Welcome to the newest member of our Altar Server Team Natasha Rachel John. We also thank for their great service – Ethan D’Lima, Nix Hendricks and Kyle Tucker who have retired. We wish Liam Fisher a speedy recovery from his broken hand. New members always welcome 97442674.
2014 YEAR OF GROWTH
This year our parish theme is Year of Growth. On the weekend of 15 & 16 February and 22 & 23 February, we will have our Parish Expo. In the foyer of St Anne’s church will be A3 pages with descriptions of the various ministries. Currently the number of parishioners in ministries is really good, but we are looking for new people to help out as well. It will mean our parish will continue to grow and for everyone to feel part of a vibrant and great community. We encourage you all to become part of at least one ministry and try it for just one year. If you like it, continue for another year but if you prefer to explore something else, you can! You can sign up on the A3 pages in the foyer, or be part of the Sign up weekend on 22 & 23 February and 1 & 2 March– Just before Lent! We will ask people at Mass to sign up for a ministry, then will contact them to advise of training for their chosen ministry. It is an opportunity to share our talents with others and receive the talents of others.
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
The Gospel from Matthew proclaims “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God with us’.” St. Paul introduces himself to the Romans, to whom he is writing in the second reading as “Paul…called to be an apostle, and set apart for the Gospel of God.”
That essentially sums up what and where we need to be as we complete our Advent preparations on this Fourth Sunday of Advent with Christmas fast approaching. We, too, are called to be Apostles — the Greek roots of the word “apostle” meant messenger. Thus, there are two important clues for us as stewards as to what Advent and Christmas mean to us personally.
First, is the Good News (Gospel) that God is with us (Emmanuel). The second is that we are called to be messengers of that Good News among all peoples. Christmas is not just a time for us to celebrate the birth of Christ, but it is a time for us to be renewed and to accept our calling to be those messengers, those disciples.
There are often a lot of good feelings at Christmas, but the best is the joy produced by the understanding that God loves us. We join with shepherds and wise men and angels proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill to all people.”
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STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
There is a reason that John the Baptist appears in our Gospel reading for this Second Sunday in Advent calling out, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” We might conclude, and not entirely in error, that the reference point is the imminent birth of Christ, the ultimate conclusion of Advent.
However, the meaning of this is much deeper and broader, something which needs to strike a chord in our hearts and in our lives of stewardship. Often we make reference to the fact that stewardship requires conversion. There are actually two accepted translations of μετανοέω/metanoeō, the original Greek word construed as “repent” which begins John the Baptist’s admonition. One is “repent” which is always good advice to us.
The other is “change.” Last week Jesus told us to wake up. This week John the Baptist is telling us to change. Advent is the time for us to come alive, but it is not just an occasion for action. It should also motivate us to alter the way we approach living — to seek ways to live out stewardship in service, in love, and in gratitude.
But, yes, it is a time to be penitent as well. It is a time to repent in the original sense of that word. St. John Chrysostom wrote eloquently on how to repent. He gave us five paths (terms) to lead us to repent: 1. Confession; 2. Forgiveness; 3. Prayer; 4. Almsgiving; 5. Humility. That is good advice for Advent.
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STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
“The day is at hand.” (Romans 13:12) “Let us walk in the light of the Lord.” (Isaiah 2:5) These two quotes — the first from Paul’s letter, our second reading, and the second from the prophetic Book of Isaiah (our first reading) — alert us to the fact that this season of Advent is more than just a time to get ready. It is a time to act.
Stewardship is an action word; it is an action concept. It is a reminder that the Lord did not call us to be just a follower; He called us to be a disciple. That means doing things, and this sacred season is a great time to begin doing, or to expand what we are doing, or to improve what we are doing.
The Latin word adventus from which we get the word Advent means “coming.” But who is coming? Of course, we all know the answer to that — Jesus, because we celebrate His birth in just a few short weeks. The Lord reminds us in today’s Gospel that it is not just Christmas we are talking about: “Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” When are we to awaken? Now! Why are we to awaken? Because it is time to be spiritually alive and spiritually aware. How do we put our spiritual lives in order? We are to “put on the armor of light.” Jesus is coming, and we must be prepared.
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STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
“Amen, I say to you; today you will be with me in Paradise.” Are those not the words we all aspire to hear? Jesus reminds us throughout Holy Scripture that we must keep our stewardship focus on two points: Jesus Himself, and the fact that our lives lead to Eternity. It is these thrusts that should allow us to live existences of stewardship.
This Sunday is traditionally called Christ the King. Yes, we recognize Jesus’ Kingship over all the earth and all its peoples, but the Gospel points to the part of His dominion that cannot be matched by anyone else: He rules over death as well as over life. St. Catherine of Siena once said, “All the way to heaven is heaven, because Jesus said, ‘I am the way’.”
