13th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C
26th June 2016
Pius News
Catholic Church Dernancourt— PO Box 85 Dernancourt 5075 Telephone: 08 8261 2428 Fr Mifsud OMI Parish Administrator, Fr O’Doherty OMI Assistant Priest
Email: [email protected] ABN 21465985101 Web: www.oblates.com.au/dernancourt
O F G U N S A N D P A C I F I S M B Y F R R O N R O L H E I S E R O M I
The Gospels tell us that after King Herod died, an angel appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, telling him: “Get up! Take the Child and His Mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.” (Matthew 2, 19-20). The angel, it would seem, spoke prematurely, the Child, the Infant-Christ, was still in danger, is still in danger, is still mortally threatened, and is still being tracked down, right to this day. God still lies vulnerable and helpless in our world and is forever under attack. All forms of violence, of aggression, of intimidation, of bullying, of ego-parading, of seeking advantage, are still trying to kill the child. And the Child is threatened too in less-overt ways, namely, whenever we turn a blind eye on those who lie helpless and exposed in war, poverty, and economic injustice, we are still killing the Child. Herod may be dead, but he has many friends. The child is forever threatened. Many of us are familiar with the story of the Trappist monks in Algeria who were martyred by terrorists in 1996. Some months before being taken captive and executed, they had been visited by the terrorists; ironically on Christmas Eve, just as they were preparing to celebrate the Christmas Eve Eucharist. The terrorists, heavily armed with guns, left after a tense standoff wherein the monks did not agree to give them the medical supplies they were demanding. But the monks, understandably, were badly shaken. What was their response? They went immediately to their chapel and sang the Christmas mass, putting special emphasis on how Jesus entered this world radically vulnerable and helpless and was immediately under threat. Their measured, eventual response honored this immediate reaction: Living now under the threat of death, they refused to arm themselves or accept military protection, believing that there was an unbridgeable incongruity between what they had vowed themselves to and the presence of guns inside their monastery. Moreover, after that initial encounter with armed terrorists, their Abbott, Christian de Cherge, introduced a special mantra into his daily prayer: Disarm me! Lord, disarm me! Living under the threat of arms, he prayed daily to remain disarmed, physically helpless against potential attack, to be like a newborn child, like the newborn Jesus, exposed and helpless before the threat of violence. But that’s not an easy thing to imitate, especially since most everything in our world today beckons us towards its opposite, namely, to arm ourselves, to counter every threat, gun for gun, to meet all potential threat with armed resistance. It’s the times: Like Christian de Cherge and his community of monks, we too live under the threat of terrorism and widespread violence. And our paranoia is heightened as, daily, our news reports give us images of terrorist shootings, bombings, beheadings, mass-shooting, street violence, and domestic violence. We live in violent times. Understandably there’s an itch to arm ourselves. So how realistic is it to refuse to arm ourselves? How realistic is it to pray to be disarmed? Christianity has always defended both justified self-defense and just war. Beyond even this, no prudent society would ever choose to disband its police force and its military and these, necessarily, carry guns and other weapons. Indeed it might be said that those who argue for radical pacifism can do so only because they are already protected by police and soldiers with guns. It’s not too much of a stretch to say that, except for the guns and weapons that protect us, we all stand helpless before the criminals and psychopaths of this world. But, that needs some nuance. Among other things, there’s still a powerful case to be made for remaining personally disarmed. The late Cardinal of Chicago, Francis George, argued it this way: We need pacifists in the same way as we need vowed religious celibates, that is, we need gospel-inspired persons to give a particular, sometimes-singular, witness to what the Gospels ultimately point to, namely, to a place beyond our present imagination, a heaven within which we will relate to each other in an intimacy which we cannot yet imagine and where there will be no arms or weapons. In heaven, we will be utterly defenseless before each other. There will be no guns in heaven. This reality is already imaged in the newborn Christ, helpless and vulnerable and already so threatened. It is also imaged in our own modern-day pacifists, from Dorothy Day to Martin Luther King, from Mother Teresa to Christian de Cherge, from Daniel Berrigan to Larry Rosebaugh, we have been gifted by the witness of Gospel-inspired persons who, in the face of physical threat and violence, chose to risk their lives rather than pick up a gun. The times are forcing us too to choose: Do we arm ourselves or not? Because those seeking the life of the child are still around, paranoid folks, like King Herod, killing indiscriminately for fear that a helpless child might soon threaten their throne and their privilege.
