Our bulletin is sponsored by the Diocesan Investment Fund (DIF) currently paying 2.15% at call. Local Agent: Roberts, First National Real Estate, 10 Bowra Street, Nambucca Heads

WEEKEND’S READINGS — 31ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A

Next Week’s Readings: 32nd Sunday in OT —Yr A

Wis 6:12-16; 1 Thess 4:13-18; Mt 25:1-13

FOLLOWING THE MISSAL Preface V Sunday in Ordinary Time,

Eucharistic Prayer III

Gospel Mt 23:1-12

Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Mo-ses. You must therefore do what they tell you and lis-ten to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.

‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one Master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Any-one who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’

First Reading Mal 1:14 – 2:2. 8-10

I am a great king, says the Lord of hosts, and my name is feared throughout the nations. And now, priests, this warning is for you. If you do not listen, if you do not find it in your heart to glorify my name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send the curse on you and curse your very blessing. You have strayed from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your teaching. You have destroyed the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts. And so I in my turn have made you contemptible and vile in the eyes of the whole people in repayment for the way you have not kept to my paths but have shown partiality in your admin-istration.

Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why, then, do we break faith with one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?

Responsorial Psalm Ps 130

(R.) In you, Lord, I have found my peace.

1. O Lord, my heart is not proud nor haughty my eyes.

I have not gone after things too great

nor marvels beyond me. (R.)

2. Truly I have set my soul in silence and peace.

A weaned child on its mother’s breast,

even so is my soul. (R.)

3. O Israel, hope in the Lord

both now and for ever. (R.)

Second Reading 1 Thes 2:7-9. 13

Like a mother feeding and looking after her own chil-dren, we felt so devoted and protective towards you, and had come to love you so much, that we were ea-ger to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives as well. Let me remind you, brothers, how hard we used to work, slaving night and day so as not to be a burden on any one of you while we were proclaiming God’s Good News to you.

Another reason why we constantly thank God for you is that as soon as you heard the message that we brought you as God’s message, you accepted it for what it really is, God’s message and not some human thinking; and it is still a living power among you who believe it.

Gospel Acclamation Mt 23:9. 10

Alleluia, alleluia!

You have one Father, your Father in heaven;

you have one teacher: the Lord Jesus Christ.

Alleluia!

Catholic Parish of the Nambucca Valley *Corpus Christi, Bowraville *St Patrick’s, Macksville *Our Lady Star of the Sea, Nambucca Heads *Christ the King, Taylor’s Arm

Administrator: Fr Shelwin Fernandez

Parish Secretary: Mrs Angela Argent

Parish Office: Postal Address: PO Box 38, Macksville 2447 Street Address: 78 Wallace Street, Macksville Telephone: 6568 1107 Fax: 6568 3671 Email: nvparish@lismore.catholic.org.au Urgent Matters: 0481 277 532

Office Hours Monday & Tuesday 8.30am to 2.30 pm Thursday 8.30am to 3.30 pm Nambucca Presbytery:

Telephone: 6568 6642 Parish Schools:

St Patrick’s Primary School—Macksville 32 Macksville Heights Drive, Macksville Phone: 02 6568 1397

St Mary’s Primary School —Bowraville Carbin Street, Bowraville Phone: 02 65647369

31ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME —YEAR A 5TH NOVEMBER 2017

Welcome everyone! Especially to the new members of our parish and to our visitors from near and far.

Jesus the mediator Today’s readings are directed at those who have positions of authority in the Church. Those who have failed and those who have succeeded. In the first reading, the prophet Mala-chi condemns the leaders. “You have turned aside from the way, and have caused many to falter by your instruction.”

In the second reading from the first letter to the Thessaloni-ans, St Paul provides a positive model of the Christian pas-tor. “Brothers and sisters, we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children. With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us.”

But in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus condemns those in positions of authority who fail to meet his ideal. The scribes and Phar-isees are left wanting. First, they do not practice what they preach. Second, they impose burdens on others and do nothing to help them. Third, they exploit their positions of authority rather than serve others.

In the verse that immediately follows today’s reading, Jesus himself is harsher still than the prophet Malachy. “But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you lock peo-ple out of the kingdom of heaven.”

Pope Francis has used similar language. In his homily during Mass at Domus Sanctae Marthae about a year ago, the pope said Jesus often accuses those who rigidly adhere to the law of being hypocrites; they are not free children of God, but “are slaves of the law.”

The pope explained that behind this inflexibility, “there is always something else. And that is why Jesus says, ‘Hypocrites!' There is something hidden in that person’s life.” There is also some kind of illness in such a rigid pastor. Inflexibility is not a gift of God, he said. “Meekness, yes, be-nevolence, yes, forgiveness, yes, but rigidity, no.”

