FOCUS by Fr Peter Tonti
True Sailing Post-truth is the 2016 Oxford Dictionary word of the year. It is where emotion is more important than fact. It allows you to say what you like to gain your point. We can find it in advertising, election campaigns and forms of social media. But truth is difficult to define beyond the dictionary: ‘actual fact.’ Truth is better understood through story: In 1990, Tracy Edwards, a young English woman led a team of twelve women in the world yacht race. A race around the world! Tracy speaks of the extraordinary challenge of even being part of the race and highlights the depth of the challenge when sailing in the yacht across the Southern Ocean. The challenge included below freezing temperatures, bitter wind, no sunlight just drab grey at best. Tracy speaks of the joy of sailing into Australia to win the leg by thirty-six hours. When they were arriving they saw the media so they went and changed for the occasion. Google the story and you will see the glamorous pictures. But Tracy goes out of her way to say the real truth was not in the glamour of the media but in the challenges including the bitter cold and fateful night when they received the frantic call. Two sailors overboard. The desperate search. The dragging of the two sailors on to the yacht. One survived the other did not. Tracy found the truth of who she really is. Now a mum Tracy and her daughter are tackling another extraordinary challenge. Tackling the world problem where over sixtysix million girls are denied education because they are girls. What a challenge. Imagine the waves and storms. But Tracy knows it is truth that sets people free. Picture our world as a boat sailing the waters of the universe. Stunningly beautiful. On a closer look you will see the conflicts of our time. Yet our ancient scriptures and our own elders have told us for generations to look after each other and our environment. People and nature will show you if you are not. Have a look where there is greed or violence and look at the devastation of nature. Be custodians of each other and our world and our world will look after us. Too big a task? Bring Christ on board and then notice the goodness and dignity of all people and all creation with its diversity, riches, colour and music. It is a privilege to be here sailing in our Bundaberg Boat and enjoying realising who is on board our boat and imagining all the hopes, dreams and challenges. Imagine the song we could be singing if we had the courage to live the truth of our gifts and convictions and invite others on board. Let us ensure Christ is on board and sail the Way of truth and life.
PASTORAL TEAM Rev Peter Tonti PP Parish Priest
Rev Andrew Hogan Associate Pastor
Mrs Anne Sheehan
Liturgy & Sacramental Coordinator
Mrs Denise Tuzes
Visitation & Bereavement Coordinator
Mrs Carmen Wyatt
Stewardship Co-ordinator
Mrs Diana Pippia
Administration & Finance Coordinator
Mrs Kaye Andersen Receptionist
Bundaberg NET Youth Ministry
SCHOOLS
The countercultural John the Baptist may have had an odd sense of style by our standards (he wore camel hair) and he may have consumed an unappealing diet (locusts and wild honey), but he had his finger on the pulse of what really mattered. He needed little in the way of worldly comforts because he was consumed with his task of spiritually preparing those who were willing to hear for the One who would come to baptize with the power of the Holy Spirit. What mattered was this future revelation, and John would let nothing that belongs to this earthly existence get in the way of his preparation for that revelation. In his second letter, Peter tells us that all will dissolve away and through holiness and devotion we will be made ready for the Lord’s coming. The trends we get caught up in will seem empty and meaningless. All that will remain is God and those created in his image, and the relationships we have between us.
Principal: Mrs Kaye Beston sjbgrok.catholic.edu.au Ph: 4151 4771
What matters to you, right here and right now, on this Second Sunday of Advent? We don’t have to trade in brand-name clothes for camel hair, but we need to ask ourselves: if we were called to give it all away tomorrow for Jesus, would we be mature enough to do so? The answer to this question lies at the heart of stewardship.
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School
LIVE THE LITURGY
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School
Principal: Ms Madonna Davitt stmarysbundaberg.qld.edu.au Ph: 4152 2167
St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School Principal: Mr Mark Fox saintpatricks.qld.edu.au Ph: 4152 1380
Shalom College
Principal: Mr Dan McMahon shalomcollege.com Ph: 4155 8111
CHURCHES
Holy Rosary Church
Cnr Barolin & Woongarra Sts
St Patrick’s Church 16 Powers St
St Mary’s Church
Cnr Barolin & Boston Sts
St James’ Church 38 See St Bargara
OTHER CONTACTS
Diocesan Safeguarding Daniel Donnini: 4887 3080 The Diocese of Rockhampton Response Line: 1800 830 113 Centacare: 1300 523 985 St Vincent de Paul: 4151 5455 Ozcare: 1800 692 273 Towards Healing: 1800 337 928
AFTER HOURS
Anointing of the Sick for Medical Emergencies Phone 4151 6666 & follow the prompts.
John the Baptist announced, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." Does preparing a way for the Lord have priority in our lives? Often we spend more time preparing paths for ourselves rather than a path for God. Advent calls us to take the focus off ourselves and put it on God. We prepare a path for God by practicing and living the virtues, being holy and devoted, patient and repentant, and attentive and humble. We are asked to bring comfort and healing to people and to show others by the way we live our lives that we have a higher calling and purpose. EVERYDAY STEWARDSHIP Sometimes you have something to share with people that causes you to well up inside with excitement to the point of going crazy. A pregnancy test, a pay raise, a college acceptance, and wedding engagement are all examples of moments in life when we might be bursting at the seams to tell somebody the good news. When we finally get the chance to tell somebody, joy just seems to flow through us with ease. We literally want the entire world to share in our jubilation. When was the last time you shared with a friend or loved one how much your faith in Jesus means to you? You don't feel the same motivation to share? Are you not overwhelmed with a desire to spread the good news? Don't feel bad. You are not alone. As Christians, we often fail to grasp the powerful implications of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. We can become complacent and lose sight of what matters the most. That is when sharing with others about our faith seems uncomfortable. Faith is a gift. As everyday stewards we are called to share with others what God has given us. Advent is a great time to grow in our faith and love of the Lord. The more we cultivate our faith and the closer we draw to him, the more we will want to share about him. We might not have the impact of John the Baptist in the course of human history, but our proclamation of the Gospel to others might be the gift that changes their history. LIVING JUSTLY LIVING SUSTAINABLY Today is Human Rights Day. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948 calls us all to stand up for equality, justice and human dignity. As baptized Christians we know that God has imprinted each human being with the image and likeness of God and everyone has the right to dignity and respect as well as access to basic human rights.