As we prepare for Advent, which begins next weekend, and as we end our liturgical year this week, we need to dedicate ourselves anew to being good stewards — to realizing that we are children of God, that Christ is our King, that we are gifted, and that we are called to share those gifts. We also need to join with the forgiven thief who was crucified next to Jesus and place our total trust in God. While we attempt to be disciples of the Lord, all we must utter is “Thank you, God” and “Lord, remember me.”
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STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
Most theologians concur that Advent is a dual preparation, both for the birth of Christ but also for His Second Coming. All the readings for this last Sunday in Ordinary Time point toward preparation and Christ’s Second Coming (the Parousia or Second Advent).
Nevertheless, that can be complex and complicated, so let us concentrate on the simple exercise of preparation. If we practice stewardship, we understand that the Church, its Masses and liturgies, and its approach to organizing our faith lives are all intended to deepen our relationship with Christ. Stewardship is intended to lead us to serve others, but even more so it is a means to bring us closer to the Lord.
The reading from Malachi, Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, and Jesus’ words in the Temple from Luke’s Gospel all direct us to the idea of preparing ourselves spiritually. We all know that symbols of Christmas seem to appear earlier and earlier. Our stewardship lesson this week is to keep focused, to maintain our concentration on being good stewards and disciples of Christ, and to try to avoid getting too caught up in all the activity and adornments that come with the Advent/Christmas season, which of course is a detriment of our holy approach to this special time of year.
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STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
What does it mean to hope in the Lord? The seven brothers and their mother who are featured in the first reading from 2 Maccabees both know and understand what it means. One of the brothers declares that everything he has received came from God, and he hopes to receive God’s blessings again. Another brother speaks of the “hope God gives of being raised up by Him.”
Living lives of stewardship is living lives of hope. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul speaks of the “good hope” we have of God’s grace. Paul reminds us that the Lord “will strengthen and guard you.” The hope we have in the Lord is what gives us the total trust in Him which allows us to live lives of stewardship.
Jesus encourages us to have hope in the living God in today’s Gospel. A stewardship approach to life exemplifies our confidence in God’s goodness and love. We are to take His love and spread it among those around us through sharing and service. Reaching out to others, knowing that we are strengthened by God, is a natural and fulfilling way to live. Good stewards are optimistic. As Helen Keller once said, “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
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STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
Most of us have no trouble visualizing Zacchaeus, a short man who climbed the sycamore tree so he could see Jesus as the Lord passed. Zacchaeus was on the verge of something important, but he probably did not go up in the tree so Jesus would notice him; he climbed the tree because he was seeking Jesus.
Zacchaeus was wealthy; he was wealthy because he had over-collected taxes from the people. They hated him, but as Jesus reminds us all at the end of the Gospel passage, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” Zacchaeus was not a good steward of his blessings.
Jesus was aware of that when he went to Zacchaeus’ home to be fed. Something important happened to Zacchaeus; he went through a conversion experience – an encounter with Christ, an event that changed his life. He began to share with special regard to the poor. He began to reach out to those whom he had mistreated. That’s what stewardship can do for us, too. We must undergo a transformation of mind and heart. Then we must reach out to God, to one another, and especially to those who are destitute, both spiritually and actually. As Blessed Mother Teresa once said, “Love is not patronizing, and charity isn’t about pity; it is about love.”
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STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
“I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” With those words, Paul compared his life to a race, something to which most people can relate. We live in a world that is infatuated with sports and athletics. Perhaps Paul’s world was not like that, but his willingness to use it as a metaphor certainly strikes a chord with our society today.
Our faith lives, our lives of stewardship, parallel Paul’s in terms of it being a race. We are not talking about a sprint, mind you, but a long, drawn out marathon. It is easy to stumble and it is easy to quit, but the real challenge is maintaining our faith and following our faith. Stewardship as a way of life presents us with many challenges and many hurdles, to use another racing term.
The faithful steward strives to keep moving, to keep praying, to keep trying to fulfill Jesus’ call and exhortation to us to be His disciples, His followers. Paul admits that he could not have run the race, could not have remained true to it, without the help and strength offered to him by the Lord. There is no shame, and no humility, in admitting that we need help, lots of it, to maintain our faith in a world which tests it constantly.
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STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
Many have referred to St. Paul as “The Persistent Apostle.” Thus, Paul serves as a great example and model for what is laid out for us in all the readings for this 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Persistence and its importance to people of faith is an intricate part of each of the readings.
The conversion of Paul is recounted six times in scripture — three times in the Acts of the Apostles and three times by Paul himself in his letters. The intensity and the persistence of Paul’s faith lead us to see how important persistence is to live a life of stewardship.
