Our Faith - Religion - Prayer 

St Patrick's Church Walcha 

For Baptism or Marriage enquiries phone Monsignor Ted Wilkes 67784070.

Monsignor Ted Wilkes would like to invite parishioners to Sunday Mass 10am.

Term 1 Mass Dates

Tuesday 17th March: Mass (Feast of St Patrick) at 11.30am

Friday 27th March: Mass and First Reconciliation after at 11.30am

Entering the Journey of Lent

Yesterday, Wednesday, 18th February, our community marked the beginning of the holy season of Lent with Ash Wednesday. Across the globe, millions of Christians attended services to receive ashes on their foreheads in the sign of the cross—a humble reminder of our humanity and a call to "turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel."

 Lent is a forty-day liturgical season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that leads us to the celebration of Easter. The forty days represent the time Jesus spent in the desert, fasting and praying, before beginning his public ministry. Just as He stepped away from the world to focus on his relationship with God, we are invited to do the same.

During this time, the church alters its appearance: the vibrant green vestments of Ordinary Time are replaced with purple, symbolising both penance and royalty, as we await the coming of the Risen King. The "Alleluia" is omitted from the Mass, creating a sonic space of quiet anticipation until it returns triumphantly at the Easter Vigil.

The Three Pillars of Lent While many often associate Lent solely with "giving something up" (like chocolate or social media), the season is built on three equal pillars designed to help us grow spiritually:

1. Prayer: We are encouraged to make more time for God in our daily lives, perhaps by reading scripture, attending Mass more frequently, or simply sitting in quiet reflection.
2. Fasting: By voluntarily giving up luxuries or certain foods, we practice self-control and solidarity with those who go hungry not by choice, but by circumstance.

3. Almsgiving: This is the call to charity. We are asked to share what we have with the poor and vulnerable, ensuring that our fasting turns into action that helps others.

    

Looking Ahead Lent is not meant to be a time of sadness, but rather a time of spiritual "spring cleaning." It is an opportunity to clear out the clutter in our lives—old habits, grudges, or distractions—that keeps us from being the best version of ourselves.

As we step forward from the ashes, let us remember that Lent is less about what we give up, and more about who we become. Let us commit to walking this path with purpose, using these forty days to deepen our compassion and strengthen our community, ensuring that we arrive at Easter not just older, but truly renewed.

Prayer

Loving God,

As we step into these early days of Lent, 

marked by the ashes of Wednesday, 

we ask for Your guidance on this forty-day journey.

Help us to quiet our minds and open our hearts to change. 

Give us the strength to fast from what distracts us, 

the generosity to share what we have, 

and the patience to pray with sincerity.

May this season be a time of true growth 

as we prepare to celebrate the joy of Easter.

Amen.

Join Us for a Twilight Retreat on Wednesday, March 4th

We are delighted to invite parents and parishioners to join our school staff for a special Twilight Retreat on Wednesday, 4th March. Led by the Spirituality Team from Armidale Catholic Schools, this session offers a valuable opportunity for spiritual renewal and reflection.

The retreat will commence at 3:15 pm and conclude after 90 minutes. We would love for you to be part of this enriching afternoon as we come together in faith. If you wish to attend, please simply contact the school office to register your interest.

First Reconciliation- Friday 27th March 

Families of all eligible candidates for the Sacrament of First Reconciliation have received information concerning the preparation program that is set to begin shortly. The document detailed all relevant aspects of the program. Should you have any questions or inquiries regarding the Sacrament of First Reconciliation, please do not hesitate to reach out to Mr Hyatt.

Project Compassion

As Lent begins, we also launch the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Contributions to this appeal allow Caritas—the Catholic agency for international aid—to partner with vulnerable communities globally to fight poverty, hunger, and injustice.

In the spirit of Lent, we are invited to show compassion through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. To support this, every student received a Project Compassion donation box earlier in the week. We encourage everyone to contribute what they can to help create a better future for generations to come.

Sisilia's story, Tanzania (Project Compassion)

During this period of Lent, let us reflect upon the ways in which we can guarantee our efforts are directed towards benefiting the well-being of all future generations across the globe.

Together, we can make a difference now, and For All Future Generations.

We begin our annual Lenten Project Compassion journey by learning about Sisilia who lives in Tanzania.

Life was not easy for Sisilia growing up. Her father passed away when she was one, leaving her mother to care for her and her four siblings all on her own.  Sisilia lives in a small, overcrowded house with only one bed, poor ventilation and no toilet. 

One of the main challenges she faced was access to clean and safe water. Sisilia fetched water three times a day, walking nearly 30 mins each round trip to collect water from a dirty canal. The water was not treated and Sisilia and her family would often get stomach problems like diarrhea. She would also often be late for class because she had to fetch water for home.  

“When I miss school, I feel bad. The time I use fetching water affects my studies since I'd fetch water instead of going to school,” Sisilia said. 

With the support of Caritas  in Tanzania, the Diocese of Mbulu Development Department (DMDD), Sisilia and her school joined the A+ Successor Project.   

The project has helped improve access to clean water at Sisilia’s school by installing clean water taps at the school. These taps have been a gamechanger for the school community. Children can wash their hands, drink clean water and water the school garden to grow food that they can eat for lunch. 

In addition to providing water sources at her school, the A+ Successor project has helped establish a domestic water point in Sisilia’s village. Sisilia now needs to only walk two minutes to collect water, which has drastically cut down time needed on water collection. 

Sisilia’s dream is to one day become a pilot and she hopes the time she saves collecting water can be used to focus on her studies."When I grow up, I would like to be a pilot. I'd like to fly to different countries and pass through the sky.”

With your ongoing support, Caritas Australia continues to provide practical solutions for communities like Sisilia's, ensuring that clean water are not just dreams but realities.

Watch her story and see how her life has changed, thanks to people like you.

Sacrament Dates for 2026

2026 First Reconciliation: Date has been set for our Catholic students in Years 2, 3 and Year 4 for Friday 27th March 2026.

2026 First Eucharist: Date has been set for our Catholic students in Year 3 and 4 for Sunday 7th June 2026. 

Catherine McAuley

Catherine’s spirituality was centred on the mercy of God…prayer in action…action in prayer.