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Fiat: A Weekend of Prayer, 28-30 March
This regular e-newsletter is produced by Proclaim: The Office for Mission Renewal to help keep parish leadership teams informed and inspired as they proclaim and live out the joy of the Gospel.
Mary said, ‘Here I am, the Lord’s servant, let it happen to me as you have said.’ (Luke 1:38)
As we approach the season of Lent, we are reminded that prayer sustains our Christian life. On Saturday, at our Leading in Hope: Vital Parishes formation day, clergy and lay parish leadership heard of the need to grow in our own personal friendship in the Lord and to maintain a regular prayer life if our missionary efforts are ever to bear fruit.
Next month, parishes and communities are invited to unite for Fiat: A Weekend of Prayer over 28-30 March. Coinciding with the Jubilee initiative 24 Hours for the Lord, and inspired by the annunciation, it is a time for us to deepen our prayer and ponder our own ‘yes’ to what God is asking of us. You are invited to register your community's Fiat hour of prayer. Resources and further details are below.
We'll leave the last word to our Pope, who we continue to pray for healing, comfort and strength: 'All of us are pilgrims in this life; each of us is invited to stop and ask how our lives reflect this fact. Am I really on a journey, or am I standing still, not moving?' (Message of the Holy Father for Lent 2025)
In this issue:
- Fiat: A Weekend of Prayer, 28 - 30 March 2025: Registrations now open
- The Rite of Election, 9 March 2025: Registrations closing soon
- Jubilee of Youth Pilgrimage: Bookings are open
- Youth, Young Adults and Campus ministry: Encounter, Youth Leaders Formation Days
- A new Lenten Resource: Light in the Desert
- Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Stations of the Cross: Now taking bookings
- Leading in Hope: Vital Parishes: Recap
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Fiat: A Weekend of Prayer
Friday 28 March - Sunday 30 March 2025
Registrations are now open! Our Archdiocese of Melbourne will unite in a weekend of prayer, inspired by the Annunciation and coinciding with Vatican Jubilee and Lenten initiative, 24 Hours of the Lord. We are invited as communities, families and individuals to listen to what the Lord may be asking of us, and to pray for the grace to embark on and do his will.
Parishes, communities and movements are invited to host a Fiat hour of prayer. With 24 Hours of the Lord having a particular emphasis on the sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation), your community could offer this sacrament of mercy over extended periods alongside other forms of prayer.
Find resources, schedule and registration details in the link below.
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The Rite of Election
Archbishop Peter A Comensoli will celebrate the Rite of Election on Sunday 9 March 2025, 3pm at St Patrick's Cathedral.
The Rite is a significant moment in the RCIA journey of catechumens and candidates as they begin their final preparations towards receiving the Sacraments of Initiation. It is a significant occasion in the life of our Archdiocese.
Parish Priests will have received an email in the February edition of Vicar General's newsletter with the booking details. RCIA Coordinators will have received another email with booking details via email on 21 February. The Parish Priest or RCIA Co-ordinator must register on behalf of their parish group.
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Year of Jubilee Pilgrimage to Rome
Registrations for the Archdiocesan Pilgrimage to the Jubilee of Youth (21 July - 5 August 2025) are open. We warmly encourage our young adults to take part in this exciting opportunity to deepen their faith during this Jubilee Year.
Registrations close 11 April 2025.
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Encounter: 28 March 2025
Encounter returns in 2025! Tailor-made for high school students, these evenings are an opportunity to encounter Jesus with prayer, fellowship, food, testimonies and a whole lot of fun! Travelling throughout the Archdiocese, there will be four evenings throughout the year.
The first session will be at:
St Andrew's Parish, Werribee
28 March 2025, 6.30pm-9.30pm
Download promotional material, including flyers, posters, a bulletin notice and a social media tile.
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Youth and Young Adult Ministry Leaders Training and Formation
Are you a youth or young adult ministry leader?
Join us in 2025 for days of formation, networking and training as you develop your skills as a leader of young people in faith.
Schedule (please note revised dates):
| 29 March |
Understanding Gen Z and How to reach them |
| 17 May |
How to disciple youth |
| 2 August |
How to run formation for youth and pilgrimages |
| 18 October |
Safeguarding |
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New Lenten Resource - Light in the Desert
As parishes and communities prepare for Lent, we have released a new small-group Lenten resource ‘Light in the Desert’ on The Summit website. Perfect for any level of formation, each week includes an excerpt from the Sunday Gospel, a short reflection introducing key themes, an excerpt from a Vatican II document, and questions to prompt deeper. The purpose of 'Light in the Desert' is to kindle a fire in people’s hearts and help them fall in love anew with Jesus Christ.
The Summit has also been updated with liturgical resources (weekly readings and liturgy notes, prayers of the faithful, music suggestions, Exploring the Word) for Sundays up until the Feast of Corpus Christi.
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Bring the Aboriginal Stations of the Cross exhibition to your community
Hosting an exhibition of the Aboriginal Stations in your community is a wonderful way to help parishioners build a personal connection to Christ’s passion, and to listen to Aboriginal voices and stories, particularly as we enter Lent. The Aboriginal Stations of the Cross are presented in 14 banners and are available throughout the year for loan by parishes and communities, free of charge, along with a PowerPoint presentation to accompany the exhibition.
To enquire about booking an exhibition, or to purchase a set of prayer cards featuring the Stations, please contact Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Victoria at acmv@cam.org.au.
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Leading in Hope: Vital Parishes
Thank you to the parish clergy and leadership teams, representing 55 parishes, who joined us last Saturday for a day of formation and planning. Inspired by the Take the Way of the Gospel Framework for Parish Renewal, participants explored missionary vision, collaboration and leadership excellence, elements of a vital parish.
Our keynote speaker, André Regnier, co-founder of Catholic Christian Outreach, spoke about the ways we could accompany and mentor our parish leaders, and how parishes can bring people into an encounter with Jesus Christ and embark on mission. We heard from the parish priests and leadership teams from the parishes of Gladstone Park, Murrumbeena and Ormond about how they have structured their leadership teams for mission. Dr Stephen Reid explained how we can interpret our parish social profiles for mission.
Certain resources from this day will soon be published in the Parish Resource Guide. And keep an eye out for more details of our next Take the Way of the Gospel formation series! In May, we will dive deeper into the characteristics of a vibrant parish: worship, evangelisation, formation, fellowship and service. More details to come.
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How can we support you?
Proclaim: The Office for Mission Renewal is here to equip, advise and partner with parishes to take the ‘missionary option’. Contact us on (03) 9926 5761 or at proclaim@cam.org.au.
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