On 24 June 2009, the Department of Human Services released a statement about a new stage ‘Protect’ to manage the impact of H1N1.
‘This phase recognises infections of Human Swine Flu have not been as severe as first thought in the majority of the Australian Population. Currently the majority of people experiencing flu-like symptoms are making a full recovery without medical treatment. People with mild flu-like symptoms should stay home’.
Our Archbishop gave the similar advice a few weeks ago that Catholics with the flu should stay home, not attending Mass for the sake of the common good.
The new access ramp is now operational. The blue stone will darken over the next few years until it looks like the rest of the church. Some photos are here.
With the increasing prevalence of HSF into our community, Archbishop Denis Hart offers this advice:
Priests and extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should practice good hygiene;
Holy Communion should only be distributed under the species of the Consecrated Host and not the chalice;
Prudence suggests the reception of the Host on the hand, but with respect for the freedom which Rome provides in this matter;
At the sign of peace, the Archbishop suggests using a nod rather than a handshake or embrace;
People with flu-like symptoms should not come to church while they are sick;
Any queries re H1N1 influence can be directed to: The Swine Influenza Hotline—phone 180 2007; Nurse-on-Call—phone 1300 606 024; your doctor (GP).
Copies of the Archbishop’s letter are available at the Welcoming Desk in St Anne’s Church and at the back of O.L.M.C. Church.
Construction of the new access ramp began last Friday and continues for a couple of weeks. The ramp will be faced with blue stone to match the building. The ramp design has been approved by Heritage Victoria.
At a site meeting after dark last Thursday, it was decided to improve the lighting in St Anne’s Church in various areas. There will be further refinement of the audio-visual system this week. The marble grates over the font are being manufactured.
We are still awaiting steel surrounds at the adult font so that the marble grates can be fitted and the carpet properly laid. The plasma screens are now operational and were used successfully by St. Anne’s School at a prayer service last Friday for the feast of St Joseph the Worker. The audio has been re-tuned. Lighting is also being examined.
At O.L.M.C. Church, slight alterations to the design of the ramp, making it simpler, were approved last week.
Our new infant font is now operational and is being used this Sunday. Our font allows us to celebrate Baptism in the way the Church teaches, that immersion (not submersion) is the primary way for Baptism. At the Easter Vigil, we had the powerful experience of adult baptisms. Immersion is a powerful and symbolic action of dying and rising, like going down into the death of the Lord and rising into new life (cf.Romans 6:4). Many parishes around the world are installing fonts in their churches. At Ephesus in the Church of Mary, built in 7th century, there is an immersion font.
This font is from St John's in Ephesus built at the same time as St Mary's
During Lent, our theme was Baptised into the Body of Christ’. Each time we enter our church we can bless ourselves with the Baptismal water which is constantly flowing as living water, a symbol of abundant and never-ending grace of God to us. As Jesus said to the woman at the well: Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life’ (John 4:14).
Our font is made of marble from Carrara Italy, the same marble used by the great Michelangelo to sculpture his Pieta and David in 1499.
Fr Kevin
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Sunbury 
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