Our Lady of the Mission
September 27th - The 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
- Next Sunday is The 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time -
Message from Fr Cyp
Greetings and peace to you all!
Father Francis and I welcome you all; praying and hoping we are all kept well, safe and in good health by the grace of God. We consciously remain on the path to some new sense of normality while remaining committed to federal and state governments’ advice and policies as well as advise from the Archbishop’s office in regards to COVID 19 RoadMap. We wish all our young people, their teachers and families who have commenced their school holidays a relaxing and safe time away. We look forward to celebrating First Reconciliation on 27th & 28th October; and Confirmation as scheduled in November this year. Please keep these young people in your prayers. As WA Phase Five COVID 19 restrictions have been delayed to at least Saturday, 24th October, Mini/JAM and school-led Masses will remain on hold until further notice. It is quite evident that a good number of our senior parishioners are understandably still staying away. I call on each of us to remember those of them who are doing it tougher than others; those stuck in aged care or nursing homes with little or no contact from family, those separated from family due to border closures and those whose health puts them at a serious vulnerable risk. Let us assure them that we are thinking of them, praying for them and we love them. They are forever special to us. As always, Fr Francis and I assure you of our ongoing prayers. Please keep us in yours. We commend one and all of you; in this Marian October month, into the powerful intercessions of Our Lady, Mother of good counsel.
Fr Cyprian M Shikokoti - PP.
MASS TIMES 28th September to 4th October 2020
All Masses will be held in the Church
Monday 28th September - Public Holiday - 9.00am
Tuesday 29th September - St Michael, Gabriel & Raphael - 7.00am & 9.00am
Wednesday 30th September -- St Jerome - 7.00am & 9.00am
Thursday 1st October - St Therese of the Child Jesus - 7.00am & 9.00am
Friday 2nd October - The Holy Guardian Angels - 7.00am & 9.00am
Saturday 3rd October - 8.30am & 6.30pm
Sunday 4th October - 8.00am, 9.30am, 11am & 5.45pm
Prayer of the Week
Lord, help us to be concerned less about outward appearance and more about what is in our hearts and what makes us what we really are.
Introduction:
Christ’s death on the cross and his resurrection set the pattern which we are called to live out in our daily lives.
1st Reading: Ezekiel 18:25-28
When sinners renounce their sin, then they will live.
2nd Reading: Philippians 2:1-11
The incarnate Son empties himself of his majesty to become human.
Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32
The tax collectors and sinners respond, but not the chief priests and elders.
Antiphon to the Psalm:
Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Parish Notices - Sunday 27th September
1. We are back to Church: Under phase four of COVID 19 RoadMap, we are now back to full capacity but MUST keep to 2sqm rule until it is hopefully eased on October 24th. Please do your best in helping us to make OLM a safe and COVID 19 free community. Thank you one and all for your patience, understanding and support.
2. Public Holiday Mass: NO 7am Mass on Monday 28th being a public holiday. We only have 9am Mass on this day. Thank you
3. Our Lady's Procession: You're all invited and most welcome to join us for Our Lady's Procession and recitation of the holy rosary on Saturday, 3rd October 2020 after the 6.30pm vigil Mass. Please bring your rosary beads along.
4. The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary: Rosary will be said at 6pm in the Church on Wednesday 7th of October. All welcome to attend, God Bless
5. 2020 First Reconciliation: WCPS & PREP on Tuesday, 27th October at 7.00pm, PCPS & PREP on Wednesday, 28th October at 7.00pm.
6. 2020 Confirmation Dates: PREP at 11am on Sunday, 8th November, PCPS on 14th/15th November 6.30pm, 11am & 5.45pm; WCPS will be at 2pm on 21st November and at 2pm on 22nd November.
7. WYFI: 24:7 Whitfords Youth Group is for all youth in Years 6-12. Every 1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays 7pm-9pm @ Whitfords’ Parish Hall. Coming up: Friday 2nd October. Call Amanda 0421 144 992 or Luke 0401 822 932 for more information.
8. October is Rosary Month: Please select the days you’re are available to offer your rosaries to Mary, please write your name and preferred days on the rosary boards located at both entrances of the Church. At this time with Covid-19 we need Marys intersession more than ever. Mary thanks you for your participation.
9. Wedding Anniversary Mass 2020: Sat 24th October. Couples celebrating their 20th/25th/30th anniversary, going up in multiples of five, are warmly invited to attend this year’s Mass and celebration in the Main Hall afterwards. Register via the sign-up form at the back of the Church. All couples will receive a certificate from the Parish. Kindly take an Information Leaflet when you sign up.
