21st SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B 26th August 2018

OUR CHURCHES

St. Mary’s - Elizabeth Street, Woodend St. Brigid’s - Matthew Street, Rosewood

Mater Dei - Cnr Ferrett Street and Rowland Tce, Sadliers Crossing St. Joseph’s - 42 Pine Mountain Road, North Ipswich

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal - Robertson Rd, Eastern Heights Immaculate Heart of Mary - 22 Old Toowoomba Road, Leichhardt

A very warm welcome to anyone visiting our Parish. It is good to have you with us.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about the Ipswich Catholic Community please visit our

parish website at www.ipswichcatholic.com We hope you enjoy your time in Ipswich. Please come again soon.

Dear Parishioners

What an extraordinary week - political unrest (again) in Australia; serious allegations against a USA President and the issuing of a Pastoral Letter from Pope Francis on Child Abuse within the Catholic Church. As I write I have missed feelings about our Church - I am embarrassed and even question why I continue to be a friar-priest. There is a 'but', and it is because I believe in a Loving God who is calling me to discipleship and to credible in my ministry. Even here at St Mary's there was some graffiti on the front wall of the Church about 'pedo-priest' - we are all affected by the grave sins of our past and present - and I have the power to bring about some change, as do you!

Much in our readings for this Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time call us to deepen our relationships, widen our attentiveness, and expand our compassion and kindness. This is a call to be more deeply committed in our living and in our relationships with one another and with God.

Joshua gathered all the people of the tribes of Israel, especially naming the elders, the leaders, the judges, and the officers. He was direct in his question to the people. “If it does not please you to serve the Lord, decide today whom you will serve…” Joshua goes on to name the many gods whom the people once followed. He stirred their memory. “Our God…brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, out of a state of slavery. God performed those great miracles before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey.” Joshua called them to remember and wanted their firm commitment to be faithful to God’s covenant.

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is often misunderstood with its call for wives to be subordinate and submissive to their husbands. We need to remember the culture and the context in which this letter was written and not get caught up in its language, which today is oppressive and domineering. Rather, let us focus on Christ’s coming to dwell within our humanity as God’s action of love and a desire to be one with all people and with all of

creation. God did not create humans to have power over creation. So we are called to dwell in love and in relationship with one another and with all of God’s creation.

In the gospel we are reminded that the way of Christ, the way of Crucified Love, is not an easy road. It is a life that calls for deep commitment. It calls us to experience life in ways that are profoundly meaningful. We hear that for many of the disciples, who travelled with Jesus and the apostles, the way became too difficult. They left and returned to their former way of life. Jesus then asked those closest to him, the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”

This is always the question we must ask in our own commitment to the way of Crucified Love, especially with the challenges before us today. Living attentively and faithfully means that we cannot turn away from the truth of the destruction and deterioration that we are inflicting on our Sister Mother Earth. We cannot turn away from the harsh and callous policies that separate immigrant infants and children from parents who are seeking asylum and a better way of life for themselves and their children. We cannot turn away from the lack of loyalty and truth witnessed to us this week by our Federal politicians.

Living each day, faithfully and attentively, is a call to speak out, to advocate for change and to work for justice. St Francis' call to ongoing conversion challenges us to change our ways and our attitudes, so that we may effect change and promote deeper connectivity among all people and all of creation. Let us not turn away! Let us truly live our Spirit and Life! Please read the Pastoral Letter of Pope Francis and the responses of some of the Australian Bishops. I need you to keep witnessing to your faith, so that I don't turn away!

May we continue to pray for each other!

Stephen ofm

Congratulations to the children who received the Sacrament of Confirmation last Thursday night. Two beautiful liturgies for the children and their families in St Mary’s, and we were blessed with the presence of our Archbishop, Mark Coleridge. Thanks to the Ipswich Catholic Community Sacramental Team for their wonderful work under the leadership of Bernadette McAndrew.

