Butler, Fr Denis Byrne, Joe Dominiak, Wladyslawa Dominiak, Bp Edward Doody, Clement Durkin, Fr Vincent Dwyer, Luciano Fioravanti, Joan Margaret Gibbon, Gordon Peter Gillespie, Fr Thomas Guy, Edna Hamilton, Robert George Hanley, Gerardus Hendriksen, Patricia Mary “Tricia” Keevers, Fr Christopher Lynch, Fanny Macky, Mario Paul Mazza, Dr Des McGarry, Bernard William McKay, Helen McMeniman, Linda G. Mirasol, Sr Mary Josephine O’Brien, Topie Paagalua, Carmela Parente, Michael Perta, Antonia Johanna Maria “Tony” de Ruyter, Gina Fortini Sanguigno, Algernon Scharenguivel, Jenifer Margaret Slattery, Timothy Sullivan, Dean Tamer, Fr Brian Taylor, Joseph Francis Wherby, Carol Rose Williamson, Fr Albert Wright.
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 go 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 Private Hosp.- Southport Parish. 5510 2222
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS - SACRED HEART AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCHES
A new supply of Bibles have arrived in our shops.
MARIAN VALLEY BUS TRIP
Please join us at the Marian Valley Church for The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 07.09.2024 and 13.09.2024, Our Lady of Fatima's Feast. The bus will pick up Sharp at 8.15 am 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, Madeleine at 0405 252 367 or 5529 1573; All are welcome.
SACRED HEART ROSARY PRAYER GROUP
Please join us to pray the Divine Mercy and Rosary each day at 8:15 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Church before 9 a.m. Mass, Monday through Friday, including First Saturdays.
ANOINTING MASS - MASS OF HEALING FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH (February-November Inclusive)
The next Healing Mass is on 1/10/24 at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, followed by morning tea. Please let others know who would love to attend.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament First Friday, 6/9/24, at Sacred Heart Church from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. All welcome. "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. 7/9/24 at 9 am - Followed by adoration and Benediction. {This is a votive Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary}.
ART AND CRAFT GROUP
The Group meets in the Parish Hospitality Centre on Wednesdays from 9 am to 12 noon. 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 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.
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, please email surfers@bne.catholic.net.au.
OUR LADY’S STATUE -
Praying the Rosary - Our Lady’s Statue in the Parish -
Details of the Statue of Our Lady are going around the Parish.
If you want her in your home and say the Rosary,
Please contact Maxine or Pat. For more information, please email: psela@bigpond.com
or surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
Our Lady’s Statue details for the next several weeks are:
9/09/2024 Bernadette Healey & Family Arundel
16/9/2024 Glary and Rudi Camara Southport
23/9/2024 Glary and Rudi Camara Southport
30/9/2024 Maria Anderson -Broadbeach
7/10/2024 Maria Anderson - Broadbeach
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 more information, please email: surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
BIBLE STUDY/PRAYER GROUP - ST VINCENT’S CHURCH, SURFERS PARADISE.
The Bible Study Prayer Group meets every Thursday from 5-6 pm at St Vincent’s Church,
(40 Hamilton Ave, Surfers Paradise). Come along and read/study Break Open the Word
weekly from 5 pm to 6 pm. For further enquiries, please contact the Parish Office. surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
MEDITATION PRAYER GROUP
The meditation group meets in the Morris prayer room on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. It would very much like to welcome new members. For more information, please email: surfers@bne.catholic.net.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 contact Grace. For more information, please email:grace.flowers.art@hotmail.com or surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
Long-Term Volunteer Opportunities in the Australia-Pacific Region - The Cagliero Project, Salesians of Don Bosco
We are seeking long-term (6-12 month) volunteers to depart in January 2025 to work with young people in our Salesian communities in Samoa, Cambodia, Timor Leste, Solomon Islands, and Mongolia. Applications close October 31st, 2024. Send us an enquiry - www.cagliero.org.au orlhichaaba@salesians.org.au
Volunteer Opportunities - English Teachers, Youth Workers & Youth Ministers
The Cagliero Project is an initiative of the Australia-Pacific Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco, providing overseas volunteer experiences for Australians and New Zealanders who wish to work with young people in the Asia-Pacific region.
We are seeking enthusiastic volunteers for January 2025 departure. Our volunteer placements run for 6-12 months and are centered around working with young people in educational settings. We are currently recruiting for volunteers for Cambodia, Samoa, Timor Leste, Mongolia and the Solomon Islands.
