Diary

Monday

St Vincent de Paul Society Meeting, 9.30am, U Poetry Group, 1.30pm, PCC

Tuesday

Social Club Annual General Meeting, after 10am Mass, U

Wednesday

First Reconciliation Information Night, 8pm, MPR

Fourth Sunday Ordinary Time 4th February, 2013

SEASONS Newsletter of the Catholic Parish of St. Thomas More, Mount Eliza

PCC=Parish Community Centre U=Undercroft

C=Church

MPR=School Multipurpose Room

Baptisms

are held on the 1st & 3rd Sundays of each month at 11:30 am or at any of the Parish

Masses on the 2nd, 4th or 5th Sundays. A compulsory preparation night for parents takes

place on the first Tuesday of each month in the Parish Community Centre at 7:30 pm.

When children of school age are to be baptised, an extended preparation time (3-4

weeks min) is required.

School Funding And The

2013 Federal Election

313 Canadian Bay Rd Mount Eliza Vic. 3930

Phone: 9787 7777 Fax: 9787 9734 Email: MountEliza@cam.org.au

Web: www.stm-mteliza.org

Pastoral Leadership Team

Fr. Laurie (Parish Priest) Maria Newbigin (Pastoral Associate) Peter Whyte (School V Principal )

Narelle Mulcahy Sally Cooper Margaret Emond Phil Jones Margaret Carr Maria Boelen

Anne-Marie Hyde

(Positions will be reviewed during 2013).

Mass Times

Monday

Tuesday, (followed by

Social Club Meeting)

Wednesday, (followed by Holy Hour)

Thursday

Friday

No School Mass

No Mass

10.00 am

9.15am

7.00 pm

9.15 am

Saturday (Vigil) 6.00pm

Sunday

8.00am 10:00am

With a federal election due this

year and no new funding arrange-

ments confirmed beyond 2013, fair

funding for Catholic schools will

continue to be an important issue

for public discussion.

The Prime Minister has said school

funding reform will be an impor-

tant policy issue during the elec-

tion. Details of the Australian Gov-

ernment’s plans are limited, and so

the funding Catholic students might

receive under the funding model is

still unclear.

In the lead-up to negotiations be-

tween the Victorian and Australian

Education Ministers for additional

funding for our schools to close the

funding gap with government

schools. On average, Catholic stu-

dents currently receive 20 percent

less government funding than if

they went to government schools.

Catholic schools try to keep fees

low, so that more families can

choose a Catholic school for their

children. When parent fees are in-

cluded, most Catholic schools oper-

ate on around 90 percent of the cost

of government schools.

With this in mind, government

funding to Catholic schools will

also need to keep pace with the cost

of educating a child in a govern-

ment school. If this funding is fro-

zen, or fails to keep pace with gov-

ernment school funding, Catholic

schools will be forced to increase

parent fees.

If fees go up, parents may have to

take their children out of Catholic

schools, putting pressure on gov-

ernment schools.

To make sure this does not happen,

it is important that governments

fund Catholic schools properly into

the future.

Catholic Education Office

Reconciliation

Saturday 5.00pm-5.30pm

PAGE 2 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

those whose anniversaries fall at this time

Laurie Gage, Leonie Bradley, John M. McCartney, Fr.

Peter Fulton, Adelheid Behrenbruch, Jeremy Lourey

and the Sick

Peggy Fox, James Walsh, Lynda Reid, Michael Bellert,

Michael Stackpole, Maria Newbigin and all of the sick

at the George Vowell Centre & Ranelagh Gardens

Nursing Home.

SEASONS

First Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-5. 17-19

I have appointed you as prophet to the nations.

Responsorial Psalm:

I will sing of your salvation.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13

There are three things that last: faith, hope and love: and

the greatest of these is love.

Gospel Acclamation:

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord sent me to bring Good

News to the poor and freedom to prisoners. Alle-

luia!

Gospel: Luke 4:21-30

Jesus, like Elijah and Elisha, was not sent only to the Jews.

Next Week’s Readings:

Isaiah 6:1-8

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Luke 5:1-11

November Mass Offerings Mass will be offered during this week for the family, friends and relatives and benefactors of Mary Charley, A & C

Coop and for Eric Horne (R.I.P).

Morning Tea

Your hosts this week are Ruth

Pusic and Katie Rodgers. You are

all warmly invited to linger for a

cuppa and an opportunity to get to

know some other members of your parish com-

munity better.

Your hosts next week are Kate Hyland and Sally

Cooper.

We pray for...

Financial Matters… Thanksgiving

Amount received last week......................... $1986

Average per week during January .............. $3175

Pledged per week ......................................... $3228

Presbytery

Amount received last week......................... $1048 Thanks to all of you who give so generously to support our parish.

Liturgy - Fourth Sunday Ordinary Time

Mass Time Ministers of the Eucharist

6 pm Sat Trish Young (Book)

Colleen Simpson (Gifts)

Charlie Simpson (Gifts)

8 am Sun Barry Hansen (Book)

Marj Hansen (Gifts)

Tricia Woods Gifts)

10 am Sun Adrian Coughlan (Book)

Lois Bracken (Gifts)

Colleen McNamara (Gifts)

Counters Julian Collins

Maurie Hutchinson

Larry McEvoy

Mass Time Lector Commentator

6 pm Sat Mary Charley Chris Young

8 am Sun Colleen Hurren Dennis Cleary

10 am Sun Joanne McEvoy Alan Ryan

9th & 10th February Rosters

What’s Happening Here

Christmas Appeal

The members of the St Vincent de Paul Society’s

Morning Star Conference, Mt Eliza, would like to sin-

cerely thank the Parishioners of St Thomas More, the

Children and Staff at St Thomas More’s Primary

School and Judy Swann and the Barber Shop Quartet

for their efforts in helping make Christmas a little

happier for the less fortunate in our community this

year. A total of $2453.83 was raised and more than

100 Christmas hampers were delivered.

Helpers Needed

The Conference has resumed home visitation after

the Christmas break and is experiencing an extremely

heavy workload. It would appear that many people

lost their jobs in the lead up to, and, over Christmas.

