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LENT - 10 things to remember during 

Lent Living the Faith 

Journey to the foot of the cross: Bishop Ricken offers 10 things to remember for Lent

1. Remember the formula: The Church regularly captures certain truths with easy to remember facts and lists - 10 Commandments or the 7 Sacraments. However, for Lent, the church gives us three things we need to work on during the season - Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. 
2. It is a time of Prayer: Lent is an act of prayer spread out over 40 days. As we pray, we go on a journey, one that will bring us closer to Christ and leaves us changed by the encounter with him. 
3. It is a time to Fast - With the fasts of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, meatless Fridays, and our personal disciplines, Lent is the only time many Catholics these days fast. Fasting is a form of penance, which helps us turn away from sin and toward Christ.
4. It’s a time to work on discipline:  The 40 days of Lent are also a good, set time to work on personal discipline in general. Instead of giving something up, it can be doing something positive. “I’m going to exercise more. I’m going to pray more. I’m going to be nicer to my family, friends, and co-workers.”
5. Self-sacrifice: The more serious side of Lenten discipline is that is about more than self-control. It is about finding aspects of yourself that are less than Christ-like. The suffering and death of Christ are in our minds during Lent and we join in these same mysteries through suffering, dying with Christ and being resurrected in a purified form.
6. Dont do too much - It is best to keep it simple and focused. We spend our entire lives growing closer to God, don’t try and cram it all in one Lent. 
7. Lent reminds us of our weaknesses- Lent shows us our weaknesses and makes us seek God’s help with renewed urgency and sincerity.
8. Be patient with yourself: When we are working on our own weaknesses during Lent, we get frustrated or angry. The that’s the wrong lesson, God is calling us to be patient and to see ourselves as he does - unconditional love.
9. Reach our in charity: As we experience weakness and suffering in Lent, we should be renewed in our compassion for those who are hungry, suffering or in need. Encourage your children to give to Caritas - Project Compassion- this Lent.
10.  Learn to love like Christ: Giving ourselves in our suffering brings us closer to loving like Christ, who suffered for us. Lent is a journey through the desert to the foot of the on Good Friday, as we seek him out, ask his help.

Feast of St Joseph - 19th March 

St Joseph’s Feast Day is celebrated on the 19th of March. This day commemorates the feast of St Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary and father of Jesus. As we read in the Gospels, Joseph was from the line of David – connecting God’s promise in the Old Testament (the old covenant) with His promise in the New Testament (the new covenant, Jesus). Though we never hear from Joseph in the Gospels, we do know much about him through the stories we read of him.

Pope Francis’ apostolic letter describes the seven virtues of St Joseph as a “beloved father”, “tender and loving father”, “an obedient father”, “an accepting father,” a father who is “creatively courageous”, “a working father” and a “father in the shadows,” all encompassing significant qualities that any father can possess and share with his children and family. 

St Joseph is the patron saint of families, fathers, expectant mothers, travellers, immigrants, house sellers and buyers, craftsmen, engineers and working people. His feast day is often celebrated by attending Mass and setting up an altar or table where food, flowers and objects are placed to express thanks and gratitude to the saint or to seek his intercession. 

Let us be brave, hard working and faithful like St Joseph as we move forward in the month of March. 

‘... he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.’ 

-Matthew 1:24

Feast of St Patrick - 17th March 

St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)  is one of the most globally celebrated feast days, commemorating the saint who introduced Ireland to Christianity. 

St. Patrick might be the patron saint of Ireland—but he didn’t always live in Ireland. Patrick was born in Britain in the fourth century and didn’t arrive in Ireland until he was 16 years old, when he was taken into slavery to work in the country. After he arrived, Patrick found Christianity and started teaching others about Christ.

Many legends speak about St Patrick as the saint who drove all snakes out of Ireland, which arose from the credit given to St Patrick for spreading Christianity in Ireland; hence, being known as the great “Apostle of Ireland.”

His teachings, often associated with the use of the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity, became a symbol of Irish faith and spirituality.

March 17 is recognised as the day of St Patrick’s death and has become an opportunity for people around the world to come together, revel in Irish traditions and embrace the spirit of unity. 

To acknowledge St Patrick’s Day at St Francis Xavier, students will be completing a variety of activities themed around his life, values and feast day in their classrooms. There will also be a prayer service prepared by Year 2 on  Monday 17th March at 8:50 am on the Main Playground.

Some of our year 6 students will attend the St Patricks Day Mass with Mr Anderson at St Marys Cathedral on Monday, 17 March.

Parent Pilgrimage - Ashfield-Olympic Park Network 

You are invited to an Ashfield-Olympic Park Network Pilgrimage to St Mary’s Cathedral - Friday 4th April. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Mrs Barbera at info@stfxashbury.catholic.edu.au.