"Where two or three are gathered…." Matthew 18: 15-20

In our daily activities, we often see the mistakes or wrong doings of others. It may not be easy to correct them. But sometimes we think that we can challenge their wrongdoing. We are confident that we are right and the other person is wrong. We raise our voice to make our point. They, in turn, may respond by raising their voices. Such encounters don’t work at all.

Another common response is to just not say anything to them but silently we start to gossip with others. This doesn’t help at all. As Christians, we hope for Love, Peace and Jesus ’s presence in our Community.

St Paul is concerned about the life and witness of the Christian community. He repeats Jesus’ teachings: love God and love your neighbour (Romans 13:8-10). With love as our guide, we know how to act towards others. Even when we have to speak, we will do so with love.

Matthew wants the Early Church to realize that we, the Christian community, have Christ among us and His presence makes the Church a Community of Kindness, Love and Forgiveness. Matthew gives us the 3 steps how to correct the wrong doing of a member hoping that person would think about it and regret…1) Personal discussion, then 2) discussion before witnesses and 3) discussion before the whole community. If the person still refuses to change, they are to be treated as a Gentile or tax collector – two groups of people who were not accepted by their Jewish brothers and sisters. But we need to follow Jesus’ way of mercy and compassion. Jesus himself set the example – he was known as the friend of tax-collectors and sinners, going out of his way to show mercy.

"Where two or three are gathered…." In any gathering of prayer or sharing, no matter how small the group, the Christian community are reminded constantly to the “shepherd” seeking the stray sheep – for there is always “hope” for the offenders and sinners to return home.

Therefore, with love, two or three would go to a sister or brother in need. We open dialogue and gestures of reconciliation to invite them to change and return to the life of the community. No one says reconciliation is easy, but we are not on our own. As we try to be always guided by love, humility and openness, Jesus promises to be with us to assist, renew and heal.

Van Huong Nguyen

Adapted from Homily of Fr Jude Siciliano OP. (on 23rd Sunday In Ordinary Time (A) 2014) & Shalom – Thoughts for Prayer , (Vol 29 No 8, August 2014, Pg 269, Prayer Ministry Office - Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur)

Clergy: Fr. Nigel Sequeira PP Phone: 3355 2667

Fr. Van Huong Nguyen Residing at O.L.D. Presbytery

Rev. Peter McDade, Deacon

Secretary: Katrina Kiernan (Mon - Fri) Phone: 3355 2667 Ext 1 grovely@bne.catholic.net.au

Pastoral Associate: Phone: 3355 2667 Ext 2 pcgrovely@bne.catholic.net.au

Sacramental Coordinator: Mrs. Marie-Louise Singson (Mon - Wed) mornings & Thurs Phone: 3355 2667 Ext 3 sc.grovely@bne.catholic.net.au

Administration Assistant: Megan Carroll (Thurs-Fri) Newsletter items to: bulletin.grovely@bne.catholic.net.au

Administration Assistant: Sandra Henry (Wed) Phone: 3355 2667

Finance: finance.grovely@bne.catholic.net.au ACC NAME: St William’s Parish BSB: 064 786 ACC: 006526001

Grovely Presbytery 67 Dawson Parade, Keperra 4054

Mitchelton Presbytery 11 Suez Street, Mitchelton 4053

St William’s School 67 Dawson Parade, Keperra 4054

Ph 3355 5122 Fax 3354 3330

St Andrew’s School Cnr Hogarth & Upper Kedron Roads

Ferny Grove 4055 Ph 33516886 Fax 3851 1054

Our Lady of Dolours School 2 Willcocks Street, Mitchelton 4053

Ph 3355 7763 Fax 3855 2641

Mt. Maria College 54 Prospect Rd, Mitchelton 4053

Ph 3550 3400

YYY Radio FM 87.6 Ph 0466 964 664

Email: operations@yyyfmradio.org www.yyyfmradio.org

Parish Pastoral Council council.grovely@bne.catholic.net.au

PARISH OFFICE 67 Dawson Parade, Keperra 4054

Ph 3355 2667 Email: grovely@bne.catholic.net.au

www.gsmparishes.com.au Hours: Mon 8am - 1pm; Tues - Fri. 8am - 4pm

Year A/2 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

6 September 2020 Liturgical Colour: Green

PLEASE TAKE YOUR NEWSLETTER WITH YOU, DON’T PUT IT BACK

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I was watching an Australian cooking show, and the audience applauded when the chef made a pavlova.

