A Few Thoughts from Debbie What gifts do you bring to Jesus today, the Feast Day of the Epiphany? This is the day when we remember the visitation of the Wise Men to Jesus, Mary and Joseph, bearing gifts that foreshadow Jesus’ kingship, priesthood and death. Lots to think about. What gifts would we have brought to the baby Jesus if we were visiting him, as the Kings and Shepherds did, as he lay in the manger? Perhaps something to make life easier for Mary and Joseph? I wouldn’t mind giving him a nice soft bunny rug to cushion him from all that scratchy hay! Jesus’ own needs were, in fact, very simple, food, warmth and love, the same basic needs we all experience as we journey through life. We would want to bring Jesus the world, literally, if we could, a bit like the little drummer boy from the carol. Today, we stand with what little we have. Are we brave enough to give it all to Jesus? Are we brave enough to say ‘I give you everything’? This is a pretty risky offer, easy to say but not so easy to do. In giving all to God, we hand over control to God. We give to him ourselves, our family, our friends, our will, our desires, our successes and our failures. This type of commitment is a very big ask indeed. In fully abandoning ourselves and all that is important to us to God, we hand over to him control of all that is pivotally precious to us. We invite him into our lives in a way that only someone we really fully trust can be so invited. He is, in fact, the only one who can be this close to us, open to our every thought and feeling. When I am distracted in prayer, I often think that Jesus shares that distraction, and wanders along with my thoughts right alongside me. He is already ‘in’ my plans, with my loved ones, what I

have to do next, and part of my encounters with others, good and bad, even before they have happened. I can only share my innermost fears, anxieties, joys and highs with someone who understands me, who knows me well, who knows my weaknesses, frustrations, anger, and my own individual sense of justice. Is this such a strange gift for baby Jesus? It is a real leap of faith to be this open with another person, even when that person is God. In offering ‘all’, we acknowledge that he knows us better than we know ourselves. Our invitation to God to accept all we are, as little as it may be, is our gift delivered to the very heart of the manger scene. In offering him this great gift, we can do so with confidence, knowing that he will accept what we offer with due respect and care. We can trust him. We bring God directly to the heart of our pain, our frustration, everything that worries us, or thrills us, or makes us excited. Today we have the opportunity to lay it all, everything that is whole and working well, and everything that is broken, at the feet of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the Holy Family. In doing so, we ask their protection on who we are, on what we do, on all those we care about, or even on those who we are annoyed with. We ask for the grace to know that we are never alone. The Holy Family takes up our burdens, and carries them with us, making them lighter for us to carry. Not such a strange gift at all.

the prayers of our parish family

accompany each and every one of us

as we stand at the dawn of

the new year to come.

May the love of the Christ child

settle in your heart and fill you

with joy, trust and peace

throughout 2020

Weekday Services in our Parish

During January

No Wednesday evening Masses from now

until 29th January.

Communion service Thursday 9th January

at 9.15 am.

Regular Thursday morning Masses

resume on Thursday 16th at Marysville.

Welcome to all our Visitors Welcome to anyone who may be visiting our parish at this special time of the year. Please feel free to join us for a cuppa in the hall following Mass and we hope you have a wonderful holiday. Hi to Old Friends A big hi! to our friends who are not able to join us regularly but who are still very much a part of our parish family. Merry Christmas, and a blessed New Year to you all!

Christmas Special Collection This year our special Christmas collection supports the wonderful work of Fr Jason in Kenya, and will hopefully help with the purchase of a tractor for the farm. $1397.90 was collected, a stellar amount! Thank you for your generosity once again.

Thanks from the Care Group Thank you to all who helped us to provide gift hampers to many appreciative friends this year. Your generosity has made a real difference.

Rise! Home Awaits—Catholic Youth festival 21 March 2020 Emmaus College, 503 Springvale Rd, Vermont South, 10 am—6 pm. Featuring Fr Rob Galea, Justine Cumbo and J. Sano. 3 streams for workshops: Stream 1: Years 7 & 8; Stream 2: Years 9—11; Stream 3: Yr 12 to 25 years of age.

Tickets $20 (early bird price)

For more info: risemelbourne.com

Columban Calendars Only a few of the 2020 Columban Calendars are left now. Don’t miss out! Available in the church at the cost of $10.00 each.

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

All victims of abuse and injustice and children everywhere

Recently deceased Kath Skate, Tony Grieve

For those who are Sick

Blake Smith, Trish Leahy, John Snell,

Abby Sharp, Peter Munro, Baby Emmett Hysted,

Megan, Bernie Jansen, Andrew Sharp,

John, Glenn, Lyn Francis, Dorothy Barber,

Maureen Fogarty, Fiona, Annie Preuss,

Michelle Ryan, Damian, John, Alison, Heather,

Julie Bates, Garry Dettman, Bradley Jordan,

Jeanette Henkel, Richard Galbraith, Annette

Fromholtz, Debbie Huby, Geoff Lucas, Sandra

Donkin, Dorothy Fraser, Glen, Ernst Fries, Fred

Bullas, Fred Coullas, Mitchell Wilson, Evie

Gleeson, Indy Dawes, Rade Krstic, Megan

Williams, Michael Wood, Bill Howie, Jennie,

Michael, Margo & Stephen Youngberry, Marie

Hammond, John Mulholland, Rhiannon Days,

Val Savitt, Ron Garland, Jaz Nueber, James

Cooney, Robert, Mary & Gerard Bariola, Tilly Van

der Zee, Albert Slawinski, Lydia, Joyce Slattery,

Lawrie Field, Annie, Debbie & Bob Ireland,

Emma Hemsley, Val & Michael Christie, Pat

Ted & Peter Bowling, Natasha, Mia, James.