10. Wedding Anniversary Photos: Thank you to all couples who have registered their names to be part of our special Wedding Anniversary celebrations for 2020. If you would like to be part of the slide show that will be displayed in the Church during the Mass please email your photos to the Parish office at whitford@perthcatholic.org.au. Many thanks.
11. New Edition of Blue Book: A new edition of the blue book is out now. It is our parish's directory to ministries and various contacts. Please help yourself to one and do let us know if there is anything we can do to improve it for the future. We thank all our ministry leaders and volunteers for their enduring support to our parish life.
12. BLUE BOOK CHANGE: Details have been changed as follows to SVDP – The groups meet every Tuesday night from 7pm to 8pm. Donated bulky goods home pick-up occurs on Wednesdays- phone our Canning Vale depot on 6323 7561 for collection. Our nearest Vinnies shops are now at Joondalup -u2 /209 Winton Rd P: 9475 5400 and Wangara u6/6 Buckingham Dr. P: 9408 0572
13. Plenary Council: Please note the change of plenary council key dates. Events will now be held in October 2021 in Adelaide and in July 2022 in Sydney. You may also like to have a read of the recently published discernment papers of the six National Themes https://plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au/continuing-the-journey-of-discernment/
14. 2020/21 RCIA Program: Would you like to become a Catholic or know more about our Catholic Faith? Please come join us on Thursdays at 7.30pm in the parish centre. Contact Mrs Ann Cunneen on 0410 616 517 for more information or you are welcome to just come join us.
15. Communion on tongue: If you’re keen on receiving communion on the tongue, please consider coming at the end of queue and approach the priest; not acolyte or special minister.
16. Visit to the sick in homes and hospitals: Fr Cyprian and Fr Francis are now able to visit our sick parishioners in homes and hospitals. If you know a family member or parishioner who may benefit from such visit, please let us know. Communion for the sick has resumed. We thank you all for your patience, understanding and support over these past difficult months.
17. Readers: A new Roster is being prepared to commence in November. Please advise Shirley-Ann on 0424 813 890, by Sunday 11 October, if there are any changes to your details. Please note that no changes will be made once the new Roster is out. Thank you
18. Collection Practice: Both First and Second collections are now being deposited in special collection boxes provided in the Church foyer upon arrival or as you leave Church after Mass. There will be NO collection at offertory time during Mass. For your information, First collection goes toward support of priests and Second collection is toward every day running and maintenance of the Church.
19. 2021 Columban Art Calendars: Now on Sale Columban Calendars for 2021 are available to buy at the Piety Stall for $8.50 each. They will make for great Christmas presents.
20. Whitford Catholic Primary School: Whitford Catholic Primary School is a community that celebrates faith and achievement and promotes excellence in all we do. Please visit our website www.whitfordcatholicps.wa.edu.au, our Facebook page or call (08) 9404 4200 for more information. We are currently taking expressions of interest and interviews for enrolment across the 7 year groups.
21. Padbury Catholic Primary School: Padbury Catholic Primary School is a welcoming, inclusive and faith-filled community which caters for students from Pre-Kindy to Year 6 in a double-stream setting. We actively promote our school values of Respect, Excellence, Sacredness and Togetherness. Please visit our website www.padcath.wa.edu.au or call 9404 4000 to express your interest or request an interview (no interview required for Pre-Kindy.
Rosters - 4th October 2020
NEWSLETTER NOTICES DEADLINE: Wednesday at 12pm Noon.
RELIGIOUS GOODS STALL: Cathy Mola/ Pat Nerva/ Bernadette Nadham/ Colette Newbond/ Lynn Harrison.
READERS: Rossemarie Ramirez-A & Madison Ramirez-A/ Megan Woodall & Volunteer/ Corina Gill & Natasha Gill/ Mirella Augustin & Silvana Battigelli/ Volunteer & Volunteer.
COUNTERS: Sunday 4th October: Vanessa Winterton/ Julie O’Brien/ Jenny & Greg Stewart/ Darlene & Peter McKenzie.
CLEANERS: Friday 2nd October: Marisa Gazey/ Tara Griffiths/ Kari Stott/ Shannon Davies/ Kylie Giles/ Romina Cangelosi.
BAKERS: Glory Be Café is still closed.
SERVERS: Glory Be Café is still closed.
STATUE OF FATIMA: From 3rd October to the 10th October the Statue of Fatima will be with Joanilho family in Kingsley. Those wishing to join them in saying the Rosary can call 0412 238 989 to arrange. From the 10th October the statue will be the Shirley-Ann family in Hillarys.
DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS: Is held on the first Friday of every month during 9.00am Mass. The next Devotion will be on Friday the 2nd October.
EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT: Adoration is held on Wednesdays 9.30am–7pm and Fridays 9.30am–7pm.
PRAY FOR THE SICK: We pray for all those in our parish’s Book of the Sick. You are most welcome to add names to this book in the foyer of the Church. Please cross out when our prayers are no longer needed.
Death & Anniversary
Our Prayers this week will be offered for Rev Fr Remigius Sore, Rev Fr Donald Hughes, Rev Fr Jim Shelton, Rev Fr Anton Hesse, Joseph & Maria Iozzi, Mary Quyen Nguyen, Eileen Ryan, Bill Davies, Noema de Jesus Berrios, Ines Ferreira, Zhang Jin Xiu, Bruce Alexander Milson Oates, Sonya Ruth Blis, Bruce Alexander Milsom Oates, Kow Thiam Hock, Alfred Hetti, Philomena De Lima, Eddie Joshua, The Legion of Mary, for all our departed loved ones, all Holy Souls, all victims of Covid-19, all those recently deceased and those who have their anniversary around this time.
Stewardship Corner
The first son in today’s Gospel said he would do his father’s bidding, but did not. The second son baled at first, but then repented and did as he was asked. What service is God calling me to do? Which son am I more like?
General Notices
1. Sacred Heart College Vietnam/Kimberley Mission Team - Thank you: Thanks to our generous College community members, children in Vietnam and the Kimberley will now be the proud owners of beautifully handcrafted backpacks and pencil cases sewn by grandparent Lynne Fraser, her friend Jo-Anne McVee, our after-school parent and student sewing group and Mrs Danyella Roddis’ Year 10 Textiles and Fashion class. The materials for this project were donated by college parents and community members from North Beach and Whitford Parishes. Our Vietnam/Kimberley Mission Group is excited to hand deliver/send these items to the children later in the year.
2. The Right to Life Association: Sunday 25th October 2020 we will hold our Annual Lunch from 12.30pm. Tickets are $80 per person for a three course meal. RSVP to admin@righttolifewa.com.au or phone 9221 7117. Please see notice at back of Church for more information.
3. The Spiers Centre Social Club: Enjoy afternoon tea while socialising and making new friends in a fun and relaxed atmosphere! The Spiers Centre Social Club, 2 Albatross Court, Heathridge on Wednesday at 12 noon. Email info@thespierscentre.com.au or call 9401 2699 or connect on Facebook @thespierscentre
Fr Cyprian's Weekly reflection for the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
With ever-rising living costs, many families and community groups are increasingly resorting to Do-It-Yourself (DIY) in an effort to cut costs wherever possible. Community and faith groups like our own are relying on volunteers more and more in ensuring they can minimise running costs and remain viable. In such arrangements, it is important that everyone fulfils their responsibilities as assigned or as they’ve volunteered to do. Rebellious, unreliable and uncooperative behavior can easily derail a family and or community from their purpose.
Today’s gospel story or the parable of the two sons is one of the three parables we shall hear from Jesus over the next three successive weeks. The other two parables are of the evil tenant and of the royal wedding. Though different, they will point to one theme; our relationship with a God who loves us deeply. The two different responses and actions of the two sons to their father must be read in light of the relationship the Israelites had with God; and so, ourselves in this time. As a chosen people, the Israelites were to be God’s people and He, their God. A covenant of love; but also, of rights and responsibilities. The Israelites were to carry out God commands; of loving God and neighbor. God was to protect and provide for the Israelites.
On the other hand, we had the gentiles. They had their gods and a way of life totally opposed to that of the chosen people. They worshipped differently and offered sacrifices to their molten gods. For that reason, gentiles were despised by the Jews. According to the Jews, gentiles had no place in the plan of salvation. Likewise, gentiles remained for most part, on the outside; physically, psychologically and even spiritually. But that must have made the gentiles to think really hard about the course of their lives. While they did this, the Jews grew in complacency not paying attention to their love-covenant with God.
The two sons in the gospel today could as well represent these two groups. The second son who says yes to his father and never does what he was asked is like the chosen people; the Israelites. The son first who says no to his father but then goes on and carries out his father’s wish represents the gentiles - they think better of it and start to carry out God’s command. This is certainly good news! It is never too late to review our lives and relationship with God. There’s always an opportunity for change and conversion. In this gospel, there is another lesson too. There is never time to take break for those who have said yes to the will of God. We must forever remain focused on the love-covenant and our relationship with Jesus.
