Parish of Our Lady of the Southern Cross

Image used with permission of artist Paul Newton

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	2023 Newsletter May 27-28 + Readings June 3-4 June 10-11 + Readings

	Cộng Đoàn Thánh Gioan Hoan - Collingwood
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June 2023 4 Trinity 11 Body & Blood of Christ 16 Sacred Heart of Jesus 17 Immaculate Heart of Mary 18 Sun 11A 24 Nativity of John Baptist 25 Sun 12A 29 Peter & Paul July 2023 2 Sun 13A 3 Thomas 9 Sun 14A 16 Sun 15A 22 Mary Magdalene 23 Sun 16A 25 James 30 Sun 17A August 2023 6 Transfiguration 8 Mary MacKillop 10 Lawrence 13 Sun 19A 17 Assumption 20 Sun 20A 24 Bartholomew 27 Sun 21A 29 Passion of John Baptist September 2023 3 Sun 22A 8 Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary 10 Sun 23A 14 Exultation of the Cross 15 Our Lady of Sorrows 17 Sun 24A 21 Matthew 24 Sun 25A 27 Vincent de Paul 29 Michael, Gabriel, Raphael October 2023 1 Sun 26 2 Guardian Angels 4 Francis Asisi 8 Sun 27A, St John's Church Centenary of Consecration Samoan Mass 12.30 4th Sundays
Sacramental Reception Baptism : Second and fourth Sundays of the month at 12 noon (email the office to book) Marriage: by appointment Reconciliation: approach a priest before Mass First Communion and Confirmation: Preparation for this is conducted in our two schools; we also offer this preparation to State School children. Email our office at office@olsc.org.au for further information.
Our Parish Priest Fr Anthony Dung Ngoc Nguyen SDB PP The mobile phone is available anytime via text. In case of an emergency a call can be made. 0424 376 193 A word from Fr Anthony If a parishioner would like to have a pastoral visit from the Parish priest, or a priest, or a seminarian, or a co-parishioner, kindly leave a message to the office or to my cell phone number: 0424 376 193. Assistant Parish Priest Fr Peter Varengo SDB

Help bring St John's history to life If you have any photographs, publications or personal memories that can bring St John’s Story (since 1864) to life, then your help is needed and appreciated. For more information, please ring John Andrews, care of the office on 9481 7333 or email to collclift@hotmail.com Whose heads are above the arches? At the end of each arch of the central nave and the east and west aisles of the church are heads. Whose heads are these? Watch this space. Did you know? Who were *Thomas and Elizabeth* *Verga? On either side of the entrance to the side chapel, the Lady Chapel are two brass plaques, one to each of Thomas and Elizabeth Verga. To find the answer to the question, take the time to read these two plaques. Where else in the church might you find reminders of these two people? Consecration Centenary Corner Where did our stained glass windows* come from? Most are locally made but a significant number (8) came from Birmingham where they were created by stained glass makers, John Hardman and Company. Can you tell the difference? When published, the new history of St. John’s will give you the answers.

Support lifeline.org.au 13 11 14 BeyondBlue.org.au 1300 22 46 36 Defence Family Helpline 1800 624 608 Open Arms 1800 011 046 SANE Helpline 1800 18 SANE (7263) Domestic Violence 1800 RESPECT (737 732) Vic Statewide Suicide helpline 1300 651 251 Mensline Australia 1300 789 978 Drug info. to your mobile phone 0439 TELL ME CrimeStoppers 1800 333 000 Suicide Helpline Victoria 1300 651 251 parentsbeyondbreakup.com 1800 853 437 Where homeless people might go for help ... * Ozanam House in North Melbourne * Mary House of Welcome in Fitzroy * Jesuit Social Services in Richmond * Margaret Oats Van, corner of Smith and Stanley Streets (near Safeway) in Collingwood. For further information on where people can get free meals contact Joan in the office on 9481 7333.
At Our Lady of the Southern Cross, we hold the care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people as a central and fundamental responsibility of our parish. We acknowledge that we are meeting on the traditional land of the Wurundjeri people and offer our respects to the elders past, present and future. We recognise and respect the cultural heritage of this land.

