DEVOTIONAL PRAYER FOR DECEMBER
Advent Prayer
Father in heaven, the day draws near when the glory of your Son will make radiant the night of the waiting world. May the lure of greed not impede us from the joy which moves the hearts of those who seek Him. May the darkness not blind us to the vision of wisdom which fills the minds of those who find Him. May we, your people, who look forward to the birthday of Christ experience the joy of salvation and celebrate that feast with love and thanksgiving. This Advent we pray for peace: peace in the world, peace in our homes and peace in our hearts. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.
Entrance Antiphon
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near
1st Reading (Is 35:1-6, 10)
A reading from the prophet Isaiah.
Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom, let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil, let it rejoice and sing for joy. The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon; they shall see the glory of the Lord, the splendour of our God. Strengthen all weary hands, steady all trembling knees and say to all faint hearts, ‘Courage! Do not be afraid. ‘Look, your God is coming, vengeance is coming, the retribution of God; he is coming to save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed, then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy for those the Lord has ransomed shall return. They will come to Zion shouting for joy, everlasting joy on their faces; joy and gladness will go with them and sorrow and lament be ended.
The Word of the Lord
Responsorial Psalm
Lord, come and save us.
2nd Reading (Mt 11:2-11)
A reading from the letter of St James.
Be patient, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains! You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord’s coming will be soon. Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. For your example, brothers, in submitting with patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
The Word of the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he sent me to bring Good News to the poor. Alleluia!
Gospel (Mt 11:2-11)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’ Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’ As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says: ‘Look, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare your way before you. ‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Communion Antiphon
Say to the faint of heart: Be strong and do not fear. Behold, our God will come, and he will save us.
Next Week’s Readings
Is 7:10-14; Rom 1:1-7; Mt 1:18-24
Feasts of the Week
Tue, 13 Dec - St. Lucy
Wed, 14 Dec - St. John of the Cross
PARISH NEWS
WEEKLY PARISH DATES
| SUNDAY 9:15am to 10:25am – Sunday School for children attending non-Catholic Schools. 10:30am Mass – Children’s Liturgy held 1st and 3rd Sundays. After 5:00pm Mass – Youth Group for youth 12 to 17 years on 2nd and 4th Sundays. Last Meeting for the year on Sunday 11 December in the Community Centre 6:00pm in Theatrette – Young Adults (SPYA) meet 1st and 3rd Sundays. More info contact Raoul on 0411057080. |
| MONDAY Bible Study sessions have finished for the year 2022 and will resume in Feb 2023 |
| TUESDAY 7:00pm Online Zoom Rosary - Meeting ID: 885 6089 8246 Passcode: 968780 7:00pm RCIA Meeting in Theatrette. Contact Francis Thomas 0401787372 or Dario Carreno 0438525148. |
| WEDNESDAY 7:00pm Mass followed by Mother of Perpetual Succour Novena. |
| FIRST FRIDAY 7:00pm to 8:15pm Mass & Adoration |
| SATURDAY 2:30pm to 4:00pm St. Peter’s Charismatic Prayer Community Praise & Worship in Church.1.30pm to 4:00pm Healing Mass on 1st Saturday of the month. Next Healing Mass on Saturday 4th February 2023. |
| BAPTISM 12 noon – Baptisms held 1st & 3rd Sundays. Baptism Preparation Meeting held on 1st Monday of the month at 7:00pm. The next Baptism Preparation Meeting on Monday 6th February 2023 at 7:00pm in Church. |
THE PIETY STORE has a stock of WORD OF GOD 2023 for $20 and Columban Calendars for $10 for anyone who would like to purchase these items.
ROSTERS FOR READERS AND EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS for the months from Dec 2022 to Feb 2023 have been emailed. If you have not received your copy or need a hard copy, please contact the parish office.
ST. PETER'S YEAR 6 GRADUATION MASS - TUESDAY 13TH DECEMBER, 7:00PM
We congratulate all the Year 6 students who will be celebrating their Graduation this coming Tuesday night. We wish them many blessings and pray that our Lord Jesus will guide them throughout Secondary School and beyond.
EXTENSION TO ST PETER'S SCHOOL BUILDING
Dear parishioners, Extension work of St Peter's school building has commenced. During this period, you are requested to exercise CAUTION while accessing the basketball court to park your vehicle. Please be cautious and prudent as there will be only ONE Point of Entry and Exit for vehicles. Your patience and consideration for other drivers is appreciated. Thank you.
ST. PETER'S YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS HEALING MADD, SUNDAY 3:00PM - 18TH DECEMBER will be hosted by Re-Generation (the youth arm of CCR). Praise & Worship at 3:00pm by St Peters Young Adults (SPYA), 4:00pm Talk by Fr Steve Tynan MGL. 5:00pm Mass with Prayers for Healing. All are welcome to attend.
RITE I RECONCILIATION – TUESDAY 20TH DECEMBER AT 7:00PM IN CHURCH
Please join us for Rite I Reconciliation for Advent on Tuesday 20th December at 7:00pm in our Church. There will be multiple Priests available to hear confession. This is a great way to prepare ourselves to welcome Jesus our Saviour into our hearts this Christmas.
CHRISTMAS FAMILY MASS, 6:30PM ON SATURDAY 24TH DECEMBER, CAROLS AT 6:00PM
All children are invited to dress up as a Nativity character e.g., Angels, Shepherds, Mary, Joseph etc. for this family Mass. Please have the children ready and waiting in the hall by 5:50pm sharp, so they can process into Church for the start of the Carols.
