PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*:
You can also access an online -web- copy of the newsletter *Webcopy here*
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” (Luke 3:4)
Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/sacGVHYb2WMYTNaiGdEi?ru=Paul-Evangelion
ST VINCENT DE PAUL CHRISTMAS PLANNING AND FUNDRAISING
This weekend we are holding our local SVDP Christmas Appeal Surfers Paradise Conference
The Surfers Paradise St Vincent de Paul conference calls on all parishioners to help give hope to struggling local families.
This weekend, 7 th and 8 th December, the SVDP Surfers Paradise conference annual Christmas appeal will take place with collections at the end of every Mass. This financial appeal is critical for our conference to urgently assist those in need.
The generosity of the parish does not go unnoticed in our local community. In the last 12 months local Vincentians have done 616 visits and assisted 1,311 people directly and indirectly. We have provided financial assistance of $63,477, in-kind assistance (furniture, Christmas hampers, food and Vinnie’s gift cards for clothing etc.) of $20,230.
We are seeing an increase in those facing homelessness, due to the high cost of living and housing crisis. With your ongoing support, we can continue to provide comfort and tangible assistance to help people get back on their feet. Local Vincentians offer help in many forms, including food, clothing, furniture, rental assistance and other bills.
Your generous donation will help us continue these good works. Should you wish for more detail on the activities of the conference, or would like to become a member please contact Conference President Wendy Webb via email: wendy.webb@svdpqld.org.au
Scrolls are also available in the churches with specific items you can contribute as a gift towards our Christmas hampers. Each year, this appeal allows for the distribution of hampers to companions and families in our community who are struggling due to financial difficulties. Please drop off donations no later than Wednesday 11th December as our Christmas hampers will be available for pick up or distribution on Sunday 15 th December 2024.
In case you miss out on a scroll… here is the list you can select from. Please provide one or more of the following items which will be put into the Vinnies Christmas hampers….
Christmas Scrolls for Parish Christmas Appeal :
Event Cinema Gift Card (Movie ticket)
Walkers Shortbread
Cadbury Chocolate Coated Almonds (280g)
Corinthians Cream Wafers Chocolate Style (350g)
Plumrose Ham leg (450g)
Fruit salad in juice (825g)
Fruit Mince Pies 2 x (pkt 6)
Pretzel Minis Entertainment Party Bag 2 x (225g)
Christmas Pudding (700g)
Nescafe Coffee Cappuccino sachet (10pkt)
Long life Custard 2 x (1 litre)
Lollies Party mix 2 x (100g)
PLEASE COME ALONG TO THESE EVENTS SATURDAY 7TH AT SACRED HEART CHURCH AND PRECINCT
Gold Coast City Choir visits Sacred Heart for a concert 7th December
Gold Coast City Choir (GCCC) presents Christmas Cantata "Little Lion Little Lamb'
2:00 pm, Sat, 7 Dec 2024
Start time: 2:00pm
Venue: Sacred Heart Church - 50 Fairway Dr, Clear Island Waters QLD 4226
Ticket pricing/options: $10 cash or card at the door
Please support this wonderful ecumenical event
which is being hosted by our parish
Also, at the PHC at the same time……..
Creative Christmas Market - (Hospitality Centre - 7/12/24)
Saturday, December 7th, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Art, craft, jewellery, plants, candles,
So much more from local artisans.
All works are done with meticulous art and love.
“Everything must be new.”
Place: Hospitality Centre, Sacred Heart, near the Sacred Heart—Sacred Grounds coffee shop, 50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters. Applicants interested in selling their creativity are welcome to apply.
Contact: Grace Greenhouse
0475 134 414 or 0410 006 484. Plants Boutique and Gifts
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIE BULLEN
Marie Bullen turns ninety on Sunday. Happy Birthday, and many happy returns.
Marie shared a beautiful saying that she heard this week. “ Live each day as if it is your last because one day it will be your last.”
God bless you with health and happiness. Amen.
CHRISTMAS MASSES IN THIS PARISH -
CHRISTMAS EVE TUESDAY 24TH DECEMBER 2024
STELLA MARIS CHURCH, BROADBEACH
Christmas Eve: 5.00 PM VIGIL MASS. Fr Warren
ST VINCENT’S CHURCH, SURFERS PARADISE
Christmas Eve: 5.00 PM VIGIL MASS. (SPECIAL CHRISTMAS MASS TIME ONLY) - Fr Paul
SACRED HEART CHURCH, CLEAR ISLAND WATERS
Christmas Eve (vigil): 5.00 PM=FAMILY MASS with Children’s Nativity Play- Fr Anthony .
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8:00 PM SPECIAL MASS (Christmas Eve only).- Fr Paul
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CHRISTMAS DAY - WEDNESDAY 25TH DECEMBER 2024.
SACRED HEART CHURCH, CLEAR ISLAND WATERS
Christmas Day:
9.00 AM - Fr Anthony
(No evening mass at SH)
ST VINCENT’S CHURCH, SURFERS PARADISE
Christmas Day: 8.00 AM & 10.00 AM - Fr Paul
Hispanic Mass 5:30 PM
STELLA MARIS CHURCH, BROADBEACH
{Stella Maris. 254 Hedges Avenue, Broadbeach, 4218
Christmas Day: 7.00 AM - Fr Bernie Gallagher
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We are currently contacting coordinators for each of the Christmas masses. If you would like to volunteer to assist at a particular Christmas (or Christmas Eve) time slot at Sacred Heart Church, please ring the parish office 56717388 between 9am and 2pm, Monday to Friday. Once the Coordinators and Parish Sacramental Team have worked out the roles appropriate to considerations such as the expected attendance, the roster will be emailed to those required for ministries on the day. We will require: altar servers, collectors, sacristans, communion ministers, ministers of the word, audio visual operators...The music ministry will be organised through the Parish Music Team. St Vincent’s Church volunteers are asked to speak directly to Pat Kelly. Stella Maris Church volunteers for the Christmas Vigil are asked to speak to Lorelle Rawlings.
Thank you in anticipation of your generous responses and your understanding that the roles will be shared with much care and consideration of the whole faith community.
Fun with Children’s Liturgy of the word (CLOW) families. Christmas party.
Join us for a festive time after mass for food and fun with the CLOW community December 8th at 10 am. See you there.
NEW VICAR GENERAL FOR BRISBANE
Congratulations to Father Peter Dillon, former Parish Priest of Surfers Parish, and recently Vicar for Administration, who has now been appointed as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Brisbane. We are praying for Fr Peter as he takes on this new role and know that he will inspire and lead within integrity, reflecting the love of Christ. God bless.
PASTOR’S POST -
In this short time of Advent, we are reflective and contemplative. We ponder the mysteries of life and the universe that have remained hidden for countless generations. The meaning of life is one of those deep reflections. In Advent, we look forward to celebrating Christ’s first coming at his birth in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. At the same time, we reflect upon the coming of Christ at the end of time, when all things will be put under his authority. We also spare a thought for the end of our lives when “Christ shall come… and take us home.” Amid this Advent, wandering and wondering, I came across a beautiful and mysterious poem, written and translated from the original Spanish. It seems deeply relevant as we contemplate the mysteries of Christ’s Kingdom and are being called to flatten our pathways to walk along.
Old age (the name that others give it)
can be the time of our greatest bliss.
The animal has died or almost died.
The man and his spirit remain.
I live among vague, luminous shapes
that are not darkness yet.
Buenos Aires,
whose edges disintegrated
into the endless plain,
has gone back to being the Recoleta, the Retiro,**
the nondescript streets of the Once,
and the rickety old houses
we still call the South.
In my life there were always too many things.
Democritus of Abdera plucked out his eyes in order to think;
Time has been my Democritus.
This penumbra is slow and does not pain me;
it flows down a gentle slope,
resembling eternity.
My friends have no faces,
women are what they were so many years ago,
these corners could be other corners,
there are no letters on the pages of the books.
All this should frighten me,
but it is a sweetness, a return.
Of the generations of texts on earth
I will have read only a few –
the ones that I keep reading in my memory,
reading and transforming.
From South, East, West, and North
the paths converge that have led me
to my secret centre.
Those paths were echoes and footsteps,
women, men, death-throes, resurrections
days and nights,
dreams and half-wakeful dreams,
every inmost moment of yesterday
and all the yesterdays of the world,
the Dane’s staunch sword and the Persian’s moon,
the acts of the dead,
shared love, and words,
Emerson and snow, so many things.
Now I can forget them. I reach my centre
my algebra and my key,
my mirror.
