One Parish,
Two Communities
Parish Newsletter
Our Lady Help of Christians
St Ambrose’s
49 Nicholson Street, East Brunswick
Telephone: 9380 1844 Fax 9388 0170
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ourlady.org.au
287 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Telephone 9380 1023 Fax: 9388 8144
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.stambroseparish.org.au
PARISH TEAM
PRIESTS OF THE PARISH: Fr Michael Casey and Fr Vinh Nguyen
PASTORAL ASSOCIATES: Sr Diane Cleveland and Sr Julita Buss
FAITH DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION: Tricia Murray
SCHOOL PRINCIPAL: Mr Philip Cachia, www.olbrunswickeast.catholic.edu.au
SUNDAY MASS TIMES:
Our Lady’s
St Ambrose’s
WEEKDAY MASSES:
Our Lady’s
St Ambrose’s
RECONCILIATION:
St Ambrose’s
Our Lady’s
MARRIAGES AND BAPTISMS: By appointment
6.00pm Saturday Vigil, 9.00am Sunday (Italian/English).
10.30am Sunday.
Tuesday to Thursday at 9.15am, Friday at 9.00am
Tuesday to Saturday at 10.00am
10.30am Saturday
11.30am Saturday
3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT – YEAR B
14 DECEMBER 2014
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
My soul rejoices in my God.
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;
he sent me to bring Good News to the poor.
Alleluia!
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on his servant in her nothingness;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!
God’s mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.
He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER II
RECENTLY DECEASED: Marie Gallagher, Allan
Booth
ANNIVERSARIES: George Fyander, Mario Fabris,
Josie D’Arino, Jim Power
‘REJOICING’ SUNDAY
Today is traditionally called Gaudete Sunday. Over the
first millennium of Christianity, Advent was like a late
Lent. Both were five weeks long, both were marked by
fasting and penance and both gave the faithful a day off
half way through. In Lent Laudete Sunday is still, roughly,
half way through the five-week season. Advent,
however, was shortened to four weeks in the tenth
century, and Pope St Gregory the Great eased the
fasting and penitential aspects of this season in the
twelfth century, but the not-so-half-way Gaudete Sunday
has remained. It is, literally, the ‘rejoicing’ Sunday when
we look more directly at Jesus’ coming at Christmas.
To enable us to look at Jesus we start
with the man who heralded his mission
in the world, John the Baptist. In
today’s Gospel John the Baptist is the
model of humility, opening the way for the Kingdom of
Jesus to break in upon the world. John recognises who
Jesus is for the world and encourages his foes and
friends alike to welcome in the Christ.
John the Baptist simply saw Jesus and knew that Love
had taken human form. Through his talent spotting and
in his promotion of Jesus he enabled the first generation
of Christians to see and believe that the promises made
to their ancestors had been fulfilled.
No wonder we have him as our focus on Gaudete
Sunday. And so may we all rejoice today, not only
because salvation is always close at hand in Christ, but
because we are also called to spot his love in every act
of goodness we see, encourage and promote it as best
we can and then watch nature and grace do the rest.
Richard Leonard SJ
OUR ADVENT THEME
On this ‘rejoicing’ Sunday, with
the prophet Isaiah, we exult for
joy in God who makes fresh
things grow. With Mary, we
rejoice in God who looks on his
servant in her nothingness. And,
with John the Baptist, we cry out
with hope as we prepare a way
for the Lord in our hearts and in
the midst of our world.
Our theme for the Advent/Christmas season this year is
Called to embody Christ, the Word of God. Just as
Mary bore the Divine Word of God in her being so,
too, the Word of God dwells deeply within us. As we
prayerfully contemplate the Word of God we learn to
become Christ-bearers, as Mary was, and with her we
proclaim: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices
in God my saviour!’
ADVENT REFLECTION GROUPS
The final Scripture reflection groups for the Advent
Gospels will be held in the parish this week. All are
welcome:
•
•
•
On Tuesday (in Italian) with Sr Julita, at 10.30am in
the front room at St Ambrose’s Parish House
On Wednesday (in English) with Sr Diane, at 10.30
in the front room at St Ambrose’s Parish House.
On Thursday (in Italian) with Sr Julita, at 9.45am in
the Community Room at Our Lady’s.
ADVENT VESPERS
There will be the opportunity to reflectively pray the
Evening Prayer of the Church (Vespers) together on
Thursday evening, 18 December at 5.30pm in the
Spirituality Room of St Ambrose’s Community Centre.
Everyone welcome!
CHILDREN’S LITURGY CHRISTMAS PARTY
After the 10.30am Mass today there will be a Christmas
party for children and parents and all Children’s Liturgy
leaders. It will be in the front room of St
Ambrose’s Community Centre. At this
gathering, final preparations will be
made for the Christmas Eve Family
Mass.
