Parish of Corio/Lara St Francis Xavier Church, Corio St Anthony of Padua Church, Lara Archdiocese of Melbourne Australia

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Sunday 22nd October, 2017

Today’s Gospel is from St. Matthew 22:15-21 - There are people inside and outside the Church who think that Christ did not give the Church a mandate to speak about political matters. They regularly quote the Gospel we have just heard to support their case. But if one knows and understands the context and meaning within which this text was written it provides no ammunition for those who want the Church to stay indoors, reflect on things ‘spiritual’, preach the eternal verities, and sing hymns more ancient than modern. In Jesus’ day, we know that some people thought he was a Zealot. Zealots were a well-organised group who agitated for the end of the Roman occupation of Israel. One of the things Zealots did was withhold paying the Roman taxes. We can see why some people thought Jesus may have been a Zealot. He took the part of the poor, the sick, women and those who lived on the fringes of society. He attacked the religious authorities of his day and certainly stirred up trouble in many places he went. On the other hand he rejected violence, taught his followers to pray for their enemies and to return good for evil. Jesus showed us that the justice and equality God longs to see in the world comes from a community which is converted by love, not by weapons, fear or revenge. Jesus was no Zealot. Rather than undermine civil authority, however, Jesus, in this passage, supports it. But he does more. ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s’ is followed by ‘And give to God, what is God's’, which encompasses all the Caesars of this world, all civil authorities and states. The sense that we as the People of God can split off our obligations to the Gospel from the State is as false as it’s dangerous. We only have to think of some of the darkest chapter’s last century to see what happens when good, church-going people, like us, do not put their Sunday devotion in touch with their Monday politics. Evil can reign. Christian leaders, who are charged to proclaim and defend the Gospel, are obliged to use whatever forum necessary to declare that God’s personal love encompasses everyone and everything under heaven. As the prophet Isaiah reminds us

today, God calls each one of us by name. At times we may not agree with our religious leaders; we may think them ill informed; we may even think they have overstepped the mark. If this is the case we should tell them, enable them to consider other perspectives and to broaden the basis upon which they make their judgments. But we should never be seduced by those who want the Church sidelined from the mainstream of the debates that shape the way we live, the values we share, the laws we draft and the priorities we draw up for our human community. If the Church shows disinterest in any of this, it is untrue to the very things for which Jesus lived, died and was raised from the dead. By all means we should give to Caesar all that Caesar is justly entitled to have for the sake of the common good. A higher allegiance, however, goes to God, who will call all Caesars to account for what they have done and what they failed to do. And we might be asked to explain how we let them get away with it in the first place. © Richard Leonard SJ.

PARISH PRAYER We, the people of Corio/Lara Catholic Parish give thanks and praise to God the Father. By the power of the Holy Spirit, may we become more like Jesus: listening to the Word of God and celebrating the Eucharist; sharing each other’s lives and forgiving one another; respecting creation and taking responsibility for our world. Like St Francis Xavier, may we offer light to those in darkness, and warmly welcome all people. Like St Anthony of Padua, may we nourish the hungry with wise words and kind deeds. St Francis Xavier, pray for us. St Anthony of Padua, pray for us.

PARISH MISSION STATEMENT We, the Catholic people of Corio/Lara guided by the Spirit, participate in Christ’s Mission.

With our gifts we create a Parish that welcomes all people.

