TWENTY EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

11 OCTOBER 2026

In biblical times, weddings offered a few days away from work and daily duties. Traditionally, invitations came in two stages: an advance notice and then a call to gather when the feast began. This explains why the king sends servants twice. Surpris-ingly, those who accepted the first invitation rejected the second: some ignored it, while others insulted the messengers.

Faced with the invitees’ refusal, the king comes up with a strange solution. He orders people from all walks of life — the poor, the handicapped, the blind, and the lame—to be called to the feast. They are gathered from the streets, city alleys, and crossroads.

When the first group of guests rejected the invitation, others benefited from the banquet. “They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit at the table in the kingdom of God. Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last” (Lk 13:29). Inviting people from the margins was a great promotion for them. In the closed communities of the Middle East, this was unthinkable.

The celebration of God’s salvation, symbolised by the wedding feast, does not take place only among the righteous and successful who did not accept the invitation, but among the poor, the weak, the uneducated, the oppressed, and those who suffer physically, mentally and emotionally.

God’s invitation is a gift, a grace; it flows from his unconditional love. But it requires a response. All those invited are obliged to change their garments, that is, to change their lives, to become new people, to put on Jesus Christ (cf. Rom 13:13). God’s grace demands cooperation, that is, taking up the effort to strive for perfection and holiness. Be perfect, then, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5:48).

May God be praised, and may the Blessed Virgin pray for us.

Fr Jan

A special program, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), is for those considering joining the Roman Catholic Church. The program prepares candidates for the Sacraments of Christian Initiation Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist — and provides insight into the Catholic faith. Are you interested in becoming Catholic, or do you know someone who wants to learn about the Catholic Faith?

Please get in touch with the Darra-Jindalee Parish office by email to Luisa ym.darjin@bne.catholic.net.au or ph 3715 8517.
The RCIA participants meet once a week on Tuesdays at 7 pm. The program commences on Tuesday, August 18, at 7 pm Jin-dalee hall.

Agape Charismatic Prayer Group Meeting – Friday 16th October AGAPE will start at 7:00pm at Jindalee Church with Praise and Worship to be followed by Adoration and Intercessory prayer.

All are welcome.

Confidential Prayer Sunday 18 October after 9am Mass Darra. Contact Audrey 0435 558 390.

Divine Mercy Hour every Sunday at the
Twelve Apostles Church 3 pm.
Praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet and
reflections based on the Diary of St Faustina

Pope’s September prayer intention: ‘For the care of water’
Pope Leo XIV invites everyone to pray for “the care of water” during
September as Christians celebrate the Season of Creation.
Water, he says, “quenches thirst, nourishes the earth, and heals
wounds,” as well as serving for Christians as a symbol of God’s grace
and love for us and our renewal in Baptism.

“Forgive us for turning it into a commodity, forgetting that it is a
universal gift, a right without borders, meant for all your children,”
he prays. “We see with pain so many brothers and sisters who lack
clean water, who walk for miles to find it, who become ill due to its
scarcity.”
Pope Leo goes on to pray that the Holy Spirit may make Christians
“pilgrims of the essential,” who are able to live simply and avoid all
waste or pollution.

He encourages us to defend everyone’s right to water, so that all may drink “without fear and without inequality.”

“May our care for water be a sign of love for the Creator and a commitment to the lives of the poor, educating new generations to value and protect the Earth’s resources,” he concludes.

Congratulations to the second round of Candidates who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation this week. Heavenly Father grant them the courage to be honest and the humility to seek forgiveness. Strengthen them with Your grace, that they may grow closer to You and strive to live a good and virtuous life.

First Friday Adoration each month beginning Friday 6 February after the 6 pm Mass.

The monthly Saturday Adoration will be moved to the first Friday of each month. After the 6 pm Mass at Darra, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed until 10 pm. During the exposition, the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) will be available.

In the last few months leading up to Christmas, the number of parishioners who would stay behind after the 6 pm Saturday Mass dropped significantly. The first Friday of the month holds a significant place in the Catholic tradition, and I believe more parishioners will stay behind to spend time with the Lord. Another reason is the Sacrament of Reconciliation celebrated on the first Saturday of the month. Most of the time, there are many penitents for Confession after the 9 am Mass. Also, on Saturday at 11 am, the Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated, and it is often challenging to be back on time for the Baptism at Jindalee.

Having extra time for the Reconciliation on the first Friday during Adoration will reduce the number of penitents on Saturday morning.

God Bless Fr Jan

Honouring the Memory of Fr Dan

As we reflect on the incredible legacy of Fr Dan, who faithfully served as our parish priest, we are inviting all parishioners to help us build a lasting tribute to his memory.

We are currently gathering photos, audio/video recordings, printed materials, and personal stories that capture Fr Dan’s time in the parish. Whether it’s a photo from a special Mass, a recording of his homilies, a bulletin he wrote, or a story you remember—every piece helps tell the story of his impact on our community.

