Catholic Identity
St. Mary's, Help of Christians Feast Day
We warmly welcome all families to our upcoming St. Mary's Feast Day Mass to be held at St. Mary's Church next Friday the 23rd, May at 9:00am.
Mary, our Mother, you responded to the call of God with faith and courage.
Help us to express our faith with honesty.
Help us to remain faithful in difficult times.
Help us to discover meaning and purpose in the events of our lives.
Help us to find healing in times of hurt.
Help us to be gentle, reasonable and loving in all our relationships.
Help us to be compassionate in the face of indifference.
Help us to bring joy and hope into the life of others.
Help us to live lives of practical love.
Mary Help of Christians,
Pray for us
We are looking forward in sharing our St. Mary's School Prayer which has been thoughtfully created by our student representatives under the guidance of Mr. Simpson in Term 1. It reflects the core values that unite and inspire our school community.
ST. MARY'S SCHOOL PRAYER
Mother's Day - THANK YOU!
A big warm thank you to all our families who joined us for our 2025 St. Mary's Mother's and Special Friends Liturgy last Friday - Thank you to Fr. Martin for leading the liturgy and for the lovely special Mother's Day blessing.
We thank Marisa Wood and Roxy Ogier from our PnF committee for their wonderful work in leading the preparations for our Mother's Day Breakfast.
Thank you to Wendy Forster-Smith: Mum of Charles - Yr 1, Thomas - Yr 6, Jack and Bella (past students) for her warm reflection on motherhood that brought both laughter and tears. Thank you so much Wendy for sharing your heart with us.
SYMBOLS OF MOTHERHOOD
Flowers – for a mother’s love and the beauty they bring into our lives.
A Candle – for a mother’s guiding light and the warmth of her love.
A Heart – for the deep, and unconditional love of a mother.
Mother Mary – We honour the Mother of Christ, may this symbol remind us of her gentle strength and unconditional love and continue to guide all mothers.
A Fruit Bowl – for the joy and fruits of motherhood and the harvest of love, effort, and patience our mothers give daily.
A Lunchbox – for their service, care, and daily sacrifices.
A Book – for all the wisdom they pass down on us.
A Blanket – for the comfort, warmth, and protection they provide
Election of a New Pope
"Peace be with all of you!" - the first words of Pope Leo XIV. The Conclave has elected Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost as the 267th Bishop of Rome. The new pope was announced to the waiting crowds by Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti.
- Vatican News
Our school community lit candles in classrooms and prayed for the newly elected Pope Leo XIV. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may he continue to spread the light of Christ in the Church and all around the world.
Prayer for Pope Leo XIV
Faithful God,
You guide us on the path of life
and your goodness is our constant companion.
Be with our new Shepherd, Pope Leo XIV,
in his service of the Church.
Fill him with the power of your Spirit,
the peace of your presence and the compassion of Christ.
May he walk with you, in wisdom and humility,
and lead us, together with all God’s people,
to embody your love for the world.
Amen.
TERM 2 SACRAMENTS:
CONFIRMATION
A reminder that this year St. Mary’s will join Sacred Heart for the Sacrament of Confirmation Mass, which will be held on Thursday 29th May, at Sacred Heart at Holy Spirit and Saint Francis Parish, Sandringham (Sacred Heart Church).
Our Confirmation candidates will be taking part in a Student Reflection Day next Tuesday 20th. This will be held at school where our students will engage in prayer and activities focused on preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation; we are especially honored to welcome Bishop Tony, who will be visiting our school on this special occasion. In preparation for our students will design their "Personal Coat of Arms". Could families please print out photos for their child to use and paste onto their Coat of Arms. Images to include: Photos that represent their most cherished values in life (family) / achievements.
A Parent Confirmation Session will be held on Tuesday 20th May, 3:00pm - 3:30pm.
A requirement of the Sacramental Program is for a parent to attend the Confirmation Parent Session. This will be a special session for you to reflect on your child’s faith journey in preparation for the sacrament. It is also an opportunity for you as parents to have an understanding of the Sacrament. The session will be led by our parish priest, Fr Martin Tanti. During the presentation, he will share information about what a sacrament is, with a focus on the description of the Sacrament of Confirmation.