DAWN MASS NOVENA – SIMBANG GABI
We invite you to the 27th year of the 9-Days Dawn Mass Novena celebrated at St. Peters, starting on Fri 16th Dec and finishing on Sat 24th Dec 2022. Masses at 5:00am daily. Our parish prayer group organises this by coordinating with our parishioners, other groups in our parish, prayer group benefactors and others from neighbouring parishes who attend the Dawn Mass every year. Their generosity provides a festive breakfast for everyone who attends the dawn Mass. If any of you would like to be a part of this breakfast by either providing food or wish to donate towards it, please contact the parish office on 9749 4300 or email
hopperscrossing@cam.org.au. Thank you.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CURRICULUM REVIEW IN MELBOURNE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS Archbishop Comensoli invites your participation in a survey on the Religious Education Curriculum Review in Melbourne. Please also see below a link to the survey https://onlinesurvey.cecv.catholic.edu.au/surveys/2022-re-curriculum-review-survey. We hope you will take the opportunity to give prayerful attention to this invitation and contribute to the survey.
SPECIAL COLLECTION FOR UKRAINE 17/18 DEC
The Australian Bishops are encouraging Catholics to respond to the call from the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Australia, to provide financial support to people in the war-torn nation as winter arrives. There will be a special collection at all Masses next weekend 17/18 December.
2022 CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR TIMETABLE
| 16 Dec |
5:00am 8:30am | Dawn Mass Novena Weekday Mass |
| 17 Dec | 5:00am 9:00am 6:00pm | Dawn Mass Novena Saturday Morning Mass Saturday Vigil Mass |
| 18 Dec | 5:00am 8:30/10:30am/5:00pm | Dawn Mass Novena Sunday Masses |
| 19 Dec |
5:00am 8:30am | Dawn Mass Novena Weekday Mass |
| 20 Dec |
5:00am 8:30am | Dawn Mass Novena Weekday Mass |
| 20 Dec | 7:00pm | RECONCILIATION RITE I at St. Peter’s |
| 21 Dec |
5:00am 8:30am 7:00pm | Dawn Mass Novena Weekday Mass Mass & Novena |
| 22 Dec |
5:00am 8:30am | Dawn Mass Novena Weekday Mass |
| 23 Dec |
5:00am 8:30am | Dawn Mass Novena Weekday Mass |
| 24 Dec NO 9:00AM MASS | 5:00am | Dawn Mass Novena |
| 24 Dec |
6:00pm 6:30pm | Carols followed by Family Mass |
| 24 Dec |
9:00pm 9:30pm | Carols followed by Vigil Mass |
| 24 Dec |
11:30pm 12:00am | Carols followed by Midnight Mass |
| CHRISTMAS DAY NO 5:00PM MASS | 8:30/10:30am 1:15pm | Carols before Mass Spanish Mass |
| 26 Dec | 8:30am | Weekday Mass |
| 31 Dec |
9:00am 6:00pm | Mass followed by Holy Hour of Thanksgiving Vigil Mass |
| 1 Jan | 8:30/10:30am/5:00pm 1:15pm | Normal Weekend Masses Spanish Mass |
RECENTLY DECEASED
We pray for Robert D’Sa, Michael Charters, Jacinta D’Lima, Lise Donaldson, Bridget Perera, Rohan Abeysundera, Sinnai Rejuso, Darcy Hepburn, Geoffrey Nellis, Elisabeth Schlemitz, Carmel Formosa, Leslie Lawrence, John Bosco Pereira, all who have died due to COVID-19 and all who have passed away recently.
DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
We pray for Judith & Sebastian D’Cruz, Afra & Isidonio Fernandes, Fr. Ave Maria D’Sa, Frank Apostoli, Margherita & Arturo Apostoli, Vita Sammartino, Henry Restall, Joe & Melita Bugeja, Pat Foster, Tessie Craig, Most Rev Joseph Grech, Maria Consiglio, Charlie Restall White, Emidia Micallef, Francis D’Cruz, Kristeen Gomez, Colleen Duarte, Milagrina Lobo, Princess Jaye De Leon, Giovanni Frazzica, Dante Martola, Martola & D’Agata families, Myrtle D’Cruz, Irawan Tansil, Nithin Vaz and all whose anniversaries occur at this time.
PRAYERS FOR THE SICK
We pray for Sean Donaldson, Wilfredo Villareal, Helen Kelly, Gordon Newman, Thais Long, Vincent Margaret, Dale D’Souza, Franklin Quintanilla, Jean Cameron, Arturo Bacani, Vivienne Gantar, Magda Symons, Malia Kautai, Lindsay Coates, Violet Lawrence, Yvonne Caruana, Robert Martinez, Charlotte D’Souza, Johny Gregory, John Parol, Mavis D’Cruz, Mary Cassar, Tae Yoon Jim, Jeffrey Dalton, Maureen Wilson, Clint D’Souza, Sandra Farrelly, P P Davies, Kevin Suares, Joaquin Romero, Annette O’Brien, Cecilia Lazum Htu Bu, Charlie Saliba, Alster Firth, Gayle Ryan, Joan Mogford, Neil Sequeira and all who are ill in our Parish.
ROSTERS
Counters – 18 Dec 22
| Bill Coghlan / Paul Mulquiney |
Readers – 17/18 Dec 22
| 6:00pm | Jeslin Shaji |
| 8:30am | Boanita D’Sousa |
| 10:30am | Lionel D’Cruz |
| 5:00pm | Youth Mass |
Extraordinary Ministers of Communion – 17/18 Dec 22
| 6:00pm | K. Pham / S. Fernando / J. Tramontana / N. Golaw |
| 8:30am | R. Albuquerque / N&N Gooneratne / K. English |
| 10:30am | S. Delos Reyes / L. Ortega / M&C Peters |
| 5:00pm | Youth Mass |
Music Ministry –17/18 Dec 22
| 6:00pm | Footsteps |
| 8:30am | St. Philomena |
| 10:30am | FilOz |
| 5:00pm | Youth Mass |