From the persistence of Moses in the first reading from Exodus, to Paul’s urging us to “be persistent” in his letter to Timothy, to the Parable of the Persistent Widow in the Gospel from Luke, we are advised that we should always pray and never give up.
Perseverance is a hallmark of good stewardship. Good stewards know that living in that way is not always easy and comfortable. Yet with the help and guidance of the Lord, the strength to both live that way and to fulfill Jesus’ call to carry on lives of discipleship is both possible and a path to great joy and satisfaction. Paul wrote,
“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
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PARISH MEETING NIGHT
PARISH MEETING NIGHT
This is a concept where all the parish groups gather on one night a month, beginning with a brief prayer session together in the church, followed by their group meeting for one hour, concluding with supper together. At the parish of Kings Park (formerly St Albans West), they have followed this concept for 16 years with about 230 people involved each month. There, they use classrooms and other spaces for meetings. Each year, parishioners are asked to be in a group whichever they have the energy for in that year. Coming together on one night enthuses people as they are not meeting in isolated venues. Minutes are done at the meeting and emailed to those not present. At our Parish Assembly, this proposal was accepted for us to implement next year. Parishioners can be part of multiple Ministries as they do not need to attend monthly meetings whereas Parishioners are asked to be part of one Group who do attend a monthly meeting. The difference between Ministries and Groups will be outlined in the Parish Expo on 15 & 16 February 2014. Information will also be part of the next Neighbourhood letter to describe the various Ministries and Groups for parishioners to be part of for the next 12 months.
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
At the heart of stewardship is gratitude. The Greek philosopher Epicurus wrote, “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” There is certainly stewardship wisdom in that quote.
It follows upon the wisdom that is displayed in today’s readings. In the Gospel from Luke, for example, Jesus cures 10 lepers. They have been given something — health – which they once only hoped for. Yet only one of them, a Samaritan as a matter of fact, returns to the Lord to thank Him. Jesus says “Where are the other nine?”
Stewardship expects us to focus on our gifts, on our many blessings, not on what we may not have, or what we may have been denied. Not only do we need to concentrate on those gifts, but we need to take the time to thank God and others who may have provided us those gifts. When was the last time you actually thanked your parents for the gift of life? When did you last thank your spouse for all that he or she may have done for you? When did you last thank God in prayer?
According to many Catholic encyclopedias, there are five kinds of prayer — adoration, contrition, love, petition, and thanksgiving. For the good steward, those prayers of thanksgiving should be foremost.
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STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Luke 17:6) As is the case with Jesus’ statements almost always, there is a stewardship message here.
Most of us are aware that a mustard seed is incredibly small; in fact, it was one of the smallest seeds known in Jesus’ earthly world. The mulberry tree, on the other hand, was known to have a vast and large network of roots which spread far out from the trunk of the tree.
Jesus’ point is that faith cannot be measured by size or depth. It is as if He is saying that the key is quality, not quantity. It is not the size of one’s faith, but its presence, and the willingness of each person to rely on that faith in trying times.
One of the most important facets of stewardship is trust in God. It is that trust –– a trust built on faith –– which gives us the strength to follow lives of stewardship and service. What Jesus is saying at the end of today’s Gospel, “…we have done what we were obliged to do,” is that service, another important part of stewardship, should be a privilege, not a burden.
Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
PARISH MEETING NIGHT
Parish Meeting Night is a concept where all the parish groups gather on one night a month, beginning with a brief prayer session together in the church, followed by their group meeting for one hour, concluding with supper together. At the parish of Kings Park (formerly St Albans North), they have followed this concept for 16 years with about 230 people involved each month. There, they use classrooms and other spaces for meetings. Each year, parishioners are asked to be in a group whichever they have the energy for in that year. Coming together on one night enthuses people as they are not meeting in isolated venues. Minutes are done at the meeting and emailed to those not present. At our Parish Assembly, this proposal was accepted for us to implement next year.
ANNUAL PARISH ASSEMBLY
On the walls of our Gathering space are posted the reports and proposals of our numerous parish groups which were presented at our Parish Assembly on 7th September.
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
St. Paul captures some important aspects of stewardship in the second reading today, as he tells Timothy to “pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.” That formula would seem to apply to being a good spouse, a good parent, a good sibling, a good neighbor, a good employee, a good boss, a good friend. Or, in other words be a good steward.
Stewardship, of course, recognizes how important our relationship to God is, as well as how we live out God’s love by loving others. If we practice stewardship correctly, it is always on the edge of our consciousness, an important part of our decision-making, and an intricate part of how we live our lives every day, every minute, every place.
