Religion and Parish News

Prayer

Hail, Mary, full of grace,

the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Solemnity of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - August 15

Catholic Core Principles and Values:

The Primacy of God -Love of God

All people are called to love God and love of neighbour.

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind”

God chose Mary to be the mother of his son, Jesus. Mary was always ready and willing to do whatever God wanted. Because she was so special she was taken up body and soul to be with Jesus in Heaven – this is what 'Assumption' means.

Mary was very special to God. God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus, His Son. She always said "yes" to God and loved Him with all her heart. Because she was so special and pure, God had a wonderful plan for her.
She didn't stay on Earth like everyone else. When Mary's life on Earth was finished, something unique happened. Usually, when people die, their bodies stay on Earth, and their souls go to heaven. But because Mary was so special and never sinned, God had a different plan for her body.
God took her, body and soul, to Heaven! Instead of her body staying on Earth, God took Mary's whole self—her body and her soul—straight up to heaven! It's like God reached down and gently lifted her up, whole and complete, into His glorious home. This is what we call the "Assumption".
Why is this important?
1. It's a special gift from God: It was a unique privilege for Mary because she was so perfectly united with Jesus, her Son.
2. She's already in heaven, body and soul: While we all hope to go to heaven one day, our bodies will only join our souls at the end of time when Jesus comes again. But Mary is already there, body and soul, shining brightly with God.
3. She's our Queen in Heaven: Because she's with Jesus, who is the King of Heaven, Mary is honored as the Queen of Heaven. She's still our loving Mother and prays for us from heaven.
4. It shows us what's possible: Mary's Assumption gives us hope! It shows us that one day, if we love God and follow Jesus, we too can be with God in heaven, and our bodies will also be glorified.

May the peace of Mary be with us,

Calming our fears and strengthening our hope.

Amen

Altar Server Commissioning

Congratulations to Alex, Reeva, and Ben, who will be commissioned as Altar Servers at Mass this Sunday! Thank you to their families for supporting them in this ministry, and to Fr Mario for leading their training. Please keep these students in your prayers as they begin serving our parish community and school.

A Prayer for Newly Commissioned Altar Servers

Heavenly Father,

We thank you for calling these young people to serve at your altar.

Grant them the grace to be faithful, reverent, and attentive in their service.

May their example inspire others to draw closer to you.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Yr 4 Class Visit with Fr Mario

This week, Year 4 had a special visit from Fr Mario. He spoke with the students about how we are all created in the image of God and are called to live in harmony with our world. The students asked some interesting questions and really enjoyed Fr Mario’s visit. Thank you, Fr Mario, for taking the time to visit and spend time with our Year 4 students!

Micah Moment

Micah 6 verse 8

'To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.'

Congratulations to our first Micah Moment recipients for this year:

Hattie Brown - Comforting upset children on the playground from younger years and helping them find a game to play.

Annabelle Crawter - Her consistent support to a younger student, helping the student build resilience and confidence.

Appreciation Letter

Sacrament of First Reconciliation

Tuesday 22nd September, 6pm, St Joseph’s Church (Week 10, Term 3)

Parent Night Thursday 27th August, 5:30pm, at St Joseph’s Church (Week 6, Term 3)

Rite of Enrolment Saturday 29th August (6pm) OR Sunday 30th August (8:30pm), at St Joseph’s Church Gunnedah

Retreat Day Tuesday 22nd September, St Xavier’s Primary School (Week 10, Term 3)

Please note: The Sacrament of First Reconciliation is for students in Year 2 and above who have been Baptised in the Catholic Church.