Soon, I will know who I am.
[Jorge Louis Borges. Translated from the Spanish by Hoyt Rogers]
**“Recoleta, the Retiro” = two cities also known for large cemeteries, one in a distinguished area, the other a cemetery for so-called outsiders or ‘dissidents’).
Fr Paul Kelly
Just out of interest, and for further thought, here is a reply to this reflection above, in the style of the incomparable writer, and woman of faith, Jane Austen (1775-1817):
My dear friend,
As I sit in quiet contemplation, my thoughts are much engaged by the themes you so eloquently present. The season of Advent, with its inherent stillness and introspection, indeed invites us to pause in our hurried lives and embrace the deeper mysteries that lie both before us and within us.
The anticipation of Christ's nativity fills the heart with a tender hope, a sweetness akin to the first snow upon the ground, unmarred and pristine. It is a season that beckons towards a radiant promise, a reminder that within the humble surroundings of Bethlehem, a light was borne that would illuminate the very fabric of existence itself. This light, so profound and yet so simple, calls us to reflect upon the grace of humility and love, virtues that often elude our grasp in the bustle of life.
As we further contemplate the eventual return of this divine presence—a culmination of all things—our spirits should soar with both reverence and a poignant yearning. The image of all things being placed under His authority is both awe-inspiring and comforting, for it suggests a harmonizing of our earthly struggles and joys within a divine tapestry.
Your contemplation of our mortal lives, capped by the promise of eternal communion with the Divine, prompts seasoned reflections on the meaning of our fleeting existence. We traverse paths often misaligned, yet we are reminded, amid such thoughts, that each moment holds the potential for a wider understanding if one allows for stillness and grace.
In regard to the mysterious poem you so kindly mention—a vessel of insight rendered from the depths of a foreign tongue—I am inclined to believe that poetry, much like faith, transcends barriers. It captures the sweet anarchy of human emotion and frames it within the eternal truths we seek. The act of flattening the pathways to welcome Christ echoes a profound aspiration in seeking simplicity in our lives, creating space for the Divine to dwell.
Let us allow ourselves to wander within the depths of our contemplation this Advent, marvelling at the mysteries of existence while preparing our hearts to receive the grace of Christ anew. May your reflections be rich and your pathways straightened as you embrace the beauty and complexity of this holy season.
To reflect upon the poem’s reference to the season of life which it terms "old age," I feel compelled to interpose my thoughts, steeped as they are in the parlance and sensibilities of my own time. Indeed, the twilight years can be a peculiar blend of sorrow and sweetness—a paradox most enriching, yet of which society often speaks with a manner of disdain.
What you describe—a realm where the exactitude of time seems to dissolve into a gentle flow— might resonate with those among my characters who find themselves in need of introspection. Consider, if you will, Mr Darcy, whose once rigid demeanour softens with the deepening affection he holds for Elizabeth Bennet. Your notion of returning to a quieter, more serene state—a return, you say, to the nondescript and the familiar—would surely offer him pause for reflection as he navigates the world anew, his heart imbued with an understanding far deeper than that of his youth.
The landscapes you invoke, those vague and luminous shapes, transport me to the English countryside where one might find solace in the shelter of the trees, or wander along the banks of a serene river, forgetting the past but still carrying its essence within. Old age, it seems, presents itself as a gallery of memories transformed into a tapestry of living: the laughter shared, the trials endured, and the victories cherished. The woman in the parlour and the man in the study; how they converge in shared experience, lending colour to the darker shades of existence.
In my own reflective moments, I have often been struck by that very sensation of transcending time, akin to your experience of the penumbra. Like a character grappling with her own choices, I find joy in revisiting the beloved echoes of conversations once had, the novels of my youth, and the connections formed, which now linger silently, yet vividly, in the corridors of my memory.
But let me speak of the sweetness you mention: the embrace of knowing that, whilst many faces and names may fade, the essence of friendship, love, and shared experience remains luminous. You articulate a wisdom akin to a character arriving finally at her own understanding—a moment comparable to Elizabeth Bennet’s revelation about herself and Mr. Darcy, that clarity that sets so many hearts aflame.
Soon, you shall know who you are, as so many of my characters come to realize their own truths—after confusion, after tumult, they find their centre, their algebra and their key. Like the gentle pen of my own hand flitting across parchment, for you, too, there is a beauty in this realization where the threads of your life weave together a unique design, resonating with those hallowed echoes of love, literature, and existence.
With the most profound respect for your reflections and the places within which they transport you,
Yours faithfully,
Jane Austen
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Children’s Nativity Play 2024
All parish children, and children visiting from parishes elsewhere, are invited to be part of our Children’s Nativity Play.
Our Children’s Nativity Play for 2024 will be part of our 5pm Christmas Vigil, Family Mass celebrated in Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters, on Tuesday December 24.
We ask that children who are interested in being involved on the evening of the Christmas Vigil Mass attend three practices at Sacred Heart Church:
Practice 1 - Wednesday, December 18 beginning at 10:30am until midday
Practice 2 - Friday, December 20 beginning at 10:30am until midday
Practice 3 - Monday, December 23 beginning 10:30am until midday.
The practices will be led by our Children’s Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson and assisted by Marylou Ayres who is a member of our Parish Sacramental Team. Throughout each practice, children attending must be accompanied by a parent or an adult designated by the parents of the child/ren.
You are most welcome to email Cathy Anderson andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au to indicate your child’s interest or you can simply turn up at the church on the day of the first practice.
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Lions Club - Traditional Christmas Cakes FRUIT CAKES –
1 kg $16.00, or 1.5kg $20.00.
Buy from Aruma Burleigh Clubhouse Crew until Thu 19 Dec 2024
(Order from Leanne Peters)
Lay volunteers providing pastoral care to the sick in hospitals
are invaluable as part of holistic patient care. The foundation for this ministry lies in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Centacare provides accredited training for compassionate men and women who would like to explore if this ministry is where God is calling them to practical Christian action in their lives. The next training course will start in February 2025. To express your interest or to find out more about the course and the volunteer role please email judy.norris@bne.centacare.net.au or phone 3324 3193
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Christmas Gifts from Palms!
Are you looking to give something really special this year?
Something that makes a tangible difference?
Palms has the shop for you!
Whether it be a GIFT directly supporting our overseas development program, or some unique Timorese GIFTS for your loved one’s home, you’ll find that perfect GIFT here!
Just scan the QR or go to palms.org.au/donate/palms-gift-shop
Happy shopping! And yes, your purchase assists the amazing communities overseas
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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The Café - “Sacred Grounds” - Located at the Former Atrium Building near the Sacred Heart Church.
The café outside the Sacred Heart Church has been a wonderful gathering place for parishioners, school parents, staff, and the wider public. The feedback has been that the café is a great idea, but its location in the front of the church is not ideal. The café has now re-opened in the old Atrium building. This will allow community building whilst giving the church the space it needs for its Masses, Weddings, Baptisms and solemn Funerals. Please support this excellent continuation of the parish vision. Chris and his staff are delighted to welcome you.
FANS and DOORS in OUR CHURCHES
It's that time of year again. Please note that the church has a policy regarding fans, windows, and doors.
DURING CHURCH SERVICES - FANS IN THE CHURCH DURING the HOT WEATHER ARE TO BE LEFT ON PLEASE AND DOORS TO BE LEFT OPEN PLEASE FOR AIR CIRCULATION AND BREEZES! Please Don't Ask The Coordinator To Turn Them Off. And no one has permission to touch or switch the fan settings except our coordinators. Also, please do not close the doors (or windows) of the church,m as we need fresh air for the well-being of others. The same applies if it starts raining outside. Please do not shut doors and windows, as almost all of these are protected by balconies and verandahs, and there is virtually no chance of rain getting in. Even when it is raining, it can still be hot and humid, and closing things up and turning off fans worsens the situation. Coordinators are following Church Health and Safety directions. It may be necessary to relocate to another seat that suits your needs better or bring something warm to put on. As you can imagine, we cannot adjust these large spaces to meet everyone’s personal needs, so we need to set them for general conditions, and individuals can then bring whatever they require for their individual needs. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
SYNOD 24 - ARCHDIOCESE OF BRISBANE - ACTION PLANS
BASED ON THE PLENARY COUNCIL DECREES
The Action Plans for the 8 Decrees that came out of the National Catholic Plenary Council initially, which we as a Parish participated in very enthusiastically, have now been through the process of SYNOD 24 for the Archdiocese of Brisbane and can be found by clicking on the link below or for those of us who are challenged in this area, we have also repeated below. We look forward to your respectful comments and meaningful discussion as to how we as a Parish go forward. Remembering we cannot do everything but can take one small step at a time. Once again we will call on the Holy Spirit to guide our decision making.
