St Liborius Parish
VISION: We, the St Liborius parish Community, seek to support each other in growing together in faith and sharing this faith with the wider community.
St Augustine’s (Myers Flat), St Stephen’s (Raywood)
3rd january, 2016 - the epiphany of the lord, YEAR c
Communities Growing Together
Message of His Holiness POPE FRANCIS
For the Celebration of the XLIX WORLD DAY OF PEACE
1 January 2016 (Part 1) Overcome Indifference and Win Peace 1. God is not indifferent! God cares about mankind! God does not abandon us! At the beginning of the New Year, I would like to share not only this profound conviction but also my cordial good wishes for prosperity, peace and the fulfilment of the hopes of every man and every woman, every family, people and nation throughout the world, including all Heads of State and Government and all religious leaders. We continue to trust that 2016 will see us all firmly and confidently engaged, on different levels, in the pursuit of justice and peace. Peace is both God’s gift and a human achievement. As a gift of God, it is entrusted to all men and women, who are called to attain it. Maintaining our reasons for hope 2. Sadly, war and terrorism, accompanied by kidnapping, ethnic or religious persecution and the misuse of power, marked the past year from start to finish. In many parts of the world, these have became so common as to constitute a real “third world war fought piecemeal”. Yet some events of the year now ending inspire me, in looking ahead to the new year, to encourage everyone not to lose hope in our human ability to conquer evil and to combat resignation and indifference. They demonstrate our capacity to show solidarity and to rise above self-interest, apathy and indifference in the face of critical situations. Here I would mention the efforts to bring world leaders together at COP21 in the search for new ways to confront climate change and to protect the earth, our common home. We can also think of two earlier
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The Word Today Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6 Matthew 2:1-12
Next Week’s Readings Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 Titus 2:11-14,3:4-7 Luke 3:15-16,21-22
Gospel Acclamation Alleluia, Alleluia! We have seen his star in the East; and have come to adore the Lord. Alleluia!
Responsorial Psalm Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Papal Prayer Intentions for January 2016
Interreligious Dialogue That sincere dialogue among men and women of different faiths may produce the fruits of peace and justice.
Christian Unity That by means of dialogue and fraternal charity and with the grace of the Holy Spirit, Christians may overcome divisions.
No one can put limits on God’s love, for he is always ready to forgive! Dec 30th
Fr Junjun Corner
“Some people are wise, some are otherwise” says one Jesuit priest, our then spiritual director in the seminary. Today the Church celebrates the Epiphany of the Lord, i.e. the manifestation of the Messiah to the whole world as represented by the wise men from the east who came to visit the birthplace of Christ. This feast also calls us to open our hearts to the manifestation of God in our lives. We need to cooperate in God’s works and God’s grace for us otherwise we would never go that far, we would never achieve so much, we would never change for the better. Let us make this our new year’s resolution. A way to cooperate in God’s works and God’s grace is to be FAT (i.e. faithful, available & teachable). To be faithful means being aware once again of what God is calling us to be, of knowing what God wills for us and act on it, rather than going against it. To be available means giving time to God in prayer and sharing some of our time to those who are in need, to Jesus who comes to our door in the guise of the poor, the weak, the asylum seekers, and those who are refugees. To be teachable means we need to humble ourselves and understand that we can’t always know everything, that we are not always in control of things– God is. So let us endeavor to become FAT in this new year (faithful, available and teachable). At the same time, let us also recall the blessings we have received from the past year. As Pope St John Paul II in his Apostolic letter Novo Millenio Ineunte (at the close of the Millenium) in the year 2000 would say: ‘Let us remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm and look forward to the future with confidence.’ I wish you all a happy, prosperous, grace-filled new year. I leave you with a blessing from the Book of Numbers (Num 6:22-27) “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace.”
Mary De Nardis, Bridget Stewart, Ted Verryt, Mikkael Floyd Magpulong, Doreen Dibdib, Lise Cook, Mary Furlong, Paul Woodward, Russell Milikins, Jodie Ryan, Bryan Keogh, Cynthia Griego, Muriel Maes, Patricia Schultz, Bert Caldow, Angeline Caldow, Frances Cushing, Brendan Irwin, Ian Connally, Jocelyn Lyon, Marie Casey, Georgie Manning, Teresa Brandreth, Denis Pommer, Mary Salmon Eiffe, Marianne Cuskelly, Mary McAdam, Wayne Leahy, Diana Patterson, Frank White, Margaret Berriman, Zoey Lovejoy, Gerald Smith, Tila Wynands, Rosario Jewell, Rosalia Van Leuwen, Valerie Short, Kevin Tobias, Shirley Baker, Carmel McCashney, Patrick Holden, Bert Youla, Denise Wong, Ian Johnson, Maureen O’Keefe, Barbara Mason, Melinda May, Dorothy Stevens, Josefina Wilson, Xavier White, Gary
Jones, Nora Ryan, Eileen Sheridan.
