A Reflection from Father Hermi

In today’s gospel, Jesus made a deaf man hear, He also removed his speech impediment. Jesus

understands that one of the crippling handicap is being unable to speak, “you have mouth but

you cannot speak, you have ears but you cannot hear” as the saying goes. This is only physical.

How about the spiritual deafness and dumbness? It is worst than physical. A spiritual

“handicap”, the inability to speak God’s word and the unwillingness to hear and to respond to

it, or the refusal to hear the cries of the people in need whom Christ called “our neighbours”

and respond with compassion and love.

If Jesus was able to restore the gifts of speech and hearing to the deaf, mute man, He can also

cure our own spiritual deafness and dumbness.

The best thing we can do is to approach him with humility and faith and be ready to obey him

for we will be able to hear God’s word clearly in our hearts.

By this we will be able to respond to the needs of our neighbour without wanting to count the

cost. By doing so, we are able to glorify God in words and deeds.

Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) 9th of September, 2018

Social Bowls & Cards

will be held on

Monday, 17th September

from 9:30 – 12:00

Come along and enjoy this social

morning.

The next Finance

Committee Meeting will

be held on Thursday 4th

October at 5.15pm.

In 2018, the Australian Catholic Church marks Child Protection

Sunday on 9 September.

The Catholic Church, child protection and safeguarding

Participation in the National Redress Scheme is one way in

which the Catholic Church is responding to the Royal

Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

People wishing to access the Scheme can call 1800 737 377 or

visit http://www.nationalredress.gov.au

Many other changes have been made in recent years to help

ensure Catholic settings are safe for children and vulnerable

adults. They include protocols around formation of priests and

religious, safeguarding policies for parishes and schools, and

more responsive processes when allegations of child sexual

abuse are made.

Poet Katherine Norman

Joined the St Mary’s Parish Family

through the sacrament of Baptism on

Sunday.

Poet is pictured with her parents

Wesley and Brogen and her

Godparents Kendall and Nick.

St Vincent de Paul Meeting

will be held on

Monday, 10th September at 5pm

The Driver Reviver program is looking for

volunteers for Sunday 7th October 2018 in 2 hour

blocks – 8am – 10am and 10am – 12pm.

There will be a roster on the table at the back of

the church if you have time to volunteer for this

very worthy cause. We will need 2 volunteers for

each time slot.

Thank-you for your contributions:

01/09/18

Envelopes: $371.00 Loose: $97.50

Direct Deposits: $125/wk (average over a month)

Parish Bank A/C Details

A/C Name: ADF St Mary’s Parish Goondiwindi

BSB: 064-786 A/C Number: 518826001

If paying by direct deposit, please use your

initials/surname as the reference.

VOLUNTEERS

MASS TIMES

Wednesday (Rosary 5:10pm).…..5:30pm Friday……12:15pm

9th September 2018

SUNDAY EVENING: Goondiwindi 6.00pm

16th September 2018 SUNDAY MORNING: Goondiwindi 9.00am

22nd/23rd September 2018

SATURDAY EVENING: Goondiwindi 6.00pm SUNDAY MORNING: Goondiwindi 8.00am

30th September 2018

SUNDAY MORNING: Goondiwindi 9.00am

WE PRAY FOR THOSE: Who have entered your kingdom: including Aileen Bennett, Henry Orchard, Mervyn Fleming, Elly Heynen Knols (Teresa Heynen’s aunt),Brian O’Brien (FM’s Uncle), Nick Heironymus, Stella McGovern, Loretta Brennan, Tom Mitchell, Steve Aspinall, Delva Brown, Fay Hunt, Don McDonald, Allan Amey, Barry Kindt, Gwendolyn “Henny” Makim, Epigenia Cabus (Claire & Rose’s sister), Barbara Duffy, Vince O’Brien (Roma), Bishop John Gerry, Laurance Martyn, Frank Brosnan, Max Hohn, Kath Johnson, Muriel “Sis” Plain (Len Cleal’s sister), Robert Miller, Elaine Symes, June Corish, Ted Heironymus, Gloria Glasser, Therese Sullivan, Helen Farrell, Fr. Merv Ziesing, Joan Lawson, Thea McNaulty, Whose anniversary is at this time: including Peter Ints, Vera Benson,

Tim Thompson, Colin “Leo” Lowe, Darrell “Darby” Lowe, Anthony “Tony”

Carrigan, Leonie Choice, Tony Lloyd, Mark Batchelor, Raymond

McKenna, Teresa Butler, Anna Van Kuijck, Nancy Thurecht, Keith &

Myrtle Cook, Kevin McMaster, Audrey Albeck., Sr Bess Turvey, , Mona

O’Brien, Maria Magoffin, Chris Finlayson, Shirley Byrne, David Hiles,

Ziggy Schmidt, Terence Collins, Alma Rigney, William “Des” Whittle,

Joseph Fraser, Olive Thompson, Noel McGovern, Jill Field, Frank

Holland, Trish Taylor, Madeline Cubby, Noela McDonald, Barbara

Bardsley, Mary Cannon, Rita Johnson, Frank Smith.

