Christmas 25 December 2016

Parish Office Hours: Mon—Fri 9:30am-2:30pm

CONTACT DETAILS

Parish Priest:

Fr Jude Pirotta mssp

Telephone: 9748 6800

email: hopperscrossingnorth@cam.org.au

Assisting Priest:

Fr Brendan Byrne SJ

Parish Secretaries: Red Lusterio

Tita Manalo

Admin Support:

Maria Saldana

Parish Bookkeeper: Angel Hartanto

Wed & Fri 9:30-2:30

Parish Council President:

Geralyn McCarthy

Sacramental Co-Ord

Other Schools: Rachelle Revell

Ph: 0411 774 636

rachelle.revell@gmail.com

Youth Ministry Co-ord:

Red Lusterio 0409 184 299

St James Primary School: Telephone: 9749 1000 Principal: Mary Abbott principal@sjhcn.catholic.edu.au

St Francis Primary School: Telephone: 9731 6004 Principal: Jan Keogh principal@sfatarneit.catholic.edu.au

St Clare’s Primary School: Telephone: 9371 8400

Principal: Andrew Leighton principal@sctruganina.catholic.edu.au

Thomas Carr College: Telephone: 8734 2444 Principal: Andrew Watson

tcc@thomascarr.vic.edu.au

Weekday Masses:

Tues—Sat 9:00am

1st Friday Monthly: Mass at 7:30pm

Adoration at 8:00-9:00pm

Reconciliation (Confession): Saturday: 9:30am-10:00am

5:00-5:30pm

Sacrament of Baptism: Contact Jacinta & John Fisher

0438 793 630 hopperscrossingnorth.baptism@cam.org.au

Weddings: By appointment only

9748 6800 Weekend Masses: Saturday 6:00pm, Sunday 8:30am, 10:30am and 6:00pm

336 Derrimut Rd, Hoppers Crossing North, 3029

Under the Pastoral Care of the Paulist Missionaries

www.stjamesapostlehcn.com.au

Dear Parish Family of St James, as 2016 comes to an end, it’s time to celebrate Christmas and send greetings for 2017.

Pope Francis, with his sense of joy and endearing smile, continues to present us with positive words and actions of how we can make a difference in our world. The Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy which we began last December came to an end on the Feast of Christ the King this year. Pope Francis continually reminds us of our Christian calling to go out and be

witnesses of mercy. The Year of Mercy has provided our whole Church with the chance to be renewed in this mission and to become more aware of Christ in our midst.

Again, the Christmas spirit reminds us of the need to be generous of heart in ourselves, and to focus on the Christian perspective of the ‘summer holiday season’. The peace and love, simplicity and openness of the manger scene of Bethlehem challenges us to reflect on what is important in our lives and appreciate the fragility of life and to make the most of the opportunities we have to live life well.

It’s a time to give thanks too, for all the good things that have happened during the last year, and to those who have enabled growth and support in our welcoming communities. We also thank all those who have put in so much in so many ways in making our Parish and school communities the happy and welcoming places they are, in all our diversity as we continue to live the Gospel as Good News in our lives.

I also thank those who have been involved in leading and participating in the many different ministries and activities in Parish and school life during the past year. It’s terrific to see the building works in our schools rising rapidly to enhance our educational endeavors for our young people for the future. Also, we rejoice in the initiatives and planning taken by our Church Building Extension Committee thus far.

May I take this opportunity to thank all our parishioners and friends here at St James for helping us along the journey; a special thank you to the Parish Council and the Parish Staff for their support throughout the year. To all parishioners, for your prayers, gifts, cards, and good wishes and for all that you do in actively revealing Emmanuel – God with us.

I ask you to keep Mission 17 in your prayers as we unite with our mssp communities in the Philippines on Tues 03 Jan and I look forward in continuing the journey on our return on Mon 16 Jan.

At this time of peace and good will, so needed in a complicated world, Fr Ivan, mssp Provincial, Fr Brendan, the Parish Council and I wish you all, along with your families, a happy and holy Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year in 2017.

Yours in the Christ Child, Fr Jude Pirotta mssp

FR JUDE’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

Thanksgiving: $ 5256.00

Presbytery: $ 963.95

Flowers: $ 44.40

Youth: $ 13.80

COLLECTIONS LAST WEEKEND

St James Parish are excited to present Camp ENIGMA, a live-in camp for those in Year 7-12 in 2017. Camp ENIGMA will be held at Lady Northcote Recreation Camp, Glenmore, from Fri 27 Jan—Sun 29 Jan. A dynamic experience with other youth from our Parish, get ready for 3 days of high energy entertainment, music, huge games, captivating talks and confronting the mystery of our faith.

Check out the flyer in the Narthex for more information or contact us at youth@stjamesapostlehcn.com.au. Final registrations close on Sun 08 Jan 2017!

ST JAMES YOUTH—CAMP ENIGMA

A social group for the Young at Heart.

Sunday 15 Jan 2017: First lunch in the monthly series for 2017. This time it is at the Hoppers Club, Pannam Drive, Hoppers Crossing, straight after the 10.30am Mass. You can go straight there if you do not attend this Mass. IMPORTANT: Please call Serita or Reno to book a place asap and by not later than Monday 10 January 2017

Bookings/enquiries: Serita 0410 599 323 or Reno 0434 398 432.

FORTHCOMING VINTAGE GROUP EVENTS

This year, Fr Sebastian Manoharan will celebrate a New Year’s Eve Mass here at St James on Sat 31 Dec at 8:00pm in the language of Telugu (an Indian Dialect).

