Dear St Martha’s Parents, Carers and Grandparents,

Congratulations to all the children who made their First Holy Communion on 3 and 10 September. May they always know that Jesus loves us unconditionally, that He is always with us and that we’re very blessed to be able to go to Mass every week (even daily, if we want to) and receive Him. He truly strengthens us and fills us with His peace, love, and grace.

Oremus: Foundations in Prayer Retreat

Last week, and last night, at the Oremus, Foundations in Prayer’s Course, Sr Anastasia (Dominican Sister) and Tania Rimac reminded us that God loves us so much and has a plan for our life, and that Jesus is a person who we can talk to, and who is always with us, by our side.

You’re all warmly invited to attend the Foundations in Prayer Retreat on Saturday 28 October at St Martha’s, Leichhardt, where we will have the opportunity to strengthen our faith in Christ and our prayer life.

I look forward to seeing you all there.

Date: Saturday 28 October

Time: 10am - 4pm

Venue: St Martha's, Leichhardt

Cost: $28.50 (+booking fees)

Register here.

Please email elena.razzoli@syd.catholic.edu.au to reserve your spot. Please note: spots are limited and are likely to sell out soon. Please email elena.razzoli@syd.catholic.edu.au also if you have any questions about the retreat, thank you.

Family Rosary

You’re all warmly invited to pray the Rosary on Zoom tonight (Thursday 21 September) and Wednesday 11 October at 7pm. As always, please feel free to keep your audio and video off if you prefer to. Please email elena.razzoli@syd.catholic.edu.au if you’d like to lead a decade of the Rosary, thank you.

Didaskō Adult Faith Formation

If you’re interested in attending the upcoming Didaskō Adult Faith Formation courses:

Goodness, Beauty, Truth: An Introduction to Themes and Thinkers in Philosophy

and The Scriptures: A Conversation with God Every Day, offered by the University of Notre Dame, to learn more about Jesus and His Church, to study, to discuss and to ask questions, could you please email elena.razzoli@syd.catholic.edu.au by Friday 29 September 2023? You are welcome to either join me in person at St Martha’s, or attend the course online from home. Feel free to email me (elena.razzoli@syd.catholic.edu.au) also if you have any questions about these courses, thank you. The courses are designed for participants to actively engage in the classes, with the opportunity to ask questions and participate in discussions.

Dates and times: Short courses will take place between October 2023 and May 2024, each consisting of three evening sessions within a month, from 7:30pm – 8:45pm.

Goodness, Beauty, Truth: An Introduction to Themes and Thinkers in Philosophy

Presented by Dr Catherine Wesselinoff.

Dates: Thursdays 5, 12 and 19 October 2023

Time: 7:30pm – 8:45pm

Mode: Online via Zoom

Cost: $35 per person (+ booking fees), $100 for Parish Groups (+ booking fees)

Description: This course serves as an introduction to central issues in philosophy. The course covers three philosophical subdisciplines: ethics, aesthetics and epistemology. It opens with ethics and discusses general questions about values, goodness and responsibility. The middle session is on aesthetics and considers the nature of beauty and whether beauty is objective or subjective. The final part of the course is on epistemology and is concerned with the question “What is truth?” and the nature of justified belief.

The Presenter: Dr Catherine Wesselinoff is a lecturer at the University of Notre Dame, Australia, where she teaches courses in the history of philosophy, political philosophy, ethics, and aesthetics. She completed her PhD at the University of Sydney in 2022, her Masters from the University of Oxford in 2012, and her undergraduate studies at the Australian National University in 2009.

The Scriptures: A Conversation with God Every Day

Presented by Dr Peter Holmes

Dates: Thursdays 2, 9 and 16 November 2023

Time: 7:30pm – 8:45pm

Description: Pope Benedict wrote “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person” (Deus Caritas Est, 1). To have a relationship with Our Lord, Catholics speak and listen to Him daily in reading and praying the Scriptures. This is why Pope Francis urges Christians to open the Scriptures every day, “for we urgently need to grow in our knowledge and love of the Scriptures and of the risen Lord, who continues to speak his word” (Aperuit Illus, 8). This series will give some background and practical tips on how to hear God’s voice in Scripture, and to be led by Scripture to prayer, opening daily communication, and deepening our personal relationship with our loving God.

The Presenter: Peter Holmes is married with eight children. Raised an Evangelical, Peter was trained and served as a Lutheran Minister before working in counselling, consulting and teaching roles within the Catholic Archdioceses of Melbourne and Sydney. He spent 6 years as the Manager of Studies for Catholic Adult Education Sydney. Since 2007, Peter has lectured in Scripture, Marriage and Sexuality, Theology, and biblical languages (Hebrew and Greek). Peter’s research interests include the relationship between the Old and New Testaments, the relationship between faith and reason and the theology of masculinity.

Encountering Christ Retreat 20-22 October 2023

All women aged 18-35 are invited to a retreat with the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia at Mt Schoenstatt, Mulgoa on 20-22 October. If you’d like to attend it, it would be great if you could please email elena.razzoli@syd.catholic.edu.au by Thursday 21 September 2023.

Life Marriage and Family Sunday: 22 October 2023

All families are invited to attend the 10:30 Mass at St Mary's Cathedral on Sunday the 22 October, with an opportunity for renewal of marital promises and a special blessing for families. Join us after Mass at the Cathedral Hall to witness and celebrate couples celebrating significant wedding anniversaries. Registrations are essential to receive a certificate. RSVP by no later than 6 October at https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1085323

Thank-You to Those Who RSVPd For Our Pilgrimage

Wednesday 8 November 2023: All Parents, Carers, Grandparents and Preschoolers are warmly invited to a Day Pilgrimage to Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney.

Thank you to the Parents who have already confirmed their attendance to our pilgrimage to MacKillop Place. If you’re interested in attending the pilgrimage on 8 November and haven’t emailed yet, could you please email elena.razzoli@syd.catholic.edu.au at your earliest convenience.

On Wednesday 8 November 2023, we will catch the train from Strathfield Station in the morning after school drop-off, and we will be back at St Martha’s before pick-up time. If you’d like to even just join us at Mary MacKillop Place later, or to leave earlier, or just join us for Mass and/or lunch, you’re also, of course, welcome to do so.

Wishing you all a restful and blessed school break.

Looking forward to seeing you all in week 1

Blessings

Mrs Elena Razzoli

Family Educator elena.razzoli@syd.catholic.edu.au

Dates to Remember