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“Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’” (Matthew 16:16)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 686987926 - Church of the Primacy of St Peter in Tabgha, Galilee, Israel, Middle East. Photo Contributor: Cezary Wojtkowski
PASTOR’S POST
Social Justice Sunday 2023 - August 27. Social Justice Sunday calls all Catholics, in light of the Australian Catholic Bishops Social Justice Statement and the current focus on a referendum,to use this opportunity to listen and learn from First Nations People. May love guide us as we listen deeply to our own hearts and those others . Let the love of God fill our hearts as we walk together toward justice and peace . The challenge of the day is to read and discern the wisdom in the Social Justice Statement, Listen, Learn and Love? Access the Social Justice Sunday Statement 2023-24 at https://bit.ly/SJS2023-24
A MESSAGE FROM FR PETER - “Those Precious Days”
The above heading is taken from the title of Anne Patchett’s comforting book of essays where she reminisces on the times of discovery in her life, mostly in everyday occurrences, that didn’t mean so much at the time, but have now taken on a muchgreater significance, as she faces new challenges.
The book strongly resonated with me as I’ve finally found a moment to reflect on my first six weeks in my new job as Vicar for Administration, and the things I now regard as precious learnings from my time as the pastor of Surfers Paradise Parish.
I have always been what we refer to as “a morning person”, and now even more so, as I am now usually at work by 6.30am. Since I am in my office, or that of others, most days, I prefer to take the bus to work. It’s very cheap (almost free for we old folk), and it feels a little like being chauffeur driven, albeit with several other travellers and sometimes a bumpy ride. Most days are 10 or 12 hours long, but I’m hoping this is only until I get a good handle on the scope of my duties. (At this stage I should be right on top of things by the time the Brisbane Olympics come around). However, I now know that with new surroundings, expectations and perspectives comes new energy, such that idle moments don’t exist for me so far.
While most of my work is administrative, nearly all my decisions have been influenced by how I might have managed the matter if it was in parish life. Who will be affected by my decision? Do I have all the facts? Am I the final arbiter of the decision? What will it cost? Who will it cost? Is there another way of dealing with the matter? Is the final decision fair and just? Whatever the issue, the good of the Archdiocese and therefore the people who make up the Archdiocese are the primary consideration. If only it was as easy as it sounds and didn’t often involve disappointment or disagreement, but as Jesus said, “The buck stops with you”. (He didn’t say that, but I think he understood what it meant).
I will never cease to be delightfully surprised by the generosity of people, something that was evident daily in the parish, but here at ‘head office’, so many people are at pains to let me know that their expertise is available to me at any time. The “my door is always open” practice has never been more needed as I try to navigate who is the most experienced person to guide me through the often-tricky path to an outcome. I have been humbled everyday by such generosity. Although this is a continuation of what I received in the parish, I confess over the years, to maybe taking all that generosity for granted, but not anymore.
Just when I thought I knew all the issues that are facing our Church, everyday new things to learn are emerging. Some things need completely new plans, while others only need a bit of tweaking. Some require hours of substantial discussion (and sometimes argument) while others can be sorted with a brief email or quick phone call. Not everything is working perfectly, but nothing is seriously broken. Simply careful tending and repairing is all that is needed in most situations.
My time at Surfer parish taught me to notice and carefully assess, to give myself at least a day to mull over what might need to happen and not to hastily assume that there is only one way to do things. As surprising as it may sound, my way has proven not to always be the best way and there is great comfort in realising that. Thank you so much, people of this precious parish. You prepared me well for the next chapter.
Fr Peter
THANK YOU - CATHOLIC CAMPAIGN 2023
Last weekend, our parish held an appeal for the Annual Catholic Campaign in support of the essential Catholic ministries in our Archdiocese. Thank you to everyone who responded generously to the Archbishop’s call for support.
If you didn’t get a chance to make a gift last week, there is still time. If you took the envelope home, please pop it in the mail or leave it here on your way out after Mass.
When making your gift, please put your donation inside the envelope provided …
…. so it remains separate from the parish collection. If you add your details to the envelope, you will receive a tax receipt in the mail.
Your tax-deductible gift will be put straight to work by funding the vital Catholic agencies in our local community.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to approach Father or a Mass coordinator after Mass.
Thank you again for your time and generosity.
The Annual Catholic Campaign reminds us we are part of the larger Church. Our parishes work together to support vital ministries and services. Funds raised will support ministries that directly impact this parish, such as:
• training future priests,
• caring for elderly priests when they become frail and unwell,
• helping struggling families access a Catholic education and
• caring for those suffering physically and emotionally in our local community.
Over the past years, our parish has given generously and together, we have made a lasting impact on the lives of many people in our community.
