The Sunbury Action Group of the Leprosy Mission invite you to their 30th Birthday Celebrations at St Andrews Uniting Church on Thursday 9 May at 1.30pm. Admission by donation.
Speaker and Afternoon Tea available (for sale).
RSVP Joycelyn Young on 9740 5948 by Monday 6 May.
PARISH RETREAT
A report on our retreat and its implication in our life as parish will be given next Sunday.
At the time of printing this newsletter the Retreat was still in progress.
WORKING BEE
Calling all busy bees– even one’s under 50!
Our Parish working bee will be on Saturday 4 May from 9am to 12 noon.
All welcome.
Please bring your tools.
FACING THE TRUTH
www.facingthetruth.org.au
From Monday 29 April, the Catholic Church will commence appearing before the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into child abuse. Bishop Bird and Bishop Connors from the Diocese of Ballarat, and representatives from the Salesians and St John of God Brothers will appear on 29 April. Other Catholic Church representatives will appear over coming weeks.
Go to www.facingthetruth.org.au to find:
- videos on Towards Healing and Melbourne Response, the Church’s processes for dealing with allegations of sexual abuse.
- copies of statements made by those appearing before the Inquiry.
- new fact sheets and frequently asked questions.
- 18 corrections to common misconceptions about child abuse and the Catholic Church.
On the website homepage, please register to be notified when new information is added.
PREPARATION FOR FIRST COMMUNION
First Communion preparation continues today as the Children are presented with the only prayer given to us by Jesus– the “Our Father”.
FOUNDATION YEAR 2014 AT OUR SCHOOLS
Interviews of parents and children commence on Tuesday 30 April and continue until Friday 31 May at the Parish Office. It is essential the prospective student attends with the parents or guardians.
FREE KITTENS
Gorgeous, friendly kitten 6 weeks old.
Call Will on 0406 786 422 or Jan on 0422 912 456.
ROTARY CLUB OF SUNBURY COUNTRY AND WESTERN NIGHT
The Rotary Club of Sunbury will be holding a Country & Western night on Saturday 18 May from 6.30pm in Sunbury Memorial Hall.
BYO supper & Drinks.
$15 entry includes entertainment, Tea & Coffee.
Fantastic Live Band.
Tickets available from N & M Catering on 9744 7283 or Mannie on 0421 490 134 or Kerry 0411 287 781.
More info on St Anne’s foyer Noticeboard.
MORNING TEA
Morning tea will be hosted by Sunbury West Neighbourhood on Sunday 5 May, after 8.30am Mass.
Please bring a plate to share and enjoy a cuppa with friends.
All welcome!
PALMS AUSTRALIA
Palms Australia is a Catholic organisation which has been sending volunteers on mission for over 50 years. Palms global volunteers mentor and exchange skills in countries across Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Positions exist in education, health, administration, agriculture/farming, trades and other areas. Pope Francis calls Catholics back to Core Values. Volunteering to share your skills is a great place to start. Come to Palms Information Session on Saturday 11 May, 11:00 AM at Ross House, Ground Floor Room 1, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. If you know anyone who may be interested in volunteering but is unable to attend, please ask them to contact Sarah Torcasio on 02 9518 9551 or at sarah@palms.org.au for more information.
EVERGREENS
City Sights
Tuesday 7 May. Cost $20. Includes bus and lunch. Leaves St Anne’s Church at 9.15am. Bookings essential. Leave money in envelope with name at the Parish Office by Sunday 5 May. Bookings through Frances on 9744 1999.
MASS FOR YOU AT HOME PROGRAM
Network Ten has advised that from Sunday 7 April, the program will be broadcast on Channel 11 at 5.30am.
For those who can’t get up at 5.30am, Mass is broadcast on the radio at 7.00am on 89.9 Light FM every Sunday morning.
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus gives his final instructions to His Apostles just prior to His Ascension into Heaven, which we celebrate today. He tells them that they are His witnesses, and charges them to go out and spread the Good News. In addition, in the first reading from Acts we learn that they are to spread this Good News, be witnesses, “to the ends of the earth.”
