Religious Education

WOW! What a week it’s been, starting off with our Prep Picnic Mass at Braeside Park on Sunday, Pancakes galore on Shrove Tuesday, class liturgies for Year 1’s and 2’s, an Ash Wednesday Mass in the church for the Year 3’s, 4’s and 6’s and a special Ash Wednesday Prayer service for our Year 5 happy campers in Phillip Island! God has definitely been prevalent amongst the St Louis’ Community this week!

It was so lovely to see so many Prep families join us at Braeside Park on Sunday morning for a welcoming Prep Parish Mass. Father Andrew spoke about the importance of Love:- love of family, love of friends, love of self and love of God. He asked families to take photos of each other forming the love sign with their fingers,  and ofcourse an all important ‘family selfie’ It also just happened to be Father Andrew’s birthday so all the preppies were treated to some yummy birthday cake after mass. 

A huge thank you to Lisa Goodes and her team of helpers for organising Pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. One of the students asked me why it’s actually called “Shrove Tuesday” so I explained that the word “Shrove” comes from the word “Shriven” which means to be absolved of your wrong-doings/sins. In the past it was tradition to go to “Confession” (now known as Reconciliation) before the start of Lent so that we entered the season of Lent with a clean heart. Hence the day before the beginning of Lent is known as ‘Shrove Tuesday’.

 Pancakes are also associated with Shrove Tuesday, the day preceding Lent, because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent. The liturgical fasting emphasizes eating simpler foods, and refraining from food that would give undue pleasure: in many cultures, this means no meat, dairy products or eggs. For many children (and adults)  it means fasting from lollies, sweets and treats. 

The money raised from the 500+ pancakes ordered will be donated to Caritas who assists people in need around the world, including the victims of the devastating earthquake in Turkyie and Syria.

Students also prayed for those less fortunate than themselves in our Ash Wednesday Liturgies. Years 3's, 4's, and 6's celebrated mass with Father Andrew in the church. Year 1's and 2's celebrated liturgies with their classes and Year 5's even prayed at Camp. One of the songs we sung, “We are God’s Hands” written by Andrew Chinn, reiterates the need for us to be God’s hands, God’s eyes, God’s heart in the world today  and encourages us to “ …comfort those with lonely lives, Look all around and see the need, With eyes of hope, be God’s mercy.”

All families should have received a Project Compassion box this week to help raise money for Caritas, an organisation that works towards being God’s Hands, God’s Eyes and God’s Heart to those in need. 

I know we are moving more and more towards a cashless society so if you would prefer to donate online, please use the link below which is linked directly to a St Louis’  Fundraising Page.

https://fundraise.projectcompassion.org.au/o/st-louis-de-montforts-school-aspendale

Thanking you all for your continued support. The St Louis’ Community is always so generous and willing to help those in need!