Faith 

Remembrance Day Prayer Liturgy, 2020

On Wednesday 11th November, 2020 at 11am St Anthony's students and staff paused!

This pause was to commemorate Remembrance Day with a whole school prayer liturgy that was zoomed to every classroom for everyone to participate.  This prayer liturgy was a reverent and meditative time for all to commemorate, celebrate and pray for our fallen soliders and all who serve to protect our country and our freedom, past and present.

What is Remembrance Day and Why?

In Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, Remembrance Day is a day to remember people who fought and died in wars.  Remembrance Day is observed on the 11th of November to remember the end of World War I on that day in 1918.  It was started in 1919 by King George V from the United Kingdom. 

On the same day, other countries also have days to remember war and fallen soldiers. There is Veteran’s Day in the United States, and Armistice Day in France, Belgium, New Zealand and other countries. 

There are a number of traditions that people honour on Remembrance Day. One is having one minutes of silence at 11:00 AM. At a ceremony for Remembrance Day, before the minute of silence, a song called “The Last Post” is played on a bugle. At the end of the silence, the bugle plays a song called “Reveille.”  People often bring wreaths made of poppies to Remembrance Day ceremonies. Many people also wear a poppy as a symbol to show that they remember the wars, and the soldiers who fought in them. Poppies were chosen to be a symbol because they grew in the battlefields where the soldiers had previously fought.

In Melbourne, Victoria, many gather at the Shrine of Remembrance to pay their respects to our service men and women, laying wreaths of poppies and flowers.  They recite The 

Ode of Remembrance:

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old: 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Advent is coming!

Advent is a time of waiting for the birth of Jesus Christ.

The First Sunday of Advent Year B is on 29th November, 2020

The Second Sunday of Advent Year B is on 6th December, 2020

The Third Sunday of Advent Year B is on 13th December, 2020

The Fourth Sunday of Advent Year B is on 20th December, 2020

It is our tradition at St Anthony's that we celebrate Advent each year with a prayer liturgy hosted by each year level.  This year we will be participating in these liturgies in our classrooms virtually, beaming the prayer liturgy to each class for everyone to be a part of this special time in the lead up to Christmas and the birth of Jesus.

In the next newsletter there will be some practical ways for every family to participate in Advent such as making a wreath or a Jesse tree.

A Prayer for Advent

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

God Bless,

Toni Dent

Religious Education Leader