Mission & Faith Life
MacKillop House Day
Last week MacKillop House celebrated the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
All students across the College participated in House Day team spirit building activities. MacKillop House celebrated a Liturgy and then shared a BBQ lunch. Saint Mary of the Cross is the first and only Australian saint. Click here to access the Sisters of Saint Joseph website to learn more about St Mary of the Cross.
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thursday 15 August is the special Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast day recognises the Catholic belief that at the end of her life on earth, the body and soul of Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken (assumed) by God into heaven. This means that Mary’s body took on a glorified presence—as will all who enter heaven—as a result of their complete union with God.
Click here to read more about this special solemnity and holy day of obligation.
To commemorate this day, all students across the College celebrated a Year Level Liturgy, and our College community had the opportunity to participate in a Community Mass for this feast on Wednesday morning before school. It is a such a wonderful gift when we have these opportunities to pray together to Our Lady.
Feast of St Mary Magdalene (22 July 2024)
The Church celebrates St Mary Magdalene because of the example of virtue and loyalty to Jesus Christ. She was a devoted disciple and close friend of Jesus during the time of his ministry, and one of the few who remained with Him during his agony on the Cross.
Finally, she was one of the three women who went to anoint Jesus’ body in the tomb on Easter morning and discovering Jesus was not there. St Mary Magdalene became the first person to announce the Resurrection to others, when she went and told the Apostles that He had risen. – www.ewtn.com
Oil Painting – ‘Mary Magdalene’ by Carlo Dolci
Year 4 Retreat and Holy Communion
This weekend our Year 4 students went on a First Holy Communion Retreat at St Francis Xavier Parish. During the day the student reflected on how Sacraments draw us closer to God and one another. Some of our Year 4 students will receive their First Holy Communion, also known as the Sacrament of the Eucharist this weekend.
“Eucharist is the sacrament that is at the heart of our faith and gives us our Christian identity. It is the sacrament that nourishes and strengthens the whole community and indeed makes us ‘Church and Body of Christ for the world’. In preparing for the Sacrament of Eucharist, your child is preparing to receive Jesus at Holy Communion for the first time. The Eucharist is the sacrament that completes the process of initiation into the Christian community. When candidates share in the sacred meal of the Christian community for the first time, they do so as fully initiated members.”
https://www.bbcatholic.org.au/pittwater/sacraments/eucharist
Our Year 8 students wrote special notes of congratulations, best wishes and prayers to our Year 4 students to let them know that they are thinking about them on this special day.
Please pray for our Year 4 students.
Dear Lord Jesus,
We thank You for the gift of the Eucharist,
Through which You come to us in such a personal and profound way.
As these young hearts receive You for the first time,
May they feel Your loving presence,
And may their hearts be filled with Your peace and joy.
Guide them always, Lord,
To remain close to You,
To cherish this sacrament,
And to live their lives in faith, hope, and love.
Help them to grow in their relationship with You,
And to always remember that You are with them.
May this First Holy Communion be the beginning
Of a lifelong journey of faith,
Amen.
New Norcia - Year 8 Retreat
The Year 8 students enjoyed a wonderful retreat last week in New Norcia. We bring our students to New Norcia for retreat days because of its profound connection to our College. New Norcia is the site of the mission founded by our College patron, Rosendo Salvado in 1847. Through this immersive experience, our students gain a deeper understanding of the impactful work of Rosendo Salvado and how his vision and legacy continue to inspire us at Salvado Catholic College.
On the day, the students explored the rich history of New Norcia, learnt about the local Aboriginal culture and Indigenous understandings of seasonal changes. Celebrated midday prayers with the Benedictine monks and spent time in the museum appreciating the art and historical artifacts of the community.
Thank you to our students who represented our College with pride and to our parents and carers who helped our students get to school early. A huge thank you also to our staff who supported the students on this wonderful retreat - Leanne Long, Katrina York, Evano De Ponte, Stephanie Osborne and Krithika Sundararajan.
Pope Francis' Monthly Prayer Intention
In August, we pray for political leaders.
We pray that political leaders be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good, especially caring for the poor and those who have lost their jobs, and giving priority to the poor.