Thoughts on the Gospel
‘It is easy to think that being a Catholic means being concerned with the relation- ship between God and me, that my duty is to “save my soul”. But, in fact, the only way to “save my soul” is by becoming a truly loving and caring person as part of a loving and caring community of people united in Christ. And sometimes that car- ing may involve bringing the brother/sister face to face with the loving demands of the Gospel. We do not help each other by turning a blind eye to behaviour which is clearly unchristian. ‘As a community we have a responsibility for each other’s well- being. We do not further the witness of a loving community when we, in false“charity”, ignore social problems such as drug-taking, alcoholism, compulsive gam- bling, violence in the home, discrimination against the physically and mentally handicapped, racial exploitation and the like taking place in our parish community. It is not enough just to deal with these things in the privacy of “Confession” for, ulti- mately, reconciliation must be at the community level. And, as such, this is the re- sponsibility of the community exercising its calling as the Body of Christ.
Excerpt from a homily by Fr Frank Doyle SJ
Feast Days of the Week
Thur Sep 8Birth of the Virgin Mary
The Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been celebrated in the Church at least since the 8th Century. The birth of Mary was miraculous – she was con- ceived without sin as a special grace because God had selected her to become the mother of His Son.
There is nothing contained in Scripture about the birth of Mary or her parentage, though Joseph’s lineage is given in the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. In celebrating the nativity of Mary, Christians anticipate the Incarnation and birth of her Divine Son, and give honor to the mother of Our Lord and Savior.
Communion Antiphon:
“I am the light of the world, says the Lord; the man who follows me will have the light of life.”
NOTICE
1.Many thanks to Fr Ed Stewart for celebrating parish masses with us over the last six weeks, while Fr Nick has been away on leave. We have been very fortunate to have wonderful priests in this parish, and we hope that Fr Ed has felt welcomed and appre- ciated.
2.Please pray for the year 3 students at Our Lady of Lourdes who are preparing for the sacrament of reconciliation later this month. We pray also for the staff of the school, particularly those involved in the sacramental preparations.
3.Bishop Gerard Holohan celebrates his birthday this weekend, as well as the 40th anni- versary of his ordination to the priesthood, and his 10th anniversary of his elevation to Bishop. Please keep our Bishop in your prayers.
4.Neo-Catechumenate Invitation—a reminder that Fr Vittorio will be conducting a Cat- echesis for Adults at the Bunbury Parish Hall (adjacent to the Cathedral) over the com- ing weeks. The first session will be this Monday September 5 at 7.30pm and will con- tinue on each Monday and Friday following. Any enquiries to Fr Vittorio on 9721 2141 or 0433 211597 .
5.Parish Collectionfor the weekend 24/25 August—$908.00. Thankyou
PRAYER FOR THE PARISH COMMUNITY
Our Father in Heaven, You call us to form a Family of families, A community of Families, Led by your hand and guided by Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Grant our parish and home: Unity and Creativity in serving one another; Imagination and Right Motivation in spreading the Good News of your Kingdom; Joy and Enthusiasm as we grow in Holiness through the celebration of the Sacraments, the study of the Sacred Scriptures, and the Deepening of experiences through our Catholic Christian formation. Make our parish and home a worthy dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, who will throw Fire into our hearts and minds; to enable us attain Unity that will move us towards Mission. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives, and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
| Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception | Pray for us! |
Parish Vision Statement:
In union with the entire Church, we aim to be a Christ-centred Family of families, spiritually alive and growing in our faith, reaching out, welcoming and engaging all in a spirit of generosi- ty, compassion and love.
Parish Mission Statement:
Through the example of our lives, we proclaim the Gospel by: Actively seeking opportunities to engage everybody in the sacramental life of the parish; Answering the call to serve with gener- osity; Providing opportunities and on-going support for the deepening of our faith; Recognizing the value of the parish school community to the life of the parish and supporting them in their faith journey; and Looking for ways to engage and include the broader community.
