Notice Board

Week beginning: Sunday 19th February 2012

Lent 2012
Jesus fasted and prayed for forty days preparing for his great work as our Redeemer. So during Lent, the forty day season leading up to Easter, we Christians make a special effort to grow in our love of God and one another by prayer, self-denial and giving to the needy. Thus we prepare for a worthy celebration of the Lord’s death and resurrection in Holy Week and Easter.

Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, occurs this week on 22nd February with Masses at 9.00am, 12.00 noon (School Mass) and 7.00pm.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the two universal days of both FAST (i.e. Catholics aged 18 to 59 to limit their food on these days) and ABSTINENCE from meat (14 years and over).

Otherwise during Lent, while we are bound to practise penance and self-denial, how we do it is left to ourselves.
Our parish's Lenten prayer opportunities.

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Project Compassion
is our annual Lenten appeal towards the work of Catholic Caritas Australia to help improve the lives of impoverished people in many parts of the world. Please take home a Project Compassion box or set of envelopes from the church foyer and support this work through your Lenten self-denial.
Food Trolley
Thank you for all the donations to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. The ASRC Food bank cannot run without the constant support of people such as yourselves.

You have been doing so for about 6 years which is a wonderful effort. Imagine all the food we have collected in that time.

Tuna, dry biscuits, long life milk, toiletries, healthy breakfast foods, etc. are in short supply but all food and toiletries are most welcome.

All donations may be placed in the trolley in the church foyer.

The Sisters of Nazareth
offer an invitation to "come and see"  to young women (18-35) open to discussing a vocation to religious life and wishing to share a "live in" experience with the Sisters.

Details:
Fri - Sun 24-26 February,
Nazareth House,
218 Mill Street.
Ballarat.
RSVP to Sister Rosalie O’Malley CSN
Ph. 5329-5259 or 0450-355-014 or
Email:

Melbourne Passion Play Auditions On Now....
Recruitment of cast and crew, (particularly men to play the part of Roman soldiers) for Easter 2012, is on now. No acting experience required. For those selected, rehearsals will take place at Ruffey Lake Park, Doncaster every Sunday afternoon from 26th February 2012.

Details: Roberto Durai
Tel: 0422-130-014
Email:
Web: www.passionplay.info

"Mission Outreach"
Copies of the latest newsletter of the Australian Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC priests) are available in the church foyer.
"Millionaire Hot Seat"
Friendship Group - Thursday 1st March

More details....

Friendship Group - Lunch Outing
Mulgrave Country Club on Wednesday 7th March

More details....

Bus Trip to Mornington & Rosebud
Friendship Group - Wednesday 4th April

More details....

Catholic Mission - Propagation Of The Faith
Through the annual World Mission Sunday Collection and our prayers, we are invited with all parish communities worldwide to support the missionary network of the Catholic Church (known as the Propagation of the Faith).

"Something beautiful for God" was an expression of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and is the theme for this 2011 Catholic Mission Church Appeal.

You are invited to reach out and support missionaries across the world including outback Australia. This year the appeal envelope and poster feature Gabriela Filonowicz, a lay missionary from Poland who is running a communal kitchen in a needy area in Peru providing children with much needed nutrition as well as education support.

By your gift to this appeal or by becoming a 'Friends in Faith Partner" with a monthly gift, you will help communities affected by hardship, disease or extreme poverty. We can all do something beautiful for God.

About Catholic Missions

Catholic Mission is the official mission aid agency of the Catholic Church, continuing the mission of Jesus Christ in the world to share faith, care for people in need, and act for justice and creation.

As the Australian arm of the Pontifical Mission Societies, we raise funds and form people for mission. This enables us to reach out through dedicated missionaries to help oppressed children and communities, and provide vital training for emerging Church leaders. In Australia we provide mission formation training, overseas immersion opportunities and advocate for children, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Catholic Mission internationally operates in 160 countries to support initiatives in 1100 dioceses, including outback Australia. Grassroots needs are identified by local Catholics, so all people have the opportunity for a full, enriched life- spiritually and physically- regardless of race, stigma, religion or gender.

The Church exists to continue Jesus' saving mission on earth. The principal means for supporting the Church's work on a global scale is the Catholic Mission Appeal.

This Appeal is instrumental in establishing and sustaining parish communities and their priests, as well as supporting the catechists who share their faith and lead their local village community. Last year with your help, Catholic Mission in Australia supported the training of 9,203 catechists in their ongoing regular formation and the building, upkeep and maintenance of 79 churches, presbyteries and pastoral centres, and 15 religious convents.

Other funds raised supported the training of 3,572 seminarians in 34 seminaries for priesthood and religious life. Programs of education, health care, shelter, personal development and faith formation helped care for 507,414 children last year.

Charlseworth Walsh Dance Centre
classes held every Mondays and Thursdays at St. Luke’s Community Centre. Expert tuition in Classical Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Song and Dance. Beginners to Adults.
Enquiries and Enrolments: 9807-2608.
The 2012 Lenten Gospel Shared Prayer Reflection Program
is entitled "Make Disciples of All Nations- The New Evangelisation"

As well as those who have not heard the Gospel, there are countless people in the Western World, including Australia, who have abandoned their heritage of Christian faith. This is a challenge to every committed Catholic.

