PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*:
You can also access an online -web- copy of the newsletter *Webcopy here*
“This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” [Luke 9:35]
Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/JzeRmZB0EMXBOgvB9j7t/light-around-jesus-brighter?ru=Paul-Evangelion
Stations of the Cross:
Stations of the Cross will be conducted at Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters
from 6 pm each Friday of Lent.
PASTOR’S POST -
This weekend’s Gospel of the Transfiguration of the Lord serves as a powerful reminder of God's ever-present glory, often hidden within the mundane aspects of our lives. While the moment when Jesus shone with divine light on the mountain is striking, we frequently encounter far more subtle instances of divine grace in our everyday experiences.
We all have "high-point moments" when we feel a glimpse of heaven, as if the veil between this life and the next has been momentarily lifted. These experiences, though fleeting, leave a lasting imprint, encouraging us to recognise God's glory that surrounds us. As spiritual writer Thomas Merton poignantly notes, we walk among each other "shining like the sun," though we often fail to see it amidst our daily routines.
Saint Augustine, in his spiritual book “Confessions” recounts a profound moment with his mother, discussing eternal wisdom while overlooking a serene garden at Ostia. In that brief instant, they touched the divine before returning to their ordinary conversation, forever changed by the experience. His mother passed into the eternal presence of God shortly after this experience. This echoes the Transfiguration, where those who witness it are deeply moved and transformed for a brief but eternally
God's glory is not confined to dramatic moments; it permeates our everyday lives. Recognising this invites us to appreciate the quiet grace that fills our days. As we strive for a deeper spiritual life, we must remember that it often unfolds at the "240-volt" level rather than through constant high-voltage epiphanies. Embracing the ordinary allows us to find extraordinary grace every moment, nurturing our restless hearts as we seek lasting union with the divine.
Fr Paul Kelly
Ready for Prep 2026 at St Kevin’s School, Benowa
St Kevin’s enrolments for Prep 2026 are filling up very fast and we now extend an invitation to all families considering where to send their child to begin their schooling journey in 2026, to make application for an interview in order to secure a place for their child.
We also warmly invite you St Kevin’s Open Day on Thursday 1 May 2025. Hear more about the excellent learning and teaching that happens at St Kevin’s and experience the sense of warmth and welcome that St Kevin’s offers all students and families.
Visit our website www.sk.qld.edu.au or call us on 055539 4522 for more information.
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From Fr. Paul.
The Bells, The Bells!!!!!!
Fairly often, we get asked "whatever happened to the ringing of bells in Mass?"
You may recall that a bell or a gong was rung at the "Epiclesis" (which is the laying of hands over the gifts of bread and wine); the prayer asking the Holy Spirit to "come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ." (Eucharistic Prayer II).
The bells were rung again when the priest held up the consecrated Host and again when the Chalice was held up after the words of Jesus were proclaimed.
The ringing of bells at this time was for various reasons. When the Mass was celebrated in the old Latin Rite, the words of consecration in the Eucharistic prayer were said almost inaudibly, (with the priest saying the words in a whisper) - and with the Priest facing the altar, in the same direction as the assembly, (hence with his back to the people). The bells were used to pin-point the moment when Jesus became present in the form of what looked like bread and wine so that people could adore Christ. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to see or hear what was going on.
Also, since Medieval times the experts on religion, like St. Thomas Aquinas, were very interested in knowing the exact manner and form needed to make something valid. There was a strong emphasis on the "Institution Narrative" (The words of Jesus) saying "This is my body" and "this is my blood." Since Vatican II there has been a change to using the local language in liturgy and for most of the key prayers to be said aloud. The presider also faces the people and they can see and hear what is going on much more clearly. There is also an emphasis on the fact that it is the whole Eucharistic prayer of praise and thanksgiving and not only the Institution Narrative alone where we encounter the Real Presence of Christ. (It is not ever considered that one could simply just say the words of the institution without the whole eucharistic prayer, for the action to be valid).
Having said that, the ringing of bells at the consecration is still a valid option. And our Mother Church in this archdiocese, the Cathedral of Saint Stephen, features the ringing of bells at the consecration. Many other churches around the archdiocese, and around the world utilise the bells.
In recent years I have re-evaluated the role of bells in the Mass. Whilst it is true that we can now clearly see and hear the words of consecration better, it is still the highpoint of the Eucharistic Prayer, and the bells reverently draw our minds and hearts to this really key moment. Also, at times, as I hold up the Eucharistic elements, as I am praying the words of the institution, at that moment, I see people looking around, or distracted or even yawning. Of course, a yawn can sometimes come upon us at any time, but it is really surprising that some are seemingly not focused on this most holy moment. I do feel the bells help us all to zero-in on the moment, and give our complete attention to this sacred action. In this day and age where there are so many distractions and so much noise surrounding us, the bells seem a very fitting way of calling us gently to refocus. It also tells those nearby this sacred space, within earshot, that the most solemn moment is occurring. In this parish we will be bringing back the bells. They are beautiful, and they call us to focus and they are another way of engaging all our senses, (sound, sight, taste, touch, smell), as we participate fully in the prayer of the Mass.
