Family and Faith

Ignite Our Faith with Year 6 Volunteers

The newly formed Ignite Our Faith group has taken off like wildfire! Year 6 volunteers shared their personal stories and faith experiences with Father Julian, Father Anderson, Mrs Ross and myself with their responses to faith conversation starters. We then celebrated with a pizza lunch!

Family Mass

You are kindly invited to attend the next Family Mass hosted by Year 4 families to be held on Sunday 8th September at 9.30am. 

Volunteers from Year 2- 6 are invited to sing in the choir and everyone is invited to bring a plate to share after Mass for Morning Tea. Please come along and join in this  beautiful Parish celebration of the Eucharist and support our Year 4 families.  

The difference that dad makes

We all have a father, and almost any man can biologically father a child, but the irreplaceable and unique role of fathers is often little acknowledged. Fathers today are more likely to be closely involved and emotionally connected with their growing children than their grandfathers were. This is good news for children for many reasons.

1. Fathers get physical

Dads generally play (and roughhouse) with their children in ways that mums and older siblings don’t. They create excitement around physicality, but also predictability. They give their children (especially boys) opportunities to learn about masculinity without fear of being hurt – well not too much, and certainly not on purpose.

2. Fathers encourage risk

When it comes to their children, fathers are less risk-averse than mothers. They encourage their children to climb that tree, jump off that wall, or ride down that hill. They promote taking on challenges and push their children to be more independent. As a general rule, dads dislike cotton wool and bubble wrap around their kids.

3. Fathers protect

Fathers generally offer a physicality that children feel safe with. Their physical size, their strength, and their confidence or ‘presence’ gives children a secure base, a place to come back to and feel safe.

4. Fathers discipline

Research fairly consistently shows that dads are generally firmer with discipline than mums. They’re also more consistent with discipline and limits.

Mums can do all of that too!

While it’s true that mums can play and roughhouse, encourage independence, protect, and discipline frequently and firmly, there seems to be something different about what dads do and how they do it. And it’s these differences that appear to lead to important and positive outcomes for children, especially girls.

Fathers are a great gift to us all. CathFamily has put together a free printable for you to use in Father’s Day celebrations or just to share with family and friends. A big thanks to all our fathers!

Please Pray for Year 12 students 

It is a complex time for Year 12 students everywhere. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue to study hard for the HSC exams and assessments. Family Educators will soon be busy assembling prayer packs which include the prayer cards you wrote together with a 2024 cross keyring and before and after exam prayers.

 Prayer for Year 12 Students

God we ask that the Year 12 students feel your closeness during the HSC exam period.                                                                                                                                                               Give them calm hearts and quiet confidence in the knowledge that you hold them in the palm of your hand.                                                                                                                                Bless them with keen understanding and retentive memory.                                                     Give them the ability to grasp things correctly, be exact in their explanations and an ability to express themselves clearly.                                                                                                   Point out clearly the beginning, direct their progress and help them in the completion of each of their responses.                                                                                                                        Holy Spirit send them your gifts of wisdom and knowledge.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Pope Francis Awards Students Visit OLF Preschool

Once again the Year 6 Pope Francis Awards students have begun community service at OLF Preschool this term. They are cleaning, tidying, sorting equipment as well as organising fun games with the children. Acts of service can be fun!

Friday Fatima Friends- Book Week

Fatima Friends stunned on the red carpet last Friday at the annual Book Week Parade. We also welcomed our friends from the OLF Preschool. 

They loved the parade! Some of them said their favourite part was:

That we got to high five everyone -  Alexia

Going around in the circle - Harry B

Sitting down watching - Freddy

The dancing - Grace

Dressing up - Charlotte

Fatima Friends Schedule (always dependent on weather)

Week 7: 6th September - Our OLF Preschool friends will join us for free play in the Library. Come and make friends using the lunch club equipment in the Library. 

Week 8: 13th September - We are visiting the chickens and having sporty fun on Burns Paddock

Week 9: 20th September - Last session for the term. We are visiting some teachers and students in the classrooms to see what they are up to!

Wishing you and your family a beautiful weekend celebrating dads and father figures everywhere!

Tracey Bowler | Family Educator

tracey.bowler@syd.catholic.edu.au