Family and Faith
News from our Family Educator - Ms Tracey Bowler
Happy Holidays
Blessings to all our parents and carers! I wish you a very happy and relaxing school holiday as we continue to celebrate the Season of Easter. I am already planning new opportunities for families to engage in fun, faith - filled activities for Term 2 -
Think:
- Mother’s Day craft activity. Did someone say a Potpourri and Designer Dress Hanger?
- Celebrating Mary’s Month of May and Our Lady of Fatima Feast Day
- Bunnings Family Night Celebrating Mother’s Day (tbc)
- Friday Fatima Friends visiting classrooms, art/craft activities, sporty fun and getting to know the Yr 5 students.
- The continuation of the Intergenerational Learning and Wellbeing Program.
- Our Year 6 students - preparing and celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation with Bishop Umbers.
- The Sutherland Shire’s Relay For Life.
- National Families Week.
So much to look forward to! Wishing you much joy, peace and quality family time during this school holiday!
It’s still Easter!
Thank you to the families who welcomed the opportunity to receive a bottle of Holy Water last week at the Easter prayer celebration. Don’t forget to bless each family member and the front door of your house to ensure a happy and harmonious home.
From Sydney Catholic Schools you are invited to watch a special Easter video that has been produced titled “Faith, Fun and Celebration - Easter.” Cheryl Fernandez and John Burland remind us of the story of Easter through dance and music. Click on the link to access.
Faith, Fun and Celebration - Easter
May - Mary’s Month
It’s coming up!
A Calling Card for Heaven
The month of May is traditionally known as Mary’s month where we devote our prayers to her and participate in praying the Rosary.
Don’t know how to pray the Rosary with your family? Marilyn Rodrigues gives us ideas and tips on how to begin and sustain this powerful ritual connecting families with Our Lady through prayer. Click on the link to know more.
The Rosary: A Calling card for Heaven
Feast of Our Lady of Fatima - 13th May Save the Date!
Come and celebrate the Feast day of our school with us! More information to come!
Intergenerational Learning and Wellbeing Program
The Intergenerational Learning and Wellbeing Program with our parishioners and Year 2 White students is proving to be a lot of fun! Each session includes dancing, joke telling, talking and listening to each other’s stories and games just to mention a few of the activities.
Here are a few photos of our first session.
ANZAC Day - 25th April
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
The Ode comes from For the Fallen, a poem by the English poet and writer Laurence Binyon and was published in London in The Winnowing Fan: Poems of the Great War in 1914. This verse, which became the Ode for the Returned and Services League, has been used in association with commemoration services in Australia since 1921.
Here is a picture of my grandfather Alexander Schultz who fought in both World Wars. Although born on the goldfields of Ballarat in Victoria he had to change his German sounding name to his mother’s maiden name of Murphy. Despite shrapnel in his hip he gave awesome piggy back rides around the backyard!
Relay for Life 2024
This is one of my favourite community events which draws people from all walks of life in supporting and raising funds for the Cancer Council. The Shire Relay is Australia’s largest Relay for Life. The Sutherland Shire community will once again band together on the first weekend in May at Don Lucas Reserve, Wanda to raise vital funds for cancer research. Money too is raised for people in need, suffering from the effects of cancer. More details next term.
National Families Week 2024
Once again our school will be participating in National Families Week. Each year, over a hundred thousand people and hundreds of organisations celebrate National Families Week (13-19 May) Australia’s annual celebration of families.
The aim of National Families Week is to celebrate the vital role that families play in Australian society.The theme for National Families Week 2024 is 'Celebrating Family Diversity & Connections'. Celebrating family diversity and connections is an essential aspect of fostering inclusivity and understanding within communities.
National Families Week is a time to celebrate with your family, make contact with your extended family and friends, and share in the enjoyment of family activities within the wider community. It is a time to celebrate the meaning of family and to make the most of family life.
National Families Week coincides with the United Nations International Day of Families on 15 May. Stay tuned for more details next term.
Our Lady of Fatima Feast Day Mass & Procession Invitation
Date: Saturday 11 May 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m. Vigil Mass followed by a candle-lit Procession around the Cathedral Forecourt.
Location: St Mary’s Cathedral, St Marys Rd, Sydney
Arrival: Attendees are recommended to arrive by 5:30 p.m. and be seated by 5:45 p.m. As this is an Archdiocesan Mass seats will fill up quickly.
Fatima Friends Invitation
Come and join in the fun!
Who: Pre-schoolers, toddlers and babies are also welcome with parents and carers.
With: Tracey Bowler Family Educator/Teacher
What: Toddler Tales involves participating in a 30/40 minute teacher directed lesson which includes activities such as praying, singing, free play, gardening, talking, dancing, movement, craft, visiting the resident chickens, sport and games.
Where: Meet in the Mercy Library after Assembly Prayer on the playground.
When: Fridays at 9.00 am - 9:40 am. Please refer to the school calendar for dates.
Last week we celebrated Easter with Easter Egg craft and an Easter Egg Hunt. The heavy rain put some families off but it didn’t stop this group!
Fatima Friends resumes Friday Week 1 Term 2 after Assembly Prayer at 9.10am.
Tracey Bowler | Family Educator
tracey.bowler@syd.catholic.edu.au