We aim to utilise the skills and talents of our volunteers to provide the best possible contribution to the host community. Our aim is not to ‘help’ but to walk in solidarity with young people and for volunteer and host to have a mutual learning experience. We are also present in host communities to be role models - people that young people can aspire to be.
Cagliero volunteers commit themselves to working in the ‘Salesian way’. This means that young people are the central focus in all work. The Salesian way also means joyfully approaching life with a loving heart. The experience as a Cagliero volunteer is not about the volunteer but is focused on the people we serve. However, serving as a Cagliero volunteer will probably be the most rewarding thing you ever do!
For more information or to send us an enquiry, follow this link: http://cagliero.org.au/
Applications close October 31st, 2024.
Contact: Lauren Hichaaba, Director of the Cagliero Project
Email: lhichaaba@salesians.org.au
HOMILY: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B.
Image Credit—Shutterstock Licensed. Stock AI-generated image ID: 2422767643—Outdoor photo of Jesus healing the blind man. Important information: This content was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system. AI-generated image Contributor: Shutterstock AI Generator.
GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND - Homily: Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time.Year B - Sunday, 8 September 2024.
PROLOGUE:
In the church's early years, it would have been a real change of mindset for Christians when they gathered as one group. The rich and the very poor, master and slave, would have to sit down as equals in God's house. The name we use is Christian, and following Christ requires that long, slow journey of changed attitudes and actions and forming a new mind with God's grace (FHL).
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HOMILY:
Thank goodness for Saint James's letter. It's a beautiful piece of practical instruction that remains as relevant today as when it was written. Faith and discipleship have very practical implications.
Following Jesus means a radical transformation of attitude, behaviour, and vision. We're called to be people who can see beyond appearances, people who don't settle on worldly standards of value but are trained by our loving God to see the world as God sees it and to see the actual value of people and things around us with the standards of Christ's gospel.
The gospel investigates the heart of the person, not the outward appearances, and that goes to the true spirit of the law and not just the letter, which values the “doing” more than the mere “saying.” This is why Jesus calls us to pray constantly, to meditate on the scriptures and ponder their meaning. This is why we're called to gather in community and not try and go it alone, to be supported and challenged by the teachings of the faith community as it journeys towards the fullness of Jesus' kingdom.
Our Lord, while healing the man in today's gospel, says to him, “Be opened,” and he says to each one of us, " Be opened.” Be open to my new way of seeing things in the world. Be open to listening and hearing God's ways in your lives.
We could spend a long time reflecting on the implications of today's letter from St. James. With its resounding clarity, the message is clear: Do not make distinctions, and do not judge by outward appearances. The ordinary worldly standard of judging by wealth or status is not applicable in God's kingdom.
If any preference is to be given, it's to the poor, the needy, the outcast, the widow, the orphan, the sinner, the one who's most struggling. The gospel describes the physical journey taken by Jesus very interestingly. It's a long, long journey.
Geographically, it's odd. It's like saying, relative to local geography here, that Jesus walked from the equivalent of Surfers' Paradise (in southeast Queensland), heading for Brisbane via Tamborine Mountain. That is not a shortcut; quite the opposite.
It's the long way around, the long, long way around. This journey in Jesus' own homeland was purposeful, slow, and isolated in many areas. Jesus was taking the slow, steady journey to go out of his way to meet people often forgotten on the edges of the area's geography.
Also, it was a slow journey to take lots of quality time to be alone with his disciples at some length, to slowly but surely teach them and to reveal to them his radical and true vision of the kingdom of God, which was very different from what they expected from previous experiences and values. In the church's early years, it would have been a fundamental change of mindset for Christians when they gathered together as one group because they met the rich and the very poor in the church. Even more interesting, the master and the slave would have to sit down as equals in God's house.
We, too, can fall into the trap of making distinctions, being partial or biased, or having favouritism. The name we use is Christian, and being followers of Christ requires that long, slow journey of changed attitudes and actions and forming a new mind with God's grace, where Christ's thinking and values replace our old earthly values. In many ways, it's a lifelong journey. Along the way, we might stumble or occasionally fall back into attitudes and behaviours that are not the ways of Jesus and are nothing more than the ways of the world around us.
