Bulletin 17 August 2014 – 20th Sun OT Yr A

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THEME:

KILL THE BILL FOR EUTHANASIA, NOT THE PERSON!

On the 24th of June Senator Di Natale secured a reference to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee of his Exposure draft of the Medical Services (Dying with Dignity) Bill 2014 for an inquiry.

The full details about the inquiry can be found at the Government Legal and Constitutional Committee’s webpages. Just click the link: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/                  Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/Dying_with_Dignity .

About the bill:

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE TO DEATH FOR THE AGED, DEMENTIA PATIENTS & OTHERS

The bill seeks to utilize the Commonwealth’s powers under health to have defined therein a medical service called a ‘dignity in dying medical service’; such service including access to both euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Having both euthanasia & assisted suicide defined as a medical service under an Act of the Commonwealth would see euthanasia & assisted suicide available in every Australian State & Territory.

Previously, euthanasia & assisted suicide bills have been debated in the Australian States. The States administer Criminal Codes for their own jurisdictions; such Criminal Codes including the offence of homicide, under which euthanasia and assisted suicide have always been an offence.

It remains to be seen whether the Commonwealth can use its health powers under the Constitution to enact such a law and, indeed, how the conflict thereafter between the Commonwealth law and the States’ Criminal Codes will be resolved.

 Please join in opposing this bill by making a brief submission to the Inquiry!

Submissions can be made by anyone and needn’t be any more onerous than an email or letter outlining your opposition and making one or two reasons why you oppose such a law.

The final date for submissions is the 21st of August. – THURSDAY! – ACT ON IT TODAY.

WRITE YOUR PERSONAL LETTER OR EMAIL TO CANBERRA. … 65 cents now (one concession stamp for your letter) could scuttle this terrible bill and save you untold anxiety in the future when you are frail and elderly.

Thoughts to help you express your opposition:

  • This bill would require that euthanasia & assisted suicide be accepted as medical services. Directly killing or providing the means for a patient to kill themselves is not part of medicine.
  • Does this mean that Australian taxpayers will be footing the bill for death through Medicare? This is a totally unacceptable, immoral use of our taxes!
  • We should reject the use of euphemisms for euthanasia & assisted suicide. Dignity in Dying Medical Service is such a euphemism. Dignity is not dispensed through a lethal injection or a fatal dose!
  • This is an abuse of our system of government and our Constitution. At Federation the Criminal Codes covering homicide were allocated to the states to administer. If this bill were to pass, the Commonwealth would be in conflict with the States and would be trampling upon states’ rights.
  • No matter what so-called safeguards are put in place, no euthanasia or assisted suicide law is ever safe from abuse. Consider the recent testimony of Dutch Prof. Theo Boer: Once an advocate for the Dutch law and a member of the evaluation committees, Prof Boer recently told the British Press, “I was wrong! Don’t go there!”                                    
  • [Click the following link and read the disturbing reasons for the about-face of Professor Boer]:

(cf: http://noeuthanasia.org.au/blog/2044-dutch-ethicist-assisted-suicide-don-t-go-there.html )

  • The bill talks about access to a Palliative Care Specialists, but not every Australian has access depending on where they live.

Send your letter to: Committee Secretary,

Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee,

PO Box 6100, Parliament House

Canberra ACT 2600

Send your email to:  sen@aph.gov.au

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Parish Contact Details
 
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POPE FRANCIS REQUESTS PRAYERS
This week Pope Francis travelled to Korea on his first apostolic visit to Asia. Please pray that his visit will be safe and a source of strength and harmony for all on the Korean Peninsula. He has also urgently asked prayers in support of the Christians suffering persecution in Iraq and the Middle East, that they may be protected, assisted and given refuge from the evils they face.
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 Masses 20th Week Ordinary Time

Saturday 16th August    

6.30pm Mass – Fr Vin Walsh

Sunday 17th August  

9.00am Mass – Fr Vin Walsh

10.45am Mass at Coreen – Fr Vin Walsh

Monday 18th August

No Mass

Tuesday 19th August  

No Mass

Wednesday 20th August St Bernard

No Mass

11.00am Holy Communion to Homes

Thursday 21st August St Pius X

11.40am Novena

12.00 Communion Service

Friday 22nd August Queenship of BVM  

No Mass

11.00am Holy Communions to Homes

Saturday 23rd August                                                                  

No Morning Mass

6.30pm Vigil  No priest available: Communion Service

Sunday 24th August

9.00am No priest available: Communion Service

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Confessions: Every Saturday 11.00-12noon; 5.30pm–6.15pm.

Hospital Visitation for sick relatives: Contact Fr Hart 60331927

& add the request that the patient see a priest to the Patient Hospital Information Sheet

However, please note: Fr Hart is on annual leave till 4th September.

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NOTICES: Meetings / Imp. Dates:

21st Aug. (Thu) 1.45pm CWL Meeting in Parish Hall

27th Aug. Balldale Majellan Meeting – at Nora Kingston’s, 24 Alfred Street, Corowa,  at 12.30pm. All welcome.

29th Aug. CARE Fundraising event: TALENT NIGHT AT COROWA PRIMARY SCHOOL. BBQ Dinner then entertainment. $15 Single; $40 Family. All proceeds to High School Scripture Teacher support.

20th Sept. Women’ Spirituality Day. Wagga.

Volunteers Wanted: Wrap with Love: 9.30-12 noon every 2nd Monday.

St Mary’s Parish Hall – Enjoy cuppa & chat

Contact: Carmel Moroney – 6033 5381

NEXT SEWING DAY: Mon 18th August 9.30am

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Roster 23-24 August 2014

Gifts:

  1. 30pm L Hanrahan
  2. 00am Svarc Family

Lectors:

  1. 30pm P Schnelle & J Schnelle
  2. 00am B Christy & E Christy

Special Ministers:

  1. 30pm K O’Halloran & M Nixon
  2. 00am K King & K Flower

Altar: N Warhurst

Welcomers:

  1. 30pm M Skehan & J Regan
  2. 00am R Whitmore

Altar Servers:

  1. 30pm Dylan Forge & Max Blockley
  2. 00am Olivia & Simone Aitkens

Collection: M Drum

Counters: R. Packer & I. Brooks

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Remember in Prayer

Judy Raggett, Sr Elizabeth Mitchell RSM, Maria Jaszczyk, Braedon Hensel, Jace Whyte, Noreen Rourke, Patricia Kelly, Brian Knight, Margaret Elliott, John Skehan, John Hanrahan. Access Funeral Booklets of recently deceased at:       http://stmaryscorowa.org/honour-roll/

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