Religious Education Dimensions
Pilgrims of Hope
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
Amen
St Roch’s Sacrament Program: First Communion
It was wonderful to join together last Thursday in our school hall for the Year 4 First Communion Family Night. A night of family conversations about celebrations, family First Communion experiences and a deeper understanding of how special this Sacrament is and what it means for us as a part of St Roch’s Parish.
The following Sunday, we joined St Roch’s parishioners at Mass for the Family First Communion Commitment Mass. Students received a blessing from Father Gallacher and then handed out prayer cards to families asking parishioners to keep the candidates in their prayers.
We pray for all of our First Communion students as they begin their preparations to receive Communion for the first time. A special thank you to the Sacramental team of Father Gallacher, Jess Mount, Angie Mastoras, Carmel Rozario and Teresa Hogan.
Catholic Care Family Week 2025 (May 11-18) 'Building Thriving Families, Where Everyone Belongs'
Family and community are deeply connected—they are two sides of the same coin. As Pope Francis wrote in The Joy of Love, “the family is the first school of human values, where we learn the wise use of freedom.” He also reminds us that families should not retreat from society but step forward in solidarity with others. Families are the foundation of our communities, bridging the private and public aspects of our lives and fostering a true sense of belonging.
This year’s Family Week theme, Building Thriving Communities, Where Everyone Belongs, reflects this vision. Families play a vital role in shaping our sense of connection, care, and responsibility for one another and are an essential foundation to thriving schools. Watch out for some ‘family activity’ ideas from your child’s class to celebrate this special week!
Whole School Prayer Service for Pope Francis
This week, St Roch’s School joined together to acknowledge the passing of Pope Francis. Pope Francis led a life for all people, the poor, the marginalised, everyone. He taught us to be kind and to care about others, especially those who are struggling. Those who may not have enough food, shelter or love.
He wrote a special paper called Laudato Si‘ where he asked everyone to Care for our Common Home’. Pope Francis reminds us to look after the Earth because it is our shared home. He showed that being a good leader means helping people, leading with humility. He wanted everyone to listen to each other and to get along.
Most of all, he taught us to love simply and share with others every day. We can thank Pope Francis by living out the values he taught. We can also pray for him and continue to spread love and peace in our own lives.
‘Eternal Rest, grant unto him O Lord,
And let perpetual light shine upon him,
May he rest in peace, Amen.
Term 2 Events to Note:
- Thursday 22 May: Preps in Pyjamas Family Night @ 6.00pm
- Sunday 25 May: Year 1 and 2 Family Mass @ 5.00pm
- Wednesday 11 June: Year 4 Retreat Day
- Sunday 15 June: Year 4 First Communion @ 12.00pm
Louise Bolton
Religious Dimension Leader