Faith News

Christ Centred School & Parish Community

Prayer of the Month

October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary, a devotion dear to popes and saints since the early days of Christianity.

In the Month of October, our Year 6 Leaders have guided our morning assembly with a decade of the rosary for each of the Mysteries (Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious)

The Feast of All Saints

The Courage to Care

(Matthew 5: 1 - 12)

When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said ... “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.”

Jesus offers a powerful challenge: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” It sounds simple enough, but in the daily reality of school life, mercy can be one of the most demanding expressions of our faith. It asks us to look beyond behaviour, resist quick judgements and recognise the humanity of every person who crosses our path. Working in a Catholic school means encountering people at their best and sometimes at their most vulnerable. Students who test our patience, colleagues carrying pressures we know nothing about, families facing challenges behind closed doors. Mercy invites us to respond differently. Not by lowering expectations or ignoring difficult behaviour, but by choosing understanding over assumptions, compassion over convenience and dignity over judgement. And here is the real challenge. Mercy is not simply something we offer when we have the time, energy or patience. It is a deliberate choice, especially when circumstances make it difficult. It is found in the conversation we could easily avoid, the second chance someone desperately needs and the decision to see possibility in a person others may have already written off. Catholic education should never be measured solely by academic results, impressive facilities or successful programs. Its deepest impact is found in the way people experience belonging, forgiveness, encouragement and hope. Every person working in our schools has the power to shape that experience. Perhaps the question Jesus places before us today is not simply whether we believe in mercy, but whether people genuinely experience it through us. Because the Gospel becomes powerful when it moves beyond what we say and begins to change how we treat one another.

This week, challenge yourself to make mercy visible in the everyday moments of school life. Look beyond difficult behaviour, question your assumptions and make time for someone who needs understanding rather than judgement. Offer a second chance, have the conversation you have been avoiding and choose compassion when frustration might be easier. Let your actions remind students, colleagues and families that mercy is not simply something we teach, but something we are called to live.

Jesus teaches us that showing mercy means choosing kindness, even when it is difficult. We all make mistakes, have tough days and sometimes need a second chance. When we forgive someone, include a person who feels left out or help a friend who is struggling, we are putting the message of Jesus into action. Mercy means looking beyond mistakes and seeing the good in others. The real challenge is choosing kindness when someone tests our patience. Even the smallest act of mercy can make a big difference to someone's day! This week I will choose kindness, forgive others and give someone a second chance, even when it is difficult.

The Chance to Begin Again

Everyone had seen the message. A careless comment posted in a group chat had hurt someone deeply. Screenshots were shared, opinions flew and within hours, people had taken sides. By the next morning, the person responsible was filled with regret. An apology had been offered, but the damage was done. Some wanted nothing more to do with them. Others believed they deserved to feel the consequences of their actions. Then someone quietly asked a different question. “What if we gave them the chance to make things right?” It didn't mean pretending nothing had happened. The hurt was real, and trust would take time to rebuild. But instead of adding another angry message or shutting someone out completely, a conversation began. People listened. Feelings were acknowledged. Responsibility was taken. And slowly, a way forward emerged. Nothing was magically fixed that day, but something important had changed. People had chosen understanding over judgement and the possibility of healing over the satisfaction of being right. Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” Perhaps mercy is not about forgetting what happened or excusing what was wrong. Perhaps it is about refusing to let someone's worst moment become their whole story. Because sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer another person is the chance to begin again.

A Prayer for Mercy

God of New Beginnings,

Challenge us to look beyond mistakes, listen before judging and choose compassion over criticism.

Give us the courage to repair what is broken, own our mistakes and offer others the second chances we all need.

May our words bring healing, our actions restore trust and our hearts always make room for mercy.

Amen.

Catholic Mission Month- Socktober

During Catholic Mission Month we commit ourselves to bringing fullness of life to all God’s people. We reflect on all people in God’s Kingdom, particularly those who most need to experience God’s love. As a school, we have the power to create change and build a more just world for people everywhere. By supporting missionaries in their work, we can create life-changing opportunities for countless children, families, and communities worldwide.

On the 23rd October, students celebrated 'Socktober', wearing their crazy coloured socks and donating to Catholic Mission Charities. Thank you for your support and raising $88.