So we have to be vigilant, on our guard against these traps, contradictions, and hypocrisies that can arise even in the most well-meaning disciple of Christ. Non-Christians, even though they may not share our beliefs, are very quick to notice and point out any contradictions in our behaviour as Christians. Non-Christians often claim that any perceived inconsistency in our behaviour, as compared with the message of the Gospel, is a real barrier to our credibility.
In the second reading, St James agrees with that. There are so many ways, big and small, in which we can often unwittingly, without realising, contradict the radical message of Jesus. St James says that partiality, favouritism, and self-interest have nothing to do with the Gospel.
It's also a slow and subtle start of a form of cronyism, favouritism, and corruption that, in secular societies as well as in religious communities, is absolutely poisonous. Any sense of entitlement or partiality can derail a community. It would undoubtedly move it further away from the Gospel of Christ.
We must guard against it, and it's an easy mistake. We can all be tempted to trade in Jesus' message and vision and swap it for a pale, watered-down, self-serving imitation of Christianity. Jesus invites us to be open, to be open to my ways, to be open to my values and vision.
Our Lord offers to heal us of any spiritual barriers that prevent us from seeing and hearing the truth about our values and motives and how close we are to Jesus' values (or how far we are from Christ’s). So, our Lord gives the man back his hearing. God still achieves that today in ways beyond that particular example of healing. God invites and allows people to be open and genuinely hear and perceive him. But God knows that the more faithfully one listens to God's unique voice within our hearts, where the Spirit of God lives, the better one hears what's happening outside us. We, too, add to the chorus of voices saying, “He does all things well.”
As always, Our Lord transforms the most trying situations, passing through the bitter valley and, in its wake, making it a place of living springs.
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References:
Homily – & Prologue - Fr Paul W. Kelly
William Barclay – the Daily Study Bible, James 2, and Mark's Gospel. THE WESTMINSTER PRESS, Philadelphia. Revised Edition. 1976
Image Credit—Shutterstock Licensed. Stock AI-generated image ID: 2422767643—Outdoor photo of Jesus healing the blind man. Important information: This content was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system. AI-generated image Contributor: Shutterstock AI Generator.
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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
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 adults at risk. The organisation is fully committed to child safety and has zero tolerance for abusing children or adults at risk.
YEAR OF PRAYER - RESOURCE
My Hope, Saint Therese Lisieux, Little Flower of Jesus
Though in a foreign land, I dwell afar,
I taste in dreams the endless joys of heaven.
Fain would I fly beyond the farthest star,
And see the wonders to the ransomed given!
No more the sense of exile weighs on me,
When once I dream of that immortal day.
To my true fatherland, dear God! I see,
For the first time I soon shall fly away.
Ah! give me, Jesus! wings as white as snow,
That unto Thee I soon may take my flight.
I long to be where flowers unfading blow;
I long to see Thee, O my heart’s Delight!
I long to fly to Mary’s mother-arms, —
To rest upon that spotless throne of bliss;
And, sheltered there from troubles and alarms,
For the first time to feel her gentle kiss.
Thy first sweet smile of welcoming delight
Soon show, O Jesus! to Thy lowly bride;
O’ercome with rapture at that wondrous sight,
Within Thy Sacred Heart, ah! Let me hide.
O happy moment! And O heavenly grace!
When I shall hear Thee, Jesus, speak to me;
And the full vision of Thy glorious Face
For the first time my longing eyes shall see.
Thou knowest well, my only martyrdom
Is love, O Heart of Jesus Christ! for Thee;
And if my soul craves for its heavenly home,
‘Tis but to love Thee more, eternally.
Above, when Thy sweet Face unveiled, I view,
Measure nor bounds shall to my love be given;
Forever my delight shall seem as new
As the first time my spirit entered heaven. Amen.
https://evangelisationbrisbane.org.au/year-of-prayer/
A VOCATION VIEW:
Has not God chosen the poor of the world to inherit the kingdom? Chosen to be rich in faith. So, take heart, be unafraid, and consider your part in God’s Kingdom. The encounter with Jesus never leaves one unaffected, but our ears must be opened to receive His word. (Mark 7:31-37). To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
“Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?” (James 2:5)
What is more important – being rich in faith or rich in possessions? Society tells us that possessions are the most important. God teaches a different lesson. When rich in faith, we keep God first and experience true joy and peace. When we put possessions first, we soon realise we can never have enough, and happiness is fleeting. When we put faith over possessions, we genuinely know giving is better than receiving.
