PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*:
You can also access an online -web- copy of the newsletter *Webcopy here*
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14)
Image: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/oGbRAuugM82iSZp646hq?ru=Paul-Evangelion
PASTOR’S POST -
The readings this weekend show a recurring theme about family membership. God has made us his children. Through God's gracious action, we are all adopted sons and daughters. God now treats us as full members of the family and with all the rights and duties of a family member. It is through Jesus that we become part of God’s family. We are all brothers and sisters of Jesus. This is such a special and profound gift. Through our baptism, we become part of God’s family, which includes being brothers and sisters with all the saints who have gone before us into eternal life and stand in the presence of God, praising him night and day and continuing to pray for us and intercede for us to Our Heavenly Father.
If the world truly realised and acted upon the truth of this message, we would be living in a different situation. If everyone acted as if they were indeed brothers and sisters to each other, then surely we would be so much closer to an end to war, violence, and hatred.
They say ‘blood is thicker than water,’ but in the Christian mindset (which turns on its head the world's values), the water of Baptism is much thicker and stronger than the ties of blood relations. The first reading is also powerful as it reminds us that men and women were created to be equal, helpers, and supporters of each other along life’s path.
“Your Son went down from the heights of his divinity to the depths of our humanity. Can anyone’s heart remain closed and hardened after this?” —Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
Fr Paul Kelly
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Pope Francis and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pizzaballa have urged the whole Church to join in prayer for peace in the Middle East on Monday 7 October, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Parishes, communities and individuals can decide how that might best be done. Masses on that day should include prayers for peace, using perhaps one of the Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation, and the homily might speak of peace. Recitation of the Rosary would be an obvious option on the feast-day.
Here is a prayer which might also be used:
God of all peace,
who turn swords into ploughshares,
we hold up to you the bloodshed of the Middle East,
asking that you put an end to violence,
silence the weapons of war
and bring justice for all,
so that cries of lament
may turn to praise of your mercy.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
(Letter from Archbishop Mark, Archbishop of Brisbane, 4/10/24. Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi).
The Unutterable Name of God:
In June 2008, the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments sent a letter to bishops’ conferences about “the divine name signified in the sacred Tetragrammaton.” The Tetragrammaton is “YHWH,” the four consonants of the ancient Hebrew name for God.
The letter explained that from the beginning of the Church, “the sacred Tetragrammaton was never pronounced nor written in any of the languages into which the Bible was translated”.
It also said that “in songs and prayers, the name of God in the form of the tetragrammaton YHWH is neither to be used nor pronounced.” Because it was never spoken, the exact pronunciation of YHWH is not now known.
It occurs in various forms, including Yahweh, Jahweh and Yehovah.
The Church has always been sensitive to concerns among observant Jews about pronouncing the name of God. However, the practice crept in and included it in some hymns, such as “You Are Near,” “Strong and Constant,” and “Micah’s Theme.”
Composers responded to the reminder about God's unutterable name by devising an alternate language for their hymns or granting permission for others to do so on their behalf.
Elizabeth Harrington.
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FREE COPY OF LITURGY NEWS
The spring edition of Brisbane Archdiocesan Liturgical Magazine “Liturgy News” is now available. Please click the link below for interesting information and articles.
For a PDF copy of Liturgy News, please click here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VhDSyMjKFf3JbT8UDASdU3bEXYYhkzLa/view?usp=drive_link
ELECTION QUEENSLAND - 2024 -
Queensland Catholic Bishops Election Statement
As our community approach an election, whether Federal, State or local, the Catholic Bishops of Queensland invite all to thoughtfully reflect on key issues through the lens of Catholic teachings. Grounded in gospel values, the bishops call for a society that prioritises the dignity of every person, the common good, and care for the vulnerable.
This is one of the ways we put our faith into action.
Below, you can find statements from current or past elections. Each statement highlights the Catholic perspective on the important issues voters should consider.
Current Election Statements
The Catholic Bishops of Queensland are urging those seeking election to resist populism and post-truth narratives, and for voters to use their votes for the common good.
Download the Queensland Catholic Bishops Election Statement.
