Faith Matters

Dear St Francis Xavier Families,

Multicultural Mass

It was lovely to see so many of you at the Multicultural Mass. An extra special thank you and commendation to our students who sang so well during Communion. 

Although St Francis Xavier was by far the smallest school attending we had more than triple the number of children volunteering to sing, compared to the other schools. I think this is a beautiful example of our children's enthusiasm and willingness to be supportive of school/church events. I hope you enjoyed the luncheon and festivities afterwards.

Confirmation

Last Sunday a group of our Year 6s were confirmed by Bishop Tony Ireland. They have worked with a sense of dedication to prepare for this occasion and each contributed time and effort in creating a poster about their chosen saint. The posters will be displayed in the church for the next couple of weeks. Congratulations to Sebastian, Rosie, Aliyah, Liam, Emily, Luciana, Alana, Jo Anne, Luke, Joshua, Jacob and Millie.  Additional thanks to Miss Tamara and Miss Georgia for their preparation of this group. 

Advent 2023

The season of Advent commences on Sunday December 3rd.  Each year our school recognises and reflects upon Advent in a different way. This year, we will be celebrating through our Whole School Morning Prayer services. There will be four mornings in December dedicated to Advent starting at 8:50am and running for about 15 minutes each. They are Tuesday, December 5th, Friday, December 8th, Tuesday December 12th and Wednesday December 13th.  We would love families to join classes for these prayer sessions.

What is Advent?

In the Catholic Church, the Advent season reminds us about the importance of Christ in our lives, prepares us to celebrate Christ’s birth at Christmas, and refers to his second coming at a future time. Each week during Advent has a specific meaning and relevance and we light a candle.

In the first week, we light the first candle which signifies hope and signals that Jesus is coming. 

On the second Sunday, the candle symbolises peace.  The simple message here from the angels is “peace on earth and goodwill towards men.”

On the third Sunday of Advent, it is traditional to celebrate joy.

During the fourth week a candle is lit to celebrate the everlasting love of God

Even though Advent has a special meaning in the Catholic faith, it can be celebrated by everyone regardless of their religious beliefs. This time of year can be particularly busy – the Advent celebration helps us to slow down and take a moment to reflect on what is important in our lives,

God's blessings and best wishes, 

Marion O'Brien

Education in Faith Leader