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STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE

CALLING-OF-PETER-AND-ANDREW

CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS

Each of the readings for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time makes reference to people being “called.” Of course, each of us is called by God to be a disciple. The challenge for us is to hear that call, understand it, and then to respond to it with action.
The first reading from Isaiah reminds us of a hymn based upon that reading most Catholics have sung and heard for the past few decades — “Here I am Lord.” The hymn portrays Isaiah’s response to God calling him. The lyrics in the refrain, known to many, are “Here I am Lord. It is I lord. I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, where you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.”
The Gospel from Luke is a story known popularly — of how Jesus told Peter and James and John to go out in Peter’s boat and fish again, even though they had caught nothing previously. The catch was enormous and it was a changing point in the vocations of those men. They were fishermen, and had probably been fishermen since they were boys. Fishing was their vocation, but Jesus called them to something higher — to be “fishers of men,” and they responded by changing vocations from fishermen to apostles — messengers.
Some of us, like Isaiah, are called to vocations of discipleship which function parallel to our life’s vocation, our jobs. Others, like Peter, are called to lifetime vocations — holy orders. The point is not which vocation we follow — it is that as good stewards we recognize we have a vocation — a role — in building the Kingdom of God. Are we prepared and are we responding in the way we should?  “Here I am Lord… I will go, Lord, where you lead me.”

Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com

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ASH WEDNESDAY

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.

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LENT 2013

To prepare ourselves to renew our baptismal promises at Easter, we embark this Wednesday on our forty days of prayer, self-denial and helping others.
Our theme for Lent is “Jesus is the truth who will set us free.” We shall journey with Jesus during these forty days of Lent as we will recall his time in the wilderness, his transfiguration, his call to be converted, the prodigal son forgiven and the adulteress woman forgiven.
Lent is a season of renewal– deepening our appreciation of God’s word together, more time spent in prayer and giving to others from our self-denial. It should not be a sad time, but rather a time of growth as persons and as a community.

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LENTEN SESSIONS

Lenten Sessions 2013 will be starting from Sunday 17 February after 8.30am Mass in the Parish Centre, behind St Anne’s Church, for approximately forty minutes. The session will be repeated the following Tuesday at OLMC church after 7pm Mass. There are six sessions in this series, and you are welcome to come to as many as you like! They are reflective of the Sunday readings, so will enhance the experience from Mass. Total cost is $8 to cover cost of materials purchased.

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COMMISSIONING DAY

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.

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REGISTRATION FOR FIRST COMMUNION

Registration for First Communion 2013 will take place at either 2.00pm or 7.30pm on Tuesday 19 February in the Parish Centre. If parents consider their child is ready to begin receiving the Eucharist they are asked to attend either of these sessions when they can select their date for celebration.

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HELP REQUIRED

On Wed 13 Feb (Ash Wednesday)after 9.30am Mass (school mass), we require helpers to sort out the Thanksgiving Envelopes. The more– the merrier!
Also, we require a volunteer who will be able to learn how to lead the group of volunteers, as our current leader will be away for the next time we do the envelopes in July/ August. We would be very grateful to anyone who can help us with this most important task. You will receive training and be supported by the Office staff also.

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OUR PRAYERFUL SYMPATHY TOM WOOD

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.

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OUR PRAYERFUL SYMPATHY JOHN MCMAHON

John McMahon was born at home in Sunbury 88 years ago. Educated at OLMC School and Assumption College. With Margaret, his wife of 65 years, they were blessed with children: Anne, Michael, Judith, Anthony, Daniel, Jane, Peter and John. John worked in the family dairy business and was active in many civic organisations– Fire Brigade, Football Club, Bowling Club, Sunbury Show and a Shire Councillor for 15 years. John was involved actively in our parish serving in the Parish Council and Thanksgiving Renewals. John was one of the founding members of The Knights of the Southern Cross in our Parish. We offer our prayerful sympathy to Margaret and their large extended family. Vigil Prayers with Rosary will be held at 7.30pm on Monday at OLMC Church, followed by Mass at St Anne’s on Tuesday at 11am, concluding with burial at Sunbury Cemetery.

