Services at St Mary’s Church
Monday: Mass 9 - 11 am
Tuesday
Liturgy 5:30 - 7am
7:30pm The Way Orthodox Fellowship in Englisg for adults - All ages
Wednesday: Mass 9 – 11 am
6:30-8pm School of Deacons Adults
Arabic ; 7-8:15pm English (Zoom)
Hymns Class Arabic 8-9pm (Zoom)
Thursday
Mass 9 - 11 am - English
English Midnight Praises 7:30pm
English Bible Study 7:30pm
Friday: Mass Mass 9 – 11 am
Youth 25 and above 7-9pm
Family Meeting 7-9pm (fortnightly)
Discipleship Clas Class 7-8:30pm
Year 10-12 Sunday School 6-9pm
Saturday: Mass: 8:30 – 11am
Sunday School 4 – 5.30pm
Vespers & youth meeting 7-8:30pm
English
Vespers &Bible Study Arabic 5:307pm
Scouts 1:30 - 3pm
School of Deaconsgip 3 - 4pm
Sunday:
1st Mass6 - .7:45am Arabic & Eng-
lish
2nd Mass.7:45 – .9:30am English
3rd Mass 9:30 - 11:15am Arabic
Hymns Class - English 11:4512:30pm
Church Priests:
Fr Tadros Sharobeam 0414251251
Email: frtadros@me.com
Fr Habib Girgis Younan:
0401238177 – 94498871
Email: habibgirgisyounan@hotmail. com
Fr Michael Salib: 0422431821
Email: frmichael@sac.edu.au
Church Address: 5 Epsom Rd., Kens-
ington Vic 3031 Tel: 93766651
Fr Kerillos Tawadros
0411 518 399
Fr John Makary 0433 445 636
The Martyrdom of St. Bacchus, the Friend of St. Sergius
15th October - 4th Baba
On this day, St. Bacchus, the friend of St. Sergius, was martyred. When Emperor Maximianus seized these saints, he tortured them severely. After having stripped them of their military ranks, he sent them to Antiochus, King of Syria, who imprisoned St. Sergius. However, he ordered St. Bacchus to be killed, his body made heavier by attaching stones to him, then cast into the River Euphrates. The Lord protected the body and the waves brought it to the shore near two ascetic holy men who were brothers. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and commanded them to go and carry away the body of the Saint. When they came to where the body was, they found an eagle and a lion protecting it. The beasts spent a whole day and a night guarding it without harming it, although they were beasts of prey, for they had been commanded by divine providence to protect the body.
The two holy men took the body with great honor, singing hymns until they came to their cave where they buried it.
His prayers be with us and glory be to our God, forever. Amen.
The Martyrdom of St. Paul, Patriarch of Constantinople
16th October - 5th Baba
On this day, St. Paul, Patriarch of Constantinople, was martyred. He was a disciple of Abba Alexandros, Patriarch of Constantinople. He was appointed to the patriarchy after the departure of Abba Alexandros. When he sat on the patriarchal throne, he expelled the followers of the Arian sect from Constantinople and its surroundings.
When Emperor Constantine, the Great, departed, his three sons reigned after him. Constantine II reigned over Constantinople, Constans reigned over Rome and Constantius reigned over France. Constantine II held the same belief as Arius. He was sorry for what Abba Paul had done to the Arians. He asked him to stop excommunicating them, but the Patriarch did not listen to him. The Emperor became angry and exiled him from Constantinople as he had also exiled Abba Athanasius the Apostolic from Alexandria. The two Patriarchs met in Rome, and went to stand before Emperor Constans to inform him of their concern. He wrote a letter to his brother on their behalf, ordering him to accept them and threatened him if he did not receive them - there would be no peace but war between them. When the two saints came to Constantinople, they gave the letter to Emperor Constantine, who accepted his brother’s letter and returned them to their Chairs.
However, after the slaying of his brother, Emperor Constans, in Rome, Constantine II exiled St. Paul again to the country of Armenia. A few days later, he
sent to one of the followers of Arius commanding him to catch up with St. Paul there and slay him. He went to him at night and strangled him, thus he received the crown of martyrdom. He stayed four years in office. His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.
