This blog page is published as a place to engage with the ongoing Archdiocesan plan to discuss the “Re-Imagining” of the Mission of the Church in Melbourne. A prayer card may be viewed here.
You will find a full presentation of the theme and various resources at the Melbourne Archdiocesan site here.
November 26th 2021
INFORMATION SSESSIONS
Last weekend we concluded our information sessions at parish masses for this year. Some reading about the Mission Renewal is available at the church door.
November 19th 2021
PARISH RENEWAL INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK SESSIONS II
The parish is providing two remaining opportunities for you to hear information about the proposed mission renewal and how it may affect our parish into the future. The format will be a presentation at Mass followed by time for reaction and feedback. There is also a handy printed summary of what the Parish Renewal is about at the church doors.
- Saturday Nov 20th at St Joseph’s 6pm Vigil Mass
- Sunday Nov 21st at St Thomas’ 9am Mass
November 12th 29021
PARISH RENEWAL INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK SESSIONS I
The parish is providing three opportunities for you to hear information about the proposed mission renewal and how it may affect our parish into the future. The format will be a presentation followed by time for reaction and feedback.
- Sunday Nov 14th at St Joseph’s 10.30am Mass (in person and live on Zoom)
- Wednesday Nov 17th at 7pm on Zoom
- Sunday Nov 21st at St Thomas’ 9am Mass
November 5th 2021
PARISH CONSULTATIONS
At their monthly meeting this week our parish council will plan a couple of opportunities for parishioners to be informed about and react to the Mission Renewal process being promoted by the Archdiocese. Exact dates are to be announced but the opportunities will be provided following Sunday Masses and probably one online event in the coming weeks.
October 30th 2021
ONLINE MEETING OF LOCAL PASTORS
Last Wednesday the pastors of our neighbouring parishes were joined briefly by Fr Joe Caddy, Vicar General of the Archdiocese for our regular catch-up and discussion on the ongoing Mission Renewal process. Fr Caddy encouraged our group of five parishes to continue to explore ways we might collaborate and together re-imagine our future . Each pastor updated the group on significant issues in our parishes and how we plan to return to parish worship after lockdown.
October 27th 2021
ISSUES RAISED WITH THE ARCHBISHOP AT CLERGY MEETINGS
The Archbishop in a letter to clergy summarised the themes of concern and significant issues relating to the Mission Renewal process during online meetings with clergy over a two week period. He then responded to each area o concern or comment. The summary of the main themes raised in the ,meetings may be read here.
October 26th 2021
POPE FRANCIS ON THE SYNOD – COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION, MISSION
The Pope inaugurated the 2021-2023 Synod Process with a homily on 10th October in Rome. He emphasised three words as critical to the process – “Encounter, Listening, asking”.
“Celebrating a Synod means walking on the same road, walking together. Let us look at Jesus. First, he encounters the rich man on the road; he then listens to his questions, and finally he helps him discern what he must do to inherit eternal life. Encounter, listen and discern. I would like to reflect on these three verbs that characterize the Synod.” (You may rea the full text here.)
October 23rd 2021
MISSION SUNDAY MESSAGE
Each year in October, the month of the Missions, the Church celebrates World Mission Sunday with a message from the Pope. In this time of reflecting on our own parish mission, the words of Pope Francis seems particularly appropriate.
An invitation to each of us
The theme of this year’s World Mission Day – “We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20), is a summons to each of us to “own” and to bring to others what we bear in our hearts. This mission has always been the hallmark of the Church, for “she exists to evangelize” Our life of faith grows weak, loses its prophetic power and its ability to awaken amazement and gratitude when we become isolated and withdraw into little groups. By its very nature, the life of faith calls for a growing openness to embracing everyone, everywhere. The first Christians, far from yielding to the temptation to become an elite group, were inspired by the Lord and his offer of new life to go out among the nations and to bear witness to what they had seen and heard: the good news that the Kingdom of God is at hand. They did so with the generosity, gratitude and nobility typical of those who sow seeds in the knowledge that others will enjoy the fruit of their efforts and sacrifice. I like to think that “even those who are most frail, limited and troubled can be missionaries in their own way, for goodness can always be shared, even if it exists alongside many limitations” . (Read the full message here).
October 17th 2021
MELBOURNE LAUNCH OF SYNOD ON SYNODALITY 2021-2023
The Archbishop of Melbourne has this weekend now officially launched the local engagement with the preparation for the Synod in a Letter to the Faithful which you may read here. He addresses the issue of managing the three concurrent processes presently affecting us.
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