Faith News

Important Dates

Term Four

Whole School Mass: Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Those in Need 

Thursday, October 17th. St Brendan’s Church at 11:30 am.  

Leaders: Year One & Two staff and students. All are welcome. 

Whole School Mass- The End of the 2024 School Year-Advent Week 1 Hope

Thursday, December 5th. St Brendan’s Church at 11:30 am. 

Leaders: Foundation staff and students. All are welcome. 

Year Six Graduation Mass- Wednesday, December 11th, St Brendan’s Church, 

Somerville at 5:00 pm. Leaders: Year Five & Six staff and students

Social Justice Action Team (SJAT) News

Another way that student voice is actively supported here at St Brendan's is through the work of the SJAT. The SJAT coordinated a gold coin drive to coincide with St Brendan’s Footy Day on Friday, September 20th to raise much-needed funds for Catholic Care Victoria. Catholic Care supports families in need in our local and wider communities across Victoria. The funds raised throughout Term Three for the Staff Dress Code Days and for the whole school Footy Day, totalled a whopping $302.30. Thank you to all of the staff, students and families for their generosity in supporting the work of Catholic Care Victoria. To further support or find out more about the work of Catholic Care, please visit www.catholiccarevic.org.au

Catholic Mission Socktober Appeal

To ‘Kick Off’ Term Four, the  SJAT are coordinating a Crazy Sock Day on Thursday, October 17th to raise money for the Catholic Mission project, 2024. All funds raised for this day and for the Staff Dress Code days last week and this week will be donated to Catholic Mission to support the ‘Kick Goals for Good’ campaign,  supporting the Caring Center in Otgonbayar, Mongolia. The Center is a warm and safe refuge for the homeless and vulnerable members of the Otgonbayar community in Mongolia, for whom a night of sleeping rough can be fatal with temperatures falling between -12 degrees celsius and -30 degrees celsius. To donate, or for more information, please visit www.socktober.org.au

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) ‘Inspired to Lead’ Pilgrimage

I was very extremely fortunate to head to Rome, Siena, Assisi and Cascia, Italy for twelve days over the September school holidays with fifty-two pilgrims from across the Melbourne Archdiocese. The purpose of my journey was to participate in the MACS coordinated ‘Inspired to Lead’ program. Throughout my travels, I visited many basilicas, churches, cathedrals and places of significance to the history of early Christianity. Of greatest insight were my visits to the places where saints such as St Catherine of Siena, St Clare of Assisi, St Francis of Assisi, St Sebastian of Rome and St Rita of Cascia lived, worshipped and came to eternal rest. 

Part of my journey invited me to take the prayer intentions of the St Brendan’s community and place them in a significant place of worship. It was an honour and privilege to place these prayer intentions at St Peter's Basilica in The Vatican on the same day that our group was welcomed to an audience with Pope Francis. The Holy Father’s address spoke of making choices for peace and the good of oneself and others, which was inspiring and timely given the current conflict occurring in some nations. Among other highlights were the (almost) daily opportunities I had, to sing at Mass in a variety of churches with fellow pilgrims, and play my miniature guitar, suitably named ‘Roma’. The acoustics of which were often in our favour, as we made music in these beautiful and historical places of worship.

I wish to take this opportunity to thank the St Brendan’s community for their support and prayers, especially Wendy Ziino, Bernie Turner and Sue Carr for supporting me in embarking on this wonderfully enriching spiritual encounter and professional learning opportunity. I will share my learning in due course in the months ahead, especially as I write more frequently about the Jubilee Year, Advent and other significant events coming up in the Catholic liturgical calendar. In the meantime, here are some photo highlights from my travels.

The beautiful interior of the Venerable English College Church, Rome. Offering the prayer intentions of the St Brendan’s staff and student  St Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican, Rome. 

Basilica of St Dominic & St Catherine, Siena. Here we celebrated Mass, during which I was fortunate enough to play my miniature guitar and sing the hymns with my fellow pilgrims. The exterior of St Mary of the Angels, Assisi.

Awaiting the arrival of Pope Francis at The Vatican, Rome.  Leading fellow pilgrims in song at the replica house of St Catherine, Siena.

 The stunning apse of the Basilica of St Rita, Cascia St Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican, Rome.           

Catholic Baptism

Did the disruption of the ‘COVID-19 years’ disrupt your plans to seek Catholic Baptism for your child?

Now is a great time for families considering The Sacrament of Catholic Baptism for their child/ren, to contact the Western Port Parish Centre on (03) 5979 4374. Should you make Baptism arrangements with the Parish, please inform me so that this special milestone for your child can be acknowledged within the school community. Please also forward a copy of your child’s Baptism Certificate to the school so that this can be reflected in the school records.

Families who wish for their children to receive any sacrament or The Rite of Reception through the parish have been requested by Fr Shymon to make timely arrangements, as adequate preparation is required. This is especially important if families wish to pursue sacramental preparation programs in 2025. 

Christian Initiation for Adults: RCIA

Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic or continuing the Catholic sacramental journey that you commenced as a child or younger adult? 

Adults who wish to begin or continue their faith journey through the reception of the Catholic sacraments are invited to contact the Western Port Parish Centre on (03) 5979 4374.

Western Port Parish News

Please follow this link to the Western Port Parish web page, and to find out more about parish happenings.

Access to Australian Catholics Online Magazine

Hard copies of the Australian Catholic Magazine will be distributed to all families whose eldest children are in Years 3-6 this year. Please look out for these throughout the year and have a read over a ‘cuppa’ to discover more about happenings in Catholic schools and parishes. 

ALL families have FREE access to the Australian Catholics online resource. To access this fabulous resource, please click here  and use the following login details to gain access:

Email: parents@sbsomerville.catholic.edu.au 

Password: acparentsYours in faith & harmony.

Emma Chapple

-Religious Education Leader

-Performing Arts Classroom Specialist Teacher echapple@sbsomerville.catholic.edu.au