Strength and Kindliness

Lent Begins Next Week!

Shrove Tuesday

Next Tuesday, 1st March, we will be celebrating Shrove Tuesday. 

Shrove Tuesday is the day before the Church's season of Lent begins.  Shrove Tuesday comes from the custom of ringing the Shriving Bell to call people to Church to be "shriven", that is to confess their sins at the beginning of Lent.  At that time certain foods were given up for the duration of Lent. Those foods included egg, milk, meat and rich buttery dishes. So on Shrove Tuesday they used up these foods. It is from this that the tradition of making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday began. Our VCAL students will be preparing pancakes for students on Shrove Tuesday and delivering these to classrooms throughout the day. Students will be invited to make a gold coin donation on Shrove Tuesday to kick off our Project Compassion Fundraising effort!

Ash Wednesday 

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Church's season of Lent. The marking of the ashes on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday is an expression of our faith and a sign that we are asking God for forgiveness, however, we can't come together to do that this year.

Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and giving to others. When we pray, we come closer to God so that we are better able to realise our baptismal promise to live justly as Jesus teaches us. Fasting helps us remember the needs of the poor, who often have no choice but to go without basic needs such as food, water and shelter. Giving to the poor, or 'almsgiving', is a sign of our commitment to justice. It reminds us of our blessings and allows us to give thanks for all that God has given us. 

As we prepare for Easter, the most important time in the Church's calendar, let us remember Jesus' messages of love and mercy, and ask God to bless us so that we can create a better world for all future generations.

Slavery Free Easter

Pope Francis said “every person ought to have the awareness that purchasing is always a moral – and not simply an economic – act.” 

Not all chocolate is sweet. Not if a child has been forced to pick the cocoa beans – a key ingredient of chocolate. About 80% of cocoa comes from West Africa and it is estimated that almost 2 million children are in child labour in these areas. They may never go to school or taste the chocolate they help produce. Make a change in Easter 2022 and buy only slavery-free chocolate to ensure no child labour or forced labour was used in the production. Slavery-free chocolate will feature one of these certification symbols on the wrappers: FAIRTRADE, Rainforest Alliance and UTZ. It’s delicious and you can buy it at ALDI and other leading supermarkets and shops. 

St Augustine’s College Prayer

God of life, 

Created in your image,

We follow in the footsteps of your Son, Jesus.

We seek to know, love and serve you

as St Augustine and St Brigid did.

Jesus, our friend, inspire in each of us

an openness to being your missionary disciples.

Be with our College community as we

seek wisdom, pray for peace and work for justice.

Holy Spirit, guide us, to live with hope and courage

and to celebrate the gift of life with joy and gratitude.

We pray for the strength:     To embody kindliness

St Brigid of Kildare:                Pray for us

St Augustine of Hippo:         Pray for us