Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Sunbury
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The Parish is able to offer “Gluten Free” breads to be consecrated during Eucharist. If you wish to receive the gluten free host, please inform the person setting up for Eucharist.
The Minister of Communion at the central aisle will have your host in a separate pyx.
Leaders of the Columban Missionary Society from around the world met recently. A young Columban priest from Korea works in China; a young Fijian priest is now a parish priest in Chile; a young Filipino priest is involved in forming students for the priesthood. So the former missionary countries are now producing missionaries.
One purpose of the Columbans was to help Churches overseas mature until they are able to evangelize to their own and then to other people. The goal has been achieved in the Philippines and Korea. Our purchasing the Columban Art Calendar supports the Columban missionaries work.
This Celebration will be held on Sunday 20 January 2013 at Good Shepherd Parish, 88 South Circular Rd, Gladstone Park.
Celebrations begin at 1.50pm and conclude at approx. 4pm.
On 13 December, Cyclone Evan hit Samoa. Four people are confirmed dead, 12 are missing, more than 4,500 are in evacuation centres and 4,000 homes have been destroyed. Please help. The Caritas Australia Pacific Emergency Appeal is now open.
You may donate through the Caritas website www.caritas.org.au, the toll free number 1800 024 413 or GPO Box 9830 in your capital city
From Monday 14 January at 9.30am to Friday 18 January 2013, a National Conference entitled “Holy Spirit Come!” will be held. This conference will feature four high powered Catholic Lay Evangelists from around the world! Each one will present encouragement and hope through a call to a renewed faith. Cost of Conference is $150 per person.
For Melbourne Youth to gather, a free event called “One”- one God, one Spirit, one Church– will be held on Friday 18 January 2013 from 7.30-10.30pm at Central Hall, 20 Brunswick St, Fitzroy. Enthusiastic speaker’s and musical talent will raise the spirits of all who attend.
Info can be found on the Welcome Desk or please direct all enquiries to 9486 6544.
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
Today — the Baptism of the Lord—is also the First Sunday in Ordinary Time. Jesus’ Baptism Feast is placed here by the Church because it is an important part of what has been revealed and taught to us during Christmas.
Last week we spoke of the meaning of Epiphany — a “manifestation” or “revealing.” Christ’s Baptism, as described in the Gospel of Luke in today’s readings, represents one of the Theophanies. An Epiphany is a manifestation, but a Theophany is the manifestation of God Himself. During this Christmas season and the week after it, we celebrate four theophanies: 1. The birth of Christ on December 25, which revealed Christ to Israel; 2. The visit of the Magi on Epiphany, which revealed Christ to the Gentiles; 3. The Baptism of the Lord, which revealed the Trinity; and 4. The miracle at the wedding of Cana, which revealed Christ’s transformation to the world. (Next week’s Gospel is the miracle at Cana.)
Jesus’ Baptism is even more than a revelation to us. If He, Who had no need of this purifying act, humbly subjected Himself to it, then we, most in need of redemption, can recognize both the importance of this sacrament, as well as recognizing how we are freed from darkness. Jesus was not Baptized because He needed it, but because we needed it.
The Baptism of the Lord marks the official end of Christmas. Most churches do not dismantle their Christmas decorations until after this Feast Day. As Catholics perhaps we, too, should follow that example — to let everyone know that Christmas does not end with Christmas Day, but with the culmination of our understanding as to Who Christ is.
Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
Vicki Ward is the wife of Reverend Gavin Ward who is the Minister at the Sunbury Anglican Church, St May’s . Vicki is currently undergoing further radiation treatment following the discovery that existing tumours in her brain have begun growing again and further tumours have been discovered.Our community is connected via the Sunbury Lay Echumenical Committee and the various Christian activities in our area. We ask pairshioners to continue to pray for Vicki and the Ward family. The Anglican community are holding a prayer vigil on Tuesday 8 January at St Mary’s Church in O’Shannassy St, Sunbury from 6pm to 10pm. All are welcome to join the Anglican community for silent prayer. The Ward family hope to join the service from 7.30-8.30pm for a directed period of led prayer.
Donations can be made to help support the financial needs of the family. Please contact the Parish Office if you are able to assist.
Thank you to Val Quinn as she leaves us to move to a new home. Val has been a regular worshipper with us on Sundays and Weekdays. She has contributed to Thanksgiving and has been involved in the music ministry and Minister of Communion. Val has also driven parishioners to Church and Evergreen events and will be missed. We wish her every happiness in her new home.
Au Revoir and sincere gratitude to Fr Kevin, Fr Bert, Sr Jose` and all the lovely parishioners for their support over the last 10 years.
This is not goodbye but Au Revoir. ……Val Quinn
Fr Joe Ruys, former parish priest of Dallas has finished his six years on loan to the Columban Society in Lima, Peru where his Parish consisted of 110,000 parishioners and 15 chapels. He rode a motorbike around the gravel roads. He developed formation programs for leadership of parishioners and catechetical methods for parish youth groups.
Welcome back Fr Joe.
This year it is 100 years since his arrival in Melbourne in 1913 and 50 years since his entry to eternal life in 1963. On 16 March 2013, there will be a day conference at the State Library of Victoria. Keynote speaker: Professor Dermot Keogh, Professor Emeritus of History, Ireland. Cost $100, concession $70. Enquiries Melbourne Diocesan Historical Commission 9926 5677 or email archive@cam.org.au.
