Our Holy Redeemer School Newsletter

Education in Faith

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, 17 August at 5.00 pm (OLGC Church)

Special invitation to Year 6 students and families (includes Confirmation Commitment)

 

Saturday, 15 November at 6.00pm (OHR Church)

Prep, Year 1 & Year 2 and new families for 2026 are particularly invited to this Mass

 

Nick Byrne

RE Leader

 

RE Learning in 3/4CP

As we delve into this term's concept of Story, our learning currently centres around what the term SACRED means to us personally and also in religion.

 

The initial brainstorm of understanding the meaning of scared had the year 3/4 class develop other synonyms (phrases) which could be used to define the word.  Some of the synonyms (phrases) were: 

  • Respecting people
  • Respecting objects
  • Special
  • Something important
  • Someone import
  • Religious 
  • Holy
  • Something you care for
  • Fragile
  • Significant
  • Hold dear

 

When classifying items as being sacred or not sacred, the students held rich discussions around how what one person holds sacred will depend on their experiences and the beliefs they hold.  Some examples were:

  • Water can be sacred if it is blessed or if it is scarce.  The flip side could be that it is not sacred because it is a necessity.
  • Bread is an everyday staple of our diet and is not necessarily viewed as sacred, but when it is blessed during the Eucharistic Prayer at mass and we are asked to “Take and eat”, it becomes sacred for those who follow the Catholic faith.

 

The Bible is a sacred object within our church community.  We have it in the classroom.  Some of us have one at home and there is one at the church.  When we read from the lectern we are reading from the Bible.  The first and second readings come from the old and new testaments.  The responsorial psalms come from the book of Palms.  The gospel readings the priest reads at each mass comes from the new testament.  Below are some knowledge and wondering about the Bible.

 

Knowledge about the Bible

  • Tells stories from a long time ago.
  • Is a book filled with other books.
  • Is used in the church.
  • Most stolen book in the world.
  • Is divided into two sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament.
  • Is sacred to Christians.
  • The New Testament tells us about Jesus.
  • Is a religious book.
  • The pages in the bible are very thin.
  • Holds very strong messages.
  • Is a very special and can teach us about how to treat each other.
  • There are many sad deaths.
  • Some stories are about miracles performed by Jesus.
  • Four authors wrote the Gospels
  • Some of the stories are true.

 

Wonderings about the Bible

  • Who made the bible?
  • How many stories are there?
  • When was the bible written?
  • Who made the first bible?
  • How many true stories are there in the bible?
  • Why are some stories in the bible repeated? 
  •  Why are there different versions of the same story?
  • How many years did it take to write the bible?
  • Why are there two testaments?
  • What does the word testament mean?
  • Is there a secret in the bible?
  • How many parables did Jesus tell?
  • How many different versions of the bible are there?
  • Why was the bible written?

Sunday Gospel

The liturgy of the Catholic Church provides a framework for reflection which is used by Catholics throughout the world. Each week in the Newsletter, you will find the Sunday Gospel as well as some discussion questions to have with your child/ren.

 

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

 

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over!

 

‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’

 

Discussion Questions

1. When are the times when you have had to choose sides?

2. What helps you to choose?

3. Jesus tells us that choosing his way will not always be easy. What are some hard decisions we have to make?

4. What makes it difficult to choose the right way?

 

We pray to the Holy Spirit who can help us make good choices this week.