COLLECTION FOR DEACON RHYS LOWTHER THIS WEEKEND. We will take up a collection at all Mases on 7th & 8th November for soon-to-be Fr Rhys Lowther. The collection will contribute to a parish gift for Fr Rhys.

PARISH OFFICE CLOSURE 10/11. Please note, the Parish Office will be closed on Tuesday 10th November.

HOLY HOUR FOR DEACON RHYS. Please join us at St Francis Xavier at 6.00pm on Tuesday 10th November for a Holy Hour to pray for Deacon Rhys Lowther as he prepares for his ordination to the priesthood.

FUNERAL OF DON GRAY 12/11. Don passed away following a stroke on Thursday 29th October. Don has made a wonderful contribution to the life of our parish, initially at St Anthony’s and more recently at St Francis Xavier. In recent years, he was a regular attendee at the 11am Sunday Mass. Don is survived by his wife Lois, whom we hold in our prayers. The Requiem Mass for Don’s eternal repose will be offered at St Anthony’s at 1.30pm on Thursday 12th November. The rosary will be prayed at 1.00pm.

CANCELLATION OF BUS TO DEACON RHYS’ ORDINATION. Due to insufficient bookings we are unable to proceed with the planned bus booking. Refunds will be processed next week.

DEACON RHYS LOWTHER ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD
10.00am | Saturday, 14th November 2026 at St Patrick’s Cathedral, East Melbourne

DEACON RHYS LOWTHER FIRST MASS SUNDAY 15th NOVEMBER 2026
1.00pm | Mass | St Anthony’s, Lara 2.30pm | Lunch | MacKillop Hall, Lara

SIGN UP: WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH LUNCH AFTER DEACON RHYS’ FIRST MASS. A celebratory lunch will be held in MacKillop Hall after Deacon Rhys’ first Mass at St Anthony’s on 15/11. We need people to help set up, serve food, and pack up. If you can help, please put your name on the sign-up sheets in the church foyers.

VISITING PRIEST AT 11AM MASS ON 15/11. Please note that the 11am Mass on Sunday 15th November will be offered by Fr Anthony Beltrame so that Fr Marcus can help with preparations for Deacon Rhys’ First Mass. Fr Anthony is a young priest from Adelaide. Please make him welcome.

ST FRANCIS XAVIER PRIMARY SCHOOL 50TH JUBILEE CELEBRATION. All present and past students and their families are invited to join the celebration from 10.00am to 2.00pm on Saturday 14th November. See flyers for more information.

GEELONG CATHOLIC PROFESSIONALS LUNCH 19/11. The Geelong Catholic Professionals Lunch is a new networking initiative of the Archdiocese. The inaugural lunch will be held from 12pm-2pm at GMHBA Stadium on Thursday 11th November 2026. The guest speaker at the lunch will be Dr Ed Simonds, the director of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools. The lunch promises to be a wonderful opportunity to meet and support other Catholic professionals. To join our parish table for $50 a seat, please contact Fr Marcus at marcus.goulding@cam.org.au.

NEW PROJECTOR INSTALLED AT ST ANTHONY’S. A new projector has been installed at St Anthony’s. The permanent projector screen has been removed. Hymn texts will be projected directly onto the wall, as at St Francis Xavier.

NOVEMBER MASS OFFERINGS FOR THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED. During November, we pray for the eternal repose of our deceased relatives and friends. The greatest prayer we can offer for the dead is the Mass. When we make a donation to have a Mass offered for our deceased loved-ones, the merits of our sacrifice are joined to the merits of Christ’s sacrifice and applied to the souls of the dead, assisting their purification in purgatory. To have Mass offered for your deceased relatives, complete a Yellow Mass Offering envelope from the church foyers, enclose a donation, and give it to Fr Marcus or the Parish Office.

CHILDREN’S CHOIR. Rehearsals are held at 9.45am on the first Sunday of each month in the Fr Ron Lowe Room. Next children’s choir: Sunday 8th November. To register your child or for more information, please contact Lani on 0404 690 773 or Nina on 0431 003 280.