Education in Faith

Reconciliation Parent/Child Workshop

Thank you to the families who attended the Reconciliation Parent/Child Workshop on Thursday 5 March. It was a lovely evening, enabling an opportunity for parents to hear more about the Sacrament from Fr Alan, the children to prepare the candles for the evening, and for families to reflect on a story to identify the Stages of Reconciliation within. 

Reconciliation can be a tricky concept for young children. Fr Alan reminds us to focus on Reconciliation in regards to restoring relationships; our relationship with God, with others and with ourselves. This aligns with our restorative approach here at the school too. When we make mistakes, it's important to reflect on what happened, who our choices impacted, how it made them feel, and how we can make things right. 

Lent

The season of Lent has begun. 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 give up something that is special to us. 

Students will participate in Lenten prayer services each week during whole school assemblies on even weeks, and then in classrooms on odd weeks. 

Project Compassion Caritas Lenten Appeal

This Lent, our school community is invited to be a part of something incredible. Once again, we are called to stand hand in hand with thousands of others across the country and Unite Against Poverty by supporting Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion.

Last year, our school was a part of a nationwide movement that raised over $10 million to bring opportunity and change to vulnerable communities across the world. This year, with your support, we hope to have an even greater impact.

By donating money to a Project Compassion box this year, you’ll be answering the Gospels’ call to care for our global family and walk alongside the most vulnerable. Your generosity will enable Caritas Australia to provide life-changing support to communities facing poverty, food insecurity, lack of education and water shortages, while building resilience against future challenges. Donation boxes have now been placed in all classrooms and in the Front Office next week. 

Together, through faith and action, we can bring hope and opportunity to those most in need. 

Third Week of Lent (week beginning Monday 9 March)

Next week, we'll be introduced to Monoranjon. Monoranjon lives in a coastal village in southwest Bangladesh, one of the regions most affected by climate change. He and his family face extreme heat, cyclones and water scarcities, which often destroy his crops and threaten his livelihood. 

Things began to change when Monoranjon joined the Community Managed Sustainable Livelihoods and Resilience Program run by Caritas Bangladesh, with the support of Caritas Australia. Through the program, he learnt climate-resilient farming techniques including organic vegetable cultivation and livestock vaccination, meaning he is now able to grow salt-tolerant vegetables and raise livestock. 

Today, Monoranjon’s income has improved, allowing him to send his children to school and protect their futures from poverty. He also now teaches others in his village, inspiring further change and opportunity across the community. 

Fourth Week of Lent (week beginning Monday 16 March)

Within this week, we'll be introduced to Manaini. Manaini is a mother of six and a grandmother of two living in rural Fiji. Life has always been a struggle - holding back tears, she shared: “The thing I worry about the most is my children’s education. The requirements that need to be met are hard for me to try and achieve with my daily income”.

Thanks to the generosity of schools like ours, Manaini joined training offered by Caritas Australia’s local partner, FRIEND. Through the program, she learnt food processing skills to transform leftovers from crops into flour, improving her family’s nutrition and increasing her weekly income to support her children’s education. “The project totally changed the life of my family and even the community,” Manaini said.

Caitlan Taig

Religious Education Leader