From Fr. Paul.
THIS LENT THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF PROJECT COMPASSION - A PRACTICAL WAY OF GIVING TO THOSE IN NEED - IN THE ANNUAL CATHOLIC-RUN APPEAL ORGANISED BY CARITAS AUSTRALIA
PROJECT COMPASSION - LENTEN PRAYER
God of our journey
we are all pilgrims of hope
brought together by your love
and your wish that we may all be one.
We pray that in this Year of Jubilee
when we are called to greater justice
and care for our common home
that we may Unite Against Poverty.
May we work in unity for the freedom
of the oppressed and the renewal of creation.
may our compassionate minds
and generous hearts help bring about a
world where all can live in peace.
May our Lenten pilgrimage of
fasting, almsgiving and prayer
bring us closer to your loving heart.
We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen
You can support Project Compassion 2025 through the donation envelopes.
Or online at: caritas.org.au/project-compassion
Or by calling: 1800 024 413
Thank you for standing with us, as we Unite Against Poverty this Lent.
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Today’s Gospel brings us a wonderful moment in the education of Jesus’ friends.
Jesus was always trying to teach them about the mystery of life, and we can take heart from the fact that they were often slow learners. Peter, James and John see Jesus transfigured on the top of a mountain. But the vision doesn’t last long. Peter, always practical, wants to build tents so they can stay in the moment.
But no, the journey to Calvary lies ahead where they will see Jesus disfigured.
Eventually, they will put it together that transfiguration and disfigurement are two sides of the same coin.
This week, Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion shares another story of education. We visit a primary school in Samoa with 400 students and 11 teachers Until 2023, the school had no reliable access to fresh water.
At times, teachers had to fetch water from neighbouring families, and this took considerable time out of the day and limited classes. It also meant that each class had a single bucket of drinking water for everyone to share.
Thanks to your generosity, this has now changed. Education can continue uninterrupted. You might even say, that thanks to those who support Project Compassion, disfigured lives have been transfigured.
Samoa may seem a long way away but let us think for a moment of some of the words Jesus said on the night before he died. He prayed ‘may they all be one.’
We see the high price of division and conflict in so many places. People face each other with such hostility. As we Unite Against Poverty, we are slowly creating the solution. Our actions are teaching the world to see possibilities more than problems. Just as his friends saw Jesus in a brilliant new light, so too must we see the whole human family with its true dignity.
We pray for all those whose access to food and water is insecure.
May the whole human family respond generously in creating lasting justice in distributing life’s necessities. May we respond to opportunities such as those presented by Project Compassion this Lent to Unite Against Poverty. May we all be one.
Stations of the Cross:
Stations of the Cross will be conducted at Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters from 6 pm each Friday of Lent.
An UPDATE RE THE WHEELCHAIR PROJECT MENTIONED LAST WEEK
Wheelchairs for Kids – postscript
You may have read the article in last week’s Parish Newsletterabout Sister Lis Keane and Mary Lepp from our Parish seeking volunteers for Wheelchairs for Kids, a charity in Perth operated by Christian Brother Oly Pickett and the Rotary Club of Scarborough in Perth.
Brother Oly, now aged 83 years, assisted in the foundation of Wheelchairs for Kids in Perth in 1996, and was recently named WA Senior Australian of the Year 2025.
By way of background, the original idea of making wheelchairs for impoverished disabled children in third world countries came from Mr Des La Rance, a long-term member of this Parish, and a member at the time at the Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club. Des and his wife were on a holiday in Fiji in 1995, and saw the plight of some disabled children there with cerebral palsy or otherwise had lost or deformed limbs, andwere only able to move by dragging themselves through the dirt.
He thought at the time that he had to do something about this, and on his return to Australia, he made a few wheelchairs from old bike frames from the tip and some marine plywood. The Rotary Club of Surfers Sunrise soon rented a small shed, some other Rotary Club members volunteered to assist Des in the construction of these low-cost wheelchairs for all terrains, and it immediately became a Club Project in 1996.
In early 1997, Ray Martin from A Current Affair was a guest speaker at a Rotary District Conference where Des had organised a wheelchair to be on display, and Ray was immediately inspired by the simplicity of the design of the chair, and the passionate way that Des described the need to assist these disabled children. Ray organised a promotional documentary which was aired on the ACA television program, and published a link to a call centre for donations. An amount in excess of $120,000 was raised in the next few days as a result of this program.