Thank you for your generosity and for ensuring our Church is here to help in times of need.
https://catholicfoundation.org.au/ways-to-help/annual-catholic-campaign/
READ MORE → GIVE NOW →
Social Justice Statement
Access the statement at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wubi_CdMYKO7Tak_338ny2WLwU1v-bi1/view?usp=drive_link
[Bishops’ statement calls for ‘new engagement’ with First Peoples (ACBC Media Blog)]
CHILDREN’S SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM 2023
In Surfers Paradise Parish; we have 112 children who have recently begun Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. We ask the members of our Parish Family to remember these children and their families in prayer:
May God bless these parents as they continue to fulfil their promises on behalf of their children at baptism. As they approach this sacred task, may the Holy Spirit guide them. Just as the Lord Jesus made the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak, may he once again touch the ears of these children to receive his word and their mouths to proclaim his faith to the praise and glory of God the Father. Amen.
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK:
Also, (Alphabetical) Lorraine Gallagher, Jack Barretto, Julie & Paul Bowden, Nellie Bellinger, Jean Di Benedetto, Coralie Brennan, Kevin Brennan, Tim Brown, Margaret Buckingham, Diana Castro, Felipe S Cataquiz (Senior), Cecily Cellinan, Doug Chester, Jo Clark, Leslie Clarke, Margaret & George Cook, Alfonso Covino, Margaret Cusack, Geraldine Daniels, John Fisher, Rosie May Fisher, Sally Gage, Laurel Goddard, Ken Green, Fred Grioli, Jacob Haddad, Jenny Haines, Peter Harford, Lena Hiscock, Louise Holmes, Kim Ingram, Anna Janiek, Pat Jones, Leona Kelly, Marianne Kennedy, Kath Kiely, Betu Kim, Jan Kristenson, Bob Lahey, Diane & Steve Land, Patrick Joven de Leon, Nathan Lepp, Joseph Ah Lo, Sarina Losurdo, John Nathaniel Maher, Maria Manuela, Andrew McPherson, Phil McWilliam, Fabiola Menzs, Joanne Mooney, Maryann Moore, Hugh Morand, Amy Elizabeth Morgan, Michael & Lesley Murtagh, Joanna Muthu, Lynn Nunan, Stephen O’Brien, Peter O’Brien, Natalie O’Reilly, Letty O’Sullivan, Joanne Parkes, Kay Pitman, Rachel Raines, Gus Reeves, Patricia Roberts, Rogelio Rodriguez, Bob Rogers, Kathy Stevens, Jim Stewart, Betty Taylor, Liza Teo, John Thomas, Baby Samuel Timothy, Leonardo Torcaso, Denise Tracey, Anne Van Deurse, Karen Vestergard, Lois Wood.
RECENTLY DECEASED: (Chronological - Most recent first):
Anne Welsh, Dorothy Penney, Red Marriott, Len Murphy, Anthony Fernandez (Pakistan), Rosario Delpopolo Noeline Messenger, Pam Davis, Margaret Redler, Margot Goldburg, Ralph Tobiano, Tommie O’Grady, Pasqualino Morabito, Janis Delgado, Maryanne Cassar, Dennis Rowan, John Hanly, Beverly Morand, Denham De Silva, Paddy Hoolahan, Carlo Boladian, Beatriz Dos Santos, Dr Frank Miau.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: (Alphabetical)
Frederick Jerome (Fred) Anderson, Joan Patricia Baker, John Bottos, Veronica Mary Bourke, Antonio Cecco, Bruno Chiera, John Cummins, Clement Durkin, Frank Gardner, Elizabeth Catherine Grippo, Elizabeth (Lizzy) Grippo, Robert George Hanley, Mr Denis Hart, Patricia Mary “Tricia” Keevers, Jadvyga Ladyga, Fr Christopher Lynch, Santina (Tina) Mantello, Fr Francis Masterson, Kichizo Matsumoto, Linda G. Mirasol, Sr Mary Josephine O’Brien, Topie Paagalua, Michael Perta, Dorothy Pierce, Lisa Margaret Quartermaine, Algernon (Algie) Scharenguivel, Fr Kevin Skehan, and Inocencia Taleon, Nicole Jane Tierney, Soledad Viva, Edmund Scotter White, Fr Albert Wright.
And Also: (Alphabetical):
Noel John Ancrum, Shirley Ann Appleby, Fr Harry Bliss, Lynette Buesel, Fr Michael Carey, Fr Dermott Casey, Danny Connelly, Fr James Cullen, Joseph Donato, Raymond Falzon, Joseph Kendall Farrell, Kathleen (Kath) Gleeson, Narda Hallam, Colin Vincent Jenkinson, Anthony Lenchuca, Fr Michael Masterson, Maureen Mary Moore, Maureen Moore, Lisa Maree Moore, Fr Frank Moynihan, Babsie Naidoo, Ron Neilsen, Ronald Neilsen, Fr Thomas O'Brien, Fr James O'Reilly, Fr John O'Shea, John Francis Paul, Mercedes Romanin, Fr William Ross, Joan Simmons, Garry Robert Sullivan, Maurice (Maurie) Turner, Fr Richard Wilson.
