Catholic Identity

PRAYER 

The Real Presence of Jesus

Last week our Year 4 students celebrated their First Holy Communion and on the weekend the church celebrated the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Feast of Corpus Christi).  On this day we remember the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper.  

In the 13th century, Pope Urban IV established the Feast of Corpus Christi, and St Thomas Aquinas composed its official prayers. These historical connections remind us that many of the prayers we recite at Mass have been prayed by generations of Catholics for centuries. Indeed, with the Mass itself being celebrated for over 2,000 years, we are reminded that our faith is firmly rooted in a rich heritage and enduring traditions that have been handed down through the ages.

In the Gospel passage, Jesus speaks a number of times about his followers eating his flesh and drinking his blood; ‘For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.’ In the Eucharist, we celebrate the ‘real presence’ of Jesus, understanding that the bread and wine is changed into the body and blood of Christ. This change does not occur in a physical, observable way. The Church teaches that the ‘substance’ of bread and wine, what makes them bread and wine in essence, is changed but not the physical attributes. This  change of substance is known as ‘transubstantiation’.  Below is a prayer families may like to pray together:

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for the wonderful gift of the Eucharist,

Where you satisfy the hunger of the human heart.

You give us your own Body and Blood to nourish our souls

This Holy Communion gives our hearts love, strength, and grace.

Help us to remember that you are truly with us

And guide us to share your love with everyone we meet.

Amen.

FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART MASS 

Our final school Mass for the term on Wednesday 24th June, will be dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At this Mass we offer assistance to the poor by donating non-perishable grocery items. These will be brought forward with the offertory procession and will then be handed on to the St Vincent De Paul Society who will distribute the goods to needy local families.  

PARISH DINNER DANCE 

The Parish will be holding a Dinner Dance on Saturday 25th July from 6:30pm onwards in the St Andrew’s School Hall.  On the night there will be live music and a buffet dinner.  This is a wonderful way to support the vital work of our Parish.  Families wishing to represent St John’s on the night at a school table of 10, can contact the school office on 8754 4300 to secure your tickets.

COMMUNITY MASS

Throughout the year we hold a number of Community Masses, in either our School Hall or as part of a Parish Mass at St Andrew’s church.  These Masses are generally celebrated on the fourth Saturday of the month (excluding school holidays or where the weekend is next to a public holiday). 

Below is a list of the remaining Mass dates for the year, we look forward to seeing many of our families there:

Saturday 25th July

Saturday 22nd August

Saturday 24th October

Saturday 28th November

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

• Tuesday July 21st Family Meeting 6:00pm @ St John’s School Hall 
• Saturday August 8th Sacrament of Confirmation @ MacKillop College Werribee

SACRAMENTAL JOURNALS

All baptised Catholic students in Year 3, 4 and 6 are celebrating a Sacrament this year.  Students in Year 4 will receive their First Holy Communion later in Term 2 and our Year 6 students will be Confirmed in Term 3.

An important aspect of preparing for any Sacrament is to attend Mass each weekend. Fr Albert is encouraging every child in the Parish of St Andrew’s who is preparing to celebrate a Sacrament this year, to attend Mass regularly, to receive God’s abundant graces.  

All students celebrating a Sacrament this year, have received their Sacramental Journal. These Journals are given to all children in the Parish who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, their First Holy Communion or to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation this year.  The Journal is an easy way for families to record the Masses they attend throughout the year.  Please remember to take a pen to Mass so the priest can sign your Journal for you at the end of Mass.

PARISH NEWSLETTER