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
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
Discipleship Clas Class 7-8:30pm
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 Mass 6:30 - 8:30 Arabic & English
2nd Mass.8:30 - 10:30 English - St
Mary’s Church
3rd Mass 8:30 - 10:30 Arabic - St
John’s Chrysostom Church
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., Kensington Vic 3031 Tel: 93766651
Fr Kerillos Tawadros 0411 518 399
Fr John Makary 0433 445 636
The Departure of St. Abba Nofer the Anchorite.
23rd June - 16th Baouna
On this day, the ascetic father, Abba Nofer the Anchorite, departed at a good old age, and of a glorious memory, in the desert of Upper Egypt. The grace of God had moved St. Paphnoute (Paphnutius(, and he longed to see the servants of God, the Anchorites. He saw many of them, among them St. Abba Nofer, and wrote their biographies. He said that once he went into the desert and found a well of water and a palm tree. Then he saw the saint coming to him, naked, and the hair of his head and beard covered his body. When St. Paphnutius saw him, he was afraid and thought that he was a spirit. Saint Abba Nofer encouraged him, made the sign of the cross, and prayed the Lord’s prayer, then said to him, “Welcome O Paphnoute.” When he called him by his name, St. Paphnutius calmed down. They prayed together, then sat, and talked about the greatness and goodness of God. St. Paphnutius asked Abba Nofer to tell him about his life and how he came to that place. Abba Nofer replied, “I was in a monastery wherein lived holy and righteous monks. I heard them talking about the greatness of those anchorites who dwelled in the desert and their good virtues. I said to them, ‘Are there any who are better than you?’ They said to me, ‘Yes, those anchorites who dwell in the wilderness. We live near the world, if we are sorrowful or sad, we find someone to console us; if we are sick, we find someone to visit and treat us; if we are naked, we find someone to clothe us. Those who live in the wilderness lack all these things.’ When I heard that from them, my heart became anxious.
“When the night came, I took a little bread and I went out from the monastery. Then I prayed to the Lord Christ and asked Him to guide me to the place where I was to live. The Lord facilitated my way and I found a holy and righteous man. I dwelt with him, and he taught me all about the life and the ways of the hermits and the anchorites. After I came to this place, I found a palm tree, and a well. The tree bore twelve clusters of dates each year. One cluster of dates is enough food for me for a month, and I drink water from this well. I have lived here for sixty years during which I have never seen the face of a man except yours.”
While they were talking together the angel of the Lord came down, and told St. Abba Nofer that his departure was near. Straightway, his color changed and became like fire, then he bowed his knees and worshipped God. After he embraced St. Paphnutius, he delivered up his pure soul. St. Paphnutius wrapped him, and buried him in his cave. St. Paphnutius wished to live in the place of Abba Nofer. But after he had buried him, the palm tree dried and fell down and the water of the well dried up. That happened by the Will of God, so St. Paphnoute would return to the world and tell us about the holy hermits that he had seen.
May their prayers be with us and Glory be to god forever. Amen.
The Martyrdom of St. George (Girgis( known as El- ( Mezahem.
26th June - 19 Baouna
This day also, in the year 675 A.M. (June, 959 A.D.(, marks the martyrdom of St. George, the new martyr, known as El-Mezahem. His father was a Moslem bedouin. He married a Christian woman from the city of Demerah El-kibliah. He had from her three sons, one of them was this Saint, and they called him El-Mezahem.
He used to go with his mother to the church at a young age. He also used to see the children of the Christians dress in white on the days that they partook of the Holy Mysteries. He longed that his mother would dress him like them, and allow him to eat from whatever they ate at the altar. His mother told him that could not be, unless he was baptized. She gave him a portion of the blessed Eulogia bread, that they distributed to the people, and it tasted in his mouth like that of honey. He meditated in his heart and said, «If the taste of this bread that was not consecrated by prayers tastes like this, what will be the taste of the Offering?» His longing for the faith in Christ increased from that time.
