R.E News - Assistant Principal - Mission

All Saints Day, All Souls Day and the Month of November

November is a recent tradition when men attempt to grow a moustache. It is more importantly traditionally the month in the Catholic Church when the faithful departed are remembered and their souls prayed for. It is a time when we remember family and friends who have passed away. Students at O'Connor have access to the chapel to pray. Students also have access to a prayer intentions box where they offer people that we as a community can pray for. Two major feasts occur at the start of November. They are All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

All Saints Day is a solemn holy day in the Catholic Church dedicated to the saints of the Church. The term "saints" is interesting. Although the day is primarily focussed on those known saints as recognised by the church such as St Damian and St Cosmas, it is acknowledged that there are potentially millions and millions of saints yet to be recognised whose lives act as an inspiration for our own to be in partnership with God and do good in the world. St Paul references the word saint as believers in the early church and Eastern Orthodox Churches acknowledge saints as any one in heaven whether they are recognised or not on earth. All Saints is celebrated on November 1 and introduced by Pope Boniface IV in 609 AD.

All Souls Day is a little different. We do remember our departed loved ones but more specifically we pray for the souls of those not yet in heaven. The scriptural basis for this  is in 2 Maccabees, 12:26 and 12:32. "Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out... Thus made atonement for the dead that they might be free from sin."  Catholics believe that through the prayers of the faithful on Earth, the dead are cleansed of their sins so they may enter into heaven.  Year 10 and senior students who have studied the reformation would know that is not without controversy and could tell you how the concept of purgatory was tied up with the selling of indulgences to raise money to build St Peter's Basilica in Rome. Nonetheless All Souls Day remains a lovely tradition in the Catholic Church and reminds us all of our own mortality and our quest for eternal life with God. All Souls Day is celebrated on November 2 and it was also introduced by Poe Boniface IV in 609 AD.

Gone from my Sight (Rev Luther Beecher)

“What is dying?

The ship sailed away and I stand watching till it fades on the horizon, and someone at my side says: 

‘The ship is gone.’

Gone where?

Gone from my sight, that is all; the ship is just as large as when I saw it.

As I see the ship grow smaller and go out of sight, it is just at that moment that there are others in a different place who say: 

‘Watch; here the ship comes’” and other voices take up a glad shout: ‘You have arrived!’ - and that is what dying is about.”  

October - the month of the Rosary

On Friday, led by Lasallian Youth Minister Eliza Clark, a few senior students come into the chapel and said a decade of the rosary together. As it was October, it was lovely to see many Yr 11 LYL's take the opportunity while it was a study break for three Yr 12s who are undergoing the HSC exams at the moment. 

Vinnies Group Support Armidale Community Sleep-out

O'Connor had some students who were willing to sleep out in support of the Armidale Community Sleep-out. On Friday 30th October the students slept on their lounges, giving up the warmth and comfort of their beds. One member of the team slept in the car for the evening. Everyone who participated said it was a valuable experience in understanding to some degree, the plight of the homeless. 

The recognition by all was that we knew we had the privilege of this discomfort being for one night only and on the following night we would be returning to the blessing of our beds. Hopefully we won't take so much for granted in the future. A big thank you to those in the school community who, with their donations, supported the virtual sleep-out.

Saints Mary and Joseph Cathedral Parish

Keeping in touch with what is happening in the Cathedral Parish is easy through their website and Facebook pages.