ST MARTHA’S PARISH STRATHFIELD

‘Who is my neighbour’ … Luke 10

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR CATHOLIC PRESS.

Copies of the Catholic Weekly $2 & Catholic Leader $2.50 are available at the Church Entrances.

GLUTEN FREE HOSTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY CELIAC PARISHIONERS. IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION PLEASE TELL THE CHURCH WARDEN OR SEE AN ACOLYTE IN THE SACRISTY PRIOR TO MASS.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

IF YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THE

FOLLOWING MINISTRIES YOU ARE

REQUIRED TO SIGN IN - ACOLYTES;

READERS; EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS; CHOIR; CHILDREN’S LITURGY

(LEADERS & CHILDREN) & SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM (LEADERS &

CHILDREN). SIGN IN FOLDERS ARE KEPT IN THE SACRISTY. THANK YOU

FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.

ALTAR SERVERS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE SACRISTY

WITHOUT A PARENT/TEACHER. THE SIGN IN FOLDER IS

LOCATED IN THE CORRIDOR OUTSIDE THE SACRISTY.

A MESSAGE FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY.

Abuse is a crime. The appropriate people to deal with a crime are the police. If

you – or anyone you know – have been abused, please contact the police.

Alternatively, you can contact the Safeguarding and Ministerial Integrity Office at

9390 5810 or safeguardingenquiies@sydneycatholic.org. You may also want to

speak to your Parish Priest who will be able to provide support and guidance.

The Archdiocese has a legal obligation to report crimes to the police..

Please be aware that if you “TAG” St Martha’s in photos on your Facebook page, the images also appear on an “unofficial” St Martha’s Facebook page. This “unofficial” page was created

automatically by Facebook and is not controlled by St Martha’s. We kindly remind you to take care when uploading photos of any

children without parent consent.

SHARING OF THE WORD Our weekly meetings are held at St Martha’s parish hall on Monday evenings at 7.30pm. However we are

currently on a winter break and will resume in August. Everyone would be most welcome to join our group

when we resume our sessions.

MASS TIMES

Tuesdays: 7.30am Wednesdays: 9.10am

Thursdays: 9.10am Fridays: 9.10am

Saturdays: 9.10am, 5pm Vigil Mass

Sundays: 8.00am; 10.00am & 6.00pm

1st Saturday of every month: 8-9am Adoration, 9am Benediction,

9.10am Healing Mass and Anointing of the Sick, followed by

reconciliation

RECONCILIATION: Saturday after 9.10am Mass or by appointment.

BAPTISM:

2nd & 4th Sundays of the month at 11.00am

by appointment only. (One months’ notice is required).

Contact the Parish Office.

Next Preparation Session: 4th August 2019 at 9.15am in Parish Hall

MARRIAGES: By appointment only.

(6 months’ notice is required).

ROSARY: Tuesday after morning Mass, Wednesday to Saturday 8.30am

and 7.30pm on Fridays in conjunction with Marian Movement of Priests Cenacle and Divine Mercy Chaplet.

LIFE ASCENDING GROUP:

Tuesday 16th

July 2019

PRAYER GROUP / ADORATION AT

ST MARTHA’S CHURCH: Resumes Monday 22nd July at 10.30am to 11.30am

SYDNEY MALAYEALEE ROMAN CATHOLIC

COMMUNITY

Rosary, Mass & Adoration from 6.30pm to 9pm on

the 2nd Saturday of each month. Rosary & Bible Sharing 6.30pm on

the 4th Saturday of the month

ADORATION AT SISTER DISCIPLES

OF THE DIVINE MASTER: Daily from 2.30pm-6.00pm

Please continue to support the St Vincent De Paul Society

through the Church Poor Boxes.