For Those Whose Anniversaries

are in January

Henny Puschmann (08.01.07), John Gentle

(14.01.84), Giuseppe Panozzo (14.01.83),

Maria Jansen (14.01.08), Stephen Sotko Snr

(20.01.09), Kathy Heath (21.01.07),

Stephen Sotko Jnr (28.01.06), Garry Sweeney

(21.01.17), Ethel Lalor, Philip Plant, Kathy Heath,

Bern Porter, Judy Robertson.

We pray especially for those whom no-one

remembers.

PARISH GROUPS:

FAITH DEVELOPMENT AND

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMS

Anybody wishing to find about what

Catholics believe, please contact Debbie,

at the Parish Office. Mob: 0448 664 731

Catechist Program

Assists school aged children to prepare

to receive the Sacraments. Please contact

Debbie for more information.

Meditation Group Mondays 9.15am

- 10.15am - Anna 5962 4308

Care Group

First Friday of the month 1.30-3.30pm

Hall Bookings

Call Marie Snell 5962 3794

Youth-Led Mass All secondary students who would like to join the team are encouraged to contact Paula on 0423 508 355 for more info.

Dinner at Darron’s Youth Team Secondary school students are invited to be involved in cooking and/or serving a 2-course dinner to those who are financially disadvantaged or socially isolated, as part of the Dinner at Darron’s Meal program organised by HICCI. Contact: Andrea 0417 088 231

Gospel & Life Temporarily in recession. Contact: Elissa (97302813).

COMMUNITY GROUPS:

Family Drug Help 1st & 3rd Tues

1300 660 068

Knitting Group

Garments knitted by the group will be sent to

Papua with John Ward in 2020.

Contact: Mary 5962 3287

Men’s Breakfast

1st Saturday of the month

Pamphlets & Newsletters:

If you would like to leave literature in the

Church please check with the Parish Office

beforehand.

Lookout for the Safety of children:

LOOKOUT is a local community group

concerned with keeping children safe from

abuse and being there for adult victims.

Next Meeting: To be advised

CHILD PROTECTION TEAM

Fr Arsenio Tuazon,

Debbie Edwards,

Cath OHalloran,

Denise O’Dwyer, and

John Barrett

CATHOLIC PARISH OF St Brigid’s HEALESVILLE, St Aloysius YARRA GLEN &

Our Lady of the Snows MARYSVILLE

15 High Street, Healesville, 3777; PO Box 73, Healesville 3777 Ph: 5962 4026 Fax: 5962 2028

www.stbrigidshealesville.cam.org.au

PARISH PRIEST: Fr Arsenio Tuazon email: lilydale@cam.org.au or phone 9739 5977 Lilydale

PASTOR EMERITUS, Fr John Dupuche (In Pastoral relationship with Healesville & Lilydale)

PASTORAL WORKER: Debbie Edwards 5962 4026, or 0448 664 731 email: healesville@cam.org.au

SECRETARIES: Admin: Debbie Edwards Finance: Sharon Jacob email: healesville@cam.org.au

ST BRIGID’S PRIMARY SCHOOL Principal: Vicky Wissell 5962 4200

MOUNT LILYDALE MERCY COLLEGE Principal: Philip Morison 9735 4022

Weekly Mass Times

1st Wednesday 7pm 3rd Sunday 5 pm

2nd & 4th Thursday Rosary 6.30pm St Aloysius’, Yarra Glen

2nd,3rd,4th,5th Wednesday 7.30pm St Brigid’s, Healesville

1st,2nd,4th,5th Thursday 9.15am St Brigid’s, Healesville

3rd Thursday 10.30am Our Lady of the Snows,

Marysville

Roster 12th January

Reader: J. Barrett

Communion: M. Snell

F. Oude-Meilink

K. Thushara

Cuppa: Volunteer

Cleaning: O’Halloran

Counters: O’Dwyer

Upcoming Dates

January

9th Communion Svc 9.15 am

16th Mass at Marysville

10.30 am

19th Mass at Yarra Glen 5 pm

23rd Mass at Healesville

9.15 am

29th Mass 7.30 pm

Collections

Healesville 25th December Collection: $983 Special: $1397

Healesville 29th December Church: $334 Presbytery: $222 Marysville 19th December Church: tba Op Shop: $400 Yarra Glen 15th December Collection: tba Presbytery: tba