Pope Francis said God prefers “mercy, tenderness, good-ness, meekness and humility.” God’s law was made not “to make us slaves but to make us free, to make us children” of God. Those who are rigid suffer when they realise they are not free, he said. Priests, and presumably others with posi-tions of authority in the Church should not be functionaries of a system of laws, but mediators. The genuine pastor will be a mediator of God’s love to God’s people and will lose himself in the service of others.

Pope Francis describes how such a pastor would act when seeking to help people in difficult personal situations. A pastor cannot feel that it is enough simply to apply moral laws to those living in ‘irregular’ situations, as if they were stones to throw at people’s lives. The job of the Church is not to exclude but to welcome, and the job of priests is not to render judgment but to listen and understand the con-text of people’s lives and decisions. - Brian Johnstone CSsR

Parish Diary

Tuesday 7TH NOVEMBER

11:00 am Anointing, Pacifica 5:00 pm Reconciliation, Macksville 5:30 pm Mass, Macksville

Wednesday 8TH NOVEBER

9:00 am Rosary, Bowraville 9:30 am Mass, Bowraville

Thursday 9TH NOVEMBER

9:30 am Mass + Benediction, Macksville

Friday 10TH NOVEMBER

9:00 am Mass + Benediction, Nambucca Heads ALTAR SERVERS DAY OUT

Saturday 11TH NOVEMBER

5:30 pm Reconciliation, Nambucca 6:00 pm Mass, Nambucca Heads

Sunday 12TH NOVEMBER

8:00 am Mass, Macksville 10:00 am Mass, Taylors Arm

St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori Prayer for the Departed

My God! I recommend to Thee

the souls of my relations, my benefactors, my friends and my enemies, and of those

who are in Purgatory on my account. I recommend to Thee the souls of

evangelical labourers, of Religious and priests, and especially of those who had charge of my soul.

I recommend to Thee the souls of those who were most devout to the passion of Our Lord,

to the Blessed Sacrament, to the Blessed Virgin Mary,

the souls who are most abandoned, those who suffer most, and those who are

FUTURE DATES

NOVEMBER:

14th - Anointing Mass, Riverside Gardens, 10AM

20-23 - Annual Clergy Conference, Lismore

28th - Anointing Mass, Autumn Lodge, 10:45AM

30th - Pre-Baptism Program Evening, 7PM, St. Patrick’s Church ( Booking is essential )

NOVEMBER—MONTH OF PRAYING FOR HOLY SOULS

November is the month of praying for the holy souls. The month begins with memorial masses in the respective public cemeteries on the 1st & 2nd November celebrating All Souls Day (2nd November).

It has been a Catholic tradition for those who want to put in a mass offering for their deceased loved ones and friends.

If you would like to have a mass offered for your loved one or friend, please place a November Mass Offering envelope on the collection plate.

These names will be published in the bulletin through-out the month of November.

Spinks Family, Harkess Family, Sue Waugh, Doris Car-niato; Gordon & Irene McFadyen, Pod & Dorrie Clough; Katherine Ryan, Norma Donath, Fay & Des Vidler, Dianne Vidler, Dot Gaddess, Fr. Hoade, Patrick Ryan, Joan Goldsping, Terry Goldsping, John Ryan, Fr. Galavan, Fr. Crowley; Ted Fuller, Florrie & Michael Laverty, Colin, Kevin, Alice, Gerald & Stanley Laverty, Dot Clarke, Bede Clarke; Len Mynett, Lynda Mynett, Josephine Mynett, William Mynett, Walter Bailey, Gladys Bailey; Jim & Marjory Desmond, Cliff & Betty Ballard, Brian & Jennifer Harget; Deceased Members of Breust & Buerckner Families, Welch & Lalor Fami-lies; Bill Kelly, Gloria Bohoan, Bong Bohoan, Joel Boho-an, Jose Bohoan, Mariana Dacanay, Eugene Dacanay, Tanya Provost, Randalla Miana, Ben Miana, Jose & Felomina Mangawang; Max Dunbar, Annie Moore;

We are in need of Church Volunteers For reading, commentating, church

caring, procession of gifts & hospitality. Feel free to call the Parish Office.

to sign up!

