Archbishop Hart has appointed Fr Kevin as our priest for another six years.

This Week's Vocation View: Another sign of Vocation is that your heart is more intent on things of heaven rather than on things of earth. God is everything: the only thing.

Annual Priestly Jubilee Celebration

Last Monday, 97 Victorian priests ordained from Corpus Christi College met in Moonee Ponds and celebrated the Diamond (ordained in 1950) the Golden (ordained in 1960) and Silver (ordained in 1985) Jubilees. 
The Diamond Jubilarians all retired from active ministry are Fr. Chris Baker, Fr. Des Cameron, Archbishop Len Faulkner, Fr. John Griffin, Fr. Ron Merrick and Monsignor Jim Murray. 
The Golden Jubilarians are Fathers Frank Arnold (P.P. Blackburn North) Karmel Borg (Seminary staff) Pat Flanagan (retired) Paul Garland (retired) Eric Hodgens (retired) Bill Jordan (P.P. Flemington & Kensington) Bob Maguire (P.P. South Melbourne) and Barry Moran (P.P. East St Kilda).
The Silver Jubilarians are:  Fathers Peter Austin (P.P. Rochester) Brian Carey (P.P. Corryong & Tallangatta) Tony Hill (P.P. Euroa & Nagambie) Julian Langridge (P.P. Healesville & Lilydale) Vincent Le (P.P. Bundoora) Michael O’Connell (P.P. Macleod) Charles Portelli (P.P. Kealba & Keilor Downs) Greg Pritchard (P.P. Chelsea) Wahid Riad (P.P. Bulleen) and Michael Sierakowski (P.P. East Bentleigh).
Nine Jubilarian priests have died and returned to the Father.
There have been 918 priests ordained from Corpus Christi College since 1929.  The highest number were ordained in the decades of 1960’s—209 followed by the 1970’s—164.  Only 67 were ordained in 1980’s, 49 in 1990’s and 40 in 2000’s.

Progress Report on Work at Our Schools

At O.L.M.C. School, the new all-weather oval is completed.  The oval is for use of school children only and is easily observed from the Police Station.  Next week concrete will be poured for the second storey and the lift installed.
At St Anne’s School, plastering and carpet laying continues. 
The builders are keen to finish both schools as soon as possible.  The School Leadership teams are very involved on these two projects which require much of their time.  

A New Translation of the Roman Missal

Information can be found on the Liturgical Commission Website at this address http://www.litcom.net.au/liturgy_lines/listbydate.php

Just select "New Words for Worship Part 1" and continue through to "New Words for Worship Part 10".

This information is also on the Parish WebLog here where a comment may be left.

Life, Marriage, and Family

Are you celebrating your 25th, 40th, 50th or 60th-70th wedding anniversary this year? The Life, Marriage & Family Office invite you and your families to join us at the Annual Anniversary Mass.  The Mass will be celebrated at St Patrick's Cathedral on Sunday 22 August at 11.00am by Archbishop Denis Hart.  Couples who register will receive commemorative certificates and packs. To register contact the Life, Marriage & Family Office on 9287 5579 or lmf@cam.org.au.  Alternatively register online at: www.lmf.cam.org.au  Registrations close on Friday 13 August.

Marriage Encounter Weekend

20-22 August.  The weekend is based around Catholic values, but you don’t need to be Catholic to attend.  Further info / bookings contact Peter & Erika Smith on 9899 0824; email vicbookings@wwme.org.au or visit www.wwme.org.au

Parenting Programs for Parents or Carers of students in Catholic Schools

All sessions run from 7.00pm to 9.00pm:
 

Enquiries Catholic Education Office—9464 5225.

Singleness of Heart Conference

In search of Intimacy:
A conference for young adults and singles of all ages.
Topics include significance & purpose, processing disappointments, singleness, intimacy & relationships. Excellent  international speakers, interactive, reflections & live music. Time for fellowship. 6th to 8th August 2010 (St Clements of Rome, Bulleen). Contact us on geraldine343@gmail.com or 0438 466 834 for brochure and enquiries.

Southern Stars Social Club

 A club for single Catholics 25 to 50 age group.  New members welcome.  Enquiries:  Peter 9885 2167 or email sssc.online@gmail.com

The Sunbury Bridge Club

The Sunbury Bridge Club plays duplicate bridge every Wednesday evening from 7.00pm to 10.00pm.  They meet at Rainbow Court (off Timmins St.) Sunbury.  Newcomers and visitors are welcome to join us, but please ring the President, Ben Ogle, beforehand on 9740 8852.

