FEAST OF SAINT MARY OF THE CROSS MACKILLOP

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Friday a week ago the Universal Church celebrated 105 years since the death of St Mary of the Cross, MacKillop. Pope Benedict XVI on 17 October 2010 described her as “a holy woman who with courage and zeal, perseverance and prayer, dedicated her life to the needs of the young.” For the first time in the 2000 year history of our beloved Catholic Church, we could see an Australian– one from our own soil– a Saint of God! In the Canonisation ceremony, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was introduced as: “an Australian responsive to the will of God and totally trustful in Divine Providence; an Australian who lived in the presence of God from an early age; an Australian who had intense devotion to the Mass. She nurtured a love of the Blessed Sacrament and other devotions of her time, especially devotion to St Joseph; an Australian whose holiness was expressed in Christian virtues, especially the Catholic education of children of the poorer classes, the pastoral care of women prisoners, prostitutes and the fail elderly and orphans.” Even at her death in 1909 there were signs that the people of her time realized her saintly holiness: the Archbishop of Sydney at this time, Cardinal Moran stated, “I believe I have this day attended the death bed of a saint… her death will bring many blessings.” St Mary surely radiated God’s loving kindness in imitation of Jesus, gave light and hope to the marginalized ones of her time who lived in the shadows. May we do the same, as we now have our own Australian Saint to intercede for us and help us all to be characterized as people of loving kindness, trusting in Jesus alone.

During the past three years the prayers of the Sisters of St Joseph have been realized in the fusion (merging) of four of the Federation of Josephite Congregations, (Perthville, Tasmania, Canberra-Goulburn and Whanganui) with the Central Congregation, the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. With it brought many changes, but through prayer and listening to the voice of God, we are enjoying the richness we all share and the joy of living with Sisters who share the Josephite charism as given to Mary MacKillop and Fr Woods.
God, we praise you for the blessings that come to us here at Sunbury through St Mary MacKillop’s Sisters since 1916.

……..Sr Jose` Noy

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has announced that it will be holding a public hearing commencing on Monday, 18 August 2014 to examine the Melbourne Response. The Royal Commission has allowed two weeks for the hearing. The scope and purpose of the hearing is to inquire into how the Melbourne Response has responded to victims of child sexual abuse and allegations of child sexual abuse against personnel of the Archdiocese, the experience of people who have engaged in the Melbourne Response and any other related matters. It is anticipated that the Royal Commission will hear from victims who have used the Melbourne Response, Archbishop Hart and Cardinal Pell who established the Melbourne Response whilst Archbishop of Melbourne as well as the Independent Commissioners, Compensation Panel and Carelink. The Archdiocese respects the Royal Commission and is committed to full cooperation with the inquiry being undertaken by the Royal Commission. Information about the involvement of the Archdiocese with the Royal Commission will be provided in further emails and available at www.cam.org.au/Royal-Commission. Our prayers are with the victims and their families and those entrusted with the conduct of the Royal Commission.

In light of the recent tragedy of Flight MH17 and the loss of Sunbury Residents, Albert & Maree Rizk, Noel Mitaxa from Sports Chaplaincy Australia, has written a short document to help the Sunbury community through this difficult time. Noel led a minute of silence for the Rizk family at the Ballarat football game last weekend. The document speaks of how to recognize grief, ways to show practical support to each other, and a prayer for the family of Albert & Maree. Copies are available at the Welcome Desk in St Anne’s foyer and at OLMC Church. Copies can be obtained from the Parish Office if required.

School Age Baptisms will be celebrated at 6pm Mass on Saturday 2 August.

Study Tour and Pilgrimage: “The Experience of Catholic Culture” 3 September – 3 October 2015 Ireland, Scotland, England and Italy. Tour Leaders: Rev. Prof. Austin Cooper omi AM and Dr Frances Baker rsm.
Details on College website at  www.ctc.edu.au
Information Session at Catholic Theological College: Saturday 26 July at 2.00pm
RSVP & further information: Jenny Delahunt T: 9412 3314
E: jenny.delahunt@ctc.edu.au

Our bishops put out a statement on 8 May 2014 speaking to the entire Australian community urging respect for the rights of asylum seekers. The bishops questioned is there an underlying attitude of racism and also of the selfishness of the rich. The bishops call on parliamentarians of all parties to turn away from harsh policies to the path of a realistic compassion that deals with both human need and electoral pressure. They “call on the nation as a whole to say no to the dark forces which make these policies possible. The time has come to examine our conscience and then to act differently”. The full text is available on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference website.
The Australian Council of Priests endorsed the bishops’ statement on 14 May 2014.