Synod24-Decrees-Document-web.pdf
PLENARY COUNCIL DECREE 1 - HEALING WOUNDS, RECEIVING GIFTS
The focus here is on the need for a new engagement of the Church with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, beginning with a new kind of listening in the belief that we all can and must learn from the first inhabitants of the land
ARCHDIOCESAN SYNOD ACTION PLANS
*** That, building on the Archdiocesan Reconciliation Action Plan, the Archdiocese develop and implement an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander truth-telling, professional learning and formation plan that provides opportunities for all those within parishes, communities and agencies to come to a deeper recognition, appreciation and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures and spiritualities
** That the Archdiocese develop and distribute culturally appropriate resources to assist parishes, communities and agencies to include aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, traditions, spiritualities, ritual and symbol in prayers and liturgies
** That the Archdiocese develop culturally specific learning and formation opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
PLENARY COUNCIL DECREE 2 - CHOOSING REPENTANCE, SEEKING HEALING The focus here is on addressing sexual abuse in the Church, making amends for failures in the past and working to ensure that the Church is a safe place for all, but especially for the young and the vulnerable
ARCHDIOCESAN SYNOD ACTION PLANS
*** That in dialogue with survivors, the consequences of physical, sexual and spiritual abuse by Church personnel be addressed within the Archdiocese through truth-telling and story-telling sessions in safe spaces that may give survivors and their family members a voice to be heard and honoured, and support for research and programs related to trauma-informed spiritual care and the long-term impact of spiritual harm
** That a Sunday of the liturgical year be set aside within the Archdiocese to focus upon safeguarding and healing, with a reassessment of Safeguarding Sunday looking to rename, refocus and resituate it, with the preparation of appropriate ritual and resources, including an annual commissioning of local safeguarding people
** That the Archdiocese, in dialogue with survivors, implement processes that seek forgiveness for historical failings, recognising and addressing their needs. This could include a formal apology to survivors and their families, symbolic plaques and/or artwork in significant locations, theological reflection on sexual abuse within the Church which ought to be a place of refuge and safety, retreats and days of prayer that can foster healing, and the training of appropriately gifted people to undertake a ministry to survivors and their families.
PLENARY COUNCIL DECREE 3 - CALLED BY CHRIST, SENT FORTH AS MISSIONARY DISCIPLES
The focus here is on the Church as a community of welcome for all, but especially for those who have been marginalised or excluded, listening to their stories and creating safe and hospitable spaces for them within the Church
ARCHDIOCESAN SYNOD ACTION PLANS
*** That an Archdiocesan family and intergenerational ministry working group be formed to develop and implement a holistic, intergenerational and inclusive approach to family faith-formation across educational and other Archdiocesan agencies in order to foster lifelong missionary discipleship
** That this working group explore ways of strengthening partnerships between parishes, schools, communities and agencies, develop and implement sacramental resources for children with diverse learning needs and disabilities, including training for sacramental coordinators and volunteers to use the resources, develop a safe and supportive network for parents and carers of children and young people who may need additional support to feel welcome, offer advice upon request at decision-making tables at all levels of Archdiocesan governance.
* That there be in self-nominated Mass centres the Eucharist and other liturgical celebrations catering for diverse needs within the community, provided with resourcing around mentorship, formation, training and succession-planning for self nominated clergy, religious and laity
*** That the Archdiocese provide facilitated listening sessions, workshops and forums for safe and supportive story-telling, truth-telling and dialogue, in order to raise awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by those who are marginalised and disenfranchised
** That with the support and mentorship of the Archdiocesan Council for Ecumenism and Interreligious Relations, Queensland Churches Together and the Queensland Faith Communities Council, a co-responsible deanery approach to ecumenism and interreligious relations be developed and implemented, including short courses on ecumenism and interreligious relations, formation of individuals for work in ecumenical and interreligious relations, ecumenical retreats and pilgrimages, ecumenical and interreligious youth summits
*** That a strategic approach to mission in the digital environment be developed and implemented, focusing on the creation of digital media within a Catholic context, formation and training of people to work in the field, and including research into the possibilities and challenges of engaging the sacramental life of the Church through digital platforms such as live-streamed liturgies
** That the Archdiocese develop a pastoral ministry in sport, including formation and support programs and research into best practice and recommended qualifications, training and study pathways for sports chaplains.
PLENARY COUNCIL DECREE 4 - WITNESSING TO THE EQUAL DIGNITY OF WOMEN AND MEN The focus here is on ensuring that the Church is a place where the equal dignity of women and men is respected and where the gifts of both women and men are identified and allowed to flourish for the sake of leadership within the Body of Christ
ARCHDIOCESAN SYNOD ACTION PLANS
* That, if the universal law of the Church were modified to admit women to diaconal ordination, the Archdiocese examine how best to implement it in the context of the Church in Brisbane *** That a fulltime role of Executive Officer for Participation be established to design, implement and resource a plan for the full co-responsible participation of lay women and men in the life and mission of the Church ** That a reference group be established to explore options for the use of inclusive language in prayer, liturgy, scripture and all Archdiocesan communications * That a research project be established to explore the theological foundations of diverse understandings of women in the Church, leading to an assembly on co-responsibility of all the baptised in the life and mission of the Church *** That a pilot program be established to financially support the postgraduate education and formation of lay women and men in various areas of interest and importance to the Church, with the Archdiocese providing the initial funds with a view to establishing a foundation. A transparent application process would be overseen by the Archdiocesan Synod Council (see Action Plan 7) and approved finally by the Archbishop.
PLENARY COUNCIL DECREE 5 - COMMUNION IN GRACE, SACRAMENT TO THE WORLD
The focus here is on the need to identify and foster the charisms given by God and to encourage new forms of ministry to supply the needs of the Church not only internally, for the sake of worship, but also externally, for the sake of mission
ARCHDIOCESAN SYNOD ACTION PLANS
** That a ministry of front-of-house hospitality be developed and implemented for secretaries and other administrative staff in parishes and communities, recognising and formalising what is often happening, offering training and networking opportunities to those engaged in the ministry, devising processes of recruitment and care of those called to the ministry, and developing resources to help those engaged in the ministry
*** That the Archdiocese explore fully the possibilities of the ministries of catechist, lector and acolyte and consider what other ministries, open to all, instituted or not, might be needed to meet new needs
*** That the Archdiocese establish a Ministries Discernment Committee to oversee the recruitment, formation, commissioning, institution and continuing education of those preparing for or carrying out such ministries
** That the Archdiocese support and provide resources for lay-led liturgies where appropriate, particularly for parishes and communities without regular access to clergy
** That the Archdiocese give permission for lay people to preside at Catholic funerals and baptisms, indicating the circumstances in which this would be permitted and providing both discernment process and training programs for those involved in this ministry
** That the Archdiocese give permission for lay people to preside at Catholic weddings (in line with Chapter III of the Order of Celebrating Matrimony), indicating the circumstances in which this might occur and the process of delegation ** That the Archdiocese promote the participation of lay people in the ministry of preaching within the Sunday Mass and elsewhere, identifying the situations in which a lay person might offer a reflection during Mass, providing adequate training and support which would include sessions on how to run a Scripture study group, how to write and deliver a Lectionary-based reflection on the readings, how to make best use of the Directory for Masses with Children, drawing upon the resources of Archdiocesan agencies and organisations
*** That the Archdiocese develop and implement a project supporting the integration of families into parishes and communities in order to promote their sense of belonging and engagement in the life of the Church, providing resources to facilitate the incorporation of families into the community both before and after the sacraments of initiation and resources to support family catechesis when preparing children for the sacraments
** That the Archdiocese establish a network of groups working in marriage education and enrichment, including marriage preparation for engaged couples and ongoing accompaniment for married couples
*** That the Archdiocese develop and implement a formation strategy on the sacrament of penance and the many ways in which God’s mercy is experienced in Christian life and liturgy, providing resources and examples, such as ritual outlines for the celebration of the sacrament of penance, including the second rite, offering retreat opportunities for different age groups to enable them to experience the sacrament of penance, and revising the current sacramental policy on the provision of first penance for children.
