Parish Priest:

Fr Thanh Tran

Thanh.Tran@cam.org.au

Parish Secretaries Dominique Hockey Carol Leathem

Parish Office Hours

Tuesday - Friday 9am—3pm

Baptisms Please contact the Parish Office.

Weddings By appointment and after Preparation

Children’s Ministries Kathy Menzies stschpar@bigpond.net.au

St Schols Community Centre 03 9808 1006

info@stscholscc.org.au www.stscholscc.org.au

St Scholastica’s Primary School Principal: Jenny Rohan 9808 7279 principal@ssbennettswood.catholic.edu.au

Outside School Hours Care

Camp Australia 1300 105 343

St Scholastica’s Kindergarten 9808 9724

Director: Catherine Findlay st.scholasticas.kin@kindergarten.vic.gov.au

Administrator:

Katherine Presley stscholskinderadmin@bigpond.com

348 Burwood Highway, Bennettswood VIC 3125 ABN 95 499 516 268

Phone: 9808 1006

Fax: 9888 7573

Email: stschpar@bigpond.net.au

Website:

www.stscholasticaparish.com.au

First Sunday of Advent Year A

26th & 27th November 2016

The Advent Season

Advent is the liturgical season that precedes and prepares for Christmas. It is a season of hope and of longing, of joyful expectation and of peaceful preparation. Many symbols and traditions are associated with Advent, especially the Advent Wreath with its four coloured candles (three purple and one pink). When and how long is Advent?

For most Christians, the Advent Season always begins four Sundays before Christmas; so it is rarely four full weeks long, but only between three and four weeks, depending on what weekday Dec. 25 happens to be in a certain year. The First Sunday of Advent, which also marks the beginning of the new liturgical year for the Church, could be as early as Nov. 27 or as late as Dec. 3. The Third Sunday of Advent is traditionally called "Gaudete Sunday" (from Latin, meaning "Rejoice!), because the "Entrance Antiphon" of this Sunday's Mass is taken from Paul's letter to the Philippians: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near." (Phil 4:4+5b) Advent technically ends of the afternoon of Dec. 24, since that evening, Christmas Eve, begins the Christmas Season.

What does the word "Advent" mean?

When capitalized, "Advent" usually refers to "the coming of Christ into the world" or to "the liturgical period preceding Christmas"; it may also refer to the "Second Coming" of Christ (the "Advent of our Lord"). The word is derived from the Latin adventus ("arrival, approach"), made up of the preposition ad- ("to, towards"), the verbal root ven- (from venire, "to come"), and the suffix -tus (indicating verbal action). The word is very similar in many other European languages: Advent, Advento, Avent, Avvento, Adviento, etc.

What is an Advent Wreath?

Advent Wreath is traditionally made of some type or mixture of evergreens (fir, spruce, juniper, holly, etc.), symbolizing the continuation of life in the middle of the cold and dark winter (in the northerly latitudes, at least). Advent wreaths traditionally include three purple/violet candles and one pink/rose-colored candle, which are arranged evenly around the wreath, although some people use four violet or four white candles. Only one purple candle is lit during the first week, two in the second week, three (incl. the pink one) in the third week, and all four during the fourth week of Advent; the gradually increasing light symbolizes the approach of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the light of the world.

What are the liturgical readings for the Sundays of Advent?

Each of the four Sundays of Advent has its own special readings and characteristics: First Sunday of Advent - The readings look forward to the "End Times" and the coming of the "Day of the Lord" or the "Messianic Age"; the Gospel is an excerpt from the Apocalyptic Discourse of Jesus in one of the Synoptic Gospels. Second Sunday of Advent - The Gospel readings focus on the preaching and ministry of John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus, the one who came to "Prepare the Way of the Lord." Third Sunday of Advent - The Gospel readings continue to focus on John the Baptist, while the first and second readings convey the joy that Christians feel with the increasing closeness of the incarnation and the world's salvation. Fourth Sunday of Advent - The Gospels tell of the events that immediately preceded the

birth of Jesus, including the dreams and visions of Joseph and Mary of Nazareth.

