Second Reading: Phil 1:20-24. 27

A reading from the letter of St Paul

to the Philippians For me to live is Christ.

Christ will be glorified in my body,

whether by my life or by my death.

Life to me, of course, is Christ, but

then death would bring me some-

thing more; but then again, if living

in this body means doing work

which is having good results – I do

not know what I should choose. I

am caught in this dilemma: I want

to be gone and be with Christ, which

would be very much the better, but

for me to stay alive in this body is a

more urgent need for your sake.

Avoid anything in your everyday

lives that would be unworthy of the

gospel of Christ.

The word of the Lord

Gospel Acclamation:

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our hearts, O Lord,

to listen to the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

GOSPEL: Mt 20:1-16

A reading from the holy Gospel

according to Matthew Why are you jealous because I am generous?

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘The

kingdom of heaven is like a land-

owner going out at daybreak to hire

workers for his vineyard. He made

an agreement with the workers for

one denarius a day, and sent them

to his vineyard. Going out at about

the third hour he saw others stand-

ing idle in the market place and

said to them, “You go to my vine-

yard too and I will give you a fair

wage.” So they went. At about the

sixth hour and again at about the

ninth hour, he went out and did the

TWENTY– FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Year A 23– 24 Sept, 2017

Entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco

Catholic Church

GOSPEL: (contd) same. Then at about the eleventh

hour he went out and found more

men standing round, and he said to

them, “Why have you been standing

here idle all day?” “Because no one

has hired us” they answered. He

said to them, “You go into my vine-

yard too.” In the evening, the owner

of the vineyard said to his bailiff,

“Call the workers and pay them

their wages, starting with the last

arrivals and ending with the first.”

So those who were hired at about

the eleventh hour came forward

and received one denarius each.

When the first came, they expected

to get more, but they too received

one denarius each. They took it, but

grumbled at the landowner. “The

men who came last” they said

“have done only one hour, and you

have treated them the same as us,

though we have done a heavy day’s

work in all the heat.” He answered

one of them and said, “My friend, I

am not being unjust to you; did we

not agree on one denarius? Take

your earnings and go. I choose to

pay the last-comer as much as I pay

you. Have I no right to do what I like

with my own? Why be envious be-

cause I am generous?” Thus the

last will be first, and the first, last.’

The Gospel of the Lord

Communion Antiphon:

You have laid down your precepts to

be carefully kept; may my ways be

firm in keeping your statutes.

Entrance Antiphon

I am the salvation of the people,

says the Lord. Should they cry to me

in any distress, I will hear them, and

I will be their Lord for ever.

First Reading : Is 55:6-9

A reading from the prophet Isaiah My thoughts are not your thoughts.

Seek the Lord while he is still to be

found, call to him while he is still

near. Let the wicked man abandon

his way, the evil man his thoughts.

Let him turn back to the Lord who

will take pity on him, to our God who

is rich in forgiving; for my thoughts

are not your thoughts, my ways not

your ways – it is the Lord who

speaks. Yes, the heavens are as

high above earth as my ways are

above your ways, my thoughts

above your thoughts.

The word of the Lord

Responsorial Psalm:

(R.) The Lord is near to all

who call him.

1. I will bless you day after day

and praise your name for ever.

The Lord is great, highly to be

praised, his greatness cannot

be measured. (R.)

2. The Lord is kind and full of

compassion, slow to anger,

abounding in love.

How good is the Lord to all,

compassionate to all his creatures.

(R.)

3. The Lord is just in all his ways

and loving in all his deeds.

He is close to all who call him, who

call on him from their hearts. (R.)

