THE BULLETIN ST THERESA’S PARISH

13 AUGUST 2017 NINETEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME YEAR A

HEALING FOR THE SICK Bernice Herbert (Colleen Toombs’

Mother )

Patricia (Pat) Mulhall Parishioners: Stephen Watchman

Rosemary Carter Len Pauli

Neville Preece John Robinson

Chris McNally John Thompson

Patricia Cantwell (Kathy Sternes fr iend)

Thelma & Doug Wall

(Lillian Ashcroft’s sister & brother in law)

Robert & Donna Ashcroft

(Lillian Ashcroft’s sister & brother in law)

Freda Coorey

(Kathy Sternes Friend)

Shona Kraayvanger

(Gabrielle Adam’s daughter) Joe Short (Powell family group) Enrico Marsili (Raul Ruffini’s nephew)

John Gagen (Peter Kenny’s brother-in-law)

Indiana Harman

(Ray & Madeline Taylor’s Granddaughter)

Louis Gandini (Lina Pervan’s brother)

Connie Bamgart (Lina Pervan’s friend)

Elaine Dillon (Vivienne Pr ice’s mother)

Pamela Dyson (Sandra Madden’s sister)

Patricia Jenkins (Thel Jelley’s cousin)

Roslyn Morton (Patr ick’s sister)

Simon Riethmuller (Shir ley’s son)

Max Shearer

(Grandson - Tom & Judy Shearer)

John Mullen (Helen McNaught’s nephew)

Archie Mullen

(Helen McNaught’s brother)

Reet Hughes (ex Par ishioner and close

friend of Bette Flamsteed)

Br Ed Collins OH

ANNIVERSARIES

Iris Bralow Ramon Schaefer Joseph Aleyamma Rona Koltermann John Kalinowski Noel Riethmuller Agnes Thompson Maureen Spelman Denis Clinton Brian Murray

MISSION STATEMENT St Theresa’s Catholic Parish is a vibrant, inclusive and welcoming community committed to living and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Under our baptismal mission and inspired by the Spirit, we are bread for one another and nourished we reach out to make a difference in the world.

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19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

Today’s first reading from the first book of Kings is one of the most famous and enchanting stories in the Hebrew Scriptures. Amidst the glorious and terrifying phenomena in which the biblical imagination expects God to dwell, the Lord is nowhere to be found. After the great wind, earthquake, and fire, we are told, there was nothing. The Hebrew text literally says there was a sound of “thin” or “fragile” silence, and it was this absence of sound that Elijah “heard”. Then the story goes on to tell us that when he heard this nothingness, Elijah heard God’s voice asking, “what are you doing here, Elijah?” During my time here in Toowoomba I’ve been privileged to enter the lives and faith journeys of countless people. And curiously, many people have admitted to me that God seems absent, that God does not seem to speak to them or listen to their prayers. I’d like to draw your attention to (spoiler alert) Martin Scorsese’s film Silence, which showed in cinemas earlier this year. Silence depicts the agony of a young Jesuit priest who is forced to publically renounce his faith in order to save his life and the lives of the native Japanese Christians. Throughout the film he is gradually worn down by the sufferings of these violently persecuted Christians, along with a constant sense of desolation and of God’s absence. God feels remote and he begins to doubt whether God exists. At one point he says, “I pray, but I am lost. Am I just praying to silence?” At the end however, and I believe this is the key to the whole film, he admits, “Lord, I have fought against your silence.” In this admission there seems to be a realisation that in fact the absence and silence of God was a presence, and all along he was fighting against this presence. We can take a precious insight from the young Jesuit’s struggle with faith, and equally from Elijah’s encounter with God in the desert. The seeming absence –absence of sound, absence of feeling, the empty space, the darkness– can actually be some-thing. It is in attentiveness to this fragile silence, to the nothingness, that one might discover presence, for the absence possesses its own density. And to cling to this very silence with the raw words of Peter in today’s Gospel, (“Lord, save me!”) and to allow ourselves to be swamped and pervaded by that silence, is life-changing. It was this mystery that myself and eleven others entered into during our thirty-day silent retreat, and it was here that God was certainly found. Suddenly stillness, aloneness, and silence are not at all lonely or boring. In fact that sense of absence becomes a space of profound intimacy, the desert becomes a pool of water, the dry land a place of springs (Isaiah 41:18). By: Thomas Duncan

MASSES

St Theresa’s Parish

READINGS BAPTISMS

MON NO MASS

TUE 9AM MASS (Assumption)

WED 9AM Lay led liturgy

THU NO MASS

FRI 9AM MASS

SAT 6PM MASS

SUN 9.30AM MASS

RECONCILITATION IS

AVAILABLE BEFORE MASS

OR BY APPOINTMENT

First Reading: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13

Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord God.

