The Common Good

Just a few thoughts

I will concentrate on Social Justice issues during this week

Planet Earth

Ø From the Council for Integral Ecology – The launch of its Season of Creation events on Wednesday at 12.30pm in Gladys Elphick/Narnungga Park, (in west parklands, entrance via Port Rd, just around the corner from West Tce).

It would be wonderful to have good numbers to support this, with State Government, Conservation Council and Welcoming Australia participating, and hopefully some mainstream media. Banners especially good!

Warm 25 degrees expected, so bring hat and water.  --  Peter Laffan

¯ Let All Creation Sing

¯ Creation Calls

Indigenous Australians

Ø Curious about Aboriginal culture but unsure where to start?

Myth 1: "There is one Aboriginal culture in Australia"

It’s easy to assume that there is one Aboriginal culture in Australia. Truth is, there were more than 250 language groups with hundreds of dialects, and many had their own regional customs.

Think of it: Aboriginal nations in the tropical, seasonally wet north must have had a different culture than those in the cold and dry south, saltwater people a different one than freshwater people.

But many media fail to point out where an Aboriginal person comes from. They contribute to readers seeing “an Aboriginal woman” rather than “a Bibbullmun woman” (i.e. a woman from a south-western Australian Aboriginal nation).
Similarly, many people think there is “an Aboriginal word” for something. In fact there once were probably more than 250 words for the same English word, given the language variety and many dialects.
Truth: There are many different Aboriginal cultures, customs and languages in Australia.

¯¯ Spiritual Song of the Aborigine

¯ ¯Aboriginal farewell to Soweto Gospel Choir

¯¯Wiyathul

¯¯Amazing Grace

Yesterday was Social Justice Sunday!

Just a few thoughts

·        Yes, yesterday was Social Justice Sunday. The event was completely ignored in our parish. I could not believe that. I wasn’t just sad, I was angry!
I imagine that our beloved priest and acclaimed theologian Monsignor Denis Edwards OAM would be so disappointed!

·        Here is a homily by Fr Frank Brennan

·        Homily from Sisters of St Joseph

·        Here are the Homily Notes for Social Justice Sunday provided by the Australian Bishops Conference for this important occasion.

·        Here is the Social Justice Statement as well as a whole list of additional resources that our parish could have used.

·        Group Prayer for Creation  --  Australian Catholics

Musical Reflection

¯ For the healing of the nations

¯ For the Healing of the Nations

¯ For the Healing of the Nations

Social Justice Sunday

Just a few thoughts

·        All of us should make time to read the Social Justice Statement – “Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor.” There should be copies available at our church. You can also download free copies to your Computer , Tablet or Smartphone Check it out here

·        We pray for the whole people of God, that they will hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.  --  Lord, hear us.

Reflection.

ü Australian Women Preach

ü By placing the Pharisees before our eyes in so many readings the Liturgy is clearly calling us to see ourselves in them.

ü Be careful around those who are rigid. Be careful around Christians—be they laity, priests, bishops—who present themselves as so “perfect,” rigid. Be careful. There’s no Spirit of God there. – Pope Francis

The Signs Of The Times

Ø How Australia made the journey to a plenary council  --  CathNews

Ø First lay-led Catholic synod to open in UK  --  As in Australia lay women have little faith in their Plenary Councils

Musical Reflection

¯ Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

¯ Justly, Tenderly Humbly

¯ For The Healing Of The Nations

Bits & Pieces

v 1883 - Krakatoa: The World’s Mightiest Explosion -  Seismic sea waves created by Krakatoa eruption create a rise in English Channel 32 hrs after explosion.

 

St Augustine

Just a few thoughts

·        We pray for young children. May parents and teachers inspire them to love reading and enjoy the wonderful world of books.  --  Lord, hear us.

·        Patience is the companion of wisdom.  --  St Augustine

·        You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.  --  St Augustine

Reflection.

ü The more we give and share with others from the resources we have the more we are personally enriched

ü Saint Augustine's Story

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Strapped in for the Plenary Council ride  --  Eureka Street

Ø Why Afghanistan matters  --  Fr Andrew Ahamilton

Musical Reflection

¯ The Love of Christ

¯ Draw Near in Faith

¯ Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

Bits & Pieces

v 1963 - Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "I have a dream" speech addressing the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom civil rights march at Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.

