Education in Faith

Reconciliation

Congratulations to our Grade 3 Students who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time last week. What a beautiful evening focussed on love and our relationships with God, our families, our peers and our selves. Thank you to our Middle Level Team for your work in helping to prepare the children and thank you to our families for the many conversations at home and the lovely stoles you have created together. 

Lent

The season of Lent began with Ash Wednesday. Lent is the period of about six weeks before Easter. It is a time in which we are quiet and thoughtful, preparing for Easter, During Lent, we are invited to pray, show kindness to our loved ones, help those in need, or give up something that is special to us. 

Students will participate in Lenten prayer services each week during whole school and level assemblies. 

Project Compassion Caritas Lenten Appeal

The Grade 6 Community Leaders have taken a lead in promoting this within our school.

You can donate via the donation boxes in each classroom, or online via the Caritas Australia website. Thank you to all who were able to donate during this Lenten season.

Fifth & Sixth Week of Lent

The transformative work of Caritas Australia is only possible thanks to supporters like you and the dedication, passion, and resilience of our local partners, who tirelessly work to empower communities and create brighter futures.

In Vietnam, Caritas Australia’s partner programs, like I-SHINE, helped Lam, a young man with a disability, gain graphic design skills and start a successful freelance business, inspiring others to pursue their dreams.

In Samoa, Caritas Australia works with Caritas Samoa to improve access to clean water and sanitation through initiatives like water tank installations, transforming health and well-being for families like Toefuata’iga’s.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Caritas Australia works in partnership with Caritas Kongolo on the Youth Capacity Strengthening Program. This initiative equipped Irene, a single mother, with sewing and farming skills, enabling her to support her family and empower others in her community.

Through partnerships like these, Caritas Australia creates lasting change in communities across the globe. Thank you to all the OLA Families who were able to donate to Project Compassion this Lent.

Holy Week

Holy Week will begin on Sunday 13 April. This week includes Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. It marks a special time in our church leading up to the resurrection of Jesus. 

At OLA, we participated in a whole school prayer service today. We thank our SRCs for their help in leading this prayer service. 

Palm Sunday

On this day, we recount the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey. Many people placed palms and cloaks on the ground to pave his way. Palm Sunday has a bitter sweet tone. On the one hand the story is upbeat with the crowd joyfully proclaiming Christ as the long promised Messiah, yet by the end of the week Jesus is crucified. 

Holy Thursday

On this day, we recount how Jesus washed the feet of the disciples before the Last Supper. At the Last Supper, Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples, asking them to think of Him. He knew he was about to be betrayed and condemned to death. 

Good Friday

Good Friday marks the day God's son, Jesus, was crucified. It was on this day that Jesus was beaten and tortured because he claimed to be the son of God. A crown of thorns was thrust upon his head. Then, he was forced to carry his own cross to the top of a hill where he was nailed to the cross.

Holy Saturday

This is the day in between Good Friday and Easter. This day marks Jesus being placed in the tomb. 

Easter Sunday

This day is all about the resurrection of Jesus. We celebrate Easter to remember the great sacrifice that Jesus made for us in order to save us. Easter Sunday helps us to remember that Jesus came back from the dead. Although he is not physically among us, He is present in our hearts. It is because Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday that Christians call Sunday "The Day of the Lord" and is the day of the week dedicated to workship. 

Caitlan Taig

Religious Education Leader