Education in Faith

CatholicCare Victoria's Asylum Seeker Support Program

Here is the presentation our RE Leaders gave at Monday's Assembly.

As part of the Our Lady of Pentecost Parish, we are proud to support people in need through kindness, compassion and service. Today we would like to share a special way our school community can help others this term.

Our parish supports asylum seekers and refugees through the CatholicCare Victoria Asylum Seeker Support Program. This program helps individuals and families who have come to Australia seeking safety and a better life. Many families are waiting for important decisions about their visas and often have very little support.

The Asylum Seeker Support Program provides care, food and practical help to families during a very difficult time. It receives no government funding, so the generosity of communities like ours makes a real difference. During Refugee Week in June, we would like to help these families in a practical way.

Over the next few weeks, we invite all students and families to bring in any donations they are able to give. Some helpful items include cleaning products, toiletries, baby items such as nappies, basmati rice, tinned foods like tomatoes and chickpeas, and biscuits. Every donation, big or small, will help support refugee families in Dandenong. All donations will be stored at their warehouse and distributed to refugee families as they need it.

For just a little extra motivation, on Friday 19th June which is during Refugee Week, each class is going to create a line on the basketball court with all the items their class have brought in to donate. The class with the longest line will get an extra 20 minutes playtime.

Jesus teaches us to welcome and support people in need, and this is one way we can live out that message together as a school community. Thank you for your generosity and for helping us make a difference.

RE Learning in 2/3CP

Recently, our 2/3 class has been learning about the feast of Pentecost and the arrival of the Holy Spirit.  We explored how the disciples were filled with courage and went out into the community to spread God’s love.

To celebrate, the students each created ‘Holy Spirit Flames’.  Each student reflected on the Fruits of the Spirit and committed to an action to make our school community a brighter, kinder place.

I can show kindness by including others.  Xavier

I can show courage by standing up for others.  Patrick

I can show honesty by telling the truth.  Benji

I can show kindness by being helpful to other students.  Lucy

I can show honesty by not lying.  Benjamin

I can show courage by supporting other students.  Oscar

I can show peace by giving others their space.  Eddy

I can show kindness by helping others when they are hurt.  Sienna

I can show courage by cheering on others when they do hard things.  Elle

I can show love by including others in games.  Nikita

I can show forgiveness by forgiving others when they make a mistake.  Dion

I can show kindness by helping others when they are learning something new.  Zimu

I can show kindness by helping the poor.  Corbyn

I can show courage by not giving up.  Sam

I can show joy by saying nice words to others.  Caleb

I can show kindness by helping others when they find Mathematics hard.  Felix

I can show kindness by helping  students with their work.  Isaac

I can show kindness by encouraging others when they are feeling sad.  Seth

I can show kindness by helping others pack up their belongings.  Josh L

I can show courage by encouraging people when they find things hard.  Emily

I can show forgiveness by being kind when others are not.  Hamish

I can show patience by waiting my turn.  Josh Y

Sunday Gospel

The liturgy of the Catholic Church provides a framework for reflection which is used by Catholics throughout the world. Each week in the Newsletter, you will find the Sunday Gospel as well as some discussion questions to have with your child/ren.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

Jesus said to Nicodemus,

‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved. No one who believes in him will be condemned; but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already, because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son.’

Discussion Questions

1. Think of all the wonderful things that God has made. How can we praise God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for all that we have been given?

2. God sent his Son Jesus because he loves us. How can we return that love?