STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
Paul concludes his discussion of the relation of Jews and Gentiles in the Church in today’s reading from Romans. In his amazement at God’s action in sending Jesus as both Jewish Messiah and universal savior, he cannot express anything except praise for God’s “riches and wisdom and knowledge,” his inscrutable judgments and unsearchable ways. God is beyond human comprehension, not because he doesn’t care or is hostile (as some religions have held), but because he is so great and loving and generous that neither our imagination nor our reason can grasp it.
Because everything we have comes as a gift from God, even our existence, Paul reminds us that we can’t give something to God in a fashion that puts God in debt to us. “For from him and through him and for him are all things.” So although we are in debt to God, we ought not to view our return to God of a portion of our time, talent, and treasure as a duty to be grudgingly accepted. Instead we’re invited to make a loving response.
Among the many blessings for which we owe thanks to God is the Church, through which we receive sacramental grace and in which we live our Christian life. Jesus built the Church on St. Peter and entrusted to him “the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” In it we can safely journey through the storms of this life until our arrival at heaven.
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PARISH GARDEN
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
One emphasis that appears in the Old Testament is the need for the Jewish people to keep themselves apart from the surrounding nations to preserve the purity of their faith from the paganism around them. But there is also the teaching that appears in today’s reading from Isaiah that the Lord God is the only true god, and he welcomes the foreigners who worship him, “for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
God’s love for all humanity is also behind St. Paul’s teaching in Romans that God allowed the Jews to reject Jesus as the Messiah so the Church would proclaim to the Gentiles that he is the universal Savior of all peoples. And Jesus, while limiting his mission to the Jewish during his earthly ministry, responded with compassion to Gentiles who approached him in faith.
These Scripture readings make clear the God welcomes all who turn to him, without regard to nationality or class. As we seek to be good stewards, how closely do we follow that example? How well do we practice hospitality, one of the pillars of a stewardship parish? Do we welcome all who come to worship God, or do we erect barriers of class or color?
Copyright © 2011 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
We humans think that mercy and justice are opposites, but that is not true of God. The Responsorial Psalm tells us that the Lord is both merciful and just. We see his mercy and generosity emphasized in the lessons for today.
The prophet Isaiah delivers God’s invitation to the hungry and thirsty, “Come, without paying and without cost.” We see this fulfilled in the Feeding of the Five Thousand, when Jesus “moved with pity” fed the crowd who had followed him. He still feeds us, and with even better food in the Eucharist, when we receive his Body and Blood. In addition, St. Paul assures us that nothing in all creation “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Such kindness from God calls for a generous response on our part, the response of a grateful heart. As stewards responsible to the Lord for the use of the time, talent, and treasure entrusted to us, we need to heed the Lord’s word so we can obey his will. When we do so, we find that when we give back to God, we receive even more spiritual riches.
Copyright © 2011 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
CALLING PARISH GARDENERS
The Parish Gardening Team have recently held a meeting and we’ll keep you posted when they pass anything on.
Meanwhile…………………………….
This Saturday (2nd July) they are holding a working bee at St Anne’s Church from 9am to 12 noon. As well as this there will be a site visit to explore location the Neighbourhood Garden.
All welcome.
The next working bee will be on Saturday 6 August – 9.00am to noon.
Thank you to the Creed family for the new Norfolk Pine at St Anne’s, also to the Hogan and O’Brien families for the donated tools towards the Neighbourhood Garden.
JOURNEY TOGETHER COMBINED MEETING
ON TUESDAY 7TH JUNE AT 7.30PM IN THE PARISH CENTRE THERE WILL BE A SESSION FOR ALL GROUPS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS FOR ANY INTERESTED PARISHIONERS WHO MAY LIKE TO TRY IT OUT AND PERHAPS JOIN A GROUP NEARER THEIR HOME
“JOURNEY TOGETHER” is a series of five meetings. The gatherings in homes follow the method of ‘see, judge, act’ – looking at our world, judging life in the light of the Bible and resolving some action. In the recent exhortation ‘Verbum Domini’ (Latin for ‘Word of the Lord’) Pope Benedict and 250 bishops gathered in a synod express their hope for ‘a new season of greater love for the sacred Scripture on the part of every member of the People of God’ (par. 72).
Anyone wishing to join a group is invited to contact the Parish Office.