Parish of Our Lady of the Southern Cross St John the Baptist, Clifton Hill - St Joseph's, Collingwood
Gospel/Scripture Reflection 2023 Trinity Yr A - June 4 Paul’s final blessing to the Corinthians gives us another way of describing the distinct gifts of the three persons. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you” (2Corinthians13:13). In this simple closing, Paul tells us much about the Trinity and our relationship to the Trinity using those three words: grace, love, and communion (sometimes also translated “fellowship”). Jesus Christ is associated with grace. Grace is our life in God. We live in God through Jesus who is in us and with us. God, the Father, is love. The creator, the source of all life is dynamic love, overflowing through all creation. And the Holy Spirit is “in the communion with”. The Holy Spirit is the strength, power, and gift of our unity in Christ.	Audio Gospel Reflections - Fr Frank Moloney SDB
June 4 - Nicodemus For Kids	Sunday Cinema Online Viewing for this Week's Liturgy
[Updated June 2] Fr Anthony's Message Dear brothers and sisters, I wish you and your family a blessed Sunday. This week we return to the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. However, this Sunday and next are designated as solemnities, special days that call our attention to central mysteries of our faith. This Sunday, on Trinity Sunday we celebrate the mystery of the Holy Trinity, one God in three persons. This Sunday’s Gospel is taken from Chapter 3 of John’s Gospel. The passage we read follows Jesus’ conversation with a Pharisee, Nicodemus, about what it means to be born of both water and the spirit. What we know from this conversation is that Nicodemus approaches Jesus at night and acknowledges Jesus as a teacher from God. Jesus tells him that only those who are born from above will see the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus misunderstands and questions how a person can be born more than once. Jesus tells Nico demus that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. Jesus is essen tially explaining Baptism, which we celebrate as a sacrament today. Yet Nicodemus, we are told, still does not under stand what Jesus is saying. Jesus continues by testifying to the need to be born from above so that one might have eternal life. After the dialogue with Nicodemus, the author of the Gospel offers his own explanation of Jesus’ words. This is what we read in this Sunday’s Gospel, John 3:16-18. In fact, in the context of this Sunday’s focus on the mystery of the Holy Trinity, the reading calls our attention to the action of God, who reveals himself in three persons: God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God the Father, out of love for the world, sent his Son into the world in order to save it. Through the death and resurrection of the Son, we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. As three persons, God acts always as a God of love; he does not condemn the world but acts to save it. Dear brothers and sisters, the Gospel chosen for this Sunday calls attention to the response that is required of us: God’s love for us calls us to respond in faith by professing our belief in God’s son, Jesus, and the salvation that he has won for us. This profession of faith is a sign of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This profession brings us to the heart of our faith, the communion of life and love of the Trinity. Let us live out this communion by sharing our life and love to our brothers and sisters! Fr Anthony Ngoc Dung Nguyen Advertisement CHRIST IS RISEN AND HE LOVES YOU! COME AND LISTEN TO THE GOOD NEWS! Talks on MONDAYS and THURSDAYS Beginning May 15th from 7:30 - 8:30 PM Location: St. John the Baptist Parish Centre, Hodgkinson Street. Enquiries Call: Giovanni 0413715345 Fr Joseph 0409585806 Parishioners' Column Continued from last week … The Risen Jesus appeared to his first disciples, to confirm and re emphasis his central message that Love and Redemption overcame His Crucifixion and Burial. He still found some unable to believe. But he just kept persevering with them. In this, our Easter Season, He appears to us again, with reassurance. Yes, He is truly alive in the Spirit, enriching and strengthening the special, individual charism planted in each of our hearts at Baptism. How often through Scripture does He plead with us to understand that He is here, always, and that He stands near us waiting for us to recognise Him, take his Hand and let Him guide us forward. Perhaps in our responses to the parish vision and mission statement, we could include a desire for personal reflection on each day's Gospel - these texts are easy to find online. This places us in a disciple's shoes to listen with refreshed openness to words coming directly from our Saviour's world. To listen, in this way, is to enable the gradual awareness of a powerful alertness to develop. In some ways, it seems we are hearing passages for the first time. These are the passages the Holy Spirit leaves in our consciousness to ponder during the day. The disciples, hearing His human Voice, would have had this experience often. Remember the Gospel reading in our Bulletin of Sunday, April 23rd (Luke 24-32)? The Risen Jesus walked with the dispirited Cleopas and his companion as they headed away from Jerusalem. They failed to recognise Him but he stayed connected and he once more explained the Scripture to them. They did not get it, and he chided them gently. “Did not your heart burn within you?”, but to reach out to Him with kindness and generosity, inviting Him to stay with them for the night. Just look what happened!!! Let us see where a commitment to begin personal Gospel reflections leads us. Our desire to be open to the prompting of the Spirit and to continue develoing the life of our parish, may hold some surprises. Finally, we can take great comfort in the nearness of our Parish patroness, Our Lady of the Southern Cross as we seek to open our hearts more to the Holy Spirit who played such a spectacular role in her life. If you look skyward, on a clear evening, there you should see, directly over us, the stars of her comforting Southern Cross. J Conway Church Centenary MPORTANT DATE AND INVITE Please keep Sunday 8 October free as we will be celebrating the Centenary of the Consecration of our church on that day.You may have ideas to share of how best to cele brate that important historic occasion in the lead up to and on the day. Leave your name and contact details in the Office. Be part of our centenary.	There are several avenues in which Mass can be viewed. 1. EWTN provides Masses every day at 8am and many other quality programs about the Catholic faith. the EWTN App can be downloaded to your phone or iPad. It has continuous live streaming of programs. These include news, interviews, children's and teenager's programs and more. Access the EWTN schedule at https://www.ewtn.com/tv/ schedule/asia-pacific or on the EWTN App go to "Program Schedules" then "Pacific Rim". 2. Daily streaming of Masses at St Patrick's Cathedral https://www.youtube.com/ user/archmelb The 11am Sunday Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral will continue to be televised free to air on C31 (often listed as Channel 44 on digital TVs) 3. Mass for You at Home 6.00-6.30am Sundays or catch up on 10 Play Freeview [need to sign up!] Returned to the Father Condolences: We pray for the families and souls of those who have departed recently: Anniversaries: Jim Kane, Fr Tom Kane, Rosina Michaelangeli, Maria Rosa Tascone, Guy Planel, Pat Lawson, Robert Bennett. We remember ... Prayers for healing: Andrew Wilson, Ian Armstrong, Matt Kennedy, Betty Croker, Attilio & Dorina De Rango, Tony Addamo, Terry Whelan, Cecily Hollingworth, Mario Misurelli, Julia O’Malley, Teresa Boetti, Fr Chris Riley, Lorena Ferri. Please let us know if the office can help in any way.