Education in Faith News 

Thanks to all for your Donations 

As part of our School Sleepout and Stalls for homelessness and poverty we raised over $5000 to support Vinnies Victoria. Most importantly, hosting a School Sleepout allows you to: 

 Help your school community to better understand homelessness, poverty and the challenges faced by some of the most vulnerable in our community. 

• Enable your school community to make a tangible impact on locals in need by raising funds for Vinnies Victoria.

• Promote values of compassion, empathy and leadership within the school community.

All Saints and Souls Day

Trick or treat? Teaching about All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days

Halloween traditions often bring about much debate among Catholics.

Are we glorifying evil and dead things? Isn’t it just too scary? Is it a pagan holiday?

The simple answer to some of these things is…well, sort of, yeah. But wait…there is the rest of the story. Halloween can be tons of fun for our children as long as we don’t forget our meaning. 

Inform and teach

Teach your children that the roots of Halloween are to pray for the dead on the Feast of All Souls’ Day. Explain to them that we all need the prayers and support of the faithful and there may be a soul that has no one to pray for them.

Encourage them to attend Mass (if at all possible) on the Feasts of All Souls and All Saints. Note that, most years, All Saints’ Day is a holy day of obligation.

Inspire

Explain the difference between magic, which is usually encouraged to obtain something an individual wants (innately wrong as it supersedes God’s will), and miracles, which are asked for by man, but granted only by God as His will determines.

Point out the dangers of making evil look inviting. Scary costumes, horror movies, messing with demonic things not only invite wrong thinking, but they can cause young people inner stress, or worse, desensitize them to evil in the world. We do not want to encourage anything that is not from God to enter our lives. We must be vigilant in protecting ourselves and our students from negative or even evil influences.

Celebrate!

Please feel free to dress up in ways your family sees acceptable. Some childrem Have a have a Saint Costume Party in place of a Halloween party. Everyone comes dressed as their favorite saint. Educate ourselves and our children on the traditions and truths of Halloween. 

Other Masses/Liturgy

• Graduation Mass – Wednesday 14th December @ 6pm
• End of School Year Mass on Wednesday 7th Dec @9.15am 

Family Masses – 5pm Saturdays

• 12th Nov – Prep

Dara Blake 

Religious Education Leader