Education in Faith

The Season Of Advent

This Sunday, 1st December is the beginning of Advent. Advent goes for 4 weeks.

The word ‘Advent’ means ‘coming’. When we light the candles on the wreath, 

it symbolises the coming of light into the world. This light is Jesus.

Advent is a special time in the church year when we prepare and get ready 

to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

The Advent wreath has 4 candles, 3 purple and 1 pink.

The first candle is the candle of hope. 

We can be messengers of hope who share the message that God is faithful and will 

keep the promises made to us. 

The second candle is the candle  of peace. 

We can be messengers of peace and share the message that we can find peace when we are 

willing to forgive others and show mercy just as Jesus did.  

The third candle is the candle of love.

We can be messengers of love and share the message that we can find purpose and meaning 

in our lives when we follow the example of Jesus. 

The fourth candle is the candle of joy. 

We can be messengers of joy who share the message that living in Jesus’ way 

can bring us joy and happiness.  

Advent Prayer

Loving and generous God, 

As we wait to celebrate the great feast of Christmas, 

help us to proclaim your message in the world. 

Help us to be truly generous to others with our time and effort, 

willing to show compassion and mercy to those around us, 

and ready to be messengers of your Word. 

We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name. 

Amen.

New Mass Times

And there is an explanation:

The archdiocese recently established a process of renewal known as ‘Take the way of the Gospel’. This process invites us to a journey of listening, learning and walking together to reimagine our present way of doing things in the face of changing circumstances. Fr Andrew’s joint appointment as Parish Priest of St Justin’s and Good Shepherd has provided a catalyst for us to move to the next step in our journey towards a mission model. The archbishop describes a mission as a distinctive faith locality with commonalities in history and geography; that lends itself to being lived out in family-like arrangements in the service of proclaiming the Gospel. This embraces a pooling and sharing of resources and working in solidarity for viability, vibrancy and vitality.

This model will enable our priest to service both parishes, both sacramentally and administratively. 

These changes will come into effect from Saturday 19th October at 5pm.

Thank you.

Fr Andrew

ALTAR SERVERS 2024

Last weekend, members of the Parish Pastoral Team addressed the St Justin's community on important changes that will soon be taking place within our parish community.

In October last year a letter was shared with Parishioners of St Justin’s and Good Shepherd Parish from the Archbishop, regarding the appointment of Fr Andrew as Parish Priest of Good Shepherd in addition to his role as Parish Priest at St Justin’s. The month of October will coincide with the one-year anniversary of this new appointment.

Over recent decades the Archdiocese of Melbourne has experienced a steady decline in the active participation in parish life in some parishes, coupled with a reduction in the number of ordained clergy available for parish ministry. In order to address the pastoral challenges and find ways to encourage vitality and growth, the Archdiocese established a process of renewal known as ‘Take the Way of the Gospel’. This process invites us to a journey of listening, learning and walking together to reimagine our present way of doing things in the face of changing circumstances.

With Fr. Andrew's increased responsibilities, it is important to acknowledge the challenges for a single priest across two parishes. Whilst the current arrangement has been established to support his period of transition, it is not a sustainable long term arrangement. We would like to commence discussions about how these shared arrangements can be established to ensure that it is possible for Father to service both parishes, sacramentally and administratively. Most obviously it is not possible for him to celebrate Mass simultaneously at both parishes at the same time. To ensure Fr. Andrew can provide the pastoral care and support both parishes need, we will need to adjust our Mass times during the month of October.

This will involve a reduction in the number of Masses on both weekends and weekdays. While this change may be difficult, it offers several benefits:

• By reducing the number of Masses, we can ensure that Fr Andrew can be more present with us and provide consistent and meaningful pastoral care and ministry.
• Managing a workload across two parishes requires a careful balance. This adjustment will help maintain Fr Andrew's health, wellbeing and effectiveness in his role.
• Adjusting the schedule will help us manage our resources more effectively and avoid the additional costs associated with hiring supply priests.

We want to emphasise that St Justin’s will remain the same parish with its unique identity. Our commitment to our community and our faith will continue to be strong.

Your voice is incredibly important during this transition. Over the next few weeks, we encourage you to share your thoughts and concerns. We will distribute a questionnaire to the congregation seeking your feedback and advice. We are keen to hear your views on how

best to manage the changes in Mass times, which will come into effect during October. We recognise that some level of compromise will be necessary. Your thoughts and ideas will help us make decisions that best serve our community and shape our future. 

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. Together, we will navigate these changes and continue to grow in faith and unity.

Heavenly Father,

We come before You with humble hearts, seeking your guidance and blessings as we navigate through this time of change within our parish. We acknowledge that transformationcan be both a challenge and an opportunity, and we ask for your divine wisdom and support as we move forward together.

 

Lord, help us to embrace this period of transition with unity and strength. Grant us the courage to face uncertainties and the grace to remain steadfast in our faith. May Your Spirit inspire us to work together harmoniously, fostering an environment of love, respect, and understanding.

 

Bless our leaders with vision and discernment, so that they may guide us with wisdom and compassion. May they be empowered to make decisions that reflect your will and serve the needs of our community.

 

Guide each member of our parish to be a beacon of hope and a source of encouragement. Help us to support one another, to listen with open hearts, and to contribute our gifts and talents for the greater good of our faith community.

 

May this time of change be an opportunity for spiritual growth and renewal. Let it strengthen our bonds, deepen our commitment to one another, and enhance our mission to serve You and our neighbours with love.

 

We trust in Your grace to lead us through this transition and to bless our parish with renewedpurpose and vitality.

 

Amen.