PASTORAL LETTER OF THE POPE IS AVAILABLE AT AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS WEBSITE

WEEKEND MASS TIMES - 1ST AND 2ND SEPTEMBER

SATURDAY CHURCH LOCATION

4.30pm Immaculate Heart Leichhardt

5.30pm OLMM Eastern Heights

6.00pm St Mary’s, SMP Year 1 Woodend

SUNDAY MASS CHURCH LOCATION

7.30am St Joseph’s North Ipswich

8.00am St Brigid’s Rosewood

8.30am St Mary’s Woodend

6.00pm St Mary’s Woodend

SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

DAY TIME CHURCH

Friday 8.30am-8.50am OLMM

Saturday 4.15pm-4.25pm Leichhardt

Saturday 5.00-5.30pm St Mary’s

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY

Parish Priest

Parish Ministers

Pastoral Associate

Fr Stephen Bliss ofm sbliss@franciscans.org.au

Fr John Hong Fr Enoch Iheme

Bernadette McAndrew Ph 0488 008 817

Local Safeguarding

Children and

Vulnerable Adults

Representative

Kate Castles

0428 455054

Administration Staff Mrs Maree Coyne Mrs Kathy Lund Mrs Rosalia Risati Mrs Kate Castles Mrs Bernadette Lenihan

Office Hours Monday: 10.00am-3.30pm Tues-Thurs: 8.00am-3.30pm Friday: 8.00am-1.00pm

Ipswich Catholic Community Contact Information

Telephone Email Post Mass Times

07 3281 2133 ipswich@bne.catholic.net.au PO Box 23, Ipswich 4305 07 3281 0707

New Media—Evangelisation

Website www.ipswichcatholic.com

Find us by searching for ‘ipswichcatholic’ on

Facebook / YouTube / Twitter / iTunes

Schools and Colleges in our Community

St Mary’s Primary Immaculate Heart St Joseph’s School St Brigid’s School St Mary’s College St Edmund’s College

Woodend Leichhardt North Ipswich Rosewood Woodend Woodend

07 3281 1998 07 3812 1077 07 3201 6188 07 5464 1563 07 3432 5444 07 3810 4400

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR AUGUST- NOVEMBER

Mon, 27th Catechesis Of The Good Shepherd for the 3 to 6 year olds

3.30pm-5pm, bottom floor of early years classrooms, St Mary’s Primary.

Mon, 27th SMP Assembly, Year 4 2.10pm-2.40pm, School Hall.

Tues, 28th Catechesis Of The Good Shepherd for the 7 to 9 year olds

3.30pm-5pm, bottom floor of early years classrooms, St Mary’s Primary.

Wed, 29th Prayer Group 5.00pm, St Mary’s Parish Centre.

Thurs, 30th Confirmation Evaluation Meeting 5.00pm, St Mary’s Parish Centre.

SEPT, 26th Wedding Anniversary Mass 7.00pm, St Mary’s Church, Ipswich.

OCT, 27th Men’s Breakfast Time tbc, St Mary’s School Hall.

NOV, 2nd Remembrance Mass 7.00pm, St Mary’s Church, Ipswich.

WEEKDAY MASS AND LITURGY TIMES

Monday, 27th August - St Monica

7.00am St Joseph’s, North Ipswich 7.00pm Mater Dei, Sadliers Crossing

Tuesday, 28th August - St Augustine

9.00am Immaculate Heart of Mary, Leichhardt

Wednesday, 29th August - The Passion of St John the Baptist

9.00am St Mary’s, Woodend 9.30am St Brigid’s, Rosewood

Thursday, 30th August - Weekday, Ordinary Time 21

7.30am Leichhardt School, Father’s Day Liturgy and Breakfast

9.00am St Joseph’s, North Ipswich, Father’s Day Mass

9.00am St Mary’s, Woodend, Class Year 2

Friday, 31st August - Weekday, Ordinary Time 21

7.30am St Mary’s Primary, Father’s Day Liturgy, Year 2

8.00am St Mary’s College Chapel 9.00am OLMM, Eastern Heights

1.00pm St Brigid’s School, Father’s Day Liturgy and BBQ

OASIS DAY: We extend an invitation to parishioners to spend a few hours in quiet prayer and reflection on Thursday 6th September from 5pm to 7.30pm to be held at Mater Dei, Ferrett Street Sadliers Crossing. The time will be a mixture of prayer, scripture, quiet personal reflection, and a shared supper. Our hope in offering these Oasis days is to encourage a prayerful stillness where we can let go of the busyness of our lives and sit in the presence of God for just a few hours. Bring along supper to share. Tea will be provided. To register for the Oasis day please phone the Parish Office on 3281 2133 or email Ipswich@bne.catholic.net.au by 4th September.