PARISH STEWARDSHIP MEETING
Last Tuesday night Stephen Littleton was a guest of our parish to launch the Stewardship Program. We started with a welcome from Fr Kevin who led us in the Stewardship Prayer. Stephen Littleton then took over and summarised Christian Stewardship. He said it is primarily a personal call to renew ourselves, a call to holiness, worship, and action. Having renewed ourselves over the years it may be easier to visualise as refreshing ourselves through our prayers, our efforts, and our sharing, in love, of ourselves with others. I see Stewardship as carrying on with that which Jesus asked of us when he said: “I have called you friends” and “I chose you, and I appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
In this same spirit Stephen Littleton went over the recent history of our parish. What had been achieved in the way of bricks and mortar at our churches and our schools and what we needed to be concerned with in the future. Things such as the pastoral care of a much greater population, the foundation of one or more schools, increased ministry to the elderly and so many other functions required by a greater and greater community. All of which costs more money than we currently have. Our expenditure on maintainance, salaries, utilities, loan repayments etc is more than our envelope collection each week. Our average envelope amounts to $8.44. The message was that in order to meet our present costs and future expansion, we need to boost our income, but as followers of Jesus. We can’t get caught up in how little some give as that’s not our concern. Remember Jesus in Luke’s Gospel with his reaction to the widow who gave all she could, small as it was. Our reaction as the friends Jesus left behind to carry on as his stewards should first be to pray about it. Maybe we could ask what we should do, ask the Father for help. As Jesus said in the Gospel of last Sunday, “enter into your inner room……..and pray to your Father”. We will be answered in some way or other. It could be to take the message to others, to ask for the help of others, to contribute more ourselves, to pray more for the parish community, to put more effort in to the workload of the parish. We also evangelise by our example.
Stephen Littleton then threw the meeting open for questions and then Fr Kevin closed the meeting with a prayer.
THANKSGIVING CONTRIBUTORS’ LETTER
For those who gave to Thanksgiving last year, there is a letter with a balance sheet from our accountant outlining how your money has been spent.
Please collect your addressed letter today.
THIRD NATIONAL FAMILY GATHERING
This will be held in Melbourne 15-17 April. A brief meeting will be held next Tuesday 15 February at 7.30pm at Thomas Carr Centre 278 Victoria Parade, Melbourne. Our parish needs some representatives to promote this conference. Enquiries Penny 9287 5579
Bishop Eugene Hurley, Chairman of the Australian Catholic Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life says on the website www.sharethedream.org.au
I am delighted to invite Catholic families throughout Australia to participate in this National Catholic Family Gathering.
Share the Dream echoes the call of the late Pope John Paul II to families – to become what you are – the communities of life and love which make the presence of our Lord real to those around us.
God himself affirmed the importance of the family. Born into a human family, Jesus lived the greater proportion of his life among us following the universal path from childhood into the daily routine of home and work as he “grew in wisdom and stature” (Lk 2:52). So we are reminded that it is through the family that the natural bonds of God’s own love hold firm that foundation upon which our society depends.
The Marriage and Family Council together with the Melbourne Life, Marriage and Family Office have brought together an inspiring line up of speakers and interactive workshops to help participants to reflect on family life, gain new skills, and be encouraged in living family life.
Please come and join this celebration of family life.
WORKING BEE
The Neighbourhood of Gum Tree Hills is hosting a working bee in the garden at the Presbytery and convent prior to the CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS on Friday 18 February 6.00pm to 8.00pm.
All welcome!
BYO tools.
OUR SERVICE OF ONE ANOTHER
In March during our Stewardship Program we will reflect on how we can serve one another in the various ministries within our parish. I recently came across Pope Benedict quoting Cardinal John Henry Newman:
God has created me to do him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another.
God has created me to do him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another.
…..Fr Kevin
JOURNEY TOGETHER—REFLECTING ON OUR CHRISTIAN MISSION IN SMALL NEIGHBOURHOOD GROUPS
Our Lenten/Easter program this year will be centred on the booklet ‘Journey Together’ – the themes are: a parish called to holiness, Jesus the Word of God, Leadership, Unity, our gifts, participation and Mary, Model of the Church. Pope Benedict in London in September 2010, said ‘One of the greatest challenges facing us today is how to speak convincingly of the wisdom and liberating power of God’s Word to a world which all too often sees the Gospel as a constriction of human freedom instead of the truth which liberates our minds and enlightens our efforts to live wise and well, both as individuals and as members of society’.
There will be a sign-up opportunity in February.
CHRISTMAS MASSES
As we celebrated our hundredth Christmas Day as a parish (1911—2010) it is estimated that 19.8% of the Catholics recorded by the Commonwealth Census in our parish were present at one of the four Masses, as the total attendance was about 2,850.
THE NEW YEAR 2011
- Our town Sunbury is celebrating its 175th year. The Christian Churches are planning a celebration in Lent for the 175th Year.
- In our neighbourhoods, we shall launch groups to share the Word of God and reflect on life in Lent/Easter time.
- Both our schools will have the full use of their new facilities and a number of new staff.
- We shall bless and open the new school facilities at O.L.M.C. School, have a school reunion and celebrate our final centenary event on February 26 and 27.
