Do you wish you could spend three days off to rediscover your faith and the life-enhancing power of the Holy Spirit? If the answer is "YES" (or even "maybe"), the Walk to Emmaus retreat is for you.

The Walk to Emmaus is a 3-day residential weekend retreat held at Maryknoll House. It is an ecumenical retreat linking Christians from many churches in Hong Kong. You will spend three busy but very enjoyable days in study, prayer, worship and discussion, centering around 15 talks given by laity and clergy. Many St. Anne's parishioners have taken part in a Walk to Emmaus retreat and have found it to be a life-changing experience.

The upcoming Spring walks will be held on May 9-12 (Women) and May 16-19 (Men). Catriona Woodrow from Union Church is Lay Director for the Women's Walk and Markus Shaw from St. Anne's Church is Lay Director for the Men's Walk. Application forms are available online at hkwalktoemmaus.org

For questions, please contact:

MEN: Markus Shaw This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Dennis Montecillo This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

WOMEN: Vivian Lee This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Aissa Montecillo This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

On the 17^th of March, the Parish gathered to recognize Dominic Chau, our parish Facilities Manager, on the occasion of his retirement. 

Please join us once again in thanking Dominic for his many years of faithful service to St. Anne’s Church!

Download the Image:   Retirement of Dominic Chau

On Easter Monday there will be no English Mass. The only Mass offered will be in Cantonese at 7:15 am at the Carmelite Monastery.

The next Youth Mass is April 6^th !   Please encourage your child/teen to read, sing and participate with their friends:  April 6 / May 4 / June 1. 

If you would like to be a Lector, contact Karen Brown at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and if you would like to join the youth choir, contact Hannah Kraebel at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please note that there will be no CCD classes on April 7th.

First Holy Communion

If you have not yet provided a copy of your child's Baptismal certificate, please do so immediately.  We are required to provide these documents to the Diocese.  If we do not have proof of baptism, we cannot allow your child to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

Parents of all children who will receive Holy Communion for the first time in May should check their email or the parish website at www.stannes.hk for a reminder of important upcoming dates.

Banners are due Sunday, April 14^th.  Please be sure that your child's first and last name appear on the front of the banner.  Completed banners may be dropped off at the CCD office.

Confirmation

Data for the (blue) Confirmation Register form was due on February 24^th.  If you have not yet handed in this form, please do so immediately.

April 14^th - All Commitment/Service Hours must be completed and Log turned in.

April 28^th - Commitment/Service Hours Reflection Report due.

Upcoming Student Sponsored Masses

April 14^th - the 11:15am Mass will be sponsored by the Grade 4 class.

April 21^st - the 11:15am Mass will be sponsored by the Grade 5b class.

April 28^th - the 11:15am Mass will be sponsored by the Pre-Confirmation class.

Dear music ministry members,

The line-up and schedule for April are attached.  Thanks to Stella Woo for the music selections.  Accompanists and cantors – please let me know if the schedule is ok with you.

I'd like to thank our choir members who joined in singing at last night's Holy Thursday service.  Thanks also to the Chinese Choir for singing with us, especially Miranda Kwan the Chinese Choir director and Ingrid Tsui the accompanist.

Also thanks (in advance) for everyone who will be singing at the Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday services this weekend.    I wish you all a happy and blessed Easter!

Peace,

Peggie

Download:

Music Line-Up for April

Choir Schedule for April

Dear Parents

As we approach Easter, a little over two months remain until your child(ren) will receive the sacrament of Holy Communion for the first time on Saturday, May 25th.  Although you received a detailed handout for the entire year during the parents’ meeting in October, I am writing to remind you of a few important upcoming matters.

Friday, March 22nd
St. Anne's: Confession Service (Chinese) at 8PM

Palm Sunday, March 24th
St. Anne's: 8:45AM, 11:15AM, 6:00PM (English), 9:45AM (Chinese)

Holy Thursday, March 28th
The Lord's Supper
     St. Anne's: 8:00PM (Bilingual)
     Carmelite Chapel: 6:30PM (Chinese)

Good Friday, March 29th
Stations of the Cross
     St. Anne's: 9:00AM (Chinese), 10:00AM (English)
Liturgy of the Lord's Passion
     St. Anne's: 3:00PM (Chinese), 5:00PM (English)
          Confession Service (English) before and after the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
          Confession Service (Chinese) after the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
     Carmelite Chapel: 3:00PM (Chinese) 

Easter Vigil, March 30th
St. Anne's: 6:00PM (English), 8:30PM (Chinese)
Carmelite Chapel: 8:00PM (Chinese)

Easter Sunday, March 31st
St. Anne's: 8:45AM, 11:15AM, 6:00PM (English), 10:00AM (Chinese)
Carmelite Chapel: 8:00AM (Chinese)
Parkview: 10:00AM (English)
Shek O: 9:00AM (English)

A Retreat conducted by Fr. Chad Boulton, Senior Chaplain of Ampleforth College in the UK (a co-educational Catholic boarding school for 13-18 year olds)

The programme includes an introduction to the Rule of St. Benedict (written in the 6th Century), monastic prayer, discussion about how Benedictine principles for living in community guide school and family relationships.

