Religious Education Update
Jenna Smithson | Acting Religious Education Coordinator
ST VINCENT DE PAUL CHRISTMAS APPEAL
As we enter the festive season, St. Aidan's is delighted to once again support the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. This initiative brings joy to families in need by providing Christmas hampers filled with food and festive treats. Each class has been invited to contribute different items to help us fill these hampers. Thank you to those families who have already donated items.
Please see the requested items for your child’s class below:
Kindergarten | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
“Nice biscuits” such as Christmas biscuits or shortbread | Christmas Mince Pies | Christmas Napkins and Bon Bon | Tinned fruit and Jelly Cups (not jelly sachets) | Pudding and/or Christmas Cake | “Nice” Savoury Biscuits, Crackers or Chips | Christmas Lollies and Chocolate |
To ensure the hampers are ready in time for Christmas, please send in your donations by Wednesday, 4th December.
We are so grateful for any donations you can provide. Together, we can make this Christmas season a little brighter for those in need. Thank you for your continued generosity and kindness.
CHRISTMAS LITURGY
St Aidan’s will come together as a community to celebrate the Christmas Story on Thursday 12 December at 2:00 pm in the Holy Family Church. Every class will perform at this special occasion.
We warmly welcome all parents, families and friends to join us for this special occasion.
Students are asked to wear a simple costume. Please see details below
| Kindergarten | Grey, brown, black or white clothes. |
| Year 1 | White - Dressed as Angels, wings are optional. |
| Year 2 | Oversized white with Tea towel for the head or rope for the waist. |
| Year 3 | Either dark clothing with a tea towel on head or rope for the waist or white clothing and angel wings. |
| Year 4 | Dark clothes. |
| Year 5 | Dark clothing with a tea towel on head and rope for the waist. Selected students to dress as angels (white t-shirt and silver or gold tinsel on their heads) |
| Year 6 | Black clothes. |
We kindly ask that the costume is at school by Friday 6th December in a plastic bag with your child’s name clearly labelled.
CLASS MASS
Please find below the Class Masses for Term 4 2024. All family members are welcome to join us for the following dates to celebrate Mass together. All readers for class masses have been selected by the class teacher to ensure that everyone gets an opportunity to read. Morning tea will follow Mass in the school hall.
| Year 4 | 22nd November |
| Year 6 | 29th November - Pope Francis Graduation Mass |
| Kindy | 6th December |
| Year 6 | 13th December - Year 6 Graduation Mass |
We look forward to welcoming you to Holy Family Parish.
FAMILY PARISH MASS
A final reminder that our final Family Parish Mass for 2024 will be this Sunday 23rd November at 5:00pm. It will be followed by a Pizza Dinner.
If your child would like to read at the Family Parish Mass please email the office.
We look forward to welcoming all the families and friends of St Aidan’s for our final Family Mass of 2024.
CLASS PRAYER
This term you are warmly invited to join us for Class Prayer. Each class will lead a small class prayer in thier classrooms which will reflect what they have been learning in class. Please see the timetable below for when your childs Class Prayer will take place:
| Class | Day and Time |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | 22nd November @ 2:45 |
| Year 2 | 27th November @ 2:45 |
| Kinder | 28th November @ 2:45 |
| Year 4 | 28th November @ 2:45 |
| Year 5 | 28th November @ 2:45 |
| Year 3 | 3rd December @ 2:45 |
POPE FRANCIS GRADUATION MASS
We are very pleased to announce that we will hold the Pope Francis Graduation Mass on Friday 29th November at 9:10 am. Students who have successfully completed this program will be formally recognised by the school and parish community.
We warmly invite all parents and friends to join us for this event.
THE SEASON OF ADVENT
Advent is the first season of the liturgical year. It is a four week season dedicated to the anticipation, preparation and arrival of Jesus of Nazareth. Christians from many backgrounds celebrate this time with reflections on hope, peace, love, and joy. Practices may look different, all focus on the hope-filled arrival of Jesus.
Advent wreaths are used during this season and include four candles - three purple and one pink. These candles symbolise hope, love, joy and peace. A candle is lit each Sunday during Advent.
You will be able to see a beautiful Advent wreath in the Holy Family Church at the start of Advent.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN CLASS
Year 2 have been learning about God's wonderful creation, marveling at the beauty of nature, animals, and the world around them. They have been discussing how each part of creation reflects God's love and creativity. Inspired by these discussions, the students have been writing their own prayers of thanksgiving to express gratitude for the many blessings in their lives. Here are some wonderful example of this work:
ST AIDAN'S PRAYER BEAR
Aidan the Prayer Bear has been warmly welcomed by our families! We’re so grateful to those who have already hosted him and shared moments of prayer at home. Now, as he returns for Term 4, we look forward to seeing even more families enjoy this special experience of praying together.
Aidan the Prayer Bear will be sent home with a journal and a set of instructions and needs to be returned each week to pass on to a new family. We also ask you send an email the school office with a photo of you praying with the Prayer Bear and include in prayers enjoyed most. You may be included newsletter.
FAMILY PARISH CONTACT DETAILS
Please find below the contact details for Family Parish
The parish contact details are: holyfamilymaroubra@outlook.com and 9349 1198
Jenna Smithson,
Religious Education Coordinator