When he grew up, he married a Christian woman, and he told her that he wished to become a Christian. She told him that he had to be baptized. He went to Birma, was baptized there and was called George (Girgis(. When this matter became known, he went to Domiat. The Moslems there recognized him, seized him and tortured him. Then he escaped and fled to the city of Saft Abu-Trab, where he stayed for three years. When his matter became known again he went to the city of Katurah, and remained there serving the church of St. George, then went back to Demerah. When the Moslems of the city of Demerah knew his history, they seized him, and delivered him to the governor who put him in prison. The Moslems assembled and broke the door of the prison. They beat the Saint severely, split open his head, and left him between life and death. When some of the believers came on the morrow to bury him, for they thought that he was dead, they found him alive. The Moslems convened a council, and threatened him, but he did not change his conviction. They hung him up on the mast of a ship, but the governor ordered that he be taken down and cast him up in prison. His wife strengthened him, and comforted him. She taught him to believe that the punishment which had come upon him was because of his sins; lest Satan lead him astray and he might boast that he became like the martyrs. The angel of the Lord appeared to him, comforted him, strengthened him, and informed him that he would receive the crown of martyrdom on the next day. On the next morning, the Moslems gathered with the governor and demanded from him that the head of El-Mozahem be cut off. He handed him over to them. They took him, and cut off his head near
the church of the angel Michael in the city of Demerah. They cast his body in hot fire for a day and a night. But his body did not burn, so they put him in a barrel and threw him into the river. By the Will of God the barrel landed on the shore of an island, which was inhabited by a believing woman. She took his body, shrouded him, hid him in her house until they built a church for him, in which they laid his body.
May his intercession be with us. Amen.
The Departure of Elisha, the Prophet. 27th June - 20th Baouna
On this day, of the year 3195 of the world, the holy prophet Elisha, departed. This prophet was born in one of the villages of Israel called Alamut. His father›s name was Shaphat. Elisha was a servant to the holy prophet Elijah. When the Lord would take up Elijah the prophet into heaven, he went with him to the river Jordan. Elijah said to Elisha, «Ask what I shall do for you, before I be taken away from you.» Elisha asked, «I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me,» and it was as he asked. (2 Kings 2:1-18( Elisha divided the river and passed through it. Then he went to Jericho and went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, «Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!» So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the LORD. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths. (2 Kings 2:23-24( A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, «Your servant my husband is dead, and the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.» So Elisha said to her, «What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?» And she said, «Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.» Then he said, «Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors; empty vessels; do not gather just a few.» With his prayers the Lord blessed the oil and all the vessels became full. The woman sold the oil and paid off her debt. (2 Kings 4:1-7( He also raised the son of the Shunammite woman from the dead. When Naaman the Syrian came to him, he healed him from his leprosy. Naaman offered him much money and costly clothes, but he refused them. Nevertheless, when his servant Gehazi took them for himself, the prophet knew that by the spirit. Elisha became angry and told him, «Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.»
Elisha had performed many signs and miracles. He prophesied for about fifty years. When Elisha died, they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year. So it was, as they were burying a man, a plundering band was seen, and they cast the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, stood on
his feet, and went back to his people. (2 Kings 13:20-21( May his prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
The Consecration of the Church of Sts. Cosmas, Damian, Their Mother, and Brothers.
29th June - 22nd Baouna
On this day, the church celebrates the consecration of the church of St. Cosmas (Kozman(, Damian, their brothers, Anthimus, Londius, and Abrabius and their mother Theodata. They were from one of the Arab countries. Their mother feared God and was compassionate and merciful towards strangers and the needy. She became a widow, while her children were young. She raised them and taught them the fear of God. Cosmas and Damian studied medicine, and they treated the sick freely. As for their brothers, they went to the desert and became monks. When Diocletian renegaded the faith and ordered the worship of idols, he was told that Cosmas and Damian were preaching in the Name of the Lord Christ in every city and urging others not to worship the idols. He commanded them brought and delivered to the governor of the city, who tortured them with different kinds of tortures. Then he asked them the whereabouts of their brothers. Upon finding out, he brought the brothers and their mother. He ordered them to raise incense for the idols, but they refused. Then he ordered the five to be squeezed through the wheel. When they experienced no harm, he took them out and cast them in red-hot fire for three days and three nights then cast them in a hot steaming room. Finally, he placed them on red-hot iron beds. Through all this, the Lord strengthened and healed them. When the governor became weary of torturing them, he sent them to the Emperor who also tortured them. Their mother constantly encouraged them and comforted them. The Emperor rebuked her, and she cursed him in his presence and also cursed his idols. He ordered her head cut off, and she received the crown of martyrdom. Her body remained on the ground, no one dared to bury it, because of their fear of the Emperor. St. Cosmas screamed at those present saying, “Men of the city, is there not one merciful person among you who will cover the body of this poor old widow and bury her?” Straightway, Victor, Ebn-Romanus, came forward and took the body, shrouded it, then buried it.
