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Film critics have hailed this emotional movie for its fine acting. The producers state it is not a documentary but is based on a true story. The Sisters of the Sacred Heart claim the movie is misleading as it does not tell the whole truth. The Sisters state they never received any payment of any nature for any adoption. Their records have not been destroyed but are stored now at the Health Service Executive (a government Department). The records are confidential to the mother who is the only one who can agree to sharing the information. Reunions have followed when the mother agrees. The final scene of confrontation between the journalist and Sr Hildegard never occurred as she died in 1995 before he began researching his book in 2004.     (cf Independent ie. 9/11/13)

On behalf of the priests of Melbourne, I thank you for your financial support towards our living allowance, car lease and other expenses.
.……..Kevin McIntosh

Reflection on the Gospel-Feast of the Epiphany Year A, 5 January 2014 (Matthew 2:1-12)

God’s presence is revealed to us in diverse ways: we can read the “book” of God’s creation; we can search out the meaning of our dreams; we can learn from our own and others’ experience; and we can be attentive to the wisdom of our sacred scriptures. A deep awareness of our place in the Earth community and our kinship with the other-than-human teaches us respect for all creation and respect for its power to lead us beyond ourselves.

Epiphany presents us with the wise ones or astrologers ‘from the East’ who are led beyond themselves and their immediate location by the rising of a star. They form their own preliminary hypothesis and travel west to search out the meaning of this sign. Their questioning in Jerusalem about a new-born “king of the Jews” attracts the attention of the duplicitous Herod, the Roman-appointed “king of the Jews”. Advised by the official interpreters of the Jewish scriptures, through the agency of Herod, they follow the star that leads them to the home of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, where they find the new born child, the incarnate Wisdom of God. The gospel does not stipulate how many wise ones or magi come to pay homage to the child who has already been named as Emmanuel, God-with-us. There is no indication in the story as to whether they are men or women or both. The three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh have been traditionally associated with three different characters, usually kings of diverse nationality and colour. These strangers are the first to recognise ‘God-with-us’ in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. They also come to recognise ‘in a dream’ the duplicity of Herod, who senses a threat to his political power from the birth of a new-born “king of the Jews”. They have the good sense not to accede to Herod’s request to ‘bring him word’ of the newborn king. They return home “by another road”.

The story-teller Matthew leaves room in the tableau for the insertion of the wise ones who will emerge through the ages. There is an invitation for us to enter into Matthew’s drama, to be the wise ones, to join with people of different cultures, to engage in our own search for Wisdom, and to follow the star that leads to truth and lasting peace. There is also an invitation to be wary of those who find their positions threatened by a different sort of power, power based on vulnerability and openness to new life.

New Years Prayer

Thank you Lord for giving me
The brand new year ahead
Help me live the way I should
As each new day I tread.
Give me gentle wisdom
That I might help a friend
Give me strength and courage
So a shoulder I might lend.
The year ahead is empty
Help me fill it with good things
Each new day filled with joy
And the happiness it brings.
Please give the leaders of our world
A courage born of peace
That they might lead us gently
And all the fighting cease.
Please give to all upon this earth
A heart that’s filled with love
A gentle happy way to live
With Your blessings from above.
~ Charlotte Anselmo ~

Last Sunday at OLMC church was our first Festival of Carols and Readings. For those who attended, it was a very uplifting and happy experience. The readings and carols were beautifully read by those present– no practice was required. The nine readings told our story– starting with the Fall of Humanity in the Garden of Eden, the foretelling of the birth of our Saviour, the Annunciation, Birth of Jesus, Visit of the Wise Men among some of the stories. The carols were sung after each reading and included, All the ends of the earth, City of God, Silent Night, We three Kings and not forgetting Joy to the World. Everyone sang beautifully– it had nothing to do with the Champagne and Orange Juice served before the service. The Sausage sizzle went well also.

The Solemn Feast of Mary Mother of God is on Wednesday 1 January. The Eucharist will be celebrated at 10am in the St Anne’s Church.

On 24 December, we need attendants to help park cars. Traditionally, we have 1650 people at Rupertswood Stadium and parking is made much easier with the assistance of volunteers. Please advise the Parish Office on Monday if you are able to assist with this very important service.

Marriage Encounter  (ME)  in Feb 2014  will be celebrating 40 years of running weekends in Australia.  We want to hear from couples and priests who may have been involved with ME in the past  and who would like to gather and share memories, celebrate what has been and hear about ME today and our vision for the future.  We are having a special celebration on Saturday February 22nd. So we ask you all to start spreading the word.
Please ask people to contact Helen & Leo Wursthorn or call  (03) 9874 6979 or helenandleow@gmail.com for more information.

The Legion of Mary will continue with Adoration of Blessed Sacrament on Friday 3 January from 7-8pm.
They will pray the Rosary on Saturday 11 January at 9.00am in St Anne’s Church.
All are welcome.

During early January our parish office hours will be modified. The office will be closed on Tuesday 31 Dec and Wednesday 1 Jan, Tuesday 7 Jan and Thursday 9 Jan 2014. Normal hours (Mon to Frid 9am to 5pm) will commence from 13 January 2014.

Become a foster carer and provide a secure and loving temporary home for a child in need. Foster carers can be single people, couples with or without children, or families with grown up children. Anglicare’s Foster Care Program provides training, equipment and 24 hour professional support to caregivers. We also pay a foster care allowance ($140-$224 per week per child) to help cover costs. Phone Anglicare on 9301 5200 and be part of the real spirit of Christmas.