WEEKLY CALENDAR 2016

Monday 28 November 08.00am Communion Service

11.00am Funeral Prayer Service for Mark Fernandez

06.00pm Rosary for Denis Burke

07.30pm Vinnies GA

Tuesday 29 November 08.00am Mass ~ Exposition 11.00am Requiem Mass for Denis Burke

07.30pm Prayer Group - McAndrew Room

Wednesday 30 November 10.00am Exposition 10.30am Rosary

11.00am Mass 1/2C ~ Cuppa

01.30pm Legion of Mary GA

07.10pm Rosary ~ 7.30pm Novena

Thursday 1 December 08.00am Mass

07.30pm Baptism Information night 08.00pm Burwood discussion group Mc Andrew room

Friday 2 December 08.00am Mass

10.00am Exposition ~ Rosary ~ 11.00am First Friday Mass

Saturday 3 December 09.00am Mass ~ Rosary ~ Confession

10.00am Choir practice for Christmas Vigil 11.00am Choir practice for Installation Mass

06.00pm Mass of Installation

Sunday 4 December 09.00am, 11am & 5.30pm Masses 06.30pm Young Vinnies GA

Remembering Our Community

Sick

Justine Hunt,Cyril Mahon, Vern Barrett, Myrna Beven & Judy Ellis

Pat Simpson

Anniversaries Carl Franke, Joakim Nguyen, Rose Aylward, Teodoro Mariani, Domenico Sanfilippo

RIP

Mark Fernandez & Dennis Burke

St Scholastica’s Parish Volunteers Thank you THANK YOU Mass will be at 7pm on 9 December 2016

CALLING ALL VOULUNTEERS WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU: Sacristans, Counters ,Altar Servers, Altar Carers, Collectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Readers, Musicians, Cleaners, Catechists, Gardeners, Social function helpers, etc etc etc. Anyone who volunteers in any way for the parish. After Mass we invite you to join us for supper in the Community Centre as acknowledgement and thanks for the amazing and selfless job that you all do.

Altar Server Collection

This weekend (26/27 November) the 2nd collection will be for the continuing development, team building and support of the Altar Servers. Last year the money collected was so generous and used for the fun day (as a thank you) and also to help sponsor 6 servers to attend the Guild of St Stephen Conference in the September school holidays. We are hoping to use any money collected next week towards Guild Retreats, bigger robes for some of our taller servers and a team building activity. Thank you so much for your continuing support.

Parish Youth Group

Calling all young people! The parish youth group needs you! If you're interested in joining or finding out more information please email Nathan at stschols.yg@gmail.com or see Fr Thanh to leave your contact details. Thanks!

Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Every Wednesday night. 7.10pm Rosary 7.30pm Novena and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Please join us in prayer and song to Our Lady.

Baptism at St Scholastica’s

It is a requirement of the parish that a Baptism information night must be attended prior to having your child baptised. Contact the parish office on 9808 1006 to make a booking into one of the monthly sessions. Next session: Thursday 1st December 2016 @ 7.30 pm in the gathering area. Last one for 2016 recommences February 2017

Commentator Required

A replacement Commentator is needed for 2nd Sunday of the month at 9.00am mass. Please call Peter Westwood on

9803 6534

ROSTERS

Day Mass Time

4th Sunday of the month 27 November

Readers Special Ministers

Saturday 6.00 pm

June O’Bryan Barbara Schobben Judith Silvina Laurine Shane

9.00 am

Denis O ’Gallagher

Joy Guinane Roland Devaraj Anna Gaetano

11.00 am

April Lewis Pat Nitz Willard Lewis Maria Feleppa

5.30 pm

Louise Willison

Margaret Sweeney Michael Chan Anna Nguyen

Day Mass Time

1st Sunday of the month 4 December

Readers Special Ministers

Saturday 6.00 pm

Paul Borg Mary Ann Borg Christine Wates Dzung Le

Sunday 9.00 am

Maleesa Fernando

Rosa Coniglio Margaret Scully Myrna Beven

11.00am

Laurine Shane

Jo Jolly Anna Marie Ziino Quyen Truong

5.30 pm

Arden Nelson Margaret Sweeney Marcia Nelson Arden Nelson

Sunday

Altar Servers

Stephanie Nicole Jeremy W Jeremy G

Hannah Rose Rebecca Hana S Emily Felicia

Munatsi Michel Solly

Elizabeth S

Altar Servers

Senior Servers in high school

Felicia Emily

Audrey L Jeremy L

Saturday 17 December Vietnamese Mass 7.15pm

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd It is with great joy that we share the news of preparing eighteen children from St Scholastica's Parish Atrium to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion on retreat in 2017. Most of these children began the Atrium when they were 3 years old and are very excited about this next step. They have expressed to our catechist team and to Fr Thanh, their readiness to received Jesus. They have written personal prayers, professing their love of our Lord and desire to receive Him. This weekend at the 9am Mass (after the Homily), these children will be with us to receive a New Testament and be presented to the Congregation. We ask you to join us in prayer for the children and their families as we journey together at this special time.

Installation Mass Saturday 3rd December It would be appreciated if drivers would drop off passengers at Church and then park in side streets. Please enter from Starling Street—drop passengers and exit via Pheasant Street. Ushers will be in attendance. 2-3 more Parking attendants are for Father Tran’s Installation Mass on 3rd December, please contact the office if you can help.

Christmas Choir Practice. The Choir for Midnight Mass will start practices on the First Sunday of Advent, 25th November at 10-am. All welcome.

