DEVOTIONAL PRAYER FOR FEBRUARY
PRAYER FOR LENT
Merciful God, you called us forth from the dust of the earth;
You claimed us for Christ in the waters of Baptism.
Look upon us as we enter these Forty Days bearing the mark of ashes, and bless our journey through the desert of Lent to the font of rebirth.
May our fasting be hunger for justice; our alms, a making of peace; our prayer, the chant of humble and grateful hearts.
All that we do and pray is in the name of Jesus, for in his Cross we proclaim your love forever.
Amen.
Entrance Antiphon
Be my protector, O God, a mighty stronghold to save me. For you are my rock, my stronghold! Lead me, guide me, for the sake of your name.
1st Reading (Lev 13:1-2,44-46 )
A reading from the book of Leviticus.
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘If a swelling or scab or shiny spot appears on a man’s skin, a case of leprosy of the skin is to be suspected. The man must be taken to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests who are his sons. ‘The man is leprous: he is unclean. The priest must declare him unclean; he is suffering from leprosy of the head. A man infected with leprosy must wear his clothing torn and his hair disordered; he must shield his upper lip and cry, “Unclean, unclean.” As long as the disease lasts he must be unclean; and therefore he must live apart: he must live outside the camp.’
The Word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
2nd Reading (1 Cor 10:31-11:1)
A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.
Whatever you eat, whatever you drink, whatever you do at all, do it for the glory of God. Never do anything offensive to anyone – to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God; just as I try to be helpful to everyone at all times, not anxious for my own advantage but for the advantage of everybody else, so that they may be saved. Take me for your model, as I take Christ.
The Word of the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia. A great prophet has appeared among us, God has visited his people. Alleluia!
Gospel (Mk 1:40-45)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to St. Mark.
A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Communion Antiphon
They ate and had their fill, and what they craved the Lord gave them; they were not disappointed in what they craved.
Next Week’s Readings
Gen 9:8-15; 1 Pet 3:18-22; Mk 1:12-15
PARISH NEWS
WEEKLY PARISH DATES
| SUNDAY 10:30am Mass – Children’s Liturgy held 1st and 3rd Sundays - Resumes February 2024. After 5:00pm Mass in Hall – Youth Group for youth 12 to 17 years on 2nd and 4th Sundays. Resumes 11th February 2024. 6:00pm in Theatrette – Young Adults (SPYA) meeting. |
| MONDAY 7:00pm to 8:15pm – Bible Study on Zoom. Meeting ID: 826 5359 2389 Passcode: Bible. Contact Clive 0490814452 or Francis 0401787372. Resumes 12 Feb 2024. |
| TUESDAY 7:00pm - Online Zoom Rosary - Meeting ID: 893 5477 8556. Passcode: rosary7:00pm. 7:00pm - RCIA Meeting in Theatrette/zoom. Contact Francis Thomas 0401787372 or Dario Carreno 0438525148. |
| WEDNESDAY 7:00pm - Mass followed by Mother of Perpetual Succour Novena. |
| 1ST FRIDAY 7:00pm to 8:15pm Mass & Adoration |
| SATURDAY 2:30pm to 4:00pm - St. Peter’s Charismatic Prayer Community Praise & Worship in Church - Resumes February 2024. 1.30pm to 4:00pm - Healing Mass on 1st Saturday of the month. Next Healing Mass on Saturday 10th February 2024. |
| BAPTISM 12 noon – Baptisms held 1st & 3rd Sundays. Baptism Preparation Meeting held on 1st Monday of the month at 7:00pm. Next Baptism Preparation Meeting Mon 4th March 2024 at 7:00pm in Church. |
ASH WEDNESDAY – 14TH FEBRUARY 2024
Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent, which is a penitential season of prayer, self-denial and helping others. It is also an obligatory day of fast and abstinence. Masses, including the distribution of Ashes, will be as follows: 7:00am, 8:30am, 10:00am (School Mass) and 7:00pm.
CAR PARKING
Dear Parishioners, when you come to church, please do not park in the drop off and pick up lanes during school hours. Thank you.
Please also note that the undercover area is now open for parking on weekends.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS DURING LENT
Stations of the Cross will be held every Friday at 7:00pm followed by Mass. This will commence Friday 16th February.
SUNDAY SCHOOL SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN ATTENDING NON-CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Dear Parents, please note the enrolment procedure for the Sunday school Sacramental Program has changed.
There will be an Enrolment / Information session on Thursday 22nd February at 7:30pm in Church.
Attendance is mandatory if you want to register your child for the Sacramental program.
Please bring your child’s Baptism Certificate with you.
Payment to be made on the day. Fees are mentioned below.
Sunday School – $50 per family
Sacramental fee – $50 per child.
Reconciliation – No Fee.
Enquiries, please email Sharon: snaps0910@gmail.com
READERS AND EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS AVAILABILITY FORMS
As the next Roster from March to May 2024 will include the Easter Ceremonies, please complete the Availability Forms which have been emailed (copies are also available in the Hall) and return them to the Parish Office NO LATER THAN SUNDAY 11TH FEBRUARY 2024. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
“SAVE THE DATE” – LENTEN REFLECTION BY MARIA FORDE A Lenten reflection session will be held on Thursday 29th Feb 2024 at 7:00pm in the church. More details to follow.
TOUR OF THE NEW ST PETER’S PRIMARY SCHOOL BUILDING
Parishioners are invited to take a tour of the New School Building on Sunday 25th February after the 10:30am mass.
