Education in Faith
Sacramental Program for 2024
The letter linked below about the Sacramental Program for 2024, from Fr Brendan, indicates the celebration dates for 2024 and informs parents about the changes to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
If you have any questions about the information, please do not hesitate to contact the Parish Office.
Family Led Sunday Mass
During 2024 the Parish, in conjunction with the Parish Primary Schools, has planned Family led Sunday 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 Sunday 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 have been scheduled at Our Holy Redeemer Church in Surrey Hills for the following Sundays this year:
Sunday, 17 March at 10.30 am
Special invitation to Year 1/2 students and families
Saturday, 18 May at 6.00 pm
Special invitation to Year 3/4 students and families (includes First Eucharist Commitment)
Saturday, 17 August at 6.00 pm
Special invitation to Year 5/6 students and families (includes Confirmation Commitment)
Sunday, 17 November at 10.30 am
Prep and new families for 2025 are particularly invited to this Mass
Mrs Nanette Giovannini will be the parish coordinator of the Family led Masses and will work closely with the schools and parents in order to plan and celebrate these Masses each term.
If you would like to be part of their team or support this new initiative, the parish would be delighted to hear from you. You can contact Nanette at Nanette.Giovannini@cam.org.au
Project Compassion
Project Compassion is Caritas Australia's annual Lenten fundraising and awareness-raising appeal. Millions of Australians come together in solidarity with the world's poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. The theme for this year’s appeal is For all Future Generations.
During Lent our RE Year 5/6 Student Leadership 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. All money raised will be donated to Project Compassion. 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‼
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 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.
During his stay in Jerusalem for the Passover many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he gave, but Jesus knew them all and did not trust himself to them; he never needed evidence about any man; he could tell what a man had in him.
Discussion Questions
1. What do you like about our (your) church?
2. How is it holy?
3. What do we do inside the church that makes it a holy place?
4. In today’s gospel Jesus visited his temple. What did he do when he saw that people had set up stores?
5. Why was Jesus angry?
6. Jesus wanted to keep the temple as a holy place for prayer. Our place of prayer is made holy when we gather in God’s name or when we make a special visit. When are the times that we can come to our church to pray?
Let us pray that we will become more holy in this time of Lent.