Without justice and love, peace will always be a great illusion.

Just a few thoughts

·        Without justice and love, peace will always be a great illusion.  --  Helder Camara

·        In the Father's house we shall meet Buddhists and Jews, Muslims and Protestants.  --  Helder Camara

Reflection.

ü Let us learn to live totally in the present, to seek and find God there.

ü Unveiling the Great (Christ) Mystery  --  Fr Richard Rohr

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Parliamentary report a blueprint for reform: Vinnies  --  CathNews

Ø Hypocrisy in the Church is detestable: Pope  --  CathNews

Musical Reflection

¯ Be Thou My Vision

¯ The King of love my Shepherd is

Bits & Pieces

v 1999: Death of Dom Helder Camara

How we treat each other.

Just a few thoughts

·        May every place enduring natural disasters of flood, wild fires and earthquakes receive the help they need from nations around the world.  --  Lord, hear us.

Reflection.

ü The really good life, that is, a life based on truth and integrity, on love and compassion and sharing

ü Jesus and the 'words of eternal life' – Last Sunday’s Homily by Fr Alban McCoy

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Last week was National Science Week. Here is a reflection by Fr Christopher Middleton SJ

Ø What is a just outcome for the Biloela family?  --  Eureka Street

Musical Reflection

¯ Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

¯ Act Justly

Bits & Pieces

v 2001: - Rescue of 433 asylum seekers by MV Tampa

The blindness of the self-righteous???

Just a few thoughts

·        A person who is happy is not because everything is right in his life, He is happy because his attitude towards everything in his life is right.  --  Sundar Pichai

·        That the people of Afghanistan, enduring fear and hardship,      not be abandoned by the world, but through wise diplomacy   find a way to justice.  --  Lord, hear us.

Reflection.

ü Reflection with Fr. Michael Kelly

ü The Fading Of Forgiveness  --  Fr Ron Rolheiser

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Rediscover importance of Sunday liturgy: Pope  --  CathNews

Ø Doing our bit means taking in 20,000  --  Fr Frank Brennan

Musical Reflection

¯ Come to the Feast

¯ Come Back To Me

¯ Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life

Bits & Pieces

v 325 - First Council of Nicaea ends with adoption of the Nicene Creed establishing the doctrine of the Holy Trinity

Can anything good come out of Nazareth?

Just a few thoughts

·        That we may not judge people because of where they live, but see each person as an individual, unique and gifted, a child of God

·        The just will live in the presence of the Lord

Reflection.

ü God is Right Here

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Loving care until the end

Ø Pandemic a chance to test proposals for basic income

Musical Reflection

¯ Lord, to Whom Shall Go

¯ Christ in Me Arise

¯ 'You'll Never Walk Alone' Rodgers+Hart+Hammerstein

Bits & Pieces

v 1456 - The printing of the Gutenberg Bible is completed

v 79 - Mount Vesuvius in Italy erupted on this day in 79 ce, destroying the ancient city of Pompeii.

…… and yet they neglected the really important things: justice, mercy and love.

Just a few thoughts

·        "Life without left-handed people wouldn't be right."  --  C.R. Manske

·        Mgr John Swann’s parish church in Kapunda is dedicated to St Rose of Lima. It is her feast day. Lima was a copper mining town like Kapunda.

·        We pray for every leader in government, commerce and industry. May they heed the warnings of the world’s scientists and act now to deal with the climate crisis. -- Lord, hear us.

Reflection.

ü “Here Jesus’ attack is directed at the leaders’ greed and their corruption of religion for material gain.  In the name of holiness, the Pharisee-types are exploiting the poor. Daily we see the abuse of authority and power, whether in the Church, in government, in business leading to all kinds of greed and corruption which undermines the very fabric of societies.  Positions of service are turned into instruments of personal gain, often at the expense of the weakest and the most needy.  Countries which long ago should have become rich and prosperous and provided with a high quality of life for their people are bankrupt, in every sense of the word, while a small elite live lives of shameless luxury. The Church, too, can find itself over-concerned with matters of money at the expense of its pastoral mission. A diocese, a parish, a bishop or priest who is rich in a world of poverty and need is a major stumbling block to the hearing of the Gospel.”
Read whole reflection here

ü You were certainly hoeing into the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus. What made you so angry?