Nativity Play & Vigil Mass Christmas Eve: 5:30pm Nativity - 6pm Mass

Whether you prefer to call it a Nativity Play, a Christmas pageant, or Tableau, it’s that wonderful time of year called Advent when we start preparing our hearts for celebrating the birth of the Christ Child. This announcement (and the Bright Yellow sheet found at each church entrances and the school office) is for anyone who would like to be involved in Nativity play at 530pm followed by our Youth & Family Mass at 6pm on Christmas Eve! The Vigil Mass is an opportunity for the Children’s Ministries including Children’s Liturgy Team, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Sacramental Preparation Group, Kinder, School and our High School and Uni students to come together on this very Holy Night and share something special with our community.

Nativity Play – Costume Helpers

The costumes are all made and on their hangers, but we need some “special helpers” on Christmas Eve to help the mothers dress and undress their children. Due to an increasing number of children participating, this job can no longer be managed by one or two people.

We are looking for four women who will be able to come and assist us. If you are able to help us on this very Holy Night, please contact the Parish Office on 9808 1006.

Volunteers Required for Christmas Masses

4 Parking attendants are required for family mass and Midnight Mass at Christmas. If you can assist please contact the Parish office. And leave your name and contact details.

CAROLS IN CANTERBURY Sunday 4th December at 7.30 pm at Canterbury Gardens, Canterbury Rd near Station. Events from 6.30 pm. Sponsored by Booroondara City Council and Canterbury Council of Churches. More information on Church notice boards.

Altar Server Training - 23-25 January 2017 In January 2010 we ran the first “Altar Server Summer School”. This type of Altar Server training invited children to experience the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for their faith formation and preparation to become Altar Servers. Altar Server Summer School has been offered at St Scholastica's every year in January to prepare children for this special opportunity of service and commitment, serving God and our community. Altar Server Summer School will be held 23-25 January 2017. If your son or daughter has received their sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion and is interested in becoming an Altar Server, please complete the registration form found at the entrances to the church or the school office. **Current servers who feel they would like to attend are most welcome. If you have any questions, please contact the Parish office on 9808 1006, or email Kathy Menzies at dkmenzies@optusnet.com.au.

Tizona Fencing Club

Invites you to try this exciting sport. Right here in St Schol’s Community Centre: various classes Tuesday to Friday 4.30pm—7.30pm, Saturday 1.00pm—5.00pm

0405 099 666

Www.tizonafencing.com.au

We remember the deceased

members of the following families:

Lambert family Abang Azhar Sook May

Keown family Tan Beng Sim V & E Harrison

Luigi Feola Chin Kui Lin A & C Brauer

Chin family Lucas Wong Jee family

Lee Kim Gaik Siew Fong Mary Hiew

Anthony Lee

L & A Pandolfini

G & H Davidson

Roma Smyth

F & B Atkins R Collins Pat White D’Souza family

Fernandes family D’lima family Gonsalves family D’mello family

Naquani family D’Souzeu family Mendarca family Robert Lee

Dear Parishioner You are invited to join us when Fr Thanh Tran is installed as

Parish Priest of St Scholastica’s Par-ish celebrated by

His Grace Archbishop Denis Hart Saturday 3 December 2016 - 5.30 pm

for 6.00 pm start Followed by supper in the Community

Centre

First Sunday of Advent Year A - 27th November 2016

Entrance Antiphon

To you, I lift up my soul, O my God. In you, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame. Nor let my enemies exult over me; and let none who hope in you be put to shame.

First Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5

A reading from the prophet Isaiah

The Lord will gather all nations in eternal peace in the kingdom of God.

The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In the days to come the mountain of the Temple of the Lord shall tower above the mountains and be lifted higher than the hills. All the nations will stream to it, peoples without number will come to it; and they will say:

'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Jacob that he may teach us his ways so that we may walk in his paths; since the Law will go out from Zion, and the oracle of the Lord from Jerusalem.'

He will wield authority over the nations and adjudicate between many peoples; these will hammer their swords into ploughshares, their spears into sickles. Nation will not lift sword against nation, there will be no more training for war O House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm: Ps 121:1-2. 4-5. 6-9

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: 'Let us go to God's house.' And now our feet are standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem. R.

It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. For Israel's law it is, there to praise the Lord's name. There were set the thrones of judgement of the house of David. R.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray: 'Peace be to your homes! May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace!' R.

For love of my brethren and friends

I say: 'Peace upon you!' For love of the house of the Lord

I will ask for your good. R.

Second Reading: Romans 13:11-

14

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

The time has come, our salvation is near.

