THE PARISH OF BAULKHAM HILLS
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Click here to go to St Michael's church site. Email St Michael's at admin@parishofbaulkhamhills.org.au Phone: +61 2 9639 0598 |
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Click here to go to Our Lady Of Lourdes church site. Email Our Lady of Lourdes at olol@parishofbaulkhamhills.org.au
Phone: +61 2 9639 8385
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PARISH UPDATE – FRIDAY AUGUST 12
A COVID SAFE PARISH
Dear
Parishioners,
Thank you for your continued support of the
Parish in these difficult COVID and flu-like times.
A reminder that masks are available from the
front of the Church, should you wish to wear one.
MONDAY, AUGUST 15 – SOLEMNITY OF THE
ASSUMPTION: A HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION
On Monday we
celebrate the Assumption of Mary, which, along with Christmas Day, is a Holy
Day of Obligation.
Mass times for
the Assumption:
9.15am
St Michael’s
9.30am
Our Lady of Lourdes – OLOL School will also be attending this mass
12noon
St Michael’s – St Michael’s School will also be attending
7.30pm
St Michael’s
7.30pm
Our Lady of Lourdes
There will be
no livestreaming of Mass on this day.
RECONCILIATION AND FIRST COMMUNION AT
OLOL
Registration
for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Communion at Our Lady of
Lourdes finishes on Sunday.
The Parents’
Information evening will be held at 7.30pm on Tuesday August 16th
in the Open Learning area at OLOL School.
DEACON ANDREW CALLED TO ORDINATION AS
PRIEST
Bishop Vincent
will ordain Deacon Andrew to the priesthood at St Patrick’s Cathedral,
Parramatta at 7.30pm on Friday, August 26th. All are invited to
attend this Mass. We congratulate him on this call.
The
newly-ordained priest will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving at St Padre Pio
Church, Howell Drive, Glenmore Park on Saturday, 27 August at 1pm. Further
details to be advised.
PARISH UPDATE - PARISH
WORKING GROUP
At this
stage, this group will meet on Thursday, 18 August 2022 at 7.30pm at Our
Lady of Lourdes Centre.
Please
pray for the group and its work.
MASS LINK
The Mass link for this
Saturday for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sat 6pm)
and available on YOUTUBE after that
is
https://youtu.be/XMoxU5SqcvM
Please copy the link into browser if it does not immediately work.
Mass is live streamed on Saturday evening
at 6pm from Our Lady of Lourdes, and available for viewing afterwards via
the link. We are also using FACEBOOK links via the Parish of Baulkham Hills
FACEBOOK page. Thank you to Jim and Brian for your help with this every
week.
BISHOP’S FATHERS DAY APPEAL – Weekend of 3-4 September
Our Bishop’s Father’s Day Appeal
for Retired and Sick Priests is traditionally held on Father’s Day, this
year being the weekend of Sunday 4 September. This annual appeal raises much
needed funds for our Diocese’s Clergy Support Foundation to continue its
work of supporting retired clergy and those in ill-health.
The Foundation cares for 21
retired clergy in our Diocese – 1 bishop, 18 priests and 2 deacons. This
year’s appeal will highlight the faithful service of our retired clergy, and
in particular, Mons John Boyle, Fr Chris Dixon and Fr Bob Sheridan.
With your enthusiastic support for our Bishop’s Father’s Day
Appeal, our Clergy Support Foundation can better care for our 21 retired
priests and those clergy who are unwell, giving them comfort, professional
health care, and guidance.
FR ZVONIMIR ANNIVERSARY OF ORDINATION
Fr
Zvonimir will be celebrating 50 years of priestly ministry with a Mass at
Stanhope Gardens on Sunday 28 August at 10.30am. Full details in the
bulletin.
THE DIOCESE OF PARRAMATTA IS HEADING TO WYD23 IN LISBON
Bishop Vincent has announced a pilgrimage to the next World Youth
Day in Lisbon, Portugal from July 21 – August 11, 2023. Young people 16-35
and their families are encouraged to learn more at
www.parrawyd.org
and register for the upcoming Launch Event featuring Fr Rob Galea on August
18. For all enquiries contact James Camden, Head Mission Engagement
james.camden@parracatholic.org
PLENARY COUNCIL NEWS – ACTS AND
DECREES – Topic 4
As part of our concern for all to be aware of
the Plenary Council deliberations, we are presenting the various Acts and
Decrees of the Plenary Council for your study and perusal. Last week we
provided the Introduction to the document.
This week we provide Acts and
Decrees of
Topic 4: Witnessing to
the Equal Dignity of Women and Men
FOR THE
DECEASED
Please remember those for whom prayers have been requested,
especially for:
Recently deceased:
Fr Theo Arrivoli, Leonard Tan,
Joyce Paggao-Larsen, John Westerink, Rey Reyers, Jim Costello,
Ampora Ballson
Anniversary:
Stanley & Beryl D’Souza, Catalina R. Alvarez, Paul Boguradzki, Ted Jessing
SUPPORT DONATIONS
We really appreciate your continued support.
To assist with the proper recording
for the second collection, please include your envelope number if you have
one.
For EFT to the First Collection -
supporting the priests
BSB
067 950
Account No
000004265
Account Name
Diocesan Clergy
Reference
6001 your name
For EFT to the second (envelope and loose) Collection – for support of the
Parish,
BSB
067 950
Account No
000000214
Account Name
St Michael’s Baulkham Hills
Reference
Envelope Number or Your Name
If you wish to pay by
credit card, please use this link
https://www.bpoint.com.au/pay/stmichaelsparishbaulkhamhills
ACTS AND DECREES OF THE PLENARY COUNCIL – TOPIC 4
1.