Responsorial Psalm: 84: 9-14

Lord, show us your mercy and love, and grant us your salvation.

Second Reading: Romans 9:1-5

I would willingly be condemned if it could help my people.

Gospel Acclamation:

Alleluia, Alleluia! I hope in the Lord, I trust in his word. Alleluia!

Gospel: M atthew 14:22-23

Command me to come to you over the water

Next week’s readings.

Isaiah 56: 1, 6-7 Romans 11: 13-15, 29-32 Matthew 15: 21-28

Baptisms are celebrated on the

second and fourth Sunday of the

month either during Mass at

(9.30am) or after Mass at

(11.00am).

Today through the

Sacrament of Baptism

we welcome Thomas Matthew

Day

to our parish.

The Assumption of Our Lady 15 August Assumption of Mary into Heaven Monday, 15 August the Church celebrates the Feast Day of the Assumption of Our Lady when according to our faith, the Holy Mother, "having completed her course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory". Although defined as an article of faith by Pope Pius XII just over half a century ago, the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven has been accepted from back to the earliest of Christian times. The Assumption signals the end of Mary's earthly life and marks her return to heaven to be reunited with Jesus. Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese, 12 Aug 2011

The Assumption is a holy day of obligation. Mass will

be celebrated at 9am on Tuesday 15 August at

St Theresa’s Parish Centre. Students from Mater Dei School will be joining in the

celebration of Mass.

2016/17 Financial Report The summarised Profit and Loss Statement is available for viewing on the noticeboard in the Porch. (A copy of the full Audited Financial Statements can be perused at the Parish Office during normal office hours.) It shows that the Parish had total income of $242,660 and total expenses of $172,665 resulting in net income of $69,995 for the financial year ending 30th June, 2017, compared with a net loss of $10,435 in the previous financial year. The surplus resulted from savings in wages and related expenses following the decision to defer recruiting for a new Parish Associate for several months after the vacancy arose, savings in other operating expenses and the invoicing of the school for contributions to the running costs of the Parish Centre (also used for school purposes) for both the current and the prior year. Income from collections fell by $12,414 (6.7%) to $172,883. We enter the new financial year in a healthy financial state but need to ensure the income remains at or above 2016/17 levels to ensure a balanced budget. Pat Richardson

St Theresa’s Parish

50 YEARS OF CWL IN ROMA

The CWL are celebrating 50 years of service in Roma with a dinner on 20/8/17. Invitations are going out to past members who no longer live in Roma. If you have a link to Roma CWL and would like to come please contact Rita Brennan on 46222435 for details.

CARE AND CONCERN Care & Concern would appreciate the collection of food containers left in the kitchen from catering at recent parish events. They are available in the foyer. Thank you for your support. VINNIES NURSES MEET AND GREET CELEBRATION Friday and Saturday 8th and 9th September 2017 Nurses who worked at St Vincent’s Hospital are invited to attend. The Event’s Program includes: Lunch Concert, and Memorabilia Display. CELEBRATION MASS Saturday 9th September, 2017. 10am St Theresa’s Parish (Cnr. Campbell St and Curzon St Toowoomba) RSVP: by 31/7/17. Contact: Bern 0429932774 Email: bernwelch1@bigpond.com Alan 0409131801 Email: AJMallet@hotmail.com

VOLUTEERS NEEDED - ROSIES FRIENDS ON THE STREET is a not for profit organisation with a volunteer base of over 900 volunteers across Queensland, who provide unconditional acceptance and friendship to people who are marginalised within our community - especially people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Rosies is non-preaching and non-discriminatory. We aim to maintain people's dignity while we encourage self reliance. St Theresa’s Parish volunteer for Rosies once a month, if you would like to be involved in this program, please contact the Parish Office during business hours on 4639 4688.

NOTICES

SUNDAY MASS ROSTERS

The new Sunday Mass rosters for people who do not have an email address are available for you to collect in the foyer. There are also a few extra copies if you would like to take one.

