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We offer our prayers and our sympathy to Catherine McColgan as her husband of 54 years, Alec, entered eternal life last week after a long illness. Alec and Catherine married in Scotland and emigrated to Australia in 1961. Here, they were blessed with seven children: Stephen, Anne, James, Margaret, Louise, Pauline and Mark. They came to our parish in 1992 and were practising and contributing parishioners. We thank the Ministers of Communion for the ministry to Alec while he was in Goonawarra Aged Care. His Funeral was held here last week.

We also extend our prayers and sympathy to Kerry Champness, her husband Denis and their children as Kerry’s mother, Eileen Champness, entered eternal life last Tuesday. Eileen and her husband John were our Sunbury parishioners with their two children Damon and Kerry from 1973 to 1989. Eileen suffered a long illness and entered eternal life peacefully at home with her husband John beside her last Tuesday. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated here on Wednesday at 11am followed by burial at Keilor cemetery.

Our accountant has examined our expenses and income for 2012. Our offerings have meant we were able to continue repaying our loans $2789 per week, pay our insurance $541 per week, our Archdiocesan levy $439 per week, candles, bread and wine for Mass $103 per week. Our debt on 1 January 2013 was $333,269. A fuller statement of accounts will be printed on your next statement for Thanksgiving Offering.

Please remember and pray for the important women in your lives today.
Happy is she who has compassion and courage, dignity and understanding, sincerity and awareness, for she is a woman.

CHA represents the largest single grouping of non-government health and aged care in Australia. On Friday CGA gave politicians a blueprint of six priotities for health reform including improving health outcomes for the disadvantaged, increased focus on preventative health, better consumer engagement and governance.
Blueprint is on www.cha.org.au.

Easter Masses will be celebrated at 8pm on Saturday 30 March. On Sunday 31 March at 8.30am and 10.30am. The Liturgy Planning Team decided last Thursday that due to the low numbers last year, the 5.30pm Mass will not be celebrated this Easter Sunday.

“I know that in your parish communities you come together in small groups to reflect upon the Word of God; part of this also involves the verbal sharing of your daily experiences. This allows you to discover the community dimension of the Good News. Place this experience at the service of your brothers and sisters. make yourselves builders of communities in which, after the example of the first community, the Word lives and acts.’  

Excerpt from an address by Pope John Paul II in Rome, May 1986.

A 4 day pilgrimage to Hamilton, Portland and Penola will be conducted from 17th – 20th May 2013 with pickup points at Southern Cross Station,  Bacchus Marsh and Ballarat. Cost will be $575 (based on 25 pilgrims) twin share (all included except 2 lunches) with $120 extra for a single room. All sites connected with St Mary MacKillop and her family will be visited with Mass on Sunday at Penola.
Contact: Sr Mary Fermio rsj  PO Box 37, Bacchus Marsh 3340 or Ph 5367 2078 or email: mary.fermio@sosj.org.au before 15th March for application forms and further details.

A Sing A Long will be held on Friday 1 March  at Goonawarra Nursing Home from 2.30-3.15pm.
All welcome.

For something a bit different, the morning tea on the first Sunday of the month will be an afternoon tea/ supper at OLMC Church after 5.30pm Mass on Sunday 3 March.
Please join us and bring a plate to share.

Christian families in Bethlehem are supported by making and selling items of a religious nature made From olive wood. At Masses on 16/17 February there will be a sale of items priced from $5 to $150.00.

Three Masse will be celebrated at 9.30am St Anne’s, 12.30pm OLMC, and 7.00pm St Anne’s. Those over 18 and under 60 years are bound to fast and those over 14 years are bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Commissioning Student Leaders, Catechists, Teachers, School and Parish Office Staff of 2013 takes place within the 10.30am Mass. Let us pray for those members of our parish who have willingly taken on roles of service for us living out their Baptism in this Year of Faith, as called by Pope Benedict XVI.

As Tom Wood entered eternal life last weekend, we offer our prayerful sympathy to Anna his wife and their children, Ian, Gavin and Louise. Born in Dublin, Tom with Anna left his beloved Ireland and migrated to Australia for a better life for their children. In 1973 they came to our parish. Suffering from Parkinson’s for many years, Tom was well cared for at Goonawarra Nursing home and ministered to by our Communion Ministers for three years. His funeral Mass was celebrated last Wednesday.

Oxfam Trailwalker in Australia has raised more than $42 million since 1999. With the support of our Trailwalker teams, Oxfam has the funds to carry out their vital work and enable the people they help to bring about positive change in their lives. Your support helps provide orphans in South Africa with a healthy start. We are blessed to have a team in Sunbury called “The Proclaimers” doing the 100km walk on April 19-21 to raise much needed funds for Oxfam.
If you are able to help with a donation, please go to http://trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/melbourne/teams/team/?team id=13715

From Fame to Faith is the name of the exclusive National tour presented by ACU. It is the inspirational story of Hollywood actor Eduardo Verastgui, who starred in the Award winning movie “Bella”. This is a free event on Thursday 28 February from 8pm at Central Hall, Australian Catholic University, 20 Brunswick St, Fitzroy. Further info from Mary McInerney on 9953 3072.
Have a look on youtube here.

Salesian College Open Day will be held on Wednesday 13 February 2013 from 9.00 until 12.00pm. Tours of the College, Information Packs, Curriculum Information and Enrolment Information will be available and Parents/Students are invited to stay for refreshments and to chat with staff on duty. Please note that Applications for Year 7, 2014 are currently being accepted and will close on 1 March 2013. For further information contact the College Registrar, Mrs Marylou Jones on 9744 0060 or click on this link here.

LED BY THE SPIRIT is the title of a history of our parish since 1852.
Remaining copies for sale availalbe from the Piety Stall or Parish Office for $20.

The Chorale begins weekly rehearsals again at 7.30pm from Monday 4 February for approx. 1 hour at St Mary’s Church, O’Shanassy St. Sunbury. The choir would be happy to see any new members both men and women. No auditions or music knowledge necessary.
The Chorale lead hymns at 4 combined church events during the year. You will be most welcome at some or all events.