Catholic Identity

SANDPIPER e-NEWS

WORLD TEACHER'S DAY

Next Friday 31st October all around the world teachers will be remembered and honoured for their lives of service to the field of education. We are very grateful to our teachers and thank them for their hard work and dedication to the mission of education.  This day is also an opportunity to take a moment and reflect on the great mission of Mercy Catholic education in Australia. For us at Holy Rosary this educational journey began many centuries ago when Catherine McAuley called on Ursual Frayne to bring the Mercy mission to our country. Today our teachers continue to pledge their commitment to Catholic education, each and every day as they work tirelessly to support all children at Holy Rosary. Please join us by offering this prayer to give thanks for our great teachers and the contributions they make when it comes to improving student outcomes and shaping learned’ lives for future success. 

Today, as we celebrate our teachers, we pray together 

God of Love, Thank you for every teacher who notices a child’s special gift. Thank you for teachers who are listeners and gentle guides. Thank you for teachers who expect much and love enough to demand more. Thank you for the special teacher each one of us remembers. 

God of Mercy, Sustain teachers who give everything they have. Strengthen teachers who assume the blame for so many problems beyond their control. Help exhausted teachers rest. 

God of Strength, Encourage teachers to care and inspire them to nourish. Motivate teachers to keep on learning for the fun of it and to make learning enjoyable for children. 

We wonder at teachers who know how to quiet a class of five year olds or help fourth graders be empathetic. We admire teachers who enjoy middle school writers, or teach physics or math of history. Bless the people who are expected to accomplish these miracles and who know how to comfort children when miracles don’t happen. 

God of Justice, help and support teachers in their special calling, wherever they teach and whatever obstacles they must face. We pray these things in the name of our great teacher, Jesus Christ. 

Amen. 

(Red Deer Regional Catholic Schools Board, Alberta, CANADA) 

ALL SOULS DAY - SATURDAY 1ST NOVEMBER

The Fatima Prayer 

‘“O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Your Mercy” 

(Our Lady at Fatima, 13th July 1917) 

On Friday 31st October our Grade 3 classes will lead a whole school liturgy in the Parish Church at 9.15am to mark All Souls Day. This celebration in our liturgical calendar is a wonderful opportunity for us to reflect on the lives of our loved ones who have died and to also remember the members of our Holy Rosary community who are named in our Imogen Pearl Ilott memorial garden. We wish to invite all families to come along and join as we pray for those who have gone before us. 

FRIDAY MASSES

Father Boniface is away on leave until the 10th of November; therefore, the children will be unable to participate in Friday class masses this term until the end of November. We will be holding a special liturgy in the church on Friday 31st October to acknowledgeAll Souls Day, more information will be available in our next Newsletter edition.