Welcome to this week’s edition of Kadishat, our weekly newsletter. I encourage you all to click on the link below the read Kadishat in which you will find our parish events, saints of the week, the history of the Maronites and reflections about this week’s readings and Gospel (Matthew 10:16-25) where Our Lord prepares His disciples for their mission in the world:
Please click here to download the full Kadishat newsletter with Arabic translation.
St Charbel’s Parish Annual Dinner- 13 October 2012
St Charbel’s Parish is holding its first Annual Parish Dinner on Saturday 13 October at St Charbel’s Multi-Purpose Hall. All funds raised will go towards the launching of St Charbel’s Nursing Home. We encourage you all to support this initiative as there is a big need for a nursing home for our community.
You are also encouraged to check the raffle tickets for the 2012 Ford Fiesta valued at $19,000. Tickets and raffle are available from the Parish Office on 9740 0998.
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
On Friday 29 June, the Catholic Church celebrated the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. These two great Apostles are the solid rock on which the Church is built. Under God's providential guidance, Saints Peter and Paul were led to make Rome, sanctified by their martyrdom, the center of the Christian world whence should radiate the preaching of the Gospel.
St. Peter suffered martyrdom under Nero, in A.D. 66 or 67. He was buried on the hill of the Vatican where recent excavations have revealed his tomb on the very site of the basilica of St. Peter's. St. Paul was beheaded in the via Ostia on the spot where now stands the basilica bearing his name. Down the centuries Christian people in their thousands have gone on pilgrimage to the tombs of these Apostles (catholicculture.org).
We ask the Lord, through the intercession of these great Apostles to obtain for us a lively faith, firm hope, and burning love so we may be able to overcome the temptations of the world and proclaim the Good News of Our Lord throughout the world.
In God’s Love,
Fr. Dr. Antoine Tarabay
Fr. Dr. Antoine Tarabay
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20th Year—Number 1015 Sunday 01/07/2012
Season of the Pentecost
6th Sunday
Readings of this Sunday:1 Corinthians 12: 12-13, 27-30 & Matthew 10: 16-25
Like sheep into the midst of wolves
“See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. ‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! ” Matthew 10: 16-25
Reflection of the Week
‘I am sending you’
In today’s Gospel Jesus clarifies the meaning of discipleship and sends his disciples to the world. Christ has a purpose for Christians to be in the world. Christians are "sent" to be a testimony to the world, to confront the powers of the world with the Gospel, for Christ's sake. The purpose of Christians in the world is to witness to Christ by character and by testimony.
Be wise like snakes and innocent like doves
Snakes have quick and correct perceptions and have the ability to sense danger approaching before that danger senses them. Snakes tend to appear out of nowhere and disappear just as easily. Snakes seem to be sly creatures that have the ability to sneak up on anybody at will. As Disciples we have to take an example of the wise serpent and use it for God's glory.
At the same time we are wise we are to also be harmless as a dove. The dove is a global symbol of peace and purity and is not capable of doing harm. Christian people should have pure conscious and pure motives, walking with such integrity people immediately recognize our yes to be yes and our no to be mean no. A Christian who can stand up during dove hunting season (persecution) is one whose life is a picture of purity and integrity.
Jesus warns his disciples and warns us all
Jesus talks to his disciples about the world they will face. Some will come at them with hatred. They must be aware of the depth of that hatred, but not hate in return.
Many will want to hurt them and will attack them; they must be aware of that danger but not fight back.
In short, Jesus is saying don't allow your persecutors to get you to stoop to their level. Do not respond in kind to those who are doing evil. Do not become like the people who hate you. That is the hard part. It is not as difficult to be shrewd about what you are up against as it is to remain innocent through it all. To be smart about the situation is a lot easier than resisting the urge to become like the ones who want to do you harm.
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Vocations
We all have a vocation in life –
to bring the love of Jesus to others.
But there are some who will have a special call to the priesthood or religious life.
In this time of so few vocations, perhaps many are not hearing and responding to God’s call.
On the subject of vocations, the late Cardinal Basil Hume O.S.B. writes:
"I never cease to be amazed and delighted by that most surprising of vocations,
the call of Levi who became Matthew.
He was a renegade and a greedy one.
Everything was against him.
Yet Our Lord called him, showing the total freedom God has.
He does not call because he finds virtue;
He calls and forms virtue in those he chooses.
So a vocation is always a question of God’s choice.
But somehow or other it is possible in practice to miss hearing that call.
Many people I have known have dismissed from their minds the possibility of a vocation.
“It’s not for me; I’m not good enough”
…A hundred and one reasons are given why people should
close their minds to the possibility that God might be calling them."
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Saints of the Week:
Gregory X, Pope & Saint (+1276)
Maronite Feast Day: July 1.