THE PARISH OF ST MARTHA’S ACKNOWLEDGES THE WANGUL PEOPLE AS THE TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS OF THE LAND ON WHICH THE CHURCH IS BUILT

Parish Priest: Fr Jacek (Jack) Cichy Priest in Residence: Fr Michael Milinga

Administration Coordinator: Nicolle Mazzaferro (Mon-Thurs) admin@stmarthas.org.au Lectors/Communion Ministry: Helen Williamson Music Ministry: Marcella Ayoub & Jane Phillips

Plenary Council 2020 Ambassador: Helena O’Neill Sacramental Coordinator: Patricia Saad (Monday & Tuesday) sc@stmarthas.org.au

Safeguarding Officer: Dianne Dawson safeguarding@stmarthas.org.au Youth Ministry: Jessica Gereis youth@stmarthas.org.au

St Martha’s School: 9764 1184 Email: info@stmstrathfield.catholic.edu.au

Principal: Judy Gastin Assist Principal: Leanne Meehan

Acting REC: Angela Smith

Vision:

Welcoming

Eucharistic

Transformed by the Word

Full of Grace

Proclaiming Good News

Mission:

Alive with the Spirit

Inspired by St Martha

We Celebrate & Witness

God’s love

Using our Gifts & Talents

70 Homebush Rd Strathfield NSW 2135 Phone: 9746 6131 Fax: 9764 3040

Email: office@stmarthas.org.au Website: www.stmarthas.org.au

Parish Office: Mon- Fri 9.00am-3.00pm

Please continue

to support the St Vincent De Paul Society

through the Church Poor Boxes.

PLEASE BE AWARE OF YOUR BELONGINGS WHEN YOU ARE ATTENDING MASS.

WE ADVISE YOU TO KEEP YOUR PURSE, WALLET, KEYS, OR OTHER VALUABLE

ITEMS WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES.

WWC CLEARANCES MUST BE COMPLETED IF YOU

WISH TO BE INCLUDED ON THE NEXT ROSTER.

A Working With Children Clearance

is now required for those participating in the

following ministries:

Lectors/Readers

Eucharistic Ministers (Church)

Wardens & Collection Plate

Money Counters

Visitation Ministers (Nursing Homes)

In order to meet the strict guidelines which have been set out by the Archdiocese of Sydney, all members of the

above ministries will now need to apply for a Working with Children Check. These protocols and procedures

embody the inherent values of the Catholic Church. The community has very clear expectations in matters relating

to child protection and expects children will be protected from all forms of harm including sexual, physical and

psychological harm, ill treatment and neglect. This procedure to apply for a WWC can only be done online by

following the steps below. Alternately, you can make a time to come into the Parish Office and we will assist you

with the process. This process only needs to be done once every 5 years to clear you for volunteer work in any

parish, school or nursing home/aged care facility in NSW. Multiple checks are not required once you are issued

with a WWC number. If you have already completed this process previously and hold a current WWC number,

please notify the parish office.

Below are the steps to apply online.

Step 1.

Please type the following link into your web browser:-

http://www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/Working-with-children/Working-With-Children-Check/apply/apply

Step 2.

Complete the details noting that the child related sector is RELIGIOUS SERVICES from the drop down box.

Step 3.

You will receive an email from the Roads and Maritime Services which needs to be printed out and taken to any

RMS Office for ID verification. As volunteers, there is no cost involved. (the nearest office is NSW Government

Business Services Centre located at 1-17 Elsie Street Burwood)

Step 4.

Once you receive a “Notice to Employers” please forward it to the Parish Office along with a copy of your

Driver’s Licence for verification purposes.

Please note that the parish requires copies of the following 4 documents:-

1. Working with Children Notice to Employers.

2. Current Driver’s Licence or a Photo ID that shows your date of birth.

3. Signed Volunteer Acceptance Form (form is available at the side entrance Safeguarding Notice Board)

4. Signed Code of Conduct Form (form is available at the side entrance Safeguarding Notice Board)

If you have any questions or need assistance with this process please contact our Safeguarding Officer

Dianne Dawson or Nicolle at the Parish Office on 9746 6131 (option 2) or via email:

safeguarding@stmarthas.org.au or admin@stmarthas.org.au

The emotional, physical and spiritual safety, well-being and dignity of children is an integral part of the teachings

and values of the Catholic Church. The Archdiocese is wholly committed to ensuring the safety, well-being and

dignity of all children, and we acknowledge that we have a moral and spiritual responsibility to create a safe and

nurturing environment for children within our parish community. I thank you in advance for your cooperation and

prompt attention.

