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3rd Sunday in
Lent
7th March 2010
Stewardship: The parable in today’s Gospel
clearly warns that we, like the fig tree, will be judged by our fruit. While
God mercifully provides us with time and opportunity, let us give witness to
our faith with deeds of kindness and generosity.
Parish Census Forms Don’t
forget to hand in your census forms.
PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU COMPLETE THE FORM IN BLOCK CAPITALS.
Good News: Unless
You Repent, You Will Perish.
Today’s Gospel is one of the most frightening we meet. Jesus warns
us against putting off repentance until tomorrow—who knows if tomorrow
might be too late?
There is a culture in
society which bases its life on ‘round tuits’—faced
with a job to be done they say some day I’ll get round to it’?
The gospel makes us question this approach to living as Christians. Only God
knows the day and the hour when we will be called to account. There is no
certainty on what is going to happen, except the certainty that at some time
we will find ourselves before the throne of God in judgment. “The road to hell is paved with good
intentions” - is true, lost opportunities can be corrected, provided we
have the time.
In the early church people
lived in the expectancy that Jesus would return at any time and call them. As
the centuries progressed, the end time became something that people did not
think about. In our present time, we associate death as something that is
connected with old age or extreme illness. But recent events have shown that
death can strike at any age, and come in many horrendous forms inflicted by
man or nature.
If we are sensible people,
then we would recognize that God is the one who calls and his time is what
matters. We cannot say to him, just give me a few more years to put right the
things that are wrong. We start here and now and work at making Him the
centre of our lives and our decisions. Then if He calls we need not fear
because we are doing his work, drawing closer to Him and His kingdom.
The scriptures have many
stories of people asking God to relent from his anger and destruction,
pleading for more time. God the generous and forgiving God responds to the
pleas, provided that the pleas are sincere. We cannot play games with God,
saying one thing and doing another. He judges our hearts and knows each and
every thought. Our only defence is truth. Be true
in what we say and do, admit our need to change and our need of His help and
then get on doing it. Remember the slogan of Nike :
Just do it!.
Monthly Youth Mass in the Parish
It is not a mistake, the Youth Mass will be on the Sunday evening each
fourth Sunday of the month. We need
the young people to come along and provide the music and ministries for the Mass.
Anyone interested in
helping, please contact Fr Roger.
The Mass will begin at
6.00pm and there is the possibility of some refreshments after the Mass,
depending on help.
The young people are the
future of our church and their needs are unique. The pressures on them in
society are tremendous and counter church. Please give your support by
encouraging the youth to come to the Mass and pray for them.
Sacramental Preparation The next
meeting for parents and young people preparing for the sacraments is this
Monday 8th March at 6.15pm in the Parish Centre. Please keep the young people
and their parents in your prayers, and pray that when the preparation has
finished, they may remain faithful to the practice of their faith.
Blessed Mary MacKillop If you
like the painting displayed in the church and would like a copy for your
home, they are available now. Large Poster (51x38cm) $12, small poster
(25x20cm) $9 or pack of Greeting Cards with envelopes Blank inside. Pack of
10 for $10.
Orders can be placed through the Parish Office.
Visit of Archbishop On Wednesday
17th March, the Archbishop will be at St Mary’s Church Ipswich
addressing the topic “Knowing Jesus” and “Making Jesus the
centre of our Lives.” This commences with a cuppa
at 7.00pm
Deanery Reconciliation Service Thursday 18th March at St Mary’s Ipswich beginning at 7.30pm.
Contacting those in Prison at home. Some
of our parishioners spend many lonely days with no one to speak to, no one to
visit them. A telephone call from a fellow parishioner could make all the
difference in their lives. If you would be able to call someone, or pop-in
regularly, then let the Parish office know. If you are someone who feels
imprisoned in their home and would like contact, please let the Parish Office
know.
The Catholic Leader Caritas
teams move from Haiti to
disaster zone in Chile.
Muslim leader supporting battle to save Scott Rush and Parade to mark St
Patrick’s feast day in Brisbane.
Available for only $1.50.
Please do not park on the grass
With the wet weather and parts of the grounds being leveled by the
builders, there is a danger that you may become bogged down. Also parking on
the grass does not help the grass to grow evenly. Please use the car park and
when that is full please park in Church
Street.
Hopefully by the time you read
this there should be new lines painted in the car park. Please respect the
parking spaces.
Parish reconciliation service
Monday 22nd March at 7.00pm, a Reconciliation service here at St Francis.
Come and join the young people preparing for the sacraments.
The Iona Passion Play comes to Ipswich on Monday 29th March, 2010 at 7.00pm in the McAuley Centre of St Mary’s College, Mary Street, Woodend. Tickets may be
purchased from St Mary’s College, cash only. Adult $10 and Child under
15 and concessions $5. Tickets can be reserved by phoning St Mary’s
College on 3432 5444. These must be collected and paid for by 3.00pm Thursday
25th March, 2010.
Free Magazine: Please take
one of the Magazines “Australian Catholics” home. This is a free
magazine and a really good read. Sponsored by the St Vincent de Paul
Conference, Goodna.
Thank you: The Parish St Vincent de Paul
Conference thanks the parish for its support of our recent appeal for new
members. Eleven parishioners signed up, and we hope all will become members
during this month. Our prayers were answered.