With St Liborius, St Stephen & St Augustine, let
us be a spiritual benefactor to each other in
prayer, especially for the health and
well-being of:
Pray for the seminarians of our Diocese:
Dean Klayford Bongat, Adi Indra & Jackson Saunders.
Youth Corner World Youth Day (WYD): If you are between the ages of 16-35 and would like to experience a phenomenal pilgrimage to Poland to join with Pope Francis & millions of faith filled young people visit http://www.cam.org.au/wydvictoria or contact Darcy De Losa. You don’t want to miss this incredible opportunity! Contact Darcy De Losa, 0409 777 2424, 03 5445 3616, [email protected] Mary-Anne de Luca, 0488 665 383, 03 5445 3658, [email protected]
In faith and hope let us pray for
those who have gone before us
and those whose anniversaries
occur around this time.
John Stockx, Craig O’Donoghue, Elizabeth Grant, Stella Naughton, Edwin Crack, Gladys Jones, Stephen McKindley, Emily Reed, Kathleen Daly, Kevin Bourke, Katie Place
Anniversaries:
May they rest in the peace of Christ. Amen.
INFORMATION NIGHT - Sandhurst Diocese ‘Journey of Christ Pilgrimage to the Holy Land 2016’
When: Thursday 4th February 2016, 5.30 – 6.30 pm. Where: 120 Hargreaves St BENDIGO Steven Green (Director, Olive Tree Travel) will give a briefing and Question & Answer time in a virtual meeting across 3 venues. All welcome. Enjoy a taste of Holy Land wine and Middle Eastern nibbles. RSVP: Marina Scott 5445 9910 or [email protected]
Recently Deceased: Gary Aquino, Thomas Daly
As we gather to worship, we acknowledge the Traditional owners and custodians of this land- the Jaara Country we are standing on- the Jaara people of the Dja Dja Wurrung community and their forebears who have been custodians of this land for centuries.
PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR
Dear Lord, we pray that this New Year
will bring us closer to you.
May we take the time to get to know you.
Help us to truly celebrate the gifts
You have graciously given us
and use them to serve you and spread your word.
May we also see and love You in all the people we meet, so that in turn, they can see you in us.
We know that all human relations take time
if they are to grow and deepen.
This is also true of our relations with you dear Jesus,
With the Father, and the Holy Spirit,
which must grow over the course of our lives.
In this new year, let us realize that every action of ours
no matter how great or small enables
us to be in touch with you.
Let us accept you in our lives, in the way it pleases you,
As Truth, to be spoken, as life to be lived,
As light to be lighted, as love to be followed,
As joy to be given, as peace to be spread about,
As sacrifice, to be offered among our relatives, friends, neighbors and all people. Amen.
~ from The Catholic Doors Ministry
A Closer Walk With God - Faith Connections for Families a resource produced by the Diocese of Sandhurst is available at the back of the church.
Monthly meetings for parish groups are in recess in January.
Pope Francis’ list of
New Year’s
Resolutions:
1. Don’t Gossip.
2. Finish your
meals.
3. Make time for
others.
4. Choose the ‘
more humble’
purchase.
5. Meet the poor
‘in the flesh.’
6. Stop judging
others.
7. Befriend those
who disagree.
