31st January 2021 (Year B) Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time It has been a positive commencement to the school year at Sts Peter and Paul’s, Bulimba. We have a new principal and a new APA, (Assistant to the Principal- Administration) and we will have the opportunity to welcome and meet them next Sunday at Mass. I had a lovely request the other day from a member of the school staff. They were wondering if the church could be open sometime during the day so that the children could make a visit. While the responsibility for a child’s faith life rests primarily with the parents one would hope that assisting the development of faith, would be a priority in our Parish Primary school. However, with so much content to be addressed in the classroom, going to some extra effort with prayer opportunities for children can sometimes be overlooked. So I was delighted with this request. Every Christian is potentially in a very personal relationship with Jesus. In fact, this relationship is with the Blessed Trinity but I wouldn’t stress that too much with those in Grade One. So, we can talk to Jesus and share our day with him. This talking with the Lord is learnt as a child by learning formal and informal prayer. Everything can be talked about in the most trusting way. It is sad when adults at a time of shared prayer talk ‘about’ God but not ‘to’ God. God is “Other” but in a very personal and intimate way. To facilitate these prayer opportunities for children and adults in the Parish and to provide witness to the wider community, the Church will be open on weekdays from 8:30am until 12:30pm. Also from Thursday 4 th February, Eucharist will be celebrated every Thursday at 9:00am at Sts Peter and Paul’s. This will be a Parish Mass and often a class from the school will attend. Ministries such as Reader, Sacristan and Communion minister will be provided by the Parish. In this way the school community, including parents who drop their children off, can attend Mass. These times for prayer and worship in the Parish are also an educative opportunity for children and adults as we all continue to grow in our spiritual life. The Liturgy Committee will review this new initiative in the second half of the year. God bless, Fr Kevin KEVIN SMITH parish priest GERRY CROOKS pastoral associate HELEN PRICE and HELEN COLE parish secretaries PAUL BLINKHOFF school principal RESPONSORIAL PSALM If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Alleluia, alleluia! The people in darkness have seen a great light; a radiant dawn shines on those lost in death. Alleluia! Deuteronomy 18:15-20 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 Mark 1:21-28 We acknowledge the Traditional Owners who have walked upon and cared for this land for thousands of years. We acknowledge the continued deep spiritual attachment and relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to this country and commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of reconciliation. Please pray for our departed loved ones, especially Maria Skubis, Gloria Saunders, Louise Croft and Patricia Barlas recently deceased and also for John Fletcher, Gary Fletcher, Bill Hanley, Les Kamp, Ross Kamp, Stan Grzegrzolka, Patrick O’Connell, Mary O’Connell, Patricia O’Connell, Keith White, John Clarke, Ross Saffioti, Jarrett family, Vince Long, Muriel Jones, Roy Jones, Sandra Swales and Noel Nicholson.
Transcript
31st January 2021 (Year B)
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time It has been a positive commencement to the school year at Sts Peter and Paul’s, Bulimba. We have a new principal and a new APA, (Assistant to the Principal- Administration) and we will have the opportunity to welcome and meet them next Sunday at Mass.
I had a lovely request the other day from a member of the school staff. They were wondering if the church could be open sometime during the day so that the children could make a visit. While the responsibility for a child’s faith life rests primarily with the parents one would hope that assisting the development of faith, would be a priority in our Parish Primary school. However, with so much content to be addressed in the classroom, going to some extra effort with prayer opportunities for children can sometimes be overlooked. So I was delighted with this request.
Every Christian is potentially in a very personal relationship with Jesus. In fact, this relationship is with the Blessed Trinity but I wouldn’t stress that too much with those in Grade One. So, we can talk to Jesus and share our day with him. This talking with the Lord is learnt as a child by learning formal and informal prayer. Everything can be talked about in the most trusting way. It is sad when adults at a time of shared prayer talk ‘about’ God but not ‘to’ God. God is “Other” but in a very personal and intimate way.
