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Easter Sunday 2020

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DEVOTIONAL PRAYER FOR APRIL
CORONAVIRUS PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, you travelled through towns and villages curing every disease and illness. At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.

Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care. Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbours from helping one another. Heal us from our pride, which made us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders.

Lord Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.

Be with families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace. Be with doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace. Be with leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.

Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Lord Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace. Lord Jesus Christ, heal us.

Entrance Antiphon
I have risen, and I am with you still, alleluia. You have laid your hand upon me, alleluia. Too wonderful for me, this knowledge, alleluia, alleluia!

1st Reading (Acts 10:34, 27-43)
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil. Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses – we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead – and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.’
The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

2nd Reading (Col 3:1-4)
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Colossians.
Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.
The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Christ has become our paschal sacrifice; let us feast with joy in the Lord. Alleluia!

Gospel (Jn 20:1-9)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to St. John
It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’ So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
The Gospel of the Lord.

Communion Antiphon
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed, alleluia; therefore let us keep the feast with the unleavened bread of purity and truth, alleluia, alleluia!

Next Week's Readings
Acts 2:42-47;   1 Pet 1:3-9;   Jn 20:19-31

PARISH NEWS

EASTER BLESSING
From Fr. Vincent & Dcn. Charles
To Our Dear Parishioners

May Christ’s glory and promise
of this joyous time of year
bring peace and happiness
to you and those you hold most dear.
And wishing that the blessing of the Lord
fills your heart and home with happiness.
May God’s richest blessings
be upon you today and throughout the year
and may those blessings flow
through you to touch the lives
of everyone you meet.
We wish you
A Blessed and Joyful Easter

HOLY WEEK SERVICES

HOLY WEEK SERVICES RECORDED BY FR. VINCENT, FR. JUDE & FR. ALBERT
On Friday March 27 and Sunday March 29, prior to the introduction of Stage 3 restrictions, our own Fr. Vincent, Fr. Jude (St. James) and Fr. Albert (St. Andrews) united in prayer to pre-record at Thomas Carr College chapel, the Holy Thursday, Good Friday Liturgy and Easter Vigil Liturgy. This was done to help our parishioners celebrate the Holy Week services in your homes with your families.

Links to the services will be published on our website www.stpeterapostlemission.org.au and facebook page as follows:

Holy Thursday
Available from 5:00pm on Thursday, 9 April 2020

Stations of the Cross - Available from 8:00am on Good Friday, 10 April 2020

Good Friday Liturgy - Available from 2:00pm on Good Friday, 10 April 2020

Easter Vigil - Available from 5:00pm on Saturday 11 April.

We invite our parishioners to share in all the above services.

In addition to the above, the following Holy Week Services are also available:
ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL – LIVE ON CHANNEL 31 (CHANNEL 44 ON DIGITAL TV)
The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne advises that Holy Week liturgies at St Patrick's Cathedral will now be televised live on C31 (channel 44 on digital TV) as well as live-streamed on the Archdiocese website cam.org.au and YouTube Channel.

Thursday 9 April - Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, 7:30pm
Good Friday 10 April - Way of the Cross, 11:00am (live streamed not on TV)
Good Friday 10 April  - Celebration of the Passion of the Lord, 3:00pm
Saturday 11 April - Easter Vigil Mass, 7:30pm
Sunday 12 April - Easter Sunday Mass, 11:00am

CHANNEL 7
Good Friday, 10 April, 3:00pm
Easter Sunday, 11 April, 10:00am

A REFLECTION ON EASTER SUNDAY (Dcn. Charles English)
Jesus’s life on Earth did not end with His death and burial. He rose from the dead on the third day, as the Gospel tells us.

Easter is the most important Feast of the Church’s Liturgical year.

John, the beloved Apostle of Jesus, wrote his Gospel as an eye-witness of the life of Jesus, and what Jesus did and said.

John was the first Apostle to reach the tomb of Jesus on Easter Sunday morning. What John saw was an empty tomb and the linen cloths lying on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over Jesus’s head; this was not with the other linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.

When John saw the empty tomb, he must have recalled Jesus’s prophecy that He would rise up again in three days. Through the gift of faith, John realised that no tomb on Earth could ever contain the Lord, the giver of life.

The reality of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus, is the central fact of our Catholic faith.

Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord gives us ‘eyes of faith’ to know Him and to know the power of His Resurrection.

The greatest joy we can have is to encounter the living Christ and to know Him personally, as Our Lord and Saviour.

‘Why do you seek the living among the dead?’ the angels asked the women at the empty tomb. This question enables us to overcome the temptation to look back, to what was yesterday, and it spurs us on to the future.

JESUS IS NOT IN THE SEPULCHRE, HE IS RISEN!

PARISH GUIDELINES

  • Our church is now closed as per Government regulations. Please note that the Sunday Obligation will not apply during this time of suspension.
  • To receive current information, you can update us with your email address by emailing the parish office at hopperscrossing@cam.org.au.
  • Thanksgiving Contributions
    As there are no regular masses being held, we have been approached by some parishioners regarding their weekly contributions. If you would like to continue your contributions to support the parish, the following options are available:You can drop off your Thanksgiving envelope and Project Compassion Boxes at the Parish office during office hours Monday to Friday 9:00am to 3:30pm.

    Thanksgiving donations can be made directly to our Church Bank Account. Details as follows:
    Account name: St Peter Apostle Parish Church Account
    BSB: 083-347 Account No: 637286747
    Please use your Thanksgiving Envelope number and your name for reference purposes. (Example: TG 123-Tom Smith).

    If you would like to amend your Thanksgiving from Envelopes to Credit Card/Debit Card, please call or email the parish office and we will send you a form to make this change.

Thank you to all our parishioners who have responded and dropped off your envelopes and Project Compassion Boxes to the parish office and also contributed directly to our Church Bank Account. Fr Vincent and Dcn Charles thank you for your continued support to the parish.

HOW TO MAKE AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
Make the Sign of the Cross
If possible, read the Mass Readings
Recite the Prayer of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot, at this moment, receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

RECENTLY DECEASED
We pray for Godwin Arandez, Br. Vincent Lausen and all who have passed away recently.

DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
We pray for Judith & Sebastian D’Cruz, Afra & Isidon Fernandes, Julie & Leigh Smith, Ellen Barnes, Janice Hartshorn, Edgar Bersabe, Cia Esmaguel. Elena de la Cruz and all whose anniversaries occur at this time.

PRAYERS FOR THE SICK
We pray for Elaine Dalton, Leo Linehan, Gary Spotswood, Sean Donaldson, Kath Meddings, Lucy Ballan, Irene Jones, Thais Long, Jean Cameron, Gordon Newman, Francine Foster, Sam Caruana, Therese Mary, Zandi Falzon, Robel Rosales, Rey Medina, Denis Webber, Lourdes Sequeira, Mary D'cruz, Leo Mellewa, Pat Heffernan, Andrea Clayburn, Yvonne Clayton, Monique Hoaster, Alphonsus De Roza, Aiden Leonard, Elvira de Torres, Melville Pereira, Wilfredo Villareal, Julia Rego, Keely Welsford, Rolando Navarro, Jean Skinner, Avis Fernandes, Gaudelia Javier, Lina Enriquez, Felix Bephage, Francis Goonting, Fr Jolly Alavelil CMI, Jose Golaw, Gely Co, Anne Deluca, Jomy Jacob and all who are ill in our Parish.