The funeral Mass will be held on Monday 7 January at 11am for Salesian Br Henry Van der Laan at Rupertswood College Chapel. Br Henry was part of the Sunbury Salesian community in 2008. His burial will be at Salesian College in the Priests Graveyard.
The Diocese of Broome, WA, requires volunteers to assist with the work of the local Church on Aboriginal Missions. There are various important voluntary tasks: administration, building maintenance, gardening, shop staffing, cooking, cleaning etc. Placements are preferred for a period of 12 months plus but a reduced time would be considered.
For further details, and an application form, please contact:
Volunteer Coordinator
Phone: 08 9192 1060 or 0415 526 142
Email: volunteers@broomediocese.org
Web: www.broomediocese.org
Mail: PO Box 76, BROOME WA 6725
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
The story of the Magi — the Three Kings — is one of the most endearing and most familiar to all Catholics. Because they brought gifts, it is also the focus of many stewardship commentaries. In addition, it may be one of the more misunderstood stories around the birth of Jesus.
Epiphany is a word with Greek origins that means “manifestation.” We celebrate Epiphany because it represents the realization (related to the appearance and visit of the Magi to the Christ child) that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, for the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
The visit of the Magi to the child Jesus is reported only in Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew never states that there were three — that is an assumption which has been made based upon the three gifts. Traditional representations of their visit place them in the stable where Jesus was born. Matthew, on the other hand, makes reference to the Magi visiting the Holy Family in their house — which would imply they may have come to Nazareth, not to Bethlehem.
In fact, it does not matter how we interpret the specifics of the visit of these men “from the East.” The stewardship aspects of this story present us a real view of what is expected of us as stewards. The visitors from the East made valuable gifts to the Holy Family — gifts with a value which may have represented a sacrifice on their part. Furthermore, the gifts were given at a time when the Holy Family had a need — they were preparing to flee to Egypt. The generosity of the Magi may have been the instrument which allowed them to do that. Being from a distant land, these “wise men” acknowledge that Christ is the Savior of all lands and all peoples. Near the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that nations will be judged not just on how they treat Him, but on how they treat His brothers and sisters in need — a definite call to stewardship.
Copyright © 2013 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP FROM SUNDAYS READINGS
As we might expect on this Feast of the Holy Family, the readings focus on family matters. In fact, they offer a blueprint for family stewardship. The concept of stewardship within a family is closely related to how family members treat one another — how they show respect and love for one another.
The first reading from the Book of Sirach makes it quite clear that children are called to honor, revere, care for, and be kind to their father and mother. Of course, this is a manifestation of the commandment with which we are so familiar — Honor thy Father and Mother. Stewardship is synonymous with love. Thus, although the children are called to love in this way, it is also strongly implied that the father and mother are also called to love and revere one another and their children.
“And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.” We do not know much about the life of Jesus between his birth and the beginning of His ministry. We are presented with one vignette of His youth, however, in the Gospel reading from Luke. Under Jewish tradition a boy became a Bar Mitzvah (which means Son of the Commandment) at the age of 13. Prior to that step into maturity and adulthood a boy was expected to study, listen, and question at the Temple one or two years earlier. That is what Mary and Joseph and Jesus were pursuing in this Gospel passage — they were following the customs of the day. About this time in His life we might say, “The child became a man.”
The Holy Family is an ideal we as people cannot replicate. Nevertheless, it is clear that family life, like the virtues of love and kindness and humility and forgiveness, requires constant effort. Nothing in life is necessarily easy. Being a unified and loving family has rewards beyond our comprehension.
Copyright © 2012 www.TheCatholicSteward.com
Your contribution has enabled our Parish to continue its service this year, unlike some schools which have closed due to financial problems. During the year we have paid $3134 per week making our Parish Loan Repayments and have given $596 per week as our Diocesan Levy to support various diocesan agencies eg. Evangelisation Office, Hospital and Prison chaplains, Catholic Social Services and Formation of priests etc.
The support of our priest is given not from Thanksgiving Offering but from the first collection and Christmas Offerings. The support includes the lease and running costs of a car, board and lodging and a living allowance. Visiting priests are paid from these offerings also.
Strong academic performance of Catholic Schools is seen by a higher percentage of Catholic students achieving at or above the National Minimum Standard, compared to the Victorian average.
In addition, research at Melbourne University reported that our Catholic students in low socio economic (SES) communities are more likely to attend university. cf www.vcspb.catholic.edu.au.
Building works will be carried out from 7 January to improve the storm water drainage and lay concrete paths from the emergency exit doors. Severe storms have caused flooding in our church. Estimated cost is $10,500.
Our thanks go to those who have volunteered on a roster to clean our two churches each week. It is estimated your service has saved our parish $13,000 this year , commercial cleaners would have had to be engaged otherwise.
Between 30 January and 1 February, students in Years 1 to 6 will attend school at their appointed time so that assessment can be carried out for their personalised learning programs for 2013. Foundation term will begin on 31 January at 8.45am.
With the commencement of the National Curriculum, the first year of primary education is now called Foundation Year, a more appropriate name for this most important year of school. It replaces previous names: ‘Reception’ (SA), ‘Kindergarten’ (NSW), ‘1st Year’ (Qld), ‘Prep’ (Vic), etc.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Sunbury 
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