St Catherine of Siena Parish

Caroline Springs, VIC
Canonically Erected: 18 January 2006

 

Welcome!

Our website is easy to use and is accessible using computers, smart phones or tablets.

This "Home" page provides a quick overview of what's happening in our Parish without requiring you to "dig" for the latest information.

The Mass Schedule for the upcoming 7 days is available on every page of our website.

Parish events have been organized into our Events Calendar.

You will also find information about our Faith in the Ministries, Education, and Sacraments sections.

NEWS!

Parish Update

Shalom World features Fr Richard in Vocare episode

GOD calls. And some say, “Yes.” Shalom World’s original series 'VOCARE' takes an in-depth look at the lives of those who have answered God’s call to the priesthood, examining the challenges they face, the joy of their ministries, and the spirituality that sustains them.

The Melbourne Church celebrates the 2019 Rite of Election

ON the Feast of St Patrick over 1,200 people gathered at St Patrick’s Cathedral on an autumnal Sunday afternoon for the annual Rite of Election. It is at this Rite that those who are preparing for the Easter sacraments—accompanied by parish RCIA team members, fellow parishioners, family, sponsors and godparents—are presented to the Archbishop and the wider Catholic community. [Read More]

Letter from Archbishop Peter A Comensoli

Dear Friends in Christ,

At a time when the early Christian community was at a very low ebb, experiencing internal shame and external criticism, St Paul acknowledged among his fellow believers that "if one member suffers, all suffer together" (1 Cor 12:26). In this past week of great pain and shame, of bewilderment and disheartenment, has not our own experience as members of the Church .in Melbourne been one of great suffering together?

The release of the news regarding the conviction of Cardinal George Pell for child sexual abuse has polarised our society on a broad level, from which none of us are immune. I want to acknowledge the devastating impact this may have had on each and every one of you, both in the release of the details and in how this news has been publicly received. Your heart is hurting; and your home of faith is hurting!  [Read More]

Parish Formation on the Liturgy

THE Church calls for the full, conscious and active participation of all the faithful in the liturgy (SC n.2). We can only achieve this if we know or understand what is going on during Mass. We are therefore presenting a series of video clips (see video below) to educate our parishioners about the liturgy with the end view of promoting reverence during Mass and be able to respond to the Church's call of full, conscious and active participation in the liturgy.

Promoting the Liturgy of the Hour in the Parish

THE Constitution on the Liturgy states that by "tradition going back to early Christian times, the divine office (or Liturgy of the Hours) is devised so that the whole course of the day and night is made holy by the praises of God. Therefore, when this wonderful song of praise is rightly performed by priests and others who are deputed for this purpose by the Church's ordinance, or by the faithful praying together with the priest in the approved form, then it is truly the voice of the bride addressed to her bridegroom; It is the very prayer which Christ Himself, together with His body, addresses to the Father."

Moreover, since the Liturgy of the Hours, is the public prayer of the Church, it is a source of piety, and nourishment for personal prayer. For this reason, we will be starting to pray Morning Prayer or Lauds whenever Mass is not celebrated on a Monday instead of the usual Communion Service.

Pell’s prison sentence greeted with praise, grief by friends and foes

by Elise Harris

THERE'S no doubt that the conviction of Australian Cardinal George Pell for “historical sexual offenses,” meaning the abuse of two altar boys in the 1990s, and his subsequent 6-year prison sentence have been among the biggest blockbuster moments in recent Catholic news.

However, the day after Pell was sentenced - he maintains his innocence, and an appeal hearing is set for June 5-6 - voices from all quarters spoke out, some hailing the sentence as an important step forward in the fight against clerical abuse, others complaining it was too light, and still others insisting they just can’t buy a guilty verdict given the evidence presented. [Read More]