PLENARY COUNCIL DECREE 6 - FORMATION AND LEADERSHIP FOR MISSION AND MINISTRY
The focus here is on providing in a variety of ways the formation needed for ordained and non-ordained leadership in the Church, so that leaders will be properly equipped for the ministry to which they are called
ARCHDIOCESAN SYNOD ACTION PLANS
*** That the Archdiocese develop a plan for ministry and leadership formation, including a working group representing key people in formation and developing resources and programs on missional and synodal leadership such as podcasts, online modules and retreats, particularly for emerging leaders who have skills and qualifications equipping them for governance, leadership and other decision-making roles
* That the Archdiocese develop and implement opportunities for lay people to be engaged in ongoing spiritual growth beyond the liturgical context, including in small groups that meet regularly for prayer, bible study, reflection on Church documents, and spiritual accompaniment
* That parishes and deaneries offer formation events drawing upon experts to reflect on key topics such as prayer, scripture, sacraments, marriage and family, mission, care for our common home and inclusivity. SYNOD24
** That pathways for greater lay involvement in the ongoing formation of clergy and the formation of seminarians be identified, providing avenues for accompaniment of clergy by lay people and assisting pastors to work with a small group of lay people to provide regular feedback on homilies, based on an agreed criteria matrix
*** That the Archdiocese develop and implement a road-map for a mission focused Church that is synodal and co-responsible, including localised and ongoing conversations in the Spirit as a regular part of planning, decision-making, pastoral care and community-building
** That the Archdiocese teach simply and systematically the discipline and method of conversation in the Spirit as a way of discernment, attempting to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit in listening to each other.
* That the Archdiocese produce podcasts and digital media resources exploring what it means to read the signs of the times in the light of the Gospel
*** That the Archdiocese, at a time when the ethnic profile of the Catholic Church is changing both locally and globally, organise forums on interculturality in a missional, synodal and co-responsible Church.
*** That a SYNOD24 Formation and Implementation Plan be developed and implemented, providing opportunities for formation in all eight Action Plans and including resources and workshops in areas such as how to share faith with friends, how to engage with scripture, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island spirituality, integral ecology, sacraments and sacramentality, inclusive theology, the role of women in the Church, ecumenism and interreligious relations.
*** That the Archdiocese offers workshops and practical resources on how to implement the SYNOD24 Action Plans in parishes, communities and agencies across the Archdiocese.
PLENARY COUNCIL DECREE 7 - AT THE SERVICE OF COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION AND MISSION: GOVERNANCE
The focus here is on the governance of the Church in a synodal key, looking to synods as a regular feature of Church life and to synodality as the characteristic of all aspects of Church governance for the sake of mission
ARCHDIOCESAN SYNOD ACTION PLANS
*** That the Archdiocese commit to celebrating Synods on a regular basis, so that this key element of synodality become a normal part of Archdiocesan life
*** That the Archdiocese establish a Synod Council which will meet regularly through the year between the Synods, members committing to formation in and practice of conversation in the Spirit as a key element of meetings and to formation in the nature and purpose of the Council
** That the Council commit to diverse representation including a mix of lay women and men, religious and the ordained.
** That the Archdiocese prepare Statutes for the Council ARCHDIOCESAN SUMMIT 2023 2 4 / ARCHDIOCESE OF BRISBANE SYNOD24 Action Plans
** That the Archdiocese develop and implement a project to operate at deanery level to identify lay people who are women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, persons with a disability or from a cultural community, and who seem suitable to serve on councils and committees in the parish or the Archdiocese with the right kind of mentorship, accompaniment and formation, especially in the areas of synodality, co-responsibility and mission
** That the Archdiocese develop and implement a parish handover process that includes consultation with members of the parish, especially the Parish Pastoral Council, and the preparation of a statement of what the parish expects of a pastor.
* That there be in the Archdiocese regular performance reviews of pastors to identify areas of strength and areas for growth, with ongoing professional supervision to foster growth.
PLENARY COUNCIL DECREE 8 - INTEGRAL ECOLOGY AND CONVERSION FOR THE SAKE OF OUR COMMON HOME
The focus here is on the need for ecological conversion in the life and mission of the Church, understanding that the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are the one thing, and that ecological conversion must lead to action
ARCHDIOCESAN SYNOD ACTION PLANS
*** That an integral ecology formation strategy be developed and implemented for clergy, community leaders, agency staff and parishioners, to be revised every three years, helping them to grow in understanding of integral ecology and its impact on our behaviour and drawing where appropriate on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wisdom, and engaging with already existing eco-spirituality resources
* That all organisations, parishes and schools writing a Laudato Si Action Plan include a framework for measuring and reporting emission reduction that leads to a considered net zero pathway that includes commitment and timeframes.
* That, in addition to the emission reduction strategies, Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) priorities be developed in the Archdiocese with a view to assisting all agencies, parishes and communities to embed measurable ESG outcomes into their future Laudato Si Action Plans. SANTA TERESA SPIRITUALITY CENTRE.
*** That an Ecological Ministry Strategic Plan be developed and implemented to support ecological ministry throughout the Archdiocese, recruiting deanery representatives to create hubs that support ecological ministers overseen by a coordinator employed by the Archdiocese to support action in parishes and communities
* That intergenerational and family initiatives be developed to promote the call to care for our common home
* That parishes, communities and agencies share their activities in the area of ecological engagement at events and through avenues of communication, and that cross-agency collaboration in this area be coordinated and encouraged throughout the Archdiocese.
*** That the Archdiocese produce guidelines and resources for parish clergy and liturgy coordinators indicating ways in which a commitment to integral ecology can be integrated into liturgical celebrations.
CLOSING REMARKS
Some of these action plans already have currency in one form or other in the Archdiocese, or at least in some parts of the Archdiocese. The task will be to give greater impetus and focus to those that already have currency, but also to set in motion the processes to which others look. Not all the action plans will be able to be implemented immediately, but none of them can be delayed indefinitely Therefore, priorities will have to be set in the hope that the action plans will have been implemented within five years. Budgeting will also need to be considered, as will the question of who has carriage of the various initiatives. There will need to be a group to oversee the implementation of the action plans, the Synod Council will also be charged with oversight of a broader kind, and the Archdiocesan Synods will monitor progress. Yet this is a document not just for some. It is for everyone; and I urge all parishes, communities, agencies and individuals to read and reflect upon the action plans and to be as creative as possible in implementing them. These action plans are comprehensive but not exhaustive. There are things not mentioned in this document which are important for the future of the Archdiocese of Brisbane. For instance, we will certainly need to consider restructuring our parishes and even our schools, looking not so much to amalgamation but more to building a “community of communities”. How to engage young people more energetically in the life of the Church is another question not prominent in these action plans but essential for the future of the Church. How to be more effective in teaching prayer as a way of life, the art of listening to God in prayer and the contemplative eye upon the world: this is another. The list could go on. This is another way of saying that these action plans should be read in conjunction with my own document “With Lamps Ablaze” which sets out a number of what I called apostolic priorities for the Archdiocese. These interweave with the action plans found here. I direct that these synodal declarations and decrees which I sign in accord with can. 466 be published to the entire community of the Archdiocese and that a copy be forwarded to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference as required by can. 46 I thank all who have been part of the Synod journey, having heard the Lord’s promise to “make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). I commend these action plans to the grace of the Holy Spirit from whom this process has come forth and to the intercession of Mary Help of Christians, St Stephen and St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. May God who has begun the good work in us bring it to fulfilment (cf Philippians 1:6)
Mark
Archbishop of Brisbane
November 2024
Fr Dan Ryan’s PILGRIMAGE TO ITALY IN THE 2025 JUBILEE YEAR
2025 - Holy Year Pilgrimage In Italy Would you like to go to Italy with Fr Dan Ryan next May for the Holy Year?
Fr Dan Ryan has organised a Pilgrimage to Italy from May 9th to May 24th.
We will spend 4 nights in Assisi and 4 nights in Rome.
The Pilgrimage will go from Venice to Rome via Florence, Padua, Siena, and San Giovanni Rotonda (Padre Pio).
There will be brochures at the front of the church next week, or you can go to
https://bookings.harvestjourneys.com/pv2569 - for more information. Or you can contact Harvest Journeys on 1800 819 156
Fr Dan Ryan.