Wishing you blessings at Christmas and in 2011,
….Fr Kevin
THE LAST SUNDAY OF 2010
Our centenary year has been full of activity and celebrations. In early February Bishop Tim Costelloe, our regional bishop, dedicated the new altar and font in St Anne’s Church in a moving ceremony. In March we blessed the new Bell Tower at O.L.M.C. Church to house the bell first rung in 1911. In April over 450 attended a real Bush Dance in a huge shed on a local farm. In May 121 children were admitted to the Eucharistic Table of the Lord in ten sessions. In late May I celebrated with thanksgiving forty years of ordained priesthood. In June the adults tested their knowledge at a trivia night in a packed Parish Centre. In August the long process of selecting a new principal, Noelene Hussey, for St Anne’s School concluded. In September our Parish Ball at the Calabria Club was a great success. Late September we gathered for Mass in the Bulla Hall to remember how Catholics first met in homes (nearby in Oaklands Road) for Mass from 1852 with the priest coming by horse from Coburg. In November we had the blessing and opening of the new classrooms and other facilities at St Anne’s School. In December we farewelled Lucy Jackanic as she completed her term as principal. This year 141 Baptisms were celebrated in our church. In 1911 Fr. John Gallivan P.P. celebrated 13 Baptisms.
As we look back on 2010, let us be grateful for all we have received from our generous Lord and from each other.
We have had opportunities to pray together daily in one of our churches. We rejoice in the canonisation of our Melbourne Saint Mary Mackillop. We have been supported by the prayers of those housebound or in care. We have been blessed with new school facilities at our three Catholic schools. Our parishioners have been generous in Thanksgiving Offering so that we have paid off $140,567 from our debt leaving us with a current debt of $620,105. We have also paid for our running costs.
We also give thanks to those who gave their time and shared their talents this year: altar servers, Baptism prepararation teams, bingo workers, church cleaners, crib erectors, collection counters, communion ministers to sick, education board, finance committee, flower providers, gardeners, Legion of Mary, liturgy ministers, liturgy planners, maintenance people, music ministers, neighbourhood coordinating teams, parish posties, parish coordinating team, P.T.F.A. (2), Parish Centre management committee, parish photographer, school helpers, those who set up for Masses, and website manager.
As I told Archbishop Hart, we have such a great team here.
Fr Kevin
THANKS
Thanks for the sterling and arduous work by some of our parishioners with children at O.L.M.C. School over several days, who have laboured at times in the heat to remove old vegetation and planted new shrubs in front of the church and school.
MORNING TEA
The Parish Coordinating Team is looking at reintroducing morning teas after Mass on a more regular basis as a way of keeping up social ties within the parish community. This was a suggestion from parishioners at the last parish assembly. As an initial start morning tea will be held in the foyer of St Anne’s Church after 8.30am Mass and before 10.30am Mass next Sunday so stay late or come early for a cuppa and chat! Suggestions or queries to Julie—9740 3590 or Mary 9744 1049.
MORNING TEA
The Parish Coordinating Team is looking at reintroducing morning teas after Mass on a more regular basis as a way of keeping up social ties within the parish community. This was a suggestion from parishioners at the last parish assembly. As an initial start morning tea will be held in the foyer of St Anne’s Church after 8.30am Mass and before 10.30am Mass on Sunday 12 December so stay late or come early for a cuppa and chat!
Suggestions or queries to Julie—9740 3590 or Mary 9744 1049.
REPORT OF PARISH ASSEMBLY
All parishioners were invited to the Assembly and forty were able to be present in the Parish Centre on 16 October. Our facilitator was Jill Gibbs who has accompanied us on our renewal as parish since 2006.
During our ongoing journey in renewal, we have based our efforts on our essential equality in dignity as children of God living our faith, hope and charity with God, with others and creation.
After praying in the words of St Paul, we read the reports on posters around the room—reports from the neighbourhoods, parish groups and parish schools. A verbal summary was given and discussed together.
We then discussed the reports speaking and listening with respect for all. There was a very pleasant atmosphere of honesty, wisdom and creative suggestions.
The Assembly decided to move on in our journey of faith from focusing on the value and dignity of each parishioner to more emphasis on sharing our gifts of the good of our community.
Among the proposals accepted were more social events as experienced in our Centenary Year, a neighbourhood garden project, a grey army handyman service, morning tea after Mass, posties to deliver cards at the time of Baptism, First Communion Confirmation and bereavement; more information of parish events on the letter to all homes, a Lenten home groups program.
From the neighbourhoods, there have been elected representatives to join the Parish Coordinating Team (P.C.T.) which will take up the proposals passed by the Assembly and help bring about their implementation over the next twelve months. Next year’s assembly is on 3 September.
We are very grateful to Jill Gibbs for her presence and assistance before and after the Assembly, especially as she has lung cancer and travelled from near Newcastle by train and plane.
Fr Kevin
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Sunbury 
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