We are delighted to invite you to see and purchase handmade religious articles made by the Sisters after morning Mass on Friday April 19. The Christian Orthodox Sisterhood named in Honour of Holy Martyr Grand Princess St Elisabeth is located in the Republic of Belarus in Central part of Europe.
Sisterhood of St Elisabeth was founded in 1996. Our missionary began in National mental hospital located not far from the Convent. Nuns and sisters of mercy take care of mentally challenged children and adults.
Life of the child with diagnosis such as Down syndrome, birth traumas or congenital physical defects may be quite short and it is painful to see them suffering. Also the adult patients need constant support owing to the fact that their illnesses make it impossible for them to adapt socially. In the recent years a shelter and house of Labor for former drug and alcohol addicted people was organized 20 miles away from the Convent. A lot of homeless, struggling and lost people get a chance for a new start in life to find God.
In order to help these people some workshops were organized on the premises of the convent where they have a possibility to express themselves in art for God working together with nuns, sisters and lay brothers and making the icons (including hand painted) crosses, crucifixes, wood carvings, embroidered and ceramic gifts, rosaries and vestments. All these goods are made with love and prayers and bring blessings to their owners. We are happy and thanking God for the opportunity to introduce and offer them for your attention.
Sisters of St Elisabeth Convent
MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND
Married couples, we encourage you to prioritise your relationship. It underpins your family life. Please join us for a Marriage Encounter weekend. Our weekend helps you to remember why you married and gives you skills to maintain your love for each other.
Couples and a priest present the weekend. It is based around catholic values but you don’t need to be catholic to attend. There is no group sharing.
Our next weekends in 2013 are on: 19-21 April, 14-16 June and 9-11 August in Melbourne. For further information and bookings contact Marianne & Marcel Van den Bronk (03) 9733 0997 or Email vicbookings@wwme.org.au
HUME CITY COUNCIL
Come along and learn about the meanings, celebrations and rituals of “Adulthood” in different Faiths: Aboriginal, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic and Sikh.
Date: Wednesday 17 April 2013
Time: 9.30 am – 12 pm
Venue: Hume Global Learning Centre (room 4 & 5), 1093 Pascoe Vale Road, Broadmeadows
Cost: Free
(light lunch will be provided RSVP: Required by 15 April to Carmen Largaiolli on 9205 2437 or carmenla@hume.vic.gov.au
CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE 2013 KNOX PUBLIC LECTURE
Wednesday 15 May at 7.30pm Professor Harold Attridge “Dei Verbum Today: Reading the Bible in the Twenty-first Century.”
Info 9412 3304.
Venue: Knox Lecture Theatre, Cardinal Knox Centre, East Melbourne.
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
Can there be a more specific instruction to us as stewards than “Feed my sheep?” Of course, Jesus was saying this to St. Peter, and the meaning behind these words was much broader than what it may be to us. However, the basic charge is the same.
The good steward recognizes that each day is a challenge to reach out to others, a call to each of us to represent our Lord in our dealings for and with everyone with whom we come in contact. Just as is the case in the readings for this Third Sunday of Easter, it is not necessarily easy. Peter, John, and the others were willing to be punished, prepared to sacrifice to be followers of Jesus.
What do we do to feed the Lord’s sheep? When we go to Mass, we are one of the sheep coming to be fed. It would seem that Jesus is challenging us to do more than that. If we view ourselves as stewards of the faith, as stewards of our families, as stewards of our neighborhoods and communities, it means that we are expected to do more, to give more of ourselves to assure that the flock is truly tended and fed.
We live in an extremely secular world, a world that constantly places barriers to us as Catholics and Christians. Just as Peter, John, and the others respond, we, too, need to realize that there are times when we must recognize that “We must obey God rather than men.”
Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
ATTENTION ALL MINISTERS OF COMMUNION
On Tuesday 30 April from 7pm to 8.45pm at 326 Lonsdale St, Melbourne, will be a Workshop for “Extraordinary Ministers of Communion.”
The Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation invites all Eucharistic Ministers to nurture your ministry by attending the formation workshops.
Cost is $15 per person.
Workshops for other ministries will be coming up through 2013.
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
The real stewardship message for this, the Second Sunday of Easter, is found in the Gospel of John. It is a story with which almost all of us are familiar — the story of “Doubting Thomas.” This loyal Apostle to the Lord was the first of the Apostles to actually say that he would die for Jesus. Thomas followed Jesus for three years, only to see Him crucified and buried, is disheartened, just as we sometimes are.
Why is Thomas not in the room with the other Apostles? Perhaps he, just as each of us can be, is deeply discouraged, profoundly disappointed, and he is off wandering, trying to reconcile what has happened, what he has witnessed. When he returns and hears the accounts of Jesus’ appearance, even from Peter, Thomas is skeptical.
At the heart of a stewardship way of life is trust in the Lord. Like Thomas, we sometimes want to see proof for ourselves; experience personally that the hope promised by Christ is real. Living a stewardship way of life is a way of achieving that. Even though, like Thomas, we may have moments of doubt, if we truly pursue service and sacrifice, we, like Thomas, are proclaiming, “My Lord and my God.” And we, like Thomas, will hear those wonderful words, “Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.”
Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
PRAYERFUL SYMPATHY
Our prayerful sympathy we offer to Rev Gavin Ward, Vicar of St Mary’s Anglican Church as his wife, Vicki aged 51 years entered eternal life last Saturday. Their children Graeme and Emily spoke so well at theri mother’s funeral last Thursday when over 300 people were seated outside the packed St Mary’s Church on the the Village Green.
The service was led by the two Sunbury assistant priests, Rev Cath Fisher and Rev Kim Beales.
We offer our prayerful sympathy to Solly Hipolito as her husband Sergio, known as “Jerry” entered eternal life last Saturday. Jerry was the father of Termael, Jeremy, Mia, Zerrah and Jerrhyd. Jerry has been a contributor and parishioner for 30 years and generally took part in the Eucharist three times per week. His funeral Mass was celebrated yesterday.
SUNBURY INTER-CHURCH COUNCIL
SUNBURY INTER-CHURCH COUNCIL
It has been proposed to form such a council as in some parts of Australia. A planning meeting from interested persons from the Lay Ecumenical Committee and the Sunbury Ministers Association is on Wednesday 10 April at 7.30pm to 8.45pm in our Parish Centre. Other persons interested in promoting ecumenism are welcome.
THANK YOU
THANK YOU to the children and staff of both St Anne’s and Our Lady Of Mount Carmel Primary Schools for raising over $900 for Project Compassion during Lent.
Your generosity will help many needy people around the world.
OUR EASTER SYMBOL
Our Easter Symbol will be a replica of the stone which at the Resurrection of Jesus was rolled away from the tomb.
“On the first day of the week, the women went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another. “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up they saw the stone, which was very large had already been rolled back” (Mark 16:2-4).
Hence the stone by itself reminds us of the empty tomb, the sign Jesus has risen. Thanks to Jo Wiegerink for our new symbol.
EASTER OFFERINGS
Thank you for your offering which Supports 92 retired Melbourne priests, Melbourne Bishops, priests in parishes unable to support their priest, Fr Bert and finally our own Fr Kevin, providing him with a leased car and a living allowance.
ST VINCENT DE PAUL FESTIVAL MEETING AND MASS
Festival Meeting and Mass celebrating Bicentenary of the birth of Blessed Frederic Ozanam, on Friday 12 April at 7pm Corpus Chrsiti Church, Glenroy (Cnr Widford St & Melbourne Ave, Glenroy. The evening will include Mass and Commissioning of Conference.
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
Our reflection on the Easter readings may be as profound as any throughout the liturgical year.
As difficult as Jesus’ Resurrection is to understand, it is important to note what happened when John and Peter arrived at the tomb as reported in today’s Gospel. They were initially in disbelief, even though Jesus had tried to make it clear to them over and over. John, it is said “saw and then he believed.” We hearken back to our Scripture reading of a few weeks ago that proclaimed, “Faith, Hope, and Love, but the greatest of these is love.” Today — Easter — is the fulfillment of hope. That is why we greet this day with joy, but it is also why we as stewards must fulfill that hope by living lives of love.
The first reading on this Holy Easter is not from the Old Testament, as is most common, but it is from the Acts of the Apostles. Peter speaks of being present, being a witness, and if we listen carefully to his words, we can sense his enthusiasm, his dedication, and his zeal that Christ has risen.
We are called to be an Easter people. There is a significant difference between being an Easter people and just a Church people. If we are truly an Easter people, our focus is on the victory that Christ’s Resurrection presents to us. Easter and the promise it presents us make us a joyful people who worship with a sense of hope and confidence. Easter people as good stewards live their lives with an attitude of gratitude, not a sense of obligation. Easter people do not fear death, but have comfort in the promises and salvation of Christ.
“Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:3-4)
Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
KNIGHTS OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS REMEMBER DECEASED MEMBERS 2012
At the close of each year the members of the Sunbury Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross attend a Rememberance Mass for deceased members. This year it was followed by the Christmas Dinner for members, wives, and the widows of deceased members.
KNIGHTS FISHING COMPETITION
Towards the end of 2012 the Sunbury Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross held a fishing contest on Deep Creek. Here are some images. Leave a comment at the bottom if you would like.
EASTER MASS FOR THE INFIRM AND SICK
This will be celebrated on Friday 5 April at 10am with the Sacrament of the Anointing of Sick. Last Tuesday in the Cathedral the Archbishop accompanied by 257 Melbourne priests blessed the Oil of the Sick which we use in our Anointing.
Morning Tea will follow.
MORNING TEA
Morning tea will be hosted by Gum Tree Hills Neighbourhood next Sunday after 8.30am Mass. Please bring a plate to share or just stay for a cuppa and a chat.
ADORATION
Adoration will be held in St Anne’s Church on Friday 5 April from 7-8pm.
All welcome.
Led by the Legion of Mary.
WORKING BEE
A working bee will be held at St Anne’s church on Saturday 6 April from 9am to 12pm.
Please bring your tools.
All welcome.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Sunbury 
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