26 Swanston Street, St Marys, NSW 2760

Tel: (02) 9623 1962 Fax: (02) 9833 1063

Parish Email: secretaryolrchurch@iinet.net.au

Parish Website: www.olrchurchstmarys.org.au

PARISH TEAM Parish Priest: Fr. Brendan Murphy SDB Assistant Priest: Fr Guy Riolo SDB Parish Secretary: Fleur Mathias

Parish Telephone: 9623 1962 Parish Email: secretaryolrchurch@iinet.net.au Web: www.olrchurchstmarys.org.au

Parish Fax: 9833 1063

For Enquiries Please Phone The Parish Office

between 9:30am - 12:30pm & 1:30pm - 3:30pm, Mon-Fri

Salesian Community: Phone: 9623 1220

Rector: Fr John Walenciej SDB

Don Bosco Youth Centre: Phone: 9623 0450

Co-Directors: Sr Jenny Doudle FMA Fr John Walenciej SDB

Our Lady of the Rosary Primary School

Principal: Mr Michael Siciliano Phone: 9623 2500 Email: olorstmarys@parra.catholic.edu.au

Web: www.olorstmarys.catholic.edu.au

Emmaus Catholic College

Principal: Mr Robert Nastasi

Phone: 9670 4588 Email: emmaus@parra.catholic.edu.au Web: www.emmauskempscreek.catholic.edu.au

PARISH MINISTRIES St Vincent de Paul Society: meets every Tuesday at 7:00pm in the St Vincent de Paul Office beside the Parish Hall.

Junior Legion of Mary: meets on Fridays, 4:30pm to 5:45pm in the Parish Hall and Parish Meeting Rooms. Young people welcome

Senior Legion of Mary: Tuesdays, 6:30-8pm in the Parish Hall Meeting Room. All Welcome to join.

The Cenacle: Every Thursday after 9am Mass, you are invited to join us to pray the Cenacle of the Marian Movement of Priests.

Cuppa and Craft Club: Thursdays at 9:30am, Parish Hall. Contact Parish Office 9623 1962. Computer Class (50 years & over):Basic:9.30am-11.30am and Advance:1.30pm-4pm, Parish Hall Mtg Rm. Please contact Parish Office. Rosary Statue: Mrs V Peloe, 19 Henry Lawson Ave, Werrington.

RCIA: meets Thursdays, 7:30pm, Parish Meeting Room. Know someone who would like to be a Catholic? New enquirers welcome.

Catechists: Teaching God’s Word in our State schools. Volunteers needed. Contact Maureen Watts 9623 9272. Mother’s Prayers: Every Monday, 10am at the Infant School.

Ladies Auxiliary: 2nd Mon’s, Parish Office Meeting Room, 7:30pm

Youth Choir: Choir Practices on the 2nd Sunday of the month, 2.30pm – 4pm. Choir sings at the 9am Mass on the 4th Sunday of the month. All young people welcome, 6 -16 years. OLR-Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Apostolate (PMA) Rosary Prayer: every 4th Sunday of the month after the 10.30am Mass (11.45am) in the Church. All Welcome!

Sat 23 Sept ST PADRE PIO 6:00pm Warren & Lisa Southan

Sun 24 Sept 25th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

7:30am Carmelo Vitalone 9:00am Pro Populo 10:30am Stanley Ron & Rosita 5:30pm Sooraipillia U, Nicholas George

Mon 25 Sept 6:30am Holy Souls in Purgatory 9:00am Camilleri & Perrim `

Tue 26 Sept Ss. COSMOS & DAMIAN 9:00am Ronald Lopez

Wed 27 Sept ST VINCENT DE PAUL

12:00pm Rose Vella

Thur 28 Sept ST WENCESLAUS 9:00am Zofie, Irene & Stan Tos

Fri 29 Sept Ss. MICHAEL, GABRIEL & RAPHAEL 9:15am Holy Souls, Kathy Sagovac

Sat 30 Sept ST JEROME 8:00am Holy Souls in Purgatory

RECONCILIATION

Every Wednesday: 11:15am - 11:45am.

Every Saturday: 9:00am - 10:00am, 5:00pm - 5:30pm

ADORATION BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT Wednesday: 11:15am - 11:45am, Mass at 12 noon

Every Thursday: 9:30am - 6:00pm (after 9:00am Mass) Friday: 8:30am - 9:00am. followed by Mass at 9:15am

PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED Please remember in your prayers our deceased

parishioners, family and friends especially Tom Fraser, Leo Budin, Ivan Prsa, David McHenry, John E Seymour, Jua-nito Guimbal, Paul Nicolen, Alfred O’Shea, Cornelius Nyssen. Dennis McGee, Hazel De silva, Edita Sanchez, George Kassouf, Philomena Bartholomeuz, Stephen Ostil, Daniel Walmsley, Jadwiga Walenciej, Mark N. Lucas, Mario Daros, Alfred Farrugia. Francine Low, Sid Lawrence, Mario Daros, Daniel Samardzic, Sr Henriette, Jessie Gomes, Joe Rukavina, Mary Briffa, Matt Julian, William Melton, Fr Jerry Breen, Charlie Zammit, Alberto Garate., Bernadette Downey, Sr Doris Barbero, Maria Teresa Urbina, Grazia Gullo, Nella Capasso. Eternal rest grant unto their souls O Lord, let perpetual light shine

upon them, may they rest in peace. Amen

PRAYERS FOR THE SICK

Jesus the Healer, we commend to your gentle hands those who are sick

Fr Bill Golman, Fr John Dwyer, Roberto Rayco, , Shaanan Young, Fr George O’ Mara, Brendon Vella, Atef Gabrael, Trevor Douglas, Baby Amiah Walker, Alby Kemp, Dennis McGee Jnr, Judith Urbano-Lopez, Denham de Silva, Clare O’Rance, Mary Bonanno, Leanne Barlon, Plaridel Santos, Kathy McMillan, Charlize McMillan, Soaad Halaka, Yvonne Wilde, Ester Santos, Andrew, Jeblet, Greg , Sharan & Baby Larna, Anna R, Iris Warne, Donna, George Safi, Joan Law, Joseph Camilleri, Charlie Sultana, Elizabeth & Hector, Joanne., Manny Kama, Joshua Jabisan, Kevin & Enid., Maria Maciejewska, Peter Wetton, Maureen Cocks, Daniel Jacobson, Allan Williams, Linda & William Weight-man, Grazia Gullo, Tracey Bokor, David Fuller, Sylvia Smith, Baby Owen, Adrian Durando, Andrew Boulos, Ricardo Herft, Grant Butterfield, Avalee, Dana, Garry., Meerle Steere, Cecille Jane, Renato Cazar, Vera Gould, Loyd, Carol Greentree, Ronato Cazan, Tangey Fernandes.

Next Sunday’s Readings:26th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

1st Reading: Ezekiel 18: 25-28 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24: 4-9

2nd Reading: Philippians 2: 1-11 Gospel: Matthew 21: 28-32

1st and 2nd Collections: 1st Collection: for the support of the priests of the parish 2nd Collection: (including planned giving envelopes) goes towards the running costs of the Parish.

Thankyou for your ongoing support.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults - RCIA Do you know anyone interested in becoming a Catholic?

Please invite them to contact: Vera on 0416 008 582 or the Parish Office on 9623 1962

St Marys Gardens Nursing Home Communion Roster

Sun 24 Sept: Miranda L, Penna Family, Geraldine D

Sun 1 Oct: IMPACT Youth

COMING EVENTS FOR THE DIARY 26 Sept: Legion of Mary, Parish Hall Meeting Room 6.30pm

St Vincent De Paul, Parish Hall Mtg Room, 7:00pm

27 Sept: Parish Pastoral Council meeting, 7.30pm

28 Sept: RCIA, Parish House, 7.30pm

Pre-Baptism programme, Parish off Mtg Rm, 7.30pm

Our Lady of the Rosary Novena begins, Church, 7.30pm

13 Oct: Pilgrimage to Berrima, bus leaves at 8am sharp

——————————————————————

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament Thursdays 9:30am - 6pm, Church

Adoration Chapel open all day. ALL WELCOME! at a time that suits you.

WE WELCOME

Holly Clair SimonGrace Ann Billinge.

Sebastian Oliver Harbison, Grace May Ledwidge,

Into our Parish Family through the Sacrament of Baptism

NEPEAN HOSPITAL - CHAPLAIN If you know anyone who is admitted to Nepean Hospital

Public or Private and would like to receive Communion,

Please contact the hospital Chaplain

on 4734 3150.

BERRIMA PILGRIMAGE - FRIDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2017

The Coach will leave OLR Church

for the Berrima Pilgrimage at 8am

sharp, to beat the rush on this day.