Who are ill: including, Iris Simpson, Celie Brosnan, Mel Cairns, Mick Kelloway, Joy Collins, Hardy Sutton, Donna Lindores, John Abbot, Angus Rigney, Jan Jan Charles, Tom Turvey, Bill Dyer, Trish Dyer, Brian Freeney, Pat & Teresa Mullins, Deanna Dawson, Anne Hunt, Kevin Lawless, Ray Mackie, Peter Keehn, Joan Fleming, Gloria Bale, David Croft, Tim Bourke, Joe Cowmeadow, Shirley Schluter, Stasia Lawless, Paul Lloyd, Mavis Gordon, Jean Ramada, Jean Sizer, Francis Lloyd, Madonna Nicoletti, Stephanie & Chris Adamson, Bailey Brennan, Pauline Robinson, Win Skinner, Sonya Horrigan, Helen Paige, John Toohey, Marie Cook, Phillip Carney, Shirley Riley, and Joseph Hord; also those ill at home, in hospital and for those in Kaloma.

We pray for the clergy of the Toowoomba Diocese whose anniversary is during

this month.

Most Rev Edward Kelly DD (02/09/94) Rev Fr Sydney Kattie (04/09/04)

Rev Fr Myles Patrick Smith (09/09/11) Most Rev William Brennan DD (11/09/75)

Rev Fr Francis Burke (16/09/01) Rev Fr Michael Skehan (18/09/16)

Rev Fr Clarence Leahy (28/09/96) Rev Fr Neil O’Donoghue (29/09/80)

Lord, hear our prayers and be merciful to your servants, the Bishops and Priests of this Diocese whom you have called from this life. Welcome them into the company of your Saints in the Kingdom of light and peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

WELCOMERS AT DOOR

DENISE MCCORMACK & MARIE LLOYD (09/09)

FAY PFINGST & JILL LENNON (16/09)

TERRY & MARGARET RYAN (23/09)

WELCOMER AT MICROPHONE

MARY BURCHELL (09/09)

RACHAEL REEVES (16/09)

CLAIRE CHARLES (23/09)

1ST READER/PSALM

PAT THOMPSON (09/09)

CLAIRE CHARLES (15/09)

MARY COLLINS (23/09)

2ND READING/ALLELUIA

ANN WEBSTER (09/09)

PAT THOMPSON (16/09)

BRETT POLLARD (23/09)

EUCHARIST MINISTERS

CARMEL SCHAUMBURG, CAMILLE KELLOWAY &

MARY COLLINS (09/09)

CARMEL SCHAUMBURG, SUE MCGOVERN &

BRIAN COOK (16/09)

CLAIRE CHARLES, CARMEL GEESON &

MARY BURCHELL (23/09)

DATA PROJECTOR

MARY COLLINS (09/09)

MARY COLLINS (16/09)

ROS PHILLIPS (23/09)

MONEY COUNTERS

TERRY & MARGARET RYAN (09/09)

KAREN CAIRNS & MARY COLLINS (16/09)

MARY COLLINS & ROS PHILLIPS (23/09)

GROUNDS ROSTER

ALAN WELSH & DAVE BAUER (SEPTEMBER)

MICHAEL & JACK SCHAUMBURG (OCTOBER)

St Vincent de Paul Meeting

will be held on

Monday, 10th September at

5pm

Introduction We gather today as the blind person who does not see

the suffering in our world. We are the deaf person who

does not hear the cries of the poor and the mute who

fails to speak up against injustice. We come to Jesus

for healing so we may speak out against people and

systems that oppress and silence the voices of the least

among us.

First Reading Isaiah 35:4-7

Be strong! Fear not! Here is your God!

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 146

Praise the Lord, my soul!

Second Reading St James 2:1-5

Show no partiality

ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!

Jesus preached the Good News of the kingdom

and healed all who were sick.

ALLELUIA!

Gospel Mark 7:31-37

He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.

Prayers of the Faithful

For the health and well-being of all healers: those

who heal our physical ailments, those who free our

mind from stress and worry, and those who lovingly

guide us closer to Christ. Together may we heal our

broken world … we pray,

For those who have no voice: the poor and

marginalized, victims of human trafficking, the

unborn and those suffering from all forms of mental

illness … we pray,

For forgiveness and conversion of mind and heart,

for those of us who are spiritually blind to the needs

of the poor, for the spiritual deafness that keeps us

from hearing the cries of the oppressed, and for the

times we have witnessed suffering and failed to act

… we pray,

For healing and protection for our earth and its

natural resources; for an end to all practices that

endanger animals and their natural habitats; for

compassion for all creatures great and small … we

pray,

For God’s eternal peace and perpetual light to all

who have died due to the violence, through drugs,

war, poverty, homelessness, lack of clean water and

medical services, abortion and suicide … we pray,

Let us pray together....

God of mercy, we need your healing. Open our ears,

hearts, eyes and mouths to proclaim your greatness.

Protect all with no ability to protect themselves.

This we ask, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Parish Priest: Fr Hermi Rafada Ph: 0435 006 513 or 4671 1091 email: rafsteel2005@yahoo.com Parish Contact Details stmarysgdi@bigpond.com 69 Callandoon Street PO Box 45, Goondiwindi 4390 St Mary’s School Mr Brett Pollard Ph: 4671 1730

Parish Secretary:

Sarah Hedges

Mobile Ph: 0429 926 231

Office Ph: 4671 5087

Wednesday 9.30am – 3.30pm Parish Safeguarding Rep: Mrs Carmel Schaumberg Ph: 0419 786 738

PARISH INFORMATION

23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

9TH

SEPTEMBER, 2018