OUR FAITH
PRAYER
Heavenly Mother,
filled with God’s grace, pray for us today and all days, that we may strive to be trusting, patient and faithful, as you were, so that we may one day join you and all saints in heaven.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen
We pray for ...
- our priests
- all candidates preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation
- all HSC students undertaking trials
THE ANGELUS
At our school, we cherish the moments where we can pause as a community to connect with God and reflect on our faith. Prayer occurs at our school every day. A prayer for students and the school to pray together is The Angelus. Traditionally prayed at noon, The Angelus is a beautiful, centuries-old Catholic prayer that commemorates the Incarnation, the moment God became man in Jesus Christ through Mary's "yes." As a school, we have started by looking at the history and meaning of the prayer as a staff. For students, we are also introducing the prayer's background and meaning and guiding them through the words and responses. Over the coming weeks, students will become familiar with The Angelus. As a school community, our aim is for our students and staff to pause, quiet their minds, and spend a few moments in shared prayer. It is a wonderful daily reminder for all about God’s constant presence in our lives, teaching the value of mindfulness, gratitude, and daily reflection.
FAMILY MASS
Our next Family Mass will be on Sunday, 30th August. This will be hosted by Year 2 and Year 4. It would be wonderful to see as many St Nicholas School families at our Family Mass. There will be no morning tea following the Mass as the Parish Picnic will commence at 11am.
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
The Assumption (August 15) refers to the Blessed Virgin Mary being assumed - body and soul - into heaven at the end of her earthly life. “Assumption” is different than “ascension” because one is passive (i.e. one is assumed) and the other is active (i.e. one ascends). It is by the power of God, Mary was assumed. Like all beliefs about Mary, they illuminate our most treasured beliefs about her Son. The Assumption illustrates to us the truth about Christ’s promise of eternal life and the resurrection of the faithful.
LITURGY NEWS
Reconciliation
Yesterday, some of our Year 5 students had the opportunity to attend Reconciliation.
Next Wednesday, more of our Year 5 students will have the opportunity to attend Reconciliation. Year 2 also had a classroom visit with Fr Chris.
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
The Sacrament of Confirmation will take place the weekend of 19th & 20th September. Candidates will be Confirmed by Bishop Peter Murphy. Parents of eligible candidates should have already received a Compass notification with all the relevant information. Please ensure all paperwork is submitted by Monday 24th August.
Any parents who were unable to attend the parent information sessions are required to collect their packs from the Parish Office.
Please keep our Confirmation Candidates in your prayers.
Important Dates:
Confirmation Practice: Wednesday 16th September 9:30 – 11:00 am (St Nicholas Church)
Reconciliation: Thursday 17th September - 5.30 pm - 6.30 pm (St Nicholas Church)
Confirmation Retreat: Friday 18th September (St Nicholas School)
Confirmation Masses: Saturday 19th September 6 pm and Sunday 20th September 9.30 am (St Nicholas Church)
MINI VINNIES WINTER APPEAL
A heartfelt thank you goes out to every family who contributed to the appeal. Whether you donated a single tin of soup, a pre-loved coat, or a blanket, your generosity has enabled our Mini Vinnies team to put their faith into action and make a tangible difference.
Together, we have shown what it truly means to care for one another.
PARISH NEWS
ST NICHOLAS PARISH PICNIC
ST NICHOLAS PARISH MEN'S BREAKFAST
The Men’s Breakfast is usually held on the 4th Saturday of each month – please see the Bulletin each week for any changes to that. It is held at 7am in the Outdoor Function Area. Admission is by donation (to cover the cost of Breakfast), and it is necessary to ‘book-in’ if intending to attend (for catering purposes). Patrick Mahony can be contacted by text or call to his mobile 0427 851 651, or contacted via email - patrick.mahony@mahonygroup.com.au
The program is a mixture of prayer, a reflection, some humour & nonsense, and a time to chat. Sometimes, they have a guest speaker.
ST NICHOLAS PARISH YOUTH GROUP
The Youth Group is for youths in Years 6-12 at school and is held in the St Nicholas Outdoor Function Area on Friday nights, 7-8.45 pm. For more details, please contact Henry Buckman on 0406 361 272. The dates for the youth group are 5th June, 31st July, 14th August, 28th August and 11th September.