Free Beginners Lessons
:  Free beginners lessons commence in September.  Pre-registration is essential for planning purposes.  Contact Ben Ogle to express interest.  This will be our only beginner’s course this year…...Fr Bert Fulbrook sdb

WYD 2011 Spanish Fiesta

Everyone is invited to attend the one-year-to-go launch event for World Youth Day Madrid 2011. The event will include praise and worship, Mass led by Archbishop Hart, followed by a Spanish-style fiesta. There will be live music, Spanish food, dancing, and pilgrims can enter the draw to win one of three $2000 grants (conditions apply) to go towards their pilgrimage costs to Madrid, Spain.
Details: Friday 20 August, starts at 7.00pm at St Brigid’s Catholic Church, 378 Nicholson St, North Fitzroy.
This is a free event.
Visit www.aoy.org.au for more details.

Centacare Catholic Family Services
Special Collection

 The Annual Appeal for the Centacare Catholic Family Services will take place in our parish this weekend.  Centacare has been supporting and caring for families of the Melbourne Archdiocese for 75 years and relies on the support of our Catholic community.  Please give generously so Centacare can continue to support families to deal with the complex issues they face today.
If you have forgotten to bring your donation with you, please take an envelope home and return it next Sunday or post it direct to Centacare Catholic Family Services.

Mary MacKillop Canonisation Appeal

Next weekend will be the final collection for the Mary MacKillop Canonisation Appeal.  Proceeds raised will go towards involving the Sisters of St Joseph in the Canonisation ceremony in Rome, along with the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives and a youth contingent from across all dioceses.  The proceeds will also assist in providing all Australians access to the coverage of the ceremony whether it be via telecast or web-streaming.

MacKillop......A Musical

Tickets  on  sale  now  for MacKillop, the new Australian musical to be staged as part of the Canonisation celebrations.
Performances will be held in Melbourne 23-24 October at Besen Centre.
To ensure every parish has an opportunity to purchase tickets there is an exclusive Parish Pre-Sale from August 1-17.
If you wish to purchase tickets we strongly advise you do so before 17 August as the production is expected to sell-out.
Tickets available from $35 (for groups of 7+) via the website www.mackillop.info

Emmaus Charismatic Prayer Group

The Prayer Group meets at St Anne’s Church at 10.15am on Thursdays.  Commencing on 22 July we will be running a 6-week seminar entitled ‘This Promise is for You’.  Topics  covered  will  be  ‘The Certainty of God’s Love’;  ‘Freedom in Jesus’;  ‘The Power of the Holy Spirit’;  ‘The Spiritual Gifts or Charisms’;  ‘Fullness of Life’ and ‘Empowered to Serve’.
This week’s topic will be ‘The Power of the Holy Spirit’

All welcome  including  children.
Further info/transport please contact Lambert & Elaine van der Weerden on 9744 4029.

A Glimpse of the Life and Spirituality of Mary MacKillop

 In preparation for the canonisation of Mary MacKillop on 17 October 2010, Mary Help of Christians’ Church, 95 Railway St. Altona will host a series of four sessions on the life and spirituality of Mary MacKillop.
Further session dates are:  28 July and 4 & 11 August.
Facilitator:  Sr Yvonne Harte rsj.
Daytime session:  1.30pm to 3.00pm
Evening session:  7.00pm  to  8.30pm (repeated).
RSVP  St  Mary’s  Parish on  9398 2964  or email smpresal@bigpond.net.au if you plan to attend any of the sessions.
Further details next week or see noticeboard St Anne’s Church.

Prayers for the Family

We all have family and friends to pray for.

Mary MacKillop Walks for young adults

MacKillop Young Adult Community (MacYAC) invites young adults to come and visit significant sites in the life of Mary MacKillop here in Melbourne.  Leave Flagstaff Gardens at 2.00pm on the fourth Saturday of the month-visit the birth site, Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre and site of the First Providence.  Come and be inspired by the person of Mary MacKillop in this year of Canonisation.
Bookings on 9926 9300 or macyac@sosj.org.au 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF OUR ALTAR  SERVERS TEAM

Max ARDAS
Natalie D'MONTE
Taylah IBRAHIM
Matthew JACOB
Kyle TUCKER
Jamie WALSH.

As One Voice
National Music Conference 24th to 26th September 2010

 Don’t miss this exciting music event for singers, instrumentalists, choirs, liturgists, teachers and all who are involved in music within our parish and school community. Further info and to register online visit: www.asonevoice.com.au

Melbourne Pilgrimage to Canonisation

This pilgrimage will explore Mary MacKillop’s heritage in Scotland followed by five days in Rome.  Enquiries 1300 467 663 or www.canonisationtravel.com

Crossways

An in-depth study of the whole Bible over six terms.
Presented  by  Bethany  Lutheran Church and supported by the Sunbury Christian Ministers Fellowship.
See brochure at Welcome Desk for full details and registration or contact Pastor Jim Pietsch 9743 4643.

