Berala Catholic Parish Australia in Regents Park, New South Wales | Religious centre

Berala Catholic Parish Australia

Locality: Regents Park, New South Wales

Phone: +61 2 9644 7787

Address: 60 Kingsland Rd 2141 Regents Park, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.stpeter-stjoseph.org.au

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25.01.2022 Nearly eight years ago, celebrating 25th anniversary of my ordination, I joined a Sabbatical Program with an ecumenical group the Holy Land. When I announced that I am organising daily Mass for the Catholics, Prof. Jones, a Southern Baptist from USA raised objection to the real presence in the Blessed Sacrament. He said The Catholics should accept that after the Resurrection of Christ, we can only have The Presence of the Absence of Christ. ‘The presence of the absence!!!’... Does that make any sense? Not to me. What he actually meant is that he does not believe in the continuing real presence of Christ. For him the Ascension of the Lord to Heaven was the end of Christ’s real presence to the world. What he does not realise is that actually the Ascension of the Lord is a new beginning for the disciples of Christ. Having taken up to heaven, our Lord has transcended parochial boundaries. Jesus, before he ascended to heaven had an intimate conversation with his disciples at the table. He told them You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8) Yes having received the Holy Spirit, you and I, the disciples of Christ are to be the real presence of Christ to the world. Therefore though our Lord has ascended to the Glory of the Father in heaven, he is not absent to the world. His ascension is about a different kind of presence to the World. Just before going up to heaven Jesus said, Go, make disciples of all nations; baptise them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And you know that I am with you always (Mt 28:19-20). Through the baptism and then gathering to do Eucharist we become Christ’s real presence to the world. We become his mystical body. So we are not celebrating the the presence of the Absence as Jones said. We are celebrating the real presence of Christ in our world. Thus Ascension is not just about Jesus. Perhaps it is more about us. When Jesus went to heaven he left his Mystical Body on earth for the tangible presence to the world. You and I, all the baptised people are received into that Mystical Body. Therefore we as a Church are the presence of Christ to the world. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, each time when we engage in the life of the church through our teaching, healing, praying we are bringing Christ real and near to the world around us. See more

25.01.2022 Jesus, Counter Culture Obesity is one of the major health problems of our time. Once I saw a short film mocking some of the pseudo approaches to obesity by some people. The wife of this obese man pleads with him to control his eating and do some exercise to get fit. Otherwise, she warns him, he will get sick. But the obese man does not oblige. At last he was taken to a doctor with chest pain. The doctor also tells him that his condition is very dangerous and he needs to contr...ol his diet and do exercise. Unwilling to do them, the patient asks the doctor to prescribe some tablets as a remedy. The patient is convinced that there are medications to treat his obesity. And he is very reluctant to go through the trouble of exercising and dieting. When it comes to our spiritual health also there is no magic pill. Dieting and exercise are the key to our spiritual health and growth too, but of a different nature though. The diet should include the body and blood of Christ and the exercise I mean is prayer and devotional practices. Jesus said, If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. There is no easy way to follow Jesus. Just as Jesus carried the Cross to the Calvary and died on it before his resurrection, so do all Christians need to take up our daily cross and follow Jesus. Some people might think of this as fatalistic, meaning we are doomed to suffer in our lives. But Jesus is speaking about the cost of loving commitments. Just like a mother is prepared to sacrifice her sleep and comfort for the sake her lovely child, so do we take up sacrificial suffering for the sake our love for Christ and his Kingdom. We all like to enter into the mercy of God. But not all are willing to undertake the discipline of going to Confession of sins, receiving Holy Communion regularly, and partaking in the fellowship of the faith community. To benefit the graces of God we need to commit to constant reflection on the Word of God, participate in the Sacraments, engage in acts of charity and compassion, and be truthful to oneself and others, and God in all our dealings. The process of doing all this may demand sacrifices of our comfort sometimes. We need to be prepared to take up those crosses daily. Without that we cannot be true disciples of Jesus. Therefore discipleship to Jesus is a counter culture. While the world around us is all about instant gratification, comfort and personal glory, the teachings of Jesus are all about sacrifices for others and discipline in our spiritual life. Therefore be strong to be part of the counter culture. See more

24.01.2022 Is Christianity an offshoot of Judaism? This was an issue the Apostles had to resolve. Christians from Jerusalem were converts from Judaism. They did not have any problem continuing Jewish customs like circumcision. But the majority of people Apostle Paul and companions baptised in Asia Minor (Turkey) were not from the Jewish tradition. Was it necessary for them to follow Jewish customs? This dispute needed to be resolved. Therefore Paul, Barnabas and other selected leaders o...f the Church went to Jerusalem and met with Apostle James and other Apostles to discern the right way. They concluded that Christianity is not a variation or a denomination of Jewish faith. In Jesus’ name it has its own identity. Whilst the Jewish religion was defined by the observation of Sabbath, our Christian faith and Church is defined by the Eucharist we celebrate. Through Eucharist (Mass) we make a special communion (connection) with God and become part of the body of Christ. The initiation into this fellowship with Christ is not by circumcision but through repentance for our sins and baptism in the name of the Trinity. Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him.’ (Jn 14:23). At the last supper Jesus did two things. By washing the feet of his disciples he commanded his disciples to be at the service of others. Then by breaking bread and sharing the cup of wine, Jesus invited his disciples to eat and drink of his body and blood. Then he commanded them to do it in memory of him. If we love Jesus we will keep both these words serving others and partaking in Eucharist. Thus we follow Jesus’ words in its entirety, our Father in Heaven will love us and make His home with us. With God the Father making home with us, we will be able to enjoy a kind of peace which nothing else in this world can provide. Therefore trust in Jesus who said, Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. (Jn14:27). Come whatever may, we shall be strongly resolved to do what Jesus wanted us to do and also shall take comfort in the promise of Peace. See more