The Departure of the Righteous Hannah, the Prophetess Mother of Samuel, the Prophet
17 Oct - 6th Baba
On this day, the righteous Hannah, the prophetess, and mother of Samuel the Prophet, departed. This just woman was of the tribe of Levi. Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, married her. He also had another wife whose name was Peninnah.
Hannah had no children because she was barren. Peninnah was always reviling her because she had no children. Hannah wept and did not eat. Elkanah, her husband, comforted her saying, “Why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” (1 Samuel 1: 8) She did not accept his comfort and went up to the house of the Lord during the days of Eli the priest. She prayed and wept before the Lord. Then she made a vow, and said, “O Lord of hosts if you will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.” (1 Samuel 1: 11) Eli the priest was watching her as she stood silently, for she was praying in her heart. Eli thought that she was drunk and he rebuked her but she told him, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my spirit before the Lord.” He answered her saying, “Go in peace and the God of Israel grant your petition.” (I Samuel 1:17) She believed his word, and went home. Then she conceived and brought forth a son, and she called him Samuel, which is interpreted as “being asked for”, because she said, “I have asked him of the Lord.” When she weaned him, she took him to the house of the Lord, as she had vowed. She brought the child to Eli the priest, and she said, “ ... I am the woman who stood by you here praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” (I Samuel 1:26-28) Then she praised God in that well-known praise attributed to her. She lived after this a life wellpleasing to God, and departed in peace. Her prayers be with us and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.
The Departure of St. Paul of Tamouh
18th October - 7th Baba
On this day, Abba Paul (Paula) who was from Tamouh (El-Tamouhi) (Thmoui), departed. Since he was inclined since his young age to solitary life, he went to Ansena Mountain. There he lived with his disciple Ezekiel, who was the witness of his virtues.
For his exceeding love to the Lord Christ, to Whom is
the glory, he exhausted his body with asceticism, forsaking earthly things, with fasting and many prayers in a way that exceeds human endurance. For this, he deserved that the Lord Christ appear to him and bless him for his conduct in this life, for such is the behavior of those who are perfect and who fight against the flesh, the world and the devil till they overcome them. St. Paul said to the Lord, «All that is due to Your care, O You creator and redeemer of the human race, by Your death on our behalf, we the undeserving sinners.» The Lord Christ comforted and strengthened him.
When our father St. Bishoy went to Mount Ansena, he was joined by the saint Abba Paula. The Lord Christ told Abba Paul (Paula), «Your body will be buried with that of My chosen Bishoy.» When Abba Paula departed, his body was placed with the body of St. Bishoy.
When they wanted to move the body of St. Bishoy to the wilderness of St. Macarius in Scete, they carried it onto a boat and left St. Paul›s body behind; however, the boat would not move, until they brought the body of St. Paul and placed it beside St. Bishoy›s body. Then they brought them to the wilderness of Sheheat (Scete). Their prayers be with us and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.
The Martyrdom of St. Matra.
19th October - 8th Baba
On this day, St. Matra the elder, was martyred. He was a native of Alexandria, a believing Christian. When Decius reigned, he established the worship of idols. He afflicted the Christian people in every place. When his edict reached Alexandria, its people began also to be persecuted.
Some brought accusations against this saint. The Governor brought St. Matra to question him about his faith. St. Matra confessed that the Lord Christ is a true God of true God. The Governor commanded him to worship the idols and promised him much money. When he refused, he threatened to punish him, but he did not give up his faith. He shouted at the governor, “I do not worship but the Lord Christ, the creator of heaven and earth.” The Governor became angry with him, and ordered him beaten. He was severely beaten and then hanged up by his arms. They then imprisoned him and slit his face and his temples with a red hot rod. Finally, because he insisted on not giving up his faith, they cut off his head outside the city.
His prayers be with us. Amen.
The Departure of St. Eumenius, the Seventh Pope of the See of St. Mark.
20th October - 9th Baba
On this day of the year 146 A.D., Saint Eumenius the seventh Pope of the See of St. Mark, departed. Pope Abremius, the fifth Pope, ordained him a deacon and he served 10 years in this position. When St. Yustus, the sixth Pope, was appointed, he saw how Eumenius excelled in knowledge and faith, so he ordained him a
priest. He entrusted to him the teaching of the believers of the church of Alexandria, and asked him to look after them and to instruct them in the principles of the Orthodox faith.