When the Emperor heard what Victor had done, he ordered him to be exiled to Egypt where he received the crown of martyrdom. The next day, the Emperor ordered the beheading of Sts. Cosmas, Damian, and their brothers. They received the crown of life in the Kingdom of Heaven. After the time of persecution was over, many churches were built for them, where God manifested many signs and wonders.
May their intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
Feast of Pentecost – The Feast of Descending of the Holy Spirit
John 15:26 – 16:15
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment )John 16:8( (
This feast is called the fifty )days( feast … or the Feast of Pentecost and the feast falls on the fiftieth day from the Lord Jesus resurrection … and this feast is one of the ancient )Jewish( feasts … the Jews celebrated as one the major feasts )which are three feasts; the Passover, the Harvest )or First Fruit( and Feast of Tents( and it is the day of harvest for the Jewish nation )it is also called the feast of First Fruit and the feast of weeks and it falls on the fiftieth day after Passover and the Jews used to offer the first bunch of barley harvested to the Lord on the weeks following the feast of Passover and offer to the Lord as well two loaves of the wheat harvest on the fiftieth day and it was a great day for joy and celebrations and was customarily for all males of Israel to appear before the Lord their God. And according to the Jewish tradition also, this feast is annual celebration for receiving the law in the Sinai desert … for it was said that Moses received the law )of the ten commandments( on the mountain in the Sinai desert on the fiftieth day to their exodus from land of Egypt … and from this came the naming of )feast of joy with the law( and it was an old Jewish tradition to spend the seventh night of the fiftieth-day feast in offering thanks giving to God for the gift of the Law )to them( …
Without a doubt, God who all His action is greatly wise, had chosen this Jewish feast to make it the feast of the birth of His Church … they )the Jews( celebrated this feast for harvest of plants and it has become a feast for the harvest of the good plant who are sonship to the )heavenly( kingdom … they celebrated as feast for first fruit of plants and in Christianity it is the feast of the first fruit of salvation where the church gained three thousand souls )Acts 2:41( … as a tradition they celebrated for receiving the law written on two stone tablets and it became a feast for the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of life-giving not on a stone tablets as it happen of ancient past but they were written on tablets of flesh, the hearts of those who received )the Holy Spirit( … And the number fifty symbolises forgiveness and clemency … for in the fiftieth-year slaves were set free … )the year of jubilee( …
Thus, this day of Pentecost is the day is the day we celebrate our redemption and the glad tidings of salvation to the earth inhabitants … thus, let rejoice and celebrate with this great day, on which the church of the new covenant was born and the earth was filled with the Holy Spirit … Who, will
stay with us for ever … Who, guides us to the truth … He, will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment )John 16:8( … + The Spirit of truth … Who, proceeds from the Father …
God is the Spirit of truth … who teaches us to live in the truth … and witness for the truth … and receive the blessings of the truth … to live in truth … which is the Lord Jesus Himself … for, the Holy Spirit supports God’s children to live in the truth … the truth which appear hard in people )of the world( point of view … and appears to be impossible in the world point of view … and seems unfeasible and impractical in view of the person who loves the world ….