HOSPITAL CALLS - AROUND THE DEANERY -
HELP THE PRIESTS OF THE DEANERY RESPOND TO URGENT CALLS EFFECTIVELY BY CALLING THE FOLLOWING PARISHES FIRST RESPONDERS TO NEEDS WITHIN THE HOSPITALS LISTED.
To efficiently and speedily deal with the pastoral needs around the Catholic Parishes of the Gold Coast, the parishes within this Deanery have the practice of having the first call for emergencies going to the priests of the parish where the hospital is located. Here is a helpful guide to the hospitals and their attendant priests. A nursing home call also follows this procedure, where the first priest to call is a priest from the parish within which the Nursing Home is located. Please help us service the region effectively and help prevent delays in response by calling the nearest parish.
Robina Hospital - Burleigh Heads Parish. 5576 6466
Pindara Hospital - Surfers Paradise Parish. 56717388
John Flynn Hospital - Coolangatta-Tugun Parish. 5598 2165
University & Gold Coast Pvt Hosp.- Southport Parish. 5510 2222
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS - SACRED HEART AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCHES
Beautiful rosary beads, statues, prayer cards and much more available in our shops, which are open before and after Mass each weekend. Other times, please contact the Parish Office, phone 56717388 9 am-12 pm Monday-Friday.
Give away - One new white long Baptism gown, never worn.
The gown can be viewed/collected from the Parish Office - no charge.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament First Friday 1st September at Sacred Heart Church from 7pm to 8.30pm. All are 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 the Second of September.
Followed by adoration and Benediction. {This is a votive Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary}.
OUR LADY’S STATUE
Praying the Rosary - Our Lady’s Statue in the Parish -
Details of the Statue of Our Lady, which is going around the Parish.
If you would like to have her in your home and say the Rosary:
Please contact Maxine or Pat on 0412 519 404.
The Roster for the next four weeks is as follows-
28/8/2023 Maxine & Pat Sela - Main Beach
4/9/2023 Katherine & Erwin Adolfo - Clear Island Waters
11/9/2023 Katherine & Erwin Adolfo - Clear Island Waters
18/9/2023 Gary & Rudi Kamara - Southport
25/9/2023 Gary & Rudi Kamara - Southport
MEDITATION PRAYER GROUP
In the Morris prayer room, Tuesdays from 10 am to 12 noon. The Meditation Group would very much like to welcome new members. Please phone Pam Egtberts at 0428090703.
PRAYER GROUP - SPANISH SPEAKER
Jesus de la Misericordia. Invites you to participate every 2nd Saturday of the month from 11 am to 2 pm. Place: Hospitality Room. Sacred Heart Church. “We praise, We praise, We grow spiritually from the Word of the Lord.” For more information, please ring Grace: 0410 006 484.
MARIAN VALLEY PILGRIMAGE
Please come and join us at the Marian Valley for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on the 13.09.2023. The bus will be picking up 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 on 0405 252 367 or 5529 1573, All are welcome.
ART AND CRAFT GROUP -
The Group meets in the Parish Hospitality Centre on Wednesdays from 9 to 12. Activities include art (watercolour, oils, acrylics, pen and ink drawing etc.), as well as 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. We come together to enjoy each other's company in a relaxed environment. New members, both men and women, are most welcome to join. For further information, phone John 0412 759 205 or 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 or Mob at 0417 772 701.
Contemplative Women’s Group.
Contemplative Women’s Group: Sinking into the Feminine Divine. We meet on the 4th Saturday of every month from 1.30 pm – 3.30 pm in Mary Mother of Mercy Church, for a time of contemplation and sharing, as we depth the charism and legacy of a woman of faith. 3 Sunlight Drive, Burleigh Waters. Contact sue@suethomas.net.au for more information. Or just turn up by 1.30 pm. No cost. Simple afternoon tea was supplied. Come, join us on the path.
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 further information on 0438 333 308.
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 am. Learn to relax, yet gain greater flexibility, inner strength, body awareness and concentration, all 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 am to prepare adequately for class). For more information, call Ruth on 0421338110.
CALLING ALL SINGERS
Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to be part of a massed choir to sing at St Stephen’s Cathedral on Friday, 29 September, at 5:30 pm as part of the National Liturgy and Liturgical Music Conference in Brisbane. Archbishop Mark will preside at this special Mass, which will be attended by bishops, clergy, religious and lay conference delegates from around the country. Please complete the registration form at https://lbsurvey.weebly.com/conference-choristers.html, where you can download the list of music tracks; for enquiries, phone Liturgy Brisbane at 3324 3321.
