Mission and Religious Education

Mission and Religious Education

Mass Friday 28 March - Postponed.

A new date will be arranged in Term 2 2025.

Holy Week and Easter Sunday Liturgies

This Year we will be celebrating our Holy week Liturgies on Friday 11 April. 

Holy Week commemorates and celebrates the last week of Jesus’ life on Earth. Holy Week commences on Palm Sunday when we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem when people waved palm branches and greeted him as a king. Lent finishes just before Mass on Holy Thursday and then we commence the Paschal Triduum. The Paschal Triduum is the three days commemorating Jesus’ Passion, Death and Resurrection and commences with the Mass on Holy Thursday and concludes with the evening Prayer on Easter Sunday. On Holy Thursday we remember Jesus’ last supper with his disciples. At this supper Jesus washed his disciples feet as a sign that they and we, should love and serve one another. He instituted the blessed Eucharist which we remember and commemorate at every Mass when he blessed and broke the bread and shared it saying ‘Take and eat, this is my body’ and blessed and shared the cup of wine saying ‘Take and drink, this is my blood’. After Supper Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray where he was arrested. On Good Friday we remember that Jesus was arrested, sentenced to death, made to carry his cross, was crucified, died and his body was laid in a tomb. Holy Saturday is a time to keep watch and wait while Jesus lays in the tomb and concludes Holy Week. On Easter Sunday we commence the liturgical season of Easter and celebrate Jesus rising to new life and conquering death so that we too may rise to new life. Easter Eggs are given as a symbol of new life.

Good Friday drawing by Sophie Eykamp

This year we will celebrate our Holy Week and Easter Sunday Liturgies in the Church on Friday 11 April commencing at 9.30am. Everyone is welcome to join us as we remember and celebrate the important events that took place in the life of Jesus and are central to our faith.

Palm Sunday: Kindergarten and Year 1 will lead us in this joyful celebration.

Holy Thursday: Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4) will lead us in this important celebration.

Good Friday and Holy Saturday: Stage 3 (Years 5 and 6) will lead us in this more sombre commemoration.

Next term on Wednesday 30 April, Year 2 will lead us in our happy celebration of Easter Sunday. 

Easter Hat Parade and Picnic Lunch

After our Holy Week Liturgies on Friday 11 April students will return to school and prepare for their Easter Hat Parade. All families are invited to pack a picnic lunch to enjoy with your family in the school grounds. 

C2S (Called to Shine) Committee News

Our C2S Committee is a team of volunteer students in Years 2-6 who work with Assistant Principals Cathy Shepherd and myself for ecological justice in our world. The Committee meets at the start of lunch each Monday and gives an authentic student voice to addressing social and ecological issues in our school and world. The C2S Committee leads charitable works and ecological initiatives at St Michael’s.

Week 7 Meeting - Monday 10 March

At our Week 7 meeting the C2S Committee members discussed fundraising ideas for Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion and decided to dress up and donate money. We also decided to learn more about Caritas and the work of Project Compassion during Legends groups and have a ‘Water Walk in Solidarity’ for Sport.

Week 8 Meeting - Monday 17 March

At our Week 8 meeting the C2S Committee members discussed a theme for our fundraising for Caritas Australia and voted for ‘Legendary Day’. On ‘Legendary Day’ we can dress up as Legends - a famous person, a character or someone they know who shines their light for good. We encourage everyone to donate generously and dress up as a Legend on Friday 11 April for Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion.

Legendary Day - Giving in Solidarity - Friday 11 April

‘Legendary Day’ is our Fundraising Day for Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion. On this day we are able to show our solidarity with the poor through prayer and fundraising. Students are invited to dress up as their favourite legend - it may be a famous person, a character or someone they know and give generously to Project Compassion. As Friday is also Canteen Day, we ask your assistance in explaining to your child/children how much money is their donation to Caritas and how much is for canteen, as they sometimes get confused. Thank you for your assistance.

Environmental Legends and Little Doves

Our Environmental Legends are a team of volunteer students in Years 3-6 who work with the Little Doves, a team of volunteer students in K-2 and myself to lead environmental and sustainability initiatives within our school. Our work in this area is in response to Pope Francis’ call to action in Laudato Si’ to Care for the Earth Our Common Home and to hear and respond to the Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor.

Spotted Doing Good

It is great to see so many of our students during the school day, taking the time to show care for one another and care for our environment. Every week I hear stories from teachers and other students who have spotted children ‘Doing Good’ helping someone who needs it, picking up rubbish, recycling carefully and much, much more. It is wonderful to see our students leading in this space - well done everyone!

Legends of the Light Shine

Our Legends of the Light Shine Program is a program that runs across our school, led by students in Stage 3. This program focuses on Christian living, recognising and promoting Christian virtues and positive attributes.

This Fortnight’s Legends of the Light Shine Focus

Today we introduced our new Legends of the Light Shine focus for Weeks 9 and 10. Our new focus is Compassion and links in well with our Lenten Units and focus on learning more about the work of Caritas Australia and Project Compassion. We encourage all of our wonderful students to be people who show compassion for others.

On Friday 4 April we will introduce our new focus ‘Solidarity’. On this day we will focus on developing our students’ understanding of the importance of working together for the fair distribution of goods and services, so that the dignity of all is upheld. Students will focus on the human right and need for clean water by filtering muddy water and participating in a Water Walk in solidarity. All students are invited to bring a bucket to walk with on this day, to reinforce the understanding that the average time many people walk each day for clean water is 30 minutes.

Connecting With Our Parish

Weekend Mass Times

We encourage all of our families to celebrate Sunday Mass with our parish.

Manilla Parish Mass Times (Daylight Saving Time)

1st Sunday of the month - Sunday 8.30am

2nd, 3rd & 4th Sunday of the month - Saturday 5.30pm

Attunga Mass Times 

2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday of the month - Sunday 12 noon

Lent Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross are prayed in St Michael’s Parish each Friday of Lent at 6pm. Everyone is welcome.

Holy Week and Easter 

Palm Sunday - Saturday 12 April, 5pm

Good Friday - Friday 18 April, 3pm

Holy Saturday - Saturday 19 April, 9pm

Easter Sunday - Barraba 20 April, 9am

Everyone is welcome.

New Bishop

The Reverend Dr Peter Murphy from Wagga Wagga, will be ordained as the Bishop of Armidale on Thursday 8 May at 6.30pm, in Saint Mary and Saint Joseph Cathedral, Armidale.

Jubilee Year - Pilgrims of Hope

Pope Francis has declared 2025 a Jubilee Year for our Church, themed “Pilgrims of Hope”, a  year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the climate crisis. 

Living Well, Learning Well 

Living Well Learning Well is a student support framework for Catholic Schools in the Armidale Diocese. The framework is based on a universal and unconditional positive regard for children and young people and supports faith, learning, wellbeing and positive behaviour domains.

St Michael’s School Rules For Living

St Michael’s School Rules For Living encompass those in the Living Well Learning Well Framework.

Parents As Partners

St Michael’s works in partnership with the families in our school to achieve a high standard of education for the students in our care. Please be aware that the SchoolTV tab on our St Michael’s School Website provides parents and families with lots of wellbeing resources to support you with many of the challenging aspects of parenting.

“Let Your Light Shine” support others to let their light shine and remember “We Shine Brighter Together”

Jacquelene Cronin

Assistant Principal - Mission