Our Faith - Religious Education

Term 1 Class RE Dates, Mass Dates in the Cathedral

Confirmation Dates for 2025

For Catholic Students in Year 6 Parent Enrolment Evening

Confirmation Enrolment Evening Wednesday 19th March  at 6pm, Cathedral

Lesson 1     Sunday - 30th March 9am Cathedral

Lesson 2     Sunday  - 6th April  9am Cathedral

(School Holidays)

Lesson 3     Sunday -  4th May  9am Cathedral

Lesson 4     Sunday - 11th May  9am Cathedral

Lesson 5    Sunday - 18th May  9am Cathedral

Lesson 6   Sunday - 25th May  9am Cathedral

Lesson 7    Practice  -Sunday 1 June  9am Cathedral

Pentecost Sunday  - 10am Mass 8 June

Project Compassion - Unite Against Poverty

On Ash Wednesday we sent home your Project Compassion Box. This box is for your 'Giving' during Lent. It will support Caritas Australia in relief programs with marginalised communities around the world.

During the Lenten season, we are encouraged to express our compassion through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, supporting those in need through Project Compassion. Let's helping to make a difference for future generations!

Irene's story, Democratic Republic of Congo (Project Compassion)

During this period of Lent, let us reflect upon the ways in which we can guarantee our efforts are directed towards benefiting the well-being of all future generations across the globe.

Together, we can make a difference now, and For All Future Generations.

We continue our annual Lenten Project Compassion journey by learning about Irene who lives in the Democratic Republic Of Congo.

In the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where hardship often overshadows hope, the story of Irene shines brightly. A 25-year-old single mother, Irene's life has been marked by adversity, from the loss of her father in conflict to the challenges of raising two children in extreme poverty. However, through the support of Caritas Australia's Project Compassion, Irene has transformed her circumstances, becoming a symbol of resilience and empowerment.   

Irene's journey is a testament to the power of opportunity. Faced with limited education and job prospects, she found herself trapped in a cycle of poverty. But Project Compassion, through its partnership with Caritas Kongolo, offered her a lifeline. By participating in the Youth Capacity Strengthening Program, Irene gained invaluable skills that would change her life.   

The program provided Irene with training in sewing, equipping her with the means to generate income. She also received agricultural training, enabling her to grow food and provide for her family's basic needs. The provision of sewing machines and materials was instrumental in allowing her to put her new skills into practice.   

The impact of this support has been profound. Irene is now able to support her children's education, offering them a brighter future. Beyond her own success, she has also become a mentor, sharing her skills with other young women in her community. This ripple effect of empowerment demonstrates the true value of Project Compassion's work.   

Watch her story and see how her life has changed, thanks to people like you.

Lenten Prayer 

Project Compassion Lenten Prayer 

God of our journey

we are all pilgrims of hope

brought together by your love

and your wish that we may all be one.

We pray that in this Year of Jubilee

when we are called to greater justice

and care for our common home

that we may Unite Against Poverty.

May we work in unity for the freedom of the oppressed

and the renewal of creation.

May our compassionate minds and generous hearts

help bring about a world where all can live in peace.

May our Lenten pilgrimage of fasting, almsgiving and prayer

bring us closer to your loving heart.

We ask this in the name of Jesus.

Year of Jubilee

2025 is a Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church.

A Jubilee Year is traditionally proclaimed by the Universal Church every 25 years. It is a particular year set aside to encourage the faithful to embark on pilgrimages, to repent of their sins and forgive the sins of others, and to renew a focus on spiritual life.

The theme is Pilgrims of Hope. Pope Francis has invited Catholics to renew our hope and discover a vision that can "restore access to the fruits of the earth to everyone". We are also invited to rediscover a spirituality of God's creation in which we understand ourselves as "pilgrims on the earth" rather than masters of the world.

You will see this logo often this year...

The logo symbolises unity and fraternity among all of humanity, with four stylised figures from different corners of the earth embracing each other. The leading figure holds a cross, representing faith and hope. The rough waves beneath the figures symbolise life's challenges, emphasising the need for hope in difficult times. The elongated lower part of the cross forms an anchor, a well-known symbol of hope. This image depicts the pilgrimage as a communal journey towards the cross, which reaches out dynamically to offer presence and hope. 

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope   (Youtube)

The Jubilee Prayer

To pray and download the Prayer for the 2025 Jubilee, click here. Copies of the Jubilee Prayer are available in Braille. Please contact the Office of Deaf and Disabilities Ministry for a copy: specialneedsministry@adw.org or 301-853-4560.

The Jubilee Logo

To learn about the meaning of the logo for the 2025 Jubilee, click here.

Official Hymn for Jubilee

Click here to listen to the hymn.

CATHEDRAL PARISH OF SAINT MARY & JOSEPH ARMIDALE 

Administrator Father Damien Locke

Assistant Priest Father Anthony Koppman

armidaleparish@armidale.catholic.org.au

phone 67722218 

Mass Times

Saturday Vigil Mass 6 pm

Sunday 8 am, 10 am & 5:30 pm 

Diocesan Prayer Card