Annual Season of Creation Ecumenical Liturgy
Each year, we join with our Christian brothers and sisters to recognise the importance of, and celebrate together, our care for our common home. This year's liturgy is being held in the Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens, and Christians from all denominations are invited to gather together in unity to celebrate this Season of Creation – Let Justice and Peace Flow. The liturgy is followed by a guided contemplative walk.
Event Details
Date: Wednesday, 6 September 2023
Time: 12 noon
Location: Lychee Lawn, Mt Coot-Tha Botanic Gardens, 152 Mount Coot-Tha Rd, Mount Coot-Tha.
Cost: Free
Aid to the Church in Need is running an emergency campaign for Pakistan. Recently up to 24 churches, hundreds of Christian homes and a Christian cemetery were targeted in an attack in Pakistan which was sparked by reports of blasphemy allegations against two Christians accused of desecrating the Qur’an. ACN is working with project partners on the ground to aid the current needs of the Christian people. To learn more and to make an offering visit www.aidtochurch.org/pakistanappeal or scan the QR code.
The Archdiocese is encouraging all parishes and ministries to support the National Child Protection Week and Safeguarding
Sunday campaigns again this year.
National Child Protection Week
The National Child Protection Week campaign runs from 3 - 9 September.
The campaign aims to engage, educate and empower Australians to understand the complexity of child abuse and neglect and work together to prevent it.
This year, the message that ‘Every child in every community needs a fair go’ will be complemented with the theme ‘Where we start matters’.
Where we start our lives in terms of where we live, the resources available to us, and the opportunities presented to us make a significant difference to our life outcomes. Of course, where we start isn’t where we finish.
Safeguarding Sunday
The Catholic Church in Australia will also mark Safeguarding Sunday on September 10.
The day seeks to acknowledge the immense damage caused by the abuse, exploitation and neglect of children and vulnerable adults within Catholic contexts. It makes a commitment to safeguarding practices and protocols that create and maintain safe environments for all. It also invites people to pray for those harmed by abuse directly and indirectly.
The Australian Catholic Bishop’s Conference has prepared a series of resources with a theme "Safe and Supported" which will be shared with Diocese and parishes around Australia soon.
Catholic Earthcare and the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC), are hosting a Season of Creation with Mass at the Cathedral of St Stephen, presided by Archbishop Mark Coleridge. Parishes and community groups are encouraged to bring a jar of water (river, sea or rainwater) from their area to add to an Archdiocesan urn that will be blessed and used to bless the congregation.
Mass is followed by a free workshop in the Hanly Room (in the Francis Rush Centre) from 7pm to 8pm. Please consider who could represent your parish at the Mass.
Date: Saturday, 9th September 2023
Time: 6:00 pm Mass followed by discussion event
Location: Cathedral of St Stephen, 249 Elizabeth, Brisbane
“TAP `N” GO CASHLESS DONATIONS -
AVAILABLE AT THE ENTRANCES OF THE THREE CHURCHES - tap once to donate $10 and tap again when it has reset for another $10, and so on.
The Sisters of Saint Joseph have prepared an Australian Pilgrimage, “In the Footsteps of Mary MacKillop” commencing in Melbourne on 17 October, journeying through Victoria and South Australia, and ending at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney on 28 October 2023. During the pilgrimage we visit many places associated with Mary MacKillop’s life and ministry. For information please contact national.pilgrimage@mmp.org.au or on 89124818.
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) and/or vulnerable adults. The organisation is fully committed to child safety and has zero tolerance for abusing children or vulnerable adults.
A VOCATION VIEW:
Many of us fear people in authority, as authority can be used rightly or wrongly. As Christians, we are called to see power as service. We shall all be judged on love.
To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP -
“Or who has given the Lord anything that he may be repaid?”-Romans 11:35
St. Paul reminds us of a central fact of stewardship. We cannot give God anything - He already owns it all. God made everything, including us. Since we are made in His image, we, too, are called to be generous. How we use our God-given gifts becomes our gift back to Him. Gratitude for all we have been given opens our hearts to joyful generosity! And, through our generosity, we just may be the answer to someone else’s prayer.