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Australian Women Preach

Ø The Burning Issue  --  J Dick, American Catholic academic who has taught historical theology for many years at the University of Leuven, Belgium.

Musical Reflection

¯ Lord, to Whom Shall We Go

¯ Alleluia! Give the Glory

¯ Here I Am, Lord

Bits & Pieces

v 1996: Death of Margaret Tucker, Indigenous Australian activist and writer

v 1960  -  Death of Oscar Hammerstein II  --  Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'

 

To whom shall we go?

Just a few thoughts

·        We pray for health workers in poorer countries struggling to cope with the COVID pandemic. May they be given a just share in the resources they need. -- Lord, hear us.

·        National pandemic prayer day

·        Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well. - ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Reflection.

ü Homily – Fr Frank Brennan

ü Here is Food for You  --  Fr John Foley

ü Behold who you are - become what you receive'

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Cry of the Earth

Ø Journey to a more sustainable Church

Musical Reflection

¯ Lord, To Whom Shall We Go

¯ Bread For The World

¯ Wind Of Change

Bits & Pieces

v Long-Serving winemaker at Sevenhill Cellars in the Clare Valley Br John May SJ AM, has died aged 92. He was the seventh Jesuit winemaker at Sevenhill, a position he held from 1972 until his retirement in 2003.

v 2004 - The Scream (1893), a painting by Edvard Munch, was stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway; it was recovered two years later.

 

for they do not practise what they teach.

Just a few thoughts

·        Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice.
Whatever choice you make makes you.
Choose wisely.  --  Roy T. Bennett

·        That those preparing for our Diocesan Assembly and the Australian Plenary Council will be fired with enthusiasm and imagination, reading the signs of the times, moving forward confidently.  --  Lord, hear us.

Reflection.

ü Servant Leadership

ü Crisis Contemplation and Joy --  Fr Richard Rohr

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Unnecessary red tape aimed at silencing charities

‘The government can’t find time to put in a Federal ICAC. This is where we scratch our heads. They can find time to do this, which is unprecedented and goes way beyond any other group in society when they need it. I think it has all got to do with that sense that we don’t want charities doing advocacy. That’s why they want to do it. And charities absolutely – charity coming from the old English word for love – they give, they serve, but they also say we wouldn’t need to give in service much if there were some policy changes. So, they do advocacy. That’s what the government doesn’t like. That’s what absolutely this is about.’  --  Tim Costello

Ø Solidarity with Afghanistan: How we can help

Ø The ethics of mandating vaccinations in healthcare

Musical Reflection

¯ Confitemini Domino

¯ Only In God

¯ Canticle of Creation

Bits & Pieces

v 1943: - Election of the first women members of the Australian Parliament: Enid Lyons (House of Representatives) and Dorothy Tangney (Senate)

v Better Futures Australia -- Australians working together to harness zero emissions opportunitie

“Love one another as I have loved you”

Just a few thoughts

·        “The punters know that the horse named Morality rarely gets past the post, whereas the nag named Self-interest always runs a good race.” -- Gough Whitlam.

·        When each individual makes a small act of charity, like getting the COVID-19 vaccine, every gesture added together can transform the world. -- Pope Francis

·        That those who are rich may not become self-centred, but discover the importance of justice and so reach out in ways which bring relief and new hope to the poor.  --  Lord, hear us.

Reflection.

ü It is not possible to love God and not love the neighbour and vice versa

ü Healing Generational Wounds – Fr Richard Rohr

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Government proposal adds new threat to charities

Ø End of life care - Catholic perspectives

Ø Catholic Earthcare Australia

Musical Reflection

¯ Dona Nobis Pacem/Song of peace

¯ Fill my house

Bits & Pieces

¯ 1882 - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" debuts in Moscow