CHRISTMAS RAFFLE
Tickets are on sale for $1 each today at
Our Lady’s and St Ambrose’s for the
Christmas hamper donated by Catholic
Church Insurances. There will be three
other hamper prizes as well. The raffle
will be drawn next Sunday, 21 December after the
10.30am Mass. Our thanks go to Catholic Church
Insurances for their kind donation. There are some
brochures advertising the services of CCI on the church
table.
SPECIAL COLLECTION TODAY
At our Masses this weekend there will be the annual
collection to support the work of the Melbourne
Overseas Mission. In recent months, they have
supported former Coburg resident, Sr Ann Stevens,
with funds to fight the spread of the Ebola virus in
Sierra Leone. Melbourne Overseas Mission continues to
embrace opportunities to change the lives of those who
struggle to survive harsh living conditions and extreme
poverty.
ADVENT RECONCILIATION
The parish Advent Reconciliation service will be held at
Our Lady’s Church at 7.00pm this Tuesday 16
December. Three priests will be available for
confessions (Fr Edwin speaks Italian). Also, the Sacrament
of Reconciliation is available on every Saturday at
10.30am at St Ambrose’s and 11.30am at Our Lady’s.
CHRISTMAS STALL RESULT
The recent Christmas stall raised
$950.00. A very special thanks to
Margaret Duggan who baked cakes and
made jams and pickles. Thanks also to Angela Hodder
for the cakes and craft she provided. A great result!
CHRISTMAS CAKES FOR SALE
There are a few $20 Christmas cakes left over from our
Christmas stall. If you would like to purchase one for
the Christmas season, or as a gift for someone, please
ring Margaret Duggan on 0409 324 882.
REPLY FROM ARCHBISHOP HART
Recently a letter was sent to
Archbishop Hart as a response to our
‘Facing the Truth’ meetings. This letter
was signed by 65 parishioners. It expressed our feelings
regarding criminal sexual abuse of children by some
clergy and religious, and the mishandling of this issue by
bishops. We offered the suggestion of establishing a
Diocesan Pastoral Council to harness the wisdom of the
faithful. Archbishop Hart replied to Fr Michael:
Thank you very much for your kind letter of 2
December 2014. I do congratulate you on having the
discussions concerning criminal sexual abuse in the
Church in Australia. I would be grateful if you would
pass on to the parishioners my gratitude for their letter
of the same date in which they express the revulsion,
which I also have, of these awful crimes.
I do assure you that we are quite determined to
continue addressing them so that these matters never
happen again, and that the perpetrators face the full
consequences of their actions.
This is a large diocese and we are fortunate to have the
benefit of serious and gifted lay advice and I certainly
can assure you that this will continue through our
various Boards and Committees, where the gifts and
experience of lay people are immeasurable.
With every good wish,
Yours sincerely in Christ,
? Denis J Hart, Archbishop of Melbourne
PARISH CHRISTMAS PARTY
All parishioners are invited to our
Parish Christmas party on next
Saturday 20 December in Our
Lady’s Hall at 12.30pm. As we
come toward the end of another year, it is important
that we also express thanks to the many generous
people who have helped to ‘build’ and minister within
Our Lady’s and St Ambrose’s communities over the
past year. At this lunch we will be able to say a warm
‘thank you!’
CHRISTMAS CHOIR
If you would like to join the choir for the
Family Mass, or the Carol Service and
Mass on Christmas Eve or Christmas
Day, there will be a Christmas Choir Practice at
7.00pm this Wednesday evening 17th December in
St Ambrose’s church. All welcome!
THE PARISH VOICE
If you still haven’t picked up your copy of our parish
magazine The Parish Voice you are welcome to take a
copy today, or you may like to take a copy for a friend.
It is published three times a year and features parish
events and people’s stories.
PARISH FOODBANK TO HAVE A HOLIDAY
The Parish Foodbank is now closed for the holiday
break. It will re-open on Thursday 5 February 2015
with tickets available at St Ambrose’s Community
Centre from 9.30am and the food available from
11.00am. Our sincere thanks to all our volunteers who
make this outreach support possible.
SOUP KITCHEN
The Heart to Hearts Thursday lunch at
Our Lady’s will close this week on 18
December. The Heart to Hearts soup
kitchen will close for the year on this
Friday, 19 December. We would like
to thank the parishioners who have assisted us during
the year and wish you all a very happy Christmas. We
will re-open on Friday 6 February 2015. In order to
continue the operation of the kitchen to help those in
need, we are asking for volunteers to assist with meal
preparation on either Thursdays or Fridays and meal
delivery on Friday evenings. If you can spare a couple of
hours even once a month you would be most welcome!