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 - The Value in Variety
A founder of the NAACP, W.E.B. Du Bois, knew the cure for racism wasn't simply telling the truth. It was inducing people to act on it. The first African American to receive a PhD from Harvard in 1895, Du Bois dreamed broadly of a world of "valuable variety ... in height and weight, colour and skin, hair and nose and lip.... Each effort to stop this freedom of being,” he argued, “is a blow at democracy—that real democracy which is reservoir and opportunity... There can be no perfect democracy curtailed by colour, race, or poverty.” Let us act on this truth. "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 16:13-20). ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
[’ gospel’ values included in the readings: God loves Justice, God’s wisdom and thinking are beyond full human understanding, Our Lord is the Christ, the Son of God”]
In the Gospel, Our Lord gives St Peter, the first amongst the apostles, the keys to the Kingdom.
Our Lord builds his church on the solid rock of the profession of faith Peter makes and that we all make.
The church is BUILT upon the solid foundation of the profession of faith that “Our Lord is the Messiah, the Christ, the chosen one. Our Lord IS the Son of God who shows us what God is like. Our Lord is the one who forgives our sins and sacrifices his life so that we may be saved. That we may be restored to God’s house. Our Lord is the one who invites us to share in God’s gifts and promises, and if we accept, we become Our Lord’s brothers and sisters. We become Our Lord’s disciples and children of God - Part of God’s family forever.
WHO AM I? …. Asks Our Lord of his disciples……… Who do you say I Am??????
A person cannot be reduced to a mere sum of the characteristics you can use to describe them……. Who a person is cannot be summed up merely by titles they may have. Every person, not least of Our Lord himself, is a mystery and an encounter. Our Lord must be encountered as a person before one can understand him as a figure of doctrine and belief.
One of the most common things humans try to do to each other, which may be the most unfair thing we can do, is to try to reduce people to mere categories and labels. It may be convenient and reassuring, but it is also fraught with risk for us to attempt to file human beings into neat boxes or categories so that we can understand them or feel not threatened by them, or even worse, to control or subdue them. TO ‘LABEL’ ANOTHER PERSON
Whilst that may sometimes be helpful for practicality, it reduces the mystery and complexity and dignity of a human being into clichés, stereotypes and labels. When we reduce a person to a label or a category, this can poorly replace dealing with the real person in favour of dealing with safe and labels, generalisations, and assumptions about a person that are pale shadows of who they really are. At times, these reductions may do them grave injustice and be quite unlike who they really are.
Our jobs are important to us, but who we are is so much more than the job we do. Who we are is more than what we have achieved in life. Who a person is, is much more than what they are good at, or capable of doing. Even how we look and what we possess is not the core of our true identity. And when we rely too much on any one of those qualities (not that some aren’t important), but if we make one or a few qualities the sum total of what makes us “US,” then we can run into troubles…and our view can become seriously distorted.
If my job is everything I am, one day I might lose that job. Who am I, then? I am not “nothing”! If my reputation is essential, and for all of us to a great degree, it is important, but if it is absolutely everything, it can be tarnished (it can be wrongly taken away for us, or it can rightly be taken away from us). But, if who I am is all about what I can do, my abilities, my health… One day these things might fail me too. But WE ARE still very much something in God’s eyes and in the eyes of those who love and know us truly.
No! Who we ARE, MUST be something much, much deeper than the various qualities and abilities that make up our lives.
Ultimately, who we are truly, is something that time or situation can never take away. The full truth of who we really are is that we are beloved sons and daughters of our loving God, who loves us more than we could possibly understand, and who calls us into the fullness of life and union with Him. And Jesus calls us into right relationship with everyone around us.
Who is this person, Our Lord????
EACH person MUST DISCOVER the meaning and nature of Our Lord themselves, with the help of the Church and its more than two thousand years of tradition and experience. There is no substitute for personally encountering Our Lord as Christ in the Scriptures, in the Sacraments, in our personal prayer life, in the teachings of the church, and in writings of wise and holy men and women of the Church’s history and reflecting on his presence and action in our daily lives and actions.
It is not enough to obtain merely (or only) the Pre-packaged doctrines about Our Lord. However, these doctrines tell us much about Our Lord, his nature and his mission, and the divine love at the very centre of his mission, values, and priorities. Our Lord is always going to be much more than just the things we say about him…
Who Our Lord IS, is about encountering God (and that encounter with God occurs in a relationship and is not merely an intellectual exercise. That is, knowing Jesus is not just an exercise of the mind) … It is about encountering Christ and his good news in our lives, in the people we meet, and in ourselves… and our life story.
Perhaps the second reading holds the Key. In it, Saint Paul reminds us that, although there is much we can and need to know and search for about our understanding of Our Lord and God in general; nevertheless, God is much more than we could ever truly comprehend in this life.