Marriage Encounter Weekend

When was the last time you had a great weekend just for the two of you?  The next three weekends will be held on 25-27 June, 20-22 August and 15-17 October.
Further info / bookings contact Peter & Erika on 9899 0824 or email vicbookings@wwme.org.au   Website:  www.wwme.org.au

FR KEVIN’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD

Some photos of the Presentation and Celebration of Fr Kevin's 40th anniversary of his ordination to the Priesthood can be seen on the Parish WebLog here.

Macyac Retreat Weekends 2010

Young single adults (18-35) are invited to attend one of our two retreat weekends-(1)  'Mary MacKillop Inspired & Inspiring' - experience the inspiration of a remarkable woman Friday 9 July to Sunday 11 July at Jan Juc.  RSVP 30.06.10.  (2)  'Mary MacKillop Towards Canonisation' - become inspired through her journey to sainthood Fri 27 August to Sun 29 August at Rye.  RSVP 18.08.10.  Cost for either weekend is $50 employed, with a concession rate for students/unwaged.  An e-copy of the brochure for the Retreat Weekends is available from macyac@sosj.org.au   Limited places-apply early.
Enquiries:  Rita 0419 299 065 / Janette 0411 406 152 or 9306 8903.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Youth Group

The Youth Group will be meeting at St Anne's Church at 6.30PM on 16th May.
We meet every 3rd Sunday at 6.30PM between St Anne's Church or Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.

Some of the Youth Group can be seen in the report of the Great Parish Cenntenial Bush Dance on the Parish Blog here.

The Youth Group Mission Statement can be found here.

Dear Friends of St Anne’s School
It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you that after much thought and prayers to the Holy Spirit for guidance, I have decided not to seek renewal of my contract for principalship of St Anne’s School, which will expire at the end of this year.
Through staff, parents and parish collaboration, much has been achieved in the areas of Religious Education, Learning and Teaching, Student Wellbeing and Environment/School Community.
I am very proud of our achievements at St Anne’s in the knowledge that we have worked tirelessly to create and maintain a culture of faith, educational, community and social growth.  We have truly upheld St Anne’s motto of ‘Growth, Wisdom and Love’.
I look forward to continuing to work with you, the staff and children over the next eight months as we strive to achieve our set goals for the year.

Lucy Jackanic
Principal

Parish Centennial Celebration Bush Dance

Take at least  400 people a mixture of excited children, parents, grand parents and friends, Shenanigans Bush Band, a sausage sizzle from the Youth Group, an old farm shed courtesy of the Reddan family, soft drinks and nibbles from OLMC P&F, Tea coffee and Anzac Biscuits from St Annes, blend it all together and you have one great Parish Centennial Celebration Bush Dance.
Thanks to the army of workers that made it happen.

(P.S I didn't know there were that many children in Sunbury! or 4-wheel drive cars....ED)

There are a few photos on the Parish Blog if you click here.

Knights of the Southern Cross Environmental Meditation Day

Some photos are on the Parish Web Log here.

ST PEREGRINE, PATRON OF CANCER SUFFERERS

A weekly Mass is said at Servite Priory Chapel, 32 Park Drive, Parkville every Tuesday at 7.30pm.

Could you care for a child with special needs?

Centacare Catholic Family Services is looking for adoptive or long-term foster care parents who feel prepared to take on the additional challenges of a child with special needs.
Centacare's Adoptions and Permanent Care program manager Kathleen West says, 'We are particularly seeking adoptive or long term foster care parents for a beautiful little two year old girl called Anne who has severe disabilities. We are hoping to find a family who can provide full time care for Anne for life. We need a family who is patient and resilient, able to manage Anne's ongoing medical requirements and prepared to work with support and therapeutic services. Most importantly, we need someone who can accept Anne's disabilities, limitations and unknown future, and love her for who she is'.
If you would like more information on providing Anne or another child, including  those  with  special  needs,  with a loving home environment, please contact Centacare Catholic Family Services between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday on 9689 3888.

PALMS Australia

Are you interested in becoming a volunteer and working cross-culturally, join us at our Next Focus Workshop—Sat 17 April 9.30am at Simonds Hall, 120 Toorak Rd. Sth Yarra.
Further info. Brendan@palms.org.au or phone 02 9518 9551 or visit www.palms.org.au

Bacchus Marsh Catholic Museum

The Bacchus Marsh Catholic Museum is open 1.00-4.00pm Sunday 28 March.  Entry via Convent Lane which is just a few doors past the Blacksmiths Cottage in the main street (Bacchus Marsh Road).  Both the museum and the Blacksmiths Cottage are open on the fourth Sunday of each month.

