St Mary's Faith & Family 

"Peace be with you all!"

The Easter Season continues...

Easter is celebrated in the Church for 50 days.  That 's about 7 weeks of eating Easter eggs (just joking). Since the resurrection of Jesus is the greatest feast in the Church's calendar we have many days to celebrate. The Easter season finishes this year on Sunday June 8th when we recall the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  

Sacramental Preparation Thursday 29th May 6pm-  Fr Elio Capra will be sharing with families about the importance of the sacraments in our faith life. Parents who have children preparing for any of the sacraments of Reconciliation, First Communion or Confirmation are asked to attend with their child/ children.  All school families are welcome to attend. A notice was sent home last week about the evening as well as other important dates to mark in your calendars. Please return the forms to the office this week. 

Sacrament Dates and Commitment Masses-

Sacrament of Reconciliation Wed June 4th 6pm- (Yr 3)

First Communion Commitment Mass Sunday 27th July 10:30am (Yr 4)

First Holy Communion Sunday 10th August at 10:30am (Yr 4)

Confirmation Commitment Mass Sunday 14th September 10:30am (Yr 6)

Sacrament of Confirmation Sunday 26th October 10:30am (Yr 6)

We have a new pope!

On May 8th white smoke went up from the chimney at St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican to indicate that we have a new pope. All the cardinals of the Catholic Church had gathered for the conclave to elect a new Pope after the passing of Pope Francis. The pope Is responsible for the 1.4 billion Catholics in the world!  As soon as a new pope is elected, he has the opportunity to go to what is known as the Room of Tears.  Despite the dramatic name, it’s not much more than a landing in a stairwell; quiet , plain and functional.  The space bears immense spiritual weight. The newly elected pope goes immediately to the Room of Tears where he dons the white cassock for the first time. He may even weep as he begins to comprehend the responsibility he has on his shoulders. He then steps out onto the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to greet the crowds. 

Our new pope, Pope Leo XIV's first words to the world were "Peace be with you all!" These words echo the words that Jesus spoke to his disciples when he rose from the dead. 

Pope Leo is 69 years old and  was born in America, the first ever American pope. Having spent a large part of his life in Peru he even has Peruvian citizenship. He belongs to a religious order called the Augustinians. As head of the order he has already visited Australia four times. Let’s hope he enjoyed our country so much that he returns one day soon!

Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd, Pope Leo XIV, a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world. Amen.