When Pope Yustus departed, this father was chosen Patriarch. He handed down the care of the churches and the teaching of the believers to Father Marcianus who later became his successor. He continually restored the strayed sinners, explaining to the pagans plainly the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and His being one in His divine essence. He stayed on the chair for 13 years and departed in peace. His prayers be with us. Amen.
The Martyrdom of St. Sergius, the Friend of St. Bacchus 21st October - 10th Baba
On this day, St. Sergius, the friend of St. Bacchus, was martyred. He was a high ranking soldier, advanced in the court of Emperor Maximianus, who showed him great favor. Because this Emperor was pagan and these two saints were people of faith, he sent them to Antiochus, King of Syria, to torture them and slay them if they did not forsake their faith.
Antiochus inflicted St. Bacchus with severe tortures and, when he did not dissuade him from his Christianity, he ordered his men to slay him. They killed him and cast his body into the River Euphrates. The waves brought him to the bank near two holy men. The Lord sent an eagle to guard the pure body and inspired the two saints to take it. They took the body with reverence and buried it(1). St. Sergius was sad for his friend Bacchus until he saw him in his sleep in a beautiful palace, shining brightly; so his soul was exceedingly comforted. Later on, the Governor commanded to drive nails into St. Sergius’ feet, and to send him to El-Rusafa (2)tied to the tails of the horses; his blood flowed down on the ground. On their way, they met a virgin damsel, who gave them water to drink. When she saw the condition the saint was in, she felt sad for him and she pitied his youth and his fine form. The saint told her, “Come, follow me to the city of El-Rusafa to take my body,” and she followed him. The Governor of El-Rusafa was a friend of St. Sergius, and it was through St. Sergius, that the Governor had this position. The Governor tried to convince him to change his mind to save his life. When St. Sergius did not accept his advice, he ordered his head cut off. That virgin came and received the blood which flowed from his holy neck and kept it in a clip of wool. However, the holy body was kept until the end of the days of persecution when they built a church for him at El-Rusafa. The church was consecrated by 15 bishops. They laid his holy body in a coffin made of marble. Those who were present witnessed that a fragrant oil flew from his body and it healed the sick. His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.
Meditations on the Eucharist’s bible readings
First Sunday of the blessed month of Baba
“Son, your sins are forgiven you” (Mark 2:5). Among the crowds … many multitudes … great noise … too many things to do … how many times one’s salvation is disrupted (because of these things) … how often one’s spiritual life is soured because of these events … how many times your cries are lost among the noise … how often your progress with God is halted because of the masses … how many times you feel lost and wasted in a crowded world … and )finally( how often you feel like a minute cog in a huge machinery … all that is required of you is to hold your place and bear the beating and hardship for ever without the right to complain or speak … but, in fact among such crowding, one feels like a number and not a human being … to the extent that at work, they might have forgotten your name … and only referred to by your number … and what is fascinating among these enormous crowding, one is told that we live in a society which respects one’s humanity and existence … maybe, this is true but only the worldly physical measures which is only concerned with fulfilling one’s physical needs only … and ignoring that one carries within him or her a lost soul and spirit almost perishing from deprivations and thirst. Beloved … you are this paralytic (person) in the midst of an unforgiving crowded world …
If you leave yourself in the hands of the world, then the world will crush you uncaringly … and you shall remain paralysed for the rest of life … do you want to be a paralytic for ever???
Start first by opening your eyes and recognising what the crowding has done to you?? Then ask for help … There are four very trusted (friends) who are willing to help you … they will carry you above the crowds … and place you before the Lord Jesus’s feet … + And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd +++
How harsh is being crowded … and how much harm we receive from )the crowds( … many were afflicted by the crowds … and some have been destroyed because of it …
One of those was Felix the governor (Acts 23-24) … all he was concerned with is collecting wealth, even if it was via bribery and thus he kept on calling Paul while he was under arrest several times, believing that Paul will bribe him to set him free … but Paul used the opportunity to preach him … but Felix did not have the time for such … and once while Paul was preaching him about righteousness, self-control and judgement … Felix was afraid and sent Paul back to prison saying “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you” (Acts 24:25) … and a convenient time never came …
Another is the foolish rich man (Luke 12:13-34) who only cared for his possessions and building new barns
… will tear down the his barns and build bigger ones … to gather for himself more wealth and food … and assures himself that he long life still to come saying “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry” … but this poor fool did not know that his time is over in midst of this crowding of life and he heard the voice saying “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?
