Mission and Religious Education

Mission and Religious Education

Mission 

The Sacred Heart of Jesus and The Immaculate Heart of Mary

Friday 7 June we celebrated the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On this day we reflected on the burning love that Jesus has for all people. Saturday 8 June we celebrated the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and we especially remembered the great love she has for God and the motherly love that she has for each one of us. 

Week 7 Service Week

Week 7 is Service Week at St Michael’s, when we have a special focus on encouraging our students to engage in acts of service and random acts of kindness to help others. Contemporary research tells us that acts of service are a key aspect of developing a positive sense of wellbeing.

Year 6 RE Test

On Tuesday 18 June students in Year 6 will sit the Armidale Diocesan Year 6 RE Test, along with other Year 6 students in Catholic Schools across the Diocese of Armidale. The test is designed to provide schools and the CSO with data to identify areas of strength in Religious Education knowledge and understanding and areas that need further support. This data is used to improve the teaching of Religious Education in our school and diocese. Good luck Year 6. Any Year 6 students not present on Tuesday 18 June, will have the opportunity to sit the test on Wednesday 19 June.

Vinnies Winter Appeal - Mufti Day Friday 21 June

Friday 21 June will be a Mufti Day at St Michael’s. Everyone is encouraged to wear plain clothes and bring in a gold coin donation. All money collected on this day will go to the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal - so we encourage everyone to please give generously. 

As Friday is Canteen Day, some of our students get a little confused with what money is to be donated and what money is for the canteen. It would be greatly appreciated if you would chat with your child before school as to which money is the donation to the Vinnies Winter Appeal and which money is for them to spend at the canteen - Thanks in anticipation.

Vinnies NSW supports tens of thousands of individuals and families each year who are experiencing financial and housing insecurity. Compared to previous years, Vinnies NSW has seen a concerning growth in the number of people seeking assistance through necessity.

This year, the Vinnies Winter Appeal focuses on the Working Homeless, an emerging group of people who are experiencing housing hardship and disadvantage despite being in employment. Your support of the 2024 Vinnies Winter Appeal will help rebuild lives and dismantle the communal constructs that lead to disadvantage in the first place.

Vinnies has stated that “Funds raised through the Vinnies Winter Appeal will be used to fund our core programs including supporting people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and also people struggling with poverty and cost-of-living pressures. All funds stay local to your community to use where is most needed.”

Celebrating the Sacraments

First Reconciliation

The Sacrament of First Reconciliation will be celebrated in Week 10 of this term on Wednesday 3 July at 4.00pm. Parents of students eligible to receive this sacrament will be contacted this week.

Confirmation - Advanced Notice

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated in Week 10 of Term 3 on Saturday 21 September at the 6.00pm Mass. For parents and carers of students in Years 5 and 6 who are eligible to receive this sacrament, you may like to start thinking about who your child’s/children’s sponsor to let them know the date of Confirmation. 

Each child has a sponsor who will be with them when they are confirmed - the sponsor is a spiritual guide for your child. 

A parent is unable to be a sponsor for their own child but other family members and friends are able to be sponsors. You might like to ask one of your child’s godparents to be their sponsor. 

The sponsor walks up with your child and the sponsor stands behind your child as they are being confirmed placing their right hand on your child’s right shoulder.

Connecting With Our Parish

Family Mass 

The St Michael’s Parish Family Mass was celebrated at the 8.30am Mass on Sunday 2 June. It was a lovely celebration and a number of our families participated. Thank you to Chelsea who was our wonderful altar server, Jasper who read beautifully and to Ollie, Hannah and Evie who took up the gifts during the Offertory Procession with great reverence. Mass was followed be a delicious morning tea

Weekend Mass Times

We encourage all of our families to celebrate Sunday Mass with our parish.

Manilla Parish Mass Times

1st & 5th Sunday of the month - Sunday 8.30am

2nd, 3rd & 4th Sunday of the month - Saturday 5.00pm

Attunga Mass Times

2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday of the month - Sunday 12 noon

Living Well, Learning Well - Pastoral Care and Wellbeing 

Legends of the Light Shine 

Our Legends of the Light Shine focus for the next 2 weeks is “Empathy”. Being able to put yourself in other people’s shoes and consider how they may be feeling in various circumstances is a crucial skill for connecting with others and building positive relationships.

Silverbeet

Silverbeet is growing very well in our 3/4 class garden. Please let us know if you would like some for your family.

"Let Your Light Shine” support others to let their light shine and remember “We Shine Brighter Together”

Jacquelene Cronin

Assistant Principal - Mission