At about this same time, a member of the Scarborough Rotary Club in Perth, Gordon Cornish, was visiting his brother on the Gold Coast, Dr Geoff Cornish, a member of the Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club, and Geoff introduced Gordon to this Wheelchair Project. Gordon took the idea back to his Rotary Club in Perth, which then partnered with the Christian Brothers to commence their own Wheelchair for Kids project in Perth. The Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club assisted the Scarborough Rotary Club with seed funding by way of loan to commence their project.
The Surfers Sunrise Wheelchair Project has not grown to the same extent as the Perth project, but from its current factory at Arundel, has supplied in excess of 11,000 wheelchairs to impoverished children in more than 35 third world countries.
Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club set up the Surfers Sunrise Wheelchair Trust, which enables all donations to be tax deductible. All funds contributed to the Wheelchair Trust are used only to purchase materials to manufacture these rough terrain wheelchairs.
The Rotary Club also require two bikes to make one rough terrain wheelchair, so these bikes are donated to the Wheelchair factory from either residential homes or accommodation buildings or discarded at dump sites in South-East Qld. If you require this service within the Gold Coast, you are welcome to bring them to the factory either on a Wednesday or Saturday morning or email Surfers Sunrise Rotary at enquiries.surfers.sunrise@gmail.com
Also, the Surfers Sunrise Rotary Wheelchair factory is always looking for extra assistance at the shed, so if you are retired or looking for company with a great bunch of guys, come and join us on a Wednesday or Saturday morning. Contact Surfers Sunrise Rotary at enquiries.surfers.sunrise@gmail.com or call into the factory at 175 Napper Road, Arundel.
Des has also designed and built a low-cost house, a school,and an orphanage, all constructed by Rotary members in third world countries impacted by natural disasters. For these as well as his contribution to the Surfers Sunrise Wheelchair Project, he was deservedly awarded a Medal of Australia(OAM).
Peter Morgan
Parishioner and member of the Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club.
WHEELCHAIRS FOR KIDS PROJECT
Sister Lis Keane shared with us a project that she and Mary Lepp are working on with the ladies at Numinbah Prison, in support of Brother Oly’s Wheelchairs for Kids worldwide program. This information is written about him in the hope that some of our parishioners may be able to help us with some wool and crochet needles for the project. Parishioners Mary Lepp and Sr Lis Keane are helping the women to crochet rugs and soft toys. ”We have about 30 women enthusiastically learning to crochet so they can make the rugs. One woman said to me, 'Thank you, Sister Lis, for giving us the opportunity to do something for other people.'”
Thank you for taking the time to consider our request.
With grateful thanks, (Sr) Lis Keane
ALTAR SERVING in SURFERS PARADISE PARISH
Would you like to become an Altar Server in Surfers Paradise Parish?
Our church family has many ministries or roles available for people who wish to help the celebration of the mass to be as reverent and joyful as possible. For children, one of the best ways to contribute to the mass is to train to be an altar server.
There are lots of things to learn about the job of altar serving so if you are interested in finding out about this special ministry please read on.
Who can become an altar server: Any person who is a fully initiated Catholic can be an altar server. That is, someone who has received the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation and has celebrated their First Holy Communion.
Children who wish to become altar servers will be taught by Fr Bradley and the Sacramental Team. When you feel confident, you will be asked to serve on the altar with other experienced servers.
How to find out more about Altar Serving Ministry: Ask one of your parents to ring the Parish Office (5671 7388) and leave your full name and contact details. Please direct all enquiries and volunteering through the Parish Office. Then Fr Bradley and the Sacramental Team will contact your family and invite you to a training workshop. Fr Bradley meeting some future altar servers at St Vincent’s
A Columbarium Question -
Due to many enquiries and consequent reservations of columbarium niches, we will soon be considering adding several new walls to accommodate future needs. In preparation for these new walls, we want to know how many parishioners or others are considering reserving a niche for themselves or their family members. If you wish to express an interest or inquire about what is involved, then we ask you to call the parish office in the next few weeks so that we can plan for a sufficient number of places. (A columbarium is an area used to store the ashes of the deceased who have been cremated. Those ashes are kept in special containers and placed inside "niches", or compartments, within the columbarium. The columbarium itself can be either a wall or a significant structure that will be open to loved ones to visit the deceased person at any time. Our parish columbarium is located at Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters, overlooking the lake., between the Church and the Hospitality Centre)
CHILDHOOD SACRAMENTS 2025 Please use the tables on the following pages to guide you, as you plan your child/ren’s Sacramental Journey in Surfers Paradise Parish. Please remember that your child and your family are often included in our prayers at mass and in the personal prayers of many parishioners. We all look forward to supporting you in this sacred work. The Sacramental Team 😃
To tune in to The Our parish Podcast of the Mass for Sundays and Solemnities, please visit regularly the following link: 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
The Café - “Sacred Grounds” - Located at the Former Atrium Building near the Sacred Heart Church.
