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.
THANK YOU
Thank you for your generosity towards the collection for Melbourne Overseas Mission last month when you gave $1,178.00, an increase of 13% on the 2008 collection.
THE DEGRADATION OF OUR ENVIRONMENT
A moral problem threatening peace and human life…..Benedict XVI: On 15 December, Pope Benedict issued a message to world leaders for World Peace Day…..
’Can we remain indifferent before the problems associated with such realities as climate change, desertification, the deterioration and loss of productivity in vast agricultural areas, the pollution of rivers and aquifers, the loss of biodiversity, the increase of natural catastrophes and the deforestation of equatorial and tropical regions’?
‘It is becoming more and more evident that the issue of environmental degradation challenges us to examine our lifestyle and the prevailing models of consumption and production, which are often unsustainable from a social, environmental and even economic point of view’.
Pope Benedict XVI (full story Catholic News Service 15 Dec 09).
SOME EVENTS IN 2010
On 7 February at 10.30am Mass, Bishop Costelloe, Bishop of the Northern Region, will dedicate the new altar and font at St Anne’s Church.
On 21 March we will celebrate 150 years of O.L.M.C. School beginning a year of celebrations for the school and the centenary of our parish in February 2011.
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.
THANKS
Thanks to all who have supported the activity of our parish by their giving generously of their time and money to support the activity of our parish;
- worship rosters
- church cleaning
- flowers
- church setting up
- counters
- maintenance men
- bingo workers
- catechists
- ministers of communion to the house-bound and those in aged care
- music ministry
- neighbourhood coordinators
- parish posties
- finance committee
- school boards
- liturgy planners
- Thanksgiving Committee
- parish coordinating teams
- parish website, etc.
Thanks also to all those employed in our parish office and our two schools as pastoral, secretarial, support and teaching staff for their wonderful contribution throughout 2009.
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2009
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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.
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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.
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In May a proper access ramp was constructed at O.L.M.C. Church.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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123 parishioners were baptised into the Body of Christ and brought into the life of our Church.
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Confirmation was conferred at St Patrick’s Cathedral on 8 November—two sessions to accommodate the 137 Confirmands.
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27 weddings were celebrated at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.
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32 funerals took place in our churches.
SETTING UP FOR CHRISTMAS MASS AT RUPERTSWOOD
Wednesday at 7.00pm.
In recent years, it has taken us only 30 minutes to set out 1,500 chairs which can easily be carried by a child—so many hands make light work!
Thursday at 6.15pm.
Carparking attendants are required on Thursday evening from 6.15pm.
All Christmas Masses
All Christmas Masses will need volunteers to welcome and hand out newsletters.
Anyone able to help please ring Parish Office—9744 1060.
NEWS FROM THE VATICAN
Pope Benedict is following Sunbury’s lead and is celebrating Christmas Night Mass at 10.00pm in St Peter’s Basilica, Rome.
KAIROS MELBOURNE CATHOLIC MAGAZINE
Kairos is now on sale ($2) from the gift shop at St Anne’s Church or may be viewed on www.kairos.com.au—featuring bushfire recovery, child protection, testing in schools, Advent and Christmas.
CONGRATULATIONS TO O.L.M.C. SCHOOL CHOIR
At the Carols on the Village Green last Sunday, the children from Our Lady of Mount Carmel School superbly presented two Carols before an audience of 2,000 and broadcast live on FM local radio. They sang ‘This Little Boy’ and ‘The Inglewood Carol’ – the children knew every word by heart and sung distinctly.
Our music teacher is Ruth Lethlean.
PROGRESS REPORT ON WORKS
On Friday, the second major slab was poured from 52 concrete trucks with a large team of workers at St Anne’s. Last week, the relocatable classroom was re-positioned at O.L.M.C. for use in the next twelve months while new classrooms on the ground and first floor are built and a lift installed. The builders on both sites ceased work on Friday for the Christmas holidays and will resume on 11 January.
The steel has been purchased for the bell tower and a builder surveyor has been engaged.
AUDIO LOOP IN CHURCH
The audio loop has now been installed under all the pews at St Anne’s Church. Those with hearing aides are invited to switch their hearing aide to ‘T’ for better hearing. Any comments are welcome today on the performance of the audio loop. Leave a comment below.
CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT
Sunbury celebrates Christmas 2009 on the Village Green—Sunday 13 December at 7.00pm.
Free BBQ at 6.00pm. BYO seating.
Performances by Sunbury Divas; local primary schools; combined churches chorale & band.
Organised by Sunbury Christian Churches and sponsored by Sunbury businesses.
EVERGREENS CHRISTMAS MASS
Don’t forget Mass at 11.15am St Anne’s Church followed by Christmas lunch (for those who have booked) Tuesday 15 December at Sunbury Football Club at midday
ADVENT SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
Wednesday 16 December at 7.30pm in St Anne’s Church (4 priests).
SPECIAL COLLECTION THIS WEEKEND: MELBOURNE OVERSEAS MISSION
Since its foundation in 1969, Melbourne parishioners have supported their own mission fund to help developing nations.
This has marked our Archdiocese for its exceptional generosity.
Currently the major beneficiaries are people in Papua New Guinea, Timor, India, Sierra Leone, Pakistan, Botswana, Nigeria, Samoa and Peru.
Archbishop Denis Hart commends the fund to your continuing support.
Donations of $2.00 and over are tax deductible.
ST VINCENT DE PAUL
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.
WORKS PROGRESS REPORT
- At O.L.M.C. School, workers are now on site and work sheds are in place for the $2 million extension and refurbishment funded by the Federal Government. Due to this work, the Graduation Mass and supper will be at St Anne’s Church and Parish Centre.
- At St Anne’s School—further concrete will be poured this week given favourable weather. 52 truck loads are on order.
- The possibility of solar power for the restored bell tower is being investigated by our electronic consultant.
OUT OF SCHOOL HOURS CARE
We have been very concerned that our families who were told last week by Hume Council that the Council will no longer be providing before and after school care for all our families after 16 December.
As a result Mrs Jackanic, Mr Hogan and myself have investigated an alternative arrangement.
We are happy to report that all our children from both schools will now be catered for in the Before and After School Hours Care at Sunbury West School, Elizabeth Drive where a private company, OSH Club, provides the care.
The fees and the busing arrangement will be similar to this year.
Parents are asked to register as soon as possible on www.oshclub.com.au and book under the Sunbury West program.
Fr Kevin
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Sunbury 
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