CELEBRATING OUR FAITH 

Welcoming Bishop Peter Murphy to Sacred Heart Parish & Holy Trinity School

We are pleased to welcome Bishop Peter Murphy to Sacred Heart Parish and Holy Trinity School this week. Bishop Murphy will be in the Parish for 3 days for his pastoral visit, as well as Confirming 18 students in the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday evening.

A bishop is an important leader in the Catholic Church, called to guide a local Church community (a diocese) and to help people stay close to Jesus through the faith, worship, and pastoral care of the Church. In the Catholic Church, bishops are successors of the apostles and are the visible source and foundation of unity in their local Church. They receive the fullness of Holy Orders, becoming the visible head of the diocese entrusted to them, and they share in the Church’s mission under the Pope. 

Visit to Primary classes on Friday

On Friday, Bishop Murphy will visit the Infants and Primary classes at Holy Trinity School. This will be a wonderful opportunity for students to meet Bishop Murphy and learn about his role as a shepherd who cares for the people entrusted to him.

Confirmation on Saturday

Bishop Murphy will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday evening at 5:30pm. We have 18 students from HTS who have been preparing for this special sacrament. In Confirmation, the bishop extends his hands over those being confirmed, prays that they may receive the Holy Spirit, and anoints the forehead with holy chrism in the sign of the cross. In the Latin Church, Confirmation is ordinarily reserved to the bishop, which helps highlight that the sacrament strengthens the ecclesial bond (our connection to the whole Church).

Year 10 Stepping Up in Service This June

This month, our Year 10 students are putting community spirit into action! Throughout June, students will be participating in a weekly service opportunity in caring for our local Sacred Heart Church.

Once a week, students will head down to the church to roll up their sleeves and lend a helping hand. Their tasks will include:

• Dusting and polishing the wooden pews and fixtures.

• Cleaning and refreshing communal areas.

This hands-on initiative is a wonderful way for our Year 10's to practice stewardship, acts of service, teamwork, and giving back. We are incredibly proud of their willingness to serve and look forward to seeing the positive impact of their hard work by the end of the month!

Welcoming the Angelus Prayer into Our Classrooms

Finding the 'Quiet' in our busy days.

As a Catholic school community, we are always seeking meaningful ways to weave our faith into the daily rhythm of school life. Beginning next term, our school will be joining with school across the Diocese as part of a wonderful Armidale Catholic Schools initiative to take part in a beautiful daily tradition: praying the Angelus together in our classrooms. This practice is being introduced in all schools across the Diocese to help our students connect more deeply with the core of our faith.

What is the Angelus? The word Angelus is the Latin word for 'the angel'. It is a traditional prayer structured entirely around the story of the Annunciation in Luke’s Gospel, when the Angel Gabriel visited Mary. The prayer guides us through three pivotal moments:

1. The Announcement of God’s plan to Mary.

2. Mary’s Fiat - her joyful and faithful 'Yes' to God

3. The Incarnation, celebrating the mystery of the Word becoming flesh in Jesus.

For centuries, church and school bells have tolled in a distinct pattern: three sets of three rings - to call the local community to stop what they are doing and join together in this prayer.

Focusing on 'The Pause' Our main priority when we introduce the Angelus to our students next term is not just the memorisation of words, but focusing on the pause. Before a single line is spoken, our teachers will guide students through an initial moment of complete quiet.

In a world that is constantly loud, fast-paced, and filled with screens, this daily pause will give our students, and our staff, a dedicated moment to set aside immediate worries, breathe, and find absolute quiet. It is a daily gift of peace right in the middle of our learning.

How We Are Preparing Throughout the remainder of this term, our staff are spending time practicing and reflecting on the prayer together. In the first weeks of Term 3, we will introduce the story to the students at an assembly, and teachers will explore the structure in class so the children truly understand why we do it. We will officially launch the daily routine school-wide by mid-Term 3.

We warmly invite our families to read through the prayer below. If you happen to be visiting the school next term and hear our bells ring, we invite you to pause and find that moment of quiet peace with us.

The Angelus Prayer

The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.

R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen

*BOW/GENUFLECT*

And the Word was made Flesh.

R. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord,

Thy grace into our hearts;

that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ,

Thy Son, was made

known by the message of an Angel,

may by His Passion and Cross,

be brought to the glory of His Resurrection.

Through the same Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Sacred Heart Mass Times

5:30pm Saturday evenings

9:00am Sunday mornings

For the Calendar

Term 2 2026

Tuesday 9 June

- Confirmation Rehearsal at SHC

Friday 12 June

- 5M Primary Mass 9:30am at SHC

- Bishop Murphy visit to HTS

Saturday 13 June

- Sacrament of Confirmation 5:30pm at SHC

Friday 19 June

- Year 9 Secondary Mass 9:30am at SHC

Tuesday 23 to Friday 26 June

- Carlos Acutis Exhibition and Relic Visit to HTS

Kind regards,

Mary-Jane Guest

Religious Education Coordinator