Southern Cross- Now Online: Please note our Catholic newspaper is now available online. To view your digital edition of The Southern Cross newspaper, visit: www.thesoutherncross.org.au
Taize Prayer Around the Cross Every 2nd and 4th Friday of 2016 Venue: 2a Stuart Road, Dulwich
Contact: 8339 2573 7.15pm-8.30pm
Marriage Encounter
Put the spark back into your marriage by making a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. Schedule a weekend for 2016 on September 16-18. Call Joy & Charlie on 0437 388 513 or email [email protected]. Alternatively, visit www.me.org.au and apply on line today
Moore Street SOUP RUN 2016
The 30th annual Soup Run begins on the 2nd of May and continues till October. The Adelaide Day Centre for Homeless Persons seek support in providing blankets and jackets, homemade soup, warm jumpers, hats, gloves, scarves socks and sleeping bags
for the many people who will come to the Soup Van over winter.
Donations can be delivered to The Adelaide Day Centre, 32 Moore St, Adelaide Or telephone 8232 0048 for more details.
Thank you for your generous support, Sr Janet Mead.
Friendship Club
If you are retired and looking for fellowship and games, come to our meetings every Friday from 12-3pm. Activities include carpet bowls, card and board games or just come for a chat. We also have occasional lunches out. For further information, please call Marion Stanford on 8395 1483.
Justice for Refugees SA
Justice for Refugees is an advocacy group working for the just and compassionate treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. Their aim is to build awareness and positive action, and in this pre-election period, they are seeking opportunities for discus-sion and sharing of information in parishes, workplaces and communities. To make a booking for a speaker from Justice for Refugees SA, contact Ruth Jacobs at the Diocesan Office, Ph: 8210 8210 or Sr Meredith Evans rsm via [email protected]. Further information can be found at www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au and www.acmro.catholic.org.au
Prayer Requests for Archbishop Wilson
Archbishop Wilson is happy to receive prayer request for special intentions. If you would like the Archbishop to pray for you, your family or friends, then please submit a brief
email listing your prayer request to
Free Forum—Dementia Friendly Communities
This free community forum will explore the often difficult issue of those with Alzheimer’s disease. It will discuss how we can all work together to make our communities more aware and responsive to the needs of people living with dementia, their families and their carers. Whether you are a person with dementia or a carer; a family member a local business or an inter-ested person, you are welcome to participate. Date: Wednesday June 29, 2016 Venue: Meeting Hall, located behind the Adelaide Town Hall (enter via 25 Pirie Street through the breezeway) Time: 2pm – 3.30pm Bookings via phone: 8269 1838 or email: [email protected]
Members of the Dernancourt St Vincent de Paul
Invite all parishioners to join them for SOUP SUNDAY
After 9.30 Mass
SUNDAY JULY 17
Gold Coin Donation All proceeds to the SVDP Winter Appeal
Big Cuppa
After all masses this weekend
