Education in Faith

Sacramental Events and Dates - 2025

Dear Parents/Guardians/Caregivers,

Please take note of the important dates for our Sacramental celebrations that will take place in 2025. Sacraments play a significant role in the spiritual journey of our students and we need to ensure that you are well-informed and can actively participate in these meaningful events. 

Kindly mark the following dates in your calendar:

Parents please ACCEPT or DECLINE an invitation by Friday 6th December. 

Dates for Sacraments are:

• Grade 2 will receive First Reconciliation in Term 4 on Thursday, 20th November 2025.
• Grade 3 will receive First Eucharist in Term 2 on Saturday, 21st June 2025.
• Grade 6 will receive Confirmation – Term 3 on Saturday, 6th September 2025.

Reconciliation: baptised Catholics in Year 2.

Eucharist: baptised Catholics in Year 3 or who have celebrated their Reconciliation.

Confirmation: Year 6 Catholics who have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and Eucharist.

If you have any further questions regarding your child receiving these Sacraments, please feel free to contact me at the school.

2nd Sunday of Advent - Year C

Theme: Prepare the Way for the Lord!Advent is a time to open our hearts and get ready for the joy of Jesus. Let’s prepare together and let God’s love shine through us! 🌟

Reflection Luke 3:1-6In this week’s Gospel, we meet John the Baptist, who had a special job: to prepare people for Jesus. He went into the wilderness and shouted, “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make His paths straight!”

Imagine you're getting ready for someone very important to visit your home. You’d clean up, make things nice, and make sure you’re ready to welcome them. That’s what John was asking people to do, but not for their houses - for their hearts.

John told everyone to repent, which means to say sorry for the things they had done wrong and change their ways. When we prepare our hearts, we make space for Jesus to come in and fill us with His love.

This Advent, we can prepare the way for Jesus by being kind, forgiving others, and doing what is right. Let’s ask ourselves: Are there parts of our lives that feel messy or far from God? How can we “clean up” to make more room for Him?

Discussion Starters 

1. John the Baptist tells us to “prepare the way for the Lord.” What are some ways we can prepare our hearts for Jesus during Advent?
    
2. Why do you think John asked people to say sorry and change their ways before Jesus came?
    
3. If Jesus were coming to visit your home today, what would you do to get ready?
    
4. Can you think of something in your life that you’d like to make better or bring closer to God?
    
5. John says that “all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” How can we help others see God’s love through us?

Family Activity

• Heart Prep Together: On a piece of paper, draw a big heart. As a family, write inside it things you want to do to prepare your hearts for Jesus, like being kind, saying sorry, or helping others. Hang it somewhere you can see it as a reminder all week.
   
• Nature Walk Reflection: Go on a family walk and talk about how to “make a straight path” for Jesus. Look for signs of nature that remind you of God’s beauty and talk about how creation shows us God’s love.

News from St. Kevin’s Parish

Children’s Christmas Party Date: Sunday, 8th December 

Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Face painting starts at 2:00 PM) Location: Church Hall 

Children's Catechism and Junior Youth Formation - 1st, 8th, 15th & 22nd December Time: 12.15-1.

God Bless  

Rozeta Ambrose

Religious Education Leader

rambrose@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au

GRADE 5/6 SOCIAL JUSTICE TEAM – MINI VINNIES

SFS CHRISTMAS APPEAL 

Our SFS Christmas Appeal is well under way. Thank you to all families that have already sent in the hamper items to their child’s home group. I am sure the families will greatly appreciate their hampers over the Christmas period. Remember all hampers will be given to a family in need within our community by the St Vincent de Paul Hampton Park Conference. 

Thank you also to families who have purchased presents. The presents from LS1 will be donated to children that the Vinnies Soupvan visits which I volunteer for. I know these children will be so appreciative. They live in compromised circumstances, often in places shared with others, and only a small area for their family. The presents from LS2 and LS3 will be donated to the Cranbourne St Vincent de Paul Conference and will help put a smile on the faces of children within our local community.

Remember all presents and hamper items need to be returned by next Wednesday December 11th.

HOME GROUP HAMPERS

This year each Home Group have been provided with a hamper to fill, for a family in need within our community. Home Group teachers will tell their home groups a bit about the family they are helping. Each student has come home with a small sheet of paper which lists the item they need to bring for their Home Group Hamper. 

We ask that these are brought to school ASAP but no later than Wednesday December 11th. Please ensure all hamper items are non-perishable and are not past the best before date or used by date. 

It is important that each child brings their item, otherwise hampers will be missing food. Students will be given House points by their teacher for the items they bring in.

GIVING TREES

Thanks to the LSOs and Mini Vinnies we have Christmas Trees set up in each of the Learning Spaces and in our office area. On the Christmas Trees we have tags with children ages and genders that you can buy presents for. The tags will have House coloured ribbons so please make sure when you collect a tag, it has a ribbon that matches your child’s house as once again they will be given points for the presents they bring in. 

Parents please note, students will not be allowed to collect a tag on their own. An adult will need to be with them or you can write a note in your child’s diary which they can show to an LSO in their Learning Space and they will help them collect a tag. 

This year’s presents will go towards families the Vinnies Soupvan serves (LS1) and the Cranbourne SVDP Conference. Your donation will be greatly appreciated. Please do not wrap presents but place the tag your child collected from the Christmas tree on the present and it can be placed under the Christmas tree in your child’s Learning Space. All presents will need to be returned by the latest Wednesday December 11th.

Thank you for your support with our Christmas Appeal! Mini Vinnies have worked hard to prepare for the Christmas Appeal. Please help them to feel it’s been a success. Remember the House points students receive, will go towards the Community Spirit Award. The winning House will be announced on the last day of school.

COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD POINTS

Points this week include points given to students by staff and also points for the Christmas Appeal items.

The results so far are:

Well done  who are in the lead but the other Houses are close! Remember we still have our Christmas Appeal, so one of the other houses may take the lead. 

The Community Spirit Shield will be presented to the winning house on the last day of school.

Giuliana & SFS Mini Vinnies

gfaiola@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au