Parish News
St Mel’s Parish is a welcoming and caring community that helps all people grow stronger in our Catholic Faith!
St Mel’s Parish Prayer
God our Father,
Bless our Parish so that we may love you more. Encircle our families with your loving care. Help parents to be good examples to their children and our youth to grow in strength as good Christians. To the sick, grant health. To the aged, bring serenity and to those in sorrow, joy.
May we grow stronger in faith and may our love for one another become deeper in our daily living.
Amen
Being part of the parish
St Mel’s Parish encourage all members of our community to join in and engage in whatever manner you can. We are currently looking for readers, ministers of the eucharist and general volunteers. Please call the office for more information.
A thought from Fr Peter
In our inquiry of mind we like to find a reason for events happening, and the outcomes which arise. The past few weeks have seen extraordinary news and reasons as to the tragedies of events in Christchurch. Unfathomable! What drives a person to do the unthinkable! In the ancient world, and in our own, many accidents and tragic of events were explained by appeal to the gods or of God, often though we leave in the hands of God to determine an outcome.
We live in a predominately rural environment. Such an environment occupies our thoughts of food production, if we ‘ve noticed our rural surrounds are quite brown and dusty at present. So the importance of water as a natural resource is vital. The effects on climate are changing and this is being felt wildly. We might be tempted to say … Are these in the hands of God?
The gospel reading, from the week gone by is relevant to our time and situation. Because the tree wasn’t producing after great effort, reaction says… “Cut it down”! These profound words in our time suggest it’s easy to do away with what’s not relevant. In matters of our faith, cutting something down might suggest, we haven’t given time or reflection as to why its relational and the outcome it brings. So the tree which would claim Jesus to suffering for he didn’t stay as the tree of suffering rather he gave way to become the tree of life. Human life was struck down so drastically in Christchurch it’s just so hard to get our minds around such a tragedy.
In this next week of Lent we get to the heart of our journey and where we realize our hope is centred upon the nurturing of faith and life enabling we be the living trees of openness to growth through God who cultivates love within us.
Fr Peter Taylor
Holy Week at St Mel’s
Wednesday April 17 Parish Rite of Reconciliation 7:00p.m.
Holy Thursday April 18 Mass of the Last Supper 7:30 p.m.
Followed by the watch until 9:30 p.m
Night prayer
Good Friday April 19 The Way of the Cross 9:00 a.m.
The Passion of the Lord 3:00 p.m.
Holy Saturday April 20 Prayer of the Church 9:00 a.m.
Easter Vigil 7:00 p.m.
Lighting the Easter Fire
Easter Sunday April 21 Easter Sunday Mass 9:00 a.m.
NO 5:30 p.m. MASS
Chrism Mass April 16 Blessing of Oils 11:00 a.m.
Sacred Heart Cathedral Bendigo ALL Welcome
GENERAL NOTICES
BAPTISMS: Every FIRST Sunday of the month 9:30 a.m. Mass
BAPTISMAL PREPARATION: Last two Sundays of the month
WEDDINGS: Couples must make yourselves known to the Parish Priest at least six months before booking the Church
CHRISTIAN MEDITATION: Mondays; 7:30 p.m. in the Parish House
ITALIAN ROSARY: Every Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. in the Parish House
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Parish Contacts
St Mel’s Parish
18 Hamilton Street,
Shepparton Vic. 3630
Telephone: (03) 5831 2194
Email: sheppartonsouth@cdos.org.au
Parish Priest: Fr Peter Taylor
Christ the King Church
Mass Times
Sunday: 9:30 am and 5:30 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am
Tuesday: 5:15
Wednesday to Friday: 9:15 am
Administration Officer: Ainsley Etuale
Secretary: Debbie Elliott
Office Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Parish Pastoral Council Chair: Xavier Tanner
Bereavement Team: Maureen Matthews
Liturgy / Music: Maureen Munro