Learning & Teaching

Faith

Term 4 Prayer Gatherings

We will reflect on the Catholic Social Teaching of the 'preferential option for the poor' with an online prayer gathering this Friday. We will also soon begin to reflect on the season of Advent. We will mark this special season as a community with four prayer gatherings focused on the themes of hope, love, joy and peace. The videos of each of our gatherings will be available on the Community portal if you would like to view them over the coming weeks. 

Diwali

This year the Hindu festival of Diwali will be celebrated on Saturday, November 14. We send our best wishes to all in our community who will be celebrating this special event. Please see below for some further information about the significance and symbolism behind this festival. 

"Diwali is called the Festival of Lights and is celebrated to honour Rama-chandra. It is believed that on this day Rama returned to his people after 14 years of exile during which he fought and won a battle against the demons and the demon king, Ravana. People lit their houses to celebrate his victory over evil (light over darkness).

The goddess of happiness and good fortune, Lakshmi, also figures into the celebration. It is believed that she roams the Earth on this day and enters the house that is pure, clean, and bright. Diwali celebrations may vary in different communities but its significance and spiritual meaning is generally “the awareness of the inner light”.

Lamps, fireworks and bonfires illuminate this holiday, as the word “Deepawali” means “a row or cluster of lights” or “rows of diyas (clay lamps)”. The festival symbolises the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness. The goddess Lakshmi, who symbolises wealth, happiness and prosperity, is also worshipped during Diwali".

Source: dateandtime.com 

Our St John's horizon is inspired by the Gospel of John, 'walking in the light, we light each other's way'. In these uncertain times it seems fitting to remind ourselves of the light that we all possess and how this can be a source of inspiration for others. 

Aoife

Social Justice  

We will once again be supporting Way of the West and MacKillop family services in the lead up to Christmas. We are hoping to collect food and toys for those in need in our local community. St John's has a long and proud tradition of being inspired by Saint Mary MacKillop who calls on us to 'never seeing a need without doing something about it'. Our whole school exploration of the Gospel of Matthew 25: 34-40 serves as a timely reminder to ensure that our faith is lived out in action. More details to follow.