THE CHURCH WILL BE LOCKED AT MIDDAY DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS, THEN DAILY AT 4.30PM

UNTIL DAYLIGHT SAVINGS COMMENCES.

TAX DEDUCTIBILITY ON WEEKLY PLANNED GIVING

ENVELOPES AND MONTHYLY CREDIT CARD

DONATIONS WILL

INCREASE TO 30% FROM 1ST

JULY 2019.

New sets of 2019/20 Planned Giving Envelopes are now available for collection.

We encourage all Parishioners to join the giving system by either Weekly Envelope or Monthly Credit Card

as this is the main income of the parish, by means of which we run everyday expenses, funds projects and

plan for the future.

If you would like to join forms are available in the Church Foyer which can be returned via any collection

plate or directly to the parish office.

The Sacrament of Confirmation 2019 - Confirmation will be celebrated on

Saturday the 7th of September at 2pm. If your child is in year 6 or above, and you

would like to enrol your child, please send in the application form by Monday, July

29, 2019. Application forms can be emailed or dropped into the office. Application

forms are available on the website or at the back of the church.

TRAINING FOR NEW ALTAR SERVERS WILL BE HELD IN

THE CHURCH AT 4PM ON SATURDAY 27TH

JULY.

CAN YOU SPARE 1-2 HOURS ON WEDNESDAYS

DURING THE SCHOOL TERM ONLY? More Catechists and Catechist Helpers are urgently needed for

scripture classes at Marie-Bashir & Homebush Public Schools

between 10.30AM and 12.00PM. Contact Lorraine Kazzi (St Martha’s Catechist Coordinator) on 0400

505 205 if you can assist. Please note that you will need to obtain a Working With Children Check &

Clearance Number to assist in this Ministry.

Dear Parishioners, on behalf of St Martha's Conference, of the St Vincent de Paul Society, I would like to extend sincere thanks for your generosity and contributions to the recent Winter Appeal which raised $5,977.20. These funds will greatly assist members of our community in Strathfield, Homebush and Flemington parishes during what can be very difficult

times. Many Thanks for your ongoing support. Philip Rogers President St Martha's Conference SVDP.

Retirement Village (over 55’s) 18 Margaret Street

Strathfield. Newly refurbished one bedroom Unit available.

(Loan/Licence Agreement) Contact Sue Halliday 9746 2978.

MARIA FORDE CELTIC TOUR 2019 - For 15 years I have welcomed parishioners from all over Australia to our annual Maria Forde Celtic Tour of Ireland. This year you are invited on board our Celtic Winter Wonderland Tour November 27- December 11th, 2019. As well as spectacular destinations throughout Northern and Southern Ireland, we will enjoy live traditional Irish music, beautiful churches and monasteries, open fires, beautiful accommodation, and a luxury coach. The tour group is small (only 20) for those who are traveling alone and we are offering a three-day optional visit of the Christmas markets in Germany from December 11-14th I guarantee you a trip of a lifetime and your very own musical guide! For your

itinerary please go to www.mariaforde.com or call Maria Forde on 0411158593, Debbie at Emerald Travel on 0396902123 or email mariaforde1@gmail.com

MASS INTENTIONS

Recently Deceased:

Antoinette Ferlito, Mark Kelleher, Barbara Clune, Jean King (Sr Shirley o.p’s sister).