We will begin with a light lunch, and end with Mass.   The Retreat is designed for parents of teenagers, who are interested in learning about monastic principles in relation to raising teenagers into responsible and spiritual young adults.

Saturday March 23^rd from 12pm - 5pm at PIME House, 843 Clear Water Bay Road, Silverstrand, HK

Suggested donation: $200 per person to cover our costs and lunch.

Please register with Carla Basto Clark: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Hospitality Committee would like to thank all the families for their donation of baked goods, beverages, set up, supervision, and clean up which enables the Hospitality Table to be a welcoming place to gather after the 8:45am mass.  We are grateful for any parents or students who can help at the table!

Please note that the following Religious Education class will sponsor the Hospitality on the following dates:

March 17th    4th Grade Class
April 14th    6th Grade Class
April 21st     FHC 1A 8:45am Class
April 28th    5th Grade Class
May 5th     FHC 1B 8:45am Class
May 12th     Pre-Confirmation Class

There will be no Hospitality table on March 24th, 31st and April 7th.

Serving the church is serving God.  It is not yet Service Sunday, but, like the other ministries, the Usher Ministry is also in need of more volunteers-- not only on Sunday but also for the Saturday 6:00PM Mass.  At that Mass, we are in need of a person who will organize parishioners to participate in the offering and the collection.

We ask those who attend Mass regularly on Saturday evening to please consider helping in this ministry.  

Please contact Lorenda Rafanan, Ushers Coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 9107-9805.

All newly trained Eucharistic Ministers and all who have not been formally installed by Father Ed are asked to join Fr. Ed on the altar when called during all Masses this weekend, March 2-3. 

After being installed, all Eucharistic Ministers are asked to participate in distributing Holy Communion in both forms to St. Anne's Parishioners. 

Until the new schedule is published, please participate by selecting a stole upon entering church and serving.

St. Anne's is pleased to support the efforts of the Hong Kong Committee of Girl Scouts on Girl Scout Sunday next Sunday, March 10th.  

Girls all over the world will mark Girl Scouts Sunday by wearing their uniform to their family's worship service, and we encourage all of our Girl Scouts to participate.

The purpose of this special day is to reflect upon the importance of the words, “to serve God”, in the Girl Scout Promise.

This is a question that many people ask. Join with Nita Ng of the Jesuit Retreat House to explore and experience different ways of praying. It will invigorate you.

The workshop will take place on Sunday March 10^th from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm in the parish hall.

Step away from all the rush and stress of your life and spend a few hours to explore inner peace.

During the period of Lent, we use mainly leaves with a little bit of purple statice. 

We withhold the delight expressed by colourful flowers until Easter comes, except for the 4th Sunday of Lent, when the Gospel is about having joy for the returned son.

A First Communion banner is a special family project in which the children of the First Communion Classes have the opportunity to work with their parents to create a visual sign of what First Communion means to them as well as the ways in which they experience God’s love.  These banners will be displayed in the church on the day of the First Communion Masses and will remain in the Church for one week thereafter.  

Each child is required to have a banner with his or her first and last name displayed on it, along with any of the many symbols of the Eucharist or God’s love for us.  Banners must be completed and brought to class on or before Sunday April 14th, 2013.

Instructions and banner kits will be available for purchase from the CCD office during CCD classes for a fee of $80HK through March 3rd.  Exact change would be much appreciated!  BANNERS must be submitted to the teachers on or before Sunday, April 22nd. Once again, thank you for your cooperation.

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW!

FHC Banner Instructions

FHC Banner Templates

Dear Music Ministry Members,

The line-up and schedule for March are attached.

Accompanists and cantors, can you let me know when you are available in March, so that we can refine the schedule?  Also, can all members let me know their availability during Holy Week, March 28-31?  The music for Holy Thursday, is yet to be confirmed with the Chinese choir.  Also, the readings and psalms for the Easter Vigil have yet to be confirmed.  I will let you know if there are changes.

Peace,
Peggie

Download:

Choir Schedule for March

Music Line-Up for March

An ecumenical Christian event where Middle School & High School students can openly learn, discuss and ask questions about their faith. Every Wednesday, 5-7pm (started Jan.16 but still welcoming participants next week). Venue: Room 504 at the HKIS high school campus).

Course dates: Jan. 30, Feb. 6,13, 20, 27, March 5-6 Alpha camp (retreat), March 13, 20, 27.

For more information, contact Alpha student leader: Hannah Kraebel, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or Alpha moms: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. & Aissa Montecillo This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..