The café near the Sacred Heart Church is 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 old location in the front of the church was not ideal. The café has now reopened in the old Atrium building. This allows 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.
{https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en/pellegrinaggio/calendario-giubileo.html}
Jubilee 2025 - The 2025 Jubilee Year, also known as the Year of the Pilgrim of Hope, is a time to celebrate faith, hope, and charity.
Here are some ways to celebrate the 2025 Jubilee:
Practice hope: Look to the future with hope and an open spirit.
Read the Jubilee document: Read Pope Francis' papal bull of indiction, Spes Non Confundit, which means "Hope does not disappoint". https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/bulls/documents/20240509_spes-non-confundit_bolla-giubileo2025.html
Undertake the Stations of the Cross
LENTEN BOOKLETS FOR PERSONAL OR GROUP REFLECTION
AVAILABLE NOW AT THE PIETY SHOPS. $5.
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
GO CASHLESS DONATIONS -
AVAILABLE AT THE ENTRANCES OF THREE CHURCHES - tap once to donate $10, tap and other higher denominations now available on the new devices.
Anointing Mass – Mass of Healing FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH (February-November Inclusive)
10 am Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Tuesday the 1st of April- Followed by morning tea. Please let others know who would love to come along.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on each First Friday, 4th April 2025, at Sacred Heart Church from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. All welcome. Enquiries: Helen 0421935678. "Could you not watch one hour with Me" Mt 26:4
FIRST SATURDAY MASS AND BENEDICTION
First Saturday Mass at Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters. 9 am Saturday the 5th April 2025. Followed by adoration and Benediction. {This is a votive Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary}.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK:
Pope Francis.;
Please also pray for the following who are ill. (Alphabetical)
Lindsay Allan, Robert Andreas, Joseph Antony, Milroy Antony, Tricia Baumann, Phil Bawden, Nellie Bellinger, Tim Brown, Margaret and Tony Buckingham, Vicky and Andrew Campora, Gerard Carroll, Nadia Ceh, Tina Conidi, Helen Cooper, Shirley Croft, Christopher Cunningham, Mary Curmi, Bernie Delaney, Christopher Eid, John Fox, Lorraine Gallagher, Jenny Haines, Betty Hannon, Stan Hickey, Andrew Janiec, Jenny Johnson, Kevin & Francis Junee, Leona Kelly, Marjorie Kennedy, Kath Kiely, Gregory Kittelty, Jan Kristenson, Robert Lahey, Dannielle Therese Larney, Alvin Lee, Nathan Lepp, Veronica Lubomski, Victoria MacDonald, l McGuigan, Phil and Anne McGuigan, Leonie McMahon, Anthea McMullin, Angela Micallef, Joanne Mooney, Maryann Moore, Frances Much, Michael & Leslie Murtagh, Scott Nunan, Eileen O’Mara, Margaret Orme, Letty O’Sullivan, Kevin Owen, Clare Perera, Lesley Petroni, Rachel Raines, Bob Rogers, Marnia Ryan-Raison, Miranda Santi, Maureen Scott, Betty Taylor, Gary Thompson, Leonardo Torcaso, Denise Tracey, Richard G Murphy, John Zappa.
RECENTLY DECEASED: (Chronological - Most recent first):
Rosie Maitland, Mark Johnstone, Ron McConnell, Charlie Schriha, Joseph Schriha, Dot Corbett, Helen Dowling, Fr Leo Burke, Sr Christa Murphy SSpS, Pietro Paolo Sergi, Phillip Brady, James Ezra (Jim) Ramsay, Susanne Theresa Hewitt, Ellanie Gonzalez, Patricia Stone, Milka Baric, Dulcie Villotet, Naomi Ryan, Karsten Rickert, Lee Pascuale Caprie, Kenneth Montgomery, Phillip Conquest, Romana Carlin, Noel Patrick Cook, John Rowles, Bruce O’Brien, Martha Wagner, Peter Noble, Carmela Parente.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: (Alphabetical)
Sheila Irene Asher, Bernadette Mary Bartley, Stephen Robert Bray, Earl Francis Alexander Brierty, Rev Dr John Clarke, Rae Maree Colahan, Rev Fr Peter Hugh Conroy, Bishop James Cuskelly, James Vincent (Jim) Daly, Fr Gerry Dore, John Dougherty, Fr Gerald Fitzgerald, Maria Gafa, John Gardner, Angelita Javillonar, Maureen Kennedy, Ferdinand Paul Kiely, Vincent Letizia, Mr John Lawrence Maher, Henri Lindermann, Annunziata (Tina) Morabito, Maria “Maryla” Muraczewski, Fr Timothy Norris, John Anthony O'leary, Anthony Onofaro, Jack Phythian, Vera Ryan, John William Sattler, Noeline Patricia Sisam, Elsden John Oliver Smith, Anna Szemeta, Vilma Mary Vaughan, Silvio De Vito, Peter Winks.
