Education in Faith
Family Led Sunday Mass
During 2025, the Parish in conjunction with the Parish Primary Schools, has planned Family led weekend Masses. These Masses will be celebrated once a term and be followed by hospitality. They will be a great opportunity for children and their families to be involved in a Mass within the parish community.
Family Masses will provide an opportunity for families to come together and to support each other in faith. They can particularly be important for families who are presenting their children for Sacraments throughout the year. There may be opportunities to reconnect with our own faith as adults. There may be opportunities to engage with parish life and learn more about the faith, for those who are not so familiar with our local worshiping community. All families are welcome at these family Masses no matter what your religious background or affiliation.
Family Masses have been scheduled for the following dates this year:
Saturday 15 March at 6.00 pm (OHR Church)
Special invitation to Year 3 & Year 5 students and families
Sunday, 18 May at 5.00 pm (OLGC Church)
Special invitation to Year 4 students and families (includes First Eucharist Commitment)
Sunday, 17 August at 5.00 pm (OLGC Church)
Special invitation to Year 6 students and families (includes Confirmation Commitment)
Saturday, 15 November at 6.00pm (OHR Church)
Prep, Year 1 & Year 2 and new families for 2026 are particularly invited to this Mass
Nick Byrne
RE Leader
RE Learning in 5/6MM
This term, we have been looking at What is Church?
We worked in groups to act out a picture to represent what Church is.
We cannot have a Church without the people.
When we talk of our Church community, we mean not simply a building where Christians gather, but all Christians, God’s people who believe, celebrate and serve together in Jesus’ name.
What does being Church look like?
It is not just the belief in Jesus/God and the Church, it is the practice of living out these values in everyday life.
Church isn’t just about our going to Church, it's the actions and choices we make aligning with the Church community.
How can we be Church?
We can act out Gospel values, catholic social teachings, and be present in the community, and through the lens of Jesus teachings.
We looked at some Catholic organisations that support the community, such as the St Vincent de Paul Society and Caritas Australia.
We are now planning and creating a variety of initiatives that can be introduced into the classroom, school or community about ‘Being Church.’ This could include raising money for a charity, caring for creation, helping those in need, providing positive environments etc.
Sunday Gospel
The liturgy of the Catholic Church provides a framework for reflection which is used by Catholics throughout the world. Each week in the Newsletter, you will find the Sunday Gospel as well as some discussion questions to have with your child/ren.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
In the evening of the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you,’ and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.
‘As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.’
After saying this he breathed on them and said:
‘Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.’
Discussion Questions
1. Today we celebrate the coming of the Spirit. Who do you know that is a Spirit-filled person?
2. What sort of things show that a person is Spirit-filled?
Let us ask the Holy Spirit to come into our hearts so that we may be Spirit filled.