RENews
Sacrament of First Penance (Reconciliation) & First Eucharist
In a letter sent home during the last week of Term Two, all families of the students receiving the Sacrament of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist were advised of the change of date due to the current circumstances and in following with the Victorian Government’s reinstated COVID-19 restrictions. (in particular in a place of worship)
The Sacrament of First Eucharist is such a sacred and momentous occasion in every child’s faith journey which should be celebrated with family, friends, and the whole parish community. Therefore, after meeting with Fr Simon we reached the conclusion that in everyone’s best interests we will postpone the celebration of First Eucharist until Sunday 14th February 2021 at 9 am and 10:30 am mass.
The Sacrament of First Reconciliation is the rite of initiation where the children make a commitment to their faith. As a school, we will continue to prepare the children for the Sacrament of First Reconciliation and formation program for First Eucharist in Term 3 during school hours.
Later in the term, families will be notified of exactly when the program will begin and the scheduling of the Parent/Child Information evening session. (via zoom).
We extend a big thank you to all our families of all children preparing to receive a Sacrament this year, for your continued support, patience, and understanding. It is during these times that the importance of community is truly seen and felt.
THE POWER OF PRAYER
Prayer is essential to our relationship with God, but it is more than just words. It is a total body-mind-heart response that involves silence, rituals, and repetition. This variety is important for us adults but even more important for children. Children need to be fully involved and engaged in prayer experiences throughout their life.
Prayer is experienced in many different forms. Some of the ways we can involve children in celebrating God's presence and teaching them how we communicate with Him is through prayer. Prayers such as reading or listening to bible stories, participating in liturgical celebrations, listening to liturgical words or phrases, and reciting traditional prayers-Our Father/Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
The Sign of the Cross + is a significant part of prayer. We make the sign of the cross to oneself to start and to end prayers. When we make this sign on ourselves with the right hand we think of Jesus on the cross and we think of the three Persons in one, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit- the Trinity.
When Jesus' disciples asked Him what does it mean to pray and how is it done- "Teach us how to pray Lord"- Jesus responded by teaching the Our Father.
Identifying a 'sacred space' or 'prayer space' and using 'symbols' are all important elements of prayer time. Gathering around a designated spot or locating a place that is sacred is very important when engaging in prayer. It enables the child/person a place where they feel safe, can be creative and can interact with God in a unique way. Using visuals such as a candle, bible or Rosary beads are all traditional symbols that help focus or center a person during prayer time.
Meditation is another form of prayer. Meditation is universal spiritual wisdom and a practice found at the core of all the great religious traditions, leading from the mind to the heart. Christian Meditation aims to teach children to find God in stillness, silence, and simplicity. The purpose of Christian Meditation is to impart knowledge about God and to provide first-hand experience of God’s love through the experiential process of “doing” meditation. Even as little as One- Minute- Meditation is all a person needs to center oneself, reflect, and connect with God.