24.01.2022 John in his prison had heard what Jesus was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else’ (Mat11:2-3) I can relate to the confusion and doubt of John the Baptist in prison. Like John, I was preparing the people of Palar Parish in India for Christ. I was their first Parish Priest. Therefore it was my duty to organise the parish. In my attempt to build up the Body of Christ in Palar, after much thought an...d prayer, announced a First Friday devotion. To my disappointment, not a single parishioner turned up for the prayers. Then I was feeling like John; taken away from my ministry and imprisoned. Just as John’s preaching and work seemed futile. Such were my feeling too. I was tempted to substitute Bible prayers and Sacraments with Social action and Psychology for the benefit of the people of Palar. I had a kind of doubt whether Christ is the real saviour Palar was waiting for. But I did not send disciples like John to Jesus to ask him whether Christ is the saviour Palar is waiting for, or should we look someone else. Palar really needed salvation from problems like alcoholic addiction, illicit activities, violence, aimless life, poverty etc. It was a group of broken people who needed a saviour. John sent disciples to ask Jesus the question, but I asked him directly. The way I did it was like this. Each morning before Mass I sat in meditation focussing on Jesus until he gave me an answer. I did not get any apparitions. But He came to me in flesh and bone in the form of other people. Out of the blue one of the parishioners came to me requesting a Bible Prayer be conducted at their house. I agreed to do so as long as they invited some more of their acquaintances, like neighbours. From the first one, there were more requests for similar prayer services and it became a chain reaction of numerous prayer sessions. Within 2 years miracles happened in this place. A place which was full of ganga (weed) cultivation and moon shine business turned away from their illicit practices. Looking back at those experiences, I would say, Our Lord, when I sought his answer through my meditation prayers, was telling me, ‘what do you hear and see? The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean’ (ref Mt 11:4:5). Yes I could see the people of God in Palar seeing things in life with eyes of Christ, those who could not stand on their own legs are now able to get up and go forward in their lives, and they have regained their dignity like a healed leper of Jesus’ time. I am fully convinced that Jesus Christ is the saviour and he was present to Palar through Church for which I was the priest and prophet.

24.01.2022 The newly elected president of the USA, Donald Trump, upset very many people in established leadership of political parties and the current government. Most people are full of admiration for the great things in America. To them the words of doom and destruction they heard from Trump were very disturbing. Now that Trump is elected to be the President, is he really going to walk the talk, bringing a new order? Some of the things Trump said he would do were shocking. Someone el...se also sent a shock wave through the spine of many people. That was about two millennium ago. When some were talking about the temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed. (Lk 21:5-6) Many at that time might not have believed in what Jesus said then. But it did come true. About 40 years after this prediction, in 70 AD, the Roman Emperor of that time, Vespasian had his son Titus (king of Judea) destroy the temple and the city of Jerusalem. Hundreds of Jews were murdered, the city was burned down, and the temple was razed to the ground. It was not just a destruction of a temple and the city; it was the annihilation of the temple centred religious culture of Judaism. The remnant of Jerusalem today is the Wailing Wall which the Jewish people consider sacred. The destruction of the temple of Jerusalem resulted in a new religion to flourish, Christianity. In spite of its share of persecutions, the Church of Christ became the world religion. So much so that even the seat of powerful persecutors, Roman Emperors, was turned into the seat of the head of the Christian Church. It is God’s doing. Yes, Scripture has come true. We are encouraged to believe in the sayings and promises of the Scripture. See more

24.01.2022 NEW LIFE We hear of war and atrocities in Mosul. There are many innocent people caught up in the cross fire. In a similar way there was a man whose dearest wife was killed by armies who were fighting to take over the city. This man was devastated to hear of his wife’s death in the hands of the armies. He was a God-fearing religious man. God revealed to him that his grief was to match the grief of God over his beloved people. Therefore God asked him not to grieve over his wife.... He was to steel himself to face the tragedy that has come upon his city as consequence of its sins. That man was Ezekiel in Jerusalem and it happened about 600 years before Christ. Jerusalem was overrun by Babylonian invaders and the Israelites were taken to captivity into foreign land. They were feeling hopeless in the face of it all. In such a situation, God’s promise of new life was revealed through Ezekiel. The prophet spoke God’s revelation to him, I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live (Ez37:13). While it generated hope for a new life by settling back in Israel, the primary message was that of new life that is received through the forgiveness of sin. The ultimate price of sin is death and the best of hope should be the victory over death. What Ezekiel revealed to the deported Israelites in Babylon was also a prophecy of the salvation plan to be realised in Jesus. Jesus, as true God, has power over death and life. In Chapter 11 of John’s Gospel we see Jesus raising Lazarus to life. When Jesus heard that his friend Lazarus was sick, he said, this illness will not end in death; rather it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. (Jn11:4), The he stayed two more days in the place (Jn 11:6). When he came to Bethany, his friends Mary and Martha were grieving over the death of their brother Lazarus. Mary seemed to indicate that Jesus was insensitive to the pain of his friends when she said, Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died. People also echoed similar sentiments when they said, he opened the eyes of the blind man, could he not have prevented this man’s death? (Jn 11:37) Isn’t it typical of our human nature to blame God for his lack of response when times are hard and painful? In this situation the sisters and the people gathered there seemed to be more in the dark than Lazarus who was buried in a tomb. Bringing Lazarus back to life is a sign that Jesus, as God, is the Lord of Life and Death. Jesus is the resurrection and life. Through raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus gives us hope and a new life who could be in darkness and despair. When Jesus wept he was weeping at the gloom and doom he saw in the face of his beloved friends. Lent is a time for us to weep over the gloom and doom we experience through our sins. Through repentance and confession, we too shall acquire the new life Jesus Christ offers. See more

