Catholic Identity

PRAYER 

Next Saturday our Year 6 Confirmation Candidates will be joining students from the other five parish schools, to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.  During the Mass, the bishop will lay his hands over the candidates and pray that the Holy Spirit fill each one with spiritual gifts. Then, using holy oil, the bishop will  make a cross on the person’s forehead. It is usual for the person being confirmed to take on an extra name, that of a particular saint. The saint will be a source of inspiration and an intercessor in prayer to God.

The patron saint of the Philippines is St Lorenzo Ruiz, alongside St Pedro Calungsod.  St Lorenzo Ruiz was born in Manila around 1594 and he became the first Filipino saint after being martyred in Nagasaki, Japan, on September 29, 1637, for refusing to renounce his Christian faith.  The patron saint of South Sudan is St Josephine Bakhita.  She was kidnapped as a child and forced into brutal slavery.  Josephine gained her freedom in Italy, where she later joined the Canossian Sisters.  St. Mary MacKillop is Australia's first canonized saint. She co-founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart to build schools for poor children in remote areas. Her feast day is August 8 which is the day we will be celebrating Confirmation! Let us join together then and ask that all the saints and angels are with our Year 6 Candidates this Saturday and they receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.

HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION 

Feast of the Assumption

The Church celebrates the Feast Day of the Assumption of Our Lady every year on the 15th August, when according to our faith, Mary the mother of Jesus, was assumed body and soul into heaven.  Although defined as an article of faith by Pope Pius XII just over half a century ago, the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven has been accepted from back to the earliest of Christian times.  Along with Christmas Day, the Feast of the Assumption is a Holy Day of Obligation.  This means Catholics are ‘obliged’ to attend Mass.  St Andrew’s Parish will have Mass in the church at Werribee on this day of Holy Day of Obligation.  Please check the Parish Bulletin for full details.

PIETY STALL @ CONFIRMATION

Wyndham Vale Catholic Community are holding a Piety Stall on Saturday 8th August for St Andrew's Parish Primary Schools on Confirmation Day in the Tension-Woods Centre at MacKillop College.  The stall will be open between 12:30 and 5:30pm.  Proceeds from the stall support the new Church in Wynhdam Vale.

PARISH DINNER DANCE 

The Parish will be holding a Dinner Dance on Saturday 29th August from 6:30pm onwards in the St Andrew’s School Hall.   Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances the date of the event has had to be moved to the last weekend in August. On the night there will be live music and a buffet dinner.  This is a wonderful way to support the vital work of our Parish.  

COMMUNITY MASS

Our next Community Mass will be Saturday 22nd August.  All families are welcome to join us at this weekend Mass. Below is a list of the remaining Mass dates for the year, we look forward to seeing many of our families at these:

Saturday 22nd August

Saturday 24th October

Saturday 28th November

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

• Tuesday July 21st Family Meeting 6:00pm @ St John’s School Hall 
• Saturday August 8th Sacrament of Confirmation @ MacKillop College Werribee

SACRAMENTAL JOURNALS

All baptised Catholic students in Year 3, 4 and 6 are celebrating a Sacrament this year.  An important aspect of preparing for any Sacrament is to attend Mass each weekend. Fr Albert is encouraging every child in the Parish of St Andrew’s who is preparing to celebrate a Sacrament this year, to attend Mass regularly, to receive God’s abundant graces.  

All students celebrating a Sacrament this year, have received their Sacramental Journal. These Journals are given to all children in the Parish who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, their First Holy Communion or to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation this year.  The Journal is an easy way for families to record the Masses they attend throughout the year.  Please remember to take a pen to Mass so the priest can sign your Journal for you at the end of Mass.

PARISH NEWSLETTER