ST CHRISTOPHER’S PARISH Airport West, Keilor, Keilor Park, Tullamarine

Parish Priest: Fr Peter Hoang

Pastoral Associate: Catherine Young

Finance Manager: Anna Carmody

Parish Secretary: Emilia Balkan

Parish Office: 34 Roberts Road Airport West Phone: 9338 3793 Email: stchristophersapw@bigpond.com

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am – 4:00pm

Readings for this week: Ex 17:3-7; Rom 5:1-2, 5-8; Jn 4:5-42

Responsorial Psalm Response: If today you hear his voice,

harden not your hearts

Prayers of the Faithful Response: Lord, give us living water!

Third Sunday of Lent 18 / 19 March 2017

Weekday Masses: Monday 10.00am Tuesday - Saturday 9.15am

Weekend Masses: St Christopher’s Church Saturday 6.00pm Sunday 8.00am (Italian)

11.00am (English)

St Augustine’s Church Sunday 9.30am (English)

Reconciliation: Saturday morning after Mass.

Other Devotions Monday Mornings 10am: Italian Charismatic Prayer Group in the Community Room Tuesday Mornings after Mass: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction & Holy Rosary Tuesday Mornings after Mass at 10.00am: Italian Rosary in the Community Room Wednesday Evenings: 7.30pm: Charismatic Prayer Group at St Christopher’s Church Friday Mornings after Mass: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction & Divine Mercy Chaplet Last Friday of each month at 6.00pm: Maltese Reconciliation at St Christopher’s Church

During Lent (every Friday): Stations of the Cross - Following morning Mass at St Christopher’s Church

- 7.30pm at St Augustine’s Church

Stations of the Cross in Italian - 7.00pm at St Christopher’s Church

3RD Sunday of Lent

The theme of this 3rd Sunday of Lent is “The need to Renew”.

An anonymous poet once wrote:

“If all the sleeping folks would wake up

And all the lukewarm would fire up

And all the disgruntled would sweeten up

And all the discouraged would cheer up

And all the estranged would make up

And all the gossipers would shut up

then there might come a REBIRTH OF CHRIST.”

At the end of Lent we want to have our mind and heat renewed,

to be renewed us in spirit, to have our faults corrected, our minds

raised to God and to have grown in holiness. At the end of Lent we

want to have the picture of Jesus put back together again properly in

our lives because Jesus is the “something more to life” that we are

looking for.

This is precisely what happened to the Samaritan woman who met

Jesus at the well. The conversation began with Jesus asking her for a

drink (John 4:7). This thirst of Jesus is symbolic; it was for her faith

that Jesus thirsted. So during the conversation Jesus gradually helped

the gift of faith to grow in her heart. We see the woman’s faith

growing by the way she addresses Jesus; the titles – Messiah, Christ

– she gives to Jesus show more and more respect and faith as their

conversation progresses.

To accept the Lord Jesus Christ’s message is to be open to

conversion.

Conversion means to respond to God’s care for us, to devote

ourselves to a life of vigilance day in and day out, and constantly to

renew our cooperation with God’s grace. In cooperating with God’s

grace, we shouldn’t be under-confident of what we can do.

Lent, if we use it correctly, is a time of special grace. Am I

continuing to respond to God’s love this Lent?

God bless you all and have a good week.

Fr. Peter Hoang OMI.

PRAY FOR THE SICK: Damian Fox, Joseph Desmier, Iris Desmier, Audrey R, Ted I, Barbara S, Virginia & Peter F, Virginia & Lenny F, Gerald D, Averyl D, Joe McGee, Audrey Valladares, Tony Cini, Samuel Cogliandro, Rosa Maria Santos, Gary Southan, Cynthia Punchiheloa, Joseph Merolda, K & P Chip, Ada & Ettore Vianello, Mario & Anita Quattrucci

ANNIVERSARIES: Bill Young, Giovanna Maggiore, Frank Galtieri, Vic Rush, Eileen Olver, Michael Moletta, Maria Antonia Timpano, Francesco Timpano, Cicilia Monteleonie, Catarina Minniti, Vincenzo Pitisano, Francesca Natale, Francesco Albano

NEXT WEEK – FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT (Year A) 25 / 26 March 2017

Readings: Acts 2:14, 36-41; 1 Pet 2:20-25; Jn 10:1-10

ROSTERS: Liturgy Team: 4 (Phil Magris) 4 (Teresa Failla) Counting Team: 2 (Gary Hassett) Church Cleaning: St Christopher’s 3 (Assunta Germani & Maria Pasqualone)

Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation offers Uncle Richard and other former Stolen Generations survivors the chance to heal after a childhood of suffering, and manage the intergenerational effects of their pain. Please donate to Project Compassion 2017 and help members of the Stolen Generations support each other on the journey to wellbeing.

Third Sunday of Lent

19th March 2017

AVVISO IMPORTANTE In questa Parrocchia di San Cristoforo si stà organizzando un bus per la via Crucis a Bacchas Marsh per il 21 Marzo. In questo tempo di Quaresima vogliamo offrire al Signore questo sacrificio con amore, per tutto ciò che Lui a fatto per noi. Il bus partirà da questa Parracchia alle ore 9.00am. Per informazioni e prenotazioni telefonare Assunta Germani al numero 9338 6141.