23.01.2022 Parish Day 2016

22.01.2022 Christening follows each baptism, even for babies. Not many people realise that baptism and christening are two different rituals. While baptism is done with water Christening is done with Chrism Oil. Soon after baptism the priest (or deacon) anoints the forehead of the baptised person with Chrism Oil and says, As Christ was anointed priest, prophet and king, so may you live always sharing his everlasting life. This prayer and anointing defines the character of a Christian.... Through this anointing every Christian, irrespective of age and gender, is made a priest. That means each Christian has a duty and privilege to intercede between God and the people of God using sacrificial prayer. While I, as a priest, do this by presiding over the sacrificial prayer of Holy Mass, all parishioners do it through other intercessory prayers. When it is combined with the self-sacrifices, it is a priestly life. Therefore your contribution of time or skills or money for the good of the community, is part of your Christian living. All Christians have a prophetic mission to promote the word of God. Parents do it with their children, teachers do it with their students, as a friend we do it with our dear ones, and as benefactor we do it with anyone who needs to hear the word of God. Though we mostly associate kingship with power and glory, an ideal king is meant to be at the service of his subjects always. When a Christian is anointed to be a ‘king’, he is called to be at the service of other people like an ideal king. Thus the three Christian characters, priestly, prophetic, and service mindedness, defines our faith life. They provide meaning for our life. Our life is judged by others and by God by how we live out these Christian Characters. Ultimately no one is going to judge us by our bank balance. Therefore it will be a foolish thing to focus on amassing wealth at the expense of our call to Christian life. There is only one life and it is too precious to be wasted on greed for money. What Jesus told the young man in the Gospel according to Luke 12:32-48 is a lesson for us. Let us not wait till tragedies to wake up to this truth. You and I have a call from God to be wise, and to be great in His eyes and in the eyes of humanity. See more

22.01.2022 Adult Confirmation on 29 October Contact Parish Office to enrol

22.01.2022 God’s mercy abounds and surpasses our human weakness. Three parables of the ‘Lost and Found’ (Lk15:1-32) narrated by Jesus explains the mercy of God. The pastor leaving the ninety nine sheep to look for the one lost sheep, the lost coin searched by the woman, and the prodigal son, are all stories of lost and found. In each case there is rejoicing when the lost was found. In each case there is an active searching for the lost, suggesting that Our Father in heaven actively sear...ches for the lost souls. It is a comfort for all of us that God is ever ready to welcome us back when we turn our back to Him. If you now realise that because of your fault you had alienated yourself from your family or caused separation from your spouse, your Father in Heaven is waiting for your return to the family. If you have been an addict to drugs or have been misusing substances, turn back to Gospel ways and the Lord will welcome you with both arms open. If you have been away from the worshipping community of the parish, come back knowing that our God is waiting to receive you back to rejoice over your return. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) is a great gift we have in the Church for those times we want to ask for God’s forgiveness and make a new start in life. The other side of the story is about our own joy or loss in the process. There is a natural tendency for us to shield ourselves from the dangers of the sinner corrupting our spiritual life. There is a kind of fear of the sinner and the lost souls. The Pharisees who tried to protect their holiness by shielding themselves from any contact with sinners could not understand how Jesus - a holy man - could mingle with sinners and receive their hospitality. To such ‘pseudo religious’ people, Jesus answered using today’s parables. God delights in welcoming the converted. If that is God’s approach, we who are made another Christ through baptism also should be adopting such an attitude. We should seek out the lost sheep and find joy in welcoming them back. There are plenty of lost sheep around us who are addicts to substances, morally weak, and people with abusive attitudes. As a parish we shall think of ways of welcoming them and the lapsed parishioners back to our fellowship. We shall find joy in doing this. We shall consider it as a mission from Jesus. See more

22.01.2022 Kingdom of Heaven cannot be defined, but experienced. No wonder why Jesus always spoke about the Kingdom of Heaven in parables, and never gave a definition. If you have the experience of the Kingdom of Heaven, nothing else will matter to you.