Archbishop Mark Coleridge warns of the destabilising effect of rising polarisation and calls on Queenslanders to engage with key challenges, including healthcare, education, cost of living, housing, and more.
meet your candidate gatherings across the electorate -
https://meetyourcandidates.org.au
St Mary's Upper Coomera - Multicultural Mass and Festival
For more information - coomera@bne.catholic.net.au
THE NEW CHURCH CAFE HAS RE-OPENED
The Cafe outside the Sacred Heart Church has been a wonderful gathering place for parishioners and school parents and staff and the wider public. The feedback has been that the Cafe is a great idea but its location in the front of the church is not ideal. The Cafe has now re-opened at the old Atrium building. This will allow community building whilst also giving the church the space that it needs for its Masses, Weddings, Baptisms and solemn Funerals. Please support this wonderful continuation of the parish vision. Chris and his staff are delighted to welcome you.
HAPPY FEAST DAY TO ST VINCENT’S PRIMARY SCHOOL WHO GATHERED AT SACRED HEART CHURCH TO CELEBRATE A WHOLE SCHOOL MASS FOR THE SPECIAL DAY.
THE SECOND SESSION OF THE ARCHDIOCESAN LOCAL SYNOD - IN BRISBANE.
The Very Reverend Morgan Batt (the Dean of South Coast Deanery here) and Robyn Hunt represent our deanery at the synod. 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.
You will be aware that the voting numbers do not always add up to the number of Synod participants in the room. Participants have the ability to refrain from declaring their vote if they want to. Each participant has the ability to ENDORSE or CHALLENGE the action. A Challenge doesn’t always mean that you are against the action, just that you want to have further discussion around the wording, or the actions that are flowing from the Plenary Council decrees. Even after further discussion you can see that there are still participants who are Challenging the outcome.
For your information a link to the Plenary Council Decrees that are being discussed and voted on is below:
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 – next Session No. 3 will be held on 27th October.
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 to participate, you will need to purchase The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation, Study Set, which can be obtained from Ascension Press or Garrett publishing. The Study Set will contain The Bible Timeline Study Book, Chart and Bookmark - https://ascensionpress.com/ https://garrattpublishing.com.au/
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 – 1 pm Mon-Fri). We’re excited to be able to present this resource, so please join us.
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.
Catholic Actor Mark Wahlberg’s videos each Sunday while he was in Australia
- Thanks for visiting the Gold Coast and bless your work. - “Stay Prayed up!”
At Sacred Heart. Happy Sunday - Stay Prayed Up. Catholic and Actor Mark Wahlberg - God bless him for his inspiring witness to the Catholic/ Christian faith. “Stay prayed up!” #hallowapp #markwahlberg. https://www.instagram.com/markwahlberg/reels/
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 and other higher denominations now available on the new devices.
Anointing Mass – Mass of Healing FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH (February-November Inclusive)
10 am Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Final for the year. Tuesday the 5th of November (5/11/24) - Followed by morning tea. Please let others know who would love to come along.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on each First Friday, 4/10/24, 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 the 5/10/24. Followed by adoration and Benediction. {This is a votive Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary}.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK: Please also pray for the following who are ill. (Alphabetical)
Lindsay Allan, Robert Andreas, Milroy Antony, Tricia Baumann, Nellie Bellinger, Tim Brown, Margaret and Tony Buckingham, Vicky and Andrew Campora, Nadia Che, Tina Conidi, Helen Cooper, Alfonso Covino, Shirley Croft, Christopher Eid, Lorraine Gallagher, Ellanie Gonzalez, Jenny Haines, Tommy Harris, Sr Elisabeth Keane, Marjorie Kennedy, Kath Kiely, Jan Kristenson, Dannielle Therese Larney, Nathan Lepp, l McGuigan, Phil and Anne McGuigan, Joanne Mooney, Maryann Moore, Michael & Leslie Murtagh, Margaret Orme, Letty O’Sullivan, Kevin Owen, 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):
Vren Hunniford, Helen Nugent, Olympia Georgiou, Cristina Salinas, Ljubica (Lilian) Cvitkovic, Peter Thomas Bell, Caroline Moulden, Frank Anthony Armanasco, Ma. Cristina Cruzada Lenihan, Colleen Williams, Merle Maiden, Bill Brewer, Damian Mullins, John Brown, Terry Bourke, Sophie Wang, Chieko Kajiwara.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: (Alphabetical)