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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.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on each First Friday, 6/12/24, 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 7/12/24. 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, Joseph Antony, Milroy Antony, Tricia Baumann, Nellie Bellinger, Graham Bousen, Tim Brown, Margaret and Tony Buckingham, Vicky and Andrew Campora, Nadia Ceh, Tina Conidi, Helen Cooper, Shirley Croft, Christopher Cunningham, Mary Curmi, Bernie Delaney, Christopher Eid, Lorraine Gallagher, Ellanie Gonzalez, Jenny Haines, Mary Hirst, Andrew Janiec, Jenny Johnson, Sr Elisabeth Keane, Leona Kelly, Marjorie Kennedy, Kath Kiely, Jan Kristenson, Dannielle Therese Larney, Nathan Lepp, Veronica Lubomski, l McGuigan, Phil and Anne McGuigan, Angela Micallef, Joanne Mooney, Maryann Moore, Michael & Leslie Murtagh, Margaret Orme, Letty O’Sullivan, Kevin Owen, Carmela Parente, Clare Perera, Lesley Petroni, Rachel Raines, Karsten Rickert, Bob Rogers, Maureen Scott, Betty Taylor, Gary Thompson, Leonardo Torcaso, Denise Tracey, Billy Webb
RECENTLY DECEASED: (Chronological - Most recent first):
Simon Cruickshank, Antonio Risotto, Angela D’Rozario, Brendan James Hill, Jill Margaret Gill, Vincent Comito, Baby Mila Annie Long, Isobel Mary Corvesor, Fred Downham, Patricia Sulzberger, Marie Dodsworth, Christine Jones, Peter Norris, Geraldine Clissold, Des Stuckey, Giuseppe (Joe) Currenti, Alfonso Covino, John Carey, Tommy Harris, Rosa Maria Tassone, Antonius Bennik, Alexis McCoy, Brenda Stewart.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: (Alphabetical)
Mary Anderson, Fr Kevin Aspinall, Maria Magdalena Bizzotto, Brian Leslie Boehme, James William Boland, Maria Cassar, Desmond Robert Castle, John Baptist Covan, Wadad Doumani, Bishop John Gerry, Jeno (Jim) Goboly, Patricia Gray, Felix Michael Grech, Peter Harford, Disa Fleurette Hunt, Warwick Gerard Jones, Judy Jones, Warwick Gerard (Rick) Jones, Gail Patricia Little, Charly Macky, Kenneth Raymond (Ken) Martin, Zdenek (Sid) Martinek, Fr William McKeown, Jarmila Julie Muller, Joseph Nazari, Fr Peter (Fintan) O'Beirne, Jack O’Brien, Con Ante Pizzol, Dulcie Ricks, Mello Scharenguivel, Maureen Smith, Jim Stewart, Darryl Patrick Sulzberger, Luigi Tassone, Dawn Turner, Albina Kristina Vah, William Raymond (Billy) Willbrandt.
And Also: (Alphabetical):
Norbert Bestkamp, Rev Dr Thomas Boland, Fr Ronald Bopf, Paul Broughton, Clare Debozy, William (Bill) Goodrem, Beth Green, Jan Hart, Kenneth Rex (Rex) Howard, Marko Jaksic, Howard John (John) Jones, Christopher Leigh Kennedy, Peter John Llewellyn, Doris Catherine Mathews, Fabian McCarthy, Doreen Mary McCarthy, Josephine Barbara McIver, John McKinstry, Kaiden (Joseph) Ng, Antonio Perez, Michelina Pernazza, Angela Radin, Colin Peter Randazzo, Owen Louis Ryan, Michael Joseph Scanlan, Iris Ann Elizabeth Scerri, Fr Keith Turner, Helen Margaret White, Norman John Desmond (Des) White.
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 variety of Christmas gifts still available.
2025 “God’s Word” includes readings for every day of the year along with a reflection for the day. Excellent value at only $20 per copy.
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.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on each First Friday, 6/12/24, 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 a.m. Saturday, 7/12/24. This will be Followed by adoration and Benediction.
{This is a votive Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary}.
ART AND CRAFT GROUP (Last session will be on 18th December - Resumes 29th
January 2025)
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- (Last session will be on 9th December - Resumes on 13th January)
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 - (Last session will be on 10th December - Resumes 14th January 2025)
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:
9/12/24 Julio & Eileen Camera Nerang
16/12/24 Julio & Eileen Camera Nerang
Marian Valley Pilgrimage
Please come and join us at the Marian Valley Church 13.12.2024 Our Lady of Fatima's Feast. The bus will be picking up Sharp at 8.15 am at the Sacred Heart Church Clear Island Waters. The Cost for the bus fare $25.00 return. You can secure your seat with contact name and contact phone number with Xavier Solomon 0404 843 260, Madeleine 5529 1573
If You need further information, please contact Xavier on 0404 843 260
or Chris Raynal 0451 302 674.
EXERCISE CLASS - LOW IMPACT - FOR HEART HEALTH - (Last session 17th December 2024 - Resumes 21st January 2025)
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. - (Last meeting will be on 18 December 2024 - Resumes 8th January 2025)
The Bible Study Prayer Group meets every Wednesday 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 (Last meeting will be on 10th December - Resumes 21st January 2025)
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
Vatican International Photography Contest
In the context of the Jubilee of Sport for the year 2025, the Dicastery for Culture and Education (Vatican) is promoting an international photography contest under the title:
'Sport in Motion'.
The contest includes five categories of photography:
- Sport and Hope (sport as a message of hope to society)
- Sport and Family (sport as a moment of family life)
- Sport and Disability (sport as a platform for inclusion
- Sport and Politics (sport as a resources accessible to all
- Sport and Ecology (the relationship of sport with the elements of nature)
The deadline for entries is 30 April 2025, and the winners will be announced at the
Jubilee of Sport (14-15 June, 2025).
The winners will be awarded a meeting with the Holy Father, a visit to the Vatican
Museums, a workshop in the Osservatore Romany newspaper and the international dissemination of the photos in the Holy See's media.
To enter, send your submissions to sportinmotion@dce.va . Further information about the contest can be found on the Dicastery's website via this link:
https://www.dce.va/it/news/2024/concorso-di-fotografia.html
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. The next Session No. 3 will be held on 19 January 2025.
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.
A VOCATION VIEW:
John the Baptist cried out and made ready for the Lord. let us promote the gospel in our community (Luke 3:1-6)
To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
“And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value…” (Philippians 1:9-10)
It is easy to get caught up in the frenzy of buying gifts during the Christmas shopping season. But is that “gift” truly expressing your love for the other person? Or are we just fulfilling our “obligation” to give them something? To grow in friendship with someone, we need to spend time with them and learn what is of value to them. Maybe this year, let us buy less “stuff” and spend more time with those we love.
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 -
WORD OF THE WEEK
O Antiphons \ō 'an-tə-fəns\
From Greek meaning “sounding against,” seven short scripture verses, sung or chanted at Vespers, often in divided choirs, during the week before Christmas, December 17 to 23. Each Antiphon invokes Christ by means of an Old Testament symbol: O Wisdom, O Sacred Lord, O Flower of Jesse's Stem, O Key of David, O Radiant Dawn, O King of All Nations, and O Emmanuel.
Take Five Word of the Week: O Antiphons
CONTEXT
If we rest each evening with the O Antiphons, . . . Advent will be for us once again a time of God's great love and hope.
—Madeleine L'Engle
The O Antiphons proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but our present desires as well.
—Grace Hetzel
WHY IT MATTERS
It's tempting to treat the two Testaments of our Bible as the "before" and "after" of religious understanding for Christianity. In the contemplation of the great O Antiphons, we discover that the divine revelation we recognize as Jesus has been within the story of God's people from the beginning.
From Learning from the O Antiphons by C.C. Pecknold: The O Antiphons were certainly in regular use by the time of Charlemagne in the eighth century. “They prepare us for the great Vigil of Christmas, uniting Israel’s hopes and the desire of nations as a kind of prophetic summa in praise of divine providence. In the heart of winter’s darkness, the O Antiphons call us to worship Jesus Christ as the center of salvation history.”
RELATED WORDS
Antiphon | Liturgy of the Hours | Magnificat | Vespers
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
What are the O Antiphons?
The O Antiphons (also known as the Great Advent Antiphons or Great Os) are sung verses used in evening prayer during the last seven days of Advent (December 17-23) at the beginning and end of the Magnificat, a hymn of praise spoken by Mary. Rendered in order, in Latin and English, the O Antiphons are: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis Davidica (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Radiant Dawn), O Rex Gentium (O King of Nations), and O Emmanuel (O God-with-us). As an acrostic, the Latin version reads SARCORE, reversed as ero cras (“I will be tomorrow”). Since the Antiphons are traditionally chanted December 17-23, Jesus is literally born “tomorrow” at the chant's conclusion. The O Antiphons have been around at least since the eighth century, when monks would sing them. Even if you don’t pray the Liturgy of the Hours, these Antiphons may sound familiar. This is because they were incorporated into one of the best-known hymns of the Advent season: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.”
