Religious Education

Ash Wednesday

Holy Family School attended a special mass today to celebrate Ash

Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is one of the important holy days in the liturgical calendar. Ash Wednesday opens Lent, a season of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. It takes place 40 days before Easter Sunday, and is observed by Catholics, and many other Christians as well.

Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. The practice includes the wearing of ashes on the head. The ashes symbolise the dust from which God made us. As the priest applies the ashes to a person's forehead, he speaks the words: "Repent and believe in the Gospel."

The Ashes

The ashes are made from the blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year. The ashes are christened with Holy Water and are scented by exposure to incense. While the ashes symbolise penance and contrition, they are also a reminder that God is gracious and merciful to those who call on Him with repentant hearts.

We are preparing with our hearts and minds in lent by participating in our “Kick Poverty Away” fundraiser. The students will learn about other children around the world who have less resources than we do in Australia and raise money to help them with Caritas Australia throughout lent, until the end of the term. We are looking forward to our soccer ball challenge happening this Friday, where classes will make soccer balls our of plastic rubbish collected in classrooms. Many children around the world do not have proper soccer balls so they make do with what they have. We are eager to help others in need and have fun along the way.

Vicky Pejic

Religious Education Leader