God’s word
speaks clearly
of the
equal dignity
of women
and men:
“So God
created humankind in his
image . . . male and female
he created them” (Genesis 1:27). For Christians specifically,
“there is
no longer
male and
female; for
all of you
are one
in Christ
Jesus” (Galatians
3:28). In
the Church,
all people
receive the
gifts of
the Holy
Spirit that
are mediated through our
baptism: “There is one
faith, one baptism, one God and father of all” (Ephesians 4: 4-6).
2.
Scripture calls
the Church
to recognize
the equal
dignity of
women and
men and
to esteem
their contributions.
Throughout history, the
Church has
looked to
Mary the
Mother of
God as a
model for
every human
person and
the model
for Christian
discipleship. At the
close of
the Second
Vatican Council,
Pope Saint
Paul VI spoke
of the
“hour of
woman,” (Paul
VI, Address
to Women,
8 December
1965) recognizing
the unique
contribution that women
make in
the life
of society
and the
Church. This
has been
true in
the history
of the
Catholic Church
in Australia. Mary of
the Cross
MacKillop, Eileen O’Connor,
Mary Glowrey,
and Caroline
Chisholm
are
examples of
faith-filled
women
who have
made
outstanding contributions to
society and
to Catholic life, often
against significant odds.
3.
In his Letter to Women,
Pope Saint John Paul II apologised
for harm caused to women, and
he called us
to ensure
the personal
dignity and
rights of
women are
protected and
upheld as well as recognising
the unique
gifts they
contribute to
building up
a healthy
Church and society. In particular,
he called
us to
work to
overcome the
cultural assumptions of inequality:
Women's
dignity has
often
been
unacknowledged
and their
prerogatives misrepresented;
they have
often been
relegated to
the margins
of society
and even
reduced
to servitude.
This has
prevented women from truly
being themselves and it
has resulted
in a
spiritual impoverishment
of humanity. Certainly,
it is
no easy
task to
assign the
blame for
this, considering the many kinds
of cultural
conditioning which down
the centuries
have shaped
ways of thinking
and acting. And
if objective
blame, especially
in particular historical contexts,
has belonged
to not just a
few members
of the
Church, for
this I am truly sorry. John
Paul (John
Paul II, Letter
to Women, 29 June 1995,
n. 3)
4.
From the beginning of the twentieth century, a growing awareness of
the equal dignity of women
and men
has reshaped
Australian social and
political life.
Nonetheless, disregard for
the equal dignity
of women and men persists
in society and the Church.
There is still
much to be done.
5.
The Plenary Council has
heard from women of varied
experiences in the Church today.
Sometimes women are
joyful, happy,
and thriving
in their
service to
Christ and
the Church. Other
times women experience
barriers and
a lack
of support in seeking to
offer their
gifts in
service of
the Gospel, which
has caused
frustration and disappointment.
Authentic witness
to the equal dignity of
women and men requires addressing issues of power,
authority, and the freedom
of persons
to decide
and act
on their
decisions with
informed consciences. We need
to deepen
our understanding
of the
human person,
to appreciate
more fully
the gifts
that women
and men
together bring
to the
life of
the Church.
This will
require scriptural
and theological formation and
catechesis at the
parish, diocesan,
eparchial, and
national levels.
Here too, there is
much work
to be done.
6.
In light
of the
above and
aware of
the extent
of the ongoing challenges,
this Plenary Council
commits the Church
in Australia
to acting
in ways
that witness
clearly to
the equal dignity
of women and
men, with
their diverse
gifts and
experiences. It commits
the Church
to enhancing the role
of women
in the
Church, and
to overcoming assumptions,
culture, practices and
language that lead
to inequality.
DECREE
Article 1
That
the Plenary Council commits the Church in Australia to ensuring:
a.
through formal
policies and
intentional practice,
the experiences
and perspectives
of women, including
women who
exercise ministry,
are heard,
considered and valued
at local, diocesan
and national
levels. This
is particularly
important for
matters which affect them distinctively;
b.
that women
are appropriately
represented in decision-making
structures of Church governance
at the
parish, diocese
or eparchy,
and national
level, and
in Church agencies, entities, and organisations;
c.
that dioceses
and eparchies
recognise and value
publicly, and
properly remunerate, women who
lead and serve in the Church in various ways.
That
each Australian diocese and
eparchy commits
to supporting, with appropriate
formation and recognition, new
opportunities for women
to participate
in ministries
that engage
with the most important aspects of diocesan and parish life.
That
the Plenary
Council commits
the Church
in Australia
to implementing
more fully
the undertakings made by
the Australian
Catholic Bishops
Conference in
their Social
Justice Statement, Woman
and Man:
The Bishops
Respond (2000),
in response
to the research report
Woman and Man: One in Christ Jesus (1999).
That,
should the
universal law
of the
Church be
modified to
authorize the
diaconate for women, the Plenary
Council recommends
that the
Australian Bishops examine
how best
to implement it in the context of the Church in Australia.
The
Eastern Catholic
Churches in
Australia will
interpret the
decrees of
the Fifth
Plenary Council of Australia
in accordance
with the
Code of Canons of
the Eastern Churches
and the traditions of each
church sui iuris.
In
accordance with
canon 446
of the
Code of
Canon Law,
this decree
is not
to be
promulgated until it has been
reviewed by
the Apostolic See.
It will
be promulgated
in Australasian
Catholic Record and the website of the Australian Catholic Bishops
Conference in accordance with its usual
practice. The decrees will
oblige six months after promulgation.