—Alice Camille, from Questions Catholics Ask
REFLECTION OF THE WEEK -TUESDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT (DECEMBER 17)
Grow in wisdom - Today the church begins to sing the O Antiphons to accompany the Advent evening prayer of Mary’s Magnificat. These short, sung phrases remind us of our need for salvation and our desire to embody the divine characteristics of our Saviour.
Readings: Genesis 49:2, 8-10; Matthew 1:1-17 (193): “O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!”
FAITH IN ACTION-
Today we pray for knowledge. This is not the knowledge that wins arguments around the dinner table, but the knowledge that shines a light on who we are, where we came from, and what we are called to do as followers of Christ.
HOMILY: GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND
Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/gQQpUXVEFLwU5UXtmIeC?ru=Paul-Evangelion
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
Second Sunday of Advent. Year C - Sunday, December 8, 2024 (EPISODE: 508)
Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/gQQpUXVEFLwU5UXtmIeC?ru=Paul-Evangelion
*John the Baptist boldly proclaims that the Messiah's arrival (long foretold and expected for generations), was now imminent.
The image of roads being straightened and mountains levelled is a great image about a journey. All humans are on a lifelong journey towards God's house where we are all invited to be members of God's family. The straight paths, the flattened mountains, the filled-in valleys also make it quite clear that all people are called and invited; people of every race, nation and language. The paths must be straight to allow people to approach and to allow us to approach God.
"men and women who are more equal and more respectful of others dignity, are the best way for God's salvation to come." [II]
It is TIME.
Time to get ready for the arrival of the Son of Man; the Lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world. It is time to prepare the way, and level the mountains, and straighten the pathways. It is TIME, to repent of our sins and be ready to welcome God's chosen one and his Kingdom.
It is one thing to repent of our sins out of fear – fear of God's punishment or anger. But it is quite another to repent of our sins and wrongdoing because we are so sorry that our sin has grieved God's heart and worked against the values of the Kingdom. There is nothing quite so devastating as seeing a parent disappointed and let down by our actions. That cuts deeper than anything. God's disappointment can spur us on to love more closely according to God's vision, than merely doing the right thing out of a sense of duty.
We want to repent and be better, more loving, more just and more forgiving, faithful children of God, not because we fear God's anger and punishment but because we love God, and God loves us infinitely. And we cannot bear to cause God grief and disappointment when we may not have lived up to the ways that God lovingly calls us to live.
The readings give us some food for thought. There are a few really beautiful lines of Scripture: The Lord will grant us "Peace through integrity, and honour through devotion" -- This is the way of true peace from God: by walking in the ways of integrity and doing what is right, come what may. Despite the storms and shocks of life, God's peace is attained from being united with Christ, and walking in his ways of justice and love. God's peace will sustain and guide us.
Our conscientiousness and devotion to the Word of God, and to prayer and good works will give us fulfilment in a way that nothing else could.
And the wonderful words of St Paul from the second reading, (it is one of the most beautiful and touching passages in the Scriptures): "My prayer is that your love for each other may increase more and more, and never stop improving your knowledge and deepening your perception so that you can always recognise what is best."
May we always do what is best by an increase of knowledge and perception that can only come from a deepening (day by day) of our love. That theme of ever-deepening love and practical kindness has been flowing through the Scriptures of late, and rightly so. It reminds me of that other quote from Scripture. "By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another." (John 13:35).
The central trait and quality of a true Christian, (a disciple of Christ, and friend of Jesus), is not first and foremost a merely visible keeping of every rule and regulation, not first of all their bold and unbending speaking out against all that is wrong and bad in the world. Our discipleship is not primarily about the eloquence, length or frequency of one's daily prayers, (for as St Paul said elsewhere: "if I did all those things but did them without love, it would do me NO GOOD whatsoever!!" Being a more loving, compassionate, merciful and reverent person, and deepening our love that derives from God who is love, and having the fruits of that love show in our words, our actions and our priorities and choices … now THAT is something .. in fact, that is everything…
In this coming week, let us ask God to show us the paths that need straightening. the barriers that need lowering… For this is the time and season for intense and urgent preparation and conversion so that we might love more deeply, as Christ does, and so that everything we do may flow from and find its source and destination in God, who is LOVE.
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References:
HOMILY BY Fr Paul W. Kelly
ACTION 2000 – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR C. BY MARK LINK S.J.
[ii] SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR. GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ.
Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/gQQpUXVEFLwU5UXtmIeC?ru=Paul-Evangelion
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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.
INSPIRATION FROM THE SAINTS:
The Blessed Virgin Mary - Immaculate Conception.
Today is all about grace. It was God’s grace that provided Mary with the privilege of being born without original sin; it was Mary’s grace that said yes to God’s plan; and it is our grace to honor Mary’s witness and protection. As Pope John Paul II explains, “Grace means love and the gift of God himself, the completely free gift in which God entrusts to [us] his Mystery.” In honour of this day, pray the mysteries of the Rosary.
(About Mary): Luke 2:19 - “Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
“How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
“See, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word.”
"My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on, all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers." (Luke 1:46-55)
"Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." (Lk 2:48)
"They have no wine." (Jn 2:3)
"Do whatever he tells you." (Jn 2:5)
Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin
“I am a nobody, I am a small rope, a tiny ladder, the tail end, a leaf.”
Can you imagine what today’s saint, Juan Diego, was going through when he encountered Our Lady of Guadalupe? First of all, she looked nothing like the pictures of the Blessed Virgin he was used to. She wasn’t a blue-eyed, white European. She was brown-skinned with dark hair and dark eyes. She wasn’t wearing a blue veil either. And she didn’t even speak to him in Spanish, but in Nahuatl, the ancient language of his ancestral Aztec. Was she for real? When the image of the Virgin appeared on his cloak, he knew she was. Celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe, who acts as a reflection for all the faithful.
After his baptism, Juan Diego began the practice of walking from his home to the Franciscan mission in Tlatelolco to receive ongoing religious instruction and attend daily Mass. On December 9, 1531, Juan was making one such journey. When he passed by Tepeyac Hill, much to his surprise, he encountered a heavenly woman who appeared as a mestiza (a mixture of Spanish and Indigenous features) and spoke in the local Nahuatl language. She announced herself as the Ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and instructed Juan to go to the bishop and tell him to build a chapel on Tepeyac Hill. Juan fulfilled her request, but the bishop was hesitant. Later that evening, as Juan was returning home, the Mother of God appeared to him again, and he informed her that he had failed to convince the bishop. He suggested that she pick someone of more importance for her mission. The Mother of God assured him that he was her choice and asked him to return to the bishop. He went the following morning and repeated the request. This time, the bishop appeared to be open but asked for a sign to prove the apparition was truly from Heaven. Juan returned to the Mother of God, and she agreed to provide a sign the following day.
The next day, December 11, Juan Diego’s uncle, Juan Bernardino, became ill. Juan Diego tended to him, so he was unable to meet his heavenly visitor at Tepeyac Hill. During the night, Juan Bernardino took a turn for the worse and was on the verge of dying. Early on the morning of December 12, Juan Diego set off for Tlatelolco to get a priest to administer the last sacraments to his uncle. Since he was in a hurry and because he had failed to return to the Mother of God on Tepeyac Hill on December 11, Juan took a different route around the hill to try to avoid her.
As he journeyed, the Mother of God appeared to him on the alternate route and asked where he was going. Juan shared the news about his uncle, explaining that his illness was the reason he had failed to show up the previous day for the promised sign. The Mother of God lovingly scolded Juan for his lack of faith, saying to him, “Am I not here, I who am your mother?” She informed him that his uncle had already recovered from his illness and then instructed Juan to climb the hill where he would find flowers not usually in bloom at that time of year. Sure enough, on the rocky peak where normally only weeds and cacti grew, there were beautiful roses. Juan picked them and placed them in his cloak, called a tilma. When he climbed down, the Mother of God rearranged the flowers and told him to bring them to the bishop as his sign. When Juan was brought into the presence of the bishop, he opened his tilma, and the flowers fell to the ground. At the same time, an image of the Mother of God appeared on the tilma, just as she had appeared to Juan. The bishop immediately fell to his knees and believed.
The following day, Juan Diego went to check on his uncle and found him fully recovered. His uncle informed him that the Mother of God had appeared to him also and healed him. She instructed him to present himself to the bishop and tell the bishop about the apparition and his miraculous healing.
