Faith News

Important Dates

Term One

• Holy Week, Harmony School Mass & First Reconciliation Commitment Mass #2 THIS Thursday, March 21st- St Brendan’s Church at 11:30 am Mass leaders: Year Three & Four staff and students. All are welcome.

Term Two

• Alleluia Liturgy- Monday, April 15th at 2 pm- St Brendan’s Church Liturgy Leaders: Year 1/2 staff and students. All are welcome.
• Year Three First Reconciliation Commitment Mass #3 Saturday, April 20th at St Brendan’s Church at 6:00 pm. (Parish Mass) All First Reconciliation students and their parents/guardians are especially invited to attend. 
• Year Three First Reconciliation Sacramental Liturgy- 2:00-3:15pm Thursday, May 2nd at St Brendan’s Church at 2:00 pm Parents of the First Reconciliation students are also invited to attend. 
• First Eucharist parent and student evening workshop on Wednesday, May 8th. 5:30-6:30pm - St Brendan’s Church. First Eucharist students and parents/guardians, please attend. 
• St Brendan’s Day Whole School Mass, First Eucharist Commitment Mass #1 & Confirmation Commitment Mass #1 Thursday, May 16th- St Brendan’s Church Leaders: Year Five & Six staff and students.  St Brendan’s Church at 11:30 am All are welcome.
• First Eucharist Commitment Mass #2 Saturday, May, 18th at 6:00 pm Parish Mass at St Brendan’s. All First Communicants and their parents/guardians are especially invited to attend. 
• First Eucharist Commitment Mass # 3 Saturday, May, 25th at 6:00 pm Parish Mass at St Brendan’s. All First Communicants and their parents/guardians are especially invited to attend. 
• First Eucharist Sacramental Mass Saturday, June 1st, at St Brendan’s Church at 6:00 pm.
• Confirmation parent & student evening workshop: Wednesday, June 5th. 5:30 pm- 6:30 pm at St Brendan’s Church. Confirmation students and parents/guardians, please attend. 
• Confirmation Parish Commitment Mass # 2 (Parish)Saturday, June 22nd 6:00 pm Parish Mass at St Brendan’s. All Confirmation students (candidates) and their parents/guardians are especially invited to attend. 

Term Three

• Confirmation Parish Commitment Mass # 3 (Parish) Saturday, July 20th at 6:00 pm Parish Mass- St Brendan’s Church. All Confirmation students (candidates) and their parents/guardians are especially invited to attend. 
• Year Six Confirmation Sacramental Mass Saturday, July 27th at St Brendan’s Church at 6:00 pm
• **Enrolment information for First Eucharist and Confirmation are coming soon.

The Sacrament of First Reconciliation 

Enrolments have now closed for Year Three students and older students who wish to receive The Sacrament of First Reconciliation on Thursday, May 2nd. Thank you to the children and their families who attended the First Reconciliation workshop last Wednesday, March 13th at St Brendan’s Church and the Parish Commitment Mass on Saturday evening. Special thanks to Sue Carr and the Year Three Four Team who led the workshop evening, including activities, information, prayers and enacting the process for receiving the sacrament.  

Please pray for the following students as they prepare to receive First Reconciliation. Please also advise me as soon as possible if you wish for your child to receive First Reconciliation this year and their name does not appear on the list below:

The parish community enjoyed welcoming these children and their families at the first commitment Mass on Saturday evening. The children preparing to receive First Reconciliation will also be acknowledged at the whole school Mass on Thursday and will be presented with a special lapel pin as a memento and sign of their preparation.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Charles Massey (Year Four) and Ethan Massey (Foundation) who were baptised at St Brendan’s Church on Saturday, March 16th by Fr Shymon. May they walk with Jesus and receive God’s blessings throughout their life and sacramental journey. 

Catholic Education Week

Last week, Catholic Education Week was celebrated across the Melbourne Archdiocese. I was very blessed to attend the annual Mass of St Patrick for Schools at the beautiful St Patrick’s Cathedral in East Melbourne with our wonderful School Captains, Vice Captains and the SJAT. I was incredibly proud of how these students conducted themselves throughout the Mass and concert in the park. It was heartwarming to see the students have some fun, relax and enjoy the concert in Treasury Gardens with many other students across the state. 

There is something very special and moving about the entrance procession to the annual Mass of St Patrick for schools, as many schools process into the cathedral with their school banner, especially those celebrating significant anniversaries. This always reminds me that St Brendan’s School is part of something much bigger than ourselves and that we have an important mission to fulfill in the example of Jesus Christ. Archbishop Peter Comensoli reminded those present that they are called, just as Jesus called his disciples, to live the good news and reach out to others in the light of Christ. 

Social Justice Action Team (SJAT) News

Another way that student voice is actively supported here at St Brendan's is through several leadership roles and responsibilities, including the newly selected SJAT. The first project for the SJAT will be coordinating the Project Compassion Lenten Appeal. In the coming weeks, all students will learn about the Catholic Christian tradition of ‘almsgiving’ throughout the Lenten Season, aligning beautifully with the Caritas Project Compassion Lenten Appeal.

The SJAT will promote and manage the Project Compassion donations made by students throughout Lent. Families are also encouraged to learn more about the work of Caritas, and contribute whatever they can electronically. To support Caritas, or for more information, please visit the Caritas webpage here. Families may also wish to read and discuss the weekly Lenten reflections provided by Caritas. Please see the Lenten Reflections for Weeks Five and Six below. 

The SJAT will also coordinate a donation drive into the foreseeable future, for items desperately needed by the Westernport Conference of St Vincent De Paul. Please refer to the details below.

Catholic Baptism

Did the disruption of the ‘COVID-19 years’ disrupt your plans to seek Catholic Baptism for your child?

Now is a great time for families considering The Sacrament of Catholic Baptism for their child/ren, to contact the Western Port Parish Centre on (03) 5979 4374. Should you make Baptism arrangements with the Parish, please inform me so that this special milestone for your child can be acknowledged within the school community. Please also forward a copy of your child’s Baptism Certificate to the school so that this can be reflected in the school records.

Families who wish for their children to receive any sacrament or The Rite of Reception through the parish have been requested by Fr Shymon to make timely arrangements, as adequate preparation is required. This is especially important when families wish to enroll in school sacramental preparation programs, such as First Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation. Please consider this advice in preparation for our future school sacramental programs.

Christian Initiation for Adults: RCIA

Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic or continuing the Catholic sacramental journey that you commenced as a child or younger adult? 

Adults who wish to begin or continue their faith journey through the reception of the Catholic sacraments are invited to contact the Western Port Parish Centre on (03) 5979 4374.

Catholic Care

For further information about the services offered by Catholic Care for those in need, please visit: https://www.ccam.org.au/

Western Port Parish News

Please follow this link to the Western Port Parish web page, and to find out more about parish happenings.

Access to Australian Catholics Online Magazine

Hard copies of the Australian Catholic Magazine will be distributed to all families whose eldest children are in Years 3-6 this year. Please look out for these throughout the year and have a read over a ‘cuppa’ to discover more about happenings in Catholic schools and parishes. 

ALL families have FREE access to the Australian Catholics online resource. To access this fabulous resource, please click here  and use the following login details to gain access:

Email: parents@sbsomerville.catholic.edu.au 

NEW Password: acparents

Yours in faith & harmony.

Emma Chapple -Religious Education Leader -Performing Arts Classroom Specialist Teacher

echapple@sbsomerville.catholic.edu.au