Third Sunday of Lent March 15 2020 —Year A

So much in life we want, desire, need: food and drink, friendship and love, sex and acceptance;

Jesus, what have you to offer? What does it mean that

Anyone who drinks the water that I will give will never be thirsty again?

Human wants and desires are confused; we want happiness and look in the wrong places;

we’re like the woman at the well, looking for happiness in a place we can’t find it,

and open to the love Jesus offers: Anyone who drinks the water that I will give will never be thirsty again.

I thank you Lord, for faith,

for the roots of my life which nobody else can give; I thank you for a meaning in life which makes me strong from birth to death;

I thank you for the Eucharist which nourishes all life’s moments; I thank you for forgiveness, which means I need never stay stuck in faults.

Thank you for this living water:

Anyone who drinks the water that I will give will never be thirsty again.

Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ

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

& acknowledges that Child Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility”

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.

St. John's Memorial Garden Plaques for this pastoral project may be ordered at any time for any deceased person who either was a parishioner at St John’s or who was buried from St John’s Church. The forms are in the Newsstands. These forms now include the Interment of Ashes at St. John's. The completed forms can be handed into the Parish Office. Enquiries: Maureen 9894 3288

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 ask for the grace and peace Eternal Life for Thelma Hardcastle, Paul Hay and for those whose memories are sacred to us at this time, Peggie O’Regan, Marjorie Jackson, Mary Sullivan, Mary Gill.

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: 2 Kings 5:1-15 Luke 4:24-30 Tues: St Patrick Jeremiah 1:4-9 Luke 10:1-12 17-20 Acts 13:46-49 Wed: Deuteronomy 4:1 5-9 Matthew 5:17-19 Thurs: St Joseph 2 Samuel 7:4-5 12-14 16 Romans 4:13 16-18 22 Matthew 1:16 18-21 24 Fri: Hosea 14:2-10 Mark 12:28-34 Sat: Hosea 5:15—6:6 Luke 18:9-14 Sun: Fourth Sunday of Lent 1 Samuel 16:1 6-7 10-13 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41

Inspiration for the coming week from the Compassion and Friendship Group

Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about be kind always.

March 21 / 22 St Johns St. John’s St John’s St. John’s St John’s St James

Team D 6pm 8.30am 9.45am 11.15am 5pm 9.30am

C’Tator M&N Bredhauer A Buchanan A Crowe G Lewis K Harvey Lector A Livy E George B Mills Z D’Silva P Wallace T Wursthorn Eucharist M Livy F McKenna T Harkin A Glenn K Placido M Brochoff E Booth R Jess M Lafferty S Catacutan C Kook K Brooks R McIntosh Jancy Kaithavelil D Tew M Holmes J Rhynehart J Kaithavelil C Bramble T Vaz Children’s Liturgy A McLaughlin E Gorry Laptop L Elliott B Meehan G Gill Black family M Lambert

Welcome Desk M Ayling J/B Houlihan B Saunders V Keys

TRAVELLING ROSARY

The Travelling Rosary will be held at the home of Marj Coghlan from Sunday 15 March—Friday 20 March. If you are planning to attend, please contact Marj on 9874 5716 to confirm time.

Faith Formation 2020

ST VINCENT DE PAUL—MARCH 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?

PROJECT COMPASSION 2020

Father of four, Barry, embodies resilience and strength. Growing up in a tough environment, he had to look inside himself to make the right choices for himself and his family. Barry, and others like him, were able to take part in a cultural healing program called Red Dust Healing. This program encourages participants to examine their own personal hurt and allows them to heal from within, addressing family and personal relationships and what may be seen life-long patterns of violence, abuse and neglect. Today, thanks to the Caritas supported Red Dust Healing program, he’s an inspirational father to his four girls and a leader in his community. A brighter future for men, women and their families can start today. Let’s Go Further, Together.

FAITH AND FRIENDSHIP: JOURNEYING THROUGH LENT

Tuesday evenings of Lent 7.30pm-9pm to be held in the Narthex (entrance) St John’s Church Mitcham

(please note changed venue for 2020)

Featuring Maeve Louise Heaney’s Lenten program: Light from Within

Come along! Join in our parish journey towards Easter. All Welcome attend any or all sessions stay for supper if you wish.

All Enquiries: Jenny Kearney 0412 379 357 or Maree O’Keefe 9401 6366

Catholic Earthcare [Mitcham] Laudato Si Group

Pope Francis says “our sister now cries out to us cause of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her….her cry, united with that of the poor, stirs our conscience to acknowledge our sins against creation” In our parish St James has done much to respond to this challenge with its garden and animals while St John’s uses its buildings to foster community building for many groups to gather. We have our project boxes/envelopes but do we take the extra step to inform our children and grandchildren as well ourselves about how great that human need is within and without Australia with two million children living on or below the poverty line. We watch the adverts about the little girl who goes to school as an outsider but are we discerning the deeper issue Pope Francis is pointing to?

