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
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