20.01.2022 You are welcome to participate

20.01.2022 At one of the clergy conferences I happened to introduce myself as a missionary from India. This caused many eyebrows to frown. Some even argued that I am not a missionary because Australia is not poor like India. According to them ‘missionary’ means a religious person from a rich country going into a poorer country to assist with social welfare. One may add a bit of religious activities to it. Is that what is meant by ‘missionary’? The Gospel according to Luke 10:1-12 teache...s what a missionary should be like. Jesus sent 72 disciples to various places to take his message to people from diverse backgrounds. In Biblical terms the number 72 represents universality. Therefore Jesus, by appointing 72 disciples to carry his message to various towns, was declaring that his message is meant for all cultures. It is interesting to note that Jesus instructed the missionaries not to take any material goods with them as they go. The primary duty of the missionary is not to provide material welfare for anyone. A missionary is to take the message of hope and trust in God to the people as Jesus did. This would mean accepting the welcome and hospitality of the people for whom the missionary is sent. Jesus does not want the missionary to impose his culture or wealth on others. At the height of missionary activities in the history of the church, this aspect of the Gospel teaching seems to have slipped the mind of many missionaries. Saint Paul also was very clear about his missionary vision. In his letter to the Galatians (Ref 6:14-18), he says It does not matter if a person is circumcised or not; what matters is for him to become an altogether new creature. Paul means to say that Jesus did not come to convert Romans and other people to the Jewish culture or religion before making them Christians. Following this teaching we too are not to carry our baggage of culture and money power to anyone to whom we take the message of Christ. We are simply to preach the Gospel in its entirety, without fear, with all the energy and power God gives. Incidentally this weekend for us in Australia is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday. With all good intentions, earlier missionaries compelled the native Australians to adopt foreign cultures; and this has proven to be counter-productive. Missionaries as disciples of Jesus are called to give and accept gifts with gratitude, grace and humility. Every person, every culture, has something to give, but needs enrichment from the Gospel. A missionary is to provide that enrichment. See more

20.01.2022 Thought for the weekend

19.01.2022 Offertory Gifts at Parish Day 2016

19.01.2022 Different people demonstrate their boldness in taking up the mission of Christ differently. Rani Maria, will be beatified in November this year, showed her mission spirit in a very powerful way. She was disturbed by the terrible and unchristian treatment of poor people by the landlords in North India. Therefore Rani Maria, empowered by the Holy Spirit, worked towards empowering the poor people to seek liberation from the landlords. This work of proclaiming the good news of Ch...rist and his Church brought her much trouble. At the end, in 1995, a hitman, hired by the landlords, brutally knifed her to death . The perpetrators thought they could stop the work of the Holy Spirit by killing Rani Maria. They were wrong. A sister of Rani Maria, a nun herself, went to meet the murderer of Rani and told him that she forgives him. This was so powerful that it turned the heart of stone of this criminal into a heart of flesh. The parents of Rani Maria did something much more incredible. They invited the murderer of their daughter to their home and offered hospitality to show how forgiving they are. Where could they get the courage and will power to do it? They got it from the fullness of the Holy Spirit in them. South Sudan is riddled with violence, poverty, lawlessness, and anarchy. Sister Dorothy (whom many of you know from our Church) knows it too well. She had been there a few times to help the poor helpless people. Still she went for replacing both her knees at once so that she can return to South Sudan soon. Where does she get the strength and courage to do so? The answer is the fullness of the Holy Spirit. She is well aware of the power of the Spirit in her. The Apostles lost all their fear when they received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and boldly preached the good news of Jesus Christ. On this Pentecost Sunday we are reminded that we too are filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In what way are you cooperating with the Holy Spirit? Are you bold enough to share the mission of Christ and his Church and proclaim the good news of Christ through what we say and do? See more

19.01.2022 Our Archbishop Anthony Fisher has commenced a new pastoral project called ‘Parish 2020’ with the aim of renewing and strengthening Parishes and communities of the Archdiocese for our future, and he wants to hear from you about how our parishes can better collaborate to grow the Church in Sydney. He is asking you to provide him with your thoughts about ways to strengthen Parishes and communities in our Archdiocese. Therefore today the parish is undertaking a survey. This su...rvey provides an important opportunity for your views to be heard, and for us all to share together in prayerfully discerning future directions. Please take time to fill in the survey form provided to you today. You could also take a copy home and fill it and return it next week. Still better is to do the survey on line, if you can. To do the on line survey go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2V7XL9X. See more

19.01.2022 Confirmation Classes have begun at Berala. First Communion Enrolment and Commitment are over. should you have query, direct it to the parish office.

18.01.2022 The Parish Church is getting new glass doors soon

18.01.2022 Parish Bulletin - 3 May 2020 - https://mailchi.mp/77d8c7261b05/parish-bulletin-3-may-2020

17.01.2022 Generosity is the mark of Christmas. The generous donations of so many parishioners and other volunteers, of their time as well as various items makes our annual Christmas Luncheon possible. Many of our parishioners have been volunteers in war torn South Sudan, Myanmar and such other demanding places doing works of charity. These volunteers are not seeking any approval from others other than the grace of God. Though not all of these charities are done during the Christmas sea...son, they all reflect the Christmas Spirit; because God has been generous with us that he gave his only son to live with us. No amount of gifts can match with God’s self-giving for us. Therefore I rejoice as much as you do that our God is with us Emmanuel. The joy is always contagious. The song of joy the angels sang to the shepherds in and around Bethlehem could not be contained to the anonymity of the valley of whispers the valley of shepherds. The good news of Our God coming down to live with human beings reached the wise men from the East and eventually the whole world. Now the whole world celebrates the birth of Jesus, Christmas. Now we celebrate the birth of God in our own lives. In our hopes, dreams as well as our downs and disasters we find strength and reason to celebrate spreading joy to the world because we know our God is with us. I wish you all the peace of and joy of Our God being with us, Emmanuel. See more