Any enquiries please contact Helen Warren on 0418
708 708.
CHRISTMAS CAROLS AT STEWART LODGE
We are invited to join the Brunswick Christian
Churches in singing Christmas carols at Stewart
Lodge, a large supported accommodation centre
at 85 Stewart Street, Brunswick, from 6.30pm
this Thursday 18 December. At the carol singing, gifts
will be distributed to the residents. Part of the funds
raised from our Christmas raffle to go toward the
purchase of these gifts.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
The School year finishes this week. We
wish all students and teachers a restful,
peaceful and happy summer holiday!
‘OPEN TABLE’ MEAL
Come share a free lunch at Temple Park, Gray Street
Brunswick today, 14 December, from 12.00 noon.
This ‘open table’ meal is provided by St Jude’s Church,
Carlton. All are welcome! Open Table will continue to
be held in Temple Park in 2015 on the second Sunday of
each month.
PARISH PRAYER FOCUS FOR DECEMBER
We pray for peace: peace in our hearts, within our
families and throughout the world.
PARISH COLLECTIONS
Church:
$1444.62
Presbytery:
$640.36
READINGS NEXT WEEK: 2 Samuel 7:1–5. 8–12.14.16; Romans 16:25–27; Luke 1:26–38
PAGINA IN ITALIANO
TEMA DEL NOSTRO AVVENTO
Questo Domenica di 'esultanza', con il
profeta Isaia, esultiamo di gioia in Dio che
fa crescere le cose nuove. Con Maria, ci
rallegriamo in Dio che guarda la sua serva
nel suo nulla. E, con Giovanni Battista,
gridiamo con speranza mentre prepariamo
la via per il Signore nei nostri cuori e nel
nostro mondo. Il nostro tema per il
periodo di Avvento/Natale quest'anno
Chiamati a incarnare il Cristo, la
parola di Dio. Proprio come Mary che ha
portato la divina parola di Dio nel suo essere così, anche, la parola
di Dio dimora profondamente dentro di noi. Contemplando
devotamente la parola di Dio impariamo a diventare portatori di
Cristo, come Maria è stata, e con lei noi proclamiamo: «Anima
mia glorifica il Signore. Il mio spirito esulta in Dio mio salvatore!’
RISPOSTA DAL ARCIVESCOVO HART: Recentemente è stata
inviata una lettera al Arcivescovo Hart come risposta ai nostri
incontri 'Di fronte la verita'. Questa lettera è stata firmata da 65
parrocchiani. Ha espresso i nostri sentimenti riguardo il criminale
abuso sessuale ai bambini di certi membri del clero e religiosi e la
cattiva gestione di alcuni vescovi. Abbiamo offerto il suggerimento
di istituire un Consiglio pastorale diocesano per usare la saggezza
dei fedeli. Arcivescovo Hart ha risposto:
Vi ringrazio molto per la vostra gentile lettera del 2 Dicembre 2014.
Mi congratulo con voi avendo le discussioni riguardanti il criminale
abuso sessuale nella Chiesa in Australia. Sarei grato se transmettete
ai parrocchiani mia gratitudine per la loro lettera della stessa data in
cui essi esprimono la repulsione, che ho anche io, di questi crimini
orribili.
GRUPPI DI RIFLESSIONE PER L’AVVENTO
L’ultimi gruppi di riflessione sulla scrittura dei Vangeli di Avvento
si terrà nella parrocchia questa settimana. Tutti sono Benvenuti:
• Martedì (in Italiano) con Sr Julita, alle 10:30 nella stanza
davanti alla casa parrocchiale di Sant'Ambrogio.
• Mercoledì (in Inglese) con Sr Diane, alle ore 10.30 nella
stanza davanti alla casa parrocchiale di Sant'Ambrogio.
• Giovedì (in Italiano) con Sr Julita, alle 9:45 nella Sala
Comunitaria a Santa Maria.
Questa è una grande diocesi e siamo fortunati ad avere il beneficio
del Consiglio laico serio e dotato e certamente posso assicurarvi che
questo continuerà attraverso le nostre varie consigli e commissioni,
dove i doni e l'esperienza dei laici sono incommensurabili.
Con ogni buon desiderio,
Distinti saluti in Cristo,
? Denis J Hart, Arcivescovo di Melbourne
LOTTERIA DI NATALE: I biglietti sono in vendita
per $1, oggi a Santa Maria e a Sant’Ambrogio per il
cesto di Natale donato dalla Assicurazioni della
Chiesa Cattolica. Ci saranno tre altri premi. La
lotteria sarà sorteggiato Domenica prossima, 21 Dicembre dopo
la Messa delle 10.30. I nostri ringraziamenti vanno alla
Assicurazioni della Chiesa Cattolica per la loro gentile donazione.