Repose Of The Soul:

Fr Adrian Horgan, Fr Paul Ryan, Br Ray Dowding, Ken Fraser, Connie Wong, Paul Daniel Maher, Lois Walsh, Aldo Amarino, Salvatore (Phillip) Puglisi, Dan Dillon, William (Bill) & Dorothy Starr, Roger O’Reilly, Christopher Cassaniti, Michael & Mary Cassar, Francesco & Maria Colagiuri, Lisa Cooke, Anne Cecilia Glass, Reginald & Agnes Glass, Gerald & Frances Gleeson, Faado Herro, Elias Mounayer, Guiseppe & Romilda Reginato, Patrick & Janet Reynolds, Jim Reynolds, Ken Rich, Monica & Patrick Ryan, Stephen Maxwell Stewart & Christopher John Stewart, Elie Sahyoun, Joseph Sahyoun, Paul Nohra, John Coulson, Maureen Keating, Hamid Taouk, Dr Stephanie Winfield, Philip Winfield.

Anniversaries: Joseph Ayoub, Clara Suh, Henry O’Hara, John Harrington, Lawrie Soares, Bruce Thurn, Joe Rumore, Joseph Tabbakh, Margaret Riordan, Veronica Riordan, Antonio Truscello, Anastasia Zafirakis, Monsignor Greg Weaver & all those whose anniversaries occur at this time.

Sick Intentions: Amelia Khoo, Gerald Wilson, Rob Reberger, Bede Murphy, Paul Choi, Fernan De Claro, David Freeland, Mounty Hidayat, Dinh Bich Thieu, Ella Skuric, Paul & Anne Hunter, Frances Spicer, Beryl Morahan, Paul Van Tho Phan, Freda Bracks, Sarina Vartulli, Minh T Hoang, Sharon Phillips, June Jessop, Ma Concepcione Cue, Mildred Azares Panes, Cedric Fernandez, Rosalinda & Gerard Ison, Alicia Pearce, Jean Broudou, Adele Di Lorenzo, Estelle Thurn, Br Jude Butcher cfc, Lucy Washburn, Cristiano Missak, Rita Fragassi, Peter Starr, Sophia Druart, Francisca Mendoza.

Special Intentions: B.M, Fiona & Paul Raggett, Mary, Liam & Ryan Kelleher, Fiona & Paul Raggett, Vince Tomaino, Elizabeth, Matteo & Caterina Genova, Antoinetta & Salvatore Schinella, Michael & Alexandra Gereis, Filomena Pagano, Raffaele Pagano, Deceased Friends, Relatives & Benefactors of the Dominican Order & the St Vincent de Paul Society & Benefactors, Holy Souls.

Mass is the highest form of worship on Earth. There are many fruits and graces that result from having a Mass offered. Mass Intention Envelopes are located on the table in the Church Foyer.

Roster 20th & 21st July

VIGIL 8AM 10AM 6PM

Special Czarina Mendoza-Cruz Peter Yamin Claudia Elias Theresa Ravi

Ministers Cathy Milgate Geraldine O’Sullivan Georgia E. Lilly Ravi

Meaghan Williamson

VIGIL 8AM 10AM 6PM

Readers Ella Murillo Beatrice Cooney Helen Williamson John Edwards

Marianna Soo Tashya Koelmeyer Volunteer Needed Paul Kennedy

VIGIL 8AM 10AM 6PM

Altar Giselle C. George C. Elijah M. Katarina S.

Servers Elizabeth C. Elias C. Aidan M. Volunteer Needed

Volunteer Needed Volunteer Needed Volunteer Needed Volunteer Needed

Volunteer Needed Volunteer Needed Volunteer Needed Volunteer Needed

Wardens VIGIL 8AM 10AM 6PM

Anne Chow Georgette Sahyoun Trudie Rogers Phil Robinson

Children’s 10AM 10AM

Liturgy School Holidays

L’Arche is an international federation of faith communities where people with and without

an intellectual disability share life together. L’Arche, a French word for the Ark, seeks to

create communities where people live a simple life of work, care, prayer and celebration. If

you are interested in becoming a volunteer or if you know of anyone with a disability may

need assistance please contact Stephanie Lan, Community Life Coordinator on 9787 8132.

