CATHOLICCARE’S GALA BALL will be held at the Plaza Ballroom on Thursday 30 May and is the major fund raiser for Alcohol & Other Drug Family Services.
The funds raised go toward funding alcohol & other drug family counsellors in the Western Region of Melbourne.
The program is focused on restoring the wellbeing and relationships of those affected by problematic alcohol and other drug use.
Contact 9287 555 for further information.
PARENTING IN FAITH FOR PARENTS WITH STUDENTS IN FOUNDATION YEAR
Parenting in Faith will be held on two evenings at 6.30pm in the Parish Centre
- Tuesday 30 April for St Anne’s families
- Wednesday 1 May for Our Lady of Mount Carmel families.
SUNBURY MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER GROUP
The Sunbury Marriage Encounter Group will meet at the home of Lambert & Elaine van der Weerden, 10 Rogers Court, on Sunday April 14th commencing with a shared lunch at 12.30 pm.
All welcome.
For further information please phone 9744 4029.
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
PARISH RETREAT– SPIRITUALITY IN OUR TIMES
Our Parish Retreat will be held in Easter time, Monday 22 April to Satruday 27 April. The retreat has three modules– renewal of our mind, renewal of our heart and renewal of our action. There are three elements in each session: some input, some group sharing ans some prayer. It is time for a renewal as we live in changing times and we need a boost. The sessions will be held in the morning and evening in the Parish Centre. The retreat team will comprise a laywoman, a priest and a religious sister– mixed vocations. Please mark your diaries.
The last retreat was very well received by 150 people who attended.
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
AUSTRALIAN CATHOLICS MAGAZINE
The Australian Catholics Magazine is received by the parish every quarter and is available to all parishioners. This issue discusses our Indigenous brothers and sisters, in recognition of the anniversary of “Sorry Day” on Wed 13 Feb. This publication always has very thoughtful articles and is a good read. There are many copies at the Welcome Desk in the foyer. Please take your free copy paid by the parish.
More info here.
THE CALEB FARIA FUNDRAISER
This will be held on Sunday 10 February 2.00pm at a screening of the film The Intouchables” at Reading Cinemas, Home Street, Sunbury. Cost of tickets is $20 per person.
It reveals the life of a charismatic con man (Senegalese Driss) whose friendship with a disabled French aristocrat,( Philippe Pozzo di Borgo) would forever change his life, as Driss would change his.
Please see Louise Oswald at the back of the Church today after Mass to purchase your ticket. All welcome.
ST VINCENT DE PAUL SPECIAL CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
ST VINCENT DE PAUL SPECIAL CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
COMING UP OVER 2 WEEKENDS
Our parish has always had an excellent rapport with our local Vinnies. We are looking to have a special collection over the weekends of 9 & 15 December (please note the change of date) to assist the Vinnies at this time of the year. Rather than buying presents for families, it was considered more dignified to give families cash to buy gifts for each other. Our community has always been generous, and we ask that you can help again at this special time of year.
Vinnies are distributing $8000 per month to needy families in Sunbury and Diggers Rest and our Parish would like to give these families a little extra so they can have the joy and dignity of purchasing Christmas presents for their own children.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING CALEB FARIA
Michelle & Biju Faria would like to thank all parishioners for their generous donations and support for the Caleb Faria Trust.
They would like to wish many blessings to all.
Caleb is suffering from Hunters Syndrome and has been denied government funding of the medicine that will help his quality of life.
Caleb and his family are our parishioners.
Anybody wanting to donate funds to the Caleb Faria Trust can donate via www.calebfaria.com.
Please continue to pray that Caleb may get access to the medicine through government funding in the near future.
CHILD ABUSE ENQUIRY
VICTORIAN PARLIAMENTARY ENQUIRY AND NATIONAL ROYAL COMMISSION INTO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
The first focus is our compassion for the victims. Many of you will know a victim abused by a church person or someone else. Some of my friends are abuse victims and the devastating effects of the abuse can be seen 40 or 50 years later.
My hearing first hand from victims has made me realise how debilitating such abuse is.
The great English Cardinal Newman (1801-1891) wrote “We must face the facts.. we can’t change the facts; we must face the truth.”
