WEBSITE www.allsaintsblackbuttsouth.org.au

PARISH ADMINISTRATOR Fr Joseph Figurado Presbytery: 4957 5949 Parish Mobile: 0452 280 687 Email: Joseph.Figurado@mn.catholic.org.au ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH Lockyer Street ADAMSTOWN ST KEVIN’S CHURCH 226 Main Road CARDIFF ST PHILIP’S CHURCH/PRESBYTERY 31 Vista Parade KOTARA PARISH OFFICE 230 Main Road Cardiff PO Box 233 CARDIFF 2285 P: 4954 0977 Fax: 4956 7168 E: asbsparish@mn.catholic.org.au Secretaries Louise Byron, Anna Bojkowski Office Hours Monday - Thursday 9.00am-3.00pm (May vary) Closed 12 noon - 1.00pm PARISH PRIMARY SCHOOLS St Columba’s Adamstown St Kevin’s Cardiff St James’ Kotara PARISH HIGH SCHOOLS St Pius X Adamstown St Paul’s Booragul Links are on our Website

All Saints Blackbutt South Parish

ALL SAINTS PARISH BLACKBUTT SOUTHALL SAINTS PARISH BLACKBUTT SOUTHALL SAINTS PARISH BLACKBUTT SOUTH Faith Communities of Adamstown, Cardiff, KotaraFaith Communities of Adamstown, Cardiff, KotaraFaith Communities of Adamstown, Cardiff, Kotara

26th July 202026th July 202026th July 2020

17 Sunday Ordinary Time Year A17 Sunday Ordinary Time Year A17 Sunday Ordinary Time Year A

SUNDAY MASSES - KOTARA

Saturday Vigil 5.30pm; Sunday 8.30am, 10.30am WEEKDAY MASSES

Tuesday 9.30am Adamstown; Wednesday 7.00am Kotara; 9.30am Adamstown;

Thursday 9.30am Cardiff; Friday 9.15am Kotara

The First Reading, 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12, comes in here in the sense that what Solomon prayed for – and received – was a discerning heart, a heart that, amid all the wealth and opportunity with which he was surrounded, could tell what was of true and lasting value. The parable of the Dragnet in itself (vv. 47-48; that is, less the negative interpretation about the ‘end of time’ [vv. 49-50]), aptly holds together two further truths about the kingdom: God’s grace is a great ‘net’ thrown over all – good and bad alike; you don’t have to be good to be grasped by the kingdom. Once grasped, however, conversion is required: those who do not over time respond positively to God’s generosity will find themselves cast out. To this simple but most effective image the Matthean community, perhaps in its concern for growing laxity, has added a warning that focuses simply upon the negative in tones heavily imbued with Jewish apocalyptic eschatology. It would be a pity to let the warning entirely ‘swamp’ the original parable. Without some caution against taking such imagery literally, inevitably all attention will focus upon the negative warning to the detriment of the image of God and God’s action Jesus seeks to promote. The concluding statement about the scribe ‘discipled for the kingdom of heaven’ (v. 52) is often regarded, with some justification, as a ‘cameo’ description of the Evangelist himself within the narrative. Note how ‘new’ comes before ‘old’ in the things brought out of the storeroom: what has come about in Christ transforms older ways of seeing. The short Second Reading, Romans 8:28-30, conveys Paul’s case for hope deriving from his belief that we (believers) are all caught up within an inexorably unfolding divine plan that is already well under way. The goal of this plan is that human beings become images of the risen Christ, who is himself the image of God (2 Cor 4:4; Col 1:15). This will occur when believers fully share his risen life through their own resurrection (Rom 8:9-11). At that time, Christ will not only be the unique Son of God, but the ‘eldest’ of many brothers (and sisters) within the one family of God.

© Brendan Byrne SJ

Proposed dates for Parish Assembly with Teresa Brierley and Fr Matthew Muller. Saturday August 15 or Saturday August 22nd. Please nominate your preference by email or phone to Parish Office.

Parish News

Gospel Focus – The Kingdom is like…

Throughout the gospels, Jesus consistently uses the figures of speech of simile and metaphor to describe the kingdom. He never directly describes the kingdom. It is always described as being like some situation or person or as if… This figurative use of language means that we have no single clear picture of what the kingdom is like but we do have a multitude of metaphors and descriptions. This style of description adds to the paradoxical nature of the kingdom – it is like many things yet we don’t really know what it is like at all.

Scriptural context – Matthew Ch 13

Over the last few weeks we have now heard Matthew Chapter 13 almost in its entirety. We heard first the parable of the sower then last week three short parables about weeds amongst the wheat, the mustard seed growing into a great tree and leaven in the flour. Finally, today we have had these additional pithy parables. The entire chapter seeks to paint metaphoric images of the kingdom. Woven through these images is a suggestion that the kingdom is open to all – all are presented with the invitation – but not everyone will accept that invitation or respond to it in the same way.

Have you thought? Interpretation

In today’s passage the gospel writer appears to describe himself: ‘every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old.’ It is a fantastic description of what it means to be an interpreter of the gospel. To interpret scripture, one must draw on what is old; applying understandings of the text in its original context and its original audience. But one must also draw on what is new; making connections between that original setting and the context in which it is being read today.