Please email to Valentinaslozada@gmail.com. Every contribution—no
matter how small—helps us build a meaningful archive for current and future generations.

Let’s come together to honour Fr Dan’s life and the incredible role he
played in shaping our parish family.

DARRA JINDALEE PARISH MEDIA
The Darra Jindalee Parish take and use images and videos to celebrate
achievements, promote works and events, and other purposes to help achieve the Church’s mission.

Images may appear in, for example, newsletters, bulletins, posters, on
the Parish/Archdiocesan website, on social media platform, on a live streaming video platform and other promotional media/materials.

The parish has appointed Luisa Laughren and Natania Butler of NatImage to capture images and media files which are then respectfully stored and managed on behalf of the parish as per Archdiocesan media protocols.

Should you not wish to be in any of the future parish media images and videos please advise the parish office at ym.darjin@bne.catholic.net.au.

This Franciscan Jubilee Year, is considered a gift for the entire
Church and an occasion for authentic spiritual renewal.

Until Jan. 10 of next year 2027, the faithful can obtain this grace under the usual conditions — sacramental confession, Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the pope — by making a pilgrimage to any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship dedicated to St. Francis anywhere in the world.

Furthermore, the elderly, the sick, and those who, for serious reasons, cannot leave their homes can obtain the plenary indulgence by spiritually joining in the jubilee celebrations and offering their prayers, pains, or sufferings to God.

In a world where “the virtual takes over the real, disagreements and social violence are part of everyday life, and peace becomes more insecure and distant every day, this Year of St. Francis spurs all of us, each according to our possibilities, to imitate the poor man of Assisi, to form ourselves as far as possible on the model of Christ,” the decree states.

St. Francis reminds us that “peace with God, peace among people, and peace with creation are inseparable dimensions of a single call to universal reconciliation.”

Dear Parents,

Every year, the parish Sacramental Programs prepare your children and your families for the Sacraments of Eucharist, Confirmation and Reconciliation. These programs are one of the most important pastoral activities of the parish. Many thanks for your generous participation in this program.

Over the last 4 years, we have followed the sequence outlined in the archdiocesan policy: (1) Confirmation; (2) Eucharist with “little” Reconciliation, and then, in Year 5, the “full” (3) Reconciliation.

In this frame, Reconciliation was addressed twice: First, at the time of the Eucharist and then, a year later, on its own. This format caused considerable confusion and impracticability for the parents and the parish.

Taking this experience and some comments from the parents into account, I have decided to simplify and clarify the existing format.

From this year onwards, the 2nd Reconciliation in Year 5 will be brought forward and incorporated into the program that prepares children for the Eucharist. This year, 2026, the Sacrament of the Eucharist will be combined with Reconciliation. It will start with the Parents’ Information Evenings on Monday, 9 February (Darra), and Tuesday, 10 February (Jindalee), both at 6:30 pm.

Registration for Reconciliation/Eucharist will commence on Monday, 19 January 2026. (Reconciliation) and Monday, March 9, 2026 (Eucharist), The Parents’ Information Evenings will outline the parents’ role and the timetable for activities leading up to the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

The Sacrament of Eucharist will be celebrated on – (1) Sunday, 14 June, at 11:00 am, at Darra and on (2) Sunday, 21 June, at 11:00 am, at Jindalee.
The registration for the Sacrament of Confirmation will commence on Monday, 3 August 2026, with Parents’ Information Evenings on Monday, 7 September at Darra and Tuesday, 8 September at Jindalee, both sessions at 6:30 pm.

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Tuesday, 3 November, at 6:30 pm at the Church of the Twelve Apostles, Jindalee.

Having outlined the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation, there is an additional program for children who celebrated Eucharist in 2025. Since they have not yet celebrated the full Sacrament of Reconciliation, an additional program will prepare them for this Sacrament by exploring the full meaning of God’s mercy and the reality of sin.

This program will begin with the Parents’ Information Evening on Monday, 20 July, and Reconciliation will be celebrated on Tuesday, 1 September, for students of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School (during school hours) and Wednesday, 2 September, for children outside the Parish school.

I pray in the hope that this new format will simplify and be more beneficial for the children as they grow in the faith given to them at Baptism.

Thank you for your understanding as we face this transitional phase of our Sacramental Program setup in Darra Jindalee.

The Sacramental Program team and I look forward to this journey with you, your children, and the Parish School.

God Bless,
Fr Jan Bialasiewicz
Parish Priest

Flocknote Get Connected!

Have you registered online as a member of our parish? All parishioners are invited to register using Flocknote, our new church designed, Australia-wide data programme. One way to register is to use your phone and scan the QR code below. It will take you directly to the parish sign-up page. You will then receive an email with a confirmation code that allows you to securely enter your family details.