Education in Faith

.

Celebrating the Feast of the Assumption at SFS on Thursday, 15th August.

We are delighted to share that our celebration of the Feast of the Assumption on Thursday, August 15th, with our sister school, St. Kevin's, was a resounding success. The day began with a reverent Mass celebrated by Fr. Fabian, where the children participated with deep respect and devotion, truly embodying the spirit of the feast. The celebration continued with a vibrant musical concert led by the talented David Enever from Wagga Wagga NSW.

Our students joined in enthusiastically, engaging with the performance through lively actions and heartfelt participation. The combined efforts of both schools made this celebration a memorable and joyous occasion, beautifully blending faith and community spirit. Thank you to everyone who joined us in making this celebration truly special! 

Confirmation Faith Formation preparation sessions

We have been very privileged to have Fr. Fabian meet our Confirmation candidates for three Faith Formation sessions.

Attending these sessions with Father Fabian has been a deeply enriching experience for the children. Father Fabian's engaging and thoughtful approach created an environment where the children felt both welcomed and challenged. His ability to connect complex spiritual concepts with real-life applications assisted in making the teachings of the Church accessible and meaningful. 

The children are encouraged to reflect on their personal faith journeys and the Sacrament of Confirmation with sincerity and commitment. Father Fabian's supportive and nurturing guidance fosters a strong sense of community, helping the children to build lasting relationships and a deeper understanding of their faith. Overall, these sessions were not only preparing them for Confirmation but also nurturing their spiritual growth and personal development.

After each session the children watched various stories on the lives of Saints, being a special creation in the eyes of God and what attributes contribute in the formation of becoming a Saint. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Father Fabian for his unwavering, unconditional support and guidance towards preparing our children. 

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B

Gospel Reflection

This week, in the Gospel we hear about something really special that Jesus told us. Imagine you are super hungry and you have a delicious piece of bread. That bread helps fill your tummy and gives you energy to play and learn. Now, Jesus says that He is like that bread, but even more amazing!

Jesus told the people that He is the "bread of life." What does that mean? Well, just like bread helps our bodies stay strong and healthy, Jesus helps our hearts and souls stay full of love and joy. When we remember Jesus and try to follow His example, it’s like we’re taking a big, nourishing bite of that special bread.

Think of it this way: When you eat bread, you can share it with friends and family, and it makes everyone happy. Jesus wants us to share His love, too. By being kind, loving, and caring towards others, we’re sharing the love that Jesus gives us.

So, every time you eat a meal or a snack, you can think about how Jesus is the bread of life, giving us all the love and strength, we need. And just like bread that you share with others, you can share Jesus’ love through your actions and words.

Let’s remember that Jesus is always with us, helping us grow strong in love and kindness. And just like we need food to grow, we need Jesus’ love to grow into wonderful, caring people!

Let’s pray:

“Dear Jesus, thank you for being the bread of life. Help us to share your love with everyone we meet, and remind us that you are always with us, giving us strength and joy. Amen.”

Discussion Starters

• Why might Jesus have used such physical imagery (flesh and blood) with his audience?
• What message is Jesus trying to convey through this imagery?
• Why is the reception of Eucharist such an important aspect of Christian tradition?
• Why do you think this gospel text is critical to Catholic theology about Eucharist?
• In what ways is ‘bread’ an appropriate image for Jesus?
• Why do you think this extended image of the ‘Bread of Life’ appears only in the gospel of John?
• Why was Jesus’ imagery so confronting for his audience?
• In what ways is the reception of communion sustaining of faith?
• What does it mean to ‘live Eucharistically’?

Sacramental Events and Dates

Dear Parents/Guardians/Caregivers,

Please take note of the important dates for our Sacramental celebrations that will take place throughout the school year. Sacraments play a significant role in the spiritual journey of our students and we need to ensure that you are well-informed and can actively participate in these meaningful events. Kindly mark the following dates in your calendar:

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Sacramental Program, celebrations or preparation process, please feel free to contact the School's Religious Education leader.

Thank you for your continued partnership in the spiritual formation of our students. We look forward to celebrating these sacred moments with you and your families as a parish community. 

May God's blessings be with you and your loved ones.

Sacrament Levy

There is a $25 Sacrament Levy to cover the cost of stoles.

• This levy needs to be paid in full to the school in an envelope clearly indicating your child’s name, Home Group and name of Sacrament being received.

God Bless  

Rozeta Ambrose

Religious Education Leader

rambrose@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au

GRADE 5/6 SOCIAL JUSTICE TEAM – MINI VINNIES

COMMUNITY SPIRIT HOUSE POINTS

Which House is leading in the Community Spirit Award points? Student are able to earn points for their House by demonstrating community spirit which includes our PBL values. The points for each House:

Well done to Teresa who is still leading at the moment. Let’s see who will be leading next week. 

MINI VINNIES SOUP & CHAT NIGHT

Mini Vinnies Soup & Chat Night is on Tuesday August 20th. Mini Vinnies who are attending may go home, have a snack and get changed. Could they please also bring their water bottle? They are expected to be back at school by 4.25pm. We ask that parents escort their child to the office and sign them in. At the end of the night parents will need to come back into the office to sign students out. 

The evening will have a fund raising element where students will ask family and friends to sponsor them. We would greatly appreciate it, ifevery student who is attending could donate at least $10 to the fundraising effort. If the donations could please be handed to the office or to Giuliana by Tuesday, August 20th. Students will then have input into which organisation we donate this money to assist with homelessness.

It’s fantastic to see most Mini Vinnies are attending the night as this will be our action for Term 3.

Thank you also to all the parents who have indicated they can assist on the night by serving, providing soup, bread and butter or disposable cups, spoons and serviettes. This evening would not be possible without your assistance. I have contacted each parent and organised when the various items will be dropped off and times for preparing and serving.

We would also like to extend a big thank you to Coles, Lynbrook for donating a number of items for the evening. Thank you to Izaiah and his Mum, Lurdes who organised and followed this up and will be collecting the items that were donated. Thank you also to Zoe and her Mum, Courtney for contacting Woolworths in Mariot Waters asking for donations of fruit. Thank you also to Elena who was listening to a conversation and offered to provide a soup for the evening and her child is not even in the Mini Vinnies!!!

SVDP SCHOOL CONFERENCE NETWORKING EVENT

Mini Vinnies have been invited to a School Conference Networking Event organised by the St Vincent de Paul Youth Engagement Team. We will join schools in our local area and students will have the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and celebrate their social justice efforts with other schools’ Mini Vinnies or College Conferences. 

Our school has been invited to bring 5-10 student representatives to meet with peers from sister schools and present on ONE Good Works project from this year. The event will include opportunities for students to collaborate in workshops organised by the St. Vincent de Paul Youth Engagement Team.

Students will also be involved in presenting an action that SFS Mini Vinnies have taken this year. We have met a number of times this week to develop a presentation for the day. The commitment of these students is amazing! They have given up 2 of their lunchtimes this week to prepare the presentation, which they will be presenting on the day.

Preference has been given to Grade 6 students as this will be their last year as an SFS Mini Vinnie. Expectations of the day have been explained and Grade 6 students have nominated if they would like to be part of this event. We had 11 students express interest and an Operoo notification has been posted for those students attending. Parents if you could please approve the Operoo if your child is attending.

Giuliana & SFS Mini Vinnies

gfaiola@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au