Education in Faith

Sacramental News and Dates

Sacrament Levy

There is a $25 Sacrament Levy to cover the cost for:

•  a guest speaker to conduct a Parent and Child Workshop for each Sacrament.
• professionally made stoles for ALL 3 Sacraments. 
• a candle for children receiving reconciliation.
• children receiving First Eucharist and Confirmation to travel to St. Kevin’s Church for Reconciliation, Eucharist practice by bus.

This levy needs to be paid in full to the school in an envelope clearly indicating your child’s name, Home Group and name of Sacrament being received at the start of the year, before or on the day of your Family Workshop Session.

The Ascension of the Lord - Year A

The short gospel passage for this week is taken from the final words of the gospel of Matthew. It is known as ‘The Great Commission’ as Jesus is portrayed commissioning his disciples to go out to the world and spread the good news. They are charged to ‘Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations.’ This is the basis of much of the missionary work of the Church that has gone on ever since then.

However, the focus of this week’s feast is much more on the first reading than the gospel. The opening verses of the Book of Acts, describe the final instructions of Jesus to his disciples and then his ‘lifting up’. The gospel of Luke is the only gospel writer to actually describe the Ascension. The fact that the other gospels don’t discuss the Ascension in any detail at all is a good indication that this description should not be taken literally.

However, the message of the Ascension is a powerful one. It reminds us that Jesus, the human incarnation of God on earth, was limited to a specific time and place in history. Despite the physical limitations of his life on earth, Jesus ensured that his message and ministry would continue through those he had taught. Knowing that the disciples would need time to grieve and come to terms with all that had occurred in a relatively short space of time, Jesus promised that the Spirit would come upon them in the days to come. That visiting of the Spirit upon the disciples at Pentecost was the motivation to set about doing what Jesus had charged them to do. Without the Ascension, there is no Pentecost.

Historical Context – To the ends of the earth

In both the gospel passage from Matthew and the passage from the Book of Acts, Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out to the whole world. In Matthew, it is to ‘all the nations’ and in Acts it is ‘to the ends of the earth’. Both writers make it abundantly clear that the message of Jesus is not exclusively for the people of Israel but for all people everywhere. Within only a very few years, early Christian communities had sprung up all around the Mediterranean. Once Christianity became the religion of Rome it spread to all the corners of the Roman Empire.

Discussion Starters

• Why was it important for Jesus to ‘commission’ his disciples to continue his work?
• What is the connection between the coming of the Holy Spirit and the disciples being witnesses?
• How do you understand ‘being a witness to your faith’?
• How are you able to witness to what you believe in your everyday activities?
• Who is a person you know who could be described as witnessing to their faith?
• In the gospel passage, what is it that Jesus commissioned his disciples to do?
• What have been some of the ‘darker moments’ of the history of missionary activity of the Church?
• How does your local community seek to ‘spread the good news’ to others?
• What are some of the actions of being a witness that might speak louder than words?
• Who do you know who has gone away and you don’t see very often?
• How do you keep in touch?
• Jesus went back to his Father but he is still with us.
• How do we keep in touch with Jesus?
• We show Jesus is with us by the way we live.
• How will you show others that Jesus is with you this week?

God Bless,

Rozeta Ambrose

rambrose@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au

GRADE 5/6 SOCIAL JUSTICE TEAM – MINI VINNIES

On Friday June 16th is the Feast of the Sacred Heart. To model Jesus and share our love with others in need, we will be asking for food/toiletry donations.

Mini Vinnies will be collecting non-perishable food and toiletry items for the St Vincent de Paul Conference, Hampton Park which is based at St Kevin’s. These items will then be given to people in need within our community. 

We are asking for your help! Could each student bring in a food or toiletry item? The food item must be:

• Non-perishable
• Before the used by date or best before date. Please don’t bring items that are expired as these cannot be handed out to people.

Wednesday lunchtime Mini Vinnies got together and started getting the baskets to put the grocery and toilet items in ready for each House and delivered them to each Learning Space. Once again a big thank you to the Mini Vinnies. They never mind giving up their time!! 

THIS YEAR WE WILL HAVE A COMPETITION BETWEEN THE HOUSES. 

THERE WILL BE A BASKET FOR MACKILLOP, BOSCO, TERESA AND PATRICK IN EACH LEARNING SPACE. THE MINI VINNIES WILL COLLECT THE FOOD ITEMS EACH WEDNESDAY AND LET YOU KNOW WHICH HOUSE IS WINNING. 

WHICH HOUSE WILL WIN THIS COMPETITION????

COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD POINTS

A reminder to students that they can earn house points by demonstrating community spirit which includes our PBL values, especially this week’s focus: Responsibility – think before you act.

The results so far are:

Well done Patrick!! But it’s only early days, so come on MacKillop, Bosco and Teresa! Let’s see if you can catch up next week!

Giuliana