St Joan of Arc Catholic Church Brighton

FIRST READING:
ACTS 9:26-31
When Saul got to Jerusalem he tried to join
the disciples, but they were all afraid of
him: they could not believe he was really a
disciple. Barnabas, however, took charge of
him, introduced him to the apostles, and
explained how the Lord had appeared to
Saul and spoken to him on his journey, and
how he had preached boldly at Damascus
in the name of Jesus. Saul now started to go
round with them in Jerusalem, preaching
fearlessly in the name of the Lord. But after
he had spoken to the Hellenists, and argued
with them, they became determined to kill
him. When the brothers knew, they took
him to Caesarea, and sent him off from
there to Tarsus. The churches throughout
Judaea, Galilee and Samaria were now left
in peace, building themselves up, living in
the fear of the Lord, and filled with the
consolation of the Holy Spirit.
SECOND READING: 1 JOHN 3:18-24
My children, our love is not to be just
words or mere talk, but something real and
active; only by this can we be certain that
we are the children of the truth and be able
to quieten our conscience in his presence,
whatever accusations it may raise against
us, because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything. My dear
people, if we cannot be condemned by our
own conscience, we need not be afraid in
God's presence, and whatever we ask him,
we shall receive, because we keep his commandments and live the kind of life that he
wants. His commandments are these: that
we believe in the name of his Son Jesus
Christ and that we love one another as he
told us to. Whoever keeps his commandments lives in God and God lives in him.
We know that he lives in us by the Spirit
that he has given us.
GOSPEL:
JOHN: 15:1-8
Jesus said to his disciples: 'I am the true
vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in me that bears no fruit he
cuts away, and every branch that does bear
fruit he prunes to make it bear even more.
You are pruned already, by means of the
word that I have spoken to you. Make your
home in me, as I make mine in you. As a
branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, but
must remain part of the vine, neither can
you unless you remain in me. I am the
vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in
plenty; for cut off from me you can do
nothing. Anyone who does not remain in
me is like a branch that has been thrown
away - he withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire, and they are
burnt. If you remain in me and my words
remain in you, you may ask what you will
and you shall get it. It is to the glory of my
Father that you should bear much fruit,
and then you will be my disciples.'
Welcome to
St Joan of Arc Catholic Church Brighton
CONTACTS
Parish Priest: Fr Martin Dixon
Pastoral Associate: Cesar Lopez
Location: 118 New St Brighton
Ph: 9593 1703 Fax: 9593 3155
Email: Brighton@cam.org.au
Website: www.cam.org.au/brighton
Office Hours: Tues - Fri 9.30am - 3.30pm
during school terms.
School Principal: Tony McMahon 9592 3840.
Acts 10:25-26,34-35,44-48;
1 John 4:7-10, John 15:9-17
YEAR B
3 May, 2015
SERVICES
Sunday Mass: Saturday 6.00pm,
Sunday 8.30am, 10.30am & 5.30pm.
Weekdays: Tues evening at 7.30pm.
Wed, Thurs & Fri mornings at 9.15am except first
Thursday of the month at 12pm in the chapel at
Cabrini Hospital, Brighton.
Reconciliation: Saturday 5.30pm.
Weddings & Baptisms: By appointment.
REMEMBER IN OUR PRAYERS
Weddings: Peter Nowlan to Sasha Marinelli.
Baptisms:
Illness: Monica Beckworth, Eric (Tony) Carr,
Graeme Dallimore. Glynn Desmond,
Leanne Ickeringill, Mary Nesbitt &
David Vaughan.
Recently Deceased: George Griffiths.
Anniversaries:
PARISH GROUPS
Readings Next Weekend
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Card Players: First Thursday of the month in
the presbytery meeting room from 11.30am.
Care Group: Jackie Warden on 9592 5458.
Meditation: Mon 10am in the presbytery.
Prayer Group: Thursdays at 8pm in the
Church.
Reflection On The Gospel
“We gather as people who have been
grafted into Christ by baptism, as the
people who have heard his voice and
who seek to follow him in our lives,
and to join with him in prayer in
thanking the Father.
In today’s gospel we are reminded
that this discipleship is not a passive
affair: we are made part of Christ so
that through us the Father’s kingdom
can come closer to all humanity and
so that, through us, his will can be
done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Thomas O’Loughlin
Liturgical Resources for the Year of
Matthew www.columba.ie
St Joan of Arc Parish News & Events
Services This Week

This Sunday at the 10.30am Mass we welcome five families presenting their
children for baptism: Amelia; Sofia; Jessica; Thomas; Jacob & Lenny.

