Pope Francis says…

Parish Pastoral Council Contact: secretary@stcolumba.org.au

Vision statement

To witness to the Gospel, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to the eternal love of Christ; by building and sustaining an open, welcoming and friendly community in which people grow in their relationships with God, each other and the wider community.

Mission statement

The mission of St Columba's Parish Pastoral Council is to:

welcome and embrace new parishioners;

support and direct the work of the Parish Priest, Pastoral Associate, and parish groups;

support and encourage the people of St Columba's parish;

provide vision and direction to the people of St Columba's parish;

collaborate with the parish school;

give members of our parish community a voice; and

empower people to lead and make positive contributions to our parish and the wider community.

To achieve this, we:

see;

judge;

act; and

review.

We, as a group, are fundamentally committed to:

prayer and reflection;

our shared Catholic faith;

bringing Christ's love and grace to Leichhardt and the broader community;

acting co-operatively as a group based on participation and consensus, not factions or parties; and

facilitating the spiritual growth of all under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Fr Peter Smith Parish Priest Bernard Ryan Principal Nicola Connors Family Ed. Adrian Overs Chairperson Chantal Nguyen Secretary

Dan O'Brien Mark Breen Carmel Reid Vasile Tiano Renata Popovic-Tomac

CWF PASTORAL APPEAL The Charitable Works Fund (CWF) is the premier charity of the Sydney

Archdiocese, covering social and pastoral services, education and training, and advocacy services to all sections of your community, regardless of race, religion or social status. To continue its work, the CWF needs your financial help. Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. Envelopes are available in the foyer of the Church. Your gift will help someone in your community who could use a helping hand or be given better opportunities, so please give generously. Thank you for your support. www.cwf.org.au

PARISH GIVING Thank you for your continued support.

If you participate in our Planned Giving Program using weekly envelopes, the new envelopes are ready for

collection in the foyer of the Church. Some envelope numbers have changed, this is to reduce the number of

excess envelopes we need to purchase (as they are ordered sequentially).

If you would like to join our Planned Giving Program (envelopes or credit card), please complete the Parish Information form available in the foyer of the Church.

Please return to the parish office or via email: admin@stcolumba.org.au

TAX RECEIPTS For those who indicated on their CWF and Cash

Project Compassion Donations (credit card and cheque will come directly from Caritas to you), please find

your statements in the foyer of the Church.

Social Justice - St Columba’s

Thursday August 9 is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. August 9 also marks the anniversary of the destruction of Nagasaki by an atomic bomb. The poor and the earth are crying out. O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future, for the coming of your Kingdom of justice, peace, love and beauty. A Christian prayer in union with Creation, Pope Francis.

18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR B, 4TH AND 5TH AUGUST 2018 We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we stand. We walk on a land once occupied by the Gadigal People

of the Eora Nation, who lived in this area for over 30,000 years. May we continue to love and respect the land as they have.

From Fr Peter’s Desk…. Parish Details: 213 Elswick St, North Leichhardt 2040 (02) 9569 2267

(02) 9569 5381 admin@stcolumba.org.au

www.stcolumba.org.au

Office Hours: 9:30am-2:30pm Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

All bulletin notices to be in by 5pm Wednesday (Please type or print your message clearly).

Parish Priest: Fr Peter Smith……. admin@stscolumba.org.au

Parish Office Administrator Marcia Droguett….. admin@stcolumba.org.au

Pastoral Council Secretary…………. secretary@stcolumba.org.au

St Columba’s School Principal: Bernard Ryan….. 9569 1270

Sunday Mass Times: Saturday Vigil……………………….5:00pm Sunday……………………………..……8:00am Sunday Family Mass……………10:00am

Weekday Services: Tuesday: 8:30am (Communion Service) Friday: 8:45am (Rosary) Friday: 9:15am (Mass)

Anointing Mass: Last Friday of each month at 9:15am

Reconciliation: Saturday at 4:30pm

Baptisms 1st Sunday of the month, except January. Please email Marcia, admin@stcolumba.org.au, to arrange an appointment prior.

Marriages: By Appointment, please email Marcia, admin@stcolumba.org.au to arrange.

If you would like to contribute to the Parish Planned Giving please speak to Fr Peter, pick up a form in the

Church foyer or contact the office.

Find us at www.facebook.com/stcolumbasleichhardt/

This Week . . .

Tuesday: 8:30am Communion Service Friday: 8:45am Rosary and 9:15am Mass Saturday: 5pm Vigil Sunday: 8am Mass and 10am Family Mass All welcome

God provided a mysterious food called manna for the Israelites during their time

in the desert. However they were told

not to stockpile the manna, but to gather only what they needed

for one day. Jesus told his disciples not to worry

about tomorrow. He said, When you pray to your heavenly

Father, you are to say, ‘Give us this day our daily bread’.

No matter how difficult life may be, for those who trust in God

and who live a day at a time, the manna falls every day.

Today’s Liturgy

Entrance Antiphon: Psalm 69:2,6

O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me! You are my rescuer, my help; O Lord, do not delay.

1st Reading: Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 I will rain bread from heaven upon you.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 77:3-4, 23-25, 54 The Lord gave them bread from heaven. 2nd Reading: Ephesians 4:17, 20-24 Put on the new person that has been created in God’s image.

Gospel Acclamation: Matthew 4:4 Alleluia, alleluia No one lives on bread alone, but on every word that come from the mouth of God. Alleluia!

Gospel John 6:24-35 Whoever comes to me will never be hungry; whoever believes in me will never thirst.