As Christians, we go back to the day of our baptism. On that day, we vowed on our own behalf or someone did it on our behalf as infants, to love God above all else and to love our neighbor. But in the course of our lives, many at times we choose to live contrary to this promise. When hatefulness, resentment, and indifference get the better of us, we have failed to honor our love commitment that is the mark of our Christian vocation. When we invest all our time and energy in material things, we forget to place our trust and reliance on God who provides for us and sustains us.
In light of this gospel, we are invited to practically examine how we have witnessed to Jesus. Have we only paid lip service or have we actually put our faith in action? For instance, do I participate in my church/parish ministry? Am I available to the needs of my parish/church community? Do I grumble when called upon to assist in some aspect of our Church life? Have I honored my pledge to the parish/church community? For the times I have taken the love of God and my faith for granted, I take time this week to ask for His mercy. I recommit to show gratitude and appreciation for the gift of His presence, providence and love in my life. I rest in the assurance that God is all in all!
Fr Cyprian Shikokoti, Parish Priest
Mass Readings
Entrance Antiphon: Daniel 3: 31, 29, 30, 43, 42
All that you have done to us, O Lord, you have done with true judgement, for we have sinned against you and not obeyed your commandments. But give glory to your name and deal with us according to the bounty of your mercy.
Opening Prayer:
O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
First reading: Ezekiel 18:25-28
The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows: ‘You object, “What the Lord does is unjust.” Listen, you House of Israel: is what I do unjust? Is it not what you do that is unjust? When the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies because of this, he dies because of the evil that he himself has committed. When the sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding and honest, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die.’
Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 24(25):4-9
Response: Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me: for you are God my saviour. R.
Remember your mercy, Lord, and the love you have shown from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth. In your love remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord. R.
The Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray, He guides the humble in the right path, He teaches his way to the poor. R.
Second reading: Philippians 2:1-11
If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy. There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead. In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus: His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Gospel Acclamation: John 10:27
Alleluia, alleluia! My sheep listen to my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. Alleluia!
Gospel Reading: Matthew 21:28-32
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people, ‘What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, “My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not go,” but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, “Certainly, sir,” but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will?’ ‘The first’ they said. Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.’
Prayer over the Offerings:
Grant us, O merciful God, that this our offering may find acceptance with you and that through it the wellspring of all blessing may be laid open before us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 118: 49-50
Remember your word to your servant, O Lord, by which you have given me hope. This is my comfort when I am brought low.
Prayer after Communion:
May this heavenly mystery, O Lord, restore us in mind and body, that we may be coheirs in glory with Christ, to whose suffering we are united whenever we proclaim his Death. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
A Prayer in a Time of a Pandemic
Holy God, you are our comfort and strength in times of Crisis, Pandemic and Uncertainty. Surround us now with your grace and peace through this global pandemic of COVID 19. By your Spirit, help those for whom the effects of this pandemic have been severe and even tragic. Sustain those who are working hard through it. Grant your wisdom to those governing and guiding us to a sense of normality. Fill us all with courage and hope of better days ahead. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our rock and redeemer. Amen.
Reflections from Pope Francis
Dear brothers and sisters!
Today the gospel challenges us with the parable of the two sons, who respond to the Father’s invitation to go into his vineyard: One says no, but then goes; the second says yes, but then doesn’t work. There is, however, a big difference between the first son, who is lazy, and the second, who is hypocritical. Let’s try to imagine what happened inside them. In the heart of the first, after his no, the invitation of his father still rang out; in the second, however, despite his yes, the father’s voice was buried. The memory of the father awakened the first child from laziness, while the second, although he knew the good, contradicted his word with his actions. In fact, he had become impervious to the voice of God and of conscience, and without any problems accepted the duplicity of life. Jesus with this parable places two paths before us. Experience shows that we are not always willing to say yes in word and deed, because we are sinners. But we can choose whether to be sinners on the way, who listen to the Lord, and when they fall they repent and rise, like the first child; or sitting sinners, ready to always justify themselves and only with words according to what suits them.
This parable Jesus was addressed to some religious leaders of the time, the Son with his double life, while ordinary people often behaved like the other son. These leaders knew and explained everything, in a formally flawless way, like true intellectuals of religion. But they did not have the humility to listen, the courage to question themselves, and no strength to repent. And Jesus is very strict: he says that even tax collectors are more likely to enter the Kingdom of God. It is a harsh rebuke, because the tax collectors were corrupt traitors of the homeland. So what was the problem with these leaders? They were not simply mistaken about something, but they were mistaken in the way of life before God: they were, in words and with others, unyielding guardians of human traditions, unable to understand that life according to God is on the way and requires the humility to open up, repent and start again.
