Education in Faith

Sacrament Celebrations 2025

Whole School Masses - Term 1

This term, we have two more Whole School Masses planned. The times and dates are as follows:

Ash Wednesday Mass - Wednesday 5th March @ 2.00pm

Closing of Term One Mass - Wednesday 2nd April @ 2.00pm 

Family and friends are more than welcome to join the students and staff at any of these Masses, which will be held in the OHR Church.

Together at One Altar (https://www.togetheratonealtar.catholic.edu.au) a resource from the National Catholic Education Commission has drawn on Church documents when describing the Mass as having many purposes, some of which are outlined below.

Burning of the Palms

On Tuesday 4th March at 2.45pm, Father Sang will lead all our students in a palm burning ceremony outside in preparation for Ash Wednesday. Using ashes obtained by burning palms from the previous Passion Sunday provides a wonderful life-death-life symbol of the paschal mystery to explore. The palms are a symbol of Christ our triumphant king (life); that triumph turns to ashes at the crucifixion (death); being marked with those ashes signifies our commitment to journey to the font at Easter (life). Everybody is most welcome to come along. Students will be marked with these ashes at our Ash Wednesday Mass. This will occur on Thursday for our Prep students as they are still having Wednesday as a rest day.

Project Compassion

Project Compassion is Caritas Australia's annual Lenten  fundraising and awareness-raising appeal. Millions of Australians come together in solidarity with the world's poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. The theme for this year’s appeal is Unite Against Poverty!

During Lent our RE Year 5/6 Student Leadership Team will be selling Zooper Dooper icy poles for 50c after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15 - 3:30pm at the tuckshop window. This will start on Thursday 6th March. All money raised will be donated to Project Compassion. If anybody would like to donate a pack (or more) of Zooper Doopers please bring them to the office. We can look after the freezing for you‼

RE Learning in 5/6DG

In 5/6 DG we have been learning about the Jubilee year which used to be celebrated every 50 years but now every 25 years. Every Jubilee year has a theme. This year's theme is Pilgrims of Hope, which was decided by Pope Francis. The Jubilee is special because it is a year for people to take the time to reflect on God’s grace.

We discovered the different meanings of the colours used in the Liturgical Calendar that represents specific events throughout the year. The colours that are used are green, purple, white and red. 

We discussed what prayer means to us and how we pray, including setting up and getting ready to pray. We talked about various reasons why people pray, some of the reasons were, asking for support, guidance and forgiveness. 

By Sia and Gabby

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 Luke

Jesus told a parable to his disciples, ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.

‘There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.’

Discussion Questions

1. What are some kind things that people can say to each other?

2. What sort of people say good things to others?

3. We hear in today’s Gospel that good people say and do good things. What things can we do this week to show that we are good people?

Nick Byrne

RE Leader