Catholic Identity
Sacramental Programme 2023
Opening School Mass - Friday 24th February
‘Live Life to the Full’
Our Opening School Mass was a beautiful celebration to start the new year. Our new school theme ‘ Live Life to the Full’ was on full display. A big thank you to Kym Henderson, mother of Violet and Marley Henderson, for all her work in organising the printing of the banner and the stickers for our class candles, they looked amazing!
Once again our amazing and musically talented teachers, Mrs Angela Collins and Amelia Mangiameli and our choir, led the whole school in a wonderful display of singing and music! Thank you!
Thank you to our priests; Father Joe Taylor and Father Jackson Saunders, we are very BLESSED to have you both presiding over our school Masses and we look forward to future Masses with you both.
Our Year 6 Student Leaders and Staff were commissioned & given a special blessing and our Class Candles and the Year 6 Leadership badges were also blessed.
Thank you to all the parents and family members who could attend. It was lovely to see our beautiful church full with so many happy faces, a wonderful way to start the new school year. THANK YOU!
Opening School Mass Reflection Video
SHROVE TUESDAY- PANCAKE TUESDAY
Last week we celebrated Shrove Tuesday / Pancake Tuesday in true St. Brendan’s style with many hands making light work. The Catholic Identity students were on their feet shaking mixes and delivering pancakes across the school from 8.45am till 11am.
Over 800 pancakes were made and served to all our students and everyone enjoyed the annual Catholic tradition. A BIG Thank you to the many families who donated ingredients and a gold coin to help start our school’s Project Compassion campaign and also a big thank you to the wonderful parent helpers who came along to assist in making the delicious pancakes. THANK YOU
We were able to raise over $500 for Caritas' Project Compassion Appeal from our pancake day. Thank you to everyone who was able to support us with a gold coin donation. Greatly appreciated.
Through this annual tradition, we aim to raise awareness and funds for Caritas Australia. It’s also a timely reminder of the importance of solidarity and how each single act of kindness - whether big or small, can make a life changing impact in the lives of those who need it most. The theme for this year’s Project Compassion is ‘for all future generations’ an affirmation that the good we do today will extend and impact the lives and generations to come.
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday and the beginning of
the Church season of Lent
Last Wednesday our Whole School Community participated in Mass and Liturgy services for Ash Wednesday. The Junior students, Year 1 and 2 held a special Liturgy in our school courtyard and the students in Years 3 to 6 went to Mass. All of the services were very special with families invited to come along and join the students. All students were marked with a cross of ashes on their foreheads as a symbolic action of repentance and being sorry for wrongs they have done and being faithful to Jesus.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Liturgical season of Lent. It’s a solemn time of renewal and prayer. The season reflects Jesus’ time of 40 days spent in the desert. During this Lenten Season, the students are reminded to:-
PRAY- making prayer a part of our daily lives.
GIVE ALMS - taking up something that will help us to live life to the fullest and be our best selves. This could include giving to others through CARITAS.FAST-Give up something- food, sweets, devices
We are all encouraged to commit to prayer, fasting & almsgiving throughout Lent. This could be a simple act of kindness, saying a special prayer for someone every day, spending some time in quiet meditation, prayer journaling, asking someone to join in a game, giving someone an extra big smile, not having a treat and donating the money saved to Caritas' Project Compassion Appeal.
What are you going to do this Lent?
Project Compassion
Caritas is a Catholic agency that works with communities all over the world to help them achieve their development goals and build a better future for all community members.
Each year, Catholic schools in the Sandhurst Diocese support the work of Caritas through Project Compassion.
Last week the Catholic Identity students delivered Project Compassion boxes to each student who is the oldest in the family at St Brendan’s.
Each year at St Brendan’s we collectively "give" to Caritas to work with communities at home and abroad to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.
Families are asked to fill their Caritas boxes with any coins or notes over the next five weeks till the end of term. Project Compassion boxes can be returned to the school office when filled. The final day for the return of the boxes is Thursday, April 6th – Holy Thursday.
Thank you for your continued support in giving to those in need.
Greatly appreciated.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER 2023
“I Have Heard About Your Faith”
The theme is God’s promise in the letter to the Ephesians, which is an invitation to active listening, which is the ground of our prayers. Following the example of the letter (Ephesians 1:15-19), where the author praises the church for their faith in Jesus and love toward all the saints, the worship service contextualizes the witness of the saints with the stories from Taiwan.
World Day of Prayer is a worldwide movement led by Christian women of many traditions who observe a common day of prayer on the First Friday in March.
Leanne Pellegrino
(Catholic Identity Leader)