Parish of Corio/Lara
St Francis Xavier Church, Corio
St Anthony of Padua Church, Lara
Archdiocese of Melbourne Australia
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Sunday 17th September, 2017
Today’sGospelis from St. Matthew 18:21-35
‘How many times …?’
What are the limits of love? Can love be measured? These questions lie behind Peter’s query about forgiveness. He obviously considers seven a most generous number since it echoes God’s words through the prophet Amos, ‘For three transgressions and for four, I will not revoke the punishment.’ (2:1). Jesus replies with an incalculable number ‘seventy times seven’. Forgiveness, like love, has no limits.
Since 11 September 2001, I have thought a lot about forgiveness. It seems to me there are just two choices we can make. We can go the way of ever-spiralling vengeance, forever ‘paying back’ the wrongs we experience, or we can reach into the depths of our God-given and Spirit-gifted lives and forgive – impossible though that might sound. Left to ourselves, perhaps forgiveness is not possible, but given the Spirit of Jesus we may be able to access his power and ‘turn the other cheek’. This is the almost crazy demand placed on Christians.
In the parable the slave owes an impossible amount to his master. The number, ten thousand talents, was simply the denomination in ancient accounting – perhaps today’s equivalent of a ‘billion’ dollars. Remember that parables make use of hyperbole and exaggeration. There is no need to imagine how a slave could possibly have run up this amount of debt. The point is the enormity of it and the sheer impossibility of the slave ever being in a position to repay it. In response to the master’s demand for repayment, and the threat of selling him and his family, the slave makes a ridiculous request for ‘more time’. Then, the unthinkable happens, the Master feels compassion for the slave – literally his very bowels are moved with emotion. He set him free and forgives his debt.
The scene quickly changes. The slave, released from his impossible debt goes and finds a fellow-slave owing him a paltry sum, and shows him no mercy. What is missing here is a pause – a time for the first slave to be aware of the extraordinary generosity of his master, to know deep in his own being the enormity of his debt and a corresponding gratitude for being freed from this impossible burden.
In the past decades, stories have emerged from Africa of the power of forgiveness. One woman, Iphigenia Mukantabana saw her husband and five children butchered by a rival Hutu tribe’s soldiers in 1994. Yet, today she is able to share a meal with the killer and his wife. Another Rwandan young woman, Immaculée Ilibagiza hid in a concealed bathroom for over ninety days while outside her family and village were slaughtered. She too found the strength to forgive and come to peace with the deaths of so many friends and neighbours. Consider also the efforts of Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela to bring about reconciliation following the regime of apartheid in South Africa. These almost impossible-to-believe accounts are history, not parable, but like the parable they challenge us to widen our capacities for forgiveness.
The parable sets up the measuring stick for Christian love and this measure is that of the generous, forgiving master. From the experience of God’s extraordinary generosity we ought to be able to be generous in our turn. The servant in the parable forgot his experience of being forgiven and focussed only on his being wronged. Christians need to be people with long memories, able to recall the times they have failed and been forgiven, and from this place reach out in forgiveness of others. Remembering that we fail again and again and again might enable us to forgive ‘seventy times seven’. Mary Coloe PBVM
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 CALENDAR
MONDAY18th Sept / TUESDAY UESDAY
19th Sept / WEDNESDAY
20th Sept / THURSDAY
21st Sept / FRIDAY
22nd Sept / SATURDAY
23rd Sept / SUNDAY
24th Sept
4pm Junior Legion of Mary, Corio
7pm SVDP Lara / 8.45am Rosary
9am Mass, Corio
7.30pm Baptism Preparation, Ron Lowe Room.
