PARISH NEWS SHEET Welcome to the Partnered Parishes of St Peter Toorak and Our Lady of Lourdes Armadale The Ascension of the Lord – Year A 24th May 2020

SUNDAY MASS IS STREAMED LIVE AT 11AM ON YOUTUBE WEEKDAY MASS IS CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Parish Priest Father Brendan Hayes, Episcopal Vicar of the Southern Region Business Manager Mr Frank Glynn Pastoral Associate Miss Delisa Gonsalves Parish Secretary Mrs Madeline Dimasi Assistant Secretary Mrs Carmel Negline Office 583 Toorak Road, Toorak, VIC, 3142 Office Hours Tuesday to Friday 10:30am to 4:00pm Office Telephone 9068 8600 Email [email protected] Website http://pol.org.au/toorak Instagram armadale_toorakpartneredparish Presbytery 631 High Street, East Prahran, VIC, 3181 After Hours Telephone 9510 5042

Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School Principal Mrs Francine Walsh School Office 7 Wynnstay Road, Prahran East, VIC, 3181 Office Telephone 9510 6688 Email [email protected] Website http://ololprimary.com.au/

St Peter’s Early Learning Centre Director Mrs Kathleen Brohier ELC Office Loreto Mandeville Hall – 10 Mandeville Crescent, Toorak, VIC, 3142 Office Telephone 9827 7233 Email [email protected] Website https://www.stpeterselc.vic.edu.au/

Sacrament of: Reconciliation Please ring 9068 8600 during Office Hours to make an appointment with Father Hayes

Baptisms One Baptism at a time and restricted in numbers.

Marriages By arrangement with the Parish Priest and

restricted in numbers.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“Go, preach the to all nations.” This was the farewell command of . He has no body now on earth but ours.

He has no hands but ours To raise up the fallen. He has no feet but ours To seek out the lost.

He has no eyes but ours To see the silent tears of the suffering. He has no ears but ours To listen to the lonely.

He has no tongue but ours To speak a word of comfort to the sad. He has no heart but ours To love the unloved.

Christ often picks the little unknown people To do his greatest work.

Anon. From Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies Year A , Flor McCarthy SDB, Dominican Publications 1985 Dublin, p.88

THE WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

The ‘Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’ runs from Ascension Day (today) until Sunday.

It is our custom to meet for prayer in each of the four Churches of the Toorak Ecumenical Covenant but the current lockdown has cast us adrift. For sources of prayer and reflection Google : Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2020.

The resources for prayer have been prepared by the Churches of . I know there is at least one Anglican Church in Malta which was the garrison Church for the British Forces in the good old days. In these ecumenical times I presume there are others. The only churches I know in Malta are Catholic, lots and lots of them.

For your own prayer and meditation you may like to read the passage from the which recounts the story of St Paul shipwrecked on Malta: :1-28:16.

Think of the dangers, the terror, the witness and faith of St Paul in an unknown place. Think of the hospitality of Publius whom the Maltese remember as Publius. Think of your own uncertainties, weakness in this time and place all of that before the Lord who ascended to heaven that we might be filled with the Spirit and carry on his work.

A Note on the Pastoral Letter of the Bishops of the Four Dioceses in Victoria.

1. The Bishops have suggested some Guidelines that Churches may be open for Private Prayer and also for Masses. 2. Archbishop Comensoli’s General Guidelines for Melbourne suggest that Churches and Places of Worship may be opened for scheduled, that is pre-arranged, Private Worship for no more than 10 people at once: names and addresses are to be recorded, distance to be observed, and someone to supervise the whole exercise. Masses may be celebrated on Sundays: each Priest has the faculty to celebrate 3 times; and also on weekdays: each Priest has the faculty to celebrate more than once. The maximum number of persons allowed is 10. The Worship Space has to be sanitized before and after the Mass. Names and contact details must be recorded, distancing has to be observed, etc. These Guidelines apply from Wednesday 13th May 2020, until the end of May, when they may be reviewed in the light of further announcements by the Government of Victoria. My considered opinion on these measures is that it involves much work for a very small number of people for a short time, now only two weeks. I believe that it is more beneficial in the practical sense and for the sake of one’s blood pressure to wait until the end of May for a possible increase in permissible numbers and our easing of the sanitizing precautions. It is a frustrating time for all of us. We miss the Eucharist, we miss prayer together. But we can pray at home. Varying the manner of prayer can be helpful. If you are saying your favourite prayer(s), do it aloud. Try reading a passage of Scripture aloud rather than silently. Place a Holy picture or Crucifix in front of you, etc. Any questions or reactions to my Note may be directed by phone, or email for preference. Assuring you of my prayers during this time and hoping for yours in return.