Duncan Anthony Dawson, Mons Jeremiah O'Leary, John Sudgen, Terry Maloney, Edmond Galea, Edwin Emile Ware, Nalin Sena, Alex Rentoul, Bernard (Bernie) Markijevic, Noel Francis (Frank) Evans, Marie Kjöller, Diane Margaret Tonkin, Eugene Donald Williamson, Eileen Roulent, Anne Mary Donaldson, Steven John Smithers, Leo Brennan, Fr Andrew Horan, Elizabeth Ivy Leavey, William (Bill) Carroll, Gwendolyn Isobel Hodges, Grayton Barryman Rosemeyer, Ivan Patricio Susin, Lee Gordon, Patricia Morgan, Bali Attack Anniversary, William (Bill) Arthur Weise, Fr Gerald McSweeney, Bob Biltoft, Kathleen Eileen Vosti
And Also: (Alphabetical):
Gwenyth Aiken, Frank Alcock, Shirley Alford, Catherine Alford, Ljubica Bacac, Fr Basil Bergin, Craig Antoine Blanch, Fr Clive Britten, Nea Mary Butler, Mary Ellen Carniel, Kelly John Chen, Fr William Cuneo, Edward Lawrence(Ned) Darcy, Imelda Petronella (Millie) Duijn, Gordon Farquhar, Giacomo Gallo, Reginald Ronald Glover, Ricardo Joseph Herft, Cecilia Mary Kelly, Brian Kenway, James Kiernan, Margaret Mary Kubler, Mary Jean Lenthall, Yvonne Henrietta Lofthouse, Charles Henry Lynch, Fr Guilford Lyons, Fanny Macky, Veronica Ella Mantle, Mario Paul Mazza, Yvonne Mary McMahon, Muriel Doris Miller, Rhonda Milne, Franz Mrak, Fr George Nugent, Fr John O'Callaghan, Fr Michael O'Connell, Fr Denis O'Keeffe, Christine Antoinette O'Leary, Muriel Rasey, Dulcie May Ricks, Elio Romanin, Vera Rose, Paul Owen Sweeney, 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 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
2025 Church Art calendars, 2025 scroll calendars, Christmas cards have arrived in the shops this week.
ADVENT REFLECTION RESOURCE - COMING SOON
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)
10 am Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Tuesday the 5th of November - last for the year (5/11/24) - Followed by morning tea. Please let others know who would love to come along.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on each First Friday, 4/10/24, 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 5/10/24. This will be 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 emailsurfers@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:
7/10/24 Maxine & Pat Sela - Main Beach
14/10/24 Lilly Leongue & Family - Varsity Lakes
21/10/24 Lilly Leongue & Family - Varsity Lakes
28/10/24 Lilly Leongue & Family - Varsity Lakes
4/11/24 Lilly Leongue & Family - Varsity Lakes
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
HOMILY: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B.
Image: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/Lq4yFzWykZ05I8DmRoR3?ru=Paul-Evangelion by @Paul-Evangelion @nightcafe
GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND - Homily: Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.Year B -
In the readings this weekend there is a recurring theme about the membership of a family. God has made us his children. We are all adopted sons and daughters of God through God's gracious action. God now treats us as full members of the family and with all the rights and duties of a member of the family. It is through Jesus that we become part of God's family. We are all brothers and sisters of Jesus.
This is such a special and profound gift. Through our baptism, we become part of God's family, which includes being brothers and sisters with all the saints who have gone before us into eternal life and stand in the presence of God praising him night and day and continuing to pray for us and intercede for us to Our Heavenly Father.
If the world truly realised and acted upon the truth of this message we would be living in a different situation. If everyone acted as if they were truly brothers and sisters to each other, then surely we would be so much closer to an end to war and violence and hatred. They say 'blood is thicker than water" but in the Christian mindset, (which turns on its head the values of the world), the water of Baptism is much thicker and stronger than the ties of blood relations. The first reading is also powerful as it reminds us that men and women were created to be equal and to be helpers and supporters of each other along life's path.
"Your Son went down from the heights of his divinity to the depths of our humanity. Can anyone's heart remain closed and hardened after this?" —Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) (FHL)
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The readings this weekend speak of the sanctity of marriage and its indissolubility. Since, in marriage, the man and the woman become a new creation, a unity, then God intends that this unity cannot be separated. Jesus criticises the people who are trying to trap him over the issue of marriage by saying that even though Moses was forced to make concessions to a hard-hearted people, the intention of God remains to form and preserve a unity of equality between man and woman in a lifelong, committed, loving bond of marriage.