7.30pm Fundraising Meeting, Lara / 9am Rosary
9.15am Mass, Lara
6.30pm Rosary, Novena, Corio / 8.45am Rosary
9am Mass Corio / 11.30am Seniors Mass, followed by shared lunch, Lara
7pm Adoration
7pm Bingo / 7pm Mass Corio. / 9am Mass Lara
10.30am Mass
Corio
ROSTERS
TIME ANDDATE / READER/COMMENTATOR / EUCHARIST MINISTERS / FLOWERS, ST FRANCIS CHURCH CLEANERS
23rd Sept 2017
7pm Corio / K McCarthy
A Randall / F Moloney / CORIO – B Balfour
LARA- G Hynes
CLEANING- A & B Randall & K James
24th Sept 2017
9am Lara / FAMILY MASS
Hospitality-G Hynes & T McManus / L Kulic
P Limsowtin
R Spiteri
10.30am Corio / D Jiminez
V Neri
Welcomers- S & N Grootveld
Hospitality-E Barry & V Bennett / M Neri
A Buaya
R Buaya
NEXT WEEKS READINGS- Is 55:6-9; Ps 144:2-3, 8-9, 17-18; Phil 1:20-24, 27; Mt 20:1-16
Death: Jim McCarthy and Leo de Grandis.Anniversary: Kevin Ward
Sick: Nicholas Francis, Emily Gilson, Kirk Watson, Greg & Sally Brown,
Jessica de Grandis, Andrea Franchina and Craig Marais.
Baptisms: Beau Michael Ruussell, Miranda Kathleen Russell, Lotti Rose Hall,
Myles Junior Treanor
Prayer Intention of Pope Francis for September 2017: Evangelisation: That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.
Vocation View: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. “Make stand for mercy, empathy, forgiveness and selflessness1
Children’s Liturgy: The celebration of the Word for Children is held during Mass in Corio every Sunday. Lara Term 3: Sep 10, Term 4: Oct 8, 15, 29, Nov 12, 19, Dec 3, 10, 17.
IF YOU ARE CELEBRATING A SIGNIFICANT WEDDING ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR – 25, 30, 40, 50, 60+ YEARS – WE WILL CELEBRATE YOUR MILESTONE AT ALL MASSES ON 23RD & 24TH SEPTEMBER 2017 IN OUR PARISH. Please fill in your details on the clipboards provided in the foyer to enable us to recognise your marriage milestones.
FATHERS DAY COLLECTION FOR THE RETIRED PRIESTS- Thank you for your very generous donations which totalled $1210.50, which supports our growing number of retired priests.
Columban Calendar 2018 is available from the piety stall for $9
Thank you for your great support for the Parish Family Day on last Sunday
SVDP DINNER & FAREWELL FOR Fr MANOJSaturday 7th October, 7pm In the Xavier Centre Corio. Mass will be at 6pm. This is a fundraiser for SVDP and there will be an offering plate on the night for your donation to St. Vinnies for their wonderful work in our parish. We ask you to bring food to share - a main course (casserole/stir-fry/pie etc) and a dessert (cake/slice/biscuits etc) with the emphasis being to showcase food from your country of origin. BYO drinks, tea & coffee provided. This is our opportunity to thank Fr Manoj for his wonderful care of our Parish over the past 6 years.
SOME FUTURE DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
29th October: St Anthony’s Fair from 10am. We will be asking for help with the Plant Stall
and the Silent Auction and Raffle ticket sales.
28th October: Child Safety Standards Training – for leaders of all children’s groups
in the Parish. More details will follow closer to these dates.
WESTERN SPIRITUALITY IN THE PUB/CLUB: Tuesday 19 September, 6pm for dinner, 7.30pm for discussion
Club Italia, 128–152 Furlong Road, St Albans. The topic this month is Pope Francis’ statement, ‘In the Church, women are more important than bishops and priests’. Speakers will be Bishop Mark Edwards OMI, auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne in the western region of the archdiocese, and Denis Minogue, former Catholic priest for more than 30 years, since 2002 managing Adult Education Centres and Men’s Sheds. If you would like to dine at Club Italia prior to the event, dinner is served from 6pm. Phone 9367 4187 for reservations. The conversations begin at 7.30pm; the evening concludes at 9pm. Details: Anne Dowling at
BR MARK O’CONNOR: A TWILIGHT MEDITATION: Wednesday 20 September, 5–6pm. The Oratory, Newman College, 887 Swanston Street, Parkville. Brother Mark O’Connor FMS, Pope Francis Fellow, Newman College, will give this second of his two twilight meditations on the theme ‘Only connect: Pope Francis and the gift of encouraging others’.