LENTEN RECONCILIATION – RITE II Thursday, 6th April at 7.00pm

(English / Italian / Maltese)

Every Friday during Lent all are invited to attend:

Stations of the Cross

following morning Mass at St Christopher’s Church

or

7.30pm at St Augustine’s Church

Stations of the Cross (in Italian)

7.00pm at St Christopher’s Church

NEED TO SPEAK WITH OUR PARISH PRIEST FR PETER? Please make an appointment to see him by ringing our Parish Secretary Emilia on 9338 3793.

RIUNIONE DELLA FEDERAZIONE CATTOLICA ITALIANA La prossima riunione della Federazione Cattolica di APW si terrà Martedi 28 Marzo alle ore 8pm nella Casa Parrocchiale.

MASS OF ANOINTING The next Mass of Anointing (Sick & Elderly Mass) & Lunch will be held on Wednesday, 5th April with Mass at 11:00am followed by a light lunch in St Christopher’s Hall. Volunteers to assist with setting up at 9.30 am would be appreciated.

There will be no 9:15am Mass on that day. If you require transport please contact

Wendy on 0439 645 428.

LA MESSA E PRANZO PER GLI AMMALATI La Messa e Pranzo per gli Ammalati e Anziani si terrà mercoledì, 5 Aprile incominciando con la S. Messa alle 11:00am e seguito da un leggero pranzo.

Per quel giorno non ci sarà la Messa alla 9:15am Se avete bisogno di trasporto mettetevi in contatto con

Assunta 9338 6141

RECENT DEATH: Cesario Cicero (Walters Avenue, Airport West)

GLOBAL VOLUNTEER NOTICE Sending people can be more important than

sending money Communities in Asia, the Pacific and Africa are looking to provide mentoring opportunities for local personnel and improve processes and procedures for organisations vital to reducing poverty. To ensure sustainable development they prefer those willing to come for two years, but accept that some are only available for 12 months. If you are an experienced professional, business or trades person, in any area, but especially education, please consider volunteering with Palms Australia. Information Session: Saturday 25 March, 10.30am to noon Ross House (247 Flinders Lane) RSVP joey@palms.org.au or call 0431 995 058

WORKING BEE AT ST CHRISTOPHER’S CHURCH On Saturday 1st April we will be having a Working Bee at St Christopher’s Church. We would love to see as many people as possible to assist us with making our Church look beautiful in time for Easter. Starting time will be at 10.00am.

We will be re-aligning the Church Pews and general garden grounds maintenance.

** EASTER PERIOD VOLUNTEERS **

Requesting Readers, Commentators, Eucharist Ministers, etc. for additional

Services over Easter.

There is a Volunteer Sign Up Sheet in the Church Foyer or

contact the Parish Office on 9338 3793.

PALM SUNDAY VIGIL

(Saturday, 8 April)

St Christopher’s Church 6:00pm (English)

PALM SUNDAY

(Sunday, 9 April)

St Christopher’s Church 8:00am (Italian)

11:00am (English)

St Augustine’s Church 9:30am (English)

HOLY THURSDAY

(Thursday, 13 April)

St Christopher’s Church 7.30pm

(Mass of the Lord’s Supper followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until 11:00pm)

GOOD FRIDAY

(Friday, 14 April)

Stations of the Cross

St Christopher’s Church 10:00am (English, Italian and Maltese)

St Augustine’s Church 11:00am (English)

Reading of Passion; Veneration of the Cross; Holy Communion

St Christopher’s Church 3:00pm

HOLY SATURDAY – EASTER VIGIL

(Saturday, 15 April)

St Christopher’s Church 8:00pm

(Easter fire; Blessing of Paschal Candle; Procession of Light; Readings; Holy Communion)

EASTER SUNDAY

(Sunday, 16 April)

St Christopher’s Church 8:00am (Italian)

11:00am (English)

St Augustine’s Church 9:30am (English)

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Catholic Charismatic Renewal which began at a

retreat for 30 professors and students at Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit on 18

February 1967, members of CCR wish to share their blessings with the whole Church

in Melbourne.

A large Cross will be travelling throughout Victoria and we hope that parishioners will

respond by taking part in any devotions in their churches, and also to carry or

accompany the Cross from church to church. Associated with the Cross, at its base, a

box for written petitions will be available and prayers will be said everywhere for the intentions of the people.

Archbishop Denis Hart blessed the Cross on Sunday 26 February 2017 at St Patrick’s Cathedral. Over 40 weeks the

Cross will visit 40 key parishes and many more on the way. The Moonee Valley Deanery will host the cross from Saturday

1 April to 8 April. If you see the Cross on the move, please add your prayers for the Church and Australia’s needs for

God’s blessings.

We welcome the Jubilee Cross with Mass commencing at 10.00am on

Monday, 3rd April at St Christopher’s Church

The Jubilee Cross

St Christopher’s Church, Airport West

Followed by:

Eucharistic Adoration (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament)

Holy Rosary

Stations of the Cross (English And Italian)

Praise and Worship

Inspirational Talks

Everyone is welcome to leave their Prayer Petitions at the bottom of the Cross.

Tuesday 4 April 2017 Volunteers are needed to

carry the Jubilee Cross from St Christopher’s

Church to St John Bosco Church, Niddrie.

Assembly time at St Christopher’s 7:30am.

Expected arrival at St John Bosco’s Church 8.30am

Route: St Christophers - Matthews Avenue - Keilor Road -

Hoffmans Road - Muriel Street - St John Bosco’s Church

(Please note St John Bosco’s will join us half way between both

Church’s)

For those who can’t accompany us, your prayers would be so

gratefully appreciated. You are also welcome to place your

petitions while we are walking.

For more information please contact Yolanda on 9338 3908 or Agnes on 9338 7047