I was surprised.

Usually Australians boo meringue.

GROVELY

COMBINED COMMUNITIES’ NEWS

CHANGES TO LITURGY TIMES

Please check the weekday Liturgy Times carefully

LITURGY TIMES

7th - 13th September

Grovely St William’s

Next Weekend Masses

Saturday: 5:00pm Vigil Mass

Sunday: 7:00am Mass 9:00am Mass 5:00pm Mass

Mitchelton Our Lady of Dolours

Monday: 8:30am Mass

Tuesday: 8:30am Mass The Nativity of the

Blessed Virgin Mary

Wednesday: 8:30am Mass Saint Peter Claver

Thursday: 8:30am Mass

Friday 8:30am Mass

Saturday: 10:30am Adoration & Reconciliation

4:00pm Vigil Mass

Next Weekend Masses

Sunday: 11:00am Mass

Samford Sacred Heart

Next Weekend Mass

Sunday: 8:00am Mass

Next Week’s Readings: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ezek 33: 7 - 9 Rom 13: 8 - 10 Mt 18: 15 - 20

Next Week’s Readings: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sirach 27: 30 - 28: 7 Rom 14: 7 - 9 Mt 18: 21 - 35

St Vincent de Paul Grovely

Please place donations to Saint Vincent de Paul Grovely in a marked SVDP envelope before putting it in the collection box at the back of the church. Loose donations will be assumed to be for the St Williams collection.

SVDP Collection of Toiletry Items Thank you for your generous donations of toiletry items for us to distribute to those in need. We are collecting items once again and you will find the SVDP basket at the back of the Church. Thank you for your support as always and in particular during this challenging time.

September 6, 2020 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

“You, son of man, i have appointed watchman for the house of Israel…” (Ezekiel 33:7)

Many of us are generous with our gifts. However, many of us are not generous in proportion to the gifts we have been given. How often do we give at the minimum level required? Remember, the Lord calls us to nurture and develop our gifts. He calls us to be generous with all the gifts He has given us, especially the one that means the most to us.

Mass Bookings

With the easing of COVID restrictions, more people can attend Mass. Due to the size of the churches, the numbers are as follows:

Sacred Heart: 50 Our Lady of Dolours: 60 St Williams: 85

To guarantee a seat at a weekend Mass, booking is essential. Contact the parish office on 3355 2667 or email bulletin.grovely@bne.catholic.net.au

We will be taking bookings on a weekly basis, so you will need to register each week. Bookings for weekend Masses close Thursday 9pm.

To allow for contact tracing, we require your name, phone number and address. You will receive an email or phone call to advise you of your allocated Mass.

All people attending Mass will be divided into groups. Please avoid moving between groups and adhere to social distancing guidelines at all times. There will be a Marshal that will record your time of entry/exit, direct you to your seating area and coordinate end of Mass cleaning. If you are interested in being a Marshal, contact the parish office for more information.

At each Mass we ask that you sign-in, use the hand sanitiser provided, respect the social distancing guidelines, stay home if you are unwell and follow the procedures and protocols in place.

Sacramental Program

Enrolment & Confirmation Workshops: St Williams: Sep 8 at 9:30am & Sep 8, 9 & 10 at 7:15pm Our Lady of Dolours: Sep 8 at 6pm

Please make sure you have your enrolment forms with you and copies of your Child’s birth and Baptismal certificates attached to the enrolment forms.

Also very important to remember that we need signatures of both parents on the Enrolment form.

Please ensure you call the Parish Office to make a booking to attend one of the workshops as we have to book seats. We can only take 50 places at one time due to Covid safety guidelines and in order to maintain 1.5m social distancing.

Thank you and looking forward to meeting you soon.

Marie-Louise F. Singson

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Reconciliation Saturday 10:30am - 11:30am

Our Lady of Dolours

Bible Quiz

Which son did Jacob not send to Egypt for grain during the famine?