Please meet at the front of the church

at 7.45am. Surely this will be a Spirit

-filled Pilgrimage.

For the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of

Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, Pope Francis has

decided to grant a plenary indulgence opportunity

throughout the entire anniversary year, which

began Nov. 27, 2016, and will end Nov. 26, 2017.

To obtain the plenary indulgence, the faithful must

also fulfill the ordinary conditions:

go to Confession and Communion, be interiorly

detached from sin, and pray for the intentions of the

Holy Father.

The Blessed Virgin Mary and our Lord Jesus Christ

will be with us, as we commemorate this last appari-

tion to the then 3 peasant children, Jacinta, Francisco

and Lucia, with messages for our salvation.

The time-table for this day is posted on the wall and

copies are available in the foyer. God bless!

PRAYER FOR MARRIAGE

God our Father, we give you thanks for the gift of marriage: the bond of life and love, and the font of the family. May your Son, through the interces-sion of Mary, pour out upon us a new measure of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit as we join with all people of good will to promote and protect the unique beauty of marriage. May your Holy Spirit enlighten our society to treasure the heroic love of husband and wife, and guide our leaders to sustain and protect the singular place of mothers and fathers in the lives of their children. Father, we ask that our prayers be joined to those of the Virgin Mary, that your Word may transform our service so as to safeguard the incomparable splendour of marriage. We ask all these things through Christ our Lord, Amen. …from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops website http://

www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/

ST ANTHONY’S CHOIR

Attention: Musicians/Singers (18-35 years) St Anthony’s Choir (3rd Saturday 6pm Mass), invites anyone who is interested in joining the Choir. Practice is held every 2nd and 3rd Thursday of the month, 7.30pm in the church.

Please contact via text: 0433 159 058 or email: noemz_santiago@outlook.com.au

SOCIAL JUSTICE SUNDAY - 24 SEPTEMBER Pope Francis has called for an economic system that places

men and women at the very centre – one that meets the

needs of all people and is just and sustainable. He de-

nounces economic structures that take a purely utilitarian

view of human beings, treating them as mere elements of

production, to be thrown away if they are not seen as useful

or productive.

The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Social Justice Statement

for 2017–18 is titled ‘Everyone’s Business: Developing

an inclusive and sustainable economy’. The Bishops call

for an economy that is founded on justice and offers dignity

and inclusion to every person.

The Bishops’ Statement is built around the Gospel for

Social Justice Sunday. Jesus tells the parable of the

workers in the vineyard, where all are active contribu-

tors and are recognised for their human dignity.

Australia has experienced a quarter of a century of continu-

ous economic growth, but the benefits of this good fortune

have not been distributed equally. In our workplaces, con-

ditions and security of employment have been eroded,

while those who are unemployed subsist on incomes well

below poverty levels. Australia is experiencing a housing

crisis. And our Indigenous brothers and sisters struggle

with economic and social burdens that most Australians

cannot imagine.

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINAR In these troubled times the Holy Spirit will give us the ability to withstand the pressures of our worldly culture and to share our faith with all those we encounter.

Where: Good Shepherd Parish, 136 Hyatts Rd, Plumpton

When: Friday 29 September, 7.15pm

Saturday 20 September, 11.30am - 3.30pm

Sunday 1 October, 12pm - 4pm

Spiritual Director - Fr Bollar Barreto

Further Information: Call Kathy on 0419 576 776

ALL WELCOME.

2017: Fatima Centenary Year

September 23-24: 25th

Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Dear Parishioners,

Thank you to the refurbisher of the seat in Our Lady’s

garden for the great job.

Catholic Weekly: I commend regular readership of the

Catholic Weekly to those who would like to keep up with

national attacks on religious liberties in this country.

Liberties are only preserved by continuing effort; and

religious liberties are certainly under attack in Australia.

Let us all play our part, for the sake of the next generation.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for

good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke.

National Plebiscite: I encourage all to defend the natural

right of every child to a mother and a father. Let us pray

for all concerned at this difficult and important time for

our nation and its citizens.

Monday October 2 (Labour Day) Picnic.

Come to Euroka Park, Glenbrook, for a picnic on the

Labour Day Monday. Be there at 11am, bring your own

food (including water supply), chairs, games. There are

some good walks there. We shall also ‘boil the billy.’