Consequently, we are finding many people with no

income at all while they endure the six week wait for

unemployment benefits.

The number of requests we are receiving for help is

stretching our capabilities to the limit. Therefore, we

urgently need people to assist our members in re-

sponding to the current needs.

Further information on how you can help can be ob-

tained by contacting Dennis on 9787 3609, or, by

attending one of our Conference meetings.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Morning Star Conference

will be held in the Undercroft on Monday, 4th Febru-

ary commencing at 9.30 am.

STM Social Club The next session of the Poetry Group will be held in

the Parish Community Centre on Monday, 4th Febru-

ary commencing at 1.30pm. Your host this month will

be Jim McKane, phone 9787 6970.

The Annual General Meeting of the Social Club

will be held this Tuesday, 5th February after the 10am

Mass in the Undercroft.

Sausage Sizzle in the undercroft, Thursday, 21st

February at 5pm.

Frankston Arts Centre - Friday, 8th March @

10.30am. Magnificent Melba & Marvelous Moncrieff.

Bookings at the Social Club Meeting , Tuesday, 5th

February or contact Carol Gascoigne 9775 2315.

The Welfare Officers for February are Bill & Barbara

Hunt, 5975 2818.

Children’s Liturgy Sarah & Damian Harland will lead the

children in an exploration of this week’s

Gospel. Please encourage your children

to join them.

Holy Hour All parishioners are invited to Holy

Hour every Wednesday, directly after

Mass. Some may wish to stay for the

full hour, others may come for a few

minutes or a short time. Everyone is

most welcome to spend a little time in

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria

Good Works

PAGE 3 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT SEASONS

First Reconciliation Information

Night There will be an Information Night held in the first

week of 1st term for all parents who wish to have

their (Year 3 or older) child receive the Sacrament

of First Reconciliation in 2013. The Sacrament itself

will take place on the evening of Thursday, the

21st of March, and preparation involves a series of

weekly evening classes which parents and children

must attend.

Date: Wednesday, 6th February

Time: 8.00 pm

Where: Multipurpose Room,

St Thomas More Primary School,

313 Canadian Bay Road, Mt Eliza

Contact: 9787 7777 or MountEliza@cam.org.au

for more information.

Please note it is a requirement that any child who

wishes to receive their First Eucharist (First

Holy Communion) must have received their

First Reconciliation beforehand.

Also note: For families outside St Thomas More

School there is a cost of $60 which covers both the

First Reconciliation and Eucharist, payable at the

Information Night or at the first class on Wednes-

day,13th February.

Campion Centre of Ignatian

Spirituality Open Day You are invited to a day of prayer,

reflection and conversation as we

explore Ignatian Spirituality and what

the Centre offers.

Bookings are essential: come as our guest (no

charge). Please call us on 9854 8110, or you can email

campion@cis.jesuit.org.au

When: Sunday, 17th February from 10am - 3pm

Where: Campion Centre of Ignatian Spirituality

99 Studley Park Rd, Kew

Check out our Website to view our upcoming

Events and Retreats www.cis.jesuit.org.au

Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre The Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre, at 362 Albert

St, East Melbourne, will be open to the public on Sat-

urday, 9th February from 10am - 4pm, to enable visi-

tors to take a tour of the Mary MacKillop Museum,

pray in the Chapel where Mary prayed, visit the gift

shop and enjoy light refreshments in the tranquil sur-

roundings. A guided Mary MacKillop Walking tour will

also be available.

Pray To End Abortion This Lent, from 13th Feb - 24th March, communities

around Australia will be joining over 400 international

cities praying together for 40 Days for Life.

You too can help save lives by joining in prayer at

one of the campaign sites. It is a powerful witness

for those entering or just passing by and staff at the

abortion centres have noted that appointments drop

whenever there is a campaign. Please join us in prayer

to save lives.

Where: Fertility Control Clinic, phone 0406 322 694

118 Wellington Pde, East Melbourne

Or: Dr Marie Clinic, phone 0406 322 695

411 Dorset Rd, Croydon

www.40daysforlife.com/melbourne

Awareness - A Summer Day Retreat Summer allows us to enjoy simple and peaceful living,

and thereby nurture our own inner growth. We take

some time to look deeply in order to transform.

Expect to feel relaxed after this meditation retreat

day as it harmonises the body and soul and connects

to meaning.

When: Sunday, 10th February from 9.30am - 3pm

Where: The Open Door, A Centre for Creative

Spirituality, 13 Grange Rd, Mornington

Suggested Donation: $10 includes a light lunch

Led by Ellie Chatto. Book now on 5973 5138 or

email theopendoormornington@ssjg.org.au (limited

spaces available).

PAGE 4 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT SEASONS

Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne

Positions Available

Applications are invited from suitably qualified and

experienced people for the position of:

Service Desk Analyst, East Melbourne

Housekeeper, St Joseph’s Chelsea

Volunteer Coordinator, Xavier College

Catechist for Sacramental Programme, St Joseph’s, Malvern

Further details can be found on either the Archdio-

cese website http:/www.cam.org.au/Jobs.aspx

What’s Happening Elsewhere