Saint Polycarp … as an old man approximately 85 years old was asked to leave his Christ and worship the pagan idols, but how could he depart from the truth which he had experienced, loved and lived in it … so said to them )those who asked him to apostate(; I have 85 years lived with the Lord Jesus Christ in joy and full solace … He never departed from me not even a single day … how do I leave Him now? …
Righteousness like purity which appear far above human nature … )specially( in our modern times … but, for God children who were filled with the Holy Spirit and lived in the truth and the accounts of purity and innocence who the saints lived by and preferred death to losing their purity and defiling the temple of the Holy Spirit within them which the church history pages is full of it … for instance, there is Saint Potamia )also known in the Coptic tradition as St Potemina( the pure who refused at the time of her persecution and martyrdom to reveal her body and preferred to enter into the boiling oils by herself rather than allowing someone to touch her and remove her clothing …
And Saint Theodora the innocent and the pure young man who offered his head )to the sword( to preserve her innocence … and Saint Febronia the martyr who preferred to offer he head to the slaughter by the governor by her request instead of losing her virginity and there also the young man who cut his own tongue )w ith his own teeth( and spat it at a harlot woman who tried to lure him into sin to escape losing his purity … they all lived in a life of truth and loved the truth and became a pure temple for the Holy Spirit … nowadays we are indeed in need of martyrs and heroes who would offer their lives to live in chastity and purity … offering to the world a strong example of true Christianity which knows how to live purity and innocence among a world full of promiscuity and immo -
And we witness for the truth … in strength without fear … how hard it is to witness for the truth in the world point of view … but the time is coming … that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service )John 16:2( … the chief priests and the Jews asked for the crucifixion of the Lord Christ with the excuse that He makes Himself a king and they had no king but Caesar … they, also asked for St Paul to be killed on the charge that he promotes riots and calls for customs which cannot be accepted … the Romans persecuted the Christians and killed thousands of them on the assumption that their presence threatens the social safety of the emporium … beloved, do you see … how witnessing for the truth is hard in a world which does not accept the truth … but why do you fear the truth??? The truth is with you …
Do you know that the Spirit in such an hour will give words and wisdom to the extent that all your opposers cannot resist … see the works of the Holy Spirit in St Peter who was a fisherman before … and in his weakness, he denied His Lord but with the strength of the Holy Spirit, three thousand souls believed by his hands on the day of Pentecost itself … and look at St Stephan who the chief priests and scribes could not resist the Spirit he spoke with … for he was filled with every wisdom and understanding …
Beloved … do not fear the threats of the evil ones for their intimidations and logic is weak … they will not overcome you … but you, will adhere to the truth in you … adhering to God’s commandments … witnessing to the truth in all your actions and conduct being assured that God will never leave you and will not let you be defeated ever …
But, beloved be warned … there are a )great( difference between witnessing for the truth … and condemning others … and there are differences between witnessing for the truth and recklessness and haste … for, the one who witnesses for the truth is a Christian person and his or her heart is full of love and humility … and the truth that dwells in them will give them wisdom and understanding so that they will not haste nor rush to offend others nor judge them …
And the truth )which is them( has countless blessings; most importantly: serenity of the heart and inner peace … for the person who witnesses for the truth and live in it; is full of all peace … for he or she have a )very( strong truth which cannot be defeated, then why fear or be troubled … and from the gifts of the Holy Spirit is He is the Comforter … and this is the meaning of the word Paraclete … )consoler or comforter Who defends us( … and this is the secrete of the strength of God’s children who witness for the truth and live by the truth … without the Holy Spirit we will not be able to endure … but the Spirit of
truth which has filled our hearts will guide us to all truth … but, beloved the Holy Spirit also, convict … alert … and warns …
+ Convict the world of sin … righteousness … and judgement …
On sins … because they do not believe on Me … and this is the source of all sins …
And of course, lack of faith alone is enough to make any sin unforgiveable no matter what other good deeds performed by a person to justify one’s self … Even, the person who has believed and was baptised … when and if they neglect God’s commandments and break it … then, they have to prove their faith with repentance and returning to God in order that they receive absolution of their sins … and this is the works of the Holy Spirit in convicting a person on his or her sins …
On righteousness … because I go to My Father and you see Me no more … but, how can a man be convicted for righteousness … naturally, one will not be convicted for righteousness performed by him or her … but will be convicted for the righteousness they did not perform … or perhaps convicted for self-righteousness for one to live by and justify him or herself with it … and maybe, the world will be convicted by the righteousness of the righteous … for the righteousness of the God’s children will reveal the world’s sins as the light eliminates darkness … and the judgement because the Lord has gone to the Father and the world does not see Him too … in this, God’s children’s faith is revealed even if they do not see Him … and it is true the world will not see Him again, but we see Him through the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us and guides us to a life of righteousness
…
On judgement … because the ruler of this world is judged … and in this judgement of the ruler of the world the evil of whoever follows this world and the ruler of world is the evil one … is Satan … and Stan has been judged … and defeated before the Cross of the Lord Jesus … and his evil trick and works has been revealed and here the Holy Spirit works to separate God’s children from this evil one who has been judged and all those who follow him, been judged to destruction .