8. Make commitments, such as marriage.
9. Make it a habit to ‘ask the Lord.’
10. Be happy (the Joy of the Gospel)
global events: the Addis Ababa Summit for funding sustainable development worldwide and the adoption of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, aimed at ensuring a more dignified standard of living for all the world’s peoples, especially the poor, by that year. For the Church, 2015 was a special year, since it marked the fiftieth anniversary of two documents of the Second Vatican Council which eloquently expressed her sense of solidarity with the world. Pope John XXIII, at the beginning of the Council, wanted to open wide the windows of the Church and to improve her communication with the world. The two documents, Nostra Aetate andGaudium et Spes, are emblematic of the new relationship of dialogue, solidarity and accompaniment which the Church sought to awaken within the human family. In the Declaration Nostra Aetate, the Church expressed her openness to dialogue with non-Christian religions. In the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, based on a recognition that “the joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the people of our time, especially of those who are poor or afflicted, are the joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the followers of Christ as well”,[1] the Church proposed to enter into dialogue with the entire human family about the problems of our world, as a sign of solidarity, respect and affection.[2] Along these same lines, with the present Jubilee of Mercy I want to invite the Church to pray and work so that every Christian will have a humble and compassionate heart, one capable of proclaiming and witnessing to mercy. It is my hope that all of us will learn to “forgive and give”, to become more open “to those living on the outermost fringes of society - fringes which modern society itself creates”, and to refuse to fall into “a humiliating indifference or a monotonous routine which prevents us from discovering what is new! Let us ward off destructive cynicism!”[3] There are many good reasons to believe in mankind’s capacity to act together in solidarity and, on the basis of our interconnection and interdependence, to demonstrate concern for the more vulnerable of our brothers and sisters and for the protection of the common good. This attitude of mutual responsibility is rooted in our fundamental vocation to fraternity and a life in common. Personal dignity and interpersonal relationships are what constitute us as human beings whom God willed to create in his own image and likeness. As creatures endowed with inalienable dignity, we are related to all our brothers and sisters, for whom we are responsible and with whom we act in solidarity. Lacking this relationship, we would be less human. We see, then, how indifference represents a menace to the human family. As we approach a new year, I would ask everyone to take stock of this reality, in order to overcome indifference and to win peace. Kinds of indifference 3. Clearly, indifference is not something new; every period of history has known people who close their hearts to the needs of others, who close their eyes to what is happening around them, who turn aside to avoid encountering other people's problems. But in our day, indifference has ceased to be a purely personal matter and has taken on broader dimensions, producing a certain “globalization of indifference”. The first kind of indifference in human society is indifference to God, which then leads to indifference to one’s neighbour and to the environment. This is one of the grave consequences of a false humanism and practical materialism allied to relativism and nihilism. We have come to to think that we are the source and creator of ourselves, our lives and society. We feel self-sufficient, prepared not only to find a substitute for God but to do completely without him. As a consequence, we feel that we owe nothing to anyone but ourselves, and we claim only rights.[4] Against this erroneous understanding of the person, Pope Benedict XVI observed that neither man himself nor human development can, on their own, answer the question of our ultimate meaning.[5]Paul VI likewise stated that “there is no true humanism but that which is open to the Absolute, and is conscious of a vocation which gives human life its authentic significance”.[6] Indifference to our neighbour shows itself in different ways. Some people are well-informed; they listen to the radio, read the newspapers or watch television, but they do so mechanically and without engagement. They are vaguely aware of the tragedies afflicting humanity, but they have no sense of involvement or compassion. Theirs is the attitude of those who know, but keep their gaze, their thoughts and their actions focused on themselves. Sadly, it must be said that today’s information explosion does not of itself lead to an increased concern for other people’s problems, which demands openness and a sense of solidarity.[7] Indeed, the information glut can numb people’s sensibilities and to some degree downplay the gravity of the problems. There are those who “simply content themselves with blaming the poor and the poor countries themselves for their troubles; indulging in unwarranted generalizations, they claim that the solution is an ‘education’ that would tranquilize them, making them tame and harmless. All this becomes even more exasperating for the marginalized in the light of the widespread and deeply rooted corruption found in many countries – in their governments, businesses and institutions – whatever the political ideology of their leaders.”[8] In other cases, indifference shows itself in lack of concern for what is happening around us, especially if it does not touch us directly. Some people prefer not to ask questions or seek answers; they lead lives of comfort, deaf to the cry of those who suffer. Almost imperceptibly, we grow incapable of feeling compassion for others and for their problems; we have no interest in caring for them, as if their troubles were their own responsibility, and none of our business.[9] “When we are healthy and comfortable, we forget about others (something God the Father never does): we are unconcerned with their problems, their sufferings and the injustices they endure… Our heart grows cold. As long as I am relatively healthy and comfortable, I don’t think about those less well off.”[10] To be continued next week. To read the whole message visit: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/papa-francesco_20151208_messaggio-xlix-giornata-mondiale-pace-2016.html
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CONTACT US
Office Hours: Tue 10.30-1.00, Thu & Fri 9.30-5.30 Phone: 5446 8235 (Parish Office) Address: 50 Panton Street Eaglehawk 3556 Email: [email protected]
Web: stliboriuscatholicparish.wordpress.com
Assistant Priest: Fr . Junjun Amaya Contact Mobile: 0459 356 917 Email: [email protected] Parish Secretary: Lisa Meersbergen After Hours (7pm—7am) Emergency Catholic Clergy Contact: 0429 371 253 SCHOOL Phone: 5446 9172 Principal: Frank Dullard Deputy: Alistair Stewart Secretary: Louise O’Connor Chaplain: Louise Trewhella
PARISH ORGANISATIONS
Parish Pastoral Council
Ex-Officio: Fr Rom Hayes, Fr Junjun Amaya, Frank Dullard, Darren McGregor. Members: Michael Nolan, Cathy Mitchell, Terry McDermott, Brendan Keogh, Kathy Taylor, Anne O’Brien, Brian Bourke, Trish Mudge, Margaret Watson.