(Luke 12:20) …
Again, from those is the virgin maiden of the Song of Solomon … at the time of her subdued feelings … the bridegroom calls he from outside … “open for me, my love, my perfect one” … but, she was preoccupied with other things, so she answered … “I have taken off mt robe, how can I put it on again; I have washed my feet, how can I defile them” )Song of Solomon 5:3( … so, she kept on with her many excuses till her beloved turned away from her … then, she realized her mistake, so she leaves her bed and seeks him in the city markets … but he is not there in the midst of the crowding … for he has gone to his heaven … where the perfumed fruits Song of Solomon 5:6) …
And you beloved, it seems that the crowding (of life) had made very occupied with it … for, you are working five or six and seven days a week … every day from dawn to dusk … and you have no more time for anything else and what ever (little time) left, you spend it in idle social talks and entertainments with friends and acquaintances … there no more time left even for your self … and no time for your children … or time for payers in the morning nor the evenings … even on Sundays there is only a few minutes or an hour left for God … no time for the sacrament of confessions … nor is there time for reading the holy bible … too busy … too busy … and have no time …
Beloved, what is important to you? … if you are not ready and prepared to spend some time for the heavenly kingdom … then, how can you ask to have a place in heavens …
You work (hard) for your life on earth … very well, and you will reap the rewards on earth … but what of (life) in heavens???
If the heavens are very cheap (and unimportant) to you to this extent … then, what of the salvation of your sons and daughters??? How many fathers and mothers are pouring out tears and bitterly crying because they did not recognize the crowding and when they searched for their children, they did not find them … they were lost and scattered in the world … for some
have gone with girl friend … or boy friend … and maybe left the home to live with them … and some of them are not embarrassed to smoke of drink alcoholic drinks or even some drugs in the front of their parents … and some who wants to transform the homes into a discotheque and a dancing hall with lured music for them and their friends … we have become accustomed to see our children who we have laboured and immigrated for them, to be in revealing attires and blatant life styles … no righteousness, no purity and no seriousness … is it to this extent the crowding impacted you??????????
What shall I do??? Many sits (in shame) with their heads in the palms of their hands, saying we wish if we did not immigrate or left our homeland and people … we wish, if we had paid spent some time in raising up our children … and we wish … but all such )thoughts( have no benefit now …
+ a paralytic who was carried by four men +++
You are in need of these four … and astonishingly they are always present around you … but, you the one who avoid and escape from them … these four are:
The Holy Bible … The Church Sacrament … the means of Grace … the Spiritual advisor …
The Holy Bible … in it you will find the living and nourishing Word of God … in it you shall see the Crucified Lord for you despite you are too busy and far away from Him and you will the way to the everlasting life … you will love God and rejoice in the company of the saints … thus was the Word of God to saint Augustine … It took him out from the (world) crowds and his sins to a life of repentance.
