Weekly Bulletin

Following Jesus and continuing his mission is about shaping a world where the rich and the poor change places, where the last are made first.  

Christian discipleship is not preparation for the hereafter. It is the commitment to live now as if the Reign of God had already come – so that it may. Discipleship is not based on private piety and a passive withdrawn attitude towards the world. Discipleship confounds right reason and good sense with right relationships and good heart. It pits the holy against the human. It pits the heart of Christ against the heartlessness of an eminently sensible world.  

The disciple of Christ looks for a new world order based on right relationships, on justice, and on love. In a world that builds social relationships on personal gain, personal life on acquisition, and the civic order on charity without social change – discipleship invites tension. “Following Jesus” leads always and everywhere to places where a person would not go, to moments of integrity we would rather do without.  It is not doing what Jesus did; it is seeking what Jesus sought.  

Discipleship, we know from the life of the Christ whom we follow, is not membership in a social club called a church. Discipleship is not an intellectual exercise of assent to a body of doctrine, Discipleship is an attitude of mind, a quality of soul, a way of living that is not political, but which has serious political implications, that change things because it simply cannot ignore things as they are, things that defy the will of God for humanity.  

Discipleship stands bare naked in the middle of the world’s marketplace and, in the name of Jesus, cries aloud all the cries of the world until someone, somewhere hears and responds to the poorest of the poor, the lowest of the low, the most outcast of the rejected. The gospels tell us that anything less is bogus discipleship. Christianity is not personal piety it is human community, and discipleship is its voice.  

Taken from: Awakenings, by Joan Chittister 
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Heart Spirituality
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 Mary - Queen of Apostles  

God hungers and thirst to give himself and he does this especially by grace. Mary’s greatest need and deepest desire is to assist God’s outpouring of himself, by communicating grace. God is an infinitely abundant spring desiring only to pour out its water. Mary is a blessed channel, desiring only to further this outpouring; and she wants this out of love for us. Human beings are made to live the life of God; and so throughout our whole being there is this hunger for God that God alone can satisfy. And so, what a need in Mary to give God to us and to give us to God!

This explains why she is the Queen of apostles. After God, she is to the utmost of her being living love, living zeal.

Jules Chevalier msc, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, p 173ƒ. Issoudun 1856

Today’s Gospel passage tells us how we are to live our lives, the attitudes we are to have. In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus gives a more accurate perspective of who He is. 

Living God-centred lives is at the very core of stewardship. Being a disciple of Christ translates into being a steward of our many gifts and blessings. Some scholars believe that Jesus may have given this sermon often during His ministry. Those who followed Jesus and became the earliest Christians, the first members of the Church, were fond of quoting and referring to what the Lord said on this occasion. As stated, Jesus provides us with the secret of living a good life. If we rely on Him and follow Him, we will be blessed.

You are invited to bring your prayer candle and before mass place it on the table in front of the altar. Please collect your blessed candle at the conclusion of mass.

Speakers: - Susan Pascoe, Francis Sullivan and Patricia Gemmell will discuss the Document for the Continental Stage of the Synod and current work on the imminent Bishops’ response. Sponsored by Australasian Catholic Coalition for Church Reform, Garratt Publishing and YTU-University of Divinity.

FREE REGISTRATION: Go to www.garratt.com.au

Formation Sessions for parents
Sacrament of Penance            6 February 
Sacrament of Confirmation      27 March 
Sacrament of the Eucharist     19 June  

To register or for more information please contact the parish office: 6254 3236 or kippax@cg.org.au

The annual parish picnic will be held on Sunday 26 February.

51st Anniversary of the parish

                    Place: John Knight Memorial Park 
                    Time: 11:00am

Meat will be provided. Please bring a salad or dessert to share.

Copies of the Wollongong Diocese Lenten program Triumph will be available for purchase from the SJA Shop from 1 February. 

Books $10.00 each 
CD $10.00 each

Speaker - Peter Martin AM 
Chair - Clive Rodger 
TUESDAY 21 FEBRUARY 7:00 PM 
NOTE - CHANGE FROM OUR USUAL VENUE

7pm Chambers Pavilion, Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Blackall Street (near Kings Ave), Barton ACT
For details see the flyer below  or see our website at  http://ces.org.au/economics-foundation/

People are invited to apply for the position Parish Secretary for St Thomas Aquinas Parish, Charnwood. This is a part-time permanent position of 12 hours per week (preferably Tues, Wed, Thurs 10am-2pm) Salary will be subject to equivalent Clerk Award Level 4/5 rates.  Covering letter addressing the essential requirements and resume to be submitted by 9 February 2023. Please phone Debbie Hofman 6258 1563 or email charnwood@cg.org.au  for a copy of the Duty Statement.