LITURGICAL ROSTER FOR ST MARY’S: The roster for September and October will be completed by the end of August. It would be appreciated if you could advise Bernadette McAndrew of your unavailability. Thank you to everyone who assists us in any way possible to ensure our liturgies are celebrated well. Bernadette.

PLANNED GIVING ENVELOPES ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION AT THE

FRONT OF THE CHURCH PLEASE TAKE HOME THIS WEEKEND

Thank-you to all those Parishioners from each Parish who contribute to the Planned Giving. Your contribution helps in the ministries of the Parish and to support the Priests. New Envelopes will be distributed in the coming weeks – have you considered Direct Debiting? It is easy, confidential, and something you don’t have to remember. Please contact the Parish Office for details.

… What’s happening in the Ipswich Catholic Community ...

The Franciscan tradition has, from the beginning, challenged the Catholic Church. Now after more than 800 years, we are called to follow the example of Saints Francis and Clare whose life-style contrasted directly with the prevailing Church culture of their day. They were prophets in the biblical sense of the word, speaking mainly through their way of life,

Gospel truth to a powerful institution, which to a great extent had abandoned its Christ-given vocation.

It is not too much to say that for the last several decades at least, significant members of the Catholic clergy and bishops have similarly abandoned their sacred commitments. The evidence for this has increasingly come to light. We are overwhelmed by the extent and horror of the harm done to children and vulnerable adults by acts of unspeakable betrayal by these men. In the face of this modern church crisis, the Franciscan families, whose DNA contains the spiritual heritage of Francis and Clare, have the right and obligation to speak our truth relative to the current state of the Catholic priesthood and episcopacy.

But what to say? Surely we weep and beg God’s forgiveness for this incredibly widespread cancer eating away at the Household of Faith. We make our own the outrage and deep pain which the ongoing revelations of clergy abuse and episcopal cover-ups are causing. We agree with demands for total transparency and accountability on the part of church officialdom related to these ongoing revelations.

In addition, we should speak a uniquely Franciscan word comparable to that of Francis when he confronted the scandal of yet another Crusade. With the permission of the Church itself, he journeyed to the heart of the Muslim world in an attempt to prevent yet another violation of non-violent Gospel ideals.

Should not we modern Franciscans imitate our Founder’s courageous example and ask Pope Francis to call an ecumenical council of the whole Church just as Pope John XXIII did a little more than fifty years ago? And in light of our tradition of inclusivity, should we not further specify that this council would consist of lay, vowed religious, clerical and episcopal members of the Church and be held someplace other than the Vatican? This “First Council of the People of God” would take as much time as needed (Vatican II lasted four years) for a comprehensive study of the current reality of the Catholic priesthood and episcopacy, then make the comprehensive reforms – beginning with our current seminary system – needed to assure the selection of pastors, women and men, who will live out their vocations in the image of Jesus.

ARCHDIOCESAN SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS SESSION:

If you were unable to attend the session held at St Mary’s Ipswich recently there is going to be a session on Saturday 8th

September 3pm – 5:15pm St Mary’s Church, 15 Maitland Street Gatton.

ICC parishioners who wish to attend are asked to register with St Mary’s Ipswich Parish Office by 31/8/2018.

PLENARY COUNCIL 2020: Listen to what the Spirit is saying. It has been more than 80 years since we gathered all of the Church together and much has changed. In 2020, we will have a Plenary Council about the future of the Catholic Church in Australia. What are we called to do? Who are we called to be? How do we need to change? The journey toward the Plenary Council will help us to prepare to listen to God by listening to one another. We invite all people to engage, to be a part of the listening and dialogue encounter in the next two years. The Plenary Council 2020 is a gathering of the Church in Australia to make decisions for the future. Your voice is important. All people are invited to contribute to the Plenary Council agenda by sharing your experience of faith and of the Church. See www.plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au for more information.

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

RECENTLY DECEASED: Mina Ward.

ANNIVERSARY: John Ryan, Agnes Acutt.

SICK: Carmel Leadbetter

FOR ALL THOSE WHO ARE HOUSE-BOUND AND RECEIVE COMMUNION AT HOME.