“Facing the Truth”, the submission to the Victorian Enquiry from the Victorian Catholic Church has been accepted by the Enquiry and can be viewed on the special website www.facingthetruth.org.au The website has an 8 page executive summary with graphs and the whole report of 155 pages. There are updates on this website.
The Church has three goals:
1. To assist the healing of the victims. In Melbourne, the Church provides special counselling.
2. To deal promptly and effectively with those guilty of abuse.
3. To prevent further abuse in the future.
As we mentioned in March this year, there has been another revision of the Code of Conduct for caring for children in the Melbourne Parishes. Our Parish is implementing this Code, especially in regard to “Working With Children Checks” (WWCC).
In our two primary schools, we are teaching children to be aware, to speak up and be assertive. The FBI states the best defence against predators is assertive children as abusers prey on quiet, isolated children. We have recently installed a higher fence around St Anne’s School. All visitors to our schools must sign in. All classroom helpers and contractors must have a WWCC.
As Jesus taught, “The truth will set you free.”
……..Kevin McIntosh
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 last weekend for 2012 is 12-14 October in Melbourne.
For further information & bookings contact Marianne & Marcel Van den Bronk (03) 9733 0997 or Email vicbookings@wwme.org.au. Website for more information on www.wwme.org.au
GETTING A FAIR FUNDING DEAL FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Catholic school families are similar to those in government schools.
Catholic schools play an important part in some of Victoria’s most disadvantaged communities. Like government schools, Catholic schools also cater for families with middle and high incomes. Catholic school students, on average, receive 20 per cent less government funding than government school students. There is also a significant gap in funding for students with special needs. To make up the difference, you pay fees. Even then, most Catholic schools like ours still operate at around 90 per cent of the cost of education in government schools. As it stands, paying fees is not easy for many Catholic families. If Catholic parents are forced to pay more in fees, it will put a lot of pressure on many families. They may have no option but to move their children to government schools which are already under pressure.
WELCOME TO THE CONFIRMATION CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES
Welcome to the Confirmation children and their families who are here to prepare for their upcoming Sacrament in October. Please continue to pray for the children who will receive their Confirmation Stoles this weekend.
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 priests 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 weekends in 2012 are: 10-12 August and 12-14 October in Melbourne.
Further info contact Mr & Mrs Van den Bronk on 03 9733 6979 or email vicbookings@wwme.org.au.
ANNUAL WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MASS
The Annual Wedding Anniversary Mass is run by Life, Marriage & Family Office and will be celebrated on 29 July.
The Mass will honour the marriages of couples who will celebrate their 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th wedding anniversaries this year. The Mass is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate their faithfulness and life-long love in the company of family of friends. As with previous years, the Mass will also be celebrated at St Patrick’s Cathedral by Archbishop Denis Hart. All couples who register will receive a commemorative certificate.
Please RSVP to 9287 5587 or lmf@cam.org.au.
ANNUAL WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MASS
The Annual Wedding Anniversary Mass is run by Life, Marriage & Family Office and will be celebrated on 29 July.
The Mass will honour the marriages of couples who will celebrate their 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th wedding anniversaries this year. The Mass is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate their faithfulness and life-long love in the company of family of friends. As with previous years, the Mass will also be celebrated at St Patrick’s Cathedral by Archbishop Denis Hart. All couples who register will receive a commemorative certificate.
Please RSVP to 9287 5587 or lmf@cam.org.au.
MARRIED COUPLES
Give yourselves a treat!
A whole day together to relax, revisit, renew, rejuvenate, recall, reassess, reconnect, romance, respond, resource, and rekindle your relationship!
‘R’ Day Marriage Enrichment Day, 16 June $80 per couple.
Contact Karen or Rada on 9287 5516 for bookings.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD
We have recommenced Liturgy of the Word for children in our parish at 10.30am Mass, as happens in other parishes.
All primary school children are welcome.
MASS FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS
The Life, Marriage & Family Office warmly invite all expectant mothers and their families to a Mass for Expectant Mothers. The Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Denis Hart at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday 17 June at 11.00am.
To register, please contact the Life, Marriage & Family Office on 9287 5587 or lmf@cam.org.au.
You can also register online at www.cam.org.au/lifemarriagefamily.
Please note that registration closes on Friday 8 June.
Women who register will receive a small token of recognition.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Sunbury 
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