NEW YEARS: Sat 31 Dec—New Years Eve 6:00pm Mass (last English for the year) 8:00pm Mass in Telugu

Sun 01 Jan—New Years Day 8:30am Mass (first for the year) 10:30am Mass 6:00pm Mass

ST JAMES NEW YEARS

As we look upon the crib scene in our churches and our homes, we see simplicity yet peace. How can I bring some simplicity of life and peace into my Christmas celebrations with family and friends through my words and actions? Please pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life—that many young people may respond to the challenge to bring peace through simplicity of life and service.

CHRISTMAS REFLECTION

This Award was established in 2010 by the Missionary Society of St Paul to commemorate the First Centenary of Foundation. The Award of $1,500 Scholarship was given to recipients from our three Primary Schools. The Award for 2016 has been given to Oliver Correia from St James, Ruby Fernando from St Francis and Aiden Dizon from St Clare’s. We congratulate the recipients of this Award.

JOSEPH DE PIRO SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

“But he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, becoming as human beings are.”

Phil 2:7

Our God looked on us and saw whom we can become through his grace.

He saw beyond our misery, and always regarded us as his dear children.

May I wish you this Christmas God's grace of seeing beyond our human frailty as we descend into the world's struggles and become a sure hope of His salvation for all.

Let us keep each other in our prayers so that we recognize the moment and in humble ways let God's dream for all creation become a reality this Christmas.

Blessings, Mark

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM FR MARK GRIMA MSSP, SUPERIOR GENERAL, ROME

Let us pray and support those in our community who are sick. We especially pray for Brenda Raymond, John Ryan, Lynda Burley, Iva Masterton, Tony Vella, Lily Xuereb, Joseph Zeolla, Mary Hedley, Robert Soulsby, Roger Smith, Boutros Hokayem, Colleen D’Cruz, Mayenne Kristeen Gomez, Zoilo Candelaria, Jeffrey Dino, Michael Nash, John Nguyen, Simon Martanata, Philomena Leslie, Maya Rabot, Preston and Pramitha Lewis, Joan Shearson, Carmencita Dela Pena, Lynne Worsley, Jaime Inigo Silva, Didier Oulai, Malcolm Hughes, Elizabeth Schlemitz, Les Jones, David Ruffles, Rita Baggott, Theresa De Bono, Frank Hili, Eduardo Francisco, Nicholas Zammit, Fr Claude Borg mssp and all those who are ill.

PRAYER LIST

RECENTLY DECEASED & ANNIVERSARIES

Please pray for our loved ones whom we remember especially Palmero Amodeo, John Agius, Janna Camilleri and Fr Sean O’Conell who all passed away recently, Anna and Charlie Pisani, Tony and Ursula Debrincat, Angelo and Theresa Azzopardi, Hayden Fava, Angelo and Rosa Caltabiano, Carmelo and Lorenza Borg, Helen Vella, Paul and Charlie Vella, Grech and Hili Families, Froilan Santos, Pio Manalo, Emma Dizon, Pace and Caruana Families, Paul and Puala Camilleri, Carmen Azzopardi, Salvu Vella, Emy, Lilly and Henry Saffarese, Jake Shaw, Gloria and Mathew Montebello, Adelaide, Alan and Collin Gamble and all whose anniversaries occur at this time.

Thank you to all those that responded with the Time and Talent Sheets provided during the Stewardship Program. Fr Jude and the Parish Council will send you a letter of invitation to a Welcoming Eucharist and a Volunteer Induction Session where your role will be defined and our Parish’s policies in maintaining a child-safe environment will be covered.

TIME AND TALENT SHEETS

With the New Year approaching us, many of our formal Ministries and the Parish Office will be on holidays to allow all people involved to be refreshed and rejuvenated for 2017. With this in mind please take note that:

The Parish Office will be closed from Mon 26 Dec to Mon 02 Jan 2017.

Children’s Liturgy has finished and will resume on Sun 05 Feb 2017. The Children’s Liturgy sheets will be available after each Mass in the Magazine Rack for use at home.

The last Parish Bulletin will be on Christmas Day. It will resume on Sun 05 Feb 2017.

There will be no Rosters for the Ministries of Lector, Commentator, Altar Servers or Special Ministers of Communion after Christmas. They will start again on Sun 05 Feb 2017. Please offer your services for these Ministries during January when you arrive at Mass. Church Cleaners and Vacuumers, please refer to your copy of your roster for when you are rostered during January.

There is no First Friday Adoration in January, and will resume on Fri 03 Feb 2017.

Sun Night Youth Group will resume on Sun 05 Feb 2017.

JANUARY NOTICES

On behalf of Mission 17, Taryn, Fr Jude, Fr Joe, I (Sheryn) would like to thank the St James Parish Community for your generous donations, prayers and messages of support.

We appreciate all the generous donations that we have received from St James parishioners, the Knights of the Southern Cross, Wyndham Catholic Women’s League, Thomas Carr College, St James and St Francis Primary Schools and the Parish Staff.

Your drive and will to make our world a better place is a true inspiration and a testament to Pope Francis' message of mercy and mission.

We will be in touch next year upon Mission 17's return to update you all on their Mission Immersion and how the raised funds were used.

We ask that you continue to keep Mission 17 in your prayers as they embark on their mission immersion experience in January 2017.

Happy Christmas & a happy new year to you all!

Kindest regards,

Sheryn Mallillin MSSP Missionary Liaison Coordinator

THANK YOU FROM MISSION 17

Every year, the St Vincent de Paul Conference of our Parish asks you for donations of non perishable groceries to be placed under the St James Giving Tree in the Narthex. Every year we are in awe of your kindness. This year we were able to pack nearly 200 boxes of groceries. We thank you for your generosity in allowing us to deliver groceries and toys to many families in our community.

THANK YOU FROM ST VINCENT DE PAUL

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