ST SIMON THE APOSTLE, ROWVILLE

Fr Kevin Dillon - St Simons - Tuesday, October 27 2020

live from 6am (Tuesday - Friday)

Fr. Kevin Dillon - St Simons - Sunday, October 25 2020

live from Saturday 6pm

                                                          Using the picture images in
St. Simon the Apostle Church

You Don't Love God If You Don't Love Your Neighbor

God Bless our World!

The phrase “pub test” is regularly used as denoting both common sense and fairness when assessing a course of action. It’s a little like the jury system. A group of ordinary people can look at a dispute, an issue, or an alleged crime, and generally they’ll come
up with the right answer. So what would the pub test make of the decision which denies people who want to pray the right to do so - even outdoors - in anywhere near the numbers permitted
for those who want to gather in a hotel for a few drinks. There is no question that since the COVID-19 lockdown first hit nearly eight months ago, the hospitality industry - hotels, restaurants, cafes, coffee shops - have suffered enormously - more so than many other businesses. The memorable song from Les Miserables, ‘Empty Chairs and Empty Tables’ has had extraordinary poignancy in recent months. And in nearly all cases, proprietors have run their establishments responsibly and with great attention to cleanliness. But despite welcoming a relaxation for places of hospitality, any allegation that churches are places of higher COVID-risk than beer gardens is unfair, illogical, short-sighted, insulting – and consequently just plain wrong! Unfair? The relative success across Australia of the approach to COVID-19 has been the catch-phrase: “We’re all in this together”. Discrimination (and that’s the word!) against worshippers causes division similar to that which provoked this week’s huge and justified outcry (and subsequent decision reversal) when hundreds of people were - for a time – to be permitted to attend the races at Moonee Valley, while funeral attendance remained ten. Illogical? Despite the allegation to the contrary, church congregations in Victoria and across Australia have been obedient to the rules regarding numbers, social-distancing, cleaning and ventilation. This has been very true of St. Simon’s. If there is evidence to the contrary, where is it? Short-sighted? The “all in this together” approach will be needed for a long time. This glaring lack of parity can provoke a risk-laden attitude of “Blow them!”. Insulting? The justification offered for this discrimination asserted church people were less likely to clean the premises, and “would sing”, despite being told it was unsafe to do so. Yet for generations, church-goers have been central to community volunteer support in innumerable instances. They have been trusted whenever their selfless service was needed, saving huge amounts of public money. Why are they not trusted now? Archbishop Peter Comensoli made many valid and pertinent points in his article in Tuesday’s Herald Sun about what he rightly called the “lack of parity” between the proposed limits for places
of hospitality and places of worship. Of special note was his request: “If there really is health advice suggesting places
of worship are inherently riskier, I respectfully request to see it.
If there is data that backs up the suspicion being thrown on communities of faith in this pandemic, I am only too pleased to sit down and talk it through with experts. We can manage all the steps required to be COVID-safe.” Chances are the response to that request is yet to be provided.

                                                        Fr. Kevin Dillon 

♫ Salam Maria - Hail Mary ♫ 

Romo David Lemewu MGL

MY JESUS,
I believe that You are present in this most holy sacrament, I love you above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and I unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.        Amen

As part of our Parish planning
we selected randomly a number
of people to receive a call during which they could provide anonymous feedback on our Parish. This is
a summary of the feedback received, which is being considered by the Parish Council. If you wish to review and comment on this feedback so far, please provide comments via Feedback Link below

Feedback

Link

Previous "Mass Videos"

COVID-19 Restriction

Indoor Church Masses SUSPENDED 
and Parish Office Closure

Until futher notice

# 18 COVID Guidelines

People of faith deserve hope,
not exile

Archbishop Comensoli

Bulletin

Previous "Bulletins"

Homily