OLA Newsletter

Education in Faith

Caitlan Taig

School Mass and Prayer Opportunities

As we are well and truly into the swing of Term One, I'd like to draw your attention to opportunities for our students and their families to celebrate Mass and prayer at OLA in 2025. 

 

Whole School Mass/Prayer

 

Term 1

  • Lenten Prayer Services
  • Friday 4 April 2:30pm - Holy Week Prayer Service

Term 2

  • Wednesday 23 April 10:30am - Easter Alleluia Prayer Service
  • Thursday 24 April 10:45am - ANZAC Prayer Service
  • Wednesday 30 April  9:15am - Opening School Term & Mini Vinnies Commissioning Mass
  • Friday 27 June 2:45pm - Feast of the Sacred Heart (Poor Man’s Prayer Service)

Term 3

  • Monday 28 July 9am - World Day for Grandparents & ElderlyPrayer Service 
  • Friday 8 Aug 2:30pm - Feast of Saint Mary MacKillop Prayer Service
  • Friday 15 August 9:15am - Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mass

Term 4

  • Tuesday 11 November 10:45am - Remembrance Day Prayer Service
  • Advent Prayer Services
  • Tuesday 16 December 9am - End of Year & Advent Prayer Service 4

Sacramental Program and Level Involvement

 

Prep

  • Thursday 29 May 6:30pm - Prep Prayer in PJs Parent/Child Workshop

Grade 1 and 2

  • Thursday 31 July 6:30pm - Parent/Child Workshop

Reconciliation (Grade 3)

  • Thursday 13 March 6:30pm - Parent/Child Workshop
  • Thursday 27 March 5pm and 7pm - Sacrament of Reconciliation

First Eucharist (Grade 4)

  • Thursday 22 May 6.30pm - Parent/Child Workshop
  • Monday 16 June - First Eucharist Reflection Day (for students)
  • Sunday 22 June 9am and 11am - Sacrament of First Eucharist

Confirmation (Grade 6)

  • Thursday 14 August 6:30pm - Parent/Child Workshop
  • Monday 1 September - Confirmation Reflection Day (for students)
  • Thursday 4 September 5pm - Sacrament of Confirmation

Class Prayer Services and Participation in Mass

 

At OLA, Prep - Grade 2 classes host one prayer service for their families in the year, and Grade 3-6 classes Participate in a Mass in the Church and lead the prayers and readings for this day. After each of these opportunities, we welcome parents and other special visitors to join us for some morning tea. All are welcome!

 

Prep Level

  • Thursday 28 August 9am - PCH
  • Thursday 4 September 9am - PJM
  • Thursday 11 September 9am - PNL

Junior Level

  • Thursday 29 May 9am - 2MV
  • Thursday 5 June 9am - 2EB
  • Thursday 12 June 9am - 1ET
  • Thursday 19 June 9am - 1ES

Middle Level

  • Thursday 16 October 9:15am - 3/4NC
  • Thursday 23 October 9:15am - 3/4GO
  • Thursday 30 October 9:15am - 3/4EJ

Senior Level

  • Thursday 1 May 9:15am - 5/6SP
  • Thursday 8 May 9:15am - 5/6MG

We look forward to celebrating and sharing our faith in 2025.

Lent

The season of Lent began with Ash Wednesday this week. Lent is the period of about six weeks before Easter. It is a time in which we are quiet and thoughtful, preparing for Easter, During Lent, we are invited to pray, show kindness to our loved ones, help those in need, or ive up something that is special to us. 

 

Students will participate in Lenten prayer services each week during whole school and level assemblies. 

Project Compassion Caritas Lenten Appeal

The season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday 5 March. This also marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. All donations to Project Compassion allows Caritas Australia to work with communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

 

The theme of Project Compassion for 2025 is ‘Unite Against Poverty This Lent’ and reminds us that the good we do today will extend and affect generations to come. It encourages us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long term solutions to global issues.

 

The Grade 6 Community Leaders will take the lead in promoting this within our school.

You can donate via the donation boxes that will be placed in each classroom on Tuesday, or online via the Caritas Australia website.

 

First Week of Lent 

 

This Lent, we’re invited to Unite Against Poverty with Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion. This year is especially significant as we celebrate the Jubilee Year - a time of renewal and solidarity.Project Compassion 2025 shares three stories from around the world. We’ll meet Toefuata'iga - (Toy-foo-ah-tah-ing-ah) a young student from Samoa who faced severe water shortages at her school. Thanks to Caritas Australia and the generosity of supporters like you, her school now has a 10,000 L water tank improving hygiene and allowing the teachers to prioritise education. 

 

We’ll get to know Lam from Vietnam, born with short stature, Lam faced social exclusion and limited employment opportunities – through the I-SHINE program, Lam is now a freelance graphic designer.

 

And we’ll meet Irene from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who faced immense challenges after losing her father to war and raising her children in poverty. With support from Caritas Australia, Irene received vocational training in sewing and farming and can now support her whole family.

 

Watch our Introduction to Project Compassion film HERE - be inspired by 3 powerful stories of resilience and strength, and learn the impact that your support can have on vulnerable communities around the world. 

 

Second Week of Lent (week beginning Monday 10 March)

 

Toefuata'iga - (Toy-foo-ah-tah-ing-ah) is a 13-year-old primary school student from Samoa. Samoa may be a country surrounded by water, but access to clean drinking water is scarce in some areas, with many families facing extreme hardship as a result.

 

Toefuata’iga’s school community struggled without reliable access to clean water, which impacted students’ education and hygiene. Teachers often had to leave the school to fetch water from nearby homes, disrupting lessons and adding strain to the community. When the water ran out at the school, students were sent home which meant they missed out on valuable learning time.

 

Thanks to the support of Caritas Australia in partnership with Caritas Samoa, Toefuata’iga’s school now has a 10,000 L water tank through a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) program. Teachers and students are now able to focus on education and improved hygiene. 

 

“Now that we have the water tank, things are so much better, we can stay at school all day, and I get to spend more time learning and playing with my friends. I’m happy that we don’t have to go home early anymore.” – said Toefuata'iga.

 

This transformative story is just one example of how Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion creates waves of change around the world. 

 

Caitlan Taig

Religious Education Leader