Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time February 9th 2020 —Year A

WHO ARE WE?

AND HOW DO WE “BELONG”?

“The eternal question “Who am I?” must be weighed against an even deeper question: “Who are we? We are writing each other’s stories as much as we are writing our own.” - Hugh Mackay Author of “The Art of Belonging” 2014 In his book Hugh Mackay shows how strong communities develop our moral sense and build our emotional security. He argues that we can only reach our full potential as human beings when we engage with our communities—our family, our neighbourhood, at work, and our faith communities. We need our faith community and it needs us—so we can ask ourselves—

* Why do I belong?

* How do I belong here?

* How am I nurtured in faith?

* How can I share this with others and work towards building up this community?

* How can I help people to connect with another and to find their place here.

These are the questions for us to explore in in 2020 as we unpack our focus word.

“Belong”

************************************ Many thanks to all those parishioners who so generously donated to the

St Vinnies Bushfire Appeal for the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Our contribution raised over $6,300—you are most generous!

“St John’s Parish community, committed to the Victorian Child Safe

St. John’s Parish Mitcham 494 Whitehorse Road, Mitcham 3132

(Postal: P.O. Box 95, Mitcham 3132) Email: Mitcham@cam.org.au

Website: www.stjohnsmitcham.com.au

Phone: 03 94016366 Fax No. 03 9872 4316

PARISH LEADERSHIP TEAM MISSION STATEMENT To lead and empower the people of our parish to work independently and use their skills

and gifts to grow the life of our faith community now and into the future.

Normal Weekend Mass Times at St. John’s Saturday Vigil, 6pm, then 8.30am, 9.45am, 11.15am, 5pm 9.30am St James Vermont

Parish Priest

Fr Dispin John Supported by Fr Michael A Kelly, CSsR Pastoral Associate: Maree O’Keefe (Tuesday-Friday Sunday am ) Parish Office Visitation and Communion to the Sick & Housebound: Office hours: Co-ordinator: Cath Brindle—0423 065 825 Monday-Friday 9am-4pm Ph: 94016366

Bereavement Ministry: Monika Bredhauer Parish Secretaries: Martine Giles (Monday-Wednesday & Friday) Elisa Kelesidis (Tuesday—Friday) Schools RE for Government Schools:

St John’s School, 494 Whitehorse Road, Mitcham, 9874 1575 Andrew Puls 0407 352 706 Principal: Mrs Verona Gridley St. James School, 51 Centre Road, Vermont, 9874 1830 Principal: Mr David Mutimer

Services: St Vincent de Paul Shop 2/82 Maroondah Hwy Ringwood 9870 9124 - St Vincent de Paul Furniture Pick-Ups 1800 621 349 House of Books (house next door to the Church) 9874 2389 - St Vincent de Paul Welfare Assistance 1800 305 330

AMONGST OUR PARISH FAMILY

We welcome into the Parish family through the Sacrament of Baptism, Cedric Raphael Galves, Sarah Madeleine Tillers.

We ask for the grace and peace Eternal Life for those whose memories are sacred to us at this time, Peter Box, Mary Lee Kuek, Cecilia Kuek, Mike Kuek, Frederick Flentjar.

Parish Information

Weekday Masses this week in our Parish

Monday (Church Closed) Tuesday 10am Mass

Wednesday 10am Mass Thursday (Church Closed) Friday 9am Mass (SJV) 10am Mass Saturday 9.30am Reconciliation

Scripture Readings for week Mon: 1 Kings 8:1-7 9-13 Mark 6:53-56 Tues: 1 Kings 8:22-23 27-30 Mark 7:1-13 Wed: 1 Kings 10:1-10 Mark 7:14-23 Thurs: 1 Kings 11:4-13 Mark 7:24-30 Fri: 1 Kings 11:29-32 12:19 Mark 7:31-37 Sat: 1 Kings 12:26-32 13:33-34 Mark 8:1-10 Sun: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sirach 15:15-20 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 Matthew 5:17-37

Inspiration for the coming week from the Compassion and Friendship Group

The Maori proverb asks “What is the most important thing in the world?” with the response: It is the people, it is the people, it is the people.

Feb 15 / 16 St Johns St. John’s St John’s St. John’s St John’s St James

6pm 8.30am 9.45am 11.15am 5pm 9.30am Mass

C’Tator L Hennessy C Ryan K Callinan-Moore J Kiekebosch R Andrews Lector L D’Silva M Perkins T Henry D Kenendy E Umashankar L McCarthy Eucharist M Webb M Coghlan T Harkin H McIlroy M Kristan C Gorry M Pinto R Smith T A Foster C Brindle M Campbell A Rouse Y Martin G Smith A Martonyi L Iacobucci S Partridge A Jones A Coyne M Hegarty Children’s Liturgy at St James to resume shortly Laptop R Saldahna J D’Silva C Kelly Kennedy family D Indra

Welcome Desk J & L David P Bowen M Easton M Coghlan M Kristan

TRAVELLING ROSARY

The Travelling Rosary will be held at the home of Maureen Donnellan from Sunday 9 February—Friday 14 February. If you are planning to attend, please contact Maureen on 9874 6048 to confirm time.

Congratulations and best wishes to Josie Haggarty who is celebrating her 90th Birthday this weekend.

Faith Formation 2020

ST VINCENT DE PAUL—FEBRUARY

Coffee, tea bags, pasta sauce, tins of fruit.

Please leave donations in the tub at the Piety Stall in the Narthex.