Volunteer Guides & Welcome Desk: Would you like to
become involved in the Cathedral of St Stephen Guiding ministry? Our
volunteer guides welcome visitors and show tourists and visiting school and
social groups through our beautiful Cathedral. If you are interested in
history, art works, and liturgical spaces of the Cathedral,
or just interested in being a welcome face at the Cathedral and are able to
give a few hours a month to his important Archdiocesan ministry, we would
love to hear from you. Training courses will commence shortly. For more
information contact the Cathedral Office on 3336 9111.
Humour: Johnny
was coming home from church one Sunday morning with his Mother. His mother
noticed he had a serious look on his face. “What’s on your mind,
Johnny?“ she asked. “Is it true what the
preacher said about us all coming from dust and turning back to dust?”
Why, yes it is Johnny” she said. “ Why
do you ask?“
“Well, when we get home,” he answered, “You better look
under my bed, because someone’s either comin’
or goin!”
Dates for your Diary
Mon. 8th Mar Sacramental Programme 6.15pm
Wed 10th Mar Rosary Group 6.30pm
Scripture Readings
Sunday 7th Mar—3rd Sunday of Lent
Ex 3:1-8, 13-15; 1 Cor
10:1-6, 10-12; Lk 13:1-9
Response: The Lord is kind and merciful.
Scripture Readings
Sunday 14th Mar—4th Sunday of Lent
Joshua 5:9-12; 2 Cor 5:17-21;
Lk 15;1-3, 11-31
For the sick and housebound. If
you know of anyone who is sick and housebound and would like a visit please
let Fr Roger know or call the Parish Office on 3818 0111 and we can arrange
such a visit.
Service Times this week:
Saturday 6.00pm Mass at Goodna
Sunday 7.00am Mass at Goodna
8.30am
Mass at Goodna
Monday 9.00am Mass
Tuesday 9.00am
Mass
Wednesday No Mass
Thursday 8.00am
Friday 9.00am
Mass
14th Mar. 4th Sunday of Lent
Saturday 6.00pm Mass Goodna
Sunday 7.00am Mass Goodna
8.30am Mass Goodna
Cleaning: 12.03.10
Madeline Brugger
& Mrs McGuire (Thank you)
If you would like to help out on this roster please contact Pam
Dodrill on 3288
4594.
Roster approximately once every eight weeks.
We Pray for the Sick: Shannon
Cavanagh,
Kevin Fitzgerald, Robert
Snow, Elizabeth Carr, James Collinet, Louise Lebbers, Joy Auld, Audrey Congreve, Mary White,
Colin Jackson, Michael
Gurdon, Sr Helen Stanley, Breda
O’Sullivan, Gerard O’Halloran, Ellen
Parker, Rose Logan, Pat & Len
Solomon, Megan Dempsey, Steve Ankans, Liam Burke,
Clare Reidy, Artie Young, Mrs Pane Dupuy, Lindsay
Barry, Jane Browne, John Ward,
Leonisa Dela
Cruz, Margaret Kurtz, Neville Irwin Snr,
May Elizabeth Irwin, Dora Kreidel, Helen Adams, Anne Carey, Michael Fisher,
John (Jack) O’Halloran, Frank Marshall, Kirk Steeboc, Rita Marshall (Please contact us when you feel
it is appropriate to remove the name of a friend or loved one from the list)
Anniversaries: 7 –13 Mar.
Wolstan Blundell, Patrick Farrell, Brian Watson,
William Smith, Alf Hull, Bernadette Flanagan,
Mary Collins, Jim Medlin, Michael Jack, Sot Sibounheuang,
Darrel Meakin, Geoffrey Twaddell,
Michael Walters, Aileen Lorreto Bradley
(Charlie) Margaret Mullice,
Del McGratti
Situations vacant
Parish
Pastoral Council
Assists
the priest to meet the pastoral needs of the parish. Meets monthly on First
Thursday after Mass.
Do you know someone who would make a good member.
Contact Fr Roger.
Parish
Finance Council
The
Parish Finance Council is required by Canon Law to monitor the use of the
resources of the parish. Parishioners with Financial knowledge willing to
serve on the Council should contact Fr Roger.
Meets
on the Second Thursday of the month at 7.30pm
Stewardship
Committee
advises the Parish Pastoral Council in the implementation
of initiatives connected with
Stewardship. Meets on the Third Thursday of the month. Membership is drawn
from the parish pastoral council and persons co-opted.
Social Justice Group monitors the social
justice issues which affect the members of the church and to provide way of
answering the challenges raised. If interested contact Fr Roger 3818 0111
Youth
Group A gathering of the youth of the parish (15 to 25 Yrs of age) to deepen
their spiritual life and lead into service within the Church. Meet on Sundays
by arrangement . If interested contact Parish
Office.
Prayer
Chain a group of parishioners who pray for those in need. Names for
requests or inclusion in the chain contact Parish Office.
Ministries
Courses provided by the Archdiocese to training leaders for work in parishes.
For more information contact Michael Bennett [scdeanery@bne.catholic.net.au]
Youth
leader required to help young people in the parish grow in their faith.
Contact Fr
Roger 38180111
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