16.01.2022 A few years ago a man came to my office and poured out a very distressing story about his family. My doubts about the veracity of the story did not stop me from rewarding him with a 20 dollar bill. He happily went with it. Later in the week seeing him in the town enjoying life with his friends with no indication of distressed family connections, my doubt was confirmed. He was a conman. After a couple more days he came to me to continue his story. I gave him another 20 dollars.... After a week he came back once again to continue to further his story of destitution. This time the narration was shorter compared to the last two sessions. So I gave him only ten dollars. After taking the money, with a puzzled look, he asked me why did I give him money without checking whether his story was true or not. I told him You are a good story teller. I enjoyed you narrating that to me with all the right expressions. It is better than going through the trouble of buying a book from a shop and reading it myself. I have been paying you for the entertainment you provided. My answer surprised him and with a puzzled look he went away, not to return again with any more updates of the story. In recognising the knack he had to tell a good story, and letting him know that I appreciated it, was a turning point in his life. In dealing with the woman who was known as a public sinner, Jesus acknowledged her love and affection for him. (Lk7:36-8:3) In acknowledging and appreciating the goodness of the woman at his feet, Jesus made her a much better person. That is Jesus’ Compassion. Whereas the Pharisees and the scribes wanted to dwell only on her failures and condemn the woman. To see the goodness in an apparent bad person or situation needs divine vision. The Pharisees and Scribes did not have it. Only Jesus had it. The great king David was a terrible sinner. (Ref. 2 Samuel 11:1-12:31) He cheated on the wife of Uriah, the Hittite who was fighting for him. He organised to murder Uriah to save his face. He was treacherous. But when the prophet Nathan pointed out to him his sins and failures, David did one very good thing, he repented his sins. Seeing the King’s contrition, the prophet assured him of God’s mercy. Even God’s own specially chosen people can be weak and fall into sinfulness. But a contrite heart is a great virtue that outweighs any sins. God is prepared to acknowledge and appreciate that. When we too can acknowledge and appreciate contrition of our relatives and friends, in spite of their grave mistakes and sins, we too become God’s favoured people. Only with the Spirit of God and vision of Christ we can do it. See more

16.01.2022 Equitable or Equal All need not be equal; is it equitable - that is the question.

16.01.2022 Mario, Joseph’s father told him, "If you want to be a Christian, I have to kill you," and tried to make good on his promise, but a miracle saved his life. Sulaiman, son of a Turkish migrant in Kerala, India started his Muslim studies at the age of 8 and after 10 years of intense study he became a Muslim cleric, Imam. But then his studies of the Koran led him to believe in Jesus Christ and today he is a Catholic Preacher. His conversion to Christianity was intolerable for his ...father who took him out of the Pota Retreat centre in Kerala and tortured him at home for many days. Eventually his father attempted to stab his son to death. But Sulaiman miraculously escaped the stabbing. Now Sulaiman is a convert to Catholic Church and is known as Mario Joseph. Since 2013, a number of interviews with him have been published. You can read more about his conversion on his official website, www.mariojoseph.in. (One of the interviews with Mario Joseph can be read on the parish website.) Jesus said, ‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’ (Luke 12:51-53) Mario’s story reminds us that what we read in the Gospel is not from long ago and far away. It is still experienced by people from Muslim, Mormon, and Jewish families who chose to become Catholics. Mario’s family hated him for his conversion. But the fire of love for Jesus has consumed Mario and it is inflammatory. We can say Mario’s baptism was really by fire. Such kind of conviction and intensity of love for Christ is what the Gospel is demanding from us, Christians. I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already!. Are we too complacent to ablaze the fire of baptism in us? Is our attachment to the material world making it too difficult to make sacrifices for the sake of our faith life? See more

16.01.2022 Good hospitality leads to greater friendship and even intimacy. The disciples of Jesus found him in a union with God. So they begged him to teach them how to pray properly so that they too can achieve a similar union with God. Therefore Jesus taught them what we call ‘The Lord’s Prayer’.(Luke 111-4) It is a prayer to obtain union with God, a peace with self, an integrity unaltered by praise or criticism, favour or threat. Have you realised that there is no ‘I’, ‘me’, or ‘my’... in the Lord's Prayer? The basic character of this prayer is that it is ‘other’ centred. The focus is the Father in heaven and our fellow human beings. In this prayer we praise God, present our needs to Him, and declare our willingness to forgive others. Prayer is not asking God to do what we want, but being in contact with God so that we know what He wants and what He desires. Through prayer, we are welcoming God’s hospitality. Persistent prayer will always make our lives holier and peaceful. Therefore a true Christian approach makes prayer part of our day to day living. True Christian prayer demands readiness to forgive others. It does not mean that one must forget what was done. Nor does it mean one gives up rights to justice. It is the ability to deal with the hurtful experiences in such a way that it would not brood into anger or revenge and spoil your peace. Forgiveness is the ability to continue to see God’s goodness in the offender in spite of the offence. One would require spiritual maturity to forgive others. Forgiveness leads to reconciliation. And reconciliation is a process. Reconciliation takes time. It requires persistent efforts from a forgiving person for a period of time. A lot of hurt and pain are born out of the lack of proper awareness. It is the Holy Spirit who can provide us with enlightenment in such cases. When it happens, it could be a total conversion in life. The story of John Newton, whose life is associated with the popular hymn ‘Amazing Grace’, is about conversion. His conversion did not happen overnight. First of all it involved the tragedy of a ship wreck and then guidance of some good people over a period of time. Our conversion is a process. Even when we think we are good Christians, we could be in need of further conversion. Listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirt one can identify the areas in need of conversion. Any true seeker will be guided by the Holy Spirit to forgiveness and reconciliation. See more