PLEASE REMEMBER THE SICK OF OUR PARISH IN YOUR PRAYERS Alan Hughes, Alex Stirrat, Alicia Prince, Alison Hellams, Anna Johnston, Anne McEvoy, Ayette Ramos, Barbara Stirling, Bernadette Thornton, Charles Greeneklee, Charlotte Johnstone, Cherri Hyde, Christine Brasser, Christine Gordon, Claudia Rose, David Beaven, Damian Canavan, Emma Altin, Ev Lewis, Eva McCarthy, Fr Alfred Farrugia, Fr David Shelton OMI, Fr John O’Doherty OMI, Fran Lewis, Geoff Monteleone, Georgina Evans, Gill Chuachett, Giuseppina Parella, Graham Hellams, Greg Cashmere, Helen Durkin, Hermy Ramos , Herby Weber, Ian Roberts, Ian Wallace, Jackie Chin, Jason Luis, Jean Keanan, Jet Robinson, Josie Cinmino, Justin Rowe, Katie Correll, Kathleen Duggan, Lisa Johnstone, Margaret Baugham, Martin Cox, Maria Galinato, Maria Schinella, Marie Trainor, Marthese Cinelli, Mary Meatheringham, Maryrose Aquilina, Maureen Cunningham, May Green, Michael Frederick, Mollie Davidson, Moya Nussio, Paddy McLean, Pat Durkin, Paul Halman, Peter Hale, Peter Kelly, Philip McKelliff, Ray Bragg, Renata Stirrat, Robert Heir, Robert Kean, Roeben Johnstone, Ron Todd, Ros Venn, Stanley Sagucio, Tania Altin, Terry Bayldon, Theresa Sara, Tony Siciliano
Mass Times at St Pius X Saturday Vigil 6.30pm Sunday 9.30am & 5.30pm Tues & Wed 9:15am Thurs 9.30am Fri 9.15am 3rd Sunday of the Month 12.30pm Indonesian Mass Daily Morning Prayer: Tues, Wed, Fri 8.40am Thurs, 8.55am Rosary: Tues, Wed, Fri 8.55am. Thurs 9.10am RECONCILIATION: Saturdays 11.30am-12noon
EXPOSITION: Fridays during school term time
10am—12 noon 6pm – 9pm
St Vincent de Paul Food Bank This week—SOUP, SPAGHETTI, PASTA, RICE& BAKED BEANS, FULL CREAM LONG LIFE MILK, PASTA SAUCE Weet-bix, Cans Tomatoes, jam, Milo, Vegemite.
Items for baby layettes: cotton vests, socks or booties, nappies, nappy pins, disposable nappies, cotton blankets, cotton sheets, towels, soap, wipes, wash cloths, baby shampoo, bibs, onesies, wool. Items can be left in foyer.
Thank You
Today's Readings: 1 Kg 19:16, 19-21; Gal 5:1, 13-18; Lk 9:51-62 Next Week’s Readings 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Is 66:10-14; Gal 6:14-18;
Lk 10:1-12, 17-20
MINISTRY ROSTER 2/3/ July 2016 6.30pm 9.30am 5.30pm
Church Cleaners: Team D: Anderson/Matthews/Goss Altar Linen: 3rd July Rita/Marie
C Rod Hearn C Jos Hensing C Heather Hier
R1 Martyn Pearce R1 Betty Vowles R1 Kathy Healey
R2 Jean Canil R2 John McManus R2 Amy Bartjes
EM1 Bill Edmonds Em1 Joe Colangelo Em1 Terry Roberts
Em2 Sr Pat Keane Em2 Brigitte Colangelo Em2 Judith Mohan
Em3 Jaipee Paje Em3 Charlie Baldacchino Em3
Em4 Anna Szczepanik Em4 Sue Griffith Em4 Michael Wright
M James Lloyd M Michael & Tim Carter M Helen/Keilah David
Feast day of the Week
Saint Irenaeus Tuesday June 28th Born near Smyrna, Asia Minor, St Irenaeus was an early missionary to the city of Lugdunum (Lyons) in Gaul. Succeeding the martyred Pothinus as the 2nd bishop of Lyons, he defended the Church against the Gnostic heresies. The Gnostics envisioned a dualistic universe ruled by both a good spirit and an evil force responsible for the creation of matter. Against this, St Irenaeus proclaimed the Christian God “who holds all tings in being, and gives being to all creatures”. Through his thorough refutation of the Gnostic claims, St Irenaeus “emerges” as the first great Church theologian who created systematic theolo-gy” (Pope Benedict XVI). St Irenaeus died in the year 202.
Parish Prayer Network: Prayers for any need.
All you need to do is call one of the following:
Marie 8264 9569, Maureen 8261 6906 or Beth 8396 2079
Leaving Collection This Week Holy Father’s Appeal “Charity is infectious, it excites, it risks, it engages! For true charity is always unmerited, unconditional and gratuitous”. (Pope Francis, Feb 15, 2015) Please support the works of the Holy Father through the Holy Fa-thers Appeal this weekend. The Holy Father’s Appeal or Peter’s Pence Collection enables the Holy Father to respond with emergen-cy financial assistance to requests of aid for the neediest throughout the world – those who suffer as a result of war, oppression, natural disasters and disease The collection will be taken up after communion.