The Gospel from Luke may seem a bit heavy in the way it handles the rich man’s treatment of Lazarus. However, Jesus tells us over and over that we must be conscious of those around us; that we need to be aware of how we are blessed in relation to others; and we must appreciate that what we do is in preparation for the next life. Those who live lives of stewardship, who truly love their neighbor, realize what is truly important in life.
Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
ANNUAL PARISH ASSEMBLY REPORT 2013
ANNUAL PARISH ASSEMBLY
Saturday 7 September, 2013
Over 30 Parishioners gathered in good spirit, commencing with prayer.
Michael McConville again facilitated with humour and encouragement.
Several apologies were noted.
Time was spent reviewing the proposals and outcomes of 2012 and the Parish Target “the people of OLMC Parish have become a Christian community in which we value one another and use our gifts for the good of all”
There were presentations from the Parish Primary School Principals. Noelene and Paul spoke of a program in collaboration with Salesian College that will enable the successful transition to Year 7, benefiting the students both socially and academically. The Religious Education Leaders, Rosalba and Colin with Richard outlined the RE program (based on the RCIA model), the Sacramental celebrations and the “Parenting in Faith” programs offered to parents.
Many of our Parish groups presented to the Assembly, outlining their work, plans and suggested proposals for the next year.
They included: Maintenance Team and Parish Centre Management, JG Community Garden, Knights of the Southern Cross, Justice and Historical Group. The Ecumenical group, Legion of Mary, RCIA, Baptismal Preparation Team and Emmaus Prayer Group were also represented. As was Bingo, Parish Web Page, Evergreens, RSJ associates, Children’s Liturgy and some of our Parish Neighbourhoods. There was a report on the Neighbourhood structure and Fr Kevin presented proposals on behalf of the Pastoral Team.
We heard of the incredible work of Saint Vincent de Paul, assisting their Sunbury clients with many hours of support and $8000 each month. The Conference is always in need of support with appeals and voluntary work.
The Youth Group are working to encourage parents and youth alike to become involved in liturgy and social gatherings.
Proposals, that were presented, to be considered by the Pastoral Coordinating Team include the financial support of an Overseas Project, Monthly Meeting Plan and a Parish Expo, maintenance issues of Parish property and involvement of Baptismal families. Other proposals suggested more Parish social gatherings eg picnic and morning teas hosted by Parish groups. Music in Sunday liturgies was discussed, as was the purchase of Liturgical banners for St Anne’s church.
A small group of parishioners gather monthly at Goonawarra Nursing Home for a sing-a-long with residents. Any musicians are warmly invited to join the fun.
All groups who were represented would warmly welcome any queries and/or new members.
Those who attended agreed that our Parish is blessed with many energetic and committed people who give freely of the time and talents for the growth of our Catholic community.
NOTE: A MORE COMPREHENSIVE REPORT IS AVAILABLE ON THE “PARISH REPORTS PAGE HERE.
Also a comment may be left at the bottom of this page if you would like to leave any feedback.
PARISH COORDINATING TEAM
The PCT met last Wednesday and considered some of the proposals presented at our Assembly. The Coordinating Team considered two projects for our overseas aid– one in Bangalore, India and the other in Jakarta, Indonesia. Both projects are caring for orphans as a result of HIV. We are doing further research before making a decision.
As the National Royal Commission into response of institutions to child sexual abuse begins, the Team supported another prayer service as outlined on the front page of today’s newsletter. The Team considered the proposal of having a Parish Meeting night once a month where all the parish groups would gather briefly for prayer, have their group meetings for an hour and conclude with supper together. This proposal was first put forward at the 2012 Parish Assembly. Further research has been done and the proposal will now be implemented in stages in 2014. The first stage will be a Parish Expo of our parish groups and ministries on Sunday 23 February.
The Coordinating Team gave its support to the Liturgy Team’s proposed Festival of Readings and Carols on 22 December at 7.30pm in OLMC Church.
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
“You cannot serve both God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). Without even knowing what mammon may be, we get the stewardship message — what is important to us? God, or all of the other things in our lives which may distract us from living God-centered lives.
Scholars cannot universally agree on the origins of the word “mammon.” In Greek the word was mammonas, which means “wealth or treasure.” In Latin the word was mammon, which translated “riches and avarice.” However, it is in Christ’s native language, Aramaic, where we may find the stewardship truth. The Aramaic word was mamon. That word had a dual meaning to the Lord in His own tongue —yes, it meant “riches,” but it also meant “chaos, darkness.”
That may have been the point Jesus was trying to make in the Parable of the Unjust Steward. It is not just devotion to things that provide us with a major roadblock to living lives of stewardship. Those same “riches” may place us in a world of darkness, not the light of Christ which results from living as good stewards. Jesus is constantly advising us to be very careful about attaching our hearts to “things.” Truly we cannot serve both God and mammon.
Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Sunbury 
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