Education in Faith
St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal
Again this year, our RE Student Leaders would like everybody in the OHR community to get involved in supporting the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. This is often just shortened to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal.
This Christmas, more families are experiencing poverty and are on the brink of homelessness due to the relentless rising cost-of-living in Australia. The crisis has been an ongoing issue impacting Australians for over two years with no sign of reprieve. As the crisis deepens, so does the amount of people turning to Vinnies for support.
The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia has more than 60,000 members and volunteers, who work hard to assist people in need and combat social injustice across Australia. Internationally, the Society operates in 153 countries and has over 800,000 members.
This video helps introduce the Vinnies Christmas Appeal and explains a little about how the organisation is providing a hand to vulnerable people in urgent need this Christmas.
There are three ways OHR will be supporting the work of Vinnies this year. The first option is to bring in non perishable food items, especially those with a Christmas theme. This will help provide food for a family to celebrate Christmas with a meal together. These can be left in classrooms and we will collect them before the end of term.
The second is to bring in a voucher for Coles or Woolworths. These can be used by a family who is finding it tough. They might use the voucher to purchase food or other vital household items. These can be left under the Christmas Tree in the office.
Finally, for the rest of the year the RE/Social Justice Team will be selling Zooper Dooper icy poles for 50c after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15 - 3:30pm at the tuckshop window.
If anybody would like to donate a pack (or more) of Zooper Doopers please bring them to the office. We can look after the freezing for you‼
We will start selling zooper doopers on Tuesday 11th November after school - so please bring in your money if you want one. Also, don’t forget about donating a voucher or some non-perishable food items. Thank you.
Family Led Sunday Mass
During 2025, the Parish in conjunction with the Parish Primary Schools, has planned Family led weekend Masses. These Masses will be celebrated once a term and be followed by hospitality. They will be a great opportunity for children and their families to be involved in a Mass within the parish community.
Family Masses will provide an opportunity for families to come together and to support each other in faith. They can particularly be important for families who are presenting their children for Sacraments throughout the year. There may be opportunities to reconnect with our own faith as adults. There may be opportunities to engage with parish life and learn more about the faith, for those who are not so familiar with our local worshiping community. All families are welcome at these family Masses no matter what your religious background or affiliation.
Family Masses scheduled for later this year are:
Sunday, 16th November at 10.30am (OHR Church) - Note Change of Date/Time
Prep, Year 1 & Year 2 and new families for 2026 are particularly invited to this Mass.
Nick Byrne
RE Leader
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Just before the Jewish Passover Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and pigeons, and the money changers sitting at their counters there. Making a whip out of some cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, cattle and sheep as well, scattered the money changers’ coins, knocked their tables over and said to the pigeon-sellers, ‘Take all this out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a market’. Then his disciples remembered the words of scripture: Zeal for your house will devour me. The Jews intervened and said, ‘What sign can you show us to justify what you have done?’ Jesus answered, ‘Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up’. The Jews replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this sanctuary: are you going to raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking of the sanctuary that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the words he had said.
Discussion Questions
1. In today’s Gospel Jesus gets angry with the people who are using the temple as a market place and he throws them out. Why do we show reverence when we are in church?
2. How do we do this?
3. Does anyone know who the person is who is the leader of the Catholic Church on earth?
4. The Pope is also the Bishop of Rome and his special church in Rome is the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. This Sunday (9th Nov) is the feast day of that church and we are reminded that we are part of the universal church, that is, in every part of the world.
What is the name of your local church?
5. Do you know what person or event it is named after?