TRAMS TOOWOOMBA

(Toowoomba Refugee and Migrant Support) offers a variety of programs as a way of supporting families who are settling into our community. At the moment they are in need of people to help in homework clubs from 3-5pm on Wednesday afternoons. Please contact 1300 477 433 or

RSmith@catholiccare.services. WELCOME NEW PARISHIONERS Please write you details in our WELCOME BOOK. Please feel free to contact the Parish office if you would like information about the Parish Community Groups and Organisations. Please contact the parish office Ph: 4639 4688.

BUS TRIP MARIAN VALLEY

Saturday 2nd September to honour Our Holy Mother’s birthday. Bus departs Neil St. outside Cathedral at 7:30 am. Cost $25/30. For bookings contact Theresa on 4564 9805, mob. 0434 528 904.

FIRST RECONCILIATION The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated in

our parish in November. Children who are in Year 3 or older are welcome to participate in the program in preparation for the sacrament. An information night for parents/ carers will be held on Thursday 7th September 2017 at 6pm in the Parish Centre. An information letter and enrolment form are available on the table in the foyer. If you have any queries, please contact Monica Brennan at the parish office

on 4639 4688.

St Theresa’s Parish

CONTACTS

Consolation Message.

You’ve lost someone who was a

special part of your family.

May you all find comfort in each

other and in all the deep concern that

comes.

LIBRARY

Faith, Hope, and a Bird called George

By: Michael Morwood

In this charming and deeply spiritual tale, a woman named Hope explores many of life’s most profound questions– surprisingly assisted by her cat Faith and her bird George. These three talk about God’s presence and about suffering and death and the meaning of life. They talk about a prayerful relationship with God, “the presence all around us holding everything together”. Together they tackle some very tough questions, and through this sharing and reflection, Hope gains a new and deeper understanding of Jesus, God, faith, and religion. Through this deceptively simple book, Morwood offers and invitation to all believers to reflect, pray, discuss, and grow so that they too might experience God, Jesus, and the Spirit more deeply and profoundly.

Parish Priest:

Fr Brian Noonan 4696 7094 e-mail: brian.noonan@sttheresas.org.au

Pastoral Associate

Monica Brennan 4639 4688 Fax 4639 6538 e-mail: monica@sttheresas.org.au

Parish Secretary:

Janet Weier 4639 4688 Fax: 4639 6538 e-mail: office@sttheresas.org.au

Church: Cnr Campbell & Curzon Sts, Toowoomba

Office: 55 Curzon Street, Toowoomba

Parish Website www.sttheresas.org.au

Parish Pastoral Council

Fr Brian Noonan; Christine Harpham; Michael Murtagh; Francis Njoroge, Danny Carter; Kathy Sternes; Paul Apel; Gerry Ryan; Tim Burgess; Rhianna Conaghan; Gay Jorgensen; Jenny Ryan; Vanessa Horton; Tom Duncan; Monica Brennan.

Finance Committee

Fr. Brian Noonan; Pat Morton; Warren Dredge; Ray Taylor: Shane Blakeley; Brian Wilson, Pat Richardson.

Liturgy Team

Fr. Brian Noonan; Jan Mayo; Peter Kenny; Carole Rogan; Libby Rosentreter ; Kay Gleeson; Loretta Coman; Monica Brennan.

Musicians

Norma Kenny; Kathy Sternes; Elizabeth Stewart; Libby Rosentreter.

Baptism Team:

Cath Kelly; Jenny Ryan; Tracy George; Bernadette Hede; Alison Daniel; Anne Anderson; Jan Watkins; Maureen Burke; Angela Irvine; Mary Otto, Jane Burgess and Catherine Cooper.

Consolation Team:

Fr Brian Noonan; Mary Otto; Lyn McRae; Loretta Male; Peter Kenny; Bette Flamsteed; Pam Merritt; Alf Mason; Moya Schaefer, Josephine Nolan, Veronica Littleton osu; Kay McGrath rgs; Liz Phelan; Margie Sullivan.

Welcome & Hospitality Team:

Paul & Kathryn Marangelli; Carole Rogan; Mary Otto; Maureen Burke.

Family Groups:

Coordinator: Brian Wilson.

Care & Concern Team

Coordinator: Moya Schaefer.

AUGUST

Every Tuesday

St Vincent de Paul St Theresa’s Conference, 4pm Contact 4636 4371

First Tuesday

Care and Concern Meeting, 9.30am Parish Office.

First Wednesday

Parish morning tea at 9.45am, Cobb & Co Museum

Second Sunday

Mad Toowoomba Group from 7.00pm at St Anthony’s. Parish Centre. (Grade 7-12 people) 4636 0461