After keeping Juan Diego’s tilma in his private chapel at first, the bishop had a small chapel erected on the Tepeyac Hill. On December 26, 1531, he led a procession with the tilma to the chapel. On the way, a man in the procession was accidentally struck in the neck with an arrow that was intended to be part of a display in honor of the Mother of God. The wound was serious and his death was imminent. He was placed before the holy image, the arrow was removed, those gathered beseeched the Mother of God to heal him, and he instantaneously recovered.
This entire experience profoundly affected Juan Diego. Prior to the apparition he already had a strong faith, but afterwards it became even stronger. According to some early sources, Juan Diego’s wife had passed away in 1529, two years prior to the apparition. After the apparition, Juan received permission from the bishop to erect a small hut near the chapel where he lived for the next sixteen years as a hermit, caring for the chapel and image, and welcoming visitors who came to venerate it. According to the official biography from the Vatican that was prepared on the occasion of Saint Juan Diego’s canonization, “Juan Diego received the grace of interior enlightenment and from that moment, he began a life dedicated to prayer and the practice of virtue and boundless love of God and neighbour.”
Today, Saint Juan Diego’s tilma is enshrined in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
St Damasus I:
He who walking on the sea could calm the bitter waves, who gives life to the dying seeds of the earth; he who was able to loose the mortal chains of death, and after three days darkness could bring again to the upper world the brother for his sister Martha: he, I believe, will make Damasus rise again from the dust.
The arrangement of the names of Christ, however, is manifold:
LORD, because He is Spirit;
WORD, because He is God;
SON, because He is the only-begotten son of the Father;
MAN, because He was born of the Virgin;
PRIEST, because He offered Himself as a sacrifice;
SHEPHERD, because He is a guardian;
WORM, because He rose again;
MOUNTAIN, because He is strong;
WAY, because there is a straight path through Him to life;
LAMB, because He suffered;
CORNER-STONE, because instruction is His;
TEACHER, because He demonstrates how to live;
SUN, because He is the illuminator;
TRUTH, because He is from the Father;
LIFE, because He is the creator;
BREAD because He is flesh;
SAMARITAN, because He is the merciful protector;
CHRIST, because He is anointed;
JESUS, because He is a mediator;
VINE, because we are redeemed by His blood;
LION, because He is King;
ROCK, because He is firm;
FLOWER, because He is the chosen one;
PROPHET, because He has revealed what is to come.
(From the Decree of Damasus (attributed to St Pope Damasus I)
St Pope Damasus I (c 305-384))
The feast day of St. Damasus is celebrated on December 11. He was the Bishop of Rome.
Damasus was born in 306. His father was a Roman priest. Following his father’s footsteps, he began as a deacon. He served in the Basilica of San Lorenzo. He also served Pope Liberius following him into exile. When Pope Liberius died he was elected Pope. At the same time a minority elected Ursinus as the Pope. Ursinus was considered the anti-pope. Unrest and discord were constant during the reign of Pope Damasus.
Pope Damasus commissioned his secretary St.Jerome to translate the scripture into Latin, the Vulgate version of the Bible. He also changed the liturgical language of the Church from Greek to Latin. He worked to preserve the catacombs and the graves of the martyrs, and relics. During his reign, Christianity was declared the official religion of the Roman state. Pope Damasus I died of natural causes in Rome on December 11, 384.
Our Lady of Guadaloupe
Mysterious mother of the Americas
On a wall, under glass, is the life-sized image of Our Lady of Guadalupe—enshrined in the Basilica of Guadalupe, on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico City, where Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego in December 1591. As mysterious and symbolic as the Woman of the Apocalypse described in Revelation 12, it continues to defy human explanation, including analysis from a NASA scientist. The humble cactus fiber cloak it appears on hasn’t deteriorated in more than 400 years, nor has the image, which experts from Kodak likened to a photograph though photography wasn’t invented yet. Countless miracles are associated with Guadalupe, but the greatest is the conversion of an entire continent. Pray for the people of the Americas with the Center of Concern prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe that begins: Hail Mary, Lady of Peace, We pray for the peace in our world; make us peacemakers.
St Lucy:
Those whose hearts are pure are temples of the Holy Spirit.
No one's body is polluted so as to endanger the soul if it has not pleased the mind. If you were to lift my hand to your idol and so make me offer against my will, I would still be guiltless in the sight of the true God, who judges according to the will and knows all things. If now, against my will, you cause me to be polluted, a twofold purity will be gloriously imputed to me. You cannot bend my will to your purpose; whatever you do to my body, that cannot happen to me.
St John of the Cross:
"Lord, I shall see you no more with the eyes of the flesh..."
"To saints, their very slumber is a prayer."
"The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light."
"The soul that is quick to turn to speaking and conversing is slow to turn to God."
"Who teaches the soul if not God?"
"He who interrupts the course of his spiritual exercises and prayer is like a man who allows a bird to escape from his hand; he can hardly catch it again."
"If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark."
"In tribulation immediately draw near to God with confidence, and you will receive strength, enlightenment, and instruction."
"In order to come to union with the wisdom of God, the soul has to proceed rather by unknowing than by knowing…"
"Among all created things, and things that can be apprehended by the understanding, there is no ladder whereby the understanding can attain to this high Lord."
"This perfection consists in voiding and stripping and purifying the soul of every desire."
"Let all find compassion in you."
"Obedience is a penance of reason, and, on that account, a sacrifice more acceptable than all corporal penances and mortifications."
"My spirit has become dry because it forgets to feed on You."
"The soul that journey's to God, but doesn't shake off its cares and quiet its appetites, is like someone who drags a cart of dirt uphill."
"If you lose an opportunity you will be like one who lets the bird fly away; you will never get it back."
"Strive always to confess your sins with a deep knowledge of your own wretchedness and with clarity and purity."
"Not to follow the advice of our confessor is pride and a want of faith."
"The fly that lands on honey makes its flight impossible."
"The soul, which does not want to give up the flavour of the spirit, prevents its freedom and its contemplation."
"Oh cherished Cross! Through thee my most bitter trials are replete with graces!"
"An action done entirely and purely for God, with a pure heart, creates a whole kingdom for those who make it."
"It is best to learn to silence the faculties and to cause them to be still so that God may speak."
"Do not ask for anything other than the cross, and precisely without consolation, because this is perfect."
"Lord, my God, do not turn away from those who do not turn away from you: how can they say that you are absent?"
"You will not find what you want or most desire, neither on this road of yours nor for that of high contemplation, but in a great humility and submission of heart."
"Make sure not to get involved in other people's things and not to let them even pass through your memory, because maybe you won't be able to complete your work."
"If a man wishes to be sure of the road he's travelling on, then he must close his eyes and travel in the dark."
"Speak little and do not meddle in matters about which you are not asked."
"Now that I no longer desire all, I have it all without desire… Having nothing and possessing all things."
"Whoever flees prayer flees all that is good."
"More is gained in one hour from God's good things than in a whole lifetime from our own."
"Be silent concerning what God may have given you and recall that saying of the bride: My secret for myself."
"Deny your desires and you will find what your heart longs for. "
"For how do you know if any desire of yours is according to God?"
"Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn't seek the glory of Christ."
"God leads every soul by a separate path."
"If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection."
"Silence is God's first language."
"He who avoids prayer is avoiding everything that is good."
THE POPE - Continuing serialisation of Pope Francis’ new Encyclican on the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 2535638411 - Tirana, Albania - October 25 2024: portrait of Pope Francis with baby, on stained glass wall of St. Paul's Cathedral. Editorial Use Only. Photo contributor -Lies Ouwerkerk
Pope article:
Encyclical continued
THE WORLD CAN CHANGE, BEGINNING WITH THE HEART
28. It is only by starting from the heart that our communities will succeed in uniting and reconciling differing minds and wills, so that the Spirit can guide us in unity as brothers and sisters.Reconciliation and peace are also born of the heart.The heart of Christ is “ecstasy”, openness, gift and encounter.In that heart, we learn to relate to one another in wholesome and happy ways, and to build up in this world God’s kingdom of love and justice.Our hearts, united with the heart of Christ, are capable of working this social miracle.
