Education in Faith 

November is a month of reflection in the Catholic Church. We will soon embark on the beautiful path of Advent in preparation for Christmas and the birth of the Lord, however November is spent thinking of the past. 

Wednesday the 1st of November marked All Saints' Day. As the name suggests this is a day of contemplation about those special people who have been canonised in the Catholic church. Particularly relevant in our school context are saints such as St Anthony of Padua and St Mary Mackillop. This also linked nicely with our recent celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, where many of our Year Five and Six students selected a saint to research. These saints were of further importance becoming the students Confirmation names. 

The following day, Thursday the 2nd of November marked All Souls' Day, a day of prayer and wishes for those who have passed on. This is a theme that continues for the remainder of the month. 

When Jesus spoke to his disciples before the crucifixion, he said as below: 

We know dealing with loss is not an easy thing to do at any stage of our lives. November can be spent as a time to think about the fond memories we hold about those who have passed. 

There is a beautiful homily written by Father Michael Tate on the subject of loss and remembrance in the month of November. Please read on: 

This month we pray for and remember those we have lost. Their memory lives on with us, as do the beautiful moments we shared. 

Take care everyone, 

Tim O'Mahoney

Education in Faith Leader

tomahoney@santglen.catholic.edu.au