The Lord said to Elijah: ‘Go, you are to anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel Meholah, as prophet to succeed you.’
Leaving there, Elijah came on Elisha son of Shaphat as he was ploughing behind twelve yoke of oxen, he himself being with the twelfth. Elijah passed near to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left his oxen and ran after Elijah. ‘Let me kiss my father and mother, then I will follow you’ he said. Elijah answered, ‘Go, go back; for have I done anything to you?’ Elisha turned away, took the pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He used the plough for cooking the oxen, then gave to his men, who ate. He then rose, and followed Elijah and became his servant.
Psalm 15:1-2. 5. 7-11
R You are my inheritance, O Lord. Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.’ O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; it is you yourself who are my prize. (R.)
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel, who even at night directs my heart. I keep the Lord ever in my sight: since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm. (R.)
And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad; even my body shall rest in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead, nor let your beloved know decay. (R.)
You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence, at your right hand happiness for ever. (R.)
Galatians 5:1. 13-18
When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
My brothers, you were called, as you know, to liberty; but be careful, or this liberty will provide an opening for self-indulgence. Serve one another, rather, in works of love, since the whole of the Law is summarised in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself. If you go snapping at each other and tearing each other to pieces, you had better watch or you will destroy the whole community.
Let me put it like this: if you are guided by the Spirit you will be in no danger of yielding to self-indulgence, since self-indulgence is the opposite of the Spirit, the Spirit is totally against such a thing, and it is precisely because the two are so opposed that you do not always carry out your good intentions. If you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you.
Gospel AcclamationAcclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Speak, O Lord, your servant is listening; you have the words of everlasting life. Alleluia!
Luke 9:51-62
As the time drew near for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely took the road for Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of him. These set out, and they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him, but the people would not receive him because he was making for Jerusalem. Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?’ But he turned and rebuked them, and they went off to another village.
As they travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’
Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me,’ replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’
Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say good-bye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’
The Living Word
“Prayer is not a spare wheel that you pull out when in trouble; it is a steering wheel that directs us in the right path throughout life.” — Anonymous
This coming week, from Monday evening through Thursday, both Father Vitalis and I will be away from the parishes. We will be attending our annual in-service with other clergy from around the diocese at JCU. Please note the changes to Mass times, including some cancellations, and that there will be no Benediction on Tuesday.
This past week, I spent a fair bit of time on matters building related. The proposal for the new dedicated Kindergarten Block has taken a fair bit of time: everything from crunching financials to meeting with tradies about plumbing and awnings. I’ve also become quite a whizz at designing buildings online and on my ipad, a skill that I never thought that I would need.
The St Patrick’s Finance Council formally signed-off on the proposal on Monday. The Diocesan Development Fund, from whom we will be borrowing, gave provisional agreement to a loan, dependent on a number of factors, from certification to finalised costings. This coming week, the Diocesan Finance Council will meet to make a decision about the project. I am confident of a “yes” vote. It should not be too long then until we can start work.
When we do begin work on the Demountable, we will lose use of it as a parish meeting space. We will need to move everything back to Mercy Hall or to the annex behind the Hall. I have paid the deposit for a two bay
shed behind the Hall for storage. This is, in fact, long overdue. The shed will enable us to create a bit more space in the annex so as to hold meetings there. We will also need to build a bit of cabinetry in the annex to tidy things up and, before summer, install air conditioning in the main body of Mercy Hall. I am very grateful that we undertook the renovation of the Old Church in the past couple of years.
Working on the Kindergarten proposal has meant that I have spent a fair bit of time at St Mary MacKillop. I have the utmost admiration for the staff of the Centre who are so attentive to the needs of the precious souls in their care. I have found it absolutely delightful to recognise, and be recognised by, so many of these youngsters. It’s definitely
uplifting when I pay a visit and have a chat to kids and carers. We are very blessed to have Sarah Floyd as our Director and Cassie Trovato as our Kindergarten teacher. Sarah and Cassie are greatly responsible for the success of the Centre and have inspired me to progress the Centre’s expansion. Cassie goes on Maternity Leave right now,
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Welcome to all visitors and new parishioners. Please make yourself known to us.
Office Hours: 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday, 1pm to 3pm Monday to Thursday
The Pastor’s Pen!
Sunday July 17 7.00am sharp. From Mercy Hall to Victoria Estate and back. Hot scrumptious Brunch included.