15.01.2022 A Just Man and the Saviour When the news of disgraced former minister Eddie Obeid being jailed was heard, most people agreed that justice was done. But his wife and family who left the court in tears would have been thinking of Eddie as a just man who loyal to the family and kept up its honour. It is the context and framework of each judgement that gives meaning to it. Most people do not intend to do evil or the wrong thing. Joseph in the Gospel of Matthew was a ‘just man’. ...Why was he a ‘just man’? According to Jewish tradition, a just man would follow the ‘Torah’, the rules from the first five books of the Bible. Accordingly he decided to divorce his betrothed bride to be, when he learned that she was pregnant before they cohabited. His sense of compassion made him do it in private, without much publicity, to spare the honour for him and his family. Then came the revelation from God’s angel that what Mary had conceived was from the Holy Spirit and the child will be ‘Jesus’ meaning ‘God’s salvation’. Now Joseph had to decide between the Torah and the revelation of God. It was like the decision Ahaz, the father of David, had to make for his kingdom (Israel) in a critical situation. According to the prophet Isaiah (Ref. chapter 7) Ahaz was torn between the advices of his military leaders and the message of God pronounced by the prophet Isaiah. Though the prophet told him that God will show that ‘He is with them’ through a son, Ahaz preferred more pragmatic alliances with kingly powers. This brought disaster to him and his people. Unlike Ahaz, when Joseph had to decide between the security of the Torah and the revelation of God, he decided to be obedient to God’s message. He accepted Mary as his wife. He knew that the Spirit of God who gave life to the ‘dry bones’ (Ref Prophet Ezekiel 37:1-14), and the Spirit of God who was active at the very creation of the world (Ref Gen 1:2) was active in Mary with a new creation. The child in Mary’s womb would be the revelation that Our God is with Us (Emmanuel) and his name would be Jesus (God saves). It will provide a new life for the people of God. The question you and I should ask is whether we are like Ahaz or Joseph in our decision making. If financial advisors and celebrity status outdo our obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are like Ahaz. But to realise the salvation through the experience of God being with us (Emmanuel) we shall be obedient to the revelations of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Let us make our Christmas a celebration of God being with us - Emmanuel. See more

15.01.2022 Where you are redeemed there you are gifted. Therefore forgive other's wrong doing doings till they are redeemed. (Cf Mt 18:21-22)

15.01.2022 Birth of Jesus marked a new beginning for the human history. We celebrated it last Sunday. Today is the celebration of the beginning of a new calendar year, 2017. The New Year would make more sense if we approach it with a meditation on the revelation of God to us. Reactions to the revelations can vary. Everyone who heard it (about the birth of baby Jesus), that they were astonished at what the shepherd have had to say. (Luke 2:18) However there is no indication that anyo...ne of the people who heard it really believed in the impact of Jesus’ birth, nor are they interested in going to the manger to see Jesus. They merely wondered at the news. God reveals himself in many and varied ways in our lives and the lives of the people we know. If we do nothing more than wondering at them, we too will be like the people who wondered at what the shepherds told. We too will be lost to the oblivion. But Mary had a different reaction. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19) She was not just satisfied by wondering at the birth of baby Jesus or just praising God for what had happened. She continued to treasure her experience all through her life. So much so, she was at the Cross of Jesus on Calvary. Though she never fully understood the mysteries of God’s birth as a child and the salvation plan through Jesus, Mary was always open to God’s revelation. We have a lesson in Mary’s response. As we start the New Year, we cannot be just satisfied with thankful praises to God and a few short kept resolutions. Like Mary we too have had revelations of God in our lives in many and varied ways. We should treasure such God experiences and constantly ponder over them. Thus we can make the best of our God given experiences. Treasuring the God experiences and pondering over God’s revelation is something only you and I can do. No animal is capable of pondering over any experience, let alone God experience. An intelligent dog may remember the good experiences it had with its master and in return may show affection. But it cannot ponder such experiences to find meaning and purpose of life. Such privileges are reserved for you and me. Therefore let us always make our lives meaningful and purposeful by reflecting on our life experiences, especially God’s revelations in our lives. May the New Year be of greater happiness for you. See more