OLMC Youth Group will be hosting Christmas in July Dance in the Parish Centre on Saturday 26 July from 6pm.
Tickets cost $15.
Pizza and drink provided with cost of ticket.

You would be aware of the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse in Institutions which is currently hearing of the many unfortunate cases of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and other Institutions. For those who have been impacted by institutional abuse, a special helpline exists to help the healing process begin.
It is  poignantly called the “Starting Point” Helpline. The number is 1800 99 10 99. If you need help and don’t know where to start, this may be the first step you take to begin your healing. Flyers are on the St Anne’s Welcome Desk in the foyer.

Hello to all supporters,

Many of you will have seen the segment on ‘A Current Affair’ this week slamming ACCESS Ministries and the work done by volunteers teaching CRE in schools.  As often happens, the media got it wrong!  Attached is a response by ACCESS setting the record straight.
Please note this is about SRI (Special Religious Instruction, or CRE as we know it), not Chaplaincy, but it will still be of interest to you all, I’m sure.
If you’re confused about the acronyms SRI and CRE (so was I! I still don’t know why the 2 terms!) ) – here is an explanation from the ACCESS website:
ACCESS ministries Christian Education program serves students and school communities in Victorian government schools by providing Christian Special Religious Instruction (SRI), which we refer to as Christian Religious Education (CRE).
Please feel free to forward or share this Statement (Click here for the statement) with anyone who is unclear about the role played by CRE teachers, or with anyone who has been misled or is confused by the media report.  I’m going to put it on the Uniting Church Facebook page.  It would be worthwhile to inform your congregations in some way too, if possible.  Let’s get the GOOD news out there!!
And let’s focus on the fact that over 90,000 children in 800 schools benefited from the CRE program last year!  What the TV report didn’t say much about is that parents can opt their children out of the program any time they want to – this has never changed!  Clearly thousands of parents are happy about their children participating and the ‘stars’ of the TV program are a minority.  Funny how the minority is always heard above the majority – people will often complain but rarely compliment, no matter what the subject!
It’s worth taking a look at the ACCESS Ministries website which has lots of useful information about CRE and Chaplaincy.
www.accessministries.org.au

Blessings to you all and thanks for your ongoing support!

Helen Hall
on behalf of the Sunbury Chaplaincy Committee
sunburychaplaincy@hotmail.com

PROCLAIM 2014, CONFERENCE ON THE NEW EVANGELISATION

“LIVING THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL IN PARISHES”

PROCLAIM 2014 is for priests and key lay people who
want to build and grow their parish through outreach and evangelisation.  Come along to hear what one parish has done to grow from 1400 to 4000 committed parishioners… Keynote speakers are Fr Michael White and Tom Corcoran, Parish Priest and Pastoral Associate of Church of the Nativity, Timonium (North Baltimore) and Authors of Rebuilt.  Together they successfully rebuilt their dying parish and created a thriving community.
 Workshops will provide practical ideas and tools for participants to take back and apply in the parish.  Registrations are open. For more information see www.proclaimconference.com.au
Early Bird Closes: 30th June 2014. The Concourse, Chatswood (Sydney) from Thursday 21st to Saturday 23rd August.

On Wednesday 9 July at 7pm, St Anne’s Church will host the 2014 Healing Mass celebrated by Fr Varghese Parachkal and Fr Benny Mundanatte.
All welcome.

Acts 1:8 You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

This weekend of 7-8 June, Marian O’Callaghan will be fundraising for MND. She will be at all masses in St Anne’s church to support this worthy cause.
Please give generously.

For more information start here: https://mnd.asn.au/