The first reading speaks of God's creation of woman and the relationship intended between man and woman in Genesis. God took a bone from Adam’s side. The rib-bone. The rib bone was taken in preference to any other bone because the rib bone is the closest bone to the human heart. The rib bone surrounds, embraces and protects the heart. Just as the love of husband and wife is meant to surround, protect and embrace each other’s heart. This shows the tender and close love a man and women share together. It also picks up on a thing called “complementarity” between the love of a man and woman. Both the man and the woman bring something of themselves that enriches the other.
This reading also acknowledges that marriage is an exciting and beautiful adventure, and there is a new creation involved in marriage. Family relationships (change, not end, but take on a new reality) - take on a new shape. We the married couple continue (their loving relationship with their families) that has already been nurtured before their marriage. Where you relate in love, respect and warmth. Adult to adult.
The major message of the readings this weekend is of the equality of man and woman. The complementarity of man and woman. And that the intention of marriage is for a lifelong unity of persons that is for each person's upbuilding, protection, respect and equality.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
Ideas taken from short commentaries found within: When We Marry. (1985). Brisbane, Qld.: Liturgical Commission.
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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
Lord Jesus Christ,
who are called the Prince of Peace,
who are yourself our peace and reconciliation,
who so often said, “Peace to you,”
grant us peace.
Make all men and women witnesses of
truth, justice, and brotherly love.
Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace.
Enlighten our rulers that they may guarantee
and defend the great gift of peace.
May all peoples of the earth becomes as brothers and sisters.
May longed-for peace blossom forth
and reign always over us all.
Amen.
– by St. John XXIII
https://evangelisationbrisbane.org.au/year-of-prayer/
A VOCATION VIEW:
Vocations to the priesthood and religious life spring from holy families who strive to truly be united in Christ. Each vocation lived out in holiness strengthens and enriches the other vocations in the Church. (Mark 10:2-16) The Christian Vocation has expression through marriage, single life, priesthood, and consecrated life. Our call to holiness is to answer God’s call to build the Kingdom of God. ‘Let the little children come to me; ... for it is too such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs.’
To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
Special Thanks to Our Electronic Givers here at Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish. We would like to thank the many families who are currently giving electronically. You may not see these fellow parishioners place an envelope in the basket every week, but their consistent giving does not go unnoticed. Each month, our parish receives a steady and predictable stream of income from those donors who have committed to give to God first by having a designated contribution automatically transferred to our parish through our Online Giving Program: https://www.bpoint.com.au/pay/catholicparishsurfersparadise?BillerCode=1999861 - If you would like to learn more about this easy, safe and secure way of giving, please contact or Email Address: surfers@bne.catholic.net.au or the Parish Phone Number: (07) 5671 7388 (open Monday to Friday 9 am to 2 pm), or check out our website at (https://surfersparadiseparish.com.au/)
“So out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.” (GENESIS 2:19)
The creation story reminds us of two important points. First, since the start, God has put the entire world into our care. Second, stewardship has been around since the beginning of mankind, it isn’t something recently invented by the Church. Just as past generations built our Church, it is now our responsibility to continue to nurture and develop these gifts for future generations.
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 -Be an everyday mystic
In a secular world that prizes material possessions, the mystical aspect of the church can captivate. Saint Padre Pio (1887-1968) certainly drew attention for his mystical attributes. A relatively obscure Italian Capuchin priest, he gained fame for reportedly displaying the wounds of Christ, called stigmata, and for his insightful abilities as a confessor. He spent up to 10 hours daily with people seeking guidance and forgiveness in Confession. Only a few of us become mystics, but all can pursue holiness and insight. Today, meditate and act on the path to holiness that God has placed before you.
INSPIRATION FROM THE SAINTS:
OCTOBER 7 - Our Lady of the Rosary
“One day through the Rosary and the Scapular I will save the world.”
“Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world.”
“No one can live continually in sin and continue to say the Rosary. Either he will give up the sin or he will give up the Rosary”
“Those who say the Rosary frequently and fervently will gradually grow in grace and holiness and will enjoy the special protection of Our Lady and the abiding friendship of God.” -Bishop Hugh Boyle
“The Family that prays together, stays together.” -Father Patrick Peyton
“If families give Our Lady fifteen minutes a day by reciting the Rosary, I assure them that their homes will become, by God’s grace, peaceful places. -Father Patrick Peyton
“If our age in its pride laughs at and rejects Our Lady’s Rosary, a countless legion of the most saintly men of every age and of every condition has not only held it most dear and have most piously recited it but have also used it at all times as a most powerful weapon to overcome the devil, to preserve the purity of their lives, to acquire virtue more zealously, in a word, to promote peace among men.” -Pope Pius XI
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 as well as to 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
THE POPE
Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/jfIR9ugrYXgauVCdJ6EK?ru=Paul-Evangelion
As the Pope visited Papua New Guinea, who is PNG's saint-in-waiting, Peter To Rot?