Answer next Week

Last Week’s question: Who said, “Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased”?

Answer: God (Mark 1:11)

Can’t Make It To Mass? Watch Online: Sunday Mass is being streamed live at 10am from the Cathedral of St Stephan and can be viewed on the Archdiocese of Brisbane website or YouTube channel. There is also Weekday Mass at 8am. Watch on TV: ‘Mass for You at Home’ can be viewed on Channel 10 at 6am on Sunday

Intercessory Petitions

An Intercessory Petitions Box has been placed at the back of all three churches. The Intercessory Prayer Group meets the third week of each month and the boxes will be collected and the petitions prayed for. All petitions will be totally private as the boxes will be sealed. We hope parishioners find this a useful tool.

Baptisms: We joyfully announce the baptisms of Annabel & James Cameron and welcome them into our faith community.

MITCHELTON

Despite Covid, the Australian Church continues its preparations for the Plenary Council to be held a year later. If you wish to follow its progress plus catch up on other matters, why not visit the parish’s Faith Matters website? The Faith Matters group is starting to get up and running again as best it can, given the current situation. Please check out the site – it is an exciting work in progress.

www.faith-matters-gsm.com.au

FAITH MATTERS—GSM

COMBINED COMMUNITIES’ NEWS

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Recently: Dominic Condon, Carolyn O’Donohue, Elsa Lorenzo, Rosemary Norton

Faithful Departed

We pray for: Nita Leigh, Maureen Campbell, Kathleen Edden, Joyce Powell, Cindy Roberts, Teresa Pitman, Betty Feldman, Louise Rhode, Efren Dariano, Alexander Graham, Fran Fitch, Cecelia Edwards

Please note All requests to have a Mass offered for someone, or newsletter requests for the name of recently deceased family members, prayers for the sick and anniversaries, need to be given to the parish office in writing. Forms and Mass request envelopes are available from the sacristy at all 3 churches, or from the Parish Office. Completed forms/envelopes can be given to the priest or handed in at the office.

We pray for the Sick The Timor Leste Container Challenge commences with its first collection on Saturday September 19 from 8:00am - 11:00am. Please drop any of the following items to the container location on the Mt Maria grounds ONLY, entering by the bottom car park off Prospect Rd. Volunteers to sort and pack items are also welcome.

Goods needed include: Stationary: Pens, pencils, folders, glue, scissors, exercise books Sporting Goods: Balls (soccer, volley & basketballs), skipping ropes Footwear: Sporting shoes, jogger, boots etc. Sewing Machines: Simple, non computerized versions Printers: Simple styles with common cartridge available Medical: First aid supplies of bandages, Band-Aids, saline solutions, ice packs Tools: Good condition, garden/general Floor Coverings: Mats, carpet squares

Any further inquiries, please contact Michael Stevens 0407 785 940

With sincere thanks for any donations!

Pope’s Prayer Intentions: September

Respect for the Planet’s Resources

We pray that the planet’s resources will not be

plundered, but shared in a just and respectful manner

The Catholic Leader is offering a free subscription to their digital newspaper during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Their aim is to give their readers a sense of connection, inspiration and renewal in the faith at a time when living in the faith has changed.

Go to catholicleader.com.au/covid19free and register to receive your free delivery of the digital newspaper in your inbox every Thursday morning. You will also receive a link to all digital newspapers published during the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020.

The Catholic Leader is proudly published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane.

Thank You From The Condon Family

Genevieve and Pat Condon offer heart-felt thanks to all parishioners in the Grovely- Samford & Mitchelton parishes, who prayed for Dominic Condon over the last 3 years, as he fought brain cancer. Assisted by your prayers he fought with the faith exemplified in his favourite song during that time, “The Anchor Holds” by Ray Boltz.

May he now rest in the peace of the risen Christ.

Some FAQ about the Industry Plan For Places of Worship (Updated 1/9)

What gatherings are allowed under the Industry Plan? Places of Worship refers to those places where people gather to conduct religious ceremonies or other faith-based activities. This includes Masses, Baptisms, Confirmations, First Communions, and other faith-based events or programs.

