Our centenary year has been full of activity and celebrations. In early February Bishop Tim Costelloe, our regional bishop, dedicated the new altar and font in St Anne’s Church in a moving ceremony. In March we blessed the new Bell Tower at O.L.M.C. Church to house the bell first rung in 1911. In April over 450 attended a real Bush Dance in a huge shed on a local farm. In May 121 children were admitted to the Eucharistic Table of the Lord in ten sessions. In late May I celebrated with thanksgiving forty years of ordained priesthood. In June the adults tested their knowledge at a trivia night in a packed Parish Centre. In August the long process of selecting a new principal, Noelene Hussey, for St Anne’s School concluded. In September our Parish Ball at the Calabria Club was a great success. Late September we gathered for Mass in the Bulla Hall to remember how Catholics first met in homes (nearby in Oaklands Road) for Mass from 1852 with the priest coming by horse from Coburg. In November we had the blessing and opening of the new classrooms and other facilities at St Anne’s School. In December we farewelled Lucy Jackanic as she completed her term as principal. This year 141 Baptisms were celebrated in our church. In 1911 Fr. John Gallivan P.P. celebrated 13 Baptisms.
As we look back on 2010, let us be grateful for all we have received from our generous Lord and from each other. We have had opportunities to pray together daily in one of our churches. We rejoice in the canonisation of our Melbourne Saint Mary Mackillop. We have been supported by the prayers of those housebound or in care. We have been blessed with new school facilities at our three Catholic schools. Our parishioners have been generous in Thanksgiving Offering so that we have paid off $140,567 from our debt leaving us with a current debt of $620,105. We have also paid for our running costs. We also give thanks to those who gave their time and shared their talents this year: altar servers, Baptism prepararation teams, bingo workers, church cleaners, crib erectors, collection counters, communion ministers to sick, education board, finance committee, flower providers, gardeners, Legion of Mary, liturgy ministers, liturgy planners, maintenance people, music ministers, neighbourhood coordinating teams, parish posties, parish coordinating team, P.T.F.A. (2), Parish Centre management committee, parish photographer, school helpers, those who set up for Masses, and website manager. As I told Archbishop Hart, we have such a great team here.
On 1 January 1911, Archbishop Thomas Carr established the parish of Sunbury. Hence, today is the 100th Christmas Mass celebrated by parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Our celebration today is yet another fulfilment of God’s promise to be with us on our journey of life and faith. In Matthew’s gospel last Sunday we heard of the prophecy of Christ’s birth
‘Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet’ (Isaiah 7:14); ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us”’ (Mat. 1:23)
.
In St John’s gospel, we read
‘The Word was made flesh, he lived among us’.
Today as we gather to celebrate the Incarnation of our God among us, we remember how God has been beside us on our journey for a hundred years in good times and in bad.
On 1 January 1911, Archbishop Thomas Carr established the parish of Sunbury. Hence, today is the 100th Christmas Mass celebrated by parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Our celebration today is yet another fulfilment of God’s promise to be with us on our journey of life and faith. In Matthew’s gospel last Sunday we heard of the prophecy of Christ’s birth
‘Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet’ (Isaiah 7:14); ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us”’ (Mat. 1:23)
.
In St John’s gospel, we read
‘The Word was made flesh, he lived among us’.
Today as we gather to celebrate the Incarnation of our God among us, we remember how God has been beside us on our journey for a hundred years in good times and in bad.
Friday 7.00pm Rupertswood Stadium—1500 seats under cover: Please arrive at 6.30pm to assist the parking of hundreds of cards and walking several hundred metres from the carparks. Carols will be sung from 6.30pm
Thank you to the parish community for donating $2,106.00 to the recent appeal. Your generosity especially at this time of the year is sincerely appreciated.
Next meeting will be on Monday 20 December at 7.00pm St Anne’s Church.
Setting up will take place on WEDNESDAY from 7.00pm to 7.30pm. In previous years a good team of adults and children can set out the chairs in 30 minutes. Many hands make light work—please give half an hour.
Fr John returned to the Father last week aged 88 years, a Jesuit for 70 years. A country person, he was educated at Assumption College, Kilmore. After gaining his Doctorate in Philosophy in Rome, he came to teach us at Werribee in 1964. He revolutionized the course of studies for priesthood, broadening the course to relate to the modern world. We were so fortunate to have him as dean of studies. I last met him this year at a lecture on the priesthood—he was still learning! Father John was a very loved and loving uncle and great-uncle.
……Fr Kevin
My warmest thanks and appreciation to the parish community for a very memorable and treasured farewell celebration on Sunday 28 November. I particularly thank all those involved in the organization of the day—Fr Kevin, Miss Rosalba Salpietro, Mr Shane Crawford, the parish choir and the PTFA. Your hard work, dedication and meticulous organisation made it a very special day. I will take many memories of my eight years as a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and St Anne’s school community with me, and will remember you all fondly.
I thank you for all your support, prayers and commitment to making our community such a warm, special and unique one. My wish is that Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish continues to grow and strengthen both spiritually and as a community.
I take this opportunity to wish you all a very peaceful and blessed Christmas and a safe, healthy and happy New Year.
…..Lucy Jackanic
Thanks for the sterling and arduous work by some of our parishioners with children at O.L.M.C. School over several days, who have laboured at times in the heat to remove old vegetation and planted new shrubs in front of the church and school.
The Jesse Tree comes right out of a classic Advent passage from the prophet Isaiah: ‘A shoot will sprout from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit’ (Isaiah 11:1). The Jesse Tree is hung with ornaments representing Old Testament people and events, and lead up to Jesus. The traditional symbols hung on the tree are based on the genealogy of Jesus as recounted by the first chapter of the Gospel of St Matthew on one side of the symbol. The other side is a scene relating to our parish centenary.
This Sunday we were privileged to have Fr Antony return to us from Kenya along with Fr Patrick. They celebrated Mass with us this weekend. Fr Antony gave a talk about his activities since he was here for WYD a few years ago. He discussed a partnership program that he was hoping we would be able to join in with his parish and school in (near?) the Masai Mara in Kenya. More information will be published as it comes to hand. Anyone interested in joining a committee to kick some form of inter-parish partnership off, contact the Parish Office.
(1) A 6 night pilgrimage to Sydney from 19-25 May.
(2) A 3 night pilgrimage from Bacchus Marsh to Hamilton, Portland & Penola from 9—12 September.
Pilgrimages will depend on the number of people interested. To register your interest contact Sr Mary Fermio on 53 672 078, email mary.fermio@sosj.org.au before Christmas. Further details see noticeboard St Anne’s Church.
ABUSE: MELBOURNE CHURCH RESPONSE
A new brochure with updated information on the dealing of complaints, counseling and support is available today at the Welcome Desk.
A number of Catholics wish to collect a petition to be forwarded to the local Federal Member of Parliament. The words of the petition were agreed by the bishops as:
‘As a parishioner of ………………(within your electorate) please consider my position on the meaning of marriage. Given the variety of domestic arrangements available in Australia, I request that you protect the unique institution of marriage as traditionally understood and actually lived as the complementary love between a man and a woman’.
Please forward before 22 December or sign a copy of the petition at the Welcome Desk.
The Parish Coordinating Team is looking at reintroducing morning teas after Mass on a more regular basis as a way of keeping up social ties within the parish community. This was a suggestion from parishioners at the last parish assembly. As an initial start morning tea will be held in the foyer of St Anne’s Church after 8.30am Mass and before 10.30am Mass next Sunday so stay late or come early for a cuppa and chat! Suggestions or queries to Julie—9740 3590 or Mary 9744 1049.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Sunbury 
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