Religious Education

AT SCHOOL, WE PRAY

“We the staff of St Patrick’s Mentone, commit ourselves to this school community.  We commit to our own learning and the learning of others with an open heart and mind, prepared to be excited and amazed by new possibilities so that all may grow and be enriched.  We commit to our relationships in order to build a strong and caring staff, who listen attentively and speak kindly, who offer comfort and support in times of need, and who encourage and affirm others’ endeavours.  We commit to our school community and promise to be inclusive of all, to accept the differences and the challenges presented to us, and to understand the diverse and complex needs of our community.  We commit ourselves to our God who walks each step of the way with us, loving us and believing in us. We promise to uphold the gospel messages of compassion, justice and love, and to be a light to others and salt for the world.  We make this commitment and ask our Creator Father, Jesus His loving Son, and the life-changing Holy Spirit to be with us as we journey into 2025.”

It was with these words that our school staff united on Tuesday morning after a relaxing Summer break.  Before we had even opened our laptops to sift through a tightly packed meeting agenda setting out the new year’s protocols and routines, we prayed.  In fact, before each and every meeting, be it our twice weekly staff meetings or meetings with fewer staff such as a Leadership meeting, an Education Board meeting or even a Parents and Friends meeting, we begin with a prayer.  This commitment to prayer indicates it is a valued practice and reflects the words of Jesus Himself who said “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)  

This is a practice we want to instill in our students and so in these first few weeks of the new school year each class will establish protocols for praying.  This may involve things such as setting a designated prayer space, decorating a prayer cloth, displaying religious pictures, statues and icons and exploring different ways to pray such as through song, Christian meditation and with the use of both formal and informal prayers.  And then there is the greatest prayer of all, Mass, where in the Eucharistic Sacrifice the faithful join with Christ in offering themselves to the heavenly Father.   

INVITATION

Next Tuesday all students from Year 1 to 6 will be celebrating the opening of our new school year as we gather in prayer at the 9:15 parish Mass.  Families and friends are also welcome to join us.  

God Bless,

Kathryn Ady

Religious Education Leader