Newsletter John Pierce Centre, September 2026 Fr Tuong—One Year Anniversary of Ordination Congratulations to Fr Tuong who celebrated the completion of his first year of priesthood. The JPC Deaf community attended Mass at Fr Tuong’s church in Thornbury to help celebrate this special event. Thank you to the lovely Thornbury church community for warmly welcoming us to the service with them, and for the lovely morning tea to share. Congratulations Fr Tuong!!!   Launch of the Archbishop’s Campaign Staff attended the dinner to launch the 2026 Archbishop’s Campaign to raise money for different charities including JPC! Katrina presented to the attendees at the dinner to support the campaign. Some of the funds raised by the Archbishop’s Campaign goes to JPC to support our work. Well done Katrina on giving such an impactful presentation. Donate at https://give.melbournecatholic.org/donate   One major collection for the Archdiocese of Melbourne Archbishop’s Campaign Tax-deductible gifts (Archbishops Charitable Fund) – - Priests Retirement Foundation - Corpus Christi College Building Fund - CatholicCare Victoria Chaplaincy Fund - Melbourne Overseas Missions - John Pierce Centre - University of the Divinity for the Catholic Theological College - Annual grants to Catholic community agencies and community service organisations Non deductible gifts (Religious Projects Fund) – - Archbishop’s evangelisation initiatives - Seminarian education What’s Been Happening? End of Life Journey Thank you to Jen Blyth who provided a very interesting workshop on Death Walking. It can be difficult for many people to talk about death and dying but it is an important part of everyone’s life and knowing how to ask for what you want in your personal journey is paramount. Thankyou to Jen for sharing some of the traditions and options there are for people as they prepare for their end of life. Jen works as a Death Walker and is available for Deaf community members to contact. Her email is: deafdeathwalking@gmail.com   Cyber Safety with Commbank Thank you to Commbank, Prahran Branch, for coming out to present to the Deaf community about common banking scams and keeping ourselves safe online. It was great to have an update on what scams are happening at the moment and how we are being targeted by scammers. Stay Safe Online!   Fire Safety Session and Trudy’s Story We had a great presentation from Fire Rescue Victoria who provided information for the Deaf community about preparing for fires and keeping our homes safe. High risk areas in our homes are the kitchen and the barbeque. We need to always be alert whilst cooking and never walk away from cooking food. It can be helpful to have fire blankets and/or extinguishers near these areas for use in emergencies. We also need to regularly check that smoke detectors are working and linked lighting systems for the Deaf are working correctly so that we can know when a fire happens. In the afternoon we had Trudy Fraser speak about her personal experience with a bush fire that destroyed her home. She shared the challenges of rebuilding and keeping her home safe. As we head towards the summer period, there is always the risk of bush fires. Everyone needs to have a plan in place for evacuating their homes if needed, especially those who live near to bushland. Make sure you have your plan in place and know where to get up to date information about fires happening near you.   Cyber Safety Device Day Thank you to all of the community that joined us for our Cyber Safety Recap and bring along your device day at JPC. Thank you to Danni and Olivia for a great presentation. Our Cyber Safety Series of workshops have been really well attended by the community as we learn more about how to keep ourselves safe online. Cyber safety is such a complex and important topic and we must keep up to date with current issues affecting all of us. We hope to see you next year at the next session!   Signee Tots—Playgroup Victoria Champions Congratulations to Olivia and Ashleigh, our playgroup leaders, who have been recognised by Playgroup Victoria as Playgroup Champions; for all their amazing work volunteering to organise the Signee Tots gatherings. They run amazing sessions that promote the use of Auslan within families. All of our families appreciate the effort put into playgroup and it is fabulous to see this recognition of their work. Thank you to Kym Parker who nominated Olivia and Ashleigh and thanks to Playgroup Victoria for joining our Sunday playgroup in September to congratulate Olivia and Ashleigh with an award and some goodies for playgroup.   Hope to see you all at our next playgroup session in October when we will have some extra special furry guests!  Signee tots Playgroup Join us for a fun day at playgroup where we will meet lots of cuddly and cute animals to pet and feed. Sunday 11th October 10am-12noon For children aged 0-5 JPC 25-35 High Street Prahran admin@jpc.org.au What’s coming up? Annual Memorial Mass - October Remembering community members from the year passed. Date: Sunday 18th October Time: 11am onwards Venue: John Pierce Centre, 25-35 High Street, Prahran All are welcome, Auslan interpreted. For more information: admin@jpc.org.au Auslan Mass - November All are welcome Join us for a Mass where our Deaf community can fully participate in the Liturgy and feel at home. Date: Sunday 15th November Time: 11am onwards Venue: St Joseph’s Church, 140 Westbourne Grove, Northcote For more information, please contact admin@jpc.org.au John Pierce Centre Annual Christmas Rally Join us for 11am Mass, followed by a hot lunch with the community from 12noon Sunday 13 December – 11am Mass and 12noon for lunch Cost: $45 per adult / $20 per child RSVP and PAY by 29 November to admin@jpc.org.au No tickets can be purchased on the day Community News Farewell Kathleen Tribler Kathleen (Kath) had a kind and generous spirit. She showed everyone that women can be independent and strong whilst also carrying themselves with grace, dignity and compassion. Kath was born in Melbourne in 1939 to Arthur and Eileen. Kathleen was a devoted big sister to Merna. As a young girl Kathleen attended primary school as a border at Waratah school for the Deaf in New South Wales and then later in Victoria at Portsea school for the Deaf. She would travel home for the holidays to visit family. Kath love travelling both across Australia and around the world. She travelled to