Catholic Identity
St Andrew's Parish News & Holy Week Liturgies
TERM 2 MASSES
Over Term 2 we have several School and Community Masses scheduled for St John’s. Parents are warmly invited to join us for these celebrations. All dates are listed in the dates sections of this newsletter, but I would like to draw your attention to special dates.
Year 2s Invited to Saturday 27th April Community Mass
On Saturday 27th April we will be holding our first Community Mass for Term 2. Any Year 2 students who attend this Mass will receive a special Saints Holy Card.
Jayden Nedeski Memorial Mass
We will be remembering Jayden at our School Mass on Wednesday 22nd May. Parents are most welcome to join us at this Mass.
Please click on the link below for the dates of all Community Masses this year:
PRAYER
Next Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday which commemorates the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem, when palm branches were placed on the road, by cheering crowds. This occurred just before his arrest on Holy Thursday and his crucifixion on Good Friday. It thus marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent.
During this Mass, palms are distributed to parishioners who carry them in a ritual procession into church. The palms are blessed and many people keep them for the year ahead. The colours of the Mass on Palm Sunday are red and white, symbolising the blood spilt by Christ on the cross for the redemption of the world.
Easter is the most important period of the year for Catholics, as it is for all Christians. Easter covers three days, called the Paschal Triduum. It starts the evening of Holy Thursday, and includes Good Friday and Holy Saturday, ending the evening of Easter Sunday.
During Holy Week we are invited to attend Mass and talk with God in prayer. Below is a simple prayer that could be said each day next week:
O Heavenly and Almighty Father,
Who sent his only Son Jesus to live and die as one of us,
Save me.
Lead me in your way,
Encouraging me to persevere on the hard days,
Remembering the great hope I have in you.
Amen
PROJECT COMPASSION
Spanning across the six weeks of Lent each year, Project Compassion brings thousands of Australian schools, parishes and supporters together to raise funds for Caritas, our Catholic Aid Agency. These much-needed funds help alleviate poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity in the most vulnerable and marginalised communities in the world. Each class has their own Project Compassion Box, where students can put their donations. This is a terrific opportunity for children to use some of their pocket money to give to others in the world who are in need of some support.