PARISH CALENDARMONDAY23rd Oct

TUESDAY

24th Oct

WEDNESDAY25th Oct

THURSDAY26th Oct

FRIDAY27th Oct

SATURDAY28th Oct

SUNDAY29th Oct

8.45am Rosary9am Mass, Corio11am Parish Planning Day

9am Rosary9.15am Mass, Lara6.30pm Rosary, Novena, Corio

8.45am Rosary9am Mass, Corio

11.30am Seniors Mass, Lara7pm Bingo7pm Adoration

1pm – 4pm Child Safety Info Ron Lowe Room, Corio7pm Mass, Corio

9am Mass Lara10am Rosary Corio10.30am Mass Corio10am-3pm St Anthony’s Fete

ROSTERSTIME ANDDATE

READER/COMMENTATOR EUCHARIST MINISTERS

FLOWERS, ST FRANCIS CHURCH CLEANERS

28th Oct 2017 7pm Corio

L PankhurstK McCarthyWelcomer- L SagorHospitality- A & B Randall

D Rose CORIO – V BalfourLARA- ArrangementCLEANING- F Geerts & P Fitzgerald

28th Oct 2017 9am Lara

M TitfordT McManusWelcomer- G AndersonHospitality – at the Fair

N MeadeS JacksonG Foley

10.30am Corio V NeriC LeszykWelcome- L BragaHospitality- S & N Grootveld

M LeszykR MilocaniJ Gundayao

NEXT WEEKS READINGS- Ex 22:20-26; Ps 17:2-4,47,51; 1 Thes 1:5-10; Mt 22:34-40Deaths: Cheril MoylanSick: Nicholas Francis, Emily Gilson, Kirk Watson, Greg & Sally Brown, Jessica de Grandis, Andrea Franchina, Mary Christensen

Prayer Intention of Pope Francis for October 2017: Rights of workers and the unemployed. That all workers may receive respect and protection of their rights, and that the unemployed may receive the opportunity to contribute to the common good.

Vocation View: We do not choose a vocation completely on our own. We must prayerfully reflect on how we can best give to God what is God’s, and then live as

though everything depends on God.

Children’s Liturgy: The celebration of the Word for Children is held during Mass in Corio every Sunday. Lara Term 4: Oct 29, Nov 12, 19, Dec 3, 10, 17.

COLUMBAN CALENDAR: Calendars for 2018 are on sale in the Piety Stalls. They are still only $9.00. Get in early before they all sell as they make a lovely Christmas gift.

This weekend our parish will be holding the annual Catholic Mission World Mission Appeal. This year we are invited to share our support for the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Nha Trang, Vietnam as they work tirelessly to provide critical community resources such as clean drinking water and medical care to the country’s 12 million forgotten farming families, living in the coastal mountain regions. Please give generously. Thank you.

Fr Pius Kodakkathanath - A correction from last week’s Bulletin - Fr Pius, was previously Parish Priest at St Peter Apostle Mission Church in Hoppers Crossing, and belongs to the same Vincentian Order as Fr Manoj. Please make yourself known to Fr Pius , as he makes Corio/Lara his new home.

THANK YOU FROM FR MANOJ: I am truly humbled and deeply grateful for the many expressions of kindness, generosity, prayerful support and good wishes. Thank you to those of you who have sent cards, letters, emails, posts and texts - this week and over the past few weeks. Especially may I thank all those who organised, assisted with and attended the farewell dinner at SFX centre. It was a fantastic event, the memory of which I will always treasure. Finally, to all who contributed so generously to both the personal gift presented to me and very much the extraordinarily generous support given to the good work of St Vinnies. It will be of great help to many deserving people. May God bless you all for the kindness, support and encouragement which you have given me over the past 6 years. God bless you all. Fr Manoj

Child Safety Standards Information Session: Saturday 28th October an information session will be held in the Ron Lowe Room, Corio from 1pm – 4pm for ALL leaders of children’s groups in the Parish. This includes leaders of Legion of Mary groups, Families for Christ, Youth Group, Children’s Liturgy and any other groups which meet in our properties and which involve children. This information session will cover the Victorian Government regulations for Child Safety which we are now required by law to follow. Please put your name and contact number on the clipboard in the foyer to enable us to gauge numbers for seating and photocopying of information.

St Vinnies are requesting long life milk, pasta, pasta sauce, cereal and tinned foods. Also cash donations to the Poor Box would be greatly appreciated!

St Joseph’s College Old Collegians Association invite you to join us for our annual Remembrance Mass, paying tribute to past students, staff and benefactors of the College. The Mass will be held on Saturday 11 November in the College Chapel at 10.00am to be followed by light refreshments. RSVP for the Mass

Please RSVP for catering purposes, via the link below: (no cost)https://www.trybooking.com/SPHT

All Saints Day – Wed 1st Nov - Mass 9am Lara & 7pm CorioAll Souls Day – Thurs 2nd Nov - Mass 9am Corio & 7pm Lara

If anyone has lost a loved one during the year and would like a native plant for remembrance then please put your name on the list in the foyer. Plants will be given on All Souls day.