And Also: (Alphabetical):
Kath Browning, Racquel Leisa Carruthers, Ronald Patrick (Ron) Chapman, Arkley Debnam, John Delich, Bernadette Marie Douwes, Paul Fitzgerald, Fr Patrick Flood, Mary Theresa Ford, Barry Geary, Jeannette Giblin, Rosina Grguric, Shirley May Heath, Mary Madonna Hodge, Virgil Klaassen, Lynette Mary Leonard, Mario Di Martino, Elizabeth Mary McKinstry, Maurice James McNamara, Valerie Lorraine Meldrum, Giorgia Teresa Micallef-Vinall, Dawn Milgate, Yvonne Helen Mitchell, Fr Ralph Mitchell, Josephine Nosti, John Desmond O'Hanlon, Gerald Francis (Gerry) O’Reilly, Norma Claire Quinlan, Fr Kevin Ryan, Giovanni Scalcione, Millicent Dawn Shaw, Marija Vaculik, Fr Raymond Wilson, Margaret Eileen Young.
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. 5558 0120
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
Easter greeting cards available now.
A new selection of crucifixes in store this week.
WCCM - WORLD COMMUNITY FOR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION
This meditation group meets each Tuesday in the Morris Prayer Room, at 10 am to 11 am. This is followed by a Scripture Study of the following Sunday’s Mass readings from 11 am to 12 pm. You are welcome to attend both or either one. If you are new to meditation, we will assist you in learning about WCCM and the practice of Christian Meditation. The meditation group invites you to prepare for Easter by attending a Lenten program to be held in the Morris Prayer room as well. For more information, please contact Pam Egberts 0493 742 670.
SACRED HEART ROSARY PRAYER GROUP
Please join us to pray The Stations of the Cross, The Divine Mercy and The Rosary each day at 8:00a.m. at the Sacred Heart Church before 9 a.m. Mass, Monday through Friday, including First Saturdays.
Anointing Mass – Mass of Healing FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH (February-November Inclusive)
10 am Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Tuesday the 1st of April- Followed by morning tea. Please let others know who would love to come along.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on each First Friday, 4th April 2025, at Sacred Heart Church from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. All welcome. Enquiries: Helen 0421935678. "Could you not watch one hour with Me" Mt 26:4
FIRST SATURDAY MASS AND BENEDICTION
First Saturday Mass at Sacred Heart Church, Clear Island Waters. 9 am Saturday the 5th April 2025. Followed by adoration and Benediction. {This is a votive Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary}.
ART AND CRAFT GROUP
The Group meets in the Parish Hospitality Centre on Wednesdays from 9 am to 12 noon. Activities include
Art (watercolour, oils, acrylics, pen and ink drawing, etc.)
Various kinds of Craftwork (Knitting, Embroidery, Crocheting, Card making, Sewing, etc.)
Making Rosary Beads (later sent to the missions)
And any other activities that individuals may have an interest in, or you can bring in your ideas
A very relaxing and social environment - meet new friends! You are most welcome to join.
For further information, phone the Parish Office.
THE SACRED HEART BRIDGE CLUB-
Meets at the Sacred Heart - Parish Hospitality Centre, Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters.
Playing Bridge keeps your brain active and increases your social network! So why not give us a try? Learn to play Bridge at “Our Friendly Club” - Free Lesson. “Introduction to Bridge” - It is Easy to learn the format. No previous card-playing experience is necessary. All are welcome. For more information and to enrol, please phone Cheryl at 5538 8821.
YOGA AT THE PARISH HOSPITALITY CENTRE -
Join us for our social class in the Parish Hospitality Centre next to the Parish Office. Classes run every Tuesday at 10:45 a.m. Learn to relax yet gain greater flexibility, inner strength, body awareness and concentration while increasing your breath support and general well-being. Ruth is an IYTA-accredited instructor with wide experience and runs a caring, carefully monitored one-hour session costing $10 (new attendees, please arrive by 10:30 a.m. to prepare adequately for class). For more information, please emailsurfers@bne.catholic.net.au.
OUR LADY’S STATUE -
Praying the Rosary - Our Lady’s Statue in the Parish - Details of the Statue of Our Lady are going around the Parish. If you want her in your home and say the Rosary, please contact Maxine or Pat. For more information, please email: psela@bigpond.com
or surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
Our Lady’s Statue details for the next several weeks are:
17/9/2025 Blanche Braganza Benowa
24/3/2005 Blanche Braganza Benowa
EXERCISE CLASS - LOW IMPACT - FOR HEART HEALTH -
Join Rochelle for a fun, functional exercise class at Casey Hall. Low-impact cardiovascular exercises for heart health, improve strength and balance- an all-around fitness class for over 65’s. Stretch and strengthen the whole body, make new friends and feel great. Tuesday mornings @9.30 Beginners welcome. Contact Rochelle. For more information, please email: surfers@bne.catholic.net.au or call 07 5671 7388.