Pope Gregory X is a saint of the Catholic Church who was born in the north of Italy in the year 1210. The papal chair was vacant for three years due to a conflict among the cardinals before he was appointed pope. The appointment came as a surprise to him. At the time, he was engaged in the Crusade to Acre. His first papal decree was to send assistance to the crusaders, and at his final sermon he said, “If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.” On his arrival at Rome his first act was to summon the council which met at the Second Council of Lyons in 1274 for the purpose of considering the East-West Schism, the condition of the Holy Land, and the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church.
From the very beginning of his pontificate Gregory sought to promote the interests of the Holy Land. Though his reign was short, he maintained peace through his passionate leadership.
Junipero Serra (USA)
Feast Day 01 July
Entered the Franciscan University at Palma, Spain at age 15, and joined the Order at age 17, taking the name Junipero after the friend of Saint Francis. Ordained in 1737, and taught philosophy and theology at the Lullian University.
In 1749, Serra was sent to the missionary territories of the west of North America. A mosquito bite he received early in his trip to the New World left one leg swollen; this and his asthma made walking a painful process for the rest of his life. In 1768 he took over missions in the Mexican provinces of Lower and Upper California, missions the Jesuits were forced to abandon by order of King Charles III. A tireless worker, Serra was largely responsible for the foundation and spread of the Church on the West Coast of the United States. Founded twenty-one missions, converted thousands of Native Americans, and trained many of them in European methods of agriculture, cattle husbandry, and crafts. Dedicated religious and missionary, penitent and austere in all areas of his life.
Blessed Junipero Serra is the namesake of the Serra Club, an international Catholic organization dedicated to the promotion of vocations, and the support of seminarians and religious novices. Many of his letters and other writings have survived, and the diary of his travels to the west was published in the early 20th century.
Iranaeus, Bishop and Martyr (+420)
Maronite Feast Day: July 3.
Little is known about the exact details of the life of this great martyr. He was born in the first half of the second century. He was bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, now Lyons, France. He is considered to be a Father of the Catholic Church and the first great theologian. As the first great Catholic theologian, he emphasised the traditional elements in the Church. He focused on Scripture, and tradition. Irenaeus wrote that the only way for Christians to retain unity was to humbly accept one doctrinal authority.
As the new bishop, he carried out his duty as pastor and missionary. He wrote many of his works in Greek and secured a place in classical Christian literature. Irenaeus of Lyons is perhaps the earliest of the Church Fathers to develop a thorough writing on the role of Mary, mother of Jesus, in the Church. Bishop Iranaeus used his great mind and talents to further the cause of Church through his writings and inspirational leadership.
St Maria Goretti, Confessor
Maronite Feast Day 06 July
Beautiful, pious farm girl, one of six children of Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. In 1896 the family moved to Ferriere di Conca. Soon after, Maria's father died of malaria, and the family was forced to move onto the Serenelli farm to survive.
In 1902 at age twelve, Maria was attacked by 19 year old farm hand Alessandro Serenelli. He tried to rape the girl who fought, yelled that it was a sin, and that he would go to hell. He tried to choke her into submission, then stabbed her fourteen times. She survived in hospital for two days, forgave her attacker, asked God's forgiveness of him, and died holding a crucifix and medal of Our Lady. Counted as a martyr.
While in prison for his crime, Allessandro had a vision of Maria. He saw a garden where a young girl, dressed in white, gathered lilies. She smiled, came near him, and encouraged him to accept an armful of the lilies. As he took them, each lily transformed into a still white flame. Maria then disappeared. This vision of Maria led to Alessandro's conversion, and he later testified at her cause for beatification.
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The Maronites and Lebanon (16)
Crusaders... 400 years before the Crusaders
What do we understand by the crusades?
The Crusades were a military campaigns organised by the Christians of Europe to liberate the Holy Land, and in particular the Holy Sepulcher from the Mus-lims who had took hold of it.
In 936 the Muslims pillaged the relics of the Holy Sepulcher and set fire to it. In 1009 the Fatimate Governor of Egypt, Hakim, destroyed thousand of Churches there, including that of the Holy Sepulcher which the Christians had restored. It was a usual yearly parade that Christians from all over the world used to come to Jerusalem during the Holy week of Easter, carrying the cross and banners in the front. But in this particular year Hakim prohibited any such demonstrations, and had the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and other Holy places in Palestine and Egypt demolished stone by stone. By doing this, Hakim gained popularity in the Islamic world.
The Christians western world was angry at these actions and reacted strongly. It organised a campaign to the East, in order to deliver the Holy Places and also to protect the Christians who where to be found in Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine from the danger of the Muslims; hence the call of the crusaders!!
In all, there were 8 successive campaigns lasting from 1095 to 1291, and stretching over 196 years.
The idea of Crusade inspired many Princes, Popes, and Bishops who urged their people to join these campaigns.
Next Sunday:
Crusaders ...400 years before
the Crusaders(3)
How can we explain the relations between the Crusaders and the Maronites?
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