Nevertheless, we subsequently learn that they went back to Jerusalem (the Ascension occurred at Bethany, which is only a few miles from Jerusalem), and they prayed. In fact, they prayed until Pentecost (next Sunday, May 19). That was in many ways an act of stewardship. Jesus had cautioned them that they were not prepared for the ministry to which He was calling them. We are all called, but that does not mean we are prepared.
They prayed, and we need to pray. Scripture also notes that they “prayed with one accord.” Assuredly they prayed as individuals, but they also prayed together. As good stewards, we need to do that, too. It brings us closer to the Lord we must serve; it helps us to understand what Jesus expects of us. Prayer provides the foundation for lives of service, lives of stewardship. If we remain close to Jesus, we will never be left unprepared to be good stewards.
Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
lmost every definition of stewardship eventually gets down to the notion of “trust” — trust in God. That is certainly Christ’s message in today’s Gospel, when He says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” In other words, trust Me; trust My Father; and trust the Holy Spirit, Who is always with you and among you.
Nevertheless, we must never lose sight of the fact that trust as we understand, both it in relation to the Lord and in relation to stewardship, is a two-way street. Yes, it is our trust in God that allows us to take the risks involved in stewardship and give of ourselves and of what we have. Equally important, though, is that other feature of stewardship, of trust.
Trust has a dual meaning. Of course, it means that we have confidence in God as a presence, helper and comforter in our lives. Nonetheless, it also involves that other meaning of trust — something given to us, an interest we hold for God and the benefit of others. God entrusts us with several things we hold in trust: our families; the very earth on which we live; the Church; Holy Scripture and the Gospels. These are given to us in trust that we might nurture them, expand them, and return them to God with increase.
We are called to trust God, as He is our Advocate, but we must never forget that God trusts us, too. As Blessed Mother Teresa once said, “I know God won’t give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.”
Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
ANZAC DAY MASS
Anzac Day Mass will be celbebrated at 9.00am to allow time for participants to be at the Prayer Service at the War Memorial on the Village Green at 10.00am
THANKSGIVING MEALS
Last Wednesday and Thursday, the children preparing for First Communion learned about the Passover meal.
Please continue to pray for them at this special time.
First Communion will be celebrated from Saturday 18 May until Sunday 2 June.
STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
Stewardship is a joyful response in gratitude for the many gifts granted by the Lord. Doesn’t that sound a lot like Paul and Barnabas as they left Antioch in today’s first reading? “The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.”
The readings for this Fourth Sunday of Easter are filled with the reasons we have to be joyful. From the first reading when Paul makes it clear that each of us is part of the Kingdom of God to the second reading in which John has a vision which includes every “nation, people, race, and tongue” to the Gospel in which Jesus comforts us by saying of us, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish,” it is clear that we, too, are a chosen people.
Calling stewardship a “joyful response” brings to mind other ways that way of life has been described, including “a grateful response” and “a disciple’s response.” All of those apply to the good steward. Because we place our trust in the Lord, we understand that He is the Shepherd, the Lamb of God, and we are His flock. Another psalmist proclaims, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” (Psalm 24:1) The more we come to see that God entrusts these things to us for the purpose of serving and glorifying God, the more we are able to offer them joyfully back to God.
Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
RSJ ASSOCIATES
RSJ next meeting will be on Wednesday 24 April at 1.30pm in St Anne’s Church meeting room.
All welcome.
EMMAUS CHARISMATIC PRAYER GROUP
The Emmaus Charismatic Prayer Group will not meet next Thursday, Anzac Day. Meetings will resume on Thursday May 2nd at St. Anne’s Church at a new time of 10.00am.
All welcome, including children.
For further info/transport please contact Lambert & Elaine van der Weerden on 9744 4029.
YEAR OF FAITH REFLECTION
Year of faith started on October 11 2012. On behalf of the Legion of Mary, this month we pray for the following:
We pray that all Catholics will experience Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Sunbury 
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