LATEST!
COVID-19 UPDATE
The latest update from the Archdiocese reminds us that face-masks are recommended for use in church. Booking to attend our parish Masses is not necessary given our relatively small numbers at present.
Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas
The feast day of St Thomas Aquinas, one of our parish patron saints, occurs this coming Thursday 28th January. A mass will be celebrated in the church that day at 12.45pm. Our community celebration this year will be muted due to the COVID-19 situation. Weekday Masses or communion services at St Thomas’ will resume the following week.
RCIA – BECOMING A CATHOLIC
We invite anyone interested in learning of the Catholic faith or adult Catholics yet to receive the Sacraments to contact the office for information about our parish RCIA program. (03) 9826 9677
WEEKDAY MASSES
Lunch-time masses have resumed at St Thomas’ at 12.45 pm Tue-Friday but will not be celebrated during January till the end of the month. Masses at St Joseph’s Tuesday to Friday at 10 am. (See most recent information on Mass Times page)
AUGUSTINIAN ASSEMBLY
The members of the Augustinian Province in Australia, Vietnam and South Korea conducted their Province Assembly from Mon-Fri Jan 4-8th deferred from last July due to the COVID situation. Thanks for your prayerful support.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE 2021
Click here to view the introduction and link to this year’s message of Pope Francis for the Day of Prayer for Peace.
ACCESS TO ST JOSEPH’S CARPARK
Stonnington Council has blocked access from Chapel Street to our church carpark at St Joseph’s with a temporary “Pop-Up-Park”. Access is still possible from Chapel St via Arthur Street, Portland Place and then Fitzgerald Street; OR by using Davison Place, which is now a two-way laneway, directly to the carpark entrance from Arthur Street. (map here)
COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS UPDATE
As per the December 6th government announcements the restrictions indoor gatherings allow us to accommodate about 140 persons at St Joseph’s Church and about 80 at St Thomas’ for our Sunday Masses.
Out now! – the relaunch of The Parish Chronicle! (Go here for a sneak preview)
2020 CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE IN CONJUNCTION WITH SJOS
This year we are again collected gifts for the SJOS food store visitors. Sincere thanks for all your generous donations. Christmas hampers have been given to the residents in our transitional housing and gift vouches and food items will augment the food store stocks.
PARISH SUNDAY MASSES
WE INVITE YOU TO RETURN TO OUR WEEKEND MASSES AT 6PM SAT, 9AM & 10.30AM SUNDAY
LIVESTREAMED MASSES CONCLUDE
Christmas Eve 6pm and Christmas Day 10.30 will be the last two Masses streamed from the parish churches for the time being. We take this opportunity to again thanks our technicians and musicians who have made this possible since March this year.
Our Parish Facebook page is now live! Go to this link to check out the great site. New : Watch Mass Live on Facebook
SUNDAY KID’S BULLETIN
The Kids’ Bulletins are a resource for Catholic kids who would like to have some fun while learning about the readings from the Sunday Mass every week. See this week’s bulletin here.
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER
The Parish Council met December 9th and discussed the following matters:
- Planning for Advent and Christmas Masses.
- The future of Zoom Masses.
- Revival of Parish Chronicle quarterly magazine.
- Update on Arnold St cottage renovations.
ZOOM CONFERENCE FR PERCIVAL SEVARE For our final Zoom Conference on Tuesday November 24th at 7pm Fr Percival agreed to join us for a session and address us on the topic, “What has our faith meant to us during this time of pandemic?‘ .
ZOOM CONFERENCE – WITH FR MICHAEL SULLIVAN OSA
Fr Michael Sullivan has kindly agreed to spend an hour with us from Vietnam on our next Zoom Conference Thursday November 12th at 7pm. It will be a great opportunity to hear about his first year in his new missionary assignment.
MISSION SUNDAY APPEAL
“The Joy of the Lord is your Strength”
This weekend our parish will be holding the annual Catholic Mission Church Appeal. This year we are invited to partner with the Church in Cambodia, which is reaching out to those who have been affected by disability and giving them hope and support to live a fulfilling life. Donate here.
POPE’S NEW ENCYCLICAL RELEASED
Following the official signing of the document in Assisi on Saturday October 3rd the much-anticipated new encyclical “On the Fraternity and Social Friendship” is now available to read here.
Memorable quotes from “Fratelli Tutti”
- “We need to develop the awareness that nowadays we are either all saved together or no one is saved. Poverty, decadence and suffering in one part of the earth are a silent breeding ground for problems that will end up affecting the entire planet.” (No. 137)
YAM Spring Zoom Conference Tuesday October 13th
‘Are you getting your spiritual nourishment during COVID?’. Hosted by YAM, this session is in a Q&A format, and discusses various topics. We look forward to the insights of Patrice Moriarty, who leads the Social Justice Office at the Diocese of Parramatta. The session may be viewed on Facebook Go to this link
BISHOPS’ OPEN LETTER TO THE PREMIER
The four Catholic bishops of Victoria have petitioned the state government to consider the matter of fairness with regard to numbers permitted in a premises under stage three restrictions. Read the letter here.
SJOS COMBINED PARISHES RAFFLE WINNERS 2020 The winners of this year’s raffle are posted below. Sadly there were no winners from our parish. Thanks to all who generously supported the event earlier in the year. click here
ZOOM CONFERENCE TUESDAY 29TH SEP 7PM
Our conference featured a young Augustinian priest in Japan. Fr Futoshi Matsuo OSA was ordained in 2017 and now serves in a parish in Nagasaki, where he also teaches. The session will open a window for us on the Church in a different part of the Asia Pacific from an Augustinian perspective.
IMPORTANT UPDATE – ZOOM PASSCODE
From 27th September (this Sunday) you may be asked for a Passcode to join our Zoom meeting. Please remember daylight saving time begins this coming Saturday night!
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5109062166 Passcode: 430540
MIGRANT AND REFUGEE SUNDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER
This year’s theme for the Holy Father’s Message for 2020 World Day of Migrants and Refugees is: “Forced like Jesus Christ to flee”. “I have decided to devote this Message to the drama of internally displaced persons, an often unseen tragedy that the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated.” The Pope’s full message may be found here.
See Pope Francis’ Prayer to St Joseph for Migrants and Refugees here.
SOCIAL SERVICES SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 20TH 2020
September 20th was ‘Social Services Sunday’ within the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. Catholic Social Services Victoria provide resources to help our communities address the needs of those who are homeless, those suffering mental illness, those in prison, children in need of care and any who are vulnerable due to age or disability.
You may view the Social Services Sunday Prayer for Courage and Compassion here.
SELF CARE IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC
Our conference last Thursday was moderated by Rhyannon Elliott from CatholicCare, who focused on self care at this challenging time. Rhyannon has worked for CatholicCare for 17 years, most recently as the Marriage Relationship Education Manager. You may view the resources she mentioned during the talk here.
Practicing Self Compassion Irish Blessing “Renato’s Luck” by Jeff Shapiro Mindful Eating