150 Years of Catholic Schooling in our Parish

On 26 March 1860, thirty-two students had their first day of school in Our Lady of Mount Carmel School which was a single classroom built of bluestone and timber.  Within two years, the enrolment doubled to 64.  In 1974, the School Board of O.L.M.C. advised Fr. Jim Feehan to build a second school in Sunbury and to name it St Anne’s which opened in 1976.
Today is a great milestone in the life of the People of God in this area of Bulla, Clarkefield, Diggers Rest, Sunbury and Wildwood.  We rejoice in the commitment of parents, teachers and priests to provide a Catholic school for 150 years, during which time the parents fully funded the school from 1872 to 1973 as there was no government funding for a century.  Currently, there is a total of 785 students in our parish schools, plus 1,072 in Salesian Secondary College.

Photos of the Dedication at St Anne's Church

We have some photos of the dedication taken by Fr Kevin's brother, Frank, available on our Parish Blog. Just click here.

The older photos plus some information about the symbology of the dedication are still available on the Blog by clicking here.

The Dedication of the Altar at St Anne's Church
Sunday 7th February at 10.30am

Bishop Tim Costelloe, Bishop of the Northern Region of Melbourne, will preside at his first liturgy in our parish.  In recent weeks we have described the ceremony which is very beautiful, full of symbolism and good music.  After the Mass finishes about 12noon, we are invited to lunch together in the Parish Centre, please bring some lunch to share. Tea and coffee will be provided.

A Full (well just a few notes) Report, including some photos, can be found on the Parish Blog here.

2010 Diary Dates for Parents and Guardians

Parents and  guardians  are invited to attend an Information & Registration session in preparation for their children’s celebration of First Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation. After seeing what is involved, parents and guardians will be invited to enrol their children in the preparation program.  Dates for these sessions are:

#For parents and guardians of children at Our Lady of Mt Carmel and St Anne’s Schools AND all other schools (in other words EVERYBODY):

First Reconciliation and First Communion TUESDAY 8 JUNE 2.00pm or 7.30pm.
Confirmation TUESDAY 10 AUGUST 2.00pm or 7.30pm

All meetings will be held in the Parish Centre near St Anne’s Church.

The Year of the Priest
June 2009 to June 2010

In recent years, studies have shown how happy priests are.  The Presbyterian sociologist Dean Hoge:

“the level of happiness among Catholic priests is fairly high”.

“priests score higher on measures of satisfaction than do doctors, lawyers, faculty members and Protestant ministers”.

Marriage Encounter Weekend

Volunteer couples and a Priest present the weekend.  The next 3 weekends will be held on 16-18 April, 25-27 June and 20-22 August.
For further information and bookings contact Peter & Erika Smith (03) 9899 0824 or Email vicbookings@wwme.org.au.

Our Soaring Parish Insurance Costs

There is a 25% increase in our premium for insuring our parish property for 2010, our premium being $25,937.00 which is paid out of our Thanksgiving Offering.
In addition our two schools paid $66,884 in insurance premiums last year which was paid from school fees.

Finance

Our parish debt is $690,120.  In addition, our combined debt on both our schools is just over $2 million.

Thanks to our 997 donors who gave an average of $7.50 a week in Thanksgiving Offering.

Highlights of 2009

• Parish Renewal—sessions of spiritual renewal were offered in April and October.  We continued on our target of giving all 14,000 Catholics of our parish a sense of belonging.  To assist this, our infrastructure of 22 neighbourhoods was strengthened.  We were invited by the Archdiocese of outline our process to other large outer Melbourne parishes in November.


• During the first four months, we worshipped in the Parish Centre while a new ceiling, heating/cooling, a new altar, a new font, new ambo, new ambry, audio loop were installed in St Anne’s Church.


• In May a proper access ramp was constructed at O.L.M.C. Church.


• In November a gala auction dinner and raffle raised sufficient finance to restore the bell tower at O.L.M.C. Church hopefully by the time of the sesquicientary in March.  The steel has arrived in the factory.


• In March, Paul Hogan, Deputy Principal at Essendon, was appointed Principal at O.L.M.C. School.


• In June, Shane Crawford—Deputy Principal at Heidelberg was appointed Deputy Principal at St Anne’s School.  Sadly, we lost Helen Williams, a staff member for 26 years, in October as she entered eternal life.


• During the third term, the carpark at St Anne’s Church was asphalted with a new bus terminal.  The Federal Government granted $200,000 and the school took out a ten year loan of $142,000.


• Painting of the exterior of St Anne’s Church—was completed over five days under the expert guidance of Santo Munafo.  Sincere gratitude to the 20 parishioners who willingly gave their time earlier this month.


• 123 parishioners were baptised into the Body of Christ and brought into the life of our Church.


• Confirmation  was  conferred  at St Patrick’s Cathedral on 8 November—two sessions to accommodate the 137 Confirmands.