Tickets are Adults $20 and Youth $15 and are available from The Parish Office, Firth's Lawyers, Sadleirs Pharmacy, Duffy Bros and Gilroy Santa Maria College.
Envelope Boxes for weekly givers—please collect
Please collect your weekly planned giving box of envelopes this weekend. The use of these envelopes start next weekend 2/3 July. We would really appreciate you collecting them as postage on these is exorbitant.
Caritas Australia’s Fairer World
Postcards are now available at St Patrick’s Church to sign to be sent to the Prime Minister after the election to discuss the issues of international aid, climate change and human rights of First Australians. Please complete a post card and return by 22nd July to your Parish so that the post cards can be posted together. Alternatively, this can also be completed online at http://www.caritas.org.au/act/fairer-world
Works of Mercy Retreat (sponsored by SVDP)
Saturday 16 July 2016, 9.30am to 3.30pm, at the Holy Family Church & Parish Centre, Gulliver, Cnr Mooney & Palmerston Sts.
What will the retreat cost? There will be an opportunity for participants to make a donation, but there is no fee for the retreat.
Are meals provided? Lunch will be provided, as will morning and afternoon tea.
Is it open to people outside of Townsville? Yes. We hope that interested people will attend from throughout the diocese. Assistance with accommodation may be provided on request.
Who is it for? Although it is sponsored by the St Vincent de Paul Society it is a diocesan retreat open to anyone.
To register: please phone (4771 4077) or email ([email protected]) your name and phone number and membership of an SVDP conference (if applicable).
Planned Giving Tax Deductions for 2016-2017
The 9% diocesan levy on our collections is all directed into a Deductible Gift Recipient Fund. This means that it is tax deductible for all who give through the planned giving programme.
Abergowrie and Halifax Planned Givers will be able to claim 9% of their giving, from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017, as a tax deduction.
For Ingham Parishioners: the diocesan levy is paid on the proportion of the offering which does not go to the St Patrick’s Parish Trust Fund. For the next Financial Year, the Trust Fund contribution will be 20%. As a result, next financial year, we will be able to offer, in total, 27% tax deductibility on contributions to the Saint Patrick’s Parish Planned Giving Programme.
Upcoming Events
Walkathon for Missionaries of the Poor—17 July
Young Vinnies Sleepout—July 29
Parish Mission— 6 August to 21 August
Thank You from Abergowrie Mission Trip Students
We would like to thank everyone for their generous and wonderful support in recent weeks. We will continue to do fundraising activities to support our students to attend the Philippines Trip with all proceeds going to Missionaries of the Poor activities. Once again thankyou and congratulations to Orazio and Angie Marino who won the mini-weber raffle.
Walk-a-thon for the Missionaries of the Poor
Walk with us to support the Missionaries of the Poor in their dedicated work amongst "the poorest of the poor".
Please keep in your prayers: Dakota Rose; Colleen Knight
May the Lord’s healing hand rest upon her
The time has come for the Church
to take up the joyful call to mercy once more.
It is time to return to the basics and to bear
the weaknesses and struggles of our brothers and sisters.
Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life
and instils in us the courage to look to the future
with hope.
so we wish her all the best for this time.
Last year, the St Patrick’s Parish Finance Council decided to seek sale of the old Canossa School blocks. We can see no future need for them and they cost the parish some thousands of dollars each year for Council charges and insurance. I have finally gotten around to doing something about this and the properties will be placed on the market in the next week or so. We will be formally offering the blocks to the Canossian Sisters for the Canossa Aged Care Home. I think that they would be mad not to buy them but they don’t necessarily operate according to the same logic as I do.
Finally, another St Patrick’s Parish Planned Giving update. The number of new members of the programme is still 19. 188 of our 272 current programme members have made a pledge. Of these: 15 have reduced their giving; 73 have maintained their level of giving; and 100 have increased their pledge. Those who have increased their pledge have done so by an average of 45%. Between the increased giving and the new giving, by last Monday, we hit the target of $30,000 per year increase in our pledges. This is a marvellous response. It definitely means that we can plan for the covered entryway out the front of St Patrick’s Church. I will give you an update on this, as meagre as it will be, next weekend.
There are still 84 members of the planned giving programme who have not returned a pledge card. Once again, please do so as soon as you are able.
