Religious Education

END OF TERM MASS

On Tuesday we celebrated our final school Mass for the term. It is always a joy to see the church filled with students, staff, parents and parishioners coming together to give thanks for a busy and rewarding term of learning.

Thank you to all the parents, family members and friends who joined us. We were especially fortunate to have one of our own Year 5 students provide musical accompaniment on our magnificent parish organ. Andrew Kara, who has been learning under the guidance of our Parish Musical Director, Dr Alan Cook, for just six months, asked if he could play a motet during the Offertory Procession. Andrew did a wonderful job, playing with confidence and reverence, and enriching our celebration through his gift of music. His willingness to share his talents reminds us that God calls each of us to use the gifts we have been given in service of others and for His glory. We are very proud of Andrew's achievement and grateful for the contribution he made to our liturgy.

The Gospel reading for the day shared a beautiful yet challenging message from Jesus. He tells his followers: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." At first, these words can seem difficult to understand. It is easy to love our friends and those who are kind to us, but Jesus calls us to something greater. He asks us to show kindness, forgiveness and compassion even to those who may upset us, disagree with us or make life difficult.

For our students, this message is a reminder that being a follower of Jesus means treating everyone with dignity and respect. It means choosing kindness over anger, forgiveness over holding grudges, and seeking peace when conflicts arise. By doing this, we become living examples of God's love in our families, classrooms and community.

ST VINCENT DE PAUL WINTER APPEAL

This weekend our Parish will hold the annual St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal, with a particular focus on the growing issue of homelessness in our community. An extra collection will be taken up at all Parish Masses, with funds raised helping to support individuals and families facing the challenges of rising living costs and increasing rental prices.

Not so long ago, homelessness was often seen as an issue affecting people in the inner city. Today, however, it is a reality that can be found even in suburbs such as Mentone. Many people in our wider community are struggling to find secure and affordable housing, while others are finding it difficult to meet basic day-to-day needs.

As a school community, we have done our part to support the work of St Vincent de Paul through the generous donation of pantry and toiletry items. Thank you to all our families who contributed so thoughtfully and generously. These donations will be placed in the St Vincent de Paul supply room and distributed to those in need throughout the coming months.

Through our support of the Winter Appeal, we are putting our faith into action and living out Jesus' call to care for the poor, the vulnerable and those on the margins. Thank you for helping us make a difference in the lives of others.

Kathryn Ady

Religious Education Leader