To facilitate these prayer opportunities for children and adults in the Parish and to provide witness to the wider community, the Church will be open on weekdays from 8:30am until 12:30pm. Also from Thursday 4th February, Eucharist will be celebrated every Thursday at 9:00am at Sts Peter and Paul’s. This will be a Parish Mass and often a class from the school will attend. Ministries such as Reader, Sacristan and Communion minister will be provided by the Parish. In this way the school community, including parents who drop their children off, can attend Mass.
These times for prayer and worship in the Parish are also an educative opportunity for children and adults as we all continue to grow in our spiritual life. The Liturgy Committee will review this new initiative in the second half of the year.
God bless, Fr Kevin
KEVIN SMITH parish priest GERRY CROOKS pastoral associate HELEN PRICE and HELEN COLE parish secretaries PAUL BLINKHOFF school principal
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia, alleluia! The people in darkness have
seen a great light; a radiant dawn shines on those lost in death.
Alleluia!
Deuteronomy 18:15-20 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 Mark 1:21-28
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners who have walked upon and cared for this land for thousands of years. We acknowledge the continued deep spiritual attachment and relationship of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples to this country and commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of reconciliation.
Please pray for our departed loved ones, especially Maria Skubis, Gloria Saunders, Louise Croft and Patricia Barlas recently deceased and also for John Fletcher, Gary Fletcher, Bill Hanley, Les Kamp, Ross Kamp, Stan Grzegrzolka, Patrick O’Connell, Mary O’Connell, Patricia O’Connell, Keith White, John Clarke, Ross Saffioti, Jarrett family, Vince Long, Muriel Jones, Roy Jones, Sandra Swales and Noel Nicholson.
Please remember the sick in your prayers – Patricia Desbrow, Harold O’Connell, Therasa Evans, Brian and Catherine Kearney.
DATE CLAIMERS 2021 Sunday 31 January Social Justice Group meet at 9am Wednesday 3 February Pastoral Council meet at 7:30pm Thursday 4 February Liturgy Committee meet at 7pm Thursday 11 February Playgroup meet at 9:30am
PARISH SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM FOR 2021 Please mark these important dates in your diary for next year.
PENANCE (Year 5 children) Parent workshop sessions 18 February 7:30pm OR 19 February 9:30am FIRST COMMUNION (Year 4 children)
Parent workshop sessions 22 April 7:30pm OR 23 April 9:30am Celebration of First Holy Communion 29 May - 6 June CONFIRMATION (Year 3 children)
Parent workshop sessions 29 July 7:30pm OR 30 July 9:30am Celebration of Confirmation 27 August – 9 September
PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR PARISH
Collection Boxes at the church doors - cash donations
Give via direct debit or your Credit Card - please call the parish office or find the form on the website (Quick Links)
Direct deposit donation to our bank account - BSB – 064 786 A/C - 006 031 500 (Ref: surname)
PLEASE BOOK FOR WEEKEND MASS online by using the below link or QR code. Just click on the link and you will be taken to the Try Booking website. Select your preferred Mass, choose number of people attending and fill in each person’s details. Similarly, marshals at the church door will ask for your name to tick off on arrival. Scan the QR code using your camera on your smart phone and it will direct you to the website. Bookings for Weekend Masses will open each Monday morning at 9am and close Friday morning at 9am.
Please book for Masses via this link- https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=686140&embed=true
MEDITATION Re-commencing Tuesday 2 February 4pm at the Good Samaritan Convent, 50 Hawthorne Road, Hawthorne. Please call Mary 0423 289 888 or Brian 0412 657 707
VOCATION VIEW: Even a great person like Jonah turned away, at first, from what God called him to do. It is never too late to hear the Lord say, “Come, follow me”. Pray for Vocations. To speak to someone about your vocation, please contact the Vocation Centre 3324 3351.
Centacare provides practical and pastoral activities each weekday at the Mental Health Hub in Fortitude Valley for people living with mental health issues. Centacare mental health workers can support people with the application process to the NDIS to assess their eligibility, provide support funded under an existing package, or explore other sources of funding to join in activities if not NDIS eligible. Centacare also offers a pastoral and spiritual care program, which is free. Please call 3853 7400 or [email protected]
“LOOK TO JESUS” 52 Daily Reflections for Lent and Easter 2021. This book is now available from the Parish office for $7.