Requiescant in pace Please Pray For: Nerille Grima (Ayr) (died this week)Beatrice Versace, Reg Jillett, Pierino Truffa, Ross Girgenti, Mary Andrews, Giuseppina Contarino, Johnny Accornero, Antonio Tonon, John Hancock. Nicholas Lee (annivs at this time), Cesarina Truffa, Faust Giacobone, Janice Day, Deceased members Sartoresi & Vella families, Olga Lancini, Vittorio & Maria Cantoni, Sebastiano Sorbello, Sam Di Bella, Angelo Pietrobon, Sam Cavallaro, Angelo Fabris, Santo Contarino, David Fascetti, Maria Fichera, Irma Capozzo, Frank Scovazzi, Glen Monzeglio, Baldo Fanti, Joe Valastro, John & Molly Holman, Fay Grasso, Magoni family, Elliott Francis Mathiesen, Tina Lagorio, Rupert, Nellie & Isabel Lee.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. Let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen. May their souls and the souls
of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God,
rest in peace. Amen.
Rosters Counters This Week:
J Devietti L Sullivan J Devietti
Counters Next Week:
J Gollogly S Pennisi
Children’s Liturgy—Sat 2 July 6.00pm
Lawrence & Anna Di Bella
Altar Servers 2/3 July:
Sat 6.00pm: Tahlia Nowak & Lara Deambrogio
Sun 8.30am: William Price
Sun 7.00pm: Sam Timms Samantha Liesemberg
Organists 2/3 July:
Sat 6.00pm: Paul Cavallaro Sun 8.30am: Sr Marie Geddes Sun 7.00pm: Lynette Di Bella
Commentators 2/3 July:
Sat 6.00pm: Peter Sheedy Sun 8.30am: Stefania Rutherford Sun 7.00pm: David Pelleri
Readers 2/3 July:
Halifax: Mary Cavaliere & Arthur Bosworth
Canossa: C/1 Mirella Pallanza 2/3 Sam Spina
Sat 6.00pm: 1 Felix Reitano 2 Judy Reitano 3 Peter Sheedy Sun 8.30am: 1 David Price 2 Imogen Price 3 Stefania Rutherford Sun 7.00pm: 1 Paula Martin 2 Flavia Menegon 3 David Pelleri Abergowrie: Lino Tomba & Tom Duffy
Special Ministers 2/3 July:
Halifax: John Tantalo & Santina Cross
Canossa: Rico & Stephanie Basaglia
Sat 6.00pm: Carmel Sorbello Jean Staples
Rosemary Vardanega
Sun 8.30am: Mario Marbelli Margaret Pasquale Alex Pietrobon
Sun 7.00pm: Marthe Noble Debbie Sartor Christine Timms
Abergowrie: Peggy Mahoney
This passage marks a turning point in the gospel of Luke. It is the commencement of Jesus’ journey towards Jerusalem and we are told that he resolutely takes that road (or in some translations, he resolutely ‘sets his face’ towards Jerusalem). Earlier in this chapter, we have heard Peter’s confession of faith, seen the Transfiguration and heard Jesus predict his death. Today’s passage begins the second half of the gospel of Luke and it is clear from this point forward that there is no turning back for Jesus.
This passage is a difficult one on first reading; the second half of it seems to paint a picture of an
unsympathetic and uncompromising Jesus. However, in the light of its positioning as the beginning of the second half of the gospel – the beginning of the end – it takes on more significance. Firstly, the incident of rejection in Samaria allows Jesus to make very clear that he will never resort to violence as a solution to any problem. The reaction of the disciples seems a bit extreme as a response to an inhospitable action! Jesus’ rebuke to them reminds us that what he has offered all along is an invitation that was open to all –
if some don’t accept the invitation you can’t call fire down on them from above!
The three vignettes make plain the urgency and demanding nature of Jesus’ mission. He and his followers are constantly on the move and have no room for comforts and cosy beds. The second and third pieces contrast directly with the story from today’s first reading. The message of Jesus is that the work of the Kingdom is even more important than duty to family and duty to the dead. Once he has set his face towards Jerusalem and his own death, there is no turning back – he is absolutely committed to his mission.
No looking back
‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’ This seemingly
uncompromising position by Jesus is a call to set our eyes clearly on the establishment of the Kingdom. If we look
back – if we have doubts and want to return to the world of comfort and injustice – then we are not yet ready for the
difficulties of bringing about the Kingdom of God. It reminds us that although God invites us all to enter into
the Kingdom, we have to make ourselves ready in our own hearts and minds to want to be part of the Kingdom.
