RE NEWS

First Sunday ofAdvent 

REFLECTION by Greg Sunter

The season of Advent begins this week and continues through the four Sundays of Advent and ends at Christmas Eve. The first week of Advent focuses on the return of the Lord and the following weeks focus more specifically on the anticipation of the birth of Jesus. Rather than simply commemorating an historical event, Advent is a time of preparing our hearts to ‘receive’ Jesus into the world each year. Advent is traditionally marked by the colour of violet – the same colour as used in Lent. In recent years, some parishes have moved to a more blue/mauve colour for Advent to try to distinguish it from the season of Lent.

By the time the Church begins to celebrate Advent as a period of preparation towards Christmas, the stores have been filling with Christmas paraphernalia for weeks. It starts out small with a few decorations and wrapping paper and eventually takes over every retail outlet. In the midst of this excess of Christmas consumerism, it is often difficult to draw attention to the season of Advent and the need to prepare spiritually for the celebration of Christmas. It is important to stay awake, as we are cautioned in this week’s gospel. Awake to what is happening around us in the world and awake to what is happening within us.

Join us for our Last Masses for 2023

Wednesday 6/12/23 at 9:15am - Whole school Mass - Advent Week 1

Friday 15/12/23 at 10:30am - Whole School End of Year Mass - Advent Week 2

Staff Faith Formation Day

The staff at OLPS were working from the city today! Sharing with you a recap from our Staff Faith Formation Day themed "Pilgrims in Our Own City." The day began with a spiritually enriching Mass at the ACU Chapel led by Fr. Alexander Chow, setting a reflective tone for the journey that followed. We then explored the Mary Mackillop Heritage Centre, delving into the life and legacy of Australia's first saint, followed by a visit to the Mary Glowrey Museum, dedicated to the inspiring Dr. Mary Glowrey. Using the Catholic Precinct App enhanced the experience, providing additional information about the locations visited and key Catholic figures who have had a significant impact on Melbourne's culture in the past and present. The day concluded with a plenary session that brought together the collective reflections and learnings of our teachers, fostering a sense of unity in their spiritual journey. We extend our gratitude to the entire community for supporting our teachers in their commitment to spiritual growth and education. We pray that we may use this formation to impact the students we teach at OLPS. We also took baby Jesus with us everywhere:

2024 Sacramental Dates 

workshop and retreat dates will be added later

Sacrament of Reconciliation - Year 3- please note change of date

• Reconciliation Night  Tuesday 5th of  March  2024 at 7:00 pm 
• Sign up & Presentation Weekend 9th or 10th of March 2024 - Attend any of the Parish Masses.

Sacrament of First Communion - Year 4

• Sign up  and Presentation Weekend 18th or 19th of May 2024 - Attend any of the Parish Masses 
• First Communion Celebration Sunday 2nd of  June 2024 at 2:00 pm

Sacrament of Confirmation - Year 6 

• Sign up and Presentation Weekend 10th or 11th of August 2024- Attend any of the Parish Masses 
• Confirmation Celebration: Sunday 18th of August 2024 at 1:30 pm

Marim Elia 

Religious Education Leader