God has many aspects that are knowable, but infinitely more aspects of God’s nature and thoughts are utterly beyond our human comprehension. But here is what makes that wonderful. That also can be said of every human being too. The person sitting next to you, even if you know them very well, ultimately, they are (still) a gift and a mystery. They cannot truly be reduced to a list of facts about them, or a description of characteristics and traits. They are much, much more than the mere sum of their parts. They are deeper and more than just their past ways of relating and behaving. We are a mystery. And God is an infinite mystery. It is surely disrespectful and an error to take anyone for granted; (reducing them merely to a set of labels and minimal characteristics! And how much more does that principle apply to the God of all heaven and earth?
And it is not as much about knowing more but rather about engaging respectfully and with awe with this divine mystery. We jump into the deep, and have ongoing prayer, reflection, listening, dialogue, and discussion… and of course, encounter in the unfolding events of each day….
Christ reminds us that it is all really about a loving relationship. It is so much less about categorisation and definitions. Relationship with God; relationship with each other; relationship with who we truly are ourselves. This is an ongoing, never-ending journey…
Each one of us is called upon to reflect personally on Our Lord’s question: “Who do YOU say I am?”
Our Lord means absolutely everything to us as Christians.
Not only do we truly admire him as a person, but we also love his message of inclusion, mercy, justice and unconditional love and reverence. We love Our Lord’s offer of welcome to all people.
We adore the way Jesus always put people first. We worship the Heavenly Father’s “law of love” in its proper perspective: as a life-giving source for the benefit and help of all humans. God’s law was never meant to be used as a millstone around the neck of others.
We love that Our Lord is God who has become human - one just like us, because this makes humanity and the physical world blessed, holy, and sacred.
We are in absolute awe of the fact that Our Lord is so sensitive and protective of every one of his Heavenly Father’s children that he even goes as far as to say: “I regard that what you do to even the least of these little ones, you are doing it to me personally!”
And so, Our Lord throws over his powerful cloak of protection, care and inclusion over each and every one of us. This is beyond measure. It is too wonderful to fully comprehend.
Jesus is the perfect revelation of what God is truly like. He powerfully shows us how God acts towards us, and what God feels towards each of us. Jesus even shows us how God really treats us when we sin, stray from the path of life, or turn away and endanger our lives. And this is very good news indeed.
We not only worship Jesus as the Son of God and our Messiah but also admire him and like him as a Teacher, mentor, friend, and Lord.
Can we really get our fill of the still fresh and challenging message (after more than two thousand years) found in his words, parables, and actions? I believe (like Peter) we are only just starting to comprehend the radicality of his message. Although we have already begun to apply it very deeply in our lives and attitudes, we are only just starting to explore its rich depths.
References: Fr Paul W. Kelly; Break Open the Word. Liturgical Commission. 2011;
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Photo ID: 1937348614 - Tabgha, Galilee, Israel January 27, 2020: Interior Church of the Primacy of Peter, Tabgha, Sea of Galilee. Built in 1933, including parts of a 4th Century church. Mensa Christi is Table of Christ- Editorial Use Only.- Photo Contributor: DyziO
To listen to the Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) - https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
Also found at - https://tinyurl.com/FHLpwk
St Augustine,
The great romance. Saint Augustine is known as a great thinker—arguably the most significant Christian theologian after Saint Paul. But his writing is as much heart as the head. He is also known for leaving behind a life of hedonism. But he remained a passionate man—only, after his conversion, passion for God alone. “Late have I loved you, O Beauty, ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!” he lamented. It’s never too late to be swept away by what Augustine has to say: “To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.”
Patience is the companion of wisdom.
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.
He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent.
Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.
O Lord, help me to be pure, but not yet.
God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.
Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances, are brought into closer connection with you.
Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.
God judged it better to bring good out of evil than to suffer no evil to exist.
Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being. Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric? Think first about the foundations of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation.
Will is to grace as the horse is to the rider.
Grant what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt.
I have read in Plato and Cicero sayings that are wise and very beautiful; but I have never read in either of them: Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden.
The words printed here are concepts. You must go through the experiences.
Charity is no substitute for justice withheld.
Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.
It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.
God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.
Oh Lord, give me chastity, but do not give it yet.
Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.
Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature.
In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?
He that is jealous is not in love.
The greatest evil is physical pain.
Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity.
To many, total abstinence is easier than perfect moderation.
Hear the other side.
We cannot pass our guardian angel's bounds, resigned or sullen, he will hear our sighs.
What I needed most was to love and to be loved, eager to be caught. Happily I wrapped those painful bonds around me; and sure enough, I would be lashed with the red-hot pokers or jealousy, by suspicions and fear, by burst of anger and quarrels.
I found thee not, O Lord, without, because I erred in seeking thee without that wert within.
Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.
Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.
Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation.
What, then, is time? If no one asks me, I know what it is. If I wish to explain it to him who asks, I do not know.
If you believe what you like in the gospels and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe in but yourself.
Punishment is justice for the unjust.