October, month of the Rosary, parish feast day and

Fatima ‘miracle of the sun’ centenary:

This Thursday at 7:30pm in the church we begin the

Rosary novena in preparation for our parish patronal feast

celebration. Come if you can.

Parish October Marian Celebrations:

Please note the following intended programme for these

parish celebrations:

A: 9 day Rosary Novena, Sept 28 – Oct 6,.

Thurs Sept 28: St Lorenzo Ruiz. 7:30pm Rosary

Fri Sept 29: Ss Michael, Gabriel, Raphael. 7:30pm Rosary

Sat Sept 30: St Jerome. 7:30pm Rosary.

Sun October 1: 26th Sunday. 7:30pm Rosary.

Mon October 2: Guardian Angels.

Picnic Euroka Park Rosary 7:30pm

Tues October 3: Rosary 7:30pm

Wed October 4: St Francis of Assisi. Rosary 7:30pm.

Thurs October 5: St Faustina Kowalska. Rosary 7:30pm

Exposition, Eucharistic healing service 7:50-8:30pm.

Fri October 6: 7pm Rosary in church.

7:30pm: Fatima film in parish hall.

B: Sat October 7: Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

8:00am Mass of the feast.

3:00pm Rosary

3:20pm Talk: “Mary the Great Missionary – She

will work miracles!” Speaker: Sister M Isabell Naumann

4:00pm: Afternoon tea.

C: Sunday October 8: Marian Procession

10:30am Mass: Liturgy for 27th Sunday

11:30am: Marian Procession, Release of balloon rosary

at MacKillop Centre?

12:15pm: Lunch at MacKillop Centre.

2017: FATIMA CENTENARY YEAR

D: Fri October 13: Berrima Pilgrimage 8am-5pm.

E: Sat October 14: Public Rosary, 8:45am,Victoria Park.

Coming Up: Sept 26: 7:15pm, parish house: Bishop Robert Baron DVD,

Pivotal Players, on Blessed Cardinal John Henry

Newman. All welcome.

God bless.

Fr Brendan

********************************* October 13 1917 Sixth Apparition of Our Lady (1)

At Aljustrel where the children lived, the major-

ity of their neighbours were skeptical about the

apparitions and hostile toward the children and

their families. Other people, including priests

and family members, were trying to persuade the

children to admit that they had made up the

whole story about the apparitions of our Lady. Still others

were threatening the children, saying: “If the children have

lied and nothing happens at the Cova, then….” A devout

woman named Dona Maria lo Carmo Menezes had taken

the three children to her home to give them a rest. When she

saw the number of people who came looking for them, she

was overwhelmed and remarked: “My children, if the

miracle that you predict does not take place, these people

are capable of burning you alive.” With great confidence in

our Lady’s love and promise, the children responded: “We

are not afraid, because our Lady does not deceive us. She

told us that there would be a great miracle so that everyone

would have to believe.”

Harder by far to deal with was the continuing disbelief and

criticism coming from Lucia’s own family members,

especially her mother. Her negative attitude toward the

apparitions had turned the whole family against young

Lucia. The mother was already angry over the damage done

at the Cova by the crowds who were continuously trampling

over this plot of land used to grow crops for the family and

to graze their flock of sheep. Furthermore, the family was

concerned about the disgrace they would suffer if every-

one’s expectations were left unfulfilled. Though disbeliev-

ing, Lucia’s mother was prepared to suffer her daughter’s

fate if the people turned against her. On October 12, Maria

Rosa, Lucia’s mother, jumped out of bed and went to wake

her daughter, saying, ‘Lucia, we had better go to confession.

Everyone says that we shall probably be killed tomorrow at

the Cova da Iria. If the lady doesn’t do the miracle the

people will attack us, so we had better go to confession and

be properly prepared for death.”

Lucia was willing to go with her mother to confession, but

not because she was afraid of dying. “I’m absolutely certain

that the Lady will do all that she promised,” she said. The

next day, Lucia’s mother went with her daughter to the

place of the apparitions, saying, “If my child is going to

die, I want to die with her!”

*********************************