PROJECT COMPASSION
Please take home a Project Compassion box or set of donation envelopes which are available in the Hall and Foyer, to support Caritas Australia this Lenten season and help support vulnerable people around the world, now and for all future generations. With your support, Caritas Australia has supported vulnerable communities around the world to tackle poverty, food security, education, water and sanitation and disaster risk reduction to build a better future for all. Donate through Project Compassion donation boxes and envelopes, visit caritas.org.au/project-compassion or call 1800 024 413.
ARCHBISHOP COMENSOLI ON HOW TO ENTER INTO THE YEAR OF PRAYER
To prepare for the 2025 Jubilee Year, Pope Francis has called for a Year of Prayer, a time of ‘rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer, prayer in personal life, in the life of the Church, prayer in the world’. The jubilee year begins on 24 December 2024 and extends until 6 January 2026. Archbishop Comensoli, who was recently in Rome, has recorded a special message for the local church of Melbourne in which he suggests three simple prayers to help us enter into this time of preparation, which can be found at
https://melbournecatholic.org/news/three-ways-to-enter-into-the-year-of-prayer-archbishop-comensoli
ASHES TO EASTER’: LENTEN CONCERT-REFLECTION with Peter Kearney. Wednesday 28th February, 7:30pm. At St. James the Apostle Church, 336 Derrimut Road, Hoppers Crossing North. Free admission. A beautiful Lenten reflection … prayerful and spiritual ... a worthwhile part of our Lenten journey.
LENT 2024 WITH THE CATHOLIC GUY, BRUCE DOWNES
Lent is a time when we can grow closer to God and prepare our hearts for the true meaning of Easter. Be inspired. Be refreshed. Be renewed! For 40 days you will receive a short, practical, and inspiring video in your inbox every morning to help you make this Lenten journey more powerful and prayerful. This program is FREE and you can sign up here:https://BruceDownes.org/Lent. For more information go to BruceDownes.org.
IMPORTANT LENTEN INFORMATION
(For more detailed information, please check the flyer on the notice board in the hall).
Ash Wednesday & Good Friday are days of Fasting and Abstinence from meat.
On all other Fridays, except solemnities, the law of the common practice of penance is fulfilled by performing any one of the following:
PRAY – example Mass attendance, family prayer, visit to a church or chapel, reading the Bible, making the Stations of the Cross, praying the Rosary or in other ways.
SELF-DENIAL – for example not eating meat, not eating sweets or dessert, giving up entertainment to spend time with the family, limiting food and drink so as to give to the poor of one’s own country or elsewhere, or in other ways. PROJECT COMPASSION is a major means of expressing our self-denial in Australia.
HELPING OTHERS - for example, special attention to someone who is poor, sick, elderly, lonely or over-burdened, or in other ways.
- All who have completed their 18th year and have not yet begun their 60th year are bound to fast. All who have completed their 14th year are bound to abstain.
- Each of the faithful is obliged to receive Holy Communion at least once a year. This must be fulfilled between Ash Wednesday 14 Feb 24 and Trinity Sunday 26 May 24 unless for a good reason it is fulfilled at another time during the year.
- The wonderful gift of the Lord’s merciful love is offered in a special way in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Lent is a most appropriate time to receive this Sacrament. All the faithful who have reached the age of discretion are bound faithfully to confess their grave sins at least once a year.
RECENTLY DECEASED
We pray for Arnelo Del Mundo, June Rodrigues, Charles Fernandes, Xavier Fernandes, Phyllis Quinless, Claude Lopez, Amparo Battad, Cecilia Lim, Tony Kozhaya, Yvonne Dragwidge, Aileen Andrade, Archelle Attard, Paul Rakavalis, Guido Benevento, Enid Gibb, Unti Capistrano, Norma Hales, Lindsay Coates, Stefano Merli, Nohad Hindy, Arnel Cura, Ramon Dayao, Angelo Rodricks and all who have died in disasters all over the world.
DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
We pray for Betty Roberts, Arturo Bacani, Carlos Fernandes, Arturo Santos, Elizabeth Angeles, Dennis Blythe, Thomas Cannard, Vincenzo Trantino and all whose anniversaries occur at this time.
PRAYERS FOR THE SICK
We pray for Violet Lawrence, Jeffrey Dalton, Sean Donaldson, Dale D’Souza, Stephen Beaton, John O’Regan, Mavis D’Cruz, Atima Chakraborty, Adrian McGill, Michael Mariadas, Edna Sanchez, Elizabeth de Guzman, Elinor Hillock, Kimberly Baraza, Noemi Monge, Carmen Chiparra, Carmen De Cruz, Monica Jawn Lu, Teresita Grisancich, Alberta Parrocho, Michelle Clayburn, Cara, Richi Cadampog, Lolita Delos Santos, Meanne Leonardo & Kelvin Mateo, Anthony Desilva, Rolando Baldelomar, Mark Duggan, Ann Koek and all who are ill in our Parish.
ROSTERS
Money Counters – 18 Feb 24
| Lerna Vasquez / Teresita Grisancich / Luzviminda De La Cruz |
Roster for Readers – 17/18 Feb 24
| 6:00pm | David Roga |
| 8:30am | Rosemary Hibbert |
| 10:30am | Lionel D’Cruz |
| 5:00pm | Youth Mass |
Roster for Extraordinary Ministers of Communion - 17/18 Feb 24
| 6:00pm | J. Roga / K. Pham / P&S Albuquerque |
| 8:30am | K. Fernandes / N&N Gooneratne / M. Marip |
| 10:30am | L. Ortega / S. Delos Reyes / E. Mills / Volunteer |
| 5:00pm | Youth Mass |
Music Ministry – 17/18 Feb 24
| 6:00pm | Mater Dolorosa |
| 8:30am | St. Philomena |
| 10:30am | FilOz |
| 5:00pm | Youth Mass |
1st Reading Lev 13:1-2,44-46