29. Taking the heart seriously, then, has consequences for society as a whole.The Second Vatican Council teaches that, “every one of us needs a change of heart; we must set our gaze on the whole world and look to those tasks we can all perform together in order to bring about the betterment of our race”.[20]For “the imbalances affecting the world today are in fact a symptom of a deeper imbalance rooted in the human heart”.[21]In pondering the tragedies afflicting our world, the Council urges us to return to the heart.It explains that human beings “by their interior life, transcend the entire material universe; they experience this deep interiority when they enter into their own heart, where God, who probes the heart, awaits them, and where they decide their own destiny in the sight of God”.[22]
30. This in no way implies an undue reliance on our own abilities.Let us never forget that our hearts are not self-sufficient, but frail and wounded.They possess an ontological dignity, yet at the same time must seek an ever more dignified life.[23]The Second Vatican Council points out that “the ferment of the Gospel has aroused and continues to arouse in human hearts an unquenchable thirst for human dignity”.[24]Yet to live in accordance with this dignity, it is not enough to know the Gospel or to carry out mechanically its demands.We need the help of God’s love.Let us turn, then, to the heart of Christ, that core of his being, which is a blazing furnace of divine and human love and the most sublime fulfilment to which humanity can aspire.There, in that heart, we truly come at last to know ourselves and we learn how to love.
31. In the end, that Sacred Heart is the unifying principle of all reality, since “Christ is the heart of the world, and the paschal mystery of his death and resurrection is the centre of history, which, because of him, is a history of salvation”.[25]All creatures “are moving forward with us and through us towards a common point of arrival, which is God, in that transcendent fullness where the risen Christ embraces and illumines all things”.[26]In the presence of the heart of Christ, I once more ask the Lord to have mercy on this suffering world in which he chose to dwell as one of us.May he pour out the treasures of his light and love, so that our world, which presses forward despite wars, socio-economic disparities and uses of technology that threaten our humanity, may regain the most important and necessary thing of all: its heart.
CHAPTER TWO
ACTIONS AND WORDS OF LOVE
32. The heart of Christ, as the symbol of the deepest and most personal source of his love for us, is the very core of the initial preaching of the Gospel.It stands at the origin of our faith, as the wellspring that refreshes and enlivens our Christian beliefs.
ACTIONS THAT REFLECT THE HEART
33. Christ showed the depth of his love for us not by lengthy explanations but by concrete actions.By examining his interactions with others, we can come to realize how he treats each one of us, even though at times this may be difficult to see.Let us now turn to the place where our faith can encounter this truth: the word of God.
34. The Gospel tells us that Jesus “came to his own” (cf.Jn1:11).Those words refer to us, for the Lord does not treat us as strangers but as a possession that he watches over and cherishes.He treats us truly as “his own”.This does not mean that we are his slaves, something that he himself denies: “I do not call you servants” (Jn15:15).Rather, it refers to the sense of mutual belonging typical of friends.Jesus came to meet us, bridging all distances; he became as close to us as the simplest, everyday realities of our lives.Indeed, he has another name, “Emmanuel”, which means “God with us”, God as part of our lives, God as living in our midst.The Son of God became incarnate and “emptied himself, taking the form of a slave” (Phil2:7).
35. This becomes clear when we see Jesus at work.He seeks people out, approaches them, ever open to an encounter with them.We see it when he stops to converse with the Samaritan woman at the well where she went to draw water (cf.Jn4:5-7).We see it when, in the darkness of night, he meets Nicodemus, who feared to be seen in his presence (cf.Jn3:1-2).We marvel when he allows his feet to be washed by a prostitute (cf.Lk7:36-50), when he says to the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you” (Jn8:11), or again when he chides the disciples for their indifference and quietly asks the blind man on the roadside, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mk10:51).
Christ shows that God is closeness, compassion and tender love.
36. Whenever Jesus healed someone, he preferred to do it, not from a distance but in close proximity: “He stretched out his hand and touched him” (Mt8:3).“He touched her hand” (Mt8:15).“He touched their eyes” (Mt9:29).Once he even stopped to cure a deaf man with his own saliva (cf.Mk7:33), as a mother would do, so that people would not think of him as removed from their lives.“The Lord knows the fine science of the caress.In his compassion, God does not love us with words; he comes forth to meet us and, by his closeness, he shows us the depth of his tender love”.[27]
37. If we find it hard to trust others because we have been hurt by lies, injuries and disappointments, the Lord whispers in our ear: “Take heart, son!” (Mt9:2), “Take heart, daughter!” (Mt9:22).He encourages us to overcome our fear and to realize that, with him at our side, we have nothing to lose.To Peter, in his fright, “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him”, saying, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt14:31).Nor should you be afraid.Let him draw near and sit at your side.There may be many people we distrust, but not him.Do not hesitate because of your sins.Keep in mind that many sinners “came and sat with him” (Mt9:10), yet Jesus was scandalized by none of them.It was the religious élite that complained and treated him as “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Mt11:19).When the Pharisees criticized him for his closeness to people deemed base or sinful, Jesus replied, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Mt9:13).
38. That same Jesus is now waiting for you to give him the chance to bring light to your life, to raise you up and to fill you with his strength.Before his death, he assured his disciples, “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me” (Jn14:18-19).Jesus always finds a way to be present in your life, so that you can encounter him.
EXPLORING OUR FAITH
God in our world
Catholics believe that God exists in our world and if we seek to discover God, we will. One of the ways that we see God in the world is through the beauty and order of nature. Catholics believe that an intelligence created the world. Consider the wonder of human birth. Could this have come about by chance?
As we search for God we come to understand that God is the creator of all that is and that it is through this understanding that we gain knowledge of God in a range of life experiences. These may be in moments of connection or aha! moments when we are aware of mystery in our lives.
God is more than everything, and yet everything is in God. M. J. Borg.
The purpose of life
“We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28).
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
Catholics believe that the purpose of life is to have life and have it more abundantly. For this reason, we constantly try to love God with all our heart, mind and soul and to love our neighbour as ourselves.
“Why am I here?” is a question asked by people throughout the ages. Each one of us at some stage in our lives looks for true meaning and purpose in our existence. This particularly occurs when we are faced with life’s joys and its challenges of anxiety, loss and grief. God calls us to seek God, know and love God.
It is through understanding that Jesus, the Son of God, who lived on earth as a human, worked with human hands, thought with a human mind, acted by human choice, loved with a human heart and died for the forgiveness of our sins that we can begin to comprehend our reason for being.
One reason for being is to learn to love ourselves and others as God loves us – enough to give over His own Son for the love of humankind. In this way we are gradually transformed into persons who can live and love like God does, becoming ready to live and love with God forever, which brings about an internal change and a conscious relationship with God.
There are many ways to explore your relationship with God. This can be done through prayer, reading, engaging in education in faith through specific courses and/or within a faith community. Your local parish will be pleased to help you find the opportunities that are right for you, or you may wish to explore options by contacting Evangelisation Brisbane
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 VINCENTS CATHOLIC SCHOOL - PROUD AND TRUE DIRECTORY
Dear St Vincent’s Parents and Caregivers,
Get Onboard!
After fantastic responses over the last few years, we are preparing for the St Vincent's Primary Proud & True Business Directory 2025 Edition.
If you have a small business, work for a small business, are a tradie and thinking about your marketing plans for the 2024/2025 Financial Year, you may like to take up a special offer to advertise to our broader school community in our St Vincent’s business directory.
Whether it’s as a landscaper, accountant, solicitor, plumber, electrician, coffee shop owner… just to name a few – this could be for you.
In Australia 86% of people rely on word-of-mouth recommendations! This is all our community businesses packaged into a one stop word of mouth shop.
Our parents and members of our broader school community want to support each other and ensure we are spending our money locally and helping businesses continue to operate and grow. The Proud & True Business Directory will be distributed widely to all staff and families at St Vincent’s.
If you would like to advertise your business in this directory, please contact Ben Ryan on 0432545995 or email ben@advcollab.com.au
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.
Surfer's Paradise Parish Mission Statement.
We, the Catholic community of Surfers Paradise, guided by the Holy Spirit, strive to live the mission of Jesus through the spirituality of stewardship.
We are all brothers and sisters in the family of God, and we believe in the inherent dignity, reverence and sanctity of all humans as lovingly created children of God.
Centred in the Eucharist and nourished by word and sacrament, we proclaim by faith and action the love of God for all.
We seek in our daily lives and actions, and in our wider community participation, to live consistently and practically each day of the week, what we proclaim in worship of God on Sundays.
In the spirit of gratitude, we live out this mission by
· Committing to be prayerful disciples of Jesus Christ.
· Recognising and sharing our gifts and talents.
· Active involvement in the life of the parish, for the sole purpose of promoting the honour and glory of God, through our care and love of our neighbour
· Hospitality, charity, justice and compassion in practical ways.
· Nurturing our young people.
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