Germany, China, Russia, Dubai, Italy, France, England, Scotland, United States, and many more. Each trip in her life broadened her perspective and was reflected in her determination to experience all the world had to offer. Kath worked throughout her life. She began her career as a Model in the early 1960s. She took on roles as a typist with IBM in Germany and later as a data input on Wall Street in New York when she returned home she devoted 20 years to Stockland press in North Melbourne before continuing her career across several banks in the city. In every role Kath brought commitment reliability and a quiet strength that made her deeply valued by all who worked alongside her. Kath settled in her flat in St Kilda. She loves standing at the kitchen window and catching a glimpse of the sea. Later she moved to Doncaster to be closer to her sister Merna and her family. She had her cats and occasionally a dog has part of her household and her beloved pets were very spoiled. Kath had a passion for gardening and cooking. She loved to host a barbecue or meal for family and friends. In 2002 when Kath moved to just 300 m down the road from her family, she often left a freshly baked apple pie or a cake on the bench. Those simple acts of love became treasured memories for family. Kathleen was deeply spiritual and her faith was woven into every part of her life. She prayed daily for her family and her friends often without us knowing. She had an unwavering trust in God. Kath loved her volunteer work, giving her time generously to the Deaf community and the John Pierce Centre. Her resilience was truly inspiring and her positive attitude taught us all an important lesson about courage and perseverance. Kath’s final years were lived at Regis (Lake Park) where JPC staff continued to visit and offer Mass and prayer services, which Kath deeply valued. We remember Kathleen and celebrate a life well lived with independence and an adventurous spirit. We will miss her deeply. We rejoice knowing she is now at peace with the Lord she loved. Kath died on 24th June 2026. Farewell our dear friend.   Ephpheta Sunday The community came together for a lovely celebration of history, language and community, in our annual Ephpheta Sunday celebration of Mass. Thank you to everyone who attended and enjoyed a shared BBQ lunch and yummy desserts! We also celebrated Lizzie Moloney’s 80th Birthday!  Happy 80th Birthday Lizzie! Deaths Rest in Peace Miriam Croning - 1 July 2026 Stephen Beaton - 6 July 2026 (nephew to Cheryl Clarke) Claire Holmes - 18th August   It can be a difficult time when we lose those that we love dearly. If you are in need of support or someone to talk to, please contact the Pastoral Care Team at JPC. You can come to our centre at a time that suits or we can come to you at home or meet at a place that suits you. We remember always, those that have been a part of our lives, as their spirits are weaved through the story that is our Deaf community.   Volunteer Visitor Program We have volunteers ready to visit, so if you know someone who could benefit from a volunteer visitor please get in touch. This program is available for anyone in our community who is isolated and in need of some companionship. Please contact us at admin@jpc.org.au   Regular Activities Pankina Meets on Monday fortnightly 10am-2pm 5 Oct – bingo 19 Oct—bingo 2 Nov—bingo 16 Nov—voting day 30 Nov—Christmas lunch 14 Dec—Christmas break up party     Cards Days 26 Oct—cards 7 Dec—Christmas breakup party   Ladies Get Together Meets fortnights on Wednesdays either at JPC or outings around Melbourne 14 Oct 28 Oct 11 Nov 25 Nov—Christmas breakup   Signee Tots Meets once a month on the second Sunday 11 Oct—animal farm 8 Nov—magician and balloons Sat 12 Dec—Christmas break up   Men's Group Meets monthly on Wednesdays 21 October 18 November 9 December   Art & Craft Meets fortnightly on Fridays 2 Oct 16 Oct 30 Oct 13 Nov 27 Nov 11 Dec—Christmas breakup   Mass Services & Centre News Sunday 4th October St Patrick’s Cathedral 11am at St Patrick’s Cathedral & watch on Channel 31 (44) Sunday 18th October JPC—Memorial Mass 11am at JPC or watch on www.Facebook.com/JohnPierceCentre Sunday 1st November St Patrick’s Cathedral 11am at St Patrick’s Cathedral & watch on Channel 31 (44) Sunday 15th November St Joseph’s Church 11am at St Joseph’s Church 140 Westbourne Gr Northcote Sunday 6th December St Patrick’s Cathedral 11am at St Patrick’s Cathedral & watch on Channel 31 (44) Sunday 13th December JPC– Christmas Rally 11am at JPC or watch on Facebook Thurs 24th December JPC Christmas Eve Mass Pre-recorded, watch on Facebook only. Thurs 24th December Christmas Midnight Mass 12 midnight at St Patrick’s Cathedral or watch on Channel 44 Spring is a quiet promise from God that cold, dark Winters, do not last forever. From tiny green shoots in the dirt to the warmth of the morning sun, nature shows a Creator who cares about every small thing.   Leave a bequest By leaving a gift to John Pierce Centre in your Will, you will have a lasting impact, supporting our centre for years to come. It is a powerful reflection of the values and principles you treasure. It enables you to create a legacy of love and care for those in need. For more information, please contact our office on 03 9525 1158 or email admin@jpc.org.au Thank you.   Sacraments Did you know that you can have a baptism, funeral, memorial service or wedding at the John Pierce Centre. We provide support for all sacraments in the catholic church so please get in contact with us for more information.   JPC Centre Closure in November The John Pierce Centre hall will be closed to the community from Monday 9th November until Saturday 5th December. This is due to the Victorian Electoral Commission using our building as a voting centre for the election period. Groups and Pastoral Support will still go ahead but in an alternative way with some catch ups happening off-site. You may like to come and place your vote on Monday 16th November with the community. Staff will be in attendance for support and a catch up.   JPC would like to thank the community members for allowing us to use their photos in this publication and we also acknowledge the use of image by rawpixel and other images from magnific.com   JPC would like to thank the following organisations for their support through grants and sponsorships: Ephpheta Foundation Grant Gorman Foundation Grant www.jpc.org.au admin@jpc.org.au www.facebook.com/JohnPierceCentre