From the Parish House

We are in the final weeks of Lent and anticipate celebrating Holy Week with the culmination of the Holy Triduum – the climax of our whole liturgical year.  All the feasts, all the celebrations of the entire year revolve around this very feast in which we celebrate the act of total self-giving of Jesus so that we might have life and have it to the full.  It is indeed the very act of mercy of God to carry us through the pass-overs from darkness into light, from despair to hope, from death into life.  For deeper reflection of the Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil, I refer you to Fr Frank’s Understanding our faith articles this week and next available on our Parish website.

In preparation for this significant and meaningful celebration of the Pascal Mystery of Christ, we are encouraged to continue to prepare ourselves spiritually through the conversion of our heart both individually and communally.  This coming Tuesday evening, 8 April, at Our Holy Redeemer Church in Surrey Hills, we are invited to a night of reflection and prayer through a form of Penitential Service.  This will provide us with the opportunity for communal reflection of renewal but also facilitate individual reconciliation for conversion of heart.  For those who will not be able to join this service, we do offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation available every Saturday morning after 9.30 am Mass at Our Lady of Victories Basilica, Camberwell.  All are welcome.

On Palm Sunday this year, we will have processions of palms at all the Masses.  At Our Lady of Victories Basilica, we will be joined by St John’s Anglican community led by Rev Dr Aaron Ghiloni, the newly appointed Vicar for St John’s, for the blessing of the palms and procession around the Basilica before we head back to our respective communities for the celebration of the Mass of Passion Sunday.  This annual joint gathering reflects a deep sense of ecumenical unity with our sisters and brothers in our area and may it promote greater hope for our future engagement with our wider Christian community.

During Holy Week, weekday Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday and Wednesday as usual, and there will be an extra Mass offered at 9.15 am on Monday, 14 April at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Deepdene.

Other good news as we head towards the Easter celebration, is the work on the reconfiguration of the intersection of Reserve Road and Burke Road has been completed.  The intersection is open for use and cars can be driven into Reserve Road from Burke Road.  The road pavement from Burke Road has been widened to allow for two way traffic with a turning circle in front of the former Our Lady of Victories Primary School and there are now some parking spaces available in Reserve Road.

As we anticipate celebrating the feast of the Pascal Mystery of Jesus, the very Love of God to humanity, may we be aware of the needs of our sisters and brothers around us in the local and wider community of the world.  We continue to hold in our prayers those victims affected by the earthquakes in Southeast Asia.  Kate Baines, our Stewardship Coordinator, has written an article (Caritas – Myanmar Earthquake Appeal) to call for helping hands both in prayers and financial support.  In whatever way we can, let us reach out to our brothers and sisters with our compassionate heart.

By Fr Sang Ho