Cassin Family, Yorke Family; Nicholas & Doris Quinlan, Clarie, Eva, Maria Brennan; Neville & Beryl Miles, Miles & McCudden Families, Frank & Nell Cowin, Cowin & Wright Families, Ben Vermeer; Luke Latham, Glover Family, Latham Family & Friends; Myra & Alan Hiles; Alice & Robert McKay, Ron & Ken McKay, Ivy & Walter Wells, Ivan Brown; Bede & Kathleen Hoffman, Fred Craggs, Colleen Richardson, Janice Richardson, Wilma Cullen; Riza Nicholls, Jean Nicholls, Arthur Nicholls, Iris Moore, Albert Moore, Colleen Moore; Hallam & Murphy Families, Monica de Bryonefaes, John Durlak, Sheila Turner, Miley McCullough, Fr. Frank O’Gorman, Fr. Bernard Kenny, Peg Gasson, Mary Blewitt; Deceased relatives of Judy Piggott; Fam-ily, friends & relatives of Logan Family; Jeffery Schnei-der, Peter Muller; Hubert Parkhouse, Edith Parkhouse, Ina Parkhouse, Elizabeth Parkhouse, Stanley Hine, Audrey Hine; Val Ryan; Gregory Jones, Noelie & Barry Jones, Tom & Sylvia Fitzroy & Family, Muller Family, John & Norma Prendergast; Frank & Leila Walsh; Bettie & Neville Spear;

To all our parishioners attending Mass at Nambucca Heads, please be reminded of the “rear to kerb” parking sign when parking your car at the parking lot across the church hall. We do not want you

getting booked. Thank you.

VINNIES MELBOURNE CUP SWEEPS AND RAFFLE

We will be running $1, $2 and $5 sweeps for Melbourne Cup.

We will be selling outside St Pat's Church after Mass on 5th November as well as on the day.

Also we will be having a raffle with three prizes drawn at the Melbourne Cup lunch and these tickets will be for sale after Mass on the 5th. We appreciate your support — Mary Henry

WE PRAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY...

Lord we ask healing for those who are sick. We thank you for those who have recovered. We pray for all who have died and those whose anniversaries occur at this time.

** Mass intention envelopes are located at the back of the church **

SICK: Ernie Thorne, David Rolfe, Robyn Ryan, Paul Gan, Jenny Guff, Pam Halls, Jim Rogers, Dean Buchan-an, David Coleman, Judy Finnelley, Lorraine Cook, John Brown, Peter Murphy, Marie Dalton, Bill Steller, Al McCabe, Baby Lucy Clark

ANNIVERSARY: David Dalton, Rex Tarlinton, Val Ryan, Reg Darlington, Kevin Cassin, Dorrie Clough, Harry Clough, Brian Scott

RECENTLY DECEASED: Ken Lawler, Grace Bannon, Ted Bleakley, Frances Costa, Doris Unterrheiner, Mar-tin Howle, Stephen Carrol, Ronald Laverty, Mathew Clarke, Sr. Maureen Clarke, Steve McCudden, Margue-rite & Gordon Bosward, Charlie Gilliam

SPECIAL INTETION: Milla Fowler (Miles) for a good outcome of medical test

Ministry Roster — 11th & 12th November 2017

Nambucca Heads 6:00 PM

Macksville 8:00 AM

Taylors Arm

10:00 AM

Commentator W Bolton H Forrester H Spear

Reader J Ingold E Bonett J Desmond

Extra-ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

M Dallas, P Stewart, S Bolton H Murphy, P Wolf, P Moroney

Procession of Gifts Children’s Liturgy B & J Costa

Greeters/Hospitality Betty/ Melina J Cowin, A O’Connors The Desmonds’

Altar Servers T & T Nguyen R Gleeson, E Costa, A Thompson

Sacristan C Hong M Henry

Counters J Hasson, P Richards

Church Caring Volunteers please Volunteers please

SAVE THE DATE: 7th November, Parish Function Centre, 12PM, $20.00 pp

* Includes 2 Course Meal + glass of wine and nibbles * Sweeps * Raffles * Lucky Door.

Names on sheet at the back of the church by 5th November. Tickets on sale after Mass.

3 C’s MEETING: 5th November after 8AM Mass.

26th November 2017, $20pp

Church Hall, Nambucca Heads Come, celebrate the Christmas spirit with the whole parish community.

Lucky Draw & Door Prizes awaits you!

Not to mention a scrumptious lunch too!!

Please put your names in the sheet at the back of the church. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Continuing the tradition from past years, Chosen is a 72 page pocket-size book containing short daily reflections from the beginning of Advent (3 December 2017) through to the Baptism of the Lord (8 January 2018) primarily for personal use, but also appropriate for group use such as parish, Church agency, religious community and school staff/class prayer.

Please ring the Parish office if you wish to buy a copy. $5.00 per copy including postage. Deadline : 8th Nov