Education in Faith News 

 Confirmation Retreat Day Reflection and Gratitude

We are delighted to share the highlights of our recent Confirmation Retreat Day. It was a day filled with faith, learning, and community, centered around the profound gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.

The retreat was a time for our young confirmands to deepen their understanding and appreciation of the Holy Spirit's role in their lives. Through various activities and reflections, they explored how the gifts of the Holy Spirit—wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord—manifest in their everyday actions and decisions. We also delved into the fruits of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing how love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control can guide them in their journey of faith.

A significant highlight of the day was the beautiful artwork created by the students, inspired by the Holy Spirit. These pieces vividly expressed their personal reflections and insights, serving as a testament to their growing spiritual awareness.

Additionally, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Blake and Fr. Martin. Their guidance and support were invaluable in making this retreat a success. Mr. Blake’s organisational skills and dedication ensured everything ran smoothly, while Fr. Martin’s spiritual leadership and insightful talks provided deep inspiration for everyone involved.

The day also included a special time for the students to read letters from their parents. These heartfelt messages allowed the parents to express their gratitude and share their personal faith journeys, strengthening the bond between them and their families.

We started the retreat with a beautiful liturgy, celebrating our faith and the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. It was a moment of unity and reflection, bringing our community together in prayer and thanksgiving.

Thank you once again to Fr. Martin, and all the parents who contributed to this meaningful day. Your support and dedication made this retreat a memorable and transformative experience for our young confirmands.

Bishop's Visit: A Day of Inspiration and Reflection

We were honored to welcome the Bishop Tony Ireland on a special visit with our Confirmation candidates. This was a memorable occasion where each student had the opportunity to engage in a meaningful conversation with the Bishop about their journey towards Confirmation.

During his visit, the Bishop took the time to ask each student individually about their understanding and preparation for Confirmation. He inquired about the saints they had chosen, delving into the reasons behind their selections and the inspirations they drew from these holy figures. It was heartening to see our students articulate their choices with such clarity and enthusiasm, reflecting their deep connection to their chosen saints.

The Bishop also explored the students’ knowledge of the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Our students answered with remarkable confidence and insight, demonstrating their thorough preparation and genuine grasp of these essential aspects of their faith. They spoke about how they see these gifts—wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord—playing out in their lives, and how they strive to embody the fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, and patience.

The Bishop expressed his admiration for the students' impressive answers and their evident dedication to their faith journey. His encouragement and words of wisdom left a lasting impact on all who were present.

We are incredibly proud of our students for their outstanding responses and the maturity they displayed during this significant visit. Their preparedness and the depth of their reflections are a testament to their hard work and the support from their families, teachers, and our parish community.

Two of our students present Bishop Tony with a Sacred Heart Wooden cross  at the end of his visit. He suggested he would be able to hang it around his neck going through airport security as the one he wears always sets off the metal detector. 

Thank you to everyone who helped make the Bishop’s visit a success. Your ongoing support and commitment to our students’ spiritual growth are deeply appreciated.

Let us continue to pray for our Confirmation candidates as they move forward in their journey of faith, inspired by the Holy Spirit and guided by the love and wisdom of our Church.

Weekday Class Masses 

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Journeying Together 

Sacrament preparation for families booklet 

https://sacraments.melbournecatholic.org/ 

Journeying Together covers the sacraments most commonly celebrated with primary-school-aged children - Reconciliation (Penance), Eucharist, and Confirmation. This resource will complement your child’s sacrament preparation at their Catholic primary school or in a parish catechetical setting.

Each sacrament module includes four sessions. Each session includes an invitation to explore and integrate the family’s lived experience with concepts from Scripture, the Church and the sacraments, along with opportunities to pray together.

We hope that by opening this opportunity, many will encounter Jesus and engage with their faith in a fresh and meaningful way.

Listed below are dates for your 2024 diary as well as some interesting information on all things Religious Education at Sacred Heart. 

Remexio, Timor Leste - Parish Raffle

Our Social Justice group from the Sacred Heart Parish are running their annual raffle.  A raffle book has been assigned to every family and these have been sent home on Thursday 16th May.

"We support Education for the underprivileged in our Twin Parish Community of Remexio, Timor Leste.  Through our fundraising efforts we support 3 Volunteer Teachers 3 Year 11 students and 3 University students."

Great prizes!

First Prize: $800 Westfield Shopping Voucher

Second Prize: Night at the Langham - Sleeping Beauty Package

Third Prize: A dozen bottles of wine

Fourth Prize: A handmade patchwork quilt

Fifth Prize: A landscape painting

Sixth Prize: A tasty lunch surprise: "Crisp Creative Salads" in the CBD plus a woven tais

Tickets are $5:00 each or a Book of 5 for $20:00

Drawn Sunday morning after 9:00 am Mass the Feast of the Sacred Heart June 9th

We would appreciate the return of the sold books ASAP or by May 31st at the latest

Please support this worthy cause, and Good Luck!  If you are unable to support, please return the raffle tickets to the office.

Thank you Heather McGrath

Sacred Heart Social Justice Group.

Dara Blake 

Religious Education Leader