All Souls Mass will be celebrated by Fr Gerard Keith at the Catholic Chapel at Eastern Cemetery (enter via McKillop St) on Thursday 2nd November at 5.00pm. All invited with light refreshments available afterwards. Seating will be available both inside and outside the Chapel with a marquee provided if inclement weather.

ST ANTHONY’S FAIR NEXT SUNDAY 29TH OCTOBER

FEAST DAYS THIS WEEK: St. Anthony Claret – 24th October - Today the Church celebrates the optional memorial of St. Anthony Claret, bishop, the founder of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In 1849 Anthony gathered together five priests who formed the basis of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (popularly known as Claretians). At the suggestion of the Queen of Spain, Isabella II, Anthony was named archbishop of Santiago, Cuba (1850). For the next seven years he made

pastoral visitations, preached against the slavery of the Negroes, and regularized numerous marriages. Anthony Mary Claret died in the Cistercian monastery at Fontfroide in France on this date in 1870. He was canonized in 1950 and listed in the Roman calendar in 1960.

Sts. Simon and Jude – 28th October – Today the Church celebrates the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude whose names occur together in the Canon of the Mass and are also celebrated on the same day. Possibly this is because they both preached the Gospel in Mesopotamia and Persia where it is said they had both been sent, but in actual fact we know nothing for certain about them beyond what is told us of their being called as Apostles in the New Testament. St. Jude is the author of a short Epistle which forms part of the New Testament. St. Jude - Patron: Desperate situations; forgotten causes; hospital workers; hospitals; impossible causes; lost causes.

NOVENA to our Mother of Perpetual Help is on every Wednesday with a Rosary at 6.30pm followed by Novena of Mother of Perpetual Help at St Francis Xavier Church, Corio.

Parish Care Group: Carers are there for you at both Corio and Lara. The Care Group was established to support members of the Parish who are experiencing grief, loneliness or difficult times. If you would like a carer to visit you please ring the Parish Office or Pam Fitzgerald in Corio area on 5275 2507 or Lou Schepers in Lara Ph 0413 802 623.

BINGO: Is held in the Xavier Centre, Corio every Friday night starting at 7.30pm. There is a friendly atmosphere, great prizes, cool drinks and supper available for sale and free tea and coffee.

Fr Pius Kodakkathanath Parish Priest Pauline Gilmore & Diane Saliba Secretaries Bill Geerts Chairperson, Parish Pastoral CouncilMaria Scala Principal, St Francis Xavier School, Corio Ph 52751974

Natalie Heard Principal, St Anthony’s School, Lara Ph 52821415PARISH OFFICE 143 Bacchus Marsh Road, Corio 3214 VICTELEPHONE 5275 4120. email fxcorio@iinet.net.au Web: www.coriolaraparish.org.au OFFICE HOURS Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri - 9.00am - 4.00pm (1-1.30pm Lunch Break) Wednesday – Office ClosedWEEKEND MASS TIMES-Saturday- 7.00pm, St Francis Xavier, Corio. Sunday-9.00am - St Anthony’s Lara, 10.30am - St Francis Xavier, Corio.WEEKDAY MASS TIMES: Tuesday and Thursday-9am, St Francis Xavier, Corio, Wednesday,2nd &5th Friday 9.00am Anthony’s Lara. 1st &3rd Friday- 10.15am Hume Court Lara, 4th Friday- 11:30am St Anthony’s Lara. SATURDAY DEVOTION: Mass at 9:30am followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament every 1st Saturday each month, St Francis Xavier Church, Corio.RECONCILIATION-1st Sat of each month 10-10.30am and 6.15-6.45pm St Francis Xavier Church, Corio, 1st Sunday of each month- 8.15-8.45am St Anthony’s Church, Lara

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