14.01.2022 Holy Trinity, God's Revelation If God is only one, how could we speak of three persons of God? This has been a puzzling question for many people. What does the Bible say about it? Jesus always spoke about his intimacy with the Father. I am in the Father and the Father is in Me (Jn 14:10) In a most unprecedented way, Jesus addressed God as Father when he taught his disciples how to pray. (Ref Mt 6:9-13). Jesus has revealed to us that God is a loving Father. So with confid...ence we call God our Father and long for his loving providence. Jesus also said, When the Advocate comes, whom I will send you from the Father the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father He will testify about Me. (Jn 15:26) We see this promise of Jesus coming true on Pentecost day when the Apostles received Holy Spirit and preached boldly about resurrected Christ. In calling God ‘Father’ Jesus revealed that he is the Son of God. John in his Gospel affirms this revelation when he wrote God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (Jn 3:16) So according to the Gospels, God has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yet they are not three different entities according to Bible, but one being. Therefore we say ‘we believe in one God, yet three persons in one God’. This may not be explainable using the normal logic of the world. Yet we know it is true because of the Bible. We also know that in all these revelations, it is the love of God which is made real and near to us. Our response to this revelation of God should be, how, like Jesus Christ, I can grow in my intimacy with the Father in Heaven. We also strive to bring about the fruits of the Holy Spirit who has come down on us. Apostles and other faithful disciples are our model and guidance in this. In short in all what say and do, we should reflect that our God is Love. (Cf 1st letter of John Chapter 4) Our faith in Most Holy Trinity makes the most loving people. See more

12.01.2022 A new refugee family from Syria was welcomed into the parish at 10 AM Mass last Sunday

12.01.2022 Last Tuesday, I was at a clergy conference of the Archdiocese of Sydney. One of the major topics of discussion was evangelisation in our parishes. The same topic, evangelisation, is the main theme of the Acts of the Apostles. Paul and Barnabas went from Pegra to Antioch proclaiming the Word of God and salvation in Jesus Christ. Then the Bible says, the whole town assembled to hear the Word of God (Acts 13:44). They also went to the non-Jewish territory and preached successf...ully there too. All those who were destined for eternal life became believers. (Acts 13:48) But the elite of the society did not like it. Therefore they organised some people to chase Paul and Barnabas out of the city. What was the Apostles’ reaction? so they shook the dust from their feet in defiance and went off to Iconium. (Acts 13:51)The Apostles did not push religion down the throat of anyone. They just preached the good news of the Risen Christ and received the people who voluntarily joined the Church. The Apostles were not bothered about those who did not believe or wanted to chase them away. Four or five decades later ,John reflected on his experience of preaching the good news in Asia Minor. It was a time when a number of people were leaving the Church. Did John compel them to stay in the Church? No. John wrote in his Gospel, Jesus said, ‘The sheep that belongs to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life.’ (Jn 10:27) Those who have faith is the Risen Christ will listen to the Word of God and always belong to the body of Christ, the Church. If anyone refuses to listen to the Word of God, they just do not belong to the shepherd, Jesus Christ. That is it. In our times we too are faced with a situation where there are many lapsed Catholics. In the evangelisation works in our parish, we too take the approach the Apostles took. We shall make sure the good news of the Lord reaches everyone. But no one will be forced into the Church. If they have faith they will respond to the preaching and show a sense of belonging to the Body of Christ, the Church, by the way they participate and support the Church. But even after listening to the Word of God, some people prefer to follow other ideologies and leaders, and not the teaching of the Church and its leaders. In such cases we can only ‘shake the dust from our feet in defiance’. No one can blame the leaders of the Church as an excuse for not participating or supporting the Church. If they truly believe in the Word of God they will show that in their support and participation in the Church. If not, they are not gifted with faith and no one can help them. Let our participation and our support of the Body of Christ be our witness to our faith in the Risen Christ, the good shepherd. See more

12.01.2022 IS terrorists slit the throat of Fr Jacques Hamel (84) in front of the Altar as he was celebrating Holy Mass. A man who dedicated his life to be a priest of Christ and his Gospel, was executed because someone hated Christianity. The terrorist might have wanted to make the war of the radicalised Islamic State into a religious war with Christians. But people who follow the Gospel of Christ know that life is too precious to give into hate filled revenge. Even in the face of such... extreme evil, it is self-sacrificing love that is the best answer a Christian can offer. In fact the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. The life story of St Peter Chanel (1803-1841) is one of the examples of that. Peter Chanel, a French Marist Priest, worked as a missionary on Futuna Island in the Pacific Ocean for three years and converted less than a handful of people before he was clubbed to death by the king. But within a few years of his death the whole island of Futuna was converted to Christianity. Forgiving the most heinous criminal is more rewarding than the mightiest revenge attack. Samundar Singh stabbed Sr Rani Maria, a Franciscan Nun, 54 times on a crowded bus, then dragged her out and left her by the roadside to die. It happened in 1995 in Central India. Samundar was serving a life time prison sentence when an elderly man known as Swami Sadanand, a Carmelite priest, visited him and said, God has forgiven you. This made Samundar reflect on his criminal life. But the greatest of the Christian response of forgiveness came from the younger sister of the murdered nun. Sr Selmy, who is also a Franciscan nun, went to prison and tied around Singh’s wrist ‘rakhi’, a bracelet which symbolizes the bond of sacred brotherhood between a man and a woman. From that moment, Selmy, the sister of murdered Rani Maria, adopted Samundar Singh as her brother. Later when Samundar was released from the prison, in 2007 he was welcomed as a guest by Sr Rani Maria’s parents at their home in South India. What a magnificent example of forgiveness. Self-sacrifice, dedication to Christ, and profound forgiveness will prove to have greater achievement than what money can buy. Money and what money can buy are bound to the material world. But the best part of our life transcends the material world. Criminals can terrorise the physical world. But no terrorist can win life for himself or for others. See more

