FIRST COMMUNION—CAN YOU HELP?

In order to enable families to complete their preparations for First Communion, we will be holding practice sessions between 7.00pm and 8.30pm at Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church on Wed 5 August and at St Anne’s Church on Tuesdays 4, 11 and 18 August.
We need three Ministers of Communion for each session and a number of parishioners to act as ushers at the practice and at the First Communion Masses during August.
If you can help please leave your name on the form at the Welcome Desk at St Anne’s Church and at back of Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church.
Active involvement of other members of our community in these celebrations is a great source of inspiration to the children and their families.

ARE YOU CELEBRATING YOUR 25TH, 40TH, 50TH, 60TH OR 70TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR

The Life, Marriage and Family Office invites you and your families to join us at the Annual Anniversary Mass. The Mass will be celebrated at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday 16 August at 11.00am by Archbishop Denis Hart.
To register ring 9287 5579 or email cmf@melbourne.catholic.org.au
Registrations close on Friday 7 August.
Group photographs will be taken after the Mass in the Cathedral grounds and couples who register will receive commemorative certificates.

CONFIRMATION 2009

Parents or guardians of children who wish to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation this year, are requested to attend an Information & Registration session on TUE 28 JULY in the Parish Centre at either 2.00pm or 7.30pm.
The meeting will last less than an hour and enrolment forms and program details will be provided.
Children need not attend.

SPECIAL COLLECTION NEXT WEEKEND

The annual appeal for Centacare Catholic Family Services will take place in our parish next weekend. Centacare has been supporting and caring for the families of the Melbourne Archdiocese for over 70 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.

PLEASE NOTE….LIFE IN THE EUCHARIST CANCELLED

Due to the low numbers of those who signed up, the Life in the Eucharist program scheduled for next weekend has been cancelled. We thank Fr. Frank O’Dea of Box Hill and his team for their interest in us.

Why not leave a comment below and tell us what you would prefer. Whether having a seminar on Saturday as well as on Sunday is too hard for families in the parish due to all the taxi commitments with the children, or whether we should have set-up a different subject. This blog was set-up exactly so parishioners could give feedback and make comments on any subject they want. Here’s your chance to let us know exactly what you would like. Use a nom de plume and leave a comment.

THANK YOU HELEN WILLIAMS

On Sunday 26 July, we will be thanking Helen for the many years of service she gave to St Anne’s School. Helen retired on 1 May after 25 years and one term with us. The celebration will begin at the 10.3Oam Parish Mass and will be followed by Morning Tea in the General Purpose Room of St Anne’s School. For catering purposes, please contact Nicole on 9744 3055 or email nicole@sasunburv.catholic.edu.au if you are attending.
All welcome.

JULY—A MONTH OF HOPE

This month marks the official one-year anniversary of World Youth Day 08. Whether you were a pilgrim, a DID08 coordinator, volunteer or Melbourne Stay host.
Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate July as a month of hope.
Catch up with fellow pilgrims and attend an Evening of Prayer at St Francis’ Church with Bishop Timothy Costelloe on Wed 22 July at 7.30pm.
Further info. 9412 3300 or visit www.aoy.org.au

MELBOURNE PRIESTS’ GATHERING

Earlier this month, 120 of us gathered at the request of our archbishop to support one another.  As usual when priests gather, there was plenty of talk, laughter and good will.  This supports the recent survey of 1,286 priests in U.S.A. which found that 90.2% of priests are happy overall.  A similar survey in 2001 gave identical results.  These surveys contradict the public perception of most of the Western world that ministerial priesthood is a sad and lonely life.  ‘When priests speak from the heart they will tell you that they find priesthood satisfying; they enjoy the ministry of a priest; and they’d do it all over again’ (Fr. S. Rossetti, Washington D.C.).

Fr Kevin

YOUTH GATHERING

You are invited to a get together on Sunday evening at 6.30pm-8.30pm, 26 July.  Pizzas and fun to be shared by all at Mt Carmel School multipurpose room.  Please call the parish office by Thursday 23 July for catering.

LIFE IN THE EUCHARIST

Would you like to have a better understanding and appreciation of the Eucharistic celebration? L.I.T.E. (Life in the Eucharist) is an education program conducted by a team of Catholic men and women. It is a program pioneered by the Blessed Sacrament Fathers and Brothers. With the sponsorship and encouragement of the Blessed Sacrament Congregation, we invite you to the next Eucharistic experience on the weekend of 25/26 July 2009. As the program is continuous, we ask that you commit to attending both days to gain the full benefit. More information from the Blessed Sacrament Congregation website here.

Where: Our Lady of Mount Carmel School Multi-purpose Room
Dates: Sat 25 July Time: 9.30am to 4.00pm (Registration 8.45am to 9.30am). Sun 26 July Time: 9.30am to 2.30pm (Registration 9.l5am to 9.30am).
Cost: $10 for both days.

Registration forms are available at the Welcome Desk in St Anne’s Church and at the back of O.L.M.C. Church.

Bring your own lunch—tea/coffee provided.

WORKERS IN THE VINEYARD

INVITATION TO ALL LECTORS AND EXTRA-ORDINARY MINISTERS OF COMMUNION:

You are invited to a renewal and formation session to be held at St. Anne’s Church on Thursday 16 July at 10.00am and repeated at 7.30pm. These sessions will consider the place of these ministries in the celebration of Eucharist and also look at roster arrangements.

Extra-Ordinary Ministers of Communion are invited to a second session focused on the practical performance of this ministry at St Anne’s Church at 10.00am or 7.30pm on Tuesday 21 July.

Lectors are invited to a second session focused on the practical performance of this ministry at St Anne’s Church at 10.00am or 7.30pm on Thursday 23 July.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

1.  Your generous donation amounting to $769.40 has  helped  ease  the  burden of missionaries  and  brought  life to faith communities around the world.  Thank you for joining with Catholic Mission and playing  your  part  in the mission of salvation for all.  Please consider Partnering with us as a regular monthly donor for the sake of those most in need.  Call 1800 257 296 for more information.
2.  The annual collection for the Holy Father amounted to $660.50—thank you.

ANNUAL MELBOURNE PRIESTS’ CONFERENCE

The Archbishop requested all his priests to gather at Geelong last week for a four-day residential conference on the theme ‘the Person of the Priest’.  Our keynote speaker was Fr. Tim Costello, a New Zealand Marist Father.  After many years working with seminarians and religious in formation, he is now a lecturer in Rome where he teaches in the Institute of Psychology.  He gave us six presentations of about an hour each.  We did group work as well among 105 of our confreres.  Fr Martin Ashe and his committee organised the conference.

Fr Kevin