• 27 weddings were celebrated at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.


• 32 funerals took place in our churches.

Volunteers needed at our Sunbury Vinnies Centre

Do you have a few hours to spare every week and would like to make some new friends?
Come and volunteer at our Sunbury Vinnies Centre.
Our centres raise funds for the Society to provide those in need with recycled clothing, furniture and other goods.
We are looking for retail volunteers to help out in our Sunbury Centre, 156 O’Shanassy St.
This is a fantastic opportunity to gain personal satisfaction from making a positive contribution to St Vincent de Paul Society as well as to learn new skills.
If you can help please contact the manager on 9744 1447.

The local society of St Vincent de Paul would like to thank parishioners for their kind generosity to the amount of $2,242.95 for the Christmas Appeal.

In the Footsteps of St Peter

A Pilgrimage to the Churches founded by St Peter

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Parish of East Keilor is planning a pilgrimage to Antioch and Rome – the two Sees of St Peter – next year (19 Sep – 06 Oct). This tour also includes several sites in Turkey including Gallipoli. Price is $6990.
An optional pre-tour to the Holy land is also available (10 Sep – 18 Sep). The price of this tour is $2290.
All prices are per person, twin share.
Further info. please contact Fr Tony Doran 9337 4141 or Steven Green at ETM Travel 9521 5355.

Pastoral Coordinating Team

The report of the Parish Pastoral Coordinating Team can be found here on the Parish Blog.

Parish Renewal Target

By the end of 2009 all the people of Our Lady of Mt Carmel Parish Sunbury, through their experiences and through structures of communication and participation, are aware of the value of every person.
 

How have we all done? Do we feel we have achieved the target we set ourselves?

Go to the Parish Blog here and leave your comment.

World Youth Day 2011

This will be held in Madrid, Spain 16-21 August.
Our Archdiocese will be coordinating the Melbourne pilgrims, not individual parishes and schools as in Sydney in 2008.
The estimated number of pilgrims is 2 million present in the middle of the Spanish summer.
Cost is about A$4,000 to $5,500 including airfares, accommodation and side trip.  Enquiries 9412 3322.

The Year for Priests
June 2009 to June 2010

Catholics are invited to pray for their priests during this year that they may be prophets like John the Baptist preparing the way for the Lord by pointing people to Jesus by their life and ministry.  A card of prayer for priests is available today from the Welcome Desk.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Liturgy Team Report

Wednesday night of the 11th Nov the team met in the Parish Centre and a brief report is available on the Parish Blog for reading and comment here.

The Altar Servers Team

Congratulations and a Warm Welcome to the newest member of our Altar Servers team, Ryan Rozario.

Tabor Journey Program

If your relationship has ended, you may be interested in this program for separated, divorced or widowed people who are experiencing feelings of loss, sadness or emptiness, or they feel stuck and want to do something positive for themselves.
This is a live-in weekend program with follow up sessions.
Further info or an application form, phone 52 217 055 or visit www.centacaremelbourne.org

100th Year Anniversary of John & Ellen Reddan

John Reddan  was born in County Clare Ireland around 1835.  He came to Australia in October 1860.  John’s older sister Johanna arrived in Victoria before him in 1854.  It is believed that John spent his first night at Johanna’s place in the Bulla area.  They were later joined by their brother Michael and their sister Mary.  On 11 January 1870 John Reddan married Ellen Geary, also from County Clare, at St Francis Church in Melbourne. John signed his marriage certificate with an ‘X’ and probably never learnt to read or write. He spent his life in the Bulla area as a farmer.
Just prior to his death on 19 September 1909, John received confirmation of the direct family connection between the Reddans of Bulla and the Reddans from Mullagh/Milltown Malbay in County Clare. John and Ellen have hundreds of descendants throughout Australia.
Following a family collection, the headstone and memorial for John and Ellen were erected at Bulla Cemetery in September 2007.
…..Luke Reddan, grandson of Michael Reddan

Beginning Theology

Recently, several of our parishioners joined fifty to sixty more from Kyneton, Woodend, Romsey, Lancefield, and Castlemaine, including their new parish priest Fr Arsenio Tuazon in St Mary's Hall in Kyneton to listen to Bishop Tim Costelloe speak about Theology. An in depth (sort of) report is on the Parish Blog here.

Some of the young people of the Parish at the Parish Youth Group Meeting last Sunday night (26th July) in the Our Lady of Mount Carmel School multipurpose room.

Silence after each Reading

As stated in the new Missal ‘by their silence and singing the people make God’s word their own’ (No. 55) the  readers are asked to pause for 60 seconds before proceeding

The Altar Servers Team

Congratulations and a Warm Welcome to the newest member of our Altar Servers team, Taren Cataldo.