The Church Sacraments … in it, specially those sacraments you neglected for a long time, such as the sacrament of repentance and confession and the sacrament of communion and the eucharist … and how powerful are these two sacraments and how great is their effects in lives of God’s children … for in the sacrament of repentance, one awakes to ones self and recognizes how busy with the world one has been for a long time and how ones self (spiritual) level has declined to the present status … and you will become like the prodigal son and feel the gravity of your sins and being away from God and you will decide then to escape (the crowds) to God and eager to be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness (Psalm 84:10) … and in the sacrament of communion of the Eucharist your eyes will open to see the glory of heavens … and the greatness of life with God in glory and freedom carrying the weapon of victory on
Satan’s wars …
The means of Grace … prayers … fasting … charity … and all deeds of love … which will fulfill the void within you with God’s love … and makes the sweet name of Jesus being all that concern you and the (centre) of your life … learn, how to make your heart and thoughts always praying thus your life and home will be filled with all the blessing you missed … and the peace will return to you and your house hold …
The Spiritual guide … this could be your confessional father … and this is extremely necessary … don’t let your pride stop you from revealing your thoughts and sins to your confessional father … for, the confessional father even though he is a human being like you … but, he is praying for you and to guide you and the Lord will give him wisdom and understanding for you and (he) will guide you in what to do … and more importantly, through a true repentance and deserving of the Blood of the Lord (Jesus) Christ, you will receive absolution from your sins in the powers bestowed upon the fatherly priest (in the sacrament of priesthood) …
Beloved, these four are the trusted ones … they will never deceive or mislead you … so, be serious and concerned with salvation of your soul and deliver your paralytic self to the hands of these trusted four … and how great is the outcomes … for they are willing to do anything for you … They will carry you above the world and its crowds … read in the tales of the saints to see how they soared above the world and trembled upon the concerns of the world to the extent the world is counted as rubbish to saint Paul (Philippians 3:8) … everything … and more than this, they (the four trusted) will do the impossible to bring you to the Lord Jesus … they will demolish all barriers … they will remove the roof to place you before the Lord Jesus … for they have a very strong faith for your soul’s salvation … + when Jesus saw their faith +++
And what a faith?? One should not forget the roll of the paralytic man here … for he who has given himself to these four (trusted men) … and these four are always present (for you) … but, not all paralysed are willing to deliver themselves to them … for there are paralytics who enjoy being paralytic ….
But this paralytic has left the crowds and soared above the world and finally settled under the feet of the Lord Jesus … how happy is this paralytic … and how joyful and happy are the four (trusted ones) too …
Thus, this paralytic heard the sweetest words he could hear for a long time … “your sins are forgiven (for) you” … thus, his tired and troubled soul is comforted and joyful and his hungry spirit is fulfilled …
As for his physical body … the Lord did not forget and cared for all its needs …
Arise, take up your bed, and go … for, your free and strong and the world no-longer has dominion over you ….
It was heard that He was in the house (Mark 2:1)
The Lord wants to find a rest in every house. The Lord entered the house of Zacchaeus and Salvation came to this house. In the house of Simeon, the Pharisees, the Lord found his rest in the heart of the sinner woman even he was not honoured as a guest. In Capernaum the Lord has performed many miracles and there He found a home. There sat the multitudes under His feet listening to Him. The house was too small for this crowd. But, the Heart of the Lord was big enough for all of them. The paralytic man on his bed has no room in the house. He had no room in the hearts of many in the crowd who saw him and did not give a space. But the Lord can see and hear and has certainly a room for him. You may that the Lord has forgotten you in the crowd. The Lord never forget you or any of those in the back seats or those who sneak in from the servant’s door or hiding among the branch of a tree. Even the fifth sparrow has a value )Luke 12:6( After 400 years in Egypt the Lord visited His people. After 18 years of slavery by Eglon king of Moab, the Lord sent to them Ehud son of Gera to rescue them (Judges 3: 15 – 30). The Midianites enslave them for seven years. The Lord sent Gideon (Judges 6) to deliver them. People forget but the Lord never forget. Human sleeps but the Lord is always there for us. The Lord even can see this paralytic outside the house and arrange for him to be carried through the ceiling. He is another one of those who steal the Kingdom of Heaven through the close ceiling of being hanged on a cross next to the Lord’s Cross. The Lord is in a house, in the church living as a stranger in the house of the Pharisees. Come quickly He is waiting for you to grant you forgiveness and healing.
Blessed Baptism
Baby Maria
daughter of Michael & Nermin Sakla
Sunday 8th October 2023
St. Mary’s Church
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/confession-st-marys-annual-festival-tickets-717047978807?aff=oddtdtcreator
Construction of New Buildings started Thursday 28th April
The new Building is expected to be ready December 2023. church services are continuing as normal as in the Timetable inside the Bulletin. You can donate monthly contribution using Direct Debit forms available in the church or downloaded from church website.
Cost of building works is around $13,000,000. Your support and donations will be blessing and very appreciated. 2022