BIBLE STUDY/PRAYER GROUP - ST VINCENT’S CHURCH, SURFERS PARADISE.
The Bible Study Prayer Group meets every Friday from 5pm-6pm 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
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
St Patrick Day Bus Trip
We sincerely thank the 43 persons who registered and will be joining us for our wonderful, eventful St Patrick Day celebration this coming Monday.
Important: Please be prompt in being at St Joseph’s Church Labrador by 8:15am so we can arrive in time for Mass that starts at 10am. With any problems, contact Christine on 0431 630 446.
On the day, there will be prizes for the Best Dressed, Most Hilarious Irish outfits as well as lucky seat. On our journeys you will be encouraged to sing Irish songs, tell Irish jokes and participate in Irish quizzes for which the person with the most accumulated points will win the $150 voucher.
Let the celebrations begin, Chris and John.
THE BIBLE TIMELINE – THE STORY OF SALVATION
ADULT FAITH FORMATION BIBLE STUDY
CONTINUES on SUNDAY _______, 2025
In the Parish Hospitality Centre - (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/
A VOCATION VIEW: Second Sunday of Lent - C
After the transfiguration, Peter, John and James wanted to stay up the mountain. But Jesus said, "Move," with the knowledge that ships are safe in harbours but not meant to stay in harbours.
To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
“I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.” (Genesis 15:7). Just as the Lord gave Abraham, Moses and the Israelites a land to possess, He has also given each of us a home. Whether your home is grand or humble, it is a gift from God. Abraham prepared a great sacrifice to the Lord in gratitude for the home God gave him. How do you show your gratitude to God for the home He has given you? Do you make a sacrifice of any kind? Do you return any of your finances to God, investing equally in your eternal home just as you invest in your earthly home?
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 - A Heart-warming Witness
She was divorced—twice. Mary Clarke Brenner (1926-2013) lived in Beverly Hills: not an address associated with holy living. Yet this remarkable woman would go on to become the “Prison Angel," dedicating her life to criminals in a maximum-security jail. Mother Antonia, as she was later known, didn't just visit the incarcerated; she moved into the jail and lived among them for years. Others sought to imitate her generous spirit and formed the Eudist Servants of the Eleventh Hour—mindful that any of us might need saving in the end. "Warm the coldest heart," was her prayer. Pray for prison ministries.
(Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 - “Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness”)
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GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND
First Sunday of Lenyt - Year C. Sunday, 9th March 2025
THIS WEEKEND'S GOSPEL -
Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/JZvdO77VVby8Vf2T2c5t/jesus-transfigured-on-the-mountain?ru=Paul-Evangelion
Second Sunday of Lent. Year C. Sunday, 16 March 2025
This weekend's gospel of the Transfiguration of the Lord is a wonderful reminder that God's glory is around us all the time; in the people and events of life. But, it is not always as obvious as this moment that Jesus experienced, where his face literally shone like light.
We have probably all had "high-point moments," when something extraordinary and special happens to us; and it is as though "the veil between this life and the next" is temporarily parted, and we glimpse Heaven - and we gain a sweet taste of God's glory and wonder - but then those moments are gone and we are back to the everyday events of life. But, those high-point (mountain-top) moments stay with us long afterward and spur us on, reminding us that God's glory is always present.
The spiritual writer Thomas Merton puts it this way: "every one of us walks around the streets of this town shining like the sun; if only we knew it…. "
Yes indeed! If only we had realised this! The Glory and grace of God shines in and around all of His beautiful creation, mostly lost under the cover of everyday bustle.
In his writings, Saint Augustine describes a fascinating and beautiful moment, which in many ways is like a little 'taste' of 'transfiguration' in his own life story…….
It happened when Saint Augustine and his mother, Saint Monica, were just talking together while they stayed in a villa at the seaside port of Ostia in Rome, Italy. They were deep in discussion, sharing their faith and their hopes……..
Augustine writes:
"My mother and I were alone, leaning from a window which overlooked the garden in the courtyard of the house where we were staying at in Ostia. . . .Our conversation led us (to speak of many things)…….... And when we spoke of the eternal Wisdom, // longing for it //and straining for it with all the strength of our hearts//, for one fleeting instant //we reached out //and touched it. //...........Then with a sigh... //. we returned to the sound of our own speech, // in which each word has a beginning and an ending //- far, far different from your Word, Oh Lord, who abides forever, yet never grows old and gives new life to all things."
This beautiful little incident is like an echo of the Transfiguration of Our Lord on the mountaintop, where Jesus' divinity shines through for an instant in its fullness, and then everything returns to normal, and seems as ordinary as it was before……… But those who experience it are really never quite the same again. They are profoundly moved, to the depth of their being, by a deep experience of God's eternal grace.