NOTICES YEAR OF YOUTH: The Catholic Bishops of Australia have invited Catholics across the country to join in celebrating a Year of Youth from the beginning of Advent 2017 to the end of 2018. The Year of Youth celebrates ten years since World Youth Day was hosted in Sydney during 2008. It will focus on the theme, “Open New Horizons for Spreading Joy: Young People, Faith and Vocational Discernment”. The emphasis is on local discussion and dialogue in parishes, schools, youth groups and dioceses.
LITURGIES Monday 11 December 9.00am St Patrick’s - Mass Tuesday 12 December 9.00am St James - LWC 12.15pm Holy Rosary - Mass
GOOD NEWS: Our parish magazine is now available for FREE! Take a copy for your family and one for a friend perhaps. Read about our parish’s year of Reaching Out to others in service. We are extremely grateful to our sponsors for their contribution.
Wednesday 13 December
MASS OF RECONCILIATION: Wednesday, 20 December, 5.30pm in Holy Rosary. Individual confession will be available after Mass.
Thursday 14 December
BETHLEHEM LIVE ~ 19 - 22 December 2017 The organisers are still looking for people to assist with the event so if there are talented people who would like to assist with the following roles could you please contact Lisa Hardie 0414 983 353 or email
[email protected]
St Lucy
5.30pm St Patrick’s - Mass
St John of the Cross
6.30am St Mary’s - Mass Friday 15 December 12.15pm Holy Rosary - Mass
We are looking for:
Joseph (Young adult male) to be a part of the play. No speaking parts but will be required to be there for the four nights.
Three wise men each night - Costume Provided Must be able to get on and off the camels five times a night. They do not have to do every night and can be swapped in and out of roles.
6 shepherds and 4 shepherd boys each night. Need to be willing to lead sheep and goats.
20 strong looking soldiers (mixed ages) - Costume Provided Some acting and crowd control and manning of exits required.
Actors for our Market place to play particular roles, e.g. thieves, tax collector, villagers, interacting with the different stalls.
People to man and clean the male and female toilets (must have a Blue Card).
Cleaning hands to assist with keeping an eye on the rubbish bins and general clean up of grounds.
ADORATION DAY for vocations cancelled last month, is now scheduled for Tuesday, 12 December 9.00am to 5.00pm at St Patrick’s Church. You are very welcome to visit and pray.
Saturday 16 December 7.30am St Mary’s - LWC 9.00am Holy Rosary - Penance
NEXT SUNDAY 17 December 2017
3rd Sunday Advent Year B (II) Psalter Week 3 Saturday 6.00pm St Patrick’s Sunday 7.00am St James’ 8.00am Holy Rosary 9.00am St Mary’s 5.30pm Holy Rosary
SCRIPTURES First Reading Isaiah 61: 1-2, 10-11
Please Pray For:
Second Reading 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24
Newly Baptised: Leonardo Courtice; Ella Clare Courtice; Atarah Jane Kaufusi; Jack Philip Michael McLeod.
Gospel John 1: 6-8, 19-28
Recently Deceased: Gloria Patricia Rodney; Aisla Burke Theodore.
GOSPEL REFELCTION
SCRIPTURE REFLECT & RESPOND Luke 1:26-38 How can Mary be seen as the antithesis of Eve in the Annunciation story? Genesis 3:9-15, 20 What do you find most tragic in the story of the fall of Adam and Eve? Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 Paul opens his Letter to the Ephesians revealing God's plan of salvation for believers. According to Paul, how do believers gain "adoption" as children of God?
In relationship with Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we serve joyfully as a people beloved and called by God.
"People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him." John the Baptist commanded quite a crowd. What was the attraction? Was it his unusual appearanceclothed in camel's hair? Perhaps it was his bizarre eating habits-feeding on locusts and wild honey. Or maybe people were captivated by the Baptist's remarkable humility in the face of such huge popularity-"I am not worthy." Unlike our modern fascination with standing in the presence of superstars, the crowds who flocked to John weren't looking for a thrill. They weren't lining up for autographs. They were lining up for baptism. And they were acknowledging their sins at the same time. John was proclaiming "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." And people came because they were longing to experience the freedom of that forgiveness. John called them to conversion. To convert means to turn, in this case to turn away from sin. And the crowds were anxious to do so in order to "prepare the way of the Lord." For these first-century Jews, the imminent approach of the Messiah came with a call for conversion and they took this call very seriously. Now, for us, as twenty-first century Christians, the Church, like John the Baptist, calls us to prepare and repent during this season of Advent. Will we take the call seriously? Will we examine the areas of our lives that need to change? Will we pray for God's help to overcome our habitual sin and to make choices based on generosity instead of selfishness? Now is the time to heed the message. Now is the time to "prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths."
