Religious Education News 

Smoking ceremonies are an ancient custom among Aboriginal Australians in which native plants are burnt to produce smoke and acknowledge the ancestors and pay respect to the land, waters and sea of country. 

The smoke is believed to have healing and cleansing properties. 

FIRE Carrier leaders are required to develop a Reconciliation Covenant (a Reconciliation Action Plan) and are committed to promoting Reconciliation within and outside their school. Fire is at the heart of Aboriginal culture and stands for Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education.  

After celebrating Harmony Day on Monday where the students participated in a Smoking Ceremony and some selected students and staff were commissioned as F.I.R.E Carrier leaders, it was uncannily timely that the Year 4 students celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation where they received the healing power of Jesus and  where FIRE is used as a symbol of Jesus' presence in our lives and in our hearts.

The Church uses many words to describe the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is one of the two sacraments of healing (the other being the Anointing of the Sick); it is sometimes called the sacrament of conversion, the sacrament of confession, or the sacrament of forgiveness. Pope John Paul II called it "an act of honesty and courage." All of those descriptions belie the popular stereotype of the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation as focusing primarily on guilt and sin. In fact, many who attend the sacrament use another word to describe its effects: joy. 

This Sacrament is a gift from God where we receive God’s mercy and forgiveness and know that our broken relationships can be reconciled.

 It is never easy to say sorry, to admit our mistakes, or to ask for forgiveness. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a special time in the church family when we ask to be forgiven. It is a time when we say ‘Sorry’ to God and think of how we can make up for the hurt we may have caused. It is a time when we can say that we  believe in Jesus Christ and belong to God’s family. It is a time where we can reflect on our choices, safe in the knowledge that through Jesus’ death and resurrection, our sins are forgiven and we can start again. 

to the students who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation earlier this week.

After their reconciliation students lit their candles as a symbol of Jesus being the light we carry to show the world of his love through our actions, words and thoughts. Although a number of the children felt scared and anxious before receiving the Sacrament, there were many smiles and happy hearts after receiving God’s gift of forgiveness. 

As you can see in the photos below, there was a lot of joy being experienced.