The appearance of a red ‘cross’ on the logo of our updated parish web page is an artistic touch to add to the conceptual image of Christians rowing across the water on a spiritual voyage that all Christians must take;
Or it can be interpreted as Christ on the sea of Galilee with the apostles.
“Secular society also frees us from establishing in religion a tribal identity, a national identity or any other identity foreign to the spiritual experience that invites us to recognize each other as humans, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the same Father,” Father Sosa said.
A secularized culture, he added, also can help the church recover the importance of proclaiming the Gospel, which is “a key dimension of the work of the church in these types of societies” and is a fundamental experience of those who give witness to “a personal encounter with Christ.”
The complexion of community with its many faces comes to the fore today in our liturgy and celebrations for the Feast of our patronal saint – St Canice.
In his homily, Fr Chris speaks of his recent experiences at the many sacred sites in the Holy Land. He says, “no doubt, God is worshipped there, but it lacks the presence and witness of people who ‘belong’ there, who form a community of faith”. He continues, “as we know, here at St Canice’s, community is integral to the practice of faith, for faith is not just about believing but about belonging and doing.
Seven days a week the volunteers at St Canice’s Kitchen, including retired doctors, dentists, graziers and parishioners, serve lunch between 11:00am and 12:30pm to thousands who sleep rough or struggle to pay living costs. “We hope to provide for the daily needs of the people,” Sister Sheelah Mary, who’s been involved for almost 20 years, said. “The numbers are getting bigger and bigger.
Mediation Base Camp offers a starting point for people to connect with their own spirit. It is open to all, regardless of what faith or the beliefs you may have. It is a basic community gathering where there is respect for people’s individuality, personal space and silence. Held on a Sunday evening, it is offers a valuable punctuation point as we move from one week to the next.
We take this opportunity of having sixty of our community together for the annual BBQ to draw 12 prizewinners for those who contributed to our appeal for recurring donations to support our sister parish in Railaco held on St Ignatius Feast Day in July.
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Our readings today remind us that ideally that marriage in our tradition is a permanent union of equals. But in reality we have to deal firstly and compassionately with human failure and societal change. Our increased understanding of human psychology and interpersonal relationships tells us that some marriages perhaps never were and some just came to their natural end. . . . .
Most Rev Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv, Bishop of Parramatta – ” The Church as understood and articulated by the Second Vatican Council sees itself as a pilgrim People of God, incarnate in the world. It is a new paradigm – one that is based on mutuality not exclusion, love not fear, service not clericalism, engagement with the world not flight from or hostility against it, incarnate grace not dualism. It is the Church going out of itself as opposed to closing in on itself.”
After my two and a half months away on sabbatical, it’s so good to be home!
A warm welcome, sunny skies, familiar faces and a known place to lay my head; I’m
back among family and friends. I had a great time in the Holy Land but there’s no place
like home. I’m very conscious of ‘home’ and all that it means this weekend on Social Justice
Sunday as our Australian bishops remind us of the scourge of homelessness in their
Statement ‘A Place to Call Home: Making a Home for Everyone in our Land.’ Fr Chris
