Mission Month: Socktober

On Monday St Patrick's was full of colourful socks and soccer activities! Together we participated in a fundraising day for Catholic Mission's Socktober event. This year's focus was for disadvantaged children in Mongolia. Thank you to everyone who brought a gold coin. With our donations we can help provide warm winter clothing and school uniforms, pencils, books and other stationary items, food such as milk, vegetables and meat and contribute towards a school bus to safely transport students to and from school.

Why soccer?

The iconic symbol of Socktober is a tattered, recycled ball made of socks, t-shirts, and plastic bags tied with string, representing the essence of the event. Decades ago, a young boy named Jorge Mario Bergoglio played with a similar ball on the streets of Buenos Aires. He later became Pope Francis, but he always cherished sport and had a special connection with children from impoverished communities through this shared experience.

Activities

Prep - 6 students signed up for a soccer game hosted at recess and lunch set up by our Social Justice leaders. There was also the opportunity to enter a 'guess the weight of a soccer ball' with a 50c entry to the competition for juniors and seniors. Congratulations to Stevie (PSM) and Ruby (4IS) for the closest guesses! Finally, congratualtions to Jaimee (4MS) for winning the 'create your own recycleable soccer ball'. A big THANK YOU to our Prep - 6 Social Justice leaders in helping facilitate and set up events.

Reconciliation

This week the Year 2s and a student from Grade 3 received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. Students were able to participate and invite their families to a prayer service earlier that day to help them reflect on the Sacrament and talk to Jesus in prayer about what was on their heart. It was a very reverent afternoon and I'd like to extend a big congratulations to the students. May it be the first of many reconciliations along the journey to heaven, each one helping you grow closer to Jesus and become the disciple you were created to be, spreading the path of love and mercy wherever you go! A big thank you to all families, our staff - especially our Year 2 teachers and our Parish Priests for helping them along the way.

Gospel

Matthew 5:1-12

Jesus teaches what it means to be happy.

All Saints Day

Every year the Church recalls the example, witness, and prayer of the holy women and men who have been identified by the Church as Saints. These saints are more than just role models; they are family members with whom we continue to share relation, in a bond of prayer, called the Communion of Saints. Every year when we celebrate this feast day on November 1st. The Gospel we proclaim for this Sunday recalls for us Jesus' teaching about happiness, the Beatitudes as Saints are people who lived the spirit of the Beatitudes as Jesus lived.

Unpacking the Scriptures

In this Sunday's Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes which means “blessing” or “happy”. These are teachings on what it means to be happy and how we can gain eternal life. When we listen to who Jesus calls happy, he is naming the poor, people who are grieving and who are persecuted. This is just as surprising to us today as it was to the crowd he was speaking to. Jesus is telling us that God looks lovingly on all people, especially those who suffer and are less fortunate. He wants us to know that what we chase after in this world for happiness isn’t what true happiness is and that there is hope for a better life in heaven.

The Beatitudes can be understood as a framework for Christian living. As we celebrate All Saints Day this month, we are reminded of their example in following the spirit of the Beatitudes. We too are challenged to model our lives on the promises of the Beatitudes. How can we be peacemakers, show mercy, have a pure heart?

Family Connection

One of the great gifts of our Catholic tradition is remembrance of and prayer with the saints. The Church offers us an official canon, or list, of saints. On All Saints Day, we recall and pray with these saints. It is important to continue to tell these stories of saints and saintly people to our children so that they have ample models of people of faith for their own lives. Together as a family, name and tell the story of y our favourite saints. Together prepare a list of some of the traits that these people have in common (generosity, courage, prayerfulness, and so on).

Pray

Gather together, light a candle and acknowledge that you are in the presence of God in a moment of silence. Read the Gospel Matthew 5:1-12. Discuss how the attitudes described in the Beatitudes are reflected in the lives of the saints and people you named. Pray together as a family the Litany of the Saints and include ones you named. Ask for their intercession that your family will follow the example of these people as disciples of Jesus. Pray here or sing:

God bless,

India Mitchell-Fletcher

Religious Education Leader

Community Information

Music Lessons at St Patricks

Taekwondo Lessons at St.

Patrick's