The Combined Societies of Mary
Let us enjoy together the Richness and the Beauty of God through Prayer
Our Lady of Lourdes 2016
Walk with Mary 2017
Divine Mercy 2017
Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is always a very special Feast of Our Lady and She has always bought great blessings on this celebration. Despite the cold weather a good gathering was present to honour Our Blessed Mother, to receive many graces, and to be enrolled in the Scapular of Mount Carmel.
We thank Father Barry and Father Harney for hearing confessions, for the celebration of Holy Mass and for the enrolment of souls in our Lady's Scapular. Below are a few photos from the afternoon featuring the magnificent carved wooden statue from England and the enrolment ceremony.
The Day began with Adoration and prayers, then followed Benediction.
The enrolment in the scapular occured before the Holy Mass.
Free scapulars were given out to all those in attendance, and we all renewed our consecration to Our Lady of Mt Carmel.
Pictured Left is the beautifully carved cedar statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The statue is an exquisite life size statue of Our Lady, and one that undoubtedly brings many blessings to all those thus inspired with trust and confidence in Our Lady's powerful intercession.
The enrolment in the brown scapular of Our Lady took place at the conclusion of Holy Mass
Day in Honour of God the Father
Day in Honour of God the Father
Day in Honour of God the Father
The Day in honour of God the Father was celebrated in the very beautiful Church of St Joseph's Elsternwick, which is our usual venue for this very special celebration which is held on the First Sunday of August each year.
Novena and Feast of
Our Lady of Vailankanni
It was a very grace filled and blessed Novena and Feast of Our Lady of Vailankanni.
Conducted each evening for nine consecutive nights plus the feast, it included Exposition, Adoration, Novena Prayers and Holy Mass.
As in every year, some wonderful miracles were reported: cures from cancer, a cure for a baby with a very poor prognosis, and numerous favours were received.
Father Varghese with two of our invaluable and much appreciated altar servers on the night of the Feast of Our Lady of Vailankanni.
Father Varghese is the Parish Priest of St Joseph's Elsternwick and Holy Cross Church Caulfield South where the Novena was held.
Holy Cross Church is an extremely beautiful Church with many beautiful features. Above the two sacristies are paintings showing two significant events associated with the finding of the true Cross of Jesus Christ.
Above and Right, top image: Emperor Constantine had a vision that if he went into battle with an emblem of the Cross of Jesus Christ then he would be victorious. It was a very difficult situation militarily. He acted as inspired and was victorious. This victory prompted him to make Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.
Above and Right, bottom image:
Constantine's mother in about the year 326 AD, had a vision which indicated that the true Cross of Jesus Christ was situated in a cistern in Jerusalem covered by a pagan temple. Excavations were carried out and sure enough three crosses were located. But which one was the True Cross? As pictured, the crosses were taken to a woman who was terminal. She touched the first cross presented to her and nothing happened. She touched the second cross and nothing happened either. But when she touched the third cross, she was completely healed.
The following Easter the bishop of Jerusalem was to carry the cross in an Easter procession but was unable to move the cross. It was suggested that this was because he was done up in all his glorious vestments. So he removed all the elaborate garbs and to everyone's amazement was then able to proceed.
Holy Cross Church has a wonderful connection with Saint Julian, the great apostle of the Holy Eucharist. The miracle needed for his canonisation came from the parish of St Holy Cross, from a lady living in the street opposite the Church and just a few doors up. The cure occurred on 3 August 1949, the final day of a Solemn Novena to Blessed Peter Julian Eymard at St Francis’ Church in Melbourne, Australia, when Dora Bartels was spontaneously cured of a heart condition (mitral valve stenosis) which was deemed medically incurable at that time.
