St Thomas More Parish 298 Bay Street, Brighton le Sands, NSW 2216, Australia Fr Manuel Santiago Parish Priest Peter Dowling Secretary/ Coordinator Tel: 9567 3589 Fax: 9567 7905 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.thomasmorebrighton.org. Sunday Mass Times: Saturday 5.30 pm, Sunday 8.00 am & 10.00 am (Children's Liturgy 2nd & 4th Sundays) Weekday Masses: Tuesday to Friday 9.00 am, Communion Service: Monday 9.00 am Exposition/ Benediction: 1st Friday of the Month 8.15 am Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday 4.30 pm to 5.00 pm Office Hours: Mon - Fri 8.30 am to 4.00 pm St Thomas More Primary School : Tel: 02 9597 5884 - Principal Mrs Jenny Frost President Pastoral Council: David D’Amato Chairman Finance Committee: Pat Bugden The Two Hinges The Christian Catechism is not difficult: it can all be learnt in one lesson. Whoever fulfils the commandment of love has already fulfilled all the law. All the rest is just comment and explanation. This is the message we learn from the Gospel today. The first reading applies this commandment to the less fortunate brothers and sisters: the strangers, the orphans, and the widows. The second reading is linked to this theme because it shows the example of the early Christian communities practising reciprocal charity and love. Jesus did not give a new teaching. Every devout Jew prayed already the Shema (Deut. 6:4f) everyday which taught him to love God with his whole being. He was also instructed (Lev. 19:18) to love his neighbour as himself. For Jesus love for God and for neighbour are complementary. Jesus welds these two commandments together as equal and inseparable. He concluded that these are the two hinges on which the whole law and the prophets hang. A door hangs on two hinges. When one becomes detached, the other can no longer support the weight of the door and becomes unhinged too. As long as the hinges are screwed tightly in the wood, one needs little effort to open the door. Once one hinge gives way, it becomes a difficult or even impossible thing to do. Religion hangs on two hinges, love for God and love for neighbour. This is visible in the Ten Commandments where the first part tells us what we owe to God, and the second part for our relationship with others to share our daily bread and to live in peace and free from all evil. (Source: Fr Paul Foulon C.I.C.M., From Spring to Life—Sunday Gospel Reflections Year A) Quote for this week: “Therefore, love your neighbour; look within yourself whence this love of neighbour comes; there you will see God in the measure in which this will be possible for you.” –St Augustine, as quoted from Liturgy of the Hours, Vol. 1 Fr Manuel Santiago 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time [A] - 26 October 2014 FIRST READING Exodus 22:20-26 A reading from the book of Exodus The Lord said to Moses, 'Tell the sons of Israel this, "You must not molest the stranger or oppress him, for you lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. You must not be harsh with the widow, or with the orphan; if you are harsh with them, they will surely cry out to me, and be sure I shall hear their cry; my anger will flare and I shall kill you with the sword, your own wives will be widows, your own children orphans. "If you lend money to any of my people, to any poor man among you, you must not play the usurer with him: you must not demand interest from him. "If you take another's cloak as a pledge, you must give it back to him before sunset. It is all the covering he has; it is the cloak he wraps his body in; what else would he sleep in? If he cries to me, I will listen, for I am full of pity."' The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 17:2-4. 47. 51 R. I love you, Lord, my strength. SECOND READING 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10 A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians You observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your instruction, and you were led to become imitators of us, and of the Lord; and it was with the joy of the Holy Spirit that you took to the gospel, in spite of the great opposition all round you. This has made you the great example to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia since it was from you that the word of the Lord started to spread - and not only throughout Macedonia and Achaia, for the news of your faith in God has spread everywhere. We do not need to tell other people about it: other people tell us how we started the work among you, how you broke with idolatry when you were converted to God and became servants of the real, living God; and how you are now waiting for Jesus, his Son, whom he raised from the dead, to come from heaven to save us from the retribution which is coming. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION John 14:23 Alleluia, alleluia! All who love me will keep my words, and my Father will love them and we will come to them. Alleluia! HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 22:34-40 A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, 'Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?' Jesus said, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.' The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. _________________________________________________________ Liturgical Ministers needed!!! Due to a number of people retiring from various liturgical roles or moving away we in need of new Lectors and Ministers of Communion at Sunday Masses. If you are able to help please see Fr Manual after Mass or contact the Parish office next week by phoning 9567 3589. Training will be provided. _________________________________________________________________________________ INSTALLATION Of THE MOST REVEREND ANTHONY FISHER OP. As previously advised by The Apostolic Administrator, Bishop Peter A Comensoli, the Liturgical Reception and Mass of Installation for the Most Reverend Anthony Fisher OP as the ninth Archbishop of Sydney will take place at St Mary’s Cathedral on Wednesday, 12 November 2014 at 7.30pm. Those attending would need to be seated by 7.00pm. All are welcome. __________________________________________________________________________________ Annual Memorial Mass Annual Mass to remember those parishioners who died during the past 12 months will take place on Wednesday 5 November at 7.30 pm. All welcome to come. Light refreshments will be served in the Lander Centre following the Mass. Please bring along a plate of food to share. __________________________________________________________________________________ Liturgy Rosters for November and December are available this week to collect from the Church Sacristy this Sunday. There will be a separate roster for the Christmas Liturgies available in the near future. _________________________________________________________________________________ First Reconciliation 2014 The date for the preparation morning has been changed to Thursday 6 November from 10.00 am to 11.00 am. