Faith News

School & Parish Connections

St. Augustine's School Prayer

Our Father in Heaven,

Look over and bless St. Augustine’s while we are working and playing.

Help us to respect and care for each other as you taught us to.

Give us the opportunity to do our best for you each day.

We look forward to being able to share our lives with our friends and families.

Keep us safe and give us the courage to be

people who want to know you more.

Amen.

Prayers for the Week

The First Four Days of Lent

Friday After Ash Wednesday

Lord,I know how much you love me.

It’s hard for me to feel it sometimes,

but I know your love is always with me.

Help me to use your love as a way to persevere in my Lenten intentions.

I am weak, but I know with your help,

I can use these small sacrifices in my life to draw closer to you.

Amen.

The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,

may the faith you have given us

in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,

and the flame of charity enkindled

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

reawaken in us the blessed hope

for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us

into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.

May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos

in the sure expectation

of a new heaven and a new earth,

when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,

your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee

reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,

a yearning for the treasures of heaven.

May that same grace spread

the joy and peace of our Redeemer

throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed,

be glory and praise for ever.

Amen

Sacramental Program 2025

We have begun preparing the students who will be receiving the Sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion and Confirmation. An Operoo form was sent to families at the end of last year to confirmation which sacraments their children will be receiving. If you missed this communication or are a new enrolment to our school and your childern need to receive any of these sacraments, please let the school know either via the classroom teacher, Catherine in the office or Mr Stead.

If there are any families seeking baptism for their children (school age) we can also assist you with this.

Sacramental Program 2025.pdf

A Worthy Cause to Support During Lent

Dear friends,

St Mary’s House of Welcome (SMHOW) is excited to announce the launch of Give up for Good – an initiative that encourages students at Catholic schools to optimise their Lenten sacrifice by asking their family and friends to sponsor them to give up something they value. Students may nominate to give up anything of their choosing – for example meat, sugar, junk food, social media, or TV to name a few.

Sponsorship gives students additional accountability to stick to their sacrifice, knowing that others have placed trust in them.

All funds raised through sponsorship will go towards our Welcome Relief Meals Program and other missional work, touching on the third pillar of Lent – almsgiving,

St Mary’s House of Welcome supports people who are sleeping rough, experiencing homelessness, poverty, disadvantage, and social isolation. Some of our missional work receives no government funding, including our Welcome Relief Meals program. Instead, we depend on the generosity of the community to help us provide:

nutritious sit-down breakfast and lunch six days a week
hot showers and toiletries
crisis intervention and support
laundry facilities for individuals who are sleeping rough
material aid such as underwear, socks and basic clothing
emergency food packs
social inclusion programs to foster a sense of belonging and combat social isolation

As your teaching staff plan for the term ahead, we’d like to invite you to consider the far-reaching benefits your students could bring to Melbourne’s homeless community by seeking sponsorship while observing their faith during Lent.

We will provide all the resources and support you need for a successful project.

Schools and students can register here: Give Up For Good

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you would like additional information.

Many thanks and kind regards,

Kristine Robertson

(She/Her)Executive Manager, Fundraising & Communications

Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults : RCIA Program

At St Augustine’s, Corpus Christi and Annunciation Parish we welcome people who are searching for spiritual meaning in their lives or for adeeper relationship with Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church. The RCIA is a process of reflection and learning for those who are not baptised and wanting to find out more about Catholic faith and forthose already baptised in another Christian tradition who now desire to further their faith journey with the Catholic Church. A new group is beginning their journey in May 2024 and you are welcome to join us.

Please contact Fr Werner if you are interested for further details. Werner.utri@cam.org.au OR 9314 7710

All Parishioners can help! Perhaps you know someone who is asking questions about faith or about becoming Catholic, you might like to invite them to contact Fr Werner and accompany them in finding out a bit more about what Catholics believe, how we celebrate our faith and live our lives.