Education in Faith

As we come to the end of this term, we thank You for the many blessings You have given us. Thank You for the opportunities to learn, to grow, and to share our gifts with one another. We are grateful for our teachers, families, and friends who have supported and encouraged us throughout the term. Thank You for the joyful moments, the challenges that helped us grow, and the kindness we have received and shared. As we begin our holiday break, keep us safe in Your loving care.

Fill our hearts with peace, joy, and gratitude. Help us to rest, spend time with those we love, and return refreshed and ready for a new term of learning. May we continue to follow Jesus in all that we do, showing love, compassion, and respect to everyone we meet.

Amen

Confirmation celebration

Parent/Child Faith Workshop

Wednesday 29th July at 7.00pm St Fidelis Hall

We invite all Confirmation candidates and their families to attend our Faith Workshop facilitated by Sarah Smith. This evening will provide an opportunity for reflection, prayer, and preparation as the children continue their journey towards receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation

Saturday 1st August at 12.00pm at St Joseph's Church West Brunswick

Our Year 6 children, together with the Year 6 students from St Joseph's School, will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. This special occasion marks an important milestone in their faith journey as they are strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit and continue to grow as active members of the Church community. We look forward to gathering with our candidates and their families as they celebrate this significant step in their sacramental journey.

Thank you Fr Tien

The St Fidelis school community would like to extend our sincere thanks to Fr Tien for taking the time to engage in learning with our children. His warm and gentle manner, together with his thoughtful and detailed explanation of the Order of the Mass, greatly enriched the students’ understanding. Fr Tien helped the children appreciate not only the different parts of the Mass, but also the significance and purpose behind why the liturgy is structured in this way. His willingness to share his knowledge and faith provided a valuable and meaningful learning experience, helping our students deepen their understanding of the Eucharist and grow in their appreciation of the sacred celebration of the Mass. We are grateful for his ongoing support and ministry within our St Fidelis community.

Serve at the Altar

We invite young people in our parish to become Altar Servers — a special way to serve God and our community at Mass.

Altar Servers assist the priest and take part closely in the liturgy, growing in faith, confidence and teamwork while building friendships along the way. It is a meaningful leadership role where young people can deepen their love of the Eucharist and grow in service of others.

No experience is needed — training will be provided. Young people from Year 4 and above who have received First Eucharist are welcome.

Celebrating Religious Education at St Fidelis in Term 2

This term, the children have been engaging deeply with a variety of whole school Scripture stories, providing opportunities to encounter God’s Word and make meaningful connections to their own lives and faith journey.

We began with the story of the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35). Through prayer, discussion and reflection, the children explored how the disciples encountered the risen Jesus and how this experience transformed them. The children were given opportunities to discover and make connections with:

Recognising Jesus in everyday life and understanding that Jesus walks with us, even when we may not realise it.

The significance of the breaking of bread, making connections between the Emmaus story and the celebration of the Eucharist.

Feelings of hope and joy, exploring how the disciples moved from sadness and confusion to faith and renewed purpose after encountering Jesus.

Being witnesses to the Good News, understanding that, like the disciples, we are called to share Jesus’ love with others through our words and actions.

Through a range of learning experiences, the children engaged in wonderings, prayerful reflection and thinking routines, allowing them to deepen their understanding of the Emmaus story and recognise how Scripture continues to guide and inspire us in our daily lives.

We continued our celebrations by honouring the feast of St Fidelis, our patron saint. The children gathered for a special Mass, giving thanks for the example of faith and courage shown by St Fidelis. Following the celebration, students engaged in learning experiences that explored the life and mission of their patron saint. They discovered how St Fidelis dedicated his life to sharing God's love, serving others, and standing firmly in his faith.

Through stories, discussions and reflective activities, the children were encouraged to consider how they too can live out the values of kindness, compassion and faith in their everyday lives. It was a meaningful opportunity for our students to deepen their understanding of the rich heritage and spirit of the St Fidelis community.

As part of National Reconciliation Week, the children explored the importance of building respectful relationships, showing compassion and working together to create communities where everyone feels valued and included. Through stories, discussion and prayer, the children reflected on how reconciliation begins with listening, understanding and caring for one another.

Making connections to the scripture story of The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), the children learned that Jesus calls us to love our neighbour and to show kindness to all people, regardless of their background or differences. Just as the Samaritan stopped to help the injured man with compassion and generosity, we are invited to be people of reconciliation who seek justice, show respect and walk alongside others with understanding and care.

National Reconciliation Week provided an opportunity for the children to recognise and celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and to reflect on how, as followers of Jesus, we are called to be peacemakers who build bridges of friendship, healing and hope within our school and wider community.

As we celebrated the Eucharist, the children reflected on the Gospel stories of the Feeding of the Five Thousand Luke 9:10-17 and The Last Supper Matthew 26:17-30 making connections between these scripture passages and the celebration of the Mass.

Through the story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, the children explored how Jesus cared for the needs of others and how the simple gifts of bread and fish were shared so that everyone had enough. They recognised that Jesus continues to nourish and gather us through the Eucharist, inviting us to share God’s love with others.

The children also reflected on The Last Supper, where Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples and gave them the command, “Do this in memory of me.” They learned that every time we celebrate the Mass, we remember Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and become part of this sacred meal.

Throughout the session, the children made connections to the symbols used in the Eucharist. They explored the significance of:

Bread and Wine – signs of Jesus’ presence and his gift of himself to us.
The Chalice – holding the wine that becomes the Blood of Christ.
The Paten – holding the bread that becomes the Body of Christ.
The Altar – the table around which God’s family gathers.
The Host – reminding us that Jesus is the Bread of Life.
The Cross and Candles – symbols of Christ’s sacrifice and the light of his presence.

These reflections helped deepen the children’s understanding of the Eucharist as a celebration of thanksgiving, community, and the real presence of Jesus, who continually invites us to gather, share, and live as his disciples.

Thank you to all our St Fidelis families for your ongoing support as we journey together in our children’s faith journey.

God bless and have a great break.

Annette Gasbarro