Br Mark O’Connor accredited press observer at the recent Amazon synod in Rome & an astute analyser, is speaking on Tuesday 17 March at 8pm at St Kevin’s Church, 26 Herlihy’s Rd, Lower Templestowe. Mark has reflected deeply on the impact of this synod for the changing ace of the Church. Come along and be filled with hope as this engaging, wise man offers us precious insights on our Catholic tradition t the local, regional and universal level. This wonderful evening will be rounded off by the articulate and passionate Peter Johnstone (Catholics Renewal). There is good parking in the school grounds next to the Church and will start promptly at 8pm. (See Parish Website What’s On What’s New for flyer)

Could you assist in the Easter Dawn Mass?

There are a number of roles that need to be filled for the 6am Easter Dawn celebration. Role descriptions and the sign up sheet are at the back of the church. Thank you very much.

PALM SUNDAY PALMS NEEDED

We need your help—if you have access to Cypress branches and/or

large palm fronds for decoration in the Church—could you please

contact Maree asap on 9401 6366 Thank you

Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre at 362 Alber t Street East Melbourne, invites par ishioners, families & friends to their first Weekend Open Day for 2020 on Saturday 21 March from 10am-4pm. Visit the Mary MacKillop Museum, the Chapel where Mary prayed, as well as the Gift Shop & Refreshments area for morning or afternoon tea. A Mary “MacKillop Walking Tour” will take place at 11am. Everyone welcome and entry is free.

St Patrick’s Catheral Pre-Dinner Concert Jennifer Chou, Organ & Bruno Siketa, Trumpet

Friday 3 April 6pm-7pm - works by J S Bach, Buxtehude, Petr Eben. Tickets $25 bookings: www.trybooking.com/BIPSG Children under 15 years free Enquiries: music@cam.org.au

CANCELLATION—MARCH OF WITNESS

Unfortunately it was been decided to cancel this years March of Witness . We hope to carry this tradition forward in the coming years.

Social & Other

ST JOHN'S SENIORS

Unfortunatley the Seniors have decided to cancel the trip to the Blue Lotus Watergardens due to health concerns related to the Coronavirus. If you have paid you will be refunded your

money. Helen 9874 0809.

CHILD SAFETY To view our Safeguarding Children & Young People Code of Conduct go to

stjohnsmitcham.com.au or see noticeboard in the Church Narthex, and in the St James Community Centre.

“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

The House of Books is now open for business please come & visit and see our newly refurbished “House of Books”. Could donations of books to be put on hold for the moment. However , we will be accepting donations of books after Easter.

Opening hours are: Monday-Friday 10am-4pm Saturday 10am-1pm

“I was...in prison and you came to see me” Matthew 25:35-36

ANNUAL EASTER BISCUIT BAKE

Prison Fellow Australia needs 86,000 biscuits to provide every Victorian prison inmate with 10 home-made biscuits and a card explaining the meaning of Easter.

Volunteers distribute the biscuits in every Victorian prison in Holy Week. By baking biscuits for this appeal, you will be present to the prisoners, sharing God’s love in this very simple act.

* We need the biscuits by Monday 23 March * No nuts or peanut butter * Biscuits to be in sealed disposable containers eg ice-cream containers etc * Ingredients clearly listed on top of container * No limits on quantities as biscuits will be repacked in quantities of 10 * Invite families and friends to participate

We had an amazing response to this appeal last year, thanks to many generous parishioners. Please drop the biscuits off at St John’s Parish Office Enquiries about this or becoming a PFA volunteer: Barry Kearney 0412379253 or ring PFA in Doncaster 98481224 www.prisonfellowship.org.au

CELEBRATION DAY OR GIRLS

A workshop for girls aged 10-12 and their mothers/carers.

Lively discussion, fun activities, women’s stories and gentle celebration at this

threshold of menarche, puberty and womanhood.

When: Sunday 3rd May at 11am-5pm Where: Coghlan Centre, St John’s Mitcham

Cost: $165 per mother/daughter couple Bookings/enquiries: Kath Callinan-Moore

0438 802 379 / kathcm61@gmail.com

Could all “LifeBoat” raffle tickets be returned either to Maureen Campbell on 0409 894 328 or to the Parish Office as soon as possible. Many thanks for your generous support.

St John’s Card Making Group

The St John’s Card Making Group will be selling Easter Cards, Mother’s Day Cards & other specialty greeting cards after all masses on the weekend of 21 & 22 March. Cards will cost from $3 and profits from the sale of our cards benefits the work of St Vincent de Paul Society.

Cards are also sold at the House of Books and Parish Office foyer.

Special orders can be made by contacting Monika on 0438 220 361.

St James Primary School 51 Centre Rd, Vermont

OPEN DAYS

Tours at 9am & 10am on the following days: Thursday 19th March Tuesday 24th March

Friday 1st May

OPENING EVENING Tuesday 21st April 7.30pm-8.30pm

please register for this evening All Welcome! Prep 2021 Enrolments Now Open

David Mutimer, Principal, Ph: 9874 1830 office@sjvermont.catholic.edu.au

St John’s Primary School 490 Whitehorse Rd, Mitcham

OPEN DAYS

Thursday 19th March Wednesday 22nd April

PREP INFORMATION EVENING

Wednesday 29th April at 7pm Verona Gridley, Principal

principal@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au Ph: 9874 1575