By Melissa Maykin and Dinah Lewis Boucher for Pacific Soul
Posted 4 Sep 20244 Sep 2024, updated 4 Sep 20244 Sep 2024
In 1995, Pope John Paul II flew to Papua New Guinea to celebrate the beatification of the nation’s first “blessed” - Peter To Rot.
Papua New Guinea will receive the Pope's first visit in almost 30 years this week, and some are hoping for some development on the country's first saint-in-waiting, Peter To Rot.
Pacific Soul
His Holiness Pope Francis will travel to Port Moresby and Vanimo, a remote town in Sandaun Province on the border with Indonesia.
The last Pope to visit Papua New Guinea was John Paul II in 1995. He celebrated the beatification of Peter To Rot, the first PNG man to be raised to beatification, the step before sainthood.
Father Francis Meli, the Bishop of the Diocese of Vanimo, was also there.
"I was able to consecrate that mass of the beatification of Blessed Peter To Rot," he told Pacific Soul.
Who was Peter To Rot?
Peter To Rot was a Catholic catechist from Rakunai village in the East New Britain Province.
Son of a village chief, Angelo To Puia, To Rot was entrusted with the Rukunai parish during World War II.
He became a martyr when the Japanese military authorities killed him in prison during the war.
Many Catholics have anticipated the late catechist’s canonisation to full Sainthood since Pope John Paul's visit.
"If he is going to be a Saint, he will be the first person from PNG," To Rot's niece Angie Kolita-Payne told Pacific Soul.
She described him as "a simple man in the village" and a "gentle person, dedicated to the Catholic faith".
"He died being so dedicated to his faith and died a martyr for what he believed in," she said.
"Death didn't scare him. And he ... stayed true to the very end. It's not just for Rakunai village but also for the whole of PNG. He's a man that died for his faith."
So, where is it in the process?
In May this year, a Cardinal mentioned the possibility of canonising Blessed Peter To Rot during the Pope's PNG visit.
The canonisation is the final step in declaring a deceased person a saint.
But there's a process in being considered for sainthood, which still needs to be quite there.
In July, Rabaul Archbishop Rochus Tatamai sent a letter to the people, explaining the need for proof of miracles attributed to Blessed Peter To Rot.
In it, he said the saint process was in "the final stage of the cause".
However, to complete the process, a series of documents must be prepared for Rome, including a "long list of favours and graces received through the intercession of Blessed Peter To Rot."
"At this moment, three people are working on this: two in Rome, and one here, in Papua New Guinea," he wrote.
"Without this, Peter To Rot cannot be canonised … It is not enough to tell the story orally; it must be put in writing."
Peter To Rot
From the day of his funeral, Peter To Rot was seen as a martyr for the Catholic faith.
What brings the Pope to Vanimo?
Vanimo is a small logging town on PNG's coast, 1,000 kilometres from Port Moresby and near the Indonesian border.
Pope Francis travelled to Vanimo on Sunday, September 8. That afternoon, he had a private meeting with a group of missionaries from the Holy Trinity Humanities School in Baro.
The town is isolated from major transport routes, and infrastructure such as healthcare, education, and business is still developing.
Father Meli told Pacific Soul it would be a historic visit for his remote community.
"Pope Francis coming to Vanimo, and also to choose to come to a very remote or the periphery of Papua New Guinea, is a potent sign to many dioceses and churches in the world," he said.
"He believes in making the 'periphery' a priority.
"Pope Francis always emphasises the … disadvantages of people and those who are marginalised, and Vanimo is one of those."
Source: https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/pope-in-png-vanimo-visit-peter-to-rot/104285676
ON LITURGY:
A Tale of Two Churches - By Fr Elich, Tom
The story, the history, of the place where we worship shapes our worship experience in the building. A church built by an impoverished post-war migrant community brings a particular resonance to the liturgy celebrated there, even decades later. A 19th century parish church might suggest that we deal with our colonial past when we stand at the altar. A church originally in a working-class neighbour-hood might now be located in a very well-off inner-city suburb. Perhaps a country church was built in a farming or mining area. When we gather, we are conscious of those who have gone before us, those who built the church, and on whose faith we rely even today.