At the 5.30pm Mass our RCIC candidates: James; William; Sophie;
Freya & Oliver will be presented with prayers.
The annual Archdiocese Mass count will take place at all Masses for
the next four weeks.
Thursday Mass at noon in the chapel at Cabrini Hospital, Brighton.


Parish Prayer Group
The Charismatic Prayer group meets
each Thursday at 8pm in the church.
Join us for our Healing Mass this week.
Card Players
Meet this Thursday in the meeting
room at 11.30am for a social
game of cards. Lunch included for
$10. New players are most welcome.
GodStart Easter Event
Many thanks to Ina, Christine, Cindy and
Magdalena for their beautiful craftwork and
organisation of the Easter event. The young
families enjoyed the activities provided.
St Vincent de Paul Society
Members please meet next Sunday
10th May at 9.20am in the
meeting room.
Fr Patrick Gibbons Our First Parish Priest
1921-1935
& Melbourne’s First Naval Chaplain
Fr Gibbons was featured in the parish bulletin last week & the current
edition of Kairos. Copies of the
Kairos article are available in the
church bulletin stands.
Parish Magazine
News L’Arc
Parishioners please send us
any photos or stories you
would like to include in the
mid-year edition of the parish
magazine by the 24th May.
Many thanks.
ASSIST A STUDENT – IT’S LIFE-CHANGING
The Saint Vincent de Paul Society of Australia has set up the lifechanging program ‘Assist a Student’ to provide education for poor but
capable students throughout Asia and the Pacific.
By donating $70 you will create an educational opportunity for a student who otherwise would remain uneducated and trapped in the cycle of poverty. In return you will
receive a certificate with the student’s name and country; and the knowledge that
your $70 has changed a life!
Brochures and donation forms are in the basket in the church foyer. Please take one
and post it to the St Vincent de Paul Society as directed. Many thanks for your support. Today, for $70, you have changed the life of a child!
‘Real Care, Love and Compassion–
the Alternative to Euthanasia’
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has prepared the above pamphlet to
explain the real dangers of euthanasia.
We encourage you to take a copy, be
informed and become involved in the
debate on this issue. Copies are in the
church foyer today or see online:
www.cam.org.au/lifemarriagefamily
‘IT FEELS LIKE HOME’ HIGH TEA
Nepal Earthquake Appeal
Our prayers and thoughts are with the
communities in Nepal, and neighbouring
countries, devastated by a 7.9 magnitude
earthquake on 25 April 2015. Caritas
Australia staff are currently on the ground
working with local partners to respond to
immediate needs. We urgently need your
help to provide food, shelter and clean
water and to support the long-term recovery. Phone 9926 5786 or website:
www.caritas.org.au/nepalearthquake
Sat 16 May, 2–5pm
St Joseph’s Home, 112B St Georges Rd, Northcote
The Little Sisters of the Poor invite you to join us for High Tea.
On arrival, you will be served with a glass of sparkling wine or
sparkling fruit punch, then a wonderful array of food, scones,
savoury temptations and sweet delights—to be served with a
selection of tea and coffee. There will be live musical entertainment. Additional fundraising will also be on offer on the day
to help you spoil yourself: a silent auction, raffle and a community lottery—the lucky
winner gets a car. The funds raised will help us to expand St Joseph's Home, so we
can care for the elderly and disadvantaged.
Bookings: www.trybooking.com/127954
Details: Sr Velonika on 9489 8444 or at admin1.mel@lsp.org.au,
Reasons For Hope
A Conversation Between Two Franciscan Bishops
On Finding The Good News In The Faith
And Lives of Ordinary People

Thursday 14th May from 7pm,

All Saints Church, 174 Brunswick St Fitzroy
Join us at a special thanksgiving prayer service where
Bishop Vincent Long OFMConv will interview Bishop
Wilfred Cardinal Napier OFM. Followed by the angelic
voices of the Vietnamese Choir of Melbourne.
St Patrick’s
Cathedral Choral
Scholarships 2016
Scholarships are
available for boys
entering Year 5 at St Kevin’s
College, Toorak in 2016.
Applications are available
online at:
www.stkevins.vic.edu.au