Family & Faith

Holy Communion Parish Program

Thank you to all the Year 4 families for enrolling in the Holy Communion Parish Program. The Family Commitment Mass was beautiful and the Church was packed.  The formation sessions run by Father Zeljko, Father Nonie, Miss Josephine and George (a faith filled parishioner) were well received and well attended. 

A big thank you to Miss Josephine, our Parish Sacramental Coordinator for all her organisation and energy. 

Prayer Cards for Year 12 students 

Thank you again to the families and staff members who have opened their hearts to write a prayer for  Year 12 students at De La Salle Senior College Caringbah, St Aloysius Cronulla and Our Lady of Mercy College Burraneer. Please keep these students in your prayers. The Family Educators will now assemble the prayer packs to deliver to the colleges.

Heavenly Father,

 Give the students  the gifts of wisdom, right judgment, knowledge and courage. 

Bless them with calm hearts and clarity of mind as they sit for their exams.

May they be affirmed in their efforts and may they know that You are there with them. 

We pray that they will stay calm under pressure and work to the best of their ability.

May they feel Your loving presence in their lives, now and always, and may they be strengthened by the prayerful support of us, their parish school community.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You 

and the Holy Spirit now and forever. 

Amen

Friday Fatima Friends

Week 6: 

28th August - Book Week Celebration! The theme is “A Symphony of Stories.” Fatima Friends are invited to dress up as their favourite book character and be in the Book Week Parade with Ms Bowler!  We are walking the red carpet and we are first so don’t be late!

Week 7:   

4th September - No formal meeting today as it’s the OLF Father’s Day Liturgy and Breakfast. Come along and join in the fun on this special day celebrating dads and father figures.

Week 8: 

11th September - No Fatima Friends today 

Week 9: 

18th September- It’s the last Fatima Friends session for the term today.

When it comes to passing on the faith to our children, parents are the first educators and heralds.

10 things parents can do to evangelise their children

Author Sam Guzman points out that fathers have a particular, God-given role to model themselves after Christ’s example in catechising their children. But mothers certainly have an enormous influence on their children’s formation as well. Here are some of the ideas Sam gives fathers for evangelising in their home which are equally valid for mothers:

• The most important thing to remember is that children will learn far more by your example than by your words.

• Pray with your children, morning and evening

• Bless them.

• Be a student of the faith yourself, since you can’t teach what you don’t know.

• Receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Communion frequently.

• Teach them about the lives of the saints. Forget Batman and Spider Man, the Church gives us thousands of real-life superheroes!

• Take them to Mass, and not only on Sundays.

• Read an age-appropriate spiritual book together, especially Gospel stories or stories from the Acts of the Apostles.

• Be faithful. If you tell your children you will do something, do everything in your power to make it happen. Our faithfulness teaches them about God’s faithfulness.

• Suffer well. Suffering heroically is intrinsic to the Catholic faith. Teach your children to ‘offer it up’ by doing so yourself.

   

Jesus described his entire life as a mission “to bear witness to the truth”. We, too, should bear witness to the truth in our words and example, showing our children as much as possible through our marriage and family life what Christ-like love looks like and teaching them the truths of the Catholic faith.

About the author:

Sam Guzman is founder and editor of The Catholic Gentleman website. This is an edited extract of an article which is part of a series on what fathers, in particular, can do to raise their children in the faith. It makes for a great Catholic Father’s Day reflection!

Father’s Day Breakfast - Paper Aeroplane Challenge!                   

Dads get ready to show off your paper aeroplane making and throwing skills at the Father’s Day Breakfast on Friday 4th September. 

Once again Mr Faber and I will be hosting this event on Burns Paddock. A4 sized paper will be freely available. Start practising!

Wishing you and your family a beautiful week enjoying the magic of words through reading. 

Tracey Bowler | Family Educator