Parish Finance Committee
Laurie Fitzgerald, Terry Westaway, Geoff Gallagher, John Pallotta
Planned Giving David Trewarne
Parish Liturgy Team Mary Haugh, Karyn McDermott, Elizabeth McDermott, Sandie Westaway, Maureen Bourke
Parish Loss & Grief Team
Elizabeth McDermott, Jane Bretherton, Patricia Angelini, Joan Noonan, Cathy Mitchell, Tricia Blanks, Eilis Whelan
Parish Sacramental Team
Trish Blanks, Denise Webb, Trish Duane, Holly Webster
Catholic Women’s League
Mary Haugh, Maureen Bourke
Legion of Mary Peg Singe / Anne O’Brien
RCIA Team Tricia Blanks, Brian Bourke, Maureen Bourke, Anne-Maree McDonell
Tuesday Communion Round Co-ordinator: Sandie Westaway
Friday Communion Round Co-ordinator: Anne Trewarne
KSC Community Welfare Project Brian Bourke: 5446 8821
R.S.J. Margaret Tobias
Caritas Project Compassion Brian Bourke
Children’s Liturgy Catriona McGowan, Denise Webb (1st and 3rd Sunday of month)
God Start Anne O’Brien
Piety Stall Michael O’Dea, Anne O’Brien
PLANNED GIVING — Thank You
COLLECTIONS FOR 26th / 27th Dec
ENVELOPES: LOOSE: CHRISTMAS COLLECTION:
$2838.60 TOTAL:
$1271.00 $219.90
$1347.70
Mass Welcomers Lectors Extraordinary
Ministers of Communion
This Weekend 6.00pm
K Fitzpatrick B Bourke
1st: 2nd:
M Bourke B O’Brien
A O’Brien, B Bourke, J Chirgwin
10.30am D & P Power 1st:2nd:
M Smith K Taylor
M Dole, C Giri E McDermott
Next Weekend 6.00pm
A Kirkwood P Angelini
1st: 2nd:
S Westaway T Westaway
P Singe, A Trewarne, B Bourke
10.30am M Dole D Purden
1st:2nd:
M Gill K Taylor
P Blanks, E Tuohey, N Wright
PARISH ACTIVITIES
WEEKLY
Wise Eaters Every Monday at 9.30am. Walk N Talk Every Tuesday at 9.30am. Brunch Kitchen Every Tuesday at 11.30am (exc school holidays) Euchre Card Club Every Tuesday at 7.30pm. Legion of Mary Every Wednesday at 10.00am and Every Friday at 7.30pm. Vocaltones Every Thursday at 7.30pm (exc school holidays) MONTHLY
Secular Franciscans Every 2nd Mon of the month at 7.30pm. Liturgy Meeting Every 1st Tue of the month at 2.00pm. Parish Finance Committee Meeting Every 4th Tue of the month at 7.00pm. Parish Pastoral Council Meeting Every 2nd Wed of the month at 6.30pm. Card making Every 2nd Wed of the month at 1.30pm. Catholic Women’s League Every 4th Wed of the month at 1.30pm. BEC Meeting - Group D Every 1st Fri of the month at 1.30pm. R.S.J. Meeting 3rd Wed of every 2nd month at 10.30am. Bendigo Textile Group Every 2nd Sun of the month at 10.00am. Contact: Barbara Lomas 0417313760 Knights of the Southern Cross Every 2nd Thu of the month. Contact: Brian Bourke 5446 8821
MASSES THIS WEEK
Tuesday-Friday
9.15am Mass
Funeral Mass replaces the Mass of the day
Saturday 9.15am Mass (St Augustine’s Myers Flat followed
by brunch) 6.00pm (Eaglehawk)
Sunday 9.00am (Raywood) 10.30am (Eaglehawk)
4th Sunday: 12.30pm Filipino Mass
SACRAMENTS
Reconciliation
Saturday: 10.30am or by appt.
Anointing of the sick
Please ring parish office or Fr Junjun.
Baptisms
Please call in to the parish office for a Baptism kit ($30).
Baptism preparation is conducted on the first Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm at St Kilian’s Parish Centre.
Bookings required. Phone 5441 6244.
Weddings
Bookings must be made at least six months prior.
Please ring parish office.
Life’s chuckle… The three wise men arrived to visit the
child lying in the manger. One of the wise men was exceptionally tall and bumped his head on the low doorway as
he entered the stable. "Jesus Christ!" he exclaimed.
Joseph said, "Write that down, Mary - it's better than Dave!"
ROSTER