Beloved … let the Spirit within you move you … with strength … He will help you to live in truth … strengthen you to witness and testify for the truth … and bestows the gifts of the truth )on you( … He will reveal your illnesses and heal it and He will reveal your weaknesses and strengthen you to grow in every grace before God and all the people … )Amen Lord Holy Spirit, come and dwell in our hearts for ever, amen(.
+ Feast of Pentecost:
Today Sunday 23rd June is the Feast of Pentecost – Fiftieth day after Resurrection when the Holy Spirit filled the Holy Disciples as the Lord promised them that He will send His Holy Spirit the comforter to fill them and stay with them forever and asked them not to depart from Jerusalem until they are filled with this special power from the Highest. On that day, the Holy Spirit descended upon them as cloven tongues of fire and they started to talk in tongues and to teach so much that three thousand believed that day as they heard a sermon from St Peter. It is the Birthday of the church of the New Testament and the start of the preaching mission of the disciples all over the world. Let us ask the Lord to work in us and make us honest witnesses to him and live Gospels read by all people. At St Mary’s Church the service programme will be: 5:30am Matins prayers and the procession of the Resurrection.
6:30 - 8:30 am First Liturgical Service
8:30 - 10:30 am Second Liturgical Service English
8:30 - 10:30 am third Liturgical Service Arabic 11:30 - 1:30 pm Kneeling Down (Sajda( Prayers. Holy Apostles Fasting starts on tomorrow Monday 24th June.
Holy Apostles Fasting
Tomorrow Monday 24th June the Holy Apostles tasting starts directly after we celebrate the Holy Feast of Pentecost. The Fasting is continuing until 12th July which is the east of Martyrdom of St Peter and Paul- the feast of the Holy Apostles. This fasting has been ordered by the Lord Himself when He was asked by the Pharisees why His disciples do not fast as St John’s disciples. The Lord told them that when the Bridegroom is taken from them they will fast. This was pointing to the Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord. The Lord also ordered His disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they are filled with the Holy Spirit. So, the day of Pentecost is truly the day of a start for the new church. The Birthday of the church of New Testament. That is why the church who feels as stranger in this world is carrying the Cross following the Lord. Fasting is also a sign of carrying the Cross in rejection to the world pleasures. We have also witnessed His Resurrection and Ascension and looking forward for His Second Coming. Let us follow the steps of our Lord declaring and witnessing for His Salvation on the Cross on the way to get united with her Bridegroom.
+ Remember O Lord the Departed:
Departed to the Lord Late Mr Gamal Elgowhary husband of Mrs Kamla and father of Nader and Dalia.
Funeral Friday 28th June 2pm at St Mary’s Church. May the Lord repose his soul and comfort all his family and friends.
Selected Church Fathers sayings on Pentecost & the Holy Spirit
“And after forty days He ascended to heaven and say by the Right Hand of the Gracious Father, and sent unto us the Comforter the Spirit of Truth, as cloven tongues fire.” – The Fraction for the Pentecost Feast; The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil according to the Coptic Orthodox Church
1. HH Pope Shenouda III, “The Feast of the Pentecost” “The Holy Spirit used to work in the Old Testament as well. In the story of Samson we read that “the Spirit of the LORD began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan” (Judges 13:25(. And we also read that after Saul was anointed as king that “the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied” (1 S 10:10(. This also happened when David was anointed by Prophet Samuel to be king “the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward” (1 Sam 16:13(. And the way the Holy Spirit came upon both Saul and David was through the Anointing Oil that the Lord ordered them to prepare in Exodus Book (Ex 30:22- 31(. And Aaron was anointed as a high priest when Moses poured from this holy anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him (Lv 8:12(, as we say in the psalm “It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.” (Ps 133:2(. And with this anointing oil the tent of meeting along with the altars and the utensils were anointed and became holy (Ex 40, Lv 8(. With this anointing oil also kings and prophets were anointed (1 Kings 19(. And as a result to the anointing, the Holy Spirit comes upon them and so comes His gifts as well.”
