Service and Outreach Ministry
Service & Outreach Team: (left to right) David Marshall, Trish Harding, Ros McWhirter, Mary McMillan, Anne Devane and Bob Cullen.
“This ministry will facilitate opportunities for those within the community to be the hands and feet of Jesus to people in need.” We have started a process to facilitate the coordination of all the current volunteers across all of our communities. We have been doing this by designing a form that can be filled in online or if necessary, via a paper form. At the moment we are doing a trial with just those who are on leadership teams but eventually we hope to take it out to everyone. There will also be a form that those in need can fill in and we will be able to match them with the appropriate volunteer.
We recently commenced a L.Y.N. (Love Your Neighbour) project with the Year 12 students at Unity College to cook meals which can be frozen and given to those in need. We would like to thank you for the wonderful response of donations of non-perishable foods from across all OLR Parish Communities as well as donations from OLR Primary School. We have distributed some of these to families in need in the Unity College, OLR communities and the Parish’s five St Vincent de Paul groups.
We have over hundred meals in various freezers so if you know of anyone in need, please contact Trish Harding on 0417 314 855 or email [email protected]
We will soon be inviting volunteers to join us on committees to form a Parish Reconciliation Action Group and also a Laudato Si Action group. Laudato Si is the Pope’s Parish encyclical on “care for our common home”.
Our first initiative has been to start a Parish container for change system which anyone can use no matter where you live in the parish, please see the bulletin for more details.
Ladies Group (30-45 Year Olds) – First Event!
There is a ladies group starting up for those in the 30-45 year old age bracket. The hope for this group is to provide women in this season of life, whether they are single, engaged, married, mothers, professionals, and more, a space dedicated to supporting them and journeying alongside one another in faith and friendship. If you are in this age range and looking for community, this is for you! The group is meeting for the very first time on Friday 8 September from 6:30pm at the Caloundra Power Boat Club. All are welcome.
Please RSVP to Jill on 0402 742 920.
The Vision for our Parish (Part One)
Back in December last year, when we were compiling the input of all the parishioners who contributed to our Strategic Planning process, an exciting and compelling Mission, Vision and set of Values emerged.
As you know, our Mission is to be a vibrant parish that actively accompanies people to encounter Jesus.
This Mission gives us our why for everything we do. It gives us the opportunity to ask the question: does what we are doing and how we are living contribute to achieving this Mission. The Vision and Values were as much the result of everyone’s input as my own dream for our parish. Both this week and next, I’d like to share that exciting and compelling vision, and the values by which this vision will become a reality, with you. Peace and blessings, Fr Josh.
We have a vision that our parish is a place where people become saints.
It is our dream that in making space for the Holy Spirit to come and move freely in our hearts, those in the wider community would see our parish as a place where people are loved like they’ve never been loved before. We make visible the face of Jesus because each person’s relationship with Christ creates an overflow of love that is caught and experienced by others. Ours is a place where locals and travellers meet, where all feel welcome and where those of different cultures and ages experience inclusion.
Values:
Christ-centred
Joyful
Relationship-centred
Courageous
Generous
Authentic
Annual Season of Creation Ecumenical Liturgy
Each year, we join with our Christian brothers and sisters to recognise the importance of, and celebrate together, our care for our common home. This year’s liturgy is being held in the Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens, and Christians from all denominations are invited to gather together in unity to celebrate this Season of Creation – Let Justice and Peace Flow. The liturgy is followed by a guided contemplative walk.
Event Details
Date: Wednesday, 6 September 2023
Time: 12 noon
Location: Lychee Lawn, Mt Coot-Tha Botanic Gardens, 152 Mount Coot-Tha Rd, Mount Coot-Tha.
Cost: Free
Name Badges
If you have a name badge, it would be appreciated if you could wear it to Mass. If you don’t have a badge and would like one, please email the parish office with your name and phone number.
The badges are $5 each (the parish subsidises the rest).
In Transition
We welcome Georgia Kull who will be baptised at OLR this weekend.
We pray for the soul of Kath Davern who died last week. Her funeral will be celebrated on Thursday 31 August, 11.00am at OLR.
We also pray for the soul of Angela Goller who died last week and her Memorial Mass will be on Friday 1 September, 11.00am at OLR.
May her soul and all the souls of our deceased priests, religious and parishioners Rest in Peace.