The Festival will be held next Sunday 22 December at 7.30pm at OLMC Church. Readings will be from the Old and New Testament beginning with the Fall of Adam and Eve and concluding with God’s coming at Bethlehem. Well-known hymns and carols will follow each of the Readings which have been used for 400 years in England.
A sausage sizzle, champagne and orange juice will be served after 5.30pm Mass for those who would like to stay. All we ask is for some assistance moving the pews in the church around and lots of singing.

The editor said our Pope has become a new voice of conscience “For pulling the papacy out of the palace and into the streets, for committing the world’s largest church to confronting its deepest needs and for balancing judgment with mercy. Pope Francis is TIME’s 2013 Person of the Year, “ wrote managing editor Nancy Gibbs.

“Rarely has a new player on the world stage captured so much attention so quickly–young and old, faithful and cynical– as Pope Francis.”
“In his nine months in office, he has placed himself at the very centre of the central conversations of our time: about wealth and poverty, fairness and justice, transparency, modernity, globalization, the role of women, the nature of marriage, the temptations of power.”

Thursday evenings at Sunbury football Club, Riddell Road, where all are friends. Santa came last Thursday and gave a lucky bingo player $2000. Ray Lethlean, a parish volunteer for 21 years retired last Thursday. Thanks for your great generosity , Ray. Parish Bingo resumes on Thursday 16 January at 8pm.

These offerings are given to support the 230 active and 92 retired priests of the Melbourne Archdiocese.

The Festival will be held next Sunday 22 December at 7.30pm at OLMC Church. Readings will be from the Old and New Testament beginning with the Fall of Adam and Eve and concluding with God’s coming at Bethlehem. Well-known hymns and carols will follow each of the Readings which have been used for 400 years in England.
A sausage sizzle, champagne and orange juice will be served after 5.30pm Mass for those who would like to stay. All we ask is for some assistance moving the pews in the church around and lots of singing.

The week before  Christmas Day, the Liturgy of the Church changes. At this point, the Advent focus shifts to the Christmas story and the Virgin Mary. These days serve to prepare more directly for the Lord’s birth. It is the best time to hold carols services and to begin to use Christmas carols in the liturgy. During this Christmas Novena weekday Mass will be celebrated in the evening to allow those employed to attend.

We offer our prayers and sympathy to Frank Ricciardo and his two sons Nunzio and Anthony as Maria Ricciardo entered eternal life last Thursday. Vigil Prayers and Rosary will be prayed on Wednesday at 7.30pm at St Anne’s Church and followed by Funeral Service next day at 11.30am and committal at Sunbury Cemetery. Both of Maria’s parents died in Sicily during the war when Maria was nine years old and she, the eldest child, was then the carer for her siblings.

The Catholic Church will be the focus of the public hearing in December when “Towards Healing” (the Church document used for handling allegations of abuse) will be examined. Church entities are also likely to be the subject of public hearings in 2014.
The TJHC have prepared some flyers for parishioners to take. They will be in the St Anne’s foyer on the Welcome Desk. We encourage all parishioners to access the website at http://www.tjhcouncil.org.au for regular updates. Also, please continue to pray for those who are suffering from the abuse and betrayal of our Church.
Also, a very important statement is printed in this Newsletter regarding the Churches committment to ensure a safe future for the vulnerable and children.

The Catholic Church in Australia, in its submissions to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and in its communications with both the Catholic and broader communities has made the following commitment:

The leaders of the Catholic Church in Australia recognise and acknowledge the devastating harm caused to people by the crime of child sexual abuse. We take this opportunity to state:

1          Sexual abuse of a child by a priest or religious is a crime under Australian law and under canon law.

2          Sexual abuse of a child by any Church personnel, whenever it occurred, was then and is now indefensible.

3          That such abuse has occurred at all, and the extent to which it has occurred, are facts of  which the whole Church in Australia is deeply ashamed.

4          The Church fully and unreservedly acknowledges the devastating, deep and ongoing impact of sexual abuse on the lives of the victims and their families.

5          The Church acknowledges that many victims were not believed when they should have been.

6          The Church is also ashamed to acknowledge that, in some cases, those in positions of authority concealed or covered up what they knew of the facts, moved perpetrators to another place, thereby enabling them to offend again, or failed to report matters to the police when they should have. That behaviour too is indefensible.

7          Too often in the past it is clear some Church leaders gave too high a priority to protecting the reputation of the Church, its priests, religious and other personnel, over the protection of children and their families, and over compassion and concern for those who suffered at the hands of Church personnel. That too was and is inexcusable.

8          In such ways, Church leaders betrayed the trust of their own people and the expectations of the wider community.

9          For all these things the Church is deeply sorry. It apologises to all those who have been harmed and betrayed. It humbly asks for forgiveness.

The leaders of the Catholic Church in Australia commit ourselves to endeavour to repair the wrongs of the past, to listen to and hear victims, to put their needs first, and to do everything we can to ensure a safer future for children.

First published in the Truth Justice and Healing Council’s Towards Healing submission to Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, September 2013

Truth Justice and Healing Council
PO Box 4593 KINGSTON ACT 2604 | Tel: +61 2 6234 0900 | Fax: +61 2 6234 0999