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. __________________________________________________________________________________ CWF November Appeal. 'We have had a number of appeals in recent times which have been placing a significant financial burden on parishioners. For this reason the November 2014 Appeal will take place on the weekend of 15-16 November'. Fr Manuel. __________________________________________________________________________________ One Day Retreat at Hurstville South Father Hugh Thomas C.Ss.R will be giving a one day retreat and the theme will be on ‘Eucharistic Miracles and the powerful intervention of Our Lady’ Father will cover the following topics: The powerful intervention in of our Blessed Mother. The real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist with a focus on Eucharistic miracles at Lanciano, Orvieto, Cascia, Blanot and Siena. Lessons from in St. Peter's, Rome Sacre Coeur, Paris. Date: Saturday 22nd November ; Start : 8.45am Finish : 3pm Location: Saint Raphael’s Parish Hall, 84 George Street Hurstville South. Coffee, Tea & Soft Drinks will be supplied on the day. Please bring along something to share for morning tea and a sandwich for lunch. Please contact Gary and Ronnie Cartmer if any questions on 9546 2142 _______________________________________________________________________________ Memorial Mass for Deceased Priests at Rookwood Tue 18 November - at St Michael the Archangel Chapel - at 12. noon. Fr Manuel will be attending this special Annual Mass and invites any interest parishioners to attend as well. Former Parish Priests of our parish Mgr John J McGovern (1937-1940), Mgr Bernard Hudson (1940-54); Fr John E Lander (1954-1991) & Fr James P (Jim) Doyle (1991-2006) will all be remembered at this Mass. Quarterly Memorial Mass for the Deceased Interred in the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Gardens, Botany Please note that the next Memorial Cemetery Mass for the deceased interred in the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, Botany will be celebrated in the Crematorium South Chapel on Saturday 8th November 2014 at 11am. LITURGY ROSTER FOR NEXT SUNDAY All Souls Day - 1-2 November 2014 Commentator Lectors Extraordinary Ministers of Communion Acolytes 5:30 PM (Sat) M Farrell N Azar, M Farrell M O'Brien L Holder D McIntosh 8:00 AM (Sun) Anthony Grady Anthony Grady Amy Grady Anthony Grady J Brooking 10:00 AM (Sun) Ave Maria Choir M Ita A Kula C Searson F Yunita M Diel COUNTERS 27/10 F McManus, L Holder, G Cosatto 3/11 A Mackenzie, G Daniel, P Harding FEAST DAYS THIS WEEK Tue: Sts Simon & Jude, apostles. Fri: Vigil for All Saints Mass at 7.00 pm Sat: ALL SAINTS - Mass at 9.00 am Please pray for the Poor, the Sick and the Faithful Departed of the Parish: Recently Deceased: George Kovacks; Joyce Fitzpatrick (Died 15.10.14); Raymond Green (Died 14.10.14); Keith William Darnell (Died 4.10.14); Maria Siciarek (Died 30.9.2014); Kathleen Mary Aspill (Died 28.9.14); Vincent Anthony Muscat (Died 21.9.14); Marie Tayeh (Died 14.9.14). Anniversaries: Keith Henry Campbell 22.10.12); Dominic Tuy Pham (Died 11.10.2013); Fortunata Planta (1st Anniv. 20.10.14). Deceased: Orazio & Rosa Di Pasqua, Vincenzo & Carmela Camuglia & Gary Green; James & Angela Vassallo; Ron D'Astoli; Susan Elizabeth Gore; Giuseppe Currenti; Bartolo [Bob] Natoli; Charlie Pisani, Charles Baldacchino; Jim Pisani; Sam Pisani; Frank Rozmus, Maxwell Szpoper; Herbert Fenech. Other: Holy Souls in Purgatory. Prayers for the Sick: Joe Vizzone; Colleen Cartner (East Gosford); Lachlan Vella; Zac Mullens; George Kent; Hilda Das Neves; Anthony Attard; Japeth Ryan Tolentino; Brigida Moniz; Anita Wong; Geoffrey Goodwin; Angela Formosa; Josi Duarte; Rose Carlos-Cruz; Mitchell Fisher; Maguy & Christian Ajaka; Greg Mackey; Jose De Ocampo Jnr.; Marie Kean; Brandon Bell; Mark Squires; Kelly Fox; Jimmy Wells; Joseph & Barica (Barbara) Kos; Paul Marvyn Villanueva; Billy Kennedy; Louis Saadeh; Allen Ajaka; Josephine Albany; Deborah Liu; Joyce Barbuto; Fernanda Rosso; Joyce Martin; Yvonne Hoskins; Doris Borg; Jaro Kolla; Jared Groeneveld; Nelly Swarez; Jean & Jack O’Brien; Pat & Brian Hutchinson; Frank Dannaher [senior]; Alfred [Fred] Spiteri]; Pauline Sciberras. Mass Intentions; To avoid secretarial errors, please indicate clearly the purpose of your Mass Intention. PLANNED GIVING PROGRAM REQUEST FORM Especially to become a regular contributor please fill in this slip and return it to the Parish Office. Name: ................................................................................................Telephone No:........................................................... Address: .................................................................................................................................................................................. Email: ...................................................................................................................................................................................... Yes, Please send me a set of envelopes Yes, Tax deduction required No, Tax deduction necessary Yes, Please organise automatic credit card deductions. (A credit card authority form will be sent to you for completion - American Express not accepted)