You know 'the time' has come: you must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were converted. The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon - let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light. Let us live decently as people do in the daytime: no drunken orgies, no promiscuity or licentiousness, and no wrangling or jealousy. Let your armour be the Lord Jesus Christ.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Maranatha, Maranatha

Come Lord Jesus Come

Lord, show us your mercy and love, and grant us your salvation.

Gospel: Matthew 24:37-44

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Stay awake, you must be ready.

Jesus said to his disciples: 'As it was in Noah's day, so will it be when the Son of Man comes. For in those days before the Flood people were eating, drinking, taking wives, taking husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and they suspected nothing till the Flood came and swept all away. It will be like this when the Son of Man comes. Then of two men in the fields one is taken, one left; of two women at the millstone grinding, one is taken, one left.

'So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.'

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Communion Antiphon

The Lord will bestow his bounty, and our earth shall yield its increase.

Readings: 4 December 2016

First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10

Second Reading: Romans 15:4-9

Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12

Commentary on the readings of First Sunday of Advent, Year A

The Year of Matthew

Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24: 37-44

‘Stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’ The Liturgical year has turned full circle and we begin the new year with the first Sunday of Advent. This year we will read from the Gospel of Matthew which was written sometime in the 80s, approximately fifty years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Each of the four Gospels provides us with a portrait of Jesus, and a glimpse into the life and concerns of one very early Christian community. To really hear the ‘good news’ Matthew offers, it will be helpful to step inside Matthew’s community, to get a sense of the colours and textures used in his portrait.

The first thing to note is that it is a Jewish world where believers in Jesus are just one particular form of Judaism in the first century alongside other Jewish parties – the Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, the Essenes, and the ordinary ‘people of the land’. What is remarkable about this particular group of Jews is their belief that the long-awaited hopes of their people have begun to be realised in Jesus of Nazareth. For this group Jesus is the one the prophets promised, God’s anointed one (in Hebrew this is the Messiah, in Greek it is the Christos). In the year 70CE a cataclysmic event happened for the Jewish world. Following a four year revolt, the Roman legions laid siege to Jerusalem, eventually capturing it and destroying the Temple. This event was the end of the Jewish sacrificial system and also the end of some forms of Judaism. Two groups survived – the Pharisees, who put more emphasis on the Jewish Law (Torah) than Temple sacrifices, and the followers of Jesus. This is the Jewish world in the final decades of the first century when Matthew’s Gospel takes its written form – possible around the years 80-85CE.

As you might expect, these two groups within Judaism now needed to redefine their identity without the Temple and both groups claimed to be the true Israel. This struggle between the heirs of the Pharisees, the Rabbis who focus on Torah, and the third generation of Jesus’ followers, gives Matthew’s gospel its particular focus. From a common birth in Judaism, two groups were now emerging at the end of the first century – what we now call Rabbinic Judaism, and Christianity. Both groups cherished their heritage in the Scriptures of Israel and the Law, but conflict emerged around the issue of who had the right to interpret the Law of Moses. The Jews looked to the rabbis and their traditions, while Christians believed that Jesus, God’s anointed one and Son, had an authority even greater than Moses. Another aspect of Matthew’s world is that this community was opening out to the non-Jews, the Gentiles – again seen as the fulfilment of the prophecies that in the last days all nations would come to worship God. For Matthew, the last days had arrived in the person of Jesus.

So how could Matthew portray Jesus in a way that reflected and cherished his community’s Jewish origins, while at the same time argue against the Synagogue leaders of his time? One way was to project back into the time of Jesus the type of conflict about the teachings of Moses that Matthew’s community was currently facing. The struggles taking place in the 80s give this gospel its sharp sense of conflict and hostility between Jesus and the Pharisees, reflecting the struggles between later Christians and the rabbis. Even in the struggles with emerging Rabbinic Judaism, and within the Roman Empire, Matthew’s ‘good news’ is that Jesus is ‘God with us’ – Emmanuel. This is the name announced at his birth, and the final promise Jesus leaves his disciples, ‘I am with you always.’

In the twenty-first century our struggles are different to Matthew’s community: climate change, terrorism, global economic rationalism and its consequences, continuing wars, drought, genocide, and the personal daily struggles in families, relationships, work. While our world is vastly different, we still need to hear the good news that God is with us. Two people are referred to in today’s Gospel, Noah and the Son of Man. Both are meant to urge Christians to live with an alertness to God’s reign. People were not ready for the flood in the time of Noah. According to the book of Daniel, at the end of time when all the powers of evil have been overcome, one ‘like a Son of Man’ will be given all authority in God’s new world. The early Christian communities related this image to Jesus. Matthew is therefore urging his community to be alert and ready for the day when Jesus will return. This is the same message that Paul writes to the community in Rome – ‘wake up now’.

Amidst the signs of Christmas and toys we too need to be reminded that the focus of this time is Jesus. He can be lost amidst the glitter and excitement if we are not attentive.

© Mary Coloe