Catholic Identity 

Feast of Christ the King

The Feast of Christ the King was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 to remind Catholic that Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Universe, both as God and Man. 

This feast day is about looking at Christ the King as our ultimate leader. The most important part of leadership lies in love. Christ the king shows us that the ultimate power is the power of love. Regardless of what happened to him, Jesus Christ always loved. No one could stop him. His love continued to flow from the cross and reveal the mercy and power of God.

The Feast of Christ the King serves to remind us of his love. We are urged not to lose our perspective. Through the power of love, we can effect change in our world and continue to create a life filled with forgiveness and mercy in a world where justice and peace reign supreme.

This feast day is also the last Sunday of the liturgical year and so casts our minds towards the Season of Advent which will begin the following weekend. 

Christmas Food Drive and Giving Tree

This year we will again have our Christmas Food Drive and Giving Tree gift appeal. The food items and gifts that we collect will be donated to St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies) to help those in our local Werribee/Wyndham Vale community who are struggling at this time. 

The drive will being at the start of Week 9 and end on the Wednesday of Week 11. We encourage all that can to contribute to this worthy cause. 

Further details will be provided in the coming weeks. 

End of Year of Celebrations

As we prepare for the end of the year, there are two important opportunities for us to gather together in prayer, reflection and celebration. In particular, Graduation and our  Christmas Liturgy and Carols. 

Graduation

All are invited to attend our Year 6 Graduation Mass in the OLSC sports centre on Thursday 14th December, at 6:30pm. While it will be a special celebration for our graduating Year 6 students, it is also an opportunity as a school community to thank God for the academic year. 

Our school choir are also invited to attend and lead us in the hymns for Mass. We hope to see as many people join us as possible. 

Christmas liturgy and carols

Our school year will end with a Christmas liturgy and joyful singing of Christmas carols. The liturgy will be a time to reflect on the true meaning of the Christmas season. Following the liturgy, students will join in the singing of carols - who doesn't love a Christmas carol!!!

The liturgy and carols will take place in the OLSC sports centre on Friday 15th December at 9am. 

Community Mass

Community Masses will resume at the start of the 2024 school year and take place every third Sunday of the month. Mass will take place in the OLSC Sports Centre at 10am. We encourage as many of our families and friends to attend these Masses, as we reinvigorate the Wyndham Vale Catholic Community. These Masses, while taking place on school grounds and involving students from our school, are open to all members of our local community. So please spread the word!

2024 Masses will be as follows:

Global Gift this Christmas

If you are looking for a gift idea that it a little different and that is in the 'spirit' of giving and helping those in need this Christmas, you may be interested in giving a Global Gift from Caritas Australia. For a small price of $10, you will help provide a chicken for farmers in Zimbabwe on a loved one's behalf and receive a special Christmas Card to give them. 

You can access the website below via the link or the QR code on the poster. 

www.globalgifts.org.au

2024 Sacramental Intentions

A reminder that students from Years 2-5 received a letter regarding the 2024 Sacramental Program. The sacramental program is an integral part of the Catholic identity and faith development of students at OLSC. The sacramental program is an important part of both our school and parish community life. We ask that you indicate your intention for your child/ren to participate. 

To participate in the Sacramental Program children must be baptised Catholic or have been welcomed into the Catholic Church. If the school does not yet have a copy of your child/ren’s baptism certificate, we request that you supply this to the office as soon as possible. Children may receive more than one sacrament in the school year but only if the sacrament is celebrated in a year level lower than their current year:

Year 3 - Reconciliation;                

Year 4 - Reconciliation and Eucharist, 

Year 5 - Reconciliation and Eucharist, and 

Year 6 - Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation.

A digital copy of the letter is also available below:

Columban Calendar

Please find below details on how you can purchase a Columban Art Calendar for 2024. They are beautiful calendars and make wonderful gifts also. The money raised through the sale of the calendars goes towards the missionary and charitable work of the Columban Fathers (St Columban Missionary Society). 

John Dini

Catholic Identity Leader