JESUIT SOCIAL SERVICES’ GATEWAY KITCHEN PROGRAM FOR DISADVANTAGED YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF I 5-28

Abbotsford Biscuits
‘Give a helping hand to a young person in your community’
These gourmet biscuits are made of the highest quality ingredients by the young people in the Jesuit Social Services Gateway Program. Gateway’s commercial kitchen offers young people supervised skills training, work experience and employment preparation.

Fr Kevin's Biblical Study Tour

I enrolled as a student of Catholic Theological College and joined a study tour directed by Br. Rod Doyle and Fr. Tony Dean, lecturers in Biblical studies. I joined the group of 35 from Melbourne at Istanbul. We visited the former great church of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom—Christ) built 1,500 years ago, the former Church of Holy Saviour—l2th century with frescoes like Giotto in Assisi. Most churches in Turkey have been turned into mosques since 1453. We travelled into central Turkey and saw signs of the Hittite culture of 1700 BC, prior to Abraham. Hittites are mentioned in the Old Testament. Next we saw secret churches in Cappadocia where Christians worshipped away from the eyes of the Moslems in 12th century. Ephesus was the next highlight. We visited Mary’s Church where a tradition claims Mary died in the care of St John. The Church has an immersion font similar to ours planned in the renovations.
In Greece, we saw where St Paul first landed, his first community at Philippi, where he worked as a tent maker in Corinth and finally where he addressed the people of Athens (Acts 17:2-3). We drove over 3000 km in the bus in two weeks. I feel very blessed and privileged to have had the opportunity to do the study tour with great lecturers and other companions.

Fr Kevin

One Simple Way to Meditate

Find a quiet place. Sit down with your back upright. Sit still. Gently close your eyes and begin to recite your prayer-word, or mantra, silently, interiorly and lovingly throughout the time of your meditation: "Ma-ra-na-tha." Say it as four equally-stressed syllables. It is an Aramaic word (which is the language that Jesus spoke) and it means "Come, Lord." It is found in the Scriptures and is one of the earliest prayers in the Christian tradition. Do not think about the meaning of the word. Just give your attention to the sound of it throughout the time of your meditation, from the beginning to the end. Whenever distractions arise, simply return to your mantra. Meditate for 30 minutes each morning and each evening, every day of your life. Father John Main always said: "Just say your word." Meditation is a way of pure prayer marked by silence, stillness, and simplicity.

From http://www.christianmeditationaustralia.org/

R. C. I. A.—RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS

Do you know of anyone—relative, friend, your husband or wife, who is interested in learning about the Catholic Church, but has never taken the first step of asking about it? The RCIA is a program in our parish and may be just the thing this person is seeking. A new program is about to begin. If you know someone who is interested in our faith and Church, why not suggest to them that they contact Jo Wiegerink on 9744 5788.

The Altar Serving Team 

For further information phone Michael McConville 9744-2674

Minor Changes to the Celebration of Mass

From the 11 May, the Australian Bishops are introducing two changes—
(a) To stand earlier for the Eucharistic Prayer as a sign of our readiness to enter into the Eucharistic Prayer.
(b) In the Communion procession we come as the Body of Christ singing to unify and prepare us to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. A simple bow is to be made while the person in front is receiving Holy Communion. By looking at the Host and Cup, we express our faith in the Mystery of the Eucharist, by saying our ‘Amen’.
The new document states the people may stand for the Eucharistic Prayer and bow as the priest genuflects or bows after the Consecration. Standing is permitted for reasons of health, space or some other good reason, i.e. no kneelers, a hard surface like churches in Italy or in O.L.M.C. Church. Drawings in the Catacombs in Rome show people standing at Mass. Kneeling came into Europe following the example of the Moslems in their prayer in the 10th century.

Parish Bingo Players

Come along and join in the fun at your Parish Bingo session “Major Bingo” conducted at Sunbury Football Social Club, Clarke Oval, Riddell Road every Thursday, eyes down 8.00pm. There will be an exciting new format for 2008 with a new prize structure which will include a $1000 last game jackpot every week.

Parish Bingo Helpers
The Bingo committee is looking for helpers to assist on Thursday nights. We have fun, meet people socially and support the Parish financially. If you are interested in helping come along on Thursday night or contact Gary Plummer on mobile 0419 301 760 for more info.

Thank you from the Parish Bingo Committee

JESUIT SOCIAL SERVICES’ GATEWAY KITCHEN PROGRAM FOR DISADVANTAGED YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF I 5-28

This year the Gateway Kitchen Program is offering hand-made products using premium ingredients which would make excellent Christmas gifts, i.e. traditional shortbread, rich dark chocolate fudge, fruit cakes and much more.
Purchase from Gateway Kitchen, 563 Victoria St. Abbotsford
Phone 9429 0267
Fax 9429 0769
Email Loretta.sartori@jss.org.au
Website: www.jss.org.au
or see noticeboard for an order form.