Regards,

Fr Hayes

RECENTLY DECEASED RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 46:2-3. 6-9. R. v.6 Maria Grazia Dell’Orso, Agnes Ryan, Santiago Crespo, John Schillaci, Response: Nancy Blakekelly God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. ANNIVERSARIES Barbara Slatterie, Mario Borg, William O’Day, Luigi Ferraro, SECOND READING Eph 1:17-23 Robin Siemering (1st) A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a

spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full SICK LIST knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you Jane Wetzler, Claire & Doug Mitchell, Therese O’Hehir, can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has Paul Mohan, Peter Lindley, Noela & John Gibb, Robert & Bobby Panton, Mary Lennox, Dr Bill Mitchell, promised the will inherit and how infinitely great is the power . Dr David Phillips, Ranjan Gregory, Isuzu Nishimura, Kath Cassar, that he has exercised for us believers. This you can tell from the Peter Renehan, Mark Ryan, John Bongiorno (in USA), Reg Perry, strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him Dympna Brady, Adrian Mitchell, Teresa Sheehan, Jean Ryan, from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far Livia Bacchia, Ronald Lee, Myra Hudousek, Campbell Davies, above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any Oey Winata, Helen Hudson, Patricia Webb, Evelyn Hughes, other name that can be named, not only in this age, but also in the age and Margaret Rizza and family members to come. He has put all things under his feet, and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation.

READINGS: SUNDAY 31 May 2020 First reading :1-11 GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Psalm Ps 103:1. 24. 29-31. 34. Alleluia, alleluia! Second reading 1 Cor 12:3-7, 12-13 Go and teach all people my gospel. Gospel Jn 20:19-23 I am with you always, until the end of the world. Alleluia!

READINGS – Today 24 May 2020 GOSPEL Mt 28:16-20

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew ENTRANCE ANTIPHON :11

Men of Galilee, why gaze in wonder at the heavens? The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus This Jesus whom you saw ascending into heaven had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before will return as you saw him go, alleluia. him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He

said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name FIRST READING Acts 1:1-11 of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to A reading from the Acts of the Apostles observe all the commandments I gave to you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’ In my earlier work, , I dealt with everything Jesus had

done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his

instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, © The scriptural quotations are taken from the Jerusalem , published and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them and copyright 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton Longman and Todd Ltd and after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had Doubleday & Co Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. When he had been at table with them, he had told them not The English translation of the Psalm Responses, the Alleluia and Gospel to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had Verses, and the Lenten Gospel Acclamations, and the Titles, Summaries, and Conclusion of the Readings, from the Lectionary for Mass © 1997, 1981, 1968, promised. ‘It is’ he had said, ‘what you have heard me speak about: International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ The Partnered Parishes of Armadale & Toorak Copyright Licencing Number: Now having met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, has the time © E539867 come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy ************************************* Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only

in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.’ Funerals this week:

As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud Monday: Requiem Mass for Nancy Blakekelly, who died very took him from their sight. peacefully at Darnlee Nursing Home at the age of 103. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in I do not think she would mind my writing that, now. Nancy had lived white were standing near them and they said, ‘Why are you men for some years in her own home in Toorak before going to Darnlee. from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Thursday: Funeral Liturgy for John (Giovanni ) Ficarra who died very Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go peacefully on Thursday. He came to St Peter’s from time to time and there.’ liked it very much.

Let us commend both these people to God’s mercy and be mindful of their families.

UPDATE ON ST PETER’S CHURCH DEVELOPMENT

Significant progress is being made in the interior of the Church. New marble floor tiling has been laid in the Sanctuary and the Aisle of the Nave. The Baptismal Font and the base of the Altar have also been installed. The photos reveal the wonderful colours of the marble. The entry two airlock has been constructed, stained and glazed. The joinery in the Sacristy is currently being installed and the Sacristy doors and entrance have been completed. The new large stained glass window looks magnificent and major components of the organ have been installed. The laying of the stonework on the exterior wall of the Western Annex is continuing. The steel Lantern on top of the Bell Tower has been painted and the surrounding scaffold should be removed in the next couple of weeks once some minor plumbing work is completed. Enjoy the photos.