A sense of humour is a gift from God. Laughter unites us.
There was a cyclone approaching. The harbourmaster radioed a
coastguard and asked him to estimate the wind speed. He replied he was sorry, but he didn't have a gauge. However, if it was any help, the wind had just blown his Land Rover off the cliff. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHECK OUT THE PARISH WEBSITE
www.bulimbacatholic.com
BECOMING A CATHOLIC - In a wonderful response to the witness all parishioners give of commitment to their faith, six people from other Christian traditions were received into the Catholic Church here in our parish in
2020. Three other adults are currently preparing for baptism. They are participants in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process that the parish’s RCIA Team conducts. The door is always open to new participants and the RCIA process runs year round. If any parishioners know of someone who may be thinking of becoming a Catholic, please encourage them to call Gerry, our Pastoral Associate, at the Parish Office.
LENTEN REFLECTION GROUPS - Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on 17 February. As has been the case in past years, we will be conducting Lenten Reflection Groups around the parish. This year we will be following a program entitled It’s All About Hope by Fr Chris Monaghan, a Passionist priest and biblical scholar who is also a lecturer at the Yarra Theological Union in Melbourne. In the introduction to the program, he writes: ‘Lent invites us to do more than hope, but without hope we cannot take the journey. During these forty days, the Church calls us to almsgiving, prayer and fasting as we purify our minds and hearts in preparation for the liturgies of Holy Week that lead us to the joyful Easter proclamation and the renewal of our baptismal promises. It is an opportunity to be honest with God, and ourselves, about how we are all in the process of becoming authentic disciples…it is not just our hope in God that matters, but God’s hope in us that keeps emerging (in the readings)’. Over the next few weeks leading up to the start of Lent, we will be organising these groups. If you would like to lead a Lenten Group in your own home, please call Gerry at the Parish Office as soon as possible. Watch this space for more information in the coming weeks.
The Parish Social Justice Committee will resume its meetings, beginning Sunday 31st January at 9am, in the Parish Hall. If you are looking for a way to make a contribution to parish life and have a concern for justice matters, come and join us. New and current members very welcome. Sr Gen
EMERGING FROM THE PANDEMIC – A REFLECTION The article which accompanies this week’s Newsletter is a ‘different’ Reflection on Australia Day. It was produced by the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Commission (NATSICC). This abridged article (the full version can be accessed on the NATSICC website http://www.natsicc.org.au/ ) outlines how Australia might emerge from the pandemic a more equitable and caring nation, particularly from the perspective of our First Nations people. Reproduced at the conclusion of the article is THE ULURU STATEMENT – a Statement from the Heart. For those unfamiliar with this, this agreed statement referred to in the article was published at the conclusion of the 2017 National Constitutional Convention held at Uluru and sought to present a more complete and inclusive expression of Australia’s nationhood particularly with respect to the Constitution. In spite of much representation to the Australian Government however, the Uluru Statement has yet to be fully realised.
GLORIA Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For you alone are the holy one, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the most high, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen
CREED I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
COMMUNION HYMN
IN CHRIST WE COME TO OFFER THANKS
In Christ we come to offer thanks with mind and voice in harmony, to praise the ageless God of time for life in this community.
Ubi caritas, ubi caritas, (where there is love)
Deus ibi est, deus ibi est. (God is there)
O God of seasons’ ebb and flow; In Christian life, in work and prayer, in joyful hope we seek your face and daily find you everywhere.
For Faithful Love in ages past, For founders fearless, able, strong, For sacred story, sacred place, We lift our hearts in festive song.
Joyful, joyful, we adore you, God of glory, Lord of love; Hearts unfold like flow’rs before you op’ning to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day! All your works with joy surround you, earth and heav’n reflect your rays, Stars and angels sing around you, centre of unbroken praise; Field and forest, vale and mountain, flow’ry meadow, flashing sea, singing bird and flowing fountain, praising you eternally.
Text: henry Van Dyke 1852-1933 alt. tune: HYMN TO JOY 87.87D; Ludwig van Beethoven 1770-1827. Harm. Edward Hodges, 1796-1867. All rights reserved.
