WELCOME Fr ADAIKKALA RAJ LOURDUSREMY

Welcome to Fr Adaikkala Raj Lourdusremy from Avondale Heights Parish who is preaching at our Sunday morning Masses today while Fr Kevin is presiding on the renewal of Stewardship giving at St Martin’s Parish, Avondale Heights.

NEXT SATURDAY EVENING MASS WITH OUR ARCHBISHOP

Next Saturday Evening Mass will be celebrated by our Archbishop as Fr Kevin is preaching the renewal of the Stewardship program at Avondale Heights.
Archbishop Denis will meet and greet us in the Gathering Space from 5.40pm and the usual Mass will follow at 6pm.
It is ten years since the Archbishop visited us.

MASS FOR REMBERANCE OF TIM FAHEY

Tuesday 13 August at 9.15am, Mass at St Anne’s will be celebrated in memory of Tim Fahey who established the Legion of Mary in Sunbury Parish over 20 years ago.
All welcome.

Cuppa will be served afterwards.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MELTON PARISHIONERS

Congratulations to Melton Parishioners on the dedication and opening of their new Church of St Catherine of Sienna last week. They followed similar process of discernment as we did in 2007 with the same liturgical architect Randall Lindstrom. Their priest, Fr Michael Moody, served here between 1984 and 1987. The illuminated cross on left of their church can be seen from afar.

Some of the construction can be seen below.

MARY MACKILLOP FEAST DAY– 8 AUGUST 2013

The Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was celebrated at St Anne’s Church on 8 August with the children from St Anne’s Primary School who had Sr Jose` pray with them. Sr Jose` is the Pastoral Associate for our Parish, and she is also part of the order established by Mary MacKillop, the Sisters of St Joseph. It was very special to have her celebrate this special feast day with the parishioners and children from our school. Mary MacKillop being the first Australian Saint is remembered for her devotion to helping those in need. As related to todays Gospel where Jesus says, “happy those servants if he (the Master) finds them ready…” Mary MacKillop certainly served her Master by serving those in need. May we remember the goodness of Mary MacKillop and be inspired to do the same.

FR KEVIN’S DIARY

ANNUAL PRIESTS’ CONFERENCE
Last week, Archbishop Denis requested all Melbourne Priests to undertake professional development at this Conference over four days. 131 priests including Fathers Martin Ashe, Greg Bourke, Philip Le and Linh Tran, who served us here in the past, lived in at the conference centre where we prayed, enjoyed each other’s company and heard four wonderful presenters: a theology lecturer, a biblical scholar, a Burmese asylum seeker and the Catholic coordinator  working at the Royal Commission into institutional child abuse. We prayed the Prayer of the Church and the Eucharist but also prayed in small groups of eight. We viewed the movie “The Lady” about the life of Aung San Suu Kyi, how she sacrificed her life for her country.
The topics were well-integrated with each other. It was great to catch up with fellows from other parts of our large diocese. I consider our conference was excellent as it was inspiring and thought provoking.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY INSPECTION
The regular inspection last Friday found our parish is complying with the government regulations.
…..Kevin McIntosh

WORLD YOUTH DAY

WYD 2013

WYD 2013 ran for six days concluding last Sunday when 3.2 million people gathered on Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janiero for Mass with Pope Francis as presider. The City Mayor’s Office estimated the crowd, the biggest since World Youth Day in Manila in 1995 where 4.5 million attended the final Mass with Pope John Paul II. Pope Francis gave some challenging messages to the youth, including these words:

“We need saints without cassocks, without veils– we need saints with jeans and tennis shoes. We need saints that go to the movies… and hang out with their friends. We need saints that place God in first place ahead of succeeding in any career. We need saints that look for time… to pray every day and who know how to be in love with purity, chastity and all good things. We need saints– saints for the 21st century with a spirituality appropriate for our new time.”

See Final Mass for 3 million pilgrims below

OUR PRAYERFUL SYMPATHY

Our prayers and sympathy we offer to Mary Wicks as her husband Jack entered eternal life this week after a long illness. Jack’s Funeral Service will be on Monday at 10.30am in St Anne’s Church, concluding with committal at Sunbury cemetery.
Also to Sarina Kelly as her husband Gordon entered eternal life last week aged 64 years. The Kelly family have been in our parish for four generations.

THANK YOU

thanksThanks to Cath & Colin Missen for their kind donation of a book shelf for the purposes of storing the parish photographs and historical items.

FACING THE TRUTH

Bishop Blase J. Cupich, Bishop of the Spokane Diocese in the State of Washington, visited Australia this month and recorded two videos. In the first, he discusses the recent research by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and in the second, he talks about rebuilding trust in the Catholic Church. The Bishop is also the former Chair of the Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People, established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. To view these videos please visit www.facingthetruth.org.au and subscribe for further updates.

JUBILEE OF PRIESTS OF MELBOURNE

This month, we are celebrating the 60 years of Ordination (1953) of Father Paddy Duggan, 50years (1963) Mgr Peter Kenny, Fathers Bren Donahue, Leo Griffin, John Flynn, George O’Connor, Gerry Beasley, John Wilken SJ, Gerry O’Collins SJ, Stephen Gnejc, Tony Kelly CSsR, Allan Mithen, Juliano Cavarzan SDB and 25 years (1988) Fathers Michael Miles and Kevin McGovern and Leenus Netany.
May the Lord continue to bless these priests and their ministry.

SING A LONG

The Sing-a-Long will not be held this month. The next Sing-a-Long will be Friday 6 September. Put it in your diary.

WORKING BEE

bee - AA working bee will be held next Saturday 3 August from 9am to noon at St Anne’s Church. Please bring along you own tools.

HISTORICAL DISPLAY

As part of our parish feast day last week, some items of historical significance will remain on display in St Anne’s Church in the chapel.
All  welcome.

THE STATUE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA FROM AMERICA

FatimaThe statue will be arriving at St. Mark’s Church Fawkner, on 1st August (Thursday) morning. The Parish Primary School and Parishioners will welcome the Blessed Virgin Mary at 9:45 followed by the Holy Mass at 10:00am. It will be a day of prayer and reflection. At 6:30pm there will be a concluding Mass. The Blessed Virgin will continue her pilgrimage to Rosebud around 8:00pm.
After the Mass, a light supper will be available in the hall.
For further information contact St. Mark’s parish on 93593111.

THANKS

thanksThanks to our generous parishioners. On Aboriginal Sunday a special collection was taken up and the amount of $1044.60 has been donated to help educate young Aboriginal children in our Catholic schools that they will have a brighter future.