Education in Faith
Sacramental Program for 2024
The letter linked below about the Sacramental Program for 2024, from Fr Brendan, indicates the celebration dates for 2024 and informs parents about the changes to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
If you have any questions about the information, please do not hesitate to contact the Parish Office.
Whole School Masses
This term, we have three Whole School Masses planned. The times and dates are as follows:
Opening of the School Year Mass - Friday 9th February @ 9.00am
Ash Wednesday Mass - Wednesday 14th February @ 2.00pm
Closing of Term One Mass - Wednesday 27th March @ 2.00pm
Family and friends are more than welcome to join the students and staff at any of these Masses, which will be held in the OHR Church.
Burning of the Palms
On Tuesday 13 February at 2.00pm, Father Huang will lead all our students in a palm burning ceremony outside in preparation for Ash Wednesday. Using ashes obtained by burning palms from the previous Passion Sunday provides a wonderful life-death-life symbol of the paschal mystery to explore. The palms are a symbol of Christ our triumphant king (life); that triumph turns to ashes at the crucifixion (death); being marked with those ashes signifies our commitment to journey to the font at Easter (life). Everybody is most welcome to come along.
Sunday Gospel
The liturgy of the Catholic Church provides a framework for reflection which is used by Catholics throughout the world. Each week in the Newsletter, you will find the Sunday Gospel as well as some discussion questions to have with your child/ren.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them.
That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.
In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.
The Gospel of the Lord
Discussion Questions
1. Who has a friend who was once sick?
2. How did your friend get better?
3. What could you do when someone you know is sick?
4. In today’s gospel what did Jesus do when sick people were brought to him?
5. Jesus showed compassion to those who were in need. What does ‘compassion’ mean?
6. Who should we show compassion to?
We pray that we will think of others before ourselves this week and show compassion to others.