When I was on holidays recently in Mexico and Colombia, I was particularly struck by how strongly history creates a context for worship.
The Cathedral of the Assumption in Mexico City was a particularly striking example. It is a magnificent edifice, a world heritage site, built over 250 years spanning the 16th to the early 19th centuries. It is the oldest and largest cathedral in Latin America. Its style shifts from Renaissance to Baroque to Neo-Classical. It is modelled on the Spanish cathedrals of Jaén and Valladolid and, as is common in Spain, has monumental choir stalls built well down into the main nave. It has two impressive 18th century organs, a peal of 23 bells, and dozens of chapels, each adorned with a magnificent altarpiece carved and gilded. A connected baroque building houses the tabernacle and baptismal font.
This cathedral in the New World offers a powerful testimony to the continuity of faith and worship with the Church of Europe. But there is a darker side to the history which also impinges on today’s liturgical celebrations in this place. The Spanish conquest of the 16th century was violent and bloody. Thousands of Aztec citizens, assembled for a religious festival, were massacred here and their sacred temples were sacked and looted. Indeed the mighty cathedral itself was built over the destroyed Aztec temple complex (Templo Mayor) and the very stones of the Aztec temples were used to construct the cathedral. Only in the 20th century have the Aztec ruins beside the cathedral been rediscovered and excavated. This extraordinary juxtaposition, historical and geographical, forces today’s worshippers to remember and humbly acknowledge the ruins which became the foundations.
My second tale comes from Columbia, a town called Zipaquirá near the capital Bogota. For centuries before the arrival of the Spanish, this was the site of a salt mine. Today the veritable mountain of salt has multiple tunnels and huge caverns over four levels from which the salt has been excavated. This mining has always been dangerous and arduous work. For centuries extracted by hand, the close atmosphere and salt dust affected the lungs and caused dehydration. The life of the miner was both gruelling and short. Even since pre-Christian times, small shrines were erected where the miners sought divine help and protection. Christian shrines proliferated in the 1930s and, in 1950, grew into a worship space, the first ‘cathedral’. Following structural failures due to blasting, it was closed in 1992, but a new larger ‘cathedral’ was begun below the old one.
Today, this extraordinary salt cathedral, located 200 metres below ground, can seat over 900 people. In its walls can be seen the marks of the miners’ pick. There are three naves 20 metres high representing birth, life and death. The first contains the baptismal font and a huge nativity sculpture, the second is the main worship space dominated by a 16-metre cross carved into the wall, the third houses a monumental sculpture of Christ’s deposition from the cross. The most impressive sculpture occurs along the long tunnel of descent where huge modern crosses carved into the rock salt walls represent Christ’s Way of the Cross. Each station gives glimpses into the voluminous caverns along the way.
For me, taking part in Sunday Mass in this place was a most moving experience because I could not but be conscious of the suffering, pain and labour of the thousands of miners who forged this space through the centuries. When we speak of the liturgy and social justice, the theological foundation is the reality that the liturgy is the work of the Church, the whole Church of God, and not just the gathered assembly.
standing at the altar, we are one with Christian communities in every part of the world – those in war-torn areas and places of persecution, famine and extreme poverty. They are with us as part of the Body of Christ. How can we celebrate the sacrament of unity unless we are engaged with them all?
In the Cathedral of Salt, there is a palpable sense of solidarity with those who labour and are burdened. One becomes acutely aware that the followers of Christ are called to take up their cross and follow him to Calvary that suffering with Christ is the path to transformation, transfiguration, and resurrection. It is precisely Christ’s Paschal Mystery that we celebrate each time we gather for Eucharist. These spaces for worship provide a most challenging and evocative context as we eat the bread broken for the world's life and drink the blood poured out for the world's salvation.
Pope Francis spelled it out in 2022: our amazement, our astonishment at liturgy is that the paschal mystery of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection is rendered present in the concreteness of sacramental signs: in bread, wine, oil, water, fragrances, fire, ashes, rock, fabrics, colours, body, words, sounds, silences, gestures, space, movement, action, order, time, light. (Desiderio desideravi 24, 42). He states baldly: The content of the bread broken is the cross of Jesus (DD 7).
Never has this been clearer to me than in the tale of these two churches I encountered recently. I believe the background story of our parish churches is also a dimension worth exploring.
Tom Elich
From: https://www.liturgybrisbane.net.au/resources/liturgy-news/issues/vol-54-no-3-september-2024/
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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