Sunday Masses:

Saturday: 5:30pm (Vigil)

Sunday: 8:00am, 10:00am, 5:30pm

Weekday Masses: Monday to Saturday: 9:15am

First Friday of the month: 7:00pm

Rosary: Monday to Saturday: 8:50am

Sacred Heart Devotions: Friday, after morning Mass

Reconciliation: Saturday: 10:30—11:30am

Baptisms: Second and Fourth Sunday after 10:00am Mass

Weddings and Funerals: Please contact the Parish Office;

Ph: 02 9644 4026, Email: sefton@oblates.com.au

PARISH CONTACTS

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church

Parish Priest: Fr. Pat Moroney, OMI

Assistant Priest: Fr. Vin McGillicuddy, OMI

Assistant Priest: Fr. Eric Alleaume, OMI

Parish Office: Tue—Thu (9:00am—2:30pm)

6 Kerrinea Road, Sefton NSW 2162

Ph: 02 9644 4026, Fax: 02 9743 7407

Email: sefton@oblates.com.au

Parish Website: www.seftoncatholicchurch.org.au

Immaculate Heart of Mary - Primary School

Principal: Mr. John Kennedy

School Office:

30 Proctor Parade, Sefton, NSW 2162

Ph: 02 9644 3555, Fax: 02 9644 8214

Email: info@ihmsefton.catholic.edu.au

Parish Family Educator: Mrs Amal Francis

April 1st

/2nd

Mass 5:30pm Vigil 8am 10am 5:30pm

Acolytes D. Bui C. Kelly T. Kelly E. Lobo

Readers F. Oliveiro M. Lonergan T. Tierney L. Vakauta

Ministers of Communion

A. Pham & N. Barry

P. Kelly & J. Murphy

K. Marson & I. Vellis

P. I. Akeje & M. Farlow

Musicians/Choir IHM Choir Anh Tran Tongan Choir Ollie Nguy-Lobo

Flower Arrangers NO FLOWERS DURING LENT

Counters Group 1: J. DeMartin, N. VanDen Nieuwenhuizen & I.Culpan.

Bankers Group 1: P. Howe & S. Saidi

Global Volunteer Notice

Sending people can be more important than sending money

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Information Sessions: Sat 1 April BLACKTOWN Thurs 6 April SYDNEY Max Webber Library Aquinas Academy 10:30am to 12pm 5:45pm to 7:45pm RSVP: joey@palms.org.au or call 0431 995 058

Can’t make it? Call now about applying for positions currently available. OR Look first via Palms’ two-week Encounter. Go with a friend and get great discounts!

Dear Parishioners,

In today’s First Reading from the Book of Samuel in the Old Testament we read of how Samuel was sent by God to the family of Jesse in Bethlehem to choose a successor to King Saul to be the leader of the chosen people. Jesse had eight sons and as soon as they lined up Samuel was convinced that the eldest son was the obvious choice. He was an impressive young man, well built, good looking and an obvious leader. If left to Samuel, the decision would have been quick and easy, son number one was the obvious one! But God, very inconveniently, whispered to Samuel, No! not the eldest and not any of the other six that Jesse paraded before him. Eventually Jesse had to drag in his youngest son, David, who was out in the hills tending the sheep. Jesse hadn’t even bothered to line him up with the other seven boys, he was just too unlikely a prospect. To the amazement of all who watched, it was David whom God wanted as the future king. Isn’t that just annoyingly typical of God in so many instances? Even in our own very limited experiences, he seems to make the most eccentric choices and decisions. We have all come across instances where, if we had been consulted, we could have Him far better advice as to His choice of people and solutions to situations. Then there is the annoying comment that we judge on mere appearances and God reads the heart! Such an outlook makes living our faith a tad more difficult! It means we have to be constantly aware of what may appear to be the peculiarity of God’s choices, he often picks the most unlikely people to fulfil His plans. Look at today’s gospel, a blind beggar who usually sat by the side of the road chosen to teach the learned men of the temple who Jesus really was. Strangely enough, they were too full of themselves to see.

It is important to remind ourselves that everyday God chooses the ordinary thing and people in our lives to work His miracles, to show his concern for us and to touch us in our living. If we sit back and wait for extraordinary signs of God in our lives, we may well miss His presence in the people and events which surround us.

God bless

(fr) Pat Moroney omi

4th Sunday of Lent - Year A 26th March 2017

Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Sefton Under the care of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

6 Kerrinea Road, Sefton, NSW 2162

Parish Priest: Fr. Pat Moroney, OMI; Assistant Priest: Fr Vincent McGillicuddy, OMI As-sistant Priest: Fr Eric Alleaume, OMI

Readings

This Week: 1 Sam 16:1, 6-7, 10-13 Eph 5:8-14 Jn 9:1-41

Next Week: Ezek 37:12-14 Rom 8:8-11 Jn 11:1-45

Easter Concert …….. Ashes to Easter

To help us celebrate more thoughtfully the great and solemn feast of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord (The Paschal Mystery) the Parish has invited the well-known and highly respected - musician and singer Peter Kearney to put on a concert in our Parish Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This Concert-Reflection consists of a prayerful sequence of songs and stories on Lenten and Easter Themes.

The concert will be on Palm Sunday, 9th April between 2.30 pm – 3.45 pm.

The concert will be financed by the parish and so admission will be free.

All Parishioners and friends are most welcome. Please register on the sheet in the church foyer.

Parish Confirmation Programme

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated in this parish on Friday June 23rd 2017 at 7.00pm. Applications are available in the church foyer or on the parish website. Please return the completed application form to the parish office by Friday 5th May.