2. St. Basil the Great, “On the Holy Spirit”
“Through the Holy Spirit comes our restoration to paradise, our ascension into the kingdom of heaven, our return to the adoption of sons, our liberty to call God our Father, our being made partakers of the grace of Christ, our being called children of light, our sharing in eternal glory, and, in a word, our being brought into a state of all “fulness of blessing,” both in this world and in the world to come, of all the good gifts that are in store for us, by promise hereof, through faith, beholding the reflection of their grace as though they were already present, we await the full enjoyment.”
3. St. Macarius the Great, “Spiritual Homilies” (Homily 26( “As the Lord put on the body, leaving behind all principality and power, so Christians put on the Holy Spirit, and are at rest.”
4. St. Cyril of Alexandria
“Jesus tells us that His holy Disciples will be more courageous and more understanding when they would be, as the Scripture says, Endowed with power from on high (Luke 24:49(, and that when their minds would be illuminated by the torch of the Spirit they would be able to see into all things, even though no longer able to question Him bodily present among them. The Saviour does not say that they would no longer as before need the light of His guidance, but that when they received His Spirit, when He was dwelling in their hearts, they would not be wanting in any good thing, and their minds would be filled with most perfect knowledge.”
5. St Isaac the Syrian, “Ascetical Homilies” (Homily 77(
“The power to bear Mysteries, which the humble man has received, which makes him perfect in every virtue without toil, this is the very power which the blessed apostles received in the form of fire. For its sake the Saviour commanded them not to leave Jerusalem until they should receive power from on high, that is to say, the Paraclete, which, being interpreted, is the Spirit of consolation. And this is the Spirit of divine visions. Concerning this it is said in divine Scripture: ‘Mysteries are revealed to the humble’ [Ecclus 3:19]. The humble are accounted worthy of receiving in themselves this Spirit of revelations Who teaches mysteries.”
6. St. Simeon the New Theologian, “Writings from Philokalia”
“The aim of all those who live in God is to please our Lord Jesus Christ and become reconciled with God the Father through receiving the Holy Spirit, thus securing their salvation, for in this consists the salvation of every soul. If this aim and this activity is lacking, all other labour is useless and all other striving is in vain. Every path of life which does not lead to this is without profit.”
+ Remember O Lord the Departed:
“I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” John (11:25-26( (
Dr Atalla Abraham passed away in the early morning of Thursday 13th of June, leaving behind his devoted wife, Dr Katy Abraham. He was the loving father to Claire Rofaeil married to David Rofaeil, and Timothy Abraham, as well as the cherished grandfather to Charlotte Rofaeil and Jennifer Tawfik.
He was a dear brother to Dr Maged Atalla married to Dr Sylvana Atalla, Dr Lilian Rezk married to Mr Mina Rezk, and Dr Phoebe Latif married to Dr Talaat Yacoub.
Dr Atalla dedicated his life to his family and patients. He was extremely generous and kind to those around him. He loved life and always made anyone in his presence laugh. May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may the heavens grant solace to the family.
Funeral was conducted Monday 17th June 11am at St Beshoy Church
Blessed Baptism of Joshua son of Matthew and Mariam Younan
Saturday 15th June 2024
St. Mary’s Church
✝️”We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” - 2 Corinthians 5:8
Departed to the Lord, the beloved Eryan Tawadros. Husband of the late Hakmat Tawadros, father of John Tawadros and Tony Tawadros. Grandfather to Nicole, Natalie, Ezekiel and Zachariah. Brother of the late Zaki, the late Barsum, Samir, Adly, Nagat and Nadia. Cousin to the Tawadros family.
The family will receive condolences at St Mary’s Church, 5 Epsom Rd, Kensington on Sunday )23rd June( between 5pm and 7pm.
Funeral service details:
Monday )24 June( at 1pm at St Mary’s church, 5 Epsom Rd, Kensington, with the burial to follow at Keilor cemetery.
Third day prayer:
The third day prayer will take place at St George’s church, 77-79 Henry St, St Albans.
May the Lord repose his soul and comfort his family.
Mary’s
New Church, New Building and Car Park are ready We started to use the New Building and church last on Lazarus Saturday 27th April 2024. 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. We thank Our Lord for this great Gift Cost of building works is around $13,000,000. Your support and donations will be blessing and very appreciated.
Donations to St Mary’s Church and Building project can be made by the following Link
https://www.stmc.org.au/donate (Copy & Paste on Web Browser(