The desire is thy prayers, and if thy desire is without ceasing, thy prayer will also be without ceasing. The continuance of your longing is the continuance of your prayer.
The purpose of all wars is peace.
The same thing, which is now called the Christian religion, existed among the ancients. They have begun to call 'Christian' the true religion which existed before.
Thou must be emptied of that wherewith thou art full, that thou mayest be filled with that whereof thou art empty.
If we live good lives, the times are also good. As we are, such are the times.
The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.
He fashioned hell for the inquisitive.
Find out how much God has given you, and from it, take what you need; others need the remainder.
We make a ladder for ourselves of our vices if we trample those same vices underfoot.
Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.
In doing what we ought, we deserve no praise because it is our duty.
What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.
Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist, there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.
O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.
Love is the beauty of the soul.
Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.
God is best known in not knowing him.
This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections.
Forgiveness is the remission of sins. For it is by this that what has been lost, and was found, is saved from being lost again.
Love, and do what you like.
It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all.
Beauty is indeed a good gift of God; but that the good may not think it a great good, God dispenses it even to the wicked.
There is something in humility that strangely exalts the heart.
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/saint-augustine-quotes
Passion of John Baptist
Prepare the way. Painting after painting shows John the Baptist pointing to Jesus. John knows it’s not about him: “He who is coming after me is mightier than I” (Matthew 3:11) and “I am not the Christ, but I have been sent ahead of Him…. He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 2:28-30). Christian tradition also calls him John the Precursor and John the Forerunner, prepping us for the Messiah by being something of a prototype. Like Jesus, he’s conceived miraculously. Both preach repentance, have disciples, and suffer in death. But as Saint Peter Julian Eymard knew, “The true secret of love consists in this—we must forget self like Saint John the Baptist and exalt and glorify the Lord.”
Tough love is needed.
We have to find ways to publicly discourse—respectfully—if we are to have any hope of remaining a society. It’s increasingly common to retreat to our corners out of frustration and disgust. That’s the easy way out. John the Baptist, for one, proposed a harder path of standing up for beliefs but also of generously giving oneself “in love, in truth,” as Pope Francis said of John on the memorial of his passion. Is it possible to have hard conversations with disagreeable neighbours, co-workers, and family—and still “love your enemy”? Could you have those conversations by treating them as you would like to be treated? Mark 6:17-29 (634). “Herod feared (and respected) John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody.”
POPE FRANCIS:
WYD: Pope Francis faces the concerns of a generation
On his second day in Portugal, Francis encourages young people who came for the 2023 Lisbon World Youth Day to address the existential questions of the first post-Covid generation
By Loup Besmond de Senneville (in Lisbon) | Poland
"When I think about the future, I am afraid." Slightly apart from his group, Diego is impatient. With a wide straw hat on his head and the light blue and white flag of his country tied around his waist, the 27-year-old Guatemalan is ready to scrutinise any clues the pope will give to respond to the concerns he carries with him during the World Youth Day festivities (WYD).
On the lawn of Edward VII Park, in the heart of Lisbon, hundreds of thousands of people are waiting under the scorching sun on August 3, for Pope Francis' first speech on the second day of his trip to Portugal. They are torn between enthusiasm and apprehensions about the world's future, one year after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and while the war rages in Ukraine.
At the top of Diego's concerns is climate change. "I'm afraid for the world, I'm afraid for future generations," he repeats. "The situation worsens every day," he continues after a brief moment of reflection. "I constantly wonder what state the world will be in when I leave it to my children."
"Asking questions is good"
What can be said to Diego and these 500,000 young people experiencing a form of anxiety about an uncertain future? Facing this worried generation gathered in Lisbon, Pope Francis first assured them they are "loved by God." "In the eyes of God, we are precious children, whom He calls daily to embrace and encourage," he insisted. "Do not be afraid; take courage, move forward," he said.
Praising figures considered as biblical references despite their weaknesses (Abraham was old, Moses stuttered, Saint Peter was impulsive), the pope even praised anxiety. "Asking questions is good, and it is often even better than giving answers because the one who asks questions remains "anxious," and anxiety is the best remedy against habit, against this flat normality that anaesthetises the soul."
In front of these young people waving flags from all over the world, all at the age of existential questioning, Francis said: "There is room for everyone in the Church. And please, when there is none, let's make sure there is, even for those who make mistakes, for those who fall, for those who struggle." Then he repeated and had the young people present in front of him repeat: "Everyone, everyone, everyone. It's the Church for all; there is room for all."
"I wonder how they will grow up"
Sometimes, coming from far away, the young people present in Lisbon intend to convey the pope's message to those who could not attend. This is the case for Valeria, 21, who travelled from Ecuador, a country she looks at with fear due to an explosion of gang-related violence. Sitting in the grass under the shade of a parasol, the young woman hopes to bring back a message of hope from the pope to other members of her generation in Ecuador, whom she sees as "responsible for the future of the country." "Our faith is stronger than ever, and the Pope can help us with his inspiration to move Ecuador forward, with his calls for peace," she emphasises.