Cost: Free. RSVP:
CELEBRATING GOD’S WORD IN THE FAMILY: WORKSHOPS FOR PRAYING AND PLAYING THE GOSPELS AT HOME: Thursday 21 September, 7.30pm Our Lady of Victories Basilica, Parish Hall, 548 Burke Road, Camberwell. Pauline Books & Media invite you to participate in concurrent workshops that will help families discover how they can engage with the gospel stories at home.Sharon Freeman’s workshop for parents aims to encourage and enable adults to share Bible stories creatively with children in the home. Catherine Place will engage children themselves to discover creative and playful activities that bring the stories of the Bible to life. The session will finish by 8.30pm, so bring children along. Details and RSVP: Sr Joanna on 0403 175 251or
MORAL THEOLOGY PUBLIC SEMINARS: JESUIT COLLEGE OF SPIRITUALITY: Saturday 23 September and Thursday 16 November. Jesuit College of Spirituality, 175 Royal Parade, Parkville. Rev. Dr Ai Pham SJ (Dean of Studies at Jesuit Theological College) is sharing his knowledge over three seminars, all of which are open to the general public. There are two remaining. The September seminar is ‘The primacy of love in moral theology’, from 10am to 12pm. In November Rev. Dr Pham will lead a seminar titled ‘The spiritual exercises and the formation of Christian conscience’ from 6pm to 8pm. Cost: Gold coin donation. Details: 9448 8276 or
“For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” – ROMANS 14:8
This is the essence of stewardship-everything we have and everything we are is a gift from God. We aren’t “owners” of anything, we are merely “stewards” of the gifts that God has given us, especially our very own lives. Pray to God, daily, and ask Him how he wants you to use the gifts He has given you.
FEAST DAYS THIS WEEK: St Matthew, Apostle, 21st September St Matthew was originally a tax collector for the Roman Government at Capernaum, before Jesus called him to become an apostle. Jesus’ contemporaries were surprised to see him associating with someone like Matthew, but Jesus explained that he had come “not to call the just, but the sinners”. In the Gospels of Mark and Luke, Matthew is called Levi, and so it is thought that he may have had both names. The first Gospel was believed to have been written by Matthew. His account of Christ’s life was written for his fellow Jews; to convince them that their anticipated Messiah had indeed come in the person of Jesus
Padre Pio, also known as Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, 23rd September. Born Francesco Forgione, Padre Pio grew up in a family of farmers in southern Italy. At the age of 15, Francesco joined the Capuchins and took the name of Pio. He was ordained in 1910 and was drafted during World War I. After he was discovered to have tuberculosis, he was discharged. On September 20, 1918, as he was making his thanksgiving after Mass, Padre Pio had a vision of Jesus. When the vision ended, he had the stigmata in his hands, feet, and side.
Life became more complicated after that. Medical doctors, Church authorities, and curiosity seekers came to see Padre Pio. In 1924, and again in 1931, the authenticity of the stigmata was questioned; Padre Pio was not permitted to celebrate Mass publicly or to hear confessions. He did not complain of these decisions, which were soon reversed. Padre Pio rarely left the friary after he received the stigmata, but busloads of people soon began coming to see him. Each morning after a 5 a.m. Mass in a crowded church, he heard confessions until noon. He took a mid-morning break to bless the sick and all who came to see him. Every afternoon he also heard confessions. In time his confessional ministry would take 10 hours a day; penitents had to take a number so that the situation could be handled. Many of them have said that Padre Pio knew details of their lives that they had never mentioned.
Padre Pio saw Jesus in all the sick and suffering. At his urging, a fine hospital was built on nearby Mount Gargano. A number of people have reported cures they believe were received through the intercession of Padre Pio. Those who assisted at his Masses came away edified; several curiosity seekers were deeply moved. Like SaintFrancis, Padre Pio sometimes had his habit torn or cut by souvenir hunters.
One of Padre Pio’s sufferings was that unscrupulous people several times circulated prophecies that they claimed originated from him. He never made prophecies about world events and never gave an opinion on matters that he felt belonged to Church authorities to decide. He died on September 23, 1968, and was beatified in 1999