THE IMMIGRANT'S APOSTLES CREED:

We believe in Almighty God, who guided the people in exile and in exodus,

the God of Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon, the God of foreigners and immigrants.

We believe in Jesus Christ, a displaced Galilean, who was born away from his people and

his home, who fled his country with his parents when his life was in danger.

When he returned to his own country he suffered under the oppression of Pontius Pilate, the servant of a foreign power.

Jesus was persecuted, beaten, tortured, and unjustly condemned to death.

But on the third day Jesus rose from the dead, not as a scorned foreigner, but to offer us citizenship in God's reign.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the eternal immigrant from God's reign among us, who speaks

all languages, lives in all countries, and reunites all races.

We believe that the Church, is the secure home for foreigners and all believers.

We believe that the communion of saints, begins when we embrace all God's people, in all their diversity.

We believe in forgiveness, which makes us all equal before God, and in reconciliation,

which heals our brokenness.

We believe that in the Resurrection, God will unite us as one people, in which all are distinct and all

are alike at the same time.

We believe in life eternal,

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CARE OF CREATION 2018: Date: Tuesday, 4th September 2018. Time: 10.30am - Morning Tea; 11am - Lecture on St Bonaventure by Fr Paul Rout ofm; 12pm - Outdoor Mass (celebrant Fr Paul Rout ofm). Location: ACU Brisbane, Francis Garden, 1100 Nudgee Road, Banyo. NO COST FOR THIS EVENT. Fr Paul has been teaching Christian Spirituality and Philosophy of Religion at the University of London. He will present on the spiritual theology of St Bonaventure and its implications for environmental concerns of today. Contact: Fr Harry Chan ofm; email: harry.chan@acu.edu.au; phone 07 3623 7785.

NEWS FROM AROUND OUR COMMUNITY

2018 Annual

Catholic

Campaign will be

conducted in the

Ipswich Catholic

Community on

8th and 9th

September

2018

THE HIVE NOTICES: Young Adult Formation: Our next formation night on the Saints

is Wednesday 12 September at 7pm in the Parish Office. All aged between 18-35 are welcome!

Youth Group: The next youth night will be on Friday 7 September from 6:30pm-9pm in Mater dei Church, Sadliers Crossing. All high schoolers welcome!

Ignite Conference: The conference is fast approaching! If you are interested in coming with our group or would like some more information about the details of the conference please approach one of the Hive Leaders or text us on 0478150103.

THE HIVE YOUNG ADULTS: We have recently returned from a Young Adult Retreat held at Marian Valley. It was a wonderful weekend of prayer and reflection. It felt so strengthening and rewarding to take time to

build on our relationship with God, as well as grow together in fellowship. All young adults, aged 18-35, are welcome to join us for any upcoming formation or social events. If you are interested in being involved, please contact us on 0478150103. The Hive Leaders

FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BRISBANE: BOTH LIVES MATTER:

From the Archdiocese of Brisbane: For the second time in two

years, the Queensland Parliament will debate whether to make

abortion legal. The draft bill will allow abortion until the day that a

baby is born – late-term abortions will be legal in Queensland as

long as two doctors agree that it “in all the circumstances, the

termination should be performed”. This will mean that social

reasons will be enough for a legal abortion of a full-term baby.

The Archdiocese wants to ensure that Queenslanders understand

this new bill and have time to consider it. We believe both lives

matter and the bill should not go ahead. Visit our website to learn

more: https://community.actonit.com.au/aob/ Link to a video that

the Archbishop has made on the abortion laws:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6E7

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PLEASE SIGN PETITIONS AT CHRUCH DOORS

ONE NON-PERISHABLE ITEM PER FAMILY EACH WEEK TO HELP THE NEEDY IN LOCAL IPSWICH AREA:

This is an ongoing contribution for the needy. We are very grateful for your generosity. Thank you for your contributions!

OUR PARISH WEBSITE IS A WONDERFUL RESOURCE FOR ALL -

for Parishioners and those also outside of the Parish: We get

many ‘clicks’ each day. We are looking for someone to help us

update the webpage each week - if you think you might be able

to help here, please contact Fr Stephen. A big

‘thank-you’ to Benjamin Leschke who has

looked after it for the past couple of years.