This glimpse of glory is truly beautiful….
God gives us these occasional glimpses of his glory…… a divinity which, (by the way), actually surrounds us always, but we cannot always see it. Most times we do not recognize God's glory in the midst of ordinary life.
If God is not present and active in the ordinary moments of our lives, then it makes no sense. So thank goodness that this is precisely where God IS found.
And similarly, the GLORY of God in Christ was AS present and active when he was walking a dusty path between towns, looking just like any other ordinary traveller, as when he shone with pure light on that mountain top. This whole transfiguration incident is God's way of saying.. "See this profound experience of Glory... Good! now go back to the usual programme,..... but remember.,...this man is the Holy One.... he has my complete confidence and blessing.... This is my Son.... This glory is IN him always..!! ..... at every moment.. even in the mundane ...... even in the boring and tedious moments.... and even ultimately as he suffers and dies on a cross, seeming like just another common criminal.. But, Look deeper .. look beyond appearances. See the reality.
Equating a good spiritual life with only a continuous or even fairly regular "25,000-volt epiphanies" ignores the fact that we live our lives at the very effective "240-volt" level for everyday usage.
We must that God will give us what we need in due time and in the ways and times of God's choosing. If we only go around looking for the dramatic mountaintop experiences of spiritual life, (or for that matter, the extraordinary moments in life), we would miss the countless little moments of ordinary grace that fill up even the most ordinary or seemingly unexceptional day.
There are also many saints in the life of the church, who went years... sometimes decades... without any exceptional spiritual consolations, but continued to live the ordinary moments of graced life in exceptional devotion, faith, and good works.
God is constantly reminding us of what Augustine himself wrote as well….…. despite that wonderful moment of grace he described in his writings… he also wrote something even more profound…. "Loving God…….You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You."
God does not always act in ways according to our own expectations. God is in charge. We are humble servants whose "eyes are always on the hand of our master; waiting for the slightest movement, so we might leap up and answer whatever is requested…
and... at all times... "Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord!"
+++++REFERENCES:
FR. PAUL W. KELLY
MISSION 2000 – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR C. BY MARK LINK S.J.
2010 – A BOOK OF GRACE-FILLED DAYS. BY ALICE CAMILLE.
THE DAILY STUDY BIBLE. GOSPEL OF LUKE. (REVISED EDITION). BY WILLIAM BARCLAY.
From Saint Augustine: Confessions (Book nine, chapter 10). [Augustine. Confessions. Trans. R.S. Pine-Coffin. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1961, page 197 (paperback edition).]
Image Credit:
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To listen to the whole 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.
INSPIRATION FROM THE SAINTS:
St Patrick
Born in Roman Britain around the end of the fourth century. Died in Ireland about the middle of the fifth century. Faced hardship as a missionary bishop in Ireland, and opposition even from his friends and fellow Christians. Yet worked to conciliate, evangelise, and educate local chieftains and their families. Remembered for his simplicity and pastoral care, for his humble trust in God, and for his fearless preaching of the gospel to those who had enslaved him in his youth. Especially honoured in Australia because the many Irish people who came to settle here brought with them the faith and zeal of St Patrick.
“I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me; God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me afar and anear, alone or in a multitude.”
“Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouths of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.”
St Cyril of Jerusalem
St Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. 8 March. Optional Memorial. Born in Jerusalem about 315. Died there in 386. A bishop for over thirty-five years, he was deeply involved in debates with the Arians over the divinity of Christ and was exiled three times. Remembered especially for the illuminating baptismal catechesis he gave in the new Constantinian basilica of the Holy Sepulchre.
“Let us, my brethren, endure in hope. Let us devote ourselves, side-by-side with our hoping, so that the God of all the universe, as he beholds our intention, may cleanse us from all sins, fill us with high hopes from what we have in hand, and grant us the change of heart that saves. God has called you, and you have your calling.”
“Be still, and know that I am God, saith the Scripture. Excuse thyself from talking many idle words: neither backbite nor lend a willing ear to backbiters; but rather be prompt to prayer. Shew in ascetic exercise that thy heart is nerved. Cleanse thy vessel, that thou mayest receive grace more abundantly. Though remission of sins is given equally to all, the communion of the Holy Spirit is bestowed in proportion to each person’s faith. If thou hast laboured little, thou receivest little; but if thou hast wrought much, the reward is great. ”
The Spirit comes gently and makes himself known by his fragrance. He is not felt as a burden for God is light, very light. Rays of light and knowledge stream before him as the Spirit approaches. The Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, and to console.”
“Great is the Baptism that lies before you: a ransom to captives; a remission of offences; a death of sin; a new birth of the soul; a garment of light; a holy indissoluble seal; a chariot to heaven; the delight of Paradise; a welcome into the kingdom; the gift of adoption!”
St Joseph (Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 19 March. Solemnity.