11.01.2022 Ravi Pillai is a rich man. It was not a problem for him to spend $10 Million on his daughter’s wedding. But it was not just his daughter who received a wedding gift from him; Ravi gave $2 million towards the health service for the poor women in Kollam, his city. There are also stories of couples in India putting on festive meals for the poor instead of a grand wedding reception. There are many others who feed the poor to mark special birthdays and wedding anniversaries. Then ...there are people like Pyloth who turned his own house into an asylum for the destitute. He was already widowed and children were married away, when he retired as a bank officer. For his retirement Pyloth decided to invite the mentally challenged and wandering destitute to his house, providing them shelter, food, medical attention and occupational therapy. All with his own money. Why do people do such things instead of spending their money on a luxurious life style or things that would bring them more power and glory? These people are disillusioned. Money and status are not the best things possible in life. These people are challenging the world for a new order; an order that is not based on prestige and status but on respecting the dignity of all human beings. The Kingdom of God announced by Jesus is also challenging us to seek a new order. People of the Kingdom of God would rather celebrate their life with the downtrodden and the marginalised people than with the elite like the Pharisees. In the parables of the great feast, Jesus calls religious people to share their festive tables with the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. (Luke 14:8-10) Jesus himself did it in his own life. In his parable of the great feast of the Kingdom of God and his teaching, Jesus shattered the expectations about the proper guests to the table. When you give a lunch or dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again. (Luke 14:12-14) In effect, subvert the status quo, which honours the rich and the powerful. Are you prepared to take up this challenge? As a follower of Jesus Christ, you are challenged to subvert the prosperity cult of the capitalist world we live in. Christ’s teaching also challenges us to subvert the culture of populism. Because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 14:11). See more

11.01.2022 Malayalam Mass & Rosary Procession Sunday, 29 Oct. 4.30 PM at Berala

11.01.2022 Coming Soon Meditation Program. Inquire with Parish Office

10.01.2022 Parish Bulletin - 10 May 2020 - https://mailchi.mp/147502f3fc/parish-bulletin-3-may-4905681

10.01.2022 Christ Is Mightier Than Caesar Note on Thomas Kurunthanam page

08.01.2022 DRAW, the Youth Groups is meeting on Sundays at St Joseph House at 11 AM

08.01.2022 Reading Mark: bible study program starting on Wednesday 21 February 2018. Register your name [email protected]

08.01.2022 Samoan prayer at parish day

06.01.2022 First Reconciliation Classes starting on 15 October

06.01.2022 Our God is the Lord of Life and Death. Hearing me announcing the ‘death’ of a parishioner, someone from the congregation corrected me later. To say that someone died is awful. Say that he passed away or passed on. I have also had the experience of some of the children of a dying mother who did not want to visit her in her dying moments. The reason I was given was that these particular children would like to remember her in her good health, enjoying life with them only. Ther...Continue reading

05.01.2022 Lector Training starts on Saturday, 4 Feb at St Joseph House

03.01.2022 When my bishop in India appointed me to Palar to start a parish, everyone there, including the non-Christians, were very happy that a priest was coming to establish a Catholic Church. They all did not rejoice because the Catholic Faith was coming closer to them; but rather, a Catholic parish will bring a school to the village, the priest will help them build a public road to their place, and over all social welfare will be improved. That is the reason they rejoiced. Whilst so...Continue reading

02.01.2022 BE THE YEAST TO THE PEOPLE Our world is tainted by sin and institutionalised evil. We hear a lot about it. The abuse of power, the exploitation of the underprivileged and slaying of the innocent has always been part of the human story. Are we able to grow and mature in the midst of all these darnel? How can a benevolent God allow these to happen? Jesus answers these questions through parables. Mysteries of God are better explained through parables than otherwise. In spite o...Continue reading

01.01.2022 ruins of the temple Herod's son built at Caesarea Philippi for the Roman Caesar. in front of this Jesus interviewed Peter for the job of leading his church. The mighty Roman Empire is history now. But the profession of faith Peter made and the Church he led is still alive and thriving. Christ is mightier than Caesar

01.01.2022 In this winter we see many trees with bare branches after they have shed their leaves. Before shedding them, the leaves turned very colourful, attracting everyone’s attention. Perhaps it is the most photogenic time of the trees. Yet it is the branches that will survive the winter and produce new leaves and fruits. It is a good parable for the human life. There are people who are like the colourful leaves in autumn. They attract a lot of attention and admiration of the world. ...But it cannot last for ever. Come the harsh tests of life, they fall away. Whereas there are people who are like branches, who do not live on the admiration of the world, yet can endure any harsh tests of life. The only thing that can fail them is to be cut off from the trunk of the tree. Just as branches can produce new leafs and fruits these people also are full of real life. Whereas the ‘leaf people’ though can be good show offs, cannot produce fruits. That is because, unlike branches, they do not contain any qualities of stem in them. The Body and Blood of Christ is a great gift we have from God that help us to the ‘branch people’. People who have come into a union with Christ through Eucharist are able to withstand the tests and hardships of life. They are capable of producing shade giving leafs and good fruits. Because they contain in themselves divine qualities like branches sharing the qualities of the stem. Jesus said, He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. (Jn 6:54) . You too may ask yourself whether you are with ‘branch people or with leaf people’. See more