Sitting a few meters away, Domitille, 25, is also concerned about the future of the young people she works with. As an educational assistant in southern France, she joined Lisbon with a group from the Archdiocese of Marseille. It is, she says, a way to "recharge the batteries" to succeed in her mission with the children entrusted to her. "When I see the distress of some young people, the loss of reference points, the dislocated families, I wonder how they will grow up," says the young French woman.
Earlier in the day, in front of members of the Scholas Occurrentes education movement, Pope Francis also sought to reassure: "In life, there are moments of crises that are chaotic. (...) A life that has not experienced chaos is a distilled life. (...) A life like that gives nothing."
Article credit: https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/wyd-pope-francis-faces-the-concerns-of-a-generation/18236 - With additional reporting by Matthieu Lasserre.
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 2342001257 - Lisbon, Portugal. August 02 2023. Pope Francis arrives at the Portuguese presidential palace (Palácio de Belém) as he arrives to the country to participate on the World Youth Day 2023. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: igordeaboim.
EXPLORING OUR FAITH -
Role of Sponsor of an adult preparing to be welcomed into the Catholic Church.
The Surfers Paradise parish Catholic community promises prayerful support for, and to walk with, each prospective new member of the Catholic Church. The role of the RCIA Sponsor is the fulfilment of that promise. As a Sponsor, you are assigned a Candidate (baptised adult) or Catechumen (unbaptised adult) whose continuing faith journey you will share.
Being a Sponsor is like being a trusted friend. You share what you can about your own faith journey. You offer counsel and support as you can, and to the extent, it is needed or desired. You serve as a bridge to the larger Surfers Paradise Catholic parish community. You listen, and you pray. Each relationship between a Sponsor and a Candidate or Catechumen is unique. As a Sponsor, you support the Candidate or Catechumen at any important steps culminating with a welcome into/or initiation into the Catholic Church.
Many prospective Sponsors ask themselves whether they are worthy or qualified. The role of the Sponsor is not that of a catechist or teacher. You are not expected to know every aspect of the Church’s teaching but rather simply to be a guide, an example of a Catholic living your faith as best as you can. A Sponsor who can admit his or her limitations and continually tries to grow is an excellent faith model. The parish supports sponsors, and your priest can be called upon to help answer a Candidate’s or Catechumen’s questions or even a sponsor’s questions.
Commitment To Child Safety and Vulnerable-Adult Safety
……………..See overleaf …..
Acknowledgement of Country - This is Kombumerri Country - The Traditional Custodians of this region.
We respectfully acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First People of this country. We pay our respects to the Kombumerri people, the traditional custodians of the land, waterways and seas upon which we live, work and socialise throughout this Catholic Parish of Surfers Paradise. We acknowledge Elders, past and present and emerging, as they hold our Indigenous people's memories, traditions, culture and hopes. We pay tribute to those who have contributed to the community's life in many ways. We affirm our commitment to justice, healing, and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. (see further: The Kombumerri People and https://kombumerritogetherproject.com/digital-resources/yugambeh-language/)
St Kevin’s Catholic School, Community business directory: https://www.sk.qld.edu.au/Pages/Rainbow-Connection.aspx
Urgent Message - Scam Alert!
We have received several messages from people indicating that they have been texted by a scammer impersonating various archdiocesan priests.
Technology Solutions is aware of a series of text messages sent to staff purporting to come from Archdiocesan Clergy. This offers a timely reminder to check all electronic communications carefully. On inspection, the eagle-eyed will notice the number is from an international phone number and not from the person's actual number.
Please do not respond to this scammer or do anything they instruct.
We recommend if you or other parishioners receive this SMS message (and any other illegitimate SMS) please forward the SMS to 0429999888 (this is the Australian Government spam reporting line).
The person sends a text saying they are a name of a familiar priest (for example) and that this person cannot ring as he is in a meeting, but please help me buy gift cards for a sick person.
This is definitely a scam.
Priests would not ask people to buy gift cards or send money. We only have the usual collections and appeals via church for official purposes.
Do not reply to the SMS or email if you get one. Please report it as indicated in the paragraphs above. (that is, We recommend if you or other parishioners receive this SMS message (and any other illegitimate SMS) please forward the SMS to 0429999888 (this is the Australian Government spam reporting line).
We do not solicit money or gifts - and please warn anyone else who might not receive this message.,
(PS, the same applies to any other priest or church member, we would not seek money or gifts, and you would be advised not to respond to these sneaky scams).