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 - Shopping made simple!
What do you give to the saint who has everything? Mother Teresa of Calcutta was among the spiritually wealthiest people on the planet throughout her productive life caring for the poor. The date of her death, September 5, was quickly recognised in Hungary as an occasion to be perpetually honoured. In 2012, the United Nations declared this date as the International Day of Charity in her memory. As Mother Teresa demonstrated, simple acts of charity reach across divisions and make communities more resilient. Contribute to the healing of society today by charitable giving, locally or globally.
This week - a beautiful FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY is usually on the 8th of September. However, because this lands on a Sunday this year, the Sunday SOlemnity overrides it. However - we can still note its deep significance here…..
It is the Feast of the Birth of our Salvation! . Micah 5:1-4a or Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23 (636).
“From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old.”
The birth of our salvation
In 431, bishops at the Council of Ephesus decreed Mary as Theotokos, a Greek word that means “God-bearer”—or, more commonly, “Mother of God.” Her birthday was celebrated at the beginning of the year—in Constantinople, the calendar began on September 1—because Mary’s birth is also the beginning of our salvation through her son. “Be of good cheer,” wrote Saint Andrew of Crete, “this is the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin and of the renewal of the human race!” Honour Mary today by praying the Magnificat, also known as the “Ode of the Theotokos.”
INSPIRATION FROM THE SAINTS:
SEPTEMBER 8 - The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (not celebrated on this date in 2024 as it lands on a Sunday).
This feast originated in Jerusalem about the sixth century, a development of the feast of the dedication of the church of Saint Anne, built in Jerusalem "where Mary was born". Observed in Rome in the seventh century, it was later used to determine the date of Mary's Immaculate Conception. Because of her importance in salvation history, Mary's birthday is celebrated as well as those of her son, Jesus the Lord, and the great forerunner - Saint John the Baptist (24 June).
SEPTEMBER 9 - m - Saint Peter Claver, priest
What can we do in the face of injustice and inhumanity? We read and hear about it in the news; we see it play out on our borders and in our cities. But what can one person do? Peter Claver, a pious seminarian from Spain who volunteered for the Spanish colonies, was deeply troubled by the treatment of slaves brought from Africa to Cartagena. He headed for the wharf as soon as a slave ship entered the port, boarded, and ministered to the desperately ill human cargo who had managed to survive the horrendous journey. He also advocated and petitioned, insisting that human rights be respected. No evil is so great that you cannot be a force for lessening it.
The Most Holy Name of Mary.
The commemoration began in Spain in 1513. The feast was extended to the entire Church following the defeat of Muslim armies at Vienna on this day in 1683 by a Polish army fighting under the name of Mary. By her name, Christians refer to the person of the Virgin Mary, mother of God and mother of the Church.
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Initially, this day commemorated the dedication of Constantine's Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in the fourth century; after the celebration, the wood of the cross was venerated. The feast spread in the West after recovering the relics of the cross from Persia in the seventh century. A feast of the Lord, it celebrates the "lifting up" of the Son of Man on the cross into glory, and the paradox of the cross as a sign of humiliation and death, yet the source of victory and life.
THE POPE
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Pope article: Report by Justin McLellan via National Catholic Reporter. (CNS/Vatican Media)
Death penalty fuels 'poison' of revenge in society, pope says
Capital punishment promotes a deadly attitude of revenge and denies the possibility of change in the lives of incarcerated people, Pope Francis said.
"The death penalty is in no way the solution to the violence that can strike innocent people," the pope wrote in the preface to a new book on prison chaplaincy.
Capital executions, "far from bringing justice, fuel a sense of revenge that becomes a dangerous poison for the body of our civil societies," the pope wrote. Rather than continue the cycle of violence, governments "should focus on allowing prisoners the opportunity to truly change their lives, rather than investing money and resources in their execution, as if they were human beings no longer worthy of living and to be disposed of."
The book featuring the pope's preface, "A Christian on Death Row," shares the experiences of Dale Recinella, a lay Catholic prison chaplain and licensed attorney who, along with his wife, has accompanied people on death row and in solitary confinement in Florida prisons since 1998. Published by the Vatican publishing house, it was set to go on sale Aug. 27.
Francis called Recinella's work a "living and passionate witness to God's school of infinite mercy " and a "great gift to the church and to society in the United States."
In light of the upcoming Holy Year 2025, the pope wrote Catholics should "collectively call for the abolition of the death penalty."