Kingdom Youth Encounter Night
On Friday night, our youth group had Adoration, some for the very first time. Fr Josh spoke to our young people about how important it is to spend time with Jesus in prayer, and one of the ways we can do that so visibly and tangibly is by adoring the Blessed Sacrament. We offered a prayer team for those students who had something specific that they wanted prayer for and there was praise and worship music to guide the time. We feel so blessed that we are able to offer opportunities like this to our young people with the support of the priests and those who volunteer to walk alongside these kids in faith. We pray that the experience stays with many of them as we continue on the journey together. Please keep our youth group in your prayers as we prepare for Ignite Conference where experiences like this are offered at a larger scale, alongside many of the other sacraments. We hope that many of the kids who have been attending youth group since we began at the start of last year, are beginning to move into a space where they are proudly practising the faith, outwardly and inwardly. Thank you so much for all the support you have given them. We’re so happy to share in this joy with you. – Felicity, Youth Minister
Funeral Sacristan Needed
After many years of hard work and dedication by Dennis O’Brien as the OLR church funeral sacristan, he has decided to hang up the uniform and retire!
Dennis – Thank you for your ministry.
We are looking for one or two funeral sacristans. If you have the calling, and are able to say Yes to assisting with the final farewell of our dearly beloved, and this corporal work of Mercy, please contact the Parish office.
Safeguarding news
The Safeguarding Commitment for the Archdiocese of Brisbane and Caloundra Catholic Parish is: Zero tolerance for all forms of abuse and strives to safeguard all who interact with its ministries & services. Special priority is given to the safety & wellbeing of children & adults at risk. In an emergency, please call the Police 000 or information can be provided to STOPline anonymously.
Phone: 1300 304 550
Email: [email protected]
Online: www.bnecatholic.stoplinereport.com
https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/safeguarding/safeguard/
Containers for Change
Are you saving your can/bottles? The Parish Containers for Change initiative is up and running. By using the Parish Scheme ID C11072500, your funds will be directed to the Church-run initiatives.
For more information on how you can be involved; lodge a return; or add the Parish scheme ID in the containers for change mobile App, please refer to our website
Consecrated to Jesus through Mary – in Spanish
You’re invited to a series of talks & prayers at Stella Maris Catholic Parish. Pope John Paul II’s papal motto was Totus Tuus. It is a shortened version of the phrase:
‘Totus tuus ego sum et omnia mea tua sunt’ ~ ‘I am all yours, and all that is mine is yours’.
John Paul’s deep Marian piety is best expressed not by stories of theological reasoning, but the words of the following prayer he wrote, entitled ‘Totus Tuus’:
Immaculate Conception,
Mary my Mother
Live in me, Act in me,
Speak in me and through me,
Think your thoughts in my mind,
Love through my heart,
Give me your dispositions and feelings,
Teach, lead me and guide me to Jesus,
Correct, enlighten and expand my thoughts and behavior,
Possess my soul,
Take over my entire personality and life, replace it with Yourself,
Incline me to constant adoration,
Pray in me and through me,
Let me live in you and keep me in this union always.
Amen.”
The Anglican St Andrews Men’s group ecumenical dinners are back!
You are cordially invited to attend the next Men’s Dinner from the St Andrew’s Anglican Mens Group committee Keith, Rod, Gordon & Peter.
Date & Time:
Wed. 27th September 2023 ~ 6:00 for 6:30pm start
Venue:
St Andrew’s Anglican Church Hall. 46 Upper Gay Terrace, Caloundra 4551
Cost:
$20.00 includes Drinks & Nibbles, Main Course, Dessert & Tea/Coffee.
Golden Wedding Anniversary Celebration
In this 150th year of the Cathedral of St Stephen, Archbishop Mark Coleridge invites couples together with family and friends, to the annual GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
11:30am Mass on Saturday, 30 September 2023 followed by refreshments on the Cathedral grounds.
Other couples married at the Cathedral or Chapel, are also invited to attend with family and friends to celebrate 150 years of weddings at the Cathedral.
If you have photos or stories to share of your wedding at the Cathedral, please email David Todd or phone David on 07 3324 3030 by 1 September 2023
To register to attend the Mass and for catering purposes please RSVP by email or phone 07 3324 3030 by Friday 22nd September 2023.
For more enquiries: Please ring Cristina on 0408 808 992 or complete this expression of interest form.