R.E. News
Religious Education News - Week 2 Term 3
Religious Education Dates for 2025
Confirmation
- Saturday 16th August- Sacrament of Confirmation – 1pm and 3pm
- Thursday 14th August - Confirmation Reconciliation service - 11:40am
Eucharist
- Saturday 9th August – First Eucharist Commitment Mass – 5pm
- Thursday 23rd October - Eucharist Reflection Day
- Thursday 23rd October - Reconciliation at 11:40am and practise
- Saturday 25th October - Sacrament of First Eucharist mass at 5pm
- Sunday 26th October - Sacrament of First Eucharist mass at 9:30am
Whole School Mass/Events
- Friday 15th August - Feast of the Assumption Mass at 9am
- Friday 7th November - St Francis Blessing of the animals service from 9am to 9:15am
- Tuesday 11th November - Remembrance Day service at 10:55am
- Thursday 11th December - Year 6 Graduation at 6pm
- Monday 15th December - End of School Mass at 9am - TBC
Confirmation
On Saturday 16th August we have the Sacrament of Confirmation masses. Please keep in your prayers the following children:
Aston, Oscar, Andrew, Hannah, Cynthia, Ruby, Isabelle, Zane, Lauretta, Noah, Nathaniel, Hudson, Conor, Erik, Jessica, Rhiannon, Leo, Max, Elena, Carla, Lakhi, Luke, Georgia, Kenny, Oliver, Isabella, Koby, Zara, Jack, Ethan, Mila, Emma, George, Gabriel, Marc, Natalie, Noah and Eva.
Gospel Reflection for by Fr Michael Tate
Stop Talking to Yourself!
Conversation is what makes us human: we are word animals. Anyone who has been in hospital for some time knows that it is the lack of conversation which starts to tell. We need mouth to mouth resuscitation.
Did you notice in today’s Gospel that the rich landowner is constantly murmuring to himself. He poses questions which he answers. He is so bound up with his possessions that there is no room in his life for real conversation with people or with God.
In muttering to himself, the rich man was becoming dehumanised and in danger that at the moment of death, he could find himself monologuing for all eternity, and that is a Hellish existence. He, and we, need to learn the language of Heaven and we begin that on earth.
There are two partners of conversation we need: With God we call it prayer. The Our Father is the conversation of the children of God with their heavenly Father. With other people, real dialogue might reveal something about them such that we need to respond wholeheartedly.
And then, draw closer to Our Lady who was the greatest conversation partner with God: ‘Be it done unto me according to Thy word.’ She is constantly trying to draw us into her conversation with God.
We could pause for a moment to ask Our Lady to help us to learn and practise the language of Heaven: ‘now, and at the hour of our death.’ Amen.
The Jubilee Prayer
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
Fr John Farewell mass and afternoon tea
You are warmly invited to join the St Mark's community to farewell Fr John, who has ministered to the St Mark's and St Joseph's communities for the past 19 years. Fr John is moving back to India to continue his work in the Catholic church and we will be farewelling him with a Mass at 5.00 p.m. followed by supper in the hall after Mass. Everyone is asked to bring a plate to share for supper.
It would be lovely to see as many St Mark's families there as possible, to show our gratitude and thanks to Fr John for his wonderful leadership and spiritual guidance over the last 19 years.
Mary MacKillop Feast Day
Each year on the 8th of August we celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia's beloved first saint and patron saint of our Archdiocese. On this day, we celebrate the important role she played in making education accessible for children in our country.
Prayer
Through the example of Mary MacKillop, may we learn to recognise God's will for us and trust in God's providence.
May we share in her courage, see with her vision, and love with her heart.
May her life of service awaken in us a deep respect for the poor and a passion for justice.
Amen.
Children’s Liturgy
The reintroduction of Children's Liturgy at St Mark's Church is up and running and looking for more volunteers!
The Children's Liturgy provides a great opportunity for primary aged children to engage with the gospel in a way that is accessible and meaningful to them. It runs every Sunday at the St Mark's 9:30am mass during school terms. At the start of mass the Children’s Liturgy adult leaders take the primary school age children into the hall for a small lesson and activity about the gospel of the day. Parents are welcome to join the session if they would like. If any parents are interested in volunteering to help with the Sunday sessions, please email Andrew Davies - andrew@smdingley.catholic.edu.au