© Creative Ministry Resources Pty Ltd

SICK/SPECIAL NEEDS: We remember in prayer … Leonie Pickett, Veronica Hipwell, Karen Curran, Bernadette Milne, Algi & Geraldine Bajelis, Mick King, Margaret McLellan, Jan Hobson, Lewis Peel (Purcell), Sheila Kinsella, Rita Martin, Emma Pacifico, Lorraine Caldwell, Emilinda Peralta, Michael Wood, Loris Jackson, Linda McDonald, Dean Hart, Barry Moore, Leigh Hooper, Chris Patsan, Catherine Horner, Albert Erzetich, Catherine Hobbs, Bernadette Coffey, Dorota Bakowska, Margaret Byron, Carlo Rossi ANNIVERSARIES: Maria Gyselhart, Colleen Barski, Ada Battersby, Joyce Johnson

KOTARA COMMENTATOR LECTORS EXTRA-ORDINARY

MINISTER

25/7/2020

5.30pm

Marilyn Thomson Ben Lerch

Emma South

Giavanna Angeli

26/7/2020

8.30am

Paul Smith Louise Byron

Paula O’Neill

Faye Robertson

26/7/2020

10.30am

Liz Doyle Sr Carmel Moore

Anne Lamotte

Majella Maher

1/8/2020

5.30pm

Christine Sheppard Giavanna Angeli

Bernard Burgess

Sally Pink

2/8/2020

8.30am

Diana Hannigan Barry Bourke

Dot Reynolds

Narelle Smith

2/8/2020

10.30am

Wayne Caruana Majella Maher

Basia Wedesweiler

Margaret Bourke

Planned Giving Envelopes are now available for collection at St Philip’s Kotara prior to or after Mass. The Parish Finance Committee met on Tuesday, 14 July. The Income & Expenditure Report for the 2020 Financial Year is now available for viewing on the noticeboard at each church. Vaughan Marten has now retired from the Committee. We extend our thanks to Vaughan for his many years of service. If you would like to contribute to the parish by serving on the Parish Finance Committee, please speak with Fr Joseph. The Committee meets 4 times per year at the end of each quarter.

DIOCEASAN NOTICES

Don't forget to register now for this year's must-attend conference on climate and the church (30 July - 1 August) online via ZOOM: https://www.unitingearth.org.au/climate-conference/ Learn about climate anxiety, grief and mental health issues, and how we can provide best practice pastoral care for people in our churches and communities who are struggling. Learn how to communicate climate messages from Dr Rebecca Huntley, one of Australia's most experienced and respected social researchers. And learn how your church can take action on climate change together. This year the conference is even more accessible - available entirely online on the Thursday evening, Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Join us to learn, discuss, and share your wisdom. N.B. Cost is $30 for the full 3 sessions. The full program and registration link can be found here: https://www.unitingearth.org.au/climate-conference/ Hello Hunter helps people who are feeling isolated, lonely or anxious. Volunteers are available to make a friendly call, deliver essentials, assist in finding specialised help or on request pray with the person. Hello Hunter has a call centre, which takes requests for assistance, then neighbourhood hubs mobilise their volunteers. Hubs are formed according to suburb and postcode. The goal is to have the person in need assisted by their nearest neighbour. Hello Hunter are now looking for hub leaders and volunteers. Volunteers need to submit a form, validated by their local parish priest or parish leader. Go to hellohunter.org.au for more information.

Parish News

Parish Ministries: Fr Joseph invites all ministers to meet with him in the respective churches at 4.00pm on the following Thursdays during August: Thursday, 13 August - Adamstown Thursday, 20 August - Cardiff Thursday, 27 August - Kotara The purpose of these gatherings will be to initiate a casual conversation around planning for the future of parish ministry. Kotara Church Verandah - for safety reasons, I ask parishioners and visitors to refrain from parking on the church verandah at Kotara. Thank you. Fr Joseph Parish Property Manager - the Parish is seeking to engage a person with contractor management and WHS experience to manage the repairs and maintenance of our parish buildings. If you have experience, or know someone who maybe interested, please contact the Parish Office. Registration for Sunday Mass (including Vigil) - If you have not yet registered and wish to attend Sunday Mass please contact the Parish Office. As all three Masses are now typically over-subscribed (limit is currently 50 people), anyone who has previously registered but has then been unavailable on any given weekend will need to re-register and may be placed on a stand-by list. Successful applicants are advised via email (or phone call if necessary) on Thursdays. If you are unable to attend any Mass for which you have registered, please contact the Parish office by 3.00pm on Wednesdays or let Fr Joseph know, so that we can make your seat available to others who may wish to attend. Thank you. Parish Office Please call ahead if you need to visit the office, P 4954 0977. Office hours are Mondays - Thursdays, 9.00am to 3.00pm (closed 12 noon - 1.00pm). Fr Joseph will be working in the Parish Office on Wednesdays. Live stream Mass every Sunday at 9.30am at https://www.mn.catholic.org.au/places/live-stream/ Tax Receipts for the 2019 - 2020 Financial Year are now available for collection from St Philip’s Kotara on the weekend or from the Parish Office during the week.

17th Sunday Ordinary Time Year A

Responsorial Psalm We will continue to recite the Psalm as normal.

Gloria Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace to people of good will We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father Lord Jesus Christ, Only begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father You take away the sins of the word, have mercy on us; You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the most high Jesus Christ, With the Holy Spirit, In the glory of God the Father. Amen

Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

© The scriptural quotations are taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton Longman and Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Co Inc., and used by permission of the publishers. The English translation of the Psalm Responses, the Alleluia and Gospel Verses, and the Lenten Gospel Acclamations, and the Titles, Summaries, and Conclusion of the Readings, from the Lectionary for Mass © 1997, 1981, 1968, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. © Gospel Images used with permission Liturgy Help