Does the maximum number of people at a gathering include the Priest? Yes, the Priest, musicians and anyone else in attendance are included in the maximum occupancy number.

How many people can attend a Mass or faith-based activity? A maximum of 1 person per 4 square metres is permitted unless a venue is less than 200 metres, then the one person per 2 square metres applies up to a maximum of 50 people. People from the same household are not required to distance from each other.

Is there still a maximum of 100 attendees for Mass or activities? No, only funerals and weddings have a maximum number of 100 attendees. All other worship or faith-based activities are based on the number determined by the calculations above. Therefore, some larger spaces, such as the Cathedral, will be able to accommodate more than 100 attendees.

What are the rules for funerals and weddings? Funerals and weddings can occur with a maximum of 100 people depending on the size of the venue (no more than one person per 2 square metres up to 50 people if the space is 200 metres or less; no more than one person per four square metres for spaces larger than 200 square metres). Social distancing of 1.5 metres should be followed where possible. The 100 person limit includes the persons conducting the service. Contact details must be taken.

Are there penalties if we don’t comply? Yes. Noncompliance can result in an on-the-spot fine of $1,334 for individuals and $6,670 for the Parish under the Public Health Act 2005.

Are parishioners over 70 welcome to attend Mass, confession or private prayer? Public health authorities continue to advise people over 70 to remain at home during this time. The parish’s duty of care is to make the church environment as safe as possible. It is up to the individual as to whether they choose to follow public health advice and attend worship services or not. They are advised to stay home if they are sick.

Mass is broadcast over

Radio Triple YYY 87.6 FM

Sat 5.00pm & Sun 10.00am

COMBINED COMMUNITIES’ NEWS

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PLEASE NOTE:

Leaflets, notices, and other papers are not to be placed in the Church without prior permission from Fr Nigel.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time A Vocation View

How much would the world be changed if everyone were completely forgiving?

Probably totally! Jesus’ stories of forgiveness are so loved because they

are so needed. Re-tell them! Re-Live them!

To talk to someone about your vocation, contact our office or visit our website: 1300 133 544 vocation@brisbane.catholic.net.au

How can I prevent the spread of COVID-19 away from the parish?

Coronavirus is transmitted from person to person, usually when an infected person coughs/sneezes. Transmission may occur from contaminated surfaces, so it is important to frequently wash your hands. Please be understanding if fellow parishioners do not wish to shake hands during the sign of peace.

To protect yourself and others from infection, practice good hand and respiratory hygiene including:

• Cleaning your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based rubs

• Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue or flexed elbow when coughing/sneezing

• Avoid contact with others, such as touching

• Staying home if you are unwell

If you have been overseas in the last 14 days and feel unwell please call 13 HEALTH, your GP or local hospital to arrange an assessment.

More Information from Health Authorities You can access the latest information and advice from the Queensland Government (please google Queensland Government Novel-Coronavirus) and Australian Government.

The Archdiocese of Brisbane will also provide regular updates to parishes and via the website (archbne.org/zhz)

Two Minute Homilies: This week, Fr Nicholas Okafor gives the homily for the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time.

This and past homilies can be viewed on the Archdiocese of Brisbane youTube channel, by going to the Archdiocese of Brisbane website or by going to: brisbanecatholic.org.au/multimedia/two-minute-homilies/

“We become more human when we become conscious that we have mutual responsibility toward one another.”

HOLY LAND COLLECTION - SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13

The annual collection for the support of the church in the Holy Land normally takes place on Good Friday. This year, due to the closure of churches around the world during Holy Week because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Pope Francis moved the date for this collection to Sunday September 13 to coincide with the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14. This collection promotes the missionary work of the Church in the Holy Land by providing welfare assistance to local Christians in areas such as health, education, employment and housing. Parishes, schools, orphanages and medical centres throughout the Holy Land also rely on assistance from this collection. It is also used to maintain over 70 churches and shrines associated with the life of Jesus. Last year, Australian Catholics donated $1.3 million to this cause, despite tough economic times, rural droughts and the increasing cost of living. This year, we are again facing great challenges due to COVID-19, but your generosity would again be greatly appreciated. Please remember the Christians of the Holy Land on Sunday September 13 and please also keep them in your prayers. Thank you.