A reminder that Confirmation Candidates will be going to Sacred Heart next Thursday for a Mass Rehearsal. Please kindly respond to our Nforma form to notify us that you give your child permission to attend. Students not taking part in the Sacrament will remain at school.
Sacramental Stoles:
Please add a symbol of the Sacrament of Confirmation to the student’s Sacramental stole (which was received for the Sacrament of Reconciliation; some students' used their stole from Baptism). Symbols of Confirmation may include a dove, flame, and hands (for laying of the hands). On the stole, the student’s names will be placed on the right side (above the school logo, if using the stole provided by the school) and symbols of the sacraments on the other side. For more examples of Confirmation symbols,, please view the link below.: https://www.nancyscreations.com.au/rapidcartpro/stoles_euch.php
If there are any students requiring a new stole, please contact Mrs Del Castillo via email: vdelcastillo@smhampton.catholic.edu.au
Baptism Certificates: For your child to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, your child must have been baptised in the Roman Catholic Church. Thank you to all families who have shared this with me.
CONFIRMATION KEY DATES
- Reflection Day: Tuesday, May 20th 8:45am - 3:15pm (in class)
- Family Preparation Session: Tuesday, May 20th - 3pm - 3:30pm(School Hall)
- Confirmation Mass: Thursday, 29th May - 5pm (St Mary’s Church)
Please note that on Student Reflection Day, students will come in casual clothes all day.
RECONCILIATION
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is the Sacrament of Healing and is the second Sacrament for those baptised within the Catholic Church. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be held on Friday, June 20th 2pm at St. Mary's Church.
A requirement of the Sacramental Program is for families (e.g. parent and child) to attend the Family Preparation Evening. This will be a special evening for you and your child to reflect on their faith journey and to come together as a family in preparation for the sacrament. It is also an opportunity for you as parents to have an understanding of the Sacrament and what the program looks like for your child and how you can support them at home.
The presentation will be led by our parish priest, Fr Martin Tanti. During the presentation he will share information about what a sacrament is, with a focus on the description of the sacrament of Reconciliation - a sacrament of initiation.
Sacramental stoles: Parents whose children will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation will take home a white stole which they will wear on the day of their Sacrament of Reconciliation. On the stole, the student’s name will be placed on the side with the school logo (embroidered, ironed, glued or written) and a symbol of the sacrament on the other side. Symbols of reconciliation may include praying hands, Bible, prayer book and cross.
For more Reconciliation symbols please view the link below (under Reconciliation Symbols heading): https://www.nancyscreations.com.au/symbols_fonts.html
Baptism Certificates: For your child to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, your child must have been baptised in the Roman Catholic Church. Thank you to all families who have shared this with me.
RECONCILIATION KEY DATES
- Reflection Day: Thursday, June 12th 8:45am - 3:15pm (in class)
- Family Preparation Session: Thursday, June 12th - 3pm - 3:30pm (School Hall)
- First Reconciliation Liturgy: Friday, June 20th - 2pm (St Mary’s Church)
If you have any further questions regarding our upcoming Sacraments, please do not contact Veronica via: vdelcastillo@smhampton.catholic.edu.au
Please note that on Student Reflection Day, students will come in casual clothes all day.
Family Gospel Reflection:
Gospel Reading: John 13:31-33a,34-35
Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment: love one another.
Is love the first word your family members use to describe their interactions? Love is difficult. Jesus' sacrifice for us is an example of this. Yet because of love, the glory of God is fully revealed in Jesus. God's glory is revealed in us when we act as the Body of Christ, as individuals and as a community. In the love we have for one another—difficult, challenging, sacrificial love—we find Jesus.
Choose one or two occasions when your family was together during the week. Describe the family's interactions from an outsider's perspective. When is it less difficult to show love to family members? When is it more difficult? When love is difficult, what do we do?
Jesus didn't just tell us to love one another. He showed us how to love one another. In what ways did Jesus show us how to love? (in his acts of healing and forgiving; at the Last Supper as he washed his disciples' feet; in the gift of the Eucharist; through his death on the Cross)