A carpenter, though born of the royal house of David, Joseph was an upright man who, as husband of the Virgin Mary, cared for Mary and the child Jesus. Venerated in the East after the fourth century, his cult flowered in the West during the fifteenth century, following the development of medieval nativity plays, the Christmas crib, and increased devotion to Mary.
It is very powerful that no spoken words of St Joseph are recorded in the Bible. It is a testimony to his lasting inspiration to generations that his actions spoke louder than any words he uttered. Joseph was obedient, just, a truly upright man in the correct sense of the word, humble and quick to follow God’s will even in trying circumstances. His humility, purity, obedience and faithfulness have an eloquence beyond words.
POPE FRANCIS:
Image Credit- Asset id: 2575693983 - Pope Francis - Editorial Use Only. Riccardo De Luca - Update.
Encyclical on the Sacred Heart
THE SPREAD OF DEVOTION TO THE HEART OF CHRIST
109.Gradually, the wounded side of Christ, as the abode of his love and the wellspring of the life of grace, began to be associated with his heart, especially in monastic life.We know that in the course of history, devotion to the heart of Christ was not always expressed in the same way, and that its modern developments, related to a variety of spiritual experiences, cannot be directly derived from the mediaeval forms, much less the biblical forms in which we glimpse the seeds of that devotion.This notwithstanding, the Church today rejects nothing of the good that the Holy Spirit has bestowed on us down the centuries, for she knows that it will always be possible to discern a clearer and deeper meaning in certain aspects of that devotion, and to gain new insights over the course of time.
110.A number of holy women, in recounting their experiences of encounter with Christ, have spoken of resting in the heart of the Lord as the source of life and interior peace.This was the case with Saints Lutgarde and Mechtilde of Hackeborn, Saint Angela of Foligno and Dame Julian of Norwich, to mention only a few.Saint Gertrude of Helfta, a Cistercian nun, tells of a time in prayer when she reclined her head on the heart of Christ and heard its beating.In a dialogue with Saint John the Evangelist, she asked him why he had not described in his Gospel what he experienced when he did the same.Gertrude concludes that “the sweet sound of those heartbeats has been reserved for modern times, so that, hearing them, our aging and lukewarm world may be renewed in the love of God”.[98]Might we think that this is indeed a message for our own times, a summons to realize how our world has indeed “grown old”, and needs to perceive anew the message of Christ’s love?Saint Gertrude and Saint Mechtilde have been considered among “the most intimate confidants of the Sacred Heart”.[99]
111.The Carthusians, encouraged above all by Ludolph of Saxony, found in devotion to the Sacred Heart a means of growth in affection and closeness to Christ.All who enter through the wound of his heart are inflamed with love.Saint Catherine of Siena wrote that the Lord’s sufferings are impossible for us to comprehend, but the open heart of Christ enables us to have a lively personal encounter with his boundless love.“I wished to reveal to you the secret of my heart, allowing you to see it open, so that you can understand that I have loved you so much more than I could have proved to you by the suffering that I once endured”.[100]
112.Devotion to the heart of Christ slowly passed beyond the walls of the monasteries to enrich the spirituality of saintly teachers, preachers and founders of religious congregations, who then spread it to the farthest reaches of the earth.[101]
113.Particularly significant was the initiative taken by Saint John Eudes, who, “after preaching with his confrères a fervent mission in Rennes, convinced the bishop of that diocese to approve the celebration of the feast of the Adorable Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ.This was the first time that such a feast was officially authorized in the Church.Following this, between the years 1670 and 1671, the bishops of Coutances, Evreux, Bayeux, Lisieux and Rouen authorized the celebration of the feast for their respective dioceses”.[102]
REJOICE - MORNING PRAISE - Two episodes
from Fr Paul FROM SHALOM MEDIA ONLINE TV.
SHALOM TV is an online catholic resource that has wonderful programs for praise, meditation and reflection. Also, some excellent programs on family and faith. There is a program called Rejoice, which comes on every morning and has prayer and song to God at the start of the day. Fr Paul was invited to share two editions of Rejoice, featuring two of the hymns he wrote. Here are the links:
And -
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 25”
An ancient medieval practice that developed in the Catholic Church was to bless one’s home with blessed chalk at the yearly Solemnity of the Epiphany. On the door or the lintel will be this symbol:
20 + C + M + B + 25 *
*”Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar” (the traditional names of the Three Wise Men)
And also representing the prayer: *Christus Mansionem Benedicat
May Christ bless this home.
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, ‘25, of this century to the protection of the Lord.
May the Lord bless this abode.
The letters C+M+B represent Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior, the three Wise Men. CMB is also the initials of the Latin prayer “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” - “May Christ Bless this dwelling place/ abode/ home.”
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ST VINCENTS CATHOLIC SCHOOL - PROUD AND TRUE DIRECTORY
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
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
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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