There will be the usual four weeks of Confirmation classes for the children receiving the sacrament and these classes will begin on Sunday 21st May.

Any parishioners who have not had the opportunity during their Primary School years to receive the sacrament may also contact one of the priests or the parish office and arrangements will be made to ac-commodate their needs. Children who have been confirmed as an infant may also enrol in the programme and receive a special blessing from the Bishop as he confers the sacrament.

IHM Parish Youth Group: The J-Walkers

As many, if not most, parishioners are aware our Parish Youth Group is called the J-Walkers (or Jesus Walkers… trying to walk in the footsteps of Jesus) meets on a Thursday evening. For the most part it has been catering mainly to the upper primary and lower secondary youth of the parish. In recent months we have appointed new leaders a meeting schedule for and hope to expand our programme. We are delighted that our youth leaders launched our second group to cater for the upper secondary and post school young people. This newly launched group is to meet on Sunday evening after the 5.30pm evening Mass. I recommend this group to our young people as it attempts to bring them together and to see if we can meet some of their needs as young parishioners.

TO COMPLETE THE PARISH 20/20 SURVEY

ON-Line Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2V7XL9X

Recent Wedding

We offer congratulations and prayers to Aaron John Prohm (Oran Park) and Ashleigh Noelene Smith (Birrong) on the occasion of their recent wedding. Aaron and Ashleigh were married at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church on Saturday 18th March 2017. We wish them every joy and blessing in their future years.

Parish “Cuppa” After Mass

At the most recent Parish Council Meeting it was decided that on the 4th Sunday of each Month after the Sunday 10.00am Celebration of Eucharist there would be a cup of tea/coffee on offer in the Church Foyer so as to enable member so the parish to meet and mix. One of the reasons for the extensive renovation of the foyer of the Church was both to make the entrance more welcoming and to facilitate such gatherings. All parishioners are most welcome to stay and enjoy both the ‘cuppa’ and the company.

A MASS & BLESSING FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM

In celebration of Autism Awareness Month and to honour and pray for all those in our community with autism, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney invites you to the annual Mass and Blessing for People with Autism, to be celebrated by Bishop Anthony Randazzo. WHERE: St Benedict’s Church, Broadway. WHEN: Sunday 2nd April 2017, 2:00pm. For inquiries or to RSVP by Tuesday 28th March please contact LMFevents@sydneycatholic.org or phone 02 9307 8404.

Vigil 5:30pm Vincent Chuong Van Nguyen (RIP) Vincent Anh Van Nguyen (RIP)

Sun 26 8:00am Gregory Sole (RIP)

10:00am Peter Vu (RIP) & Maria & Anna Nguyen (RIP)

5:30pm Intentions of all parishioners

Mon 27 9:15am Cyril Rodrigues Intentions

Tue 28 9:15am Sisters Intentions

Wed 29 9:15am Eamon Howe (RIP)

Thu 30 9:15am Sisters Intentions

Fri 31 9:15am Cyril L. Rodrigues (RIP)

Sat 1 9:15am Mercia Loos (RIP)

Mass Intentions:

Please pray for ….

Recently Deceased:

Jessy Coluccio

RIP Anniversary:

Vincent Chuong Van Nguyen, Vincent Anh Van Nguyen, Gregory Sole, Mercia Loos, Thomas Preston, Anthony A. Casamento, Dorothy Medlow, Maria Pacek, Olga V. O’Brien, Elizabeth Gunn, Antonio Hobilia, Ernest S. Danaher, Maria Matta, Mary Chalker, Edward P. Holt, Severino Cumerlato, Nancy R. Cox, Allan F. Kirkman, John R. Martin, Reginald P. Brown Agnes Bashall, Jordan R. Semaan, Caroline A. Elvidge, Benvenuta Maraldo, Elman E. Bottrell, Walter B. Nash, James R. Sadler, Jesse J. Williams, Peggy C. Costello, Hilary Chapman, Cyril L. Rodrigues, Ruth Cant, Elizabeth French, Tessa Taylor.

Parish Diary:

Sun 26 4th SUNDAY of LENT

5:30pm J-Walker Youth Meeting

Mon 27 Monday of the 4th week of Lent

7:30pm Yoga

10:00am Legion of Mary Meeting

Tue 28 Tuesday of the 4th week of Lent

Wed 29 Wednesday of the 4th week of Lent

Thu 30 Thursday of the 4th week of Lent

7:00pm J-Walker Youth Meeting

Fri 31 Friday of the 4th week of Lent

9:30am Yoga

7:00pm Stations of the Cross

Sat 1 Saturday of the 4th week of Lent

The Sick:

Archbishop A. Fisher, Bishop G Robinson, Fr John O’Doherty, Sister Marie O’Dea, Laurie Horsley, Marie Banham, David McGeachie, Pat Wilson, Lena Theuma, John Mealing, John O’Brien, Kath Coughlin, Mary Keane, Lidia Stuccio, Cheryl MacKlin, Kevin & Moira Magnussen, Bob Rodrigues, Spiteri family. Noel Rigney-Johnson, Leslie Cotter, Louise & Anne Maher, Matthew Barrington, Lydia Gwynne, Kevin McGillicuddy, Pat Smith & Dulcie Cullen.

Note: If you wish to be included or you know anyone who would like to be included in the sick list please notify the Parish Office.

Readers Meeting

Next Wednesday 29th March at 7.30pm in Parish Centre. Please make an effort to attend as we will be preparing for Easter.