"As the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy taught us, we must never think that there could be a sin, a mistake, or an action of ours that distances us permanently from the Lord. His heart has already been crucified for us," he wrote. "And God can only forgive us."
In 2018, the pope formally changed the Catholic Church's Catechism to unambiguously oppose the death penalty. While the previous language allowed for the death penalty in extreme cases, the revised entry calls it "inadmissible" and states that the church "works for determination for its abolition worldwide."
In his preface, Francis said that God's infinite mercy toward each person "can also be scandalous," noting the many criticisms and rejections Recinella has faced for his prison ministry. "But is it not true that Jesus welcomed in His embrace a thief condemned to death?" the pope asked.
"Even the most heinous of our sins does not mar our identity in God's eyes: we remain His children, loved by Him, protected by Him and considered precious."
Francis explained that in one loving gaze, "like Christ on the cross," incarcerated people "may find a new meaning in their lives and, indeed, in their deaths."
https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/death-penalty-fuels-poison-revenge-society-pope-says
Commitment to Child Safety and Adults at Risk. We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all members of our community. Please see the pages below for more information. ………………..
Acknowledgement of Country -
This is Kombumerri Country, the traditional custodian 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/)
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** The significance of the ancient Catholic Blessing Symbol. “20 C+M+B 24”
An ancient medieval practice that developed in the Catholic Church was to bless one’s home with blessed chalk at the yearly epiphany. On the door or the lintel will be this symbol:
This means that 2000 years ago, after Christ’s birth, Wise Men visited and gave homage to the Lord and were welcomed into the hospitality of the Holy Family’s abode. We dedicate the present year of this century, ‘24, to the protection of the Lord. May the Lord bless this abode.
The letters C+M+B represent Caspar, Bathasar and Melchior, the three Wise Men. CMB is also the initials of the Latin phrase “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” - “May Christ Bless this dwelling place.”
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St Kevin’s Catholic School, Community business directory: https://www.sk.qld.edu.au/Pages/Rainbow-Connection.aspx
Each Parish in the Archdiocese of Brisbane has a Local Safeguarding Representative who is responsible for:
Making sure that the whole parish is aware of the importance of safeguarding children and adults at risk.
Promoting safe practices, including articulating for others what is appropriate and inappropriate behaviour, and
Assisting the Parish Priest and staff in the implementation of the Archdiocesan Safeguarding Children and Adults-at-risk Policy in the Parish
The Archdiocesan Safeguarding Children & Adults-at-risk Prevention & Protection Policy can be found at: https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/support/safeguard
WAYS TO REPORT A SAFEGUARDING INCIDENT OR CONCERN OR TO GIVE FEEDBACK REGARDING SAFEGUARDING
Here is how you can report an incident or concern, or contact someone to talk about a safeguarding matter or get more information:
Talk to the police (Emergency: '000' Non-emergency: 131 444) or KidsHelpLine (1800 55 1800 or www.kidshelpline.com.au)
Through the anonymous STOPline (1300 304 550 or AOB@stopline.com.au)
talk to our Local Parish Safeguarding Representative
Fill out a Safeguarding Incident Report and send it to safeguarding@bne.catholic.net.au or GPO Box 282 Brisbane Qld 4001
VOLUNTEERS - Parish Ministries, Groups etc.
The Archdiocese of Brisbane has implemented standards of conduct for voluntary church workers to maintain a safe and healthy ministry environment. Our commitment to these standards requires that we have a record of your Blue Card and conduct background referencing for all who intend to engage in voluntary ministry, having direct and regular involvement with children, young people and adults at risk.
SAFEGUARDING TRAINING
The Archdiocese of Brisbane has the following safeguarding training packages, Safeguarding Induction, Applied Safeguarding Training and Training for Local Safeguarding Representatives, which can be viewed here: https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/safeguarding/safeguarding-training
BLUE CARD - ‘No Card, No Start’
Individuals must have a valid blue card before starting paid work or volunteering. All cardholders must apply to renew their blue card before it expires to continue working/volunteering. If an individual lets their card expire, they must cease work until they obtain a new valid blue card. For further information about the Blue Card Application process, please click here >>
SEE ALSO
‘Police Check’ can now be completed online using InterCheck. Volunteers can do this via the Volunteer Portal, http://archbne.org/welcome, which will inform them whether they need a Police Check for their ministry.
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