Background on the Gospel Reading 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Loyola Press) As Jesus continues his journey to Jerusalem, he is confronted by a scholar of the law who wants to test him. In the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, Jesus is asked about the greatest commandment. Here, in Luke's Gospel, the lawyer asks what we must do to inherit eternal life. In the other two Gospels, Jesus answers the question by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, on loving

God with all your heart, and Leviticus 19:18, on loving your neighbour. Here Jesus asks the expert to answer this question, “What is written in the law?” The man is caught and responds with Deuteronomy 6:5. This verse is one of the most important prayers in Judaism, and it was said twice a day in Jesus' time. Love of God and love of neighbour are what is required for eternal life. Jesus' response is simple, “Do this and you will live.” Having been shown up by Jesus, the lawyer tries another question: Who is my neighbour whom I must love like myself? In the society of Jesus' time, with its distinctions between Jews and Gentiles, men and women, clean and unclean, this was a trick question. Jesus responds with one of the most beautiful of all the parables, the Good Samaritan. It is found only in Luke's Gospel. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho descends 3,300 feet in just 17 miles. Its narrow passes and rocky terrain made it an easy place for bandits to wait for travellers. The traveller in this parable is identified only as “a certain man.” Luke uses this phrase in many of his parables so that the audience, Jew or Gentile, could identify with the man. After the attack, the man is left for dead, naked and bleeding on the side of the road. A priest comes along, but rather than helping, as one might expect, he moves to the other side of the road. Another religious person comes along, a Levite who assists in the Temple. His reaction is the same as the priest's. Both of them choose to not even find out if the man is alive. A third person comes along. The listeners would probably expect him to be an Israelite. This would make the parable a criticism of the religious leadership. Instead he is a Samaritan, an Israelite's most hated neighbour. Samaritans were descendents of Jews from the northern part of the country, who had intermarried with Gentiles and did not worship in Jerusalem. The Samaritan not only goes over to the injured man but cleans his wounds, puts him on his own animal, takes him to an inn to recover, and promises to pay all his expenses. The hated enemy is the compassionate neighbour in this parable. Jesus has demolished all boundary expectations. It is not social definitions such as class, religion, gender, or ethnicity that determines who is our neighbour. A neighbour is a person who acts with compassion toward another. The point becomes not who deserves to be loved as I love myself, but that I become a person who treats everyone with compassion. When Jesus asks the lawyer who was the neighbour in the story, the lawyer can't bring himself to say it was the Samaritan. All he says is that it was “the one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus' response was similar to that of the first discussion: “Go and do likewise.” The lawyer, and we, know what is right. The key is to do it.

WALK WITH CHRIST

In light of it being the Feast of Corpus Christi we ask all parishioners to save the date for a very special celebration for all Sydney Catholics. Please join your fellow Sydneysiders in the Walk with Christ annual Eucharistic Procession through the streets of Sydney on the Feast of Christ The King on November 24 at 2.30pm. Thousands of people took part in last year’s joyful public proclamation and act of worship to invoke Christ’s blessing upon our beautiful city. Meet at the corner of Martin Place & Pitt Street at 2.30pm on November 24.

St Martha’s Community Prayer Mornings – Did you know that people are praying for you? Yes- every

Monday morning 10:30 am to 11:30 am (during school terms, not the holidays) a group of your fellow

parishioners gather at St. Martha’s Church to pray for our community and the special needs of the people in our

world.

The prayer group time includes:

The morning prayer of the Church

(Including the hymns and psalms of the Diving Office played on CD)

Time for prayerful intercession

Time for quiet reflection in front of the Blessed Sacrament

Time for reflection on the following Sunday’s gospel

Why don’t you come along and pray with us? For those who cannot attend there will be

a book of special intentions (at the back of the church). The book will be placed on our

prayer table each week so these private intentions can be offered up at this time.