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HELP FOR OXFAM

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

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RETREAT

The Dominican friars will be holding a retreat for young men aged
18-30 at Nazareth House, 16 Cornell Street, Camberwell, from 22-24 February 2013. Speakers include Fr Anthony Walsh, Fr Dom Murphy and Fr Paul Rowse.
Theme: “Wisdom”. Cost $50 – includes meals and accommodation. Register by 5 February. Spaces limited.
For more information and to register contact Br James Baxter OP – james.baxter@op.org.au.
More Info here.

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FROM FAME TO FAITH

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.

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COME AND EXPERIENCE GOD’S HEALING GIFT OF BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT

Come to a HEALING MASS and SERVICE to be celebrated by Fr Fernando Suarez, MMMP, known affectionately worldwide as the “healing priest” on the following dates and venues:
19 February 2013 at 7:00pm St Peter Chanel, 848 Ballarat Rd Deer Park
20 February 2013 at 7:30pm Our Lady’s Parish, 171 Craigieburn Rd, Craigieburn

Fr Fernando is a Fil-Canadian Catholic priest who received a special gift of healing from our Lord when he was 16. He was ordained into the priesthood in 2002 and belongs to the Missionaries of Mary Mother of the Poor community in the Philippines. For more information about him, log on to http://www.fatherfernando.com/ and http://marymotherofthepoor.org/.
For further inquiries, please call Jenny on 0408 904 205/9404 2331, Sheila 9408 6796, Jing 0402 001 489, Tina on 0408 785 626.

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AUSTRALIAN CATHOLICS MAGAZINE

The Australian Catholics Magazine is received by the parish every quarter and is available to all parishioners. This issue discusses our Indigenous brothers and sisters, in recognition of the anniversary of “Sorry Day”  on Wed 13 Feb. This publication always has very thoughtful articles and is a good read. There are many copies at the Welcome Desk in the foyer. Please take your free copy paid by the parish.
More info here.

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AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC YOUTH FESTIVAL MELBOURNE 2013

ACBC-Youth-festival-banner-600This is happening in our own town for our own youth! The festival will be held from Thursday 5 December to Saturday 7 December. It will be held at the ACU, St Patrick’s Campus in East Melbourne. The festival invites students from Year
9 to adults aged 25. The festival aims to celebrate the communion between God and humanity that the Catholic Church signifies and makes present in Australia and will be a rich experience for our youth. Two information session are being held on Thursday 7 March at 3pm-4.30pm and 7.30pm-9pm at Cardinal Knox Centre, 383 Albert St, East Melbourne. For any enquiries, contact Annaliese on 9412 3326.

Click here for more info.

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SALESIAN COLLEGE OPEN DAY

Rupertswood logoSalesian 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.

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STEWARDSHIP……A WAY OF LIFE

ST-LUKE-LOVE

CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS

The readings for this Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time are so rich in content and include some of the most quoted passages, sentences, and phrases in all of scripture.
Jeremiah means “Yahweh” — God. The particular passage, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jer 1:4), reminds us that God has a plan for each of us, and He has known it from before we were conceived. Our challenge as stewards is to discern that plan as best we can, and to follow it.
Of, course, the second reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is also very familiar. It is a definition of what good and holy love is in its purest form. “So faith, hope, and love remain, these three, but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13:13)
Luke’s Gospel recounts Jesus speaking in the temple in Nazareth. As is the case with the other two readings, one of the most quoted sentences in scripture is part of this passage: “No prophet is accepted in his own native place.” The key is how Jesus responds to the rejection by his friends and neighbors. He calmly loves them and moves through them to depart.
The three readings tie closely together — in the first reading we are urged to identify our own role as Christian stewards; the second reading makes it clear that love of those around us is the way to live out that mission; and the Gospel reminds us that there will be obstacles, but our proper response is love.

Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com