Communion Antiphon: John 6:35 You have given us, O Lord, bread from heaven, endowed with all delights and sweetness in ever taste.

We remember all our deceased Relatives and Friends…… Anniversary: Robert Herbert,

Pauline Fernandes, Coral Jones, Fr Cecil Smith SJ, Pierre Alouan, Mario Reginato, Frances Blayney

Please note: Names will be removed from the sick list

We pray for all those who are sick, including:

William Francis O’Connor, Fr George Carrol, Mary Gleeson, Steve Bates, Michael Brake, Bill Patterson,

Rosa Maria Santos, Cienna Psaila, Patricia O’Toole, Ida Pavelka, Joan Windsor, Raquel Bailey, Fr John

Milliken, and all those at The Marion Aged Care, Lewisham Nursing Home and Annesley House

To our Readers, Commentators, Eucharistic Ministers & Offertory Processors Thank you for continuing to support your parish in this special way. Please remember to always check the roster and, if you are no longer available on one of your rostered dates, could you please arrange a replacement using the

contact list provided with the roster. (T he roster can be found on the website). T hank you for your assistance. There are also now a few more copies of ‘Break Open the Word’ in the sacristy for those who needed a copy.

ROSTER NEXT WEEKEND: 11th & 12th August 2018, 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B 1 Kings 19:4-8 ; Psalm 33:2-9 ; Ephesians 4:30—5:2 ; John 6:51 ; John 6:41-51

SATURDAY SUNDAY 5pm 8am 10.00am

Commentator Rachel Launders Ruth Kelly Rosa Riotto

Reader Tania Peccedi Steve Rabbitt Naomi Jacobs

Offertory Yvette Gerondeau Robyn Bird

Carmel Reid Terri Macks Family Mass

Ministers of the Eucharist

Sr. Elly Robyn Rodwell Eve Reskakis

Loretto Richardson Bozena Zurek

Catherine King Gordon Burke Dan O’Brien

Marion Aged Care Minister Thursday, 9th August - The Marion - Steve Burke

Please remember the children and their families from our Parish who are beginning their preparation to receive their First Holy Communion in Early

September, with their Enrolment mass this weekend.

FRIDAY 17th AUGUST

6PM—8:45PM

BBQ

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

GUEST SPEAKERS

from VINNIES &

ORANGE SKY

LAUNDRY

Social Justice - St Columba’s

Our next meeting is on September 5 at 6.15pm in the Parish Hall. Please feel free to join us and share a meal. If you’d like to know more, please contact Therese Briggs theris58@gmail.com

The minutes of our meetings are available on the parish website.

Cuts to support services (SRSS) for people seeking asylum

Letters are already going out to out to people seeking asylum informing them that their SRSS support payments will end if they do not have a sufficient reason for not being able to work. At a forum last week, we heard from key agencies in the sector about the implications of these cuts. Agen-cies present at the forum included: Vinnies, House of Welcome, Salvation Army and Jesuit Refugee Service, Asylum Seeker Centre and Settlement Services International. We learnt that major impacts will be experienced in employment, accommodation, mental health and finances:

Employment The difficulties in obtaining employment when you don’t have permanency. People seeking asylum are already at risk of being exploited in the workplace, and in desperation, are often forced to obtain work in unsafe and/or unregulated work conditions. Accommodation Without income, many will be unable to pay rent – leading to overcrowded living conditions, couch surfing, sleeping in garages, and homelessness. Many will be forced to rely on the overstretched resources of agencies and church and community groups. Mental Health Agencies who provide mental health support will no longer receive funding. In addition, people seeking asylum will no longer have access to PBS Financial impact In summary – without SRSS welfare payments, people seeking asylum will be unable to pay for basic necessities – food, utilities, medical appointments, travel and so on.

As you might appreciate, this is a desperate situation. More than ever, community groups are needed to help. We will be working out ways we, as a parish and as individuals, can help. More to come!

Social Justice - St Columba’s

Anti - Slavery: What our governments are doing about modern slavery Exciting news….NSW has become the first Australian jurisdiction to pass specific modern slavery legislation. The legislation mandates that businesses submit an annual modern slavery statement, and includes penalties for non-compliance. A Modern Slavery Bill was introduced into the Australian Parliament in June this year. It has been referred to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee. A report is due on 24 August 2018.

What’s happening in our schools The Sydney Archdiocesan Anti-Slavery Taskforce is working with Catholic Schools NSW on anti-slavery strategies for buying goods and services. What we can do…..Let’s start with chocolate! To buy slavery-free chocolate look for any of these certification labels on wrappers: Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and UTZ. The following are certified slavery free: Aldi stocks a wide range of chocolate certified by UTZ Cadbury dairy milk chocolate bars made in Australia

(certified by Fairtrade) Mars Bars made in Australia (certified by Rainforest

Alliance) All Nestle chocolate made in Australia and New

Zealand (certified by UTZ) HAIGHS source 70% of their cocoa from UTZ certified

farms. This year, their Easter range was 100% certified.

Caring for Creation “Many things have to change course, but it is we human beings above all who need to change.” Laudato Si, Chapter 6 Remember the solar panel offer from Justice and Peace Office? Th ere’s now a new off er, closing August 31. Check out the JPO website for details. Don’t forget the little things we can all do.… Two sug-gestions are: switch off the lights when not in use, and boil only as much as we need in the kettle. It all adds up!

This week This week is National Homeless Persons Week (for more information see The Human Face of Homeless-ness by Liz de Chastel and Frank Brennan SJ – ACJSC Catholic Social Justice Series no. 80, 2017), and is also National Missing Persons Week.

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