Ci sono alcuni opuscoli di servizi pubblicitari del CCI sul tavolo
della Chiesa.
OGGI COLLETTA SPECIALE: Nelle nostre Messe questo fine
settimana ci sarà la raccolta annuale per sostenere il lavoro della
Melbourne Overseas Mission. Negli ultimi mesi, hanno aiutato l’ex
residente di Coburg, Sr Ann Stevens, con fondi per combattere la
diffusione del virus Ebola in Sierra Leone. Missione d'oltremare di
Melbourne continua ad abbracciare l'opportunità di cambiare la
vita di coloro che lottano per sopravvivere in condizioni di vita
durissime e povertà estrema.
RICONCILIAZIONE NEL AVVENTO: Servizio di riconciliazione per
l’avvento della parrocchia si terrà presso la Chiesa di Santa Maria
questo Martedì 16 Dicembre alle ore 7.00pm.Tre sacerdoti
saranno disponibili per le confessioni. Inoltre, ci sarà il sacramento
della riconciliazione ogni Sabato alle 10:30 a Sant’Ambrogio alle
ore 11:30 a Santa Maria.
RISULTATI DELLA BANCARELLA DI NATALE: La recente
bancarella di Natale ha fatto il profitto di $950,00. Un speciale
grazie a Margaret Duggan che ha fatto torte e marmellate e
sottaceti. Grazie anche a Angela Hodder per le torte e
l’artigianato che essa ha provveduto. Un bel risultato!
DOLCI DI NATALE IN VENDITA: Ci sono alcune torte natalizi
per $20, avanzate dalla bancarella di Natale.
Se si desidera acquistare una per il tempo di
Natale, o come regalo per qualcuno, si prega
di telefonare a Margaret Duggan su
0409 324 882.
Vi assicuro che siamo abbastanza decisi di continuare a rivolgerci in
modo che tali questioni non ripetano mai più, e che i colpevoli
affrontano tutte le conseguenze delle loro azioni.
FESTA DI NATALE DELLA PARROCCHIA: Tutti i
parrocchiani sono invitati alla nostra festa di Natale
della parrocchia il prossimo Sabato 20 Dicembre nella sala di Santa
Maria alle 12.30 pm. Come si arriva verso la fine di un altro anno,
è importante che esprimiamo anche grazie a tante persone
generose che hanno contribuito a 'costruire' e ministrare
all'interno delle Comunità di Santa Maria e di Sant’Ambrogio
durante l’anno. A questo pranzo saremo in grado di dire un
caloroso ' grazie!’
VACANZE PER FOODBANK: La Foodbank della parrocchia è ora
chiuso per la pausa di vacanza. Riaprirà il Giovedì 5 Febbraio 2015
con biglietti disponibili al Centro Comunitario di Sant'Ambrogio
dale ore 9:30 e il cibo disponibile dalle ore 11.00 am. Il nostro
sincero grazie a tutti i nostri volontari che rendono possibili
questo sostegno.
MENSA DEI POVERI: Il pranzo cuore a cuori di
Giovedì a Santa Maria si chiuderà questa settimana il
18 Dicembre. La mensa cuore a cuori chiude per
quest’anno Venerdì, 19 Dicembre. Vorremmo
ringraziare i parrocchiani che ci hanno assistito durante l'anno e
augurare a tutti voi un Natale molto felice. Si ri-aprirà Venerdì 6
Febbraio 2015. Com la finalità di continuare l'operazione della
cucina per aiutare i bisognosi, stiamo chiedendo volontari per
assistere con preparazione dei pasti di Giovedì o Venerdì e
consegnare i pasti il Venerdì sera. Se si può risparmiare un paio
d'ore ancora una volta al mese sarete Benvenuti! Eventuali
richieste di informazioni si prega di contattare Helen Warren
0418 708 708.
PRANZO ‘OPEN TABLE’: Venite a condividere un pranzo gratis al
Temple Park, Gray St. Brunswick oggi, 14 Dicembre, dalle 12.00
Questo pasto 'Tavolo Aperto' è fornito dalla Chiesa di St. Jude,
Carlton. Tutti sono Benvenuti! Open Table continuerà ad essere
tenuto nel Temple Park nel 2015 la seconda Domenica di ogni
mese.
PREGHIERA PARROCCHIALE PER DICEMBRE: Preghiamo per la
pace: pace nei nostri cuori, nelle nostre famiglie e nel mondo.