What do we do when the Prayer Intention books are filled?

(Remembering prayers to God are never forgotten or wasted)

We burn completed books and the ashes of those prayers are placed in the garden surrounding the Church.

Some Rules for Peace-Making

by Ron Rolheiser

Perhaps the deepest imperative within the entire moral life is that of being non-

violent. It undergirds everything else: Thou shalt not violate others! So reads the

most basic of all commandments. But, for all its importance, it is a certain moral

minimum. Beyond being non-violent, we are asked to be, positively, peace-makers.

However, all efforts at peace-making must be predicated on non-violence. Violent

efforts that try for peace are themselves part of the problem. With this in mind, let me paraphrase Jim Wallis – who draws

these principles from such great peace-makers as Gandhi, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King, Thomas Merton, and William

Stringfellow. Wallis suggests that if our efforts at peace-making are to be fruitful, both within the intimate circles of our

primary communities as well as in the wider circles of social justice, we must truly remain non-violent. That implies the

following: All our actions for peace must be rooted in the power of love and the power of truth and must be done for the

purpose of making that power known and not for making ourselves known. Our motivation must always be to open people to

the truth and not to show ourselves as right and them as wrong. Our best actions are those which admit our complicity and

are marked by a spirit of genuine repentance and humility. Our worst actions are those that seek to demonstrate our own

righteousness, our purity, and our moral distance from the violence we are protesting. Whenever our pride overtakes our

protest we are simply repeating in a political form the self-righteousness judgement of the fundamentalist: “I’m saved and

you are not!” Action done in public always carries with it the great danger of presumption. Hence it should always be done in

the spirit of humility and invitation. Judgement, arrogance, and exclusiveness, which so often mark our protest, are signs of

spiritual immaturity and protest characterized by such things will have the effect of hardening hearts and cementing people in

their present opinions. Protest just as easily perpetuates as dispels public blindness. Moreover, never has the need for genuine

non-violence been greater than now. However, its chief weapon is the application of spiritual force and not the use of

coercion. A very serious problem in the peace movement is sometimes the hidden aggression, the manipulation, the assertive

ego, the desire for provocation that can work beneath the surface of moral platitudes about the commitment to non-violence.

The rhetorical cloak of non-violence can be used to hide the will to power which is the very foundation of violence. The

desire to win over others, to defeat one’s enemies, to humiliate the opposition, are all characteristics of violence and are still

too painfully evident in almost all of our peace efforts. Our anger, our infighting, and our lack of respect for others, is hardly

evidence that the will to power has been overcome. We should know by now that violence is of a piece. If that is true, then

the violence of dissent is directly linked to the violence of the established order. In fact, it is a mere reflection of it. Nor may

we justify excesses in the peace movement and in ourselves by appealing to a greater violence in the system. The urgency of

the present situation calls for more, not less, care in the actions we undertake. At its heart, non-violence does not try to

overcome the adversary by defeating him, but by convincing him. It tries to turn an adversary into a friend, not by winning

over her, but by winning her over. As well, patience is central to non-violence. Non-violence is based upon the kind of

patience that the bible speaks of as “enduring all things”. Thomas Merton taught that the root of war is fear. If that is true,

then we must become much more understanding of the fears that people have. The most effective peace-makers are those

who can understand the fears of others. Finally, genuine peace-making springs from genuine hope. Bill Stringfellow once

scolded a peace group by telling them something to this effect: “I notice in your conversations a drastic omission, the

resurrection. The victory of God over death is already assured and our modest task in peace-making is simply to live in a way

that reveals that fact. We do not have to triumph over death by our own inspiration, efforts, and strategy. We do not have to

defeat death all over again. Psalm 58 tells us: ‘Surely there is God who rules over the earth!’ We must never forget that.

That hope, and not anger, must direct protest. Moreover, that hope, belief in the resurrection, is not a feeling or a mood, it is a

necessary choice for survival.”