What does that say to us? That there is no Christian life designed on the drawing board, scientifically built, where it is sufficient to fulfil a few commandments to soothe consciences: Christian life is a humble path of a conscience never rigid and always relates to God, who knows how to repent and rely on Him in his poverty, without ever assuming that it is sufficient to itself. Thus we overcome the revised and up-to-date versions of that ancient evil, denounced by Jesus in the parable: hypocrisy, duplicity of life, clericalism that is accompanied by legalism, detachment from the people. The key word is repentance: it is repentance that allows us not to harden, to turn no to God into yes, and yes to sin into no for the sake of the Lord. The will of the Father, who every day gently speaks to our conscience, is carried out only in the form of repentance and continuous conversion. In the end, everyone has two paths ahead of them: to be repentant sinners or hypocritical sinners. But what matters is not the reasoning that justifies and attempts to save appearances, but a heart that moves forward with the Lord, struggles every day, repents and returns to Him. Because the Lord seeks the pure of heart, not pure “on the outside”.
Thus we see, dear brothers and sisters, that the Word of God goes into the depths, “discerns the feelings and thoughts of the heart”(Heb 4:12). But it is also current: the parable also reminds us of the relationships, not always easy, between fathers and children. Today, at the rate at which one generation changes to the next, we feel more strongly the need for autonomy from the past, sometimes to the point of rebellion. But, after the closures and the long silences on one side or the other, it is good to recover the encounter, even if there are still conflicts simmering, which can become the stimulus to find a new balance. As in the family, so in the Church and in society: never give up encounter, dialogue, seek new ways to walk together.
The question often comes in the journey of the Church: where to go, how to move forward? I would like to leave you, at the end of this day, three reference points, three “P’s”. The first is the Word, which is the compass for humble walking, so as not to fall away from the way of God and fall into worldliness. The second is Bread, the Eucharistic bread, because from the Eucharist everything begins. It is in the Eucharist that we encounter the Church: not in gossip and chronicles, but here, in the Body of Christ shared by sinful and needy people, but who feel loved and then desire to love. From here we set off and meet again every time, this is the indispensable beginning of our being as a Church. The Eucharistic Congress proclaims it “out loud”: the Church gathers like this, is born and lives around the Eucharist, with Jesus present and alive to worship, to receive and to give every day. Finally, the third P: the poor.
Unfortunately, so many people lack the necessities. But there are also so many poor people of affection, lonely people, and poor people of God. In all of them we find Jesus, because Jesus in the world followed the path of poverty, of annihilation, as St Paul says in the second Reading: “Jesus emptied himself by assuming a condition of servant” (Ph 2:7) From the Eucharist to the poor, let us meet Jesus. You have reproduced the inscription that the Card. Lercaro loved to see engraved on the altar: “If we share the bread of heaven, how can we not share the earthly bread?” It will do us good to remember that all the time. The Word, the Bread, the poor: let us ask for the grace never to forget these basic foods that support us on our way.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA
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Contact us!
Parish Priest: Fr Cyprian M. Shikokoti
Ph: 0450 464 678
Assistant Priest: Fr Francis Quoc Tran
Ph: 0466 909 282
Parish Office
Secretaries: Christine List & Mary McGrath-Yek
Office Hours: Mon – Fri 9am –4pm
Email: whitford@perthcatholic.org.au
Sacramental Coordinator: Brigid Fredericks
Ph: 9307 2776
Email: sacramental.whitford@perthcatholic.org.au
Missioncare: Donna Moxey (Meals, Visiting & Family help)
Ph: 0434 637 355
Youth and Young Adult Contact Details
Youth Choir: Nicole Westneat - 0411 542 619
Youth & Family Choir: Fran Christie Zscherpel - 0433 852 967
WyFi: Luke 0401 822 932 or Amanda 0421 144 992
Safeguarding Officers:
Rachel Wood 0400 958 513
Margy Reeler 0458 509 054
Andrew DeMaio 0422 236 051
Email: whitford@perthcatholic.org.au
Website: olm.myparish.net.au
Location: 270 Camberwarra Drive, Craigie WA, Australia
Phone: 9307 2776
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Our-Lady-of-the-Mission-Whitford-Parish-105788500874671/?ref=br_rs