The 2012 Lenten Program offers us an opportunity to reflect on Christ’s infinite love and mercy for us and for the whole human race and to find encouragement, despite our weaknesses, to help bring the Good News to others by witness and word.

We will offer the program over five Wednesdays starting Wed. 29th February at 7.30pm (after Mass) in the side room of the church. In the church foyer you may have a look at a copy of the booklet ($8 each) we will use.
Please leave your name if interested.

Change to Mass Time
Mass on Fridays is now at 9.15am to fit in with the Parish School Assembly (8.45am).
"Opening the Old Testament"
is a 5 night course offered by Anima Education sponsored by Anima Womens’ Network and the Catholic Womens’ League of Victoria and Wagga Wagga.

Monday nights 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
February 27 & March 5th.

View venue and more details.

Bishop Tomlinson - New Bishop of Sandhurst
Recently, Archbishop Hart announced that Pope Benedict has appointed our Eastern Regional Bishop and Vicar General Most Rev. Les Tomlinson, DD, VG, as Bishop of Sandhurst (Bendigo).

Congratulating Bishop Tomlinson on his new assignment and wishing him every blessing, the Archbishop said, "In 40 years of priesthood we have known him as a man of God and a dedicated pastor who has contributed exceptionally to the life of the Archdiocese. As Vicar General we will long remember his care for priests and people". Expressing his deep gratitude, the Archbishop paid tribute to his personal goodness and friendship.

Everyone is invited to a FAREWELL MASS which Bishop Tomlinson will celebrate in St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Thursday 23rd February at 7.30pm followed by an opportunity to meet those present.

As we join our congratulations with many others let us give Bishop Tomlinson a special place in our prayers at this time.

St. Vincent de Paul Society 2012 Ozanam Lecture
Sunday 26 February, 2pm.
Guest speaker: Janet Buhagiar, Vincentian and Director of Social Policy – NT Government, will deliver the lecture "Frederic Ozanam; A contemporary leader and social reformist for our time".

A response from Teresa Wilson and refreshments will follow at the
Cardinal Knox Centre Lecture Theatre,
383 Albert St,
East Melbourne.
Entry via the Lansdowne Street car park.

Anima Womens' Lenten Retreat

"Contemplating the face of Christ during the Year of Grace"

17 March 2012, 9.00am – 4.00pm

Nazareth House Conference Centre
Cornell Street,
Camberwell.

Retreat Director: Fr Paschal Corby OFM Conv.
Cost: $40 (includes refreshments & lunch).
More info:
Anna Krohn: 0487-683-050 or
Web: Anima-Education

To Love To The End: Who will make your choices?
is a Melbourne Archdiocese initiative to focus on an area of bioethics where we can positively contribute to building up a civilization of life and love.

The theme, "To Love to the End", deals with issues about dying and caring for our loved ones, the meaning and purpose of suffering and our duty as Christians to show love to every human being to the end.

Please collect a copy of the informative brochure and prayer card on this theme from the tables at the church entrances or you can view/download the brochure and card below.

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Caritas Australia's East Africa Crisis Appeal
"Finally, we may mention the situations of poverty - often on an intolerable scale - which have been created in not a few countries. ..the community of believers in Christ is challenged by these inhuman situations: the proclamation of Christ and the kingdom of God must become the means for restoring the human dignity of these people. " John Paul II, 1990.

The crisis in East Africa has deepened with more communities now declared to be in famine. Caritas Australia humbly requests the Catholic Community stand in solidarity with prayers and support for the 12.4 million men, women and children in urgent need of aid. Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, Tanzania and the world's newest nation, South Sudan, are all in the grip of drought - for some, the worst in 60 years.

Caritas Australia has launched an emergency response in Kenya and continues to identify areas most in need. Through the East Africa Crisis Appeal, you can help provide food relief, clean water and basic necessities in this time of crisis.

For more information or to donate please use the flyers in the front porch or visit the Caritas Australia East Africa Crisis website or
call 1800 024 413 or post donations to GPO Box 9830 MELBOURNE VIC 3001.

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St. Vincent de Paul. 1581-1660
came from a French peasant family and after a good education was ordained priest aged barely 20. His early ministry was to noble families. He was captured by pirates and after escaping was appointed to a poor parish and chaplain to prisoners working the galleys. Vincent found his calling to serve those most marginalized, powerless and poor. He inspired many to join in serving the needy and suffering. He founded a lay women's society for this work as well as (with St. Louise de Marillac) an order of nuns, the Daughters of Charity, and the Congregation of the Missions (Vincentian priests).

He was canonized in 1737 and in 1883 declared the patron of all the Church's works of charity. St.Vincent de Paul was the inspiration for the lay society founded in 1833 in Paris by Frederic Ozanam to help the needy. It was established in Melbourne in 1854. Hopefully in the near future we can rekindle a branch of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in our parish.

Members of Society of St. Vincent de Paul are inspired by his thinking and his works in the practice of Christian charity by service, on a person to person basis, to those in need.

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