R.E News - Assistant Principal / Mission

The Year of St Joseph

Br. Robert Scheiler, the Brother Superior of the De La Salle Brothers recently wrote to O'Connor encouraging our community to celebrate the Year of St Joseph. Below is adapted from that letter;

In 1871, Pope Pius IX declared Saint Joseph Patron of the Catholic Church. On the 150th anniversary of the declaration, Pope Francis declared 2021 a special Year of Saint Joseph in which each member of the faithful, by his example, can daily strengthen his or her own life of faith in the full fulfilment of the will of God.

The devotion of our Founder, John Baptist De La Salle to Saint Joseph is well known. Days before his death, John Baptist de La Salle urged his Brothers to have a special devotion to this Guardian of Jesus and the Patron of our Institute. Saint Joseph is our model: Joseph, the man of confidence and faith in God; Joseph, the just and humble man. With Mary he raised and educated Jesus.

In his biography of the Founder, Canon Blain explains De La Salle's devotion to Saint Joseph:

What struck him most in the admirable life of the holy spouse of the Mother of God was his great docility to the action of Divine Providence, his submission to the most vexing commands, his prompt obedience to the voice of the Lord, his hidden life, his angelic chastity and, finally, his tenderness and love for Jesus and Mary. Virtues of this great saint that he longed to imitate.

Check this space (the O'Connor Newsletter) for more about the Year of St Joseph in coming weeks.

Friday the 19th of March - "The Feast of St Joseph" 

The following is our morning prayer on the Feast Day of St Joseph.

Through the example of Joseph,

May we grow in courage

and determination to help

The stranger

The poor and needy

The suffering and the dying. Amen

Holy Week and Youth Mass

Palm Sunday is on March 28. On this day we celebrate Jesus' triumphant return to Jerusalem. Within a week he was tortured and crucified. Three days later Jesus rose from the dead. This is the cornerstone of our faith. We are Easter people and on Easter Sunday we celebrate new life in Christ. Youth Mass is on Palm Sunday at 5.30pm with many of our students involved in ministries including welcoming, reading and music. It would be great to see as many O'Connor families there as possible.

The Easter Triduum

This is the proper name for the liturgical season that concludes Lent and introduces us to the joy of the Easter season. Starting with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on the evening of Holy Thursday, continuing through the Good Friday service and Holy Saturday and concluding with evening prayer on Easter Sunday, the Easter Triduum marks the most significant events of Holy Week. This includes The Last Supper, the death of Jesus Christ by Crucifixion and Jesus raised from the dead. 

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me”. 

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 

Men's Gathering

McCarthy Catholic College is hosting a Men's Gathering on Saturday March 20 - "The Authentic Christian Man".

Year of St Joseph

A Message from Bishop Kennedy regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine

Answers to Key Ethical Questions on COVID-19

La Salle Online Retreat

A 45 minute online retreat which explores St Joseph the educator. 

Saints Mary and Joseph Cathedral Parish

Keeping in touch with what is happening in the Cathedral Parish is easy through their website and Facebook pages.

With such a difficult year it has been harder for parishioner's to give to the parish through the plates, particularly when the church was closed. The Parish account details are available on the Parish bulletin. 

Information about our founders

La Salle Website

Ursuline Sisters Website