WORKING BEE OLMC SCHOOL
Saturday 29 January, 9.00am—1.00pm. As many parents as possible are welcome.
Remember many hands make light work.
JOURNEY TOGETHER—REFLECTING ON OUR CHRISTIAN MISSION IN SMALL NEIGHBOURHOOD GROUPS
Our Lenten/Easter program this year will be centred on the booklet ‘Journey Together’ – the themes are: a parish called to holiness, Jesus the Word of God, Leadership, Unity, our gifts, participation and Mary, Model of the Church. Pope Benedict in London in September 2010, said ‘One of the greatest challenges facing us today is how to speak convincingly of the wisdom and liberating power of God’s Word to a world which all too often sees the Gospel as a constriction of human freedom instead of the truth which liberates our minds and enlightens our efforts to live wise and well, both as individuals and as members of society’.
There will be a sign-up opportunity in February.
A VOCATION VIEW
Jesus said: “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” Today he could say: “I will make you mechanics of souls; doctors of wounded hearts, counsellors of broken families; clowns in a joyless society.” But regardless, Come.
THANK YOU
Special Collection last weekend: amount donated for St Vincent de Paul Rockhampton—$1,938.40.
CATHOLIC CHURCH OFFERS PRAYERS AND PRACTICAL ASSISTANCE IN QUEENSLAND FLOODS
‘The Australian Catholic Bishops and people around Australia are united in prayer and practical support as the State of Queensland suffers its worst flooding in decades. The bishops extend heartfelt sympathy to the victims and their families.
Archdiocesan priest, Fr John Conway, is currently the administrator of three parishes in an area at the bottom of the Toowoomba ranges. He and people in the area are responding in the aftermath: “I’d like to express my gratitude to all the people and priests across Australia who have rung to offer support. Many places still have no drinking water, roads are damaged so trucks can’t get through. We can’t get fuel, milk, bread. We’re basically rationing everything”, he said.
St Vincent de Paul Queensland President Brian Moore hopes to assist people as quickly as possible: ‘We are appealing for money to get to the conferences to give concrete support to those affected. When the water subsides, Vinnies is going to be there for months meeting the needs of people. It is really heart wrenching to see all the people affected by these floods.
For those who did not have the opportunity last weekend to donate to the Special Collection last weekend for St Vinnies, Rockhampton, phone 13 18 12 or www.vinnies.org.au which will allow you to contribute to the St Vincent de Paul Statewide appeal’.
A VOCATION VIEW
Isaiah’s vocation was to be a light to the nations. Nations and neighbourhoods need missionaries – lay, clergy and religious. Listen to the call!
MEMORIAL MASS FOR BISHOP JOE GRECH
The Memorial Mass being organised by Catholic Charismatic Renewal will be held at Our Lady, Help of Christians Church, 49 Nicholson St East Brunswick on Thursday 20 January at 3.00pm. Praise and worship 2.15pm, Holy Mass 3.00pm. Main celebrant Fr Colin Xavier). Enquiries: CCR centre—9486 6544 or email centre@ccr.org.au
CENTACARE CATHOLIC FAMILY SERVICES COUNSELLING SERVICES
Centacare Catholic Family Services Counselling Services are now available at Sunbury Community Health Centre. Confidential services offered for families, couples, children, adolescents, individuals and groups. Workshops and information sessions include grief and loss, relationships, family issues, parenting, children and adolescents, as well as preparing and adjusting to change. This is a free service funded by the Federal Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services & Indigenous Affairs. Bookings can be made on 1800 223 650 or directly with the Counsellor, Margaret Bailey, on 0407 307 811. A few brochures are at Welcoming Desk.
SOME DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Thu 3 Feb 8.45am Students begin classes at both our parish schools (earlier start than Government schools)
Tue 15 Feb 2.00pm & 7.30pm: Information & Registration Sessions for parents wishing their children to celebrate Reconciliation and Eucharist in 2011
Tue 22 Feb 7.30pm Information & Registration Sessions for parents wishing their children to receive Sacrament of Confirmation
Sat 26 Feb 11.00am to 6.00pm: Celebration of 150 years of O.L.M.C. School
Sun 27 Feb 10.00am Centenary Mass outside O.L.M.C. Church to celebrate 100 years of O.L.M.C. Parish
Sundays March 6, 13, 20: Stewardship Program
March 9: Ash Wednesday
……Fr Kevin
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION ON WORD OF GOD
Pope Benedict has written this recent exhortation following the twelfth Synod of Bishops. The letter comes out as we begin reading the Gospel for Matthew for 2011. Matthew is the scribe and evangeliser who focuses on Jesus as the fulfillment of Scripture and the handing on of his mission to the Church.
‘The document of the Pope has a joy and freshness about it, even when it is not breaking new ground. It will remind us of what we have known about, but not consciously adopted and encourage us to persevere in or being afresh our efforts to make our parishes true schools of the words and Word of God’ (Fr. John Deehan, P.P. Eastcote, U.K.).
‘The document of the Pope has a joy and freshness about it, even when it is not breaking new ground. It will remind us of what we have known about, but not consciously adopted and encourage us to persevere in or being afresh our efforts to make our parishes true schools of the words and Word of God’ (Fr. John Deehan, P.P. Eastcote, U.K.).
As St Jerome says:
‘ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ’.
In the celebration of the Eucharist, the Pope writes
‘the proclamation of God’s Word entails an acknowledgement that Christ is present, that he speaks to us and that he wishes to be heard.
Hence, as readers of the Word we need to be well prepared; as listeners were to be present on time for the whole of Mass and be active listeners like singers in a choir ready to join in song. The Pope also stresses the importance of periods of silence after the Scripture readings—we need to practice this in our parish and not be self-conscious of silence.
NEED FOR MORE PRIESTLY VOCATIONS
As in most Western countries, we have a decreasing number of active priests. As at today, there are 35 active parish priests serving in Melbourne Archdiocese who are aged 70 years or more. In five years they will have reached the age of 75 years the retirement age, unless they need to retire earlier for health reasons or indeed enter eternal life. Usually there are two or three new priests ordained annually in Melbourne.
As we celebrate Jesus’ beginning his vocation at his baptism, let us encourage our sons and grandsons to be open to a priestly vocation of service.
KING JAMES BIBLE
The King James Bible was first printed 400 years ago this year. It took seven committees to make the book—six to translate (two at each of Westminister, Oxford, and Cambridge….ed) and a seventh to revise. The King wanted to bring unity among Christians. The translation steered middle way between the Puritans and the ‘Papists’. Today 250,000 copies are printed annually by Oxford University Press and it is the widely used translation in U.S.A. and U.K.
(The popular version for reading at home(?) was the Geneva Bible which is an excellent translation but full of anti-establishment margin notes while the Bishop’s Bible was a very poor effort but popular with the establishment so the King James version was to use the Bishops Bible as a base and to have no notes. Fortunately the committees appear to have snuck in large chunks of Tyndale’s Bible, large chunks of the Geneva Bible, as well as most parts of the Bishop’s Bible that were a direct translation from St Jerome’s Latin Bible….but don’t quote me on this as I like a peaceful life……..ed)
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Sunbury 
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