Catholic Identity

Year 6 Parish Mass

Thank you to the 20+ families who were able to attend our Parish Mass dedicated to Year 6 students as they prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Fr Patrick and myself were incredibly proud of the students and thankful for their families for making the time to attend. A special shout out to; Liam, Miles, Cooper, Abigail, Lani, Harper, Aasha, Arielle and Hugo who played a significant role in the Mass. Well done! 

Next Family Mass 

Following on from the incredible success of our family Mass earlier on in the year, all students and their families are invited to Mass on Sunday 22 June at 8:30am. Here we will have the opportunity to listen to our beautiful Choir again and we thank Ms Boyd-Skinner for sharing her passion for music! We look forward to seeing you there and if you wish for your child to participate through readings, offertory, collections, welcomers, please inform me as soon as possible.

Year of Hope Passport Stamp 

Excitement is filling the air as some students have almost completed their Year of Hope Passport. Thank you to the families for your continued support and commitment to this unique opportunity. Last week, I set aside some time to visit one of our Pilgrimage sites and spend some time in prayer. It was a very fulfilling experience and I invite all families to do the same. 

I wonder if you can guess what Pilgrimage site I visited? 

Calling all Woodworkers and Carpenters! 

After some consultation and feedback, we are hoping to reach out to our community and find someone who is able to help with making this vision a reality. We would like to construct and install a wooden cross with the emblem of the Sisters of St Joseph in the doorway of the Mindful Centre. 

The Emblem reminds the Sisters of St Joseph of the importance of Jesus, Mary, Joseph and John the Baptist in their lives. The Cross is a symbol of the religious name Mary called herself - 'Mary of the Cross,‛ when she became a Sister of St Joseph. The A and M (drawn over the top of each other), stand for Ave Maria.

If you or someone you know is able to share their gift and craft with our school community, please reach out to Mr Walker via the school office.

Thank you in advance! 

A note from the Benedictine Nuns of Jamberoo Abbey

“Last year, we made it known that our 40-year-old Abbey home was facing major structural issues and in need of significant repairs. We needed urgent and generous help to fund those repairs. Thanks to the enormous generosity of donors, we raised enough money to complete Stage 1 of the re-roofing project. This allowed for the leaking tiled roof to be replaced with Colorbond roofing over the offices, laundry, craft and community rooms.” 

As many children prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation and First Holy Communion, take the time to explore the many beautiful and handmade gifts that are available from the Jamberoo Abbey website.  https://www.jamberooabbey.org.au/shop/shop-home/

How can I prepare my child for the Sacrament of Holy Communion?

This is a question that is asked more frequently and I thank those who have asked this important question. 

I encourage you to spend some time with your child discussing what they are learning about in class, as well as making some connections between sharing a meal together and the Eucharist. During this special time, reflect on the following Scripture Passages. 

Matthew 18:20 

Where two or three are gathered in my name

This promise made to the disciples by Jesus is similar to the promise of God’s continued presence “until the end of the ages” at the end of Matthew’s Gospel. It is also similar to the promise: If two or three sit together and the words of the Law [are spoken] between them, the Divine Presence rests between them. For Matthew, the new community of the Church is to gather together to pray, study and reflect on Jesus Christ, the new Lawgiver of God’s New Israel. It is there, in the holy assembly, that we will experience the presence of God, Jesus Christ, God’s Holy Spirit in our midst. 

Luke 22: 7 – 20

The Last Supper

In this text, Jesus offers his whole life as a sacrifice to God for the sake of humanity: “given for you”. For the Hebrew people, the Passover “memorial” recalled and relived the saving action of God in the lives of his Chosen People, especially through the Exodus story. On this Passover night Jesus aligns his action of self-sacrifice with the saving action of God. Symbolic of the end time or Parousia when all will be fulfilled, the holy meal also indicates that his disciples will share at the banquet table of the Lord. 

Pentecost Sunday 

This Sunday we celebrate Pentecost Sunday- The birthday of the Church. For early Christians, who were all Jewish at first, Pentecost took on a new meaning. Fifty days (Pent) after Easter, the disciples experienced the powerful presence of the Risen Jesus through the Holy Spirit. This experience restored their faith and gave them the courage to spread the message of Jesus.

In John's Gospel, the Spirit is called the "Advocate" or "Paraclete." The Spirit's role is to teach and remind us of Jesus' words, guiding and enlightening us when we gather as a community to share stories and seek meaning. Jesus promises that when we come together for this purpose, we are not alone; God makes a home with us through the Spirit.

This Pentecost, we are invited to welcome God to "make a home" in our lives. Unlike visitors who come and go, Jesus promises a constant presence, guiding us and being even more at home within us than we are ourselves. 

What is my child learning about in Religious Education? 

Over the next few weeks, students will be concluding their learning of the Easter Season and begin to learn about the Church, the Eucharist and the importance of Sundays. 

Kindergarten students will:

• explore our parish church and key objects in it: altar, lectern, tabernacle, presider’s chair, baptismal font, cross, paschal candle  

• become familiar with gestures used in the church: genuflection, bowing, Sign of the Cross

• identify key people in the school and parish community: priest, principal and other leaders  

• explore some liturgical objects used in the celebration of the Eucharist: chalice, paten, vestments, lectionary 

Year 1 students will:

• explore experiences of celebrations and special meals  

• learn about the celebration of the Eucharist   

• listen and respond to the Feeding of the Five Thousand 

• learn about Jesus responding to the needs of others in the Feeding of the Five Thousand  

• explore ways people love and serve others

Year 2 students will:

• explore the seasons of the Church’s year    

• listen and respond to the story of the Exodus      

• engage with symbols used by the Church  

• relate key Church symbols and signs to their use in everyday life

Stay tuned for our next newsletter to find out when Years 3-6 are learning about in Religious Education! 

Dates for your diary: 

• Thursday 12 June (11:50am): Kinder and Year 5 Buddy Parish Mass- All families are welcome to attend

• Thursday 19 June (11:50am): Year 4 Parish Mass - All families are welcome to attend - Date changed!

• Sunday 22 June (8:30am): Family Mass with the Choir- All families are welcome to attend

• Thursday 26 June 26 (11:50) Year 1 Parish Mass - All families are welcome to attend - Date changed! 

• Wednesday 30 July at 7:00pm: Confirmation with Bishop Brian (Option 1)

• Thursday 31 July at 7:00pm: Confirmation with Bishop Brian (Option 2)

• Sunday 17 August at 8:30am or 5:30pm: First Holy Communion

• Sunday 24 August at 8:30am or 5:30pm: First Holy Communion

Mr Alexander Walker

Religious Education Coordinator