Religious Dimensions

Reconciliation 

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of two sacraments of healing (the other being the Anointing of the Sick). Reconciliation is a sacrament of forgiveness and celebrates God’s love and mercy towards us. It is about acknowledging and naming those times when we know we have done wrong, and then making peace and restoring the relationships, with those who have been affected by our poor choices and with our God.

We thank our wonderful families who came along to the Parent/Child Workshop on Thursday 24 March. 

We keep these students in our prayers as they finalise preparations and receive the Sacrament in early April. 

Project Compassion

The season of Lent began last week on Ash Wednesday 2 March. This also marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. All donations to Project Compassion allows Caritas Australia to work with communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. 

The theme of Project Compassion for 2022 is ‘For all future generations’ and reminds us that the good we do today will extend and affect generations to come. It encourages us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long term solutions to global issues. 

You can donate via the donation boxes that have been placed in each classroom, or online via the Caritas Australia website. 

Evelyn W and Alyssa T

Grade 6 Social Justice/MJR Leaders

Each week of Lent, the students will explore a different story from Caritas Australia about the work they have undertaken to make a difference in people’s lives. These stories will be incorporated into our weekly Lenten Prayer Services. 

Second Week of Lent  

(Week beginning Monday 14th March)

This week through Project Compassion we learn about Biru who lives in a rural village in India’s east. He lost mobility in one of his legs, after contracting polio as a child. Biru worked as a shepherd, looking after other people’s cattle, to support his wife and four daughters. Keeping up with the cattle was a challenge.

Biru taught himself how to repair bicycles by watching other people, but he never dreamed of using those skills to start his own business. With your generous support, Biru was able to access an entrepreneurship and livelihoods training program, run by Caritas Australia’s partner, Caritas India. He gained the support and skills he needed to start his own bicycle repair business. Now, Biru earns enough money to support his family.

Watch a short film about Biru’s story here.

Third Week of Lent

(Week beginning Monday 21st March)

We are now in the third week of Lent with the Project Compassion story of Janice, a Wagilak woman and traditional dancer who tells her family’s stories through movements handed down over generations.

Like many remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, Janice’s faces a range of challenges – low employment and education, financial hardship, poorer health and lower life expectancy.

With your help, Caritas Australia supports Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation, which operates a centre for traditional and contemporary Aboriginal arts and culture, providing employment and generating income for local communities.

Janice believes that Djilpin Arts’ work is essential to create opportunities for young people to stay on-country, to share intergenerational knowledge between elders and the younger generation - to promote healing, and to keep culture alive.

Watch a short film about Janice’s story here.

Acts of Kindness at OLA

During Lent at OLA, we also discuss how we can show our faith through acts of kindness and service by helping others. One of our Grade 6 students Rupert has taken part in acts of service through his Scouts group and volunteered at Soup Angel soup kitchen earlier this week. Mentone Scout Group visited this soup kitchen for the first time on Monday 19 March. The Scouts had to cut, peel and prepare vegetables for soups. The soups are delivered on Wednesdays to people in need (like to homeless shelters). 

“I feel like it was a good experience and it was for a good cause. I feel like a lot of people should do it, even if it’s not just at this specific soup kitchen. There are some other places that you could help at too and they all support good places”

Rupert P & Mrs Taig

Caitlan Taig

Religious Education Leader