Donations for St Vincent De Paul Society Store

The "Vinnies" Store at 156 O'Shanassy St. is in need of quality furniture, bric-a-brac, books, clothing, and manchester. Your donations will be greatly appreciated. Please deliver or telephone 9744 1447. We also need volunteers for some day shifts and Saturday mornings. We look forward to seeing you in our centre store where you will find some great bargains. 

We Mustn't Grumble

Today’s readings are about one of the greatest perils on the road to spiritual or personaI maturity.
The early Church teachers wrote of three sins that brought death to the spirit of the person who committed them. These sins are murder, the destruction of a living person, adultery, the destruction of a living love, and apostasy, the destruction of a living faith. These were clearly considered to be very serious matters, but God is unbounded in mercy and the early teachers were at pains to point out that forgiveness was readily available to the person who repented of their sin. Repentance for these sins was celebrated in the Sacrament of Reconciliation — with God and with the Church — a second Baptism.
These teachers of the Gospel were also acutely aware of a number of very serious spiritual diseases for which, in practical terms, the cure was even more difficult than repentance for sin. The sinner was at least aware that he or she had sinned and that the sin was poisonous to their life, if not fatal. In the case of these diseases of the spirit, as in the case of alcoholism or other addictions, the first difficulty was bnging the sufferer to the point where he or she was aware that they had this disease of spirit and that it was ruining their life. It is interesting to note that the vast majority of the writing of early Christian teachers on what we might now call ‘spirituality’ was directed to the diagnosis and healing of spiritual diseases
— of the attitudes of mind and heart that destroy peoples lives.
One of the most serious and most subtle diseases was the one we see in the readings today. It is discussed many times in the Gospels because it is so poisonous. It is the disease of ‘grumbling’. The labourers in today’s story grumbled about the landowner. The crowd grumbled at Jesus when he went to stay at Zachaeus’ house. Simon the Pharisee grumbled when he saw the repentant woman washing Jesus’ feet. It is a common theme because it is extremely destructive. It breeds division in communities and ill feeling between individuals but also causes great harm to the person who grumbles.
The attitude of the vineyard labourers tells us a lot about them. They were more focused on their own benefit than on the benefit of others, particularly of those who had only been able to find a small amount of work that day. They went away angry at the landowner, and jealous of the other workers. Their spirit was deeply troubled, stirred up, dejected by their reaction. There was no question of them retaining genuine friendship with either the landowner or their fellow workers. Of course, if they had been the late-comers their reaction would have been very different!
Isaiah puts his finger on the root cause of grumbling — that grumblers thinks that they know better than anyone else. Grumblers want things their way. This is unrealistic, because none of us knows the full story — we need to be open to learn from and accept each other. As God says through Isaiah, ‘My ways are not your ways.’ We have heard St Paul debating with himself and we see in these thoughts going on in his head that his concern is only for Chñst and for his friends — his own benefit does not enter into the discussion. This is called humility — being realistic and spiritually mature.
Grumbling kills peace. Grumbling kills joy. Grumbling kills generosity. Grumbling kills love. 
‘Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, and one another’ — and never grumble!

..............The Pastoral Team

An essential part of the foundation on which our spiritual lives are built is gratitude. God is Creator, the giver of all life and we are the Receivers: ‘All that exists comes from God’ (2nd reading). And the responsorial psalm suggests we thank God with all our hearts; it is both invitation and reminder.
Laurence Freeman, an English Benedictine monk, is director of the World Community of Christian Meditation (www.wccm.org). He wrote a book called ‘Jesus the Teacher Within’. He writes that ‘the central question of the gospel around which the identification of a Christian disciple pivots is Jesus’ own question: ‘Who do you say I am?’ He continues—’This simple timeless question rolls down the centuries. The answer is simple, too, but not easy. If we choose to listen and to respond to this question of Jesus, the way we live, think and feel is transformed’.
So who do we think Jesus is? Who do we expect him to be? How do we picture him in our mind’s eye? Is he gentle healer, crucified saviour, Risen Christ? Yes and much more. He is ‘Son of the Living God’ challenging our expectations and imagination. Does the way we live reveal the Dying Jesus to others? Do we hold the question in the depth of our heart and allow Jesus to reveal the answer to us?
Jesus’ question and Peter’s answer to it represent a moment of revelation among the disciples. For Peter it came as a flash of recognition that was to give shape and meaning to his whole life. For him, it was the coming together of all the events and conversations he had experienced with Jesus. Suddenly it all made sense. We see a different aspect of Peter in this gospel story. Two Sundays ago it was this same Peter whose faith faltered when he felt the force of the wind buffet him as he tried to walk towards Jesus across the water; and we know that this is not the end of Peter’s story. Whatever may happen through the ups and downs of a disciple’s response (our response) Peter shows that openness to the gift of truth about Jesus leads to blessing.
We don’t come to a definitive and final answer to this question; our response will not be linguistic or theological but mystical, beyond words, concepts and images. While we live we continue to grow and change and so our relationship with Jesus, with ourselves and with others is always different. We learn again and again ‘How rich are the depths of God—how deep his wisdom and knowledge and how impossible to penetrate or understand’ (2nd reading). So we hold that gentle question: ‘But you, who do you say I am’? and in the silence we listen for the answer.

