Education in Faith

Sacrament of First Eucharist

Last weekend, none of our Year 4 students received the Sacrament of First Eucharist, an important milestone in their faith journey.Congratulations to the following students:

Arlo M, Atticus W, Evan M, Freddie H, Lauren S, Lizzie R, Lucy S, Summer L, Zac C

We extend our sincere thanks to our Year 4 classroom teachers for the care, dedication and guidance they provided in preparing the children for this special occasion.

We also thank our parents and families for the vital role you play as the first educators of your children in faith. Your support, encouragement and commitment helped make this celebration a meaningful and memorable experience.

As a school community, we continue to pray for these students as they grow in their relationship with Jesus and deepen their understanding of the gift of the Eucharist.

Prayer.

Loving God, we thank You for the children who have received their First Eucharist. May they always know that You are with them and may they continue to find strength, joy and peace in receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. Bless their families and all who support them in faith. Guide them to live with kindness, compassion and love each day.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

This Friday (19/6), these nine students will join their fellow Year 4 classmates, who supported them in their preparation, for a celebratoiry lunch at school. In preparing for the Sacrament, students learn that the Eucharist is both a sacred meal and a celebration of belonging to God's family. Sharing a special meal together at school helps bring this learning to life. Just as Jesus gathered with His disciples to share meals and build community, our students have the opportunity to come together in friendship and gratitude after receiving this important sacrament.

The lunch also recognises the effort and commitment shown by the students throughout their preparation and provides an opportunity for the school community to celebrate this significant milestone in their faith journey. It strengthens the sense of belonging that is central to both the Eucharist and our Catholic school community, reminding students that faith is lived not only in church but also in the relationships we share with one another each day.

By celebrating together, we acknowledge that First Eucharist is not simply an individual achievement but a joyful occasion for the whole community. Special thanks to those Year 4 parents who helped organise this lunch.

CatholicCare Victoria's Asylum Seeker Support Program

Here is the presentation our RE Leaders gave at Assembly the other week.

As part of the Our Lady of Pentecost Parish, we are proud to support people in need through kindness, compassion and service. Today we would like to share a special way our school community can help others this term.

Our parish supports asylum seekers and refugees through the CatholicCare Victoria Asylum Seeker Support Program. This program helps individuals and families who have come to Australia seeking safety and a better life. Many families are waiting for important decisions about their visas and often have very little support.

The Asylum Seeker Support Program provides care, food and practical help to families during a very difficult time. It receives no government funding, so the generosity of communities like ours makes a real difference. During Refugee Week in June, we would like to help these families in a practical way.

Over the next few weeks, we invite all students and families to bring in any donations they are able to give. Some helpful items include cleaning products, toiletries, baby items such as nappies, basmati rice, tinned foods like tomatoes and chickpeas, and biscuits. Every donation, big or small, will help support refugee families in Dandenong. All donations will be stored at their warehouse and distributed to refugee families as they need it.

For just a little extra motivation, on Friday 19th June which is during Refugee Week, each class is going to create a line on the basketball court with all the items their class have brought in to donate. The class with the longest line will get an extra 20 minutes playtime.

Jesus teaches us to welcome and support people in need, and this is one way we can live out that message together as a school community. Thank you for your generosity and for helping us make a difference.

RE Learning in 5/6CM

Next term, on Tuesday the 1st of September, some of our Year 6 students will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. We have just begun our investigation into the Sacrament and the children are preparing slides and accompanying speaker notes about the Sacrament.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will explain what a Sacrament is and describe the Sacraments of Initiation.

Students will  describe the history of Confirmation and its links to scripture. 

Students will describe some of the signs/symbols & rituals of Confirmation.

Please read some of our initial slides…

The word “Sacrament” comes from the Latin word “Sacramentum” which means “a solemn oath, a sacred pledge.” In Christianity, it means “A ritual or rite or channel of grace.” There are three types of Sacraments in Christianity: Initiation, Healing and Commitment, which are made up of the three sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation), Healing (Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick), and Commitment (Marriage, and Holy Orders).

The sacraments of Initiation are as follows: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. 

What are each of these sacraments?

Baptism is the sacrament which welcomes you into the holy church. In my case, I was baptised when I was very young, but some people are not baptised until a much older age, when they understand what it means.

Eucharist, better known as First Eucharist, is the sacrament in which you first receive the holy bread - the host. At our school, Eucharist is done in grade 4, (when we are 10 years old) but it can vary between different churches.

Confirmation is the sacrament in which you decide that you shall move forward, and fully commit to Christ. At our Baptism, our Godfathers and Godmothers say the responses, but at our Confirmation, we say them.

Confirmation is shown in scripture in the book of Galatians (5:22-23.) In that Scripture, the fruits of the Holy Spirit are shown. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Sunday Gospel

The liturgy of the Catholic Church provides a framework for reflection which is used by Catholics throughout the world. Each week in the Newsletter, you will find the Sunday Gospel as well as some discussion questions to have with your child/ren.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the house-tops.

‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.’

Discussion Questions

1. What are some of your most precious things?

2. How do you care for them?

3. God says that we are precious to him. How does God care for us?

We do not need to be afraid because God is always with us.