Religious Education
Sacrament of Eucharist
Next week many of our Year 4 students will celebrate their Sacrament of First Eucharist on either Tuesday or Wednesday evening. This is a very special milestone in their faith journey marking an important step in their relationship with God. I would like to acknowledge the Year 4 teachers, Miss Bianca Antonio and Mr Shane Daly for the thoughtful preparation, guidance and learning they have provided as they prepare to make this sacrament.
Please see the following information about the upcoming sacrament.
Tuesday 29th July @ 5:30pm & Wednesday 30th July @ 5:30pm
- Students to arrive at school library 10 minutes before the ceremony.
- Families can go straight to the Church where you will find allocated seating
- Be mindful that we are in the Church and each ceremony is a prayerful time, so please be silent throughout.
- You are more than welcome to take photos of your child throughout.
On Tuesday evening, we were delighted to welcome our candidates and their families to our Eucharist Family Faith Evening, where the students had the opportunity to practise receiving the host and deepen their understanding of this sacred sacrament through prayer, reflection, and discussions with their family.
Gospel Reflection - Sunday 27th of August
Gospel Reading
Jesus teaches the disciples about prayer.
Family Connection
When someone in our family is going through a hard time, we can't just sit by and watch. We try to do everything we can to let them know that they're not alone. Sometimes we even try to find a special gift for them—something that will help that person to understand how important they are to us.
Talk about times in your family when this has happened.
Like a good father, God saw that his children needed help. He decided to offer his beloved children a special gift to reveal his love. What did God give us? Not a thing, but a person—the Father's beloved Son, Jesus. Jesus, in turn, taught us to approach God as we would approach a loving father. He gave us the words of a prayer that we call the Our Father, or the Lord's Prayer.
💬Read, reflect and discuss
Read aloud Luke 11:1-13.
Talk about how Jesus teaches us to be persistent in prayer.
Think of times when family members were persistent about something until they were able to achieve a goal or receive what they sought. Talk about what it means to be persistent in prayer. Help your children understand that prayer is not like sitting on Santa Claus's lap, asking for what we want until we get it. Emphasise that prayer is a way of striving to recognize how God is reaching out to us in love and responding by presenting him with our needs.
🎨Family Activity - Create a Prayer Jar
Instructions:
Decorate a Jar Together
Begin by decorating the jar as a family. Label it “Our Prayer Jar” to remind everyone of the lesson from the Gospel.
Write Down Prayer Intentions
Each family member writes 1–3 things they want to pray about. These can be personal intentions or prayers for others (e.g., “I want Grandma to feel better,” “I pray to be more inclusive and kind,” “I ask for help with my schoolwork”).
Fill the Jar
Fold the papers and place them in the jar. Explain that each note represents something the family is lifting to God, just like Jesus taught us.
Daily or Weekly Prayer Time
Set aside a time each day or week (e.g., after dinner or before bed) to pull out one or two prayer requests from the jar and pray for them together. Remind children that God always listens, even if the answer doesn’t come right away.
Reflection and Revisit
After a couple of weeks, revisit some of the original prayer notes.
- Has anything changed?
- Have prayers been answered in unexpected ways?
- Discuss how God might be working in each situation.
🙏 Pray together
Conclude this time together by joining hands and praying the Lord's Prayer.
May God bless,
Laura Zeeng
Deputy Principal & Religious Education Leader (REL)