        The Pastoral Team

In the account of the church’s celebration of Eucharist in St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, Paul doesn’t pull any punches. He says: ‘I cannot say that you have done well in holding gatherings that do more harm than good. I hear that when you gather as a gathering there are separate factions among you....When you hold these gatherings it is not the Lord’s supper that you are eating.’ 
In other words, ‘There is no Eucharist in Corinth!’ The word that Paul uses for ‘gather’ or ‘gathering’ is the Greek word that we use for ‘Church’. How could it be that the way we celebrate Eucharist is not Eucharist; How could it be that the way we are church is not church, in the eyes of the Apostle Paul, who speaks authoritatively for Christ?
Luke, a co-worker with Paul, uses the story of the happenings on the road to Emmaus to describe what it means to be church, what it means to celebrate Eucharist — and Paul has already said that if you do not do it like this, it is not Church, it is not Eucharist.
On Saturday or Sunday, as we set out from out homes to ‘gather’, we have started to become the ‘church’, and this ‘gathering’ is complete when Christ, in the person of the Bishop or priest, welcomes us ‘together’. Up till now we have been like the two disciples walking on the road — we should already have been talking together, and Jesus has come up and, unknown to us, has been walking with us.
Jesus, in the person of the lectors and the deacon or priest, then explains the scriptures to us — as St Augustine said, ‘If you are ignorant of the scriptures, you are ignorant of Christ’.- and if, like the disciples on the road we have taken the trouble to familiarize ourselves with the scriptures and are attentive, our hearts will ‘burn within us’ as the scriptures are read and explained. We then sit at the Lord’s table and Jesus, in the person of the priest, says the blessing and breaks the bread. And our eyes are opened to recognize that he has been sitting with us all the time — for he has vanished from our (physical) sight. Unlike the Corinthians, we have ‘recognized the body’, that is to say, that Christ is present in the community which is his body. He is risen! He is truly risen! Alleluia! - and is with us still! Alleluia!
And like the disciples we ‘hurry off" to share that good news with all those that we will meet during the following week.
                                                            The Pastoral Team

Sunday School for Grown-Ups

Temporarily in recess
But while we're waiting!

One of the difficulties that people have when approaching the Old Testament for the first time in a long while, are the stories of violence and bloodshed, human sacrifice and even the beloved King David acting like a local gangster and warlord.
But as the old saying goes........the past is another country, they do things differently there.
Many of the sections of the books that make up our bible would equally have caused a problem for the Jews at the time of Jesus. So how did Jesus use these passages in his preaching?
At that time, and even now, the preaching Rabbi and the student focused on what the book meant and on it's application to the here and now. What Jesus did was to take his experience of God in the here and now, his Good News of the Kingdom of God also in the here and now, and use the books of the Old Testament (in particular the localised Isaiah) to show the actions and requirements of God right now. That is what Jesus means in Luke 4:18. "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing". In other words, "What God is doing and demanding right now can be explained by these passages in Isaiah".
Instead of studying the Scriptures to get an idea of what he must do "now", Jesus took as his starting point his relationship with God, his experience of God in the here and now, and went back to the Scriptures to get explanations of why it is so.
So how can we do that? When we come to the Old Testament it is of value to know the background to the passage we are reading in the first instance, and to then find an analogy in the passage that relates to our experience of God. For instance there is a passage in Genesis which was recently read at Mass where Abraham was commanded to make a human sacrifice to his God of his first-born son on an altar of stones in a high place. At first glance this doesn't talk to our experience of God, even if the punchline for Abraham is that it's actually just a test. But has there not been a time when God has asked us to do something that we would much rather not? Something that we would consider unreasonable. Of course there has, many times and not often something that turns out to be a test before we start. So we can take our experience of God in our life, now, and hear God  as he commands Abraham in the same way as he commands us.
Jesus is leading us to our own experience of God, and in the Gospels uses the Scriptures to light our way.

(A much better explanation of this for the scholars amongst us is in "A Galilean Rabbi And His Bible" by Bruce D Chilton)