Education in Faith

News from St Kevin's Parish Church

ATTENTION - SFS needs Altar Servers 

If your child has received their First Holy Communion, you are requested to kindly enrol them at St. Kevin’s Parish to support our school community when celebrating mass during school hours.

ENROLMENT FORMS - please note that there are new enrolment forms available in the foyer. As part of our Safeguarding Review and Risk Assessment and to comply with the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne Safeguarding Guidelines, all current Altar servers will need to complete the new enrolment forms and return them to the Parish Office. Completed forms may also be sent by email to HamptonPark@cam.org.au

Gospel Reflection

This week’s gospel recalls the ministry of John the Baptist. It presents John as a ‘witness’. John the Baptist is witnessing ‘to speak for the light’. He makes a very clear distinction between himself and the Christ, his mission is simply to point us towards the light; the Christ.

Our common understanding of the word ‘witness’ relates to providing a witness statement or acting as a witness. The use of witness in this gospel carries a different connotation: to provide witness through action and lifestyle that draws others to wonder about and perhaps come to accept the motivating belief. It is this understanding of witness that all Christians are called to provide. We are called to witness to our beliefs in the way that we live our lives, engage with others and hold to certain truths. 

Have you thought? A time to Rejoice!

This Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is the Latin word for Rejoice! 

Advent was originally celebrated as a five-week season and with the same fasting and penitential nature as the season of Lent. The third Sunday, Gaudete, was like a break for rejoicing in the midst of the fasting. 

When Advent was reduced to four weeks and the nature of the season altered, Gaudete Sunday was retained. The colour of this Sunday is rose – a celebratory colour – and it is reflected in the vestments worn by the priest and in the colour of the third candle used in Advent wreaths.

Discussion Starters

• Why do you think the priests and Levites were concerned about identifying who John was?
• How might John’s followers have reacted to his announcement of the one who was coming after him?
• In what ways is John the Baptist portrayed as a ‘witness’ to Christ?
• Is there someone you know who witnesses to their faith through their actions? How do they do it?
• How can you be a witness?
• How is this week’s gospel similar to / different from last week’s account (Mk 1:1-8)?
• Why do you think we have two accounts of the same event in the liturgy on consecutive weeks?
• Is there someone you know who witnesses to their faith through their actions? How do they do it?
• Are there forms of witnessing to faith that ‘turn you off’?
• How can you effectively witness to your faith?

FINAL CALL FOR SACRAMENTS 2024

To assist us with the administration and preparation of Sacraments for 2024, we ask you to fill in the Operoo form below, to indicate if your child will be receiving a Sacrament next year in 2024.

Junior and Senior parents ACCEPT or DECLINE this invitation.  Dates for Sacraments will be published in our school newsletter.

Reconciliation: baptized Catholics in Year 1, 2 and 3 or above.

Next year in 2024, children in:

• Grade 2 and Grade 3 will receive Reconciliation.
• Grade 3 and Grade 4 will receive Eucharist.
• Grade 6 will receive Confirmation.

Reconciliation: baptized Catholics in Year 2 and 3.

Eucharist: baptized Catholics in Year 3 and 4 or above who have celebrated their Reconciliation.

Confirmation: Year 6 Catholics who have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and Eucharist.

If you have any further questions regarding your child receiving these Sacraments, please do not hesitate to contact me at the school.

Yours Sincerely,

God Bless

Rozeta Ambrose

rambrose@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au

GRADE 5/6 SOCIAL JUSTICE TEAM – MINI VINNIES

COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD POINTS

The winning House of the Community Spirit Shield this year is Patrick!! 

Well done to Patrick!! 

Final points are listed below:

Patrick House was presented with the shield on Friday. They will have their House engraved on the shield as the winners for 2023. Well done Patrick!! Remember this shield indicates the House that has demonstrated Community Spirit throughout the year. Once again congratulations Patrick!

MINI VINNIES SOUPVAN DONATION

Mini Vinnies have managed to raise $562 through their Soup and Chat Evening and the Mini Vinnies Market Stall. They decided this year, to donate the money raised to the Vinnies Soup Van Program. Wednesday Toa Thredgold, the Soup Van Operations Manager and Kylie Mackinlay, the Soup Van Coordinator came to accept the donation on behalf of the Vinnies Soup Van Program. Thalia and Isabel presented the money on behalf of the Mini Vinnies and then Toa and Kylie told the Mini Vinnies a bit about the Soup Van Program. They then received a certificate from Kylie and Toa for being a member of SFS Mini Vinnies.

I would like to thank Toa and Kylie for giving up their time to come out and spend time with SFS Mini Vinnies. This, along with our Hampton Park Conference coming out to collect the items from our Christmas Appeal, helps the students to realise they are part of a bigger organisation and that they can make a difference to the lives of others.

MINI VINNIES CHRISTMAS APPEAL

A big thank you to all the SFS families!! Our Christmas Appeal is always one of our biggest appeals. The Hampton Park Conference came with 2 cars and filled them just with our hamper items! They then had to go and unload their cars so they could come back and collect the Christmas presents. A very impressive effort!! 

The items will now be distributed to people in need within our community. It’s great to think we are making a difference to families and how they celebrate Christmas this year.

On behalf of the Mini Vinnies I would like to thank the SFS Community for your support. SFS always donates kindly to any of the appeals the Mini Vinnies organise. 

THANK YOU MINI VINNIES

Finally I would like to say a big thank you to the 54 students who committed to be part of SFS Mini Vinnies this year and gave up their lunchtimes to make a difference in our local and wider community. I am very proud of each and every one of them. And I hope that they have felt a sense of achievement in making a difference in the lives of so many people with each of the appeals they have run. Well done Mini Vinnies! I hope you continue with the social justice work you have begun.

I would like to wish everyone a blessed Christmas. May you enjoy your family time together during this festive season.

Giuliana & SFS Mini Vinnies