Conference Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at 7.30pm. Enquiries Ross Hancock 0419 117 343

ONLY FOOD ITEMS & small household cleaning & toiletry items are to be placed in the box beside the Piety Stall counter. All other items should be placed in the St Vincent de Paul Bin at the Basketball courts.

Catholic Social Teaching—What Can I Do About it here and now?

Christian Meditation Our next parish meditation gathering will take place on Monday evening 10 February at 7.30pm, join our dedicated group of meditating parishioners in the conducive quiet of the parish meeting room for our monthly gathering. If you are interested in deepening your spirituality, or want to strengthen your connection to God, come along. All are welcome. Free of charge. The parish meeting room is entered from the rear of the parish centre. All Enquiries Chris Ryan 98745940. Again, all are welcome. Please join us!

PLENARY COUNCIL 2020 Our 4th Parish Gathering will be on:

Sunday, 23 February at 2pm in the Church Narthex

We will explore the fourth National Theme: “How is God calling us to be a Christ-centred church

that is prayerful and Eucharistic?”

All Welcome!

Contact Maree at Parish Office 9401 6351 or email: Maree.OKeefe@cam.org.au

For more than seven years, the “Lifeboat Foundation” has given practical, pastoral and emotional support to established victims of church-related-sexual abuse. “Lifeboat” relies entirely on freely-given donations and its fund-raising activities. “Lifeboat” is again inviting St John’s parishioners to assist its critically important work through participation in the Combined Catholic Parishes Raffle, which began at St John’s in 1992. 3 x Suzuki Baleno automatic sedans are the major pr izes, each valued at $20,682, with 11 minor prizes of $1000 and $500 Coles-Myer Gift Cards—a total prize pool of nearly $70,000. Tickets are just $2, and every ticket sold will generate $1,50 for the work of “Lifeboat” - that’s $15 for every book sold. Last year, St John’s raised nearly $3,000 in this way. Tickets will be on sale after Mass this weekend and also the weekend of 15 & 16 February.

URGENT

All Volunteers including Commentators/Lectors/

Ministers of Eucharist/Laptop Operators/ Welcome Desk Volunteers

In accordance with Archdiocesan Guidelines and Victorian State Legislation it is now mandatory for all volunteers (with exception to those under the age of 18 years) to have a current Working with Children Check. This is completed online and as volunteers there is no cost involved. Many volunteers probably have this in check but for those who do not it is now paramount that this course of action be followed through in order to volunteer in our parish. In order to keep our parish records accurate and up to date and to comply with legislation please make sure that our office has a copy of your current WWCC details. This can either be emailed to mitcham@cam.org.au or dropped into the parish office. Anyone who would like assistance please contact the parish office on 9401 6366 we are very happy to assist you. If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact the parish office.

NB: For all those who hold a current VIT Registration you are now required by law to present a current WWCC for parish office records. Parish is a separate entity and all those with this registration who volunteer in any parish ministry need to comply.

Thank you for your co-operation. Child Safety Team

Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Victoria (ACMV)

Invitation—Book Launch—The Seed Has Grown

Sunday, 16th February 2020 Mass at 11am 434 St Georges Rd, Thornbury, followed by the ACMV Book Launch—The Seed Has Grown at 12.30pm.

Light refreshments will be provided please RSVP no later than 14 February to Odette.LoCastro@cam.org.au

ALL WELCOME

World Day of Prayer—Pray for Zimbabwe—Friday 6th March 2020 at Blackburn North/Nunawading

Uniting Church, 355-357 Whitehorse Rd, Nunawading at 10am Moring Tea followed by 10.30am Service.

Everyone Welcome!

Social & Other

ST JOHN'S SENIORS

Next Wednesday, 12th February, the Seniors are going to a Concert at Whitehorse Arts Centre, morning tea at 10am, show at 11am. I have 1 ticket spare if anyone would like to join us please phone Helen 0409 022 830 or 9874 0809. Details next week about our trip to Williamstown on 26th February.

CHILD SAFETY To enhance the safety of our children, parish keys and visitor passes are

monitored from the Parish Office.

NEW PARISH OFFICE PHONE NUMBER

Our new Parish phone number is now working.

94016366

Welcome to our Parish—Please make yourself known at the Welcome Desk in the Narthex and collect your Information Package which we hope will be of value to you.

Mitcham Catholic Solo Support Group

Our 1st meeting back for 2020 is on Tuesday 11th February at 1.30pm in the Parish Office Meeting Room. (Please note that there has been a change of venue please enter from the Parish Office). Looking forward to seeing you all again. Enquiries: Veronica 9894 4692

“TAKE IT TO THE PARK “

St John’s Parish get together for young families

All young families are invited to come to Halliday Park

on the third Sunday of every month at 3pm—5pm

Contact Carlie Anderson

0427 361 215

ANNUAL FEB FEAST SOCIAL

HELD IN THE ST JOHN’S SCHOOL GROUNDS

FRIDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2020 6.30pm—9pm

Spit Roast, Salads, Coffee, Desserts & Live Entertainment

Come and have some fun at our festival shared tables.

Tickets available after Mass this weekend or from the Parish Office.

Tickets Cost: $25 Adults & $12 children (12 yrs)

St John’s Parish Hospitality Team

We are planning to form a team of parishioners who would be interested in providing hospitality for parish functions. Funeral hospitality and catering will be a major part of this very vibrant and important parish ministry. If you enjoy baking cakes/slices, preparing sandwiches, serving refreshments mainly during weekdays, we would love to hear from you. Please contact the Parish Office 9401 6366 with expressions of interest or if you have any queries.

The House of Books has requested that donations of books be put on hold for the next three months. A warm invitation is extended to come and visit and enjoy the newly refurbished House of Books.