Vision and Mission Statement

 

In 2007, the Catholic Bishops’ Council, convened in Synod at the Vatican, issued a special document on “The Word of God.” This synodal document focuses on the relationship between the Word of God and the Church, stating:

“It is essential, in this regard, to recall that the Word of God, which in Christ became the Gospel or Good News and was entrusted to the preaching of the Apostles, continues its course according to two clear and closely interconnected points of reference: the life-giving flow of living Tradition, which reveals ‘everything that is in itself and everything that is believed,’ and thus the Church’s worship, teaching, and life; and Sacred Scripture, which, inspired by the Holy Spirit and unchanging, faithfully preserves the original elements that constitute this living Tradition. Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture of both Testaments are like a mirror in which the Church, during her pilgrimage on earth, contemplates God, and from which she draws everything until she reaches her goal of seeing Him face to face as He is (1 Jn 3:2). It remains the task of the Church’s Magisterium, which is not above the Word of God, to authentically interpret the written and transmitted Word of God” (Vatican City, 2007, General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, 6–14).

 

The vision and mission of St George Chaldean Parish are rooted in the vision and mission of the universal Church, and in particular within the vision of the Diocese of St Thomas the Apostle for the Chaldeans in Australia and New Zealand. One of the principal reasons for the existence of the Church is to live the Gospel (the Good News), to safeguard it, and to transmit it to today’s world. By its very nature, St George Parish is a Church that proclaims the Word of God, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ the Saviour.

 

The Parish carries out this missionary work through several means and approaches. First, through the ministry of the Word of God, proclaimed to the faithful during Sunday Masses and other liturgical celebrations. Secondly, the Parish proclaims the Word by living according to it and by spreading it through its many electronic platforms and pages. These include the new parish website (www.stgeorgechaldeanparish.com.au), as well as social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

 

The Parish also makes use of its weekly bulletin, which includes the Word of God within the liturgical readings for each Sunday of the week. These consist of three readings from Sacred Scripture: the first from the Torah, the second from the Letters of Saint Paul, and the third from the Gospels. This weekly bulletin is printed and distributed to the faithful who participate in the Sunday Divine Liturgies, and at the same time it is published on the Parish’s Facebook page. It is also worth noting that this weekly bulletin is preserved in the Parish’s electronic archive.

 

Among the Parish’s distinctive missionary activities in the service of the Word of God are the weekly lessons offered at the Fr. Koob Forum on Sacred Scripture. The Holy Books are studied in an academic manner and presented to students in an engaging and accessible style. Through these lessons, students become acquainted with many aspects that help them deepen their knowledge and learn how to live and transmit the Word to others.

 

The Parish also employs other means to spread the Word of God by contributing to the provision of copies of the Holy Bible to students of Christian education at the primary levels and to youth students at the more advanced stages.

 

St George Parish places great emphasis on the proclamation of the Word of God through the work of a competent team and a capable media committee, dedicated to publishing and refining all material shared on the Parish’s media pages and platforms. All written material is also linguistically reviewed and corrected to ensure it is presented in an accurate and elegant manner.

 

Media Committee of St George Parish