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Lent

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. Due to the lockdown, this will be celebrated on Friday in levels with a pre recorded liturgy. A link will be sent out for families.

As Catholics, we traditionally receive a sign of the Cross made from the burnt ashes of the previous years’ Palm Sunday palms. The sign of the Cross is made on the person’s forehead to remind us that we need to turn away from our sins and believe in God so that we can share in eternal life with Him. 

We are asked to think about how we follow Jesus’ teachings in our everyday lives and where we need to change our ways, and ask for forgiveness.

Many Catholics will try to change their behaviour eg by giving up a bad habit during the season of Lent or take up a practice that is for the common good so that when Easter arrives, they have made the change to live a better Christian life.  The challenge then is to make the change permanent. 

The season of Lent also marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allows Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to alleviate poverty, hunger, oppression and injustice.

We encourage you to put your compassion into action this Lent through your prayer, fasting and almsgiving by supporting Project Compassion. Each family will receive a Project Compassion box for their donations or you can donate online via the Caritas Australia website at: lent.caritas.org.au    

Saint Oscar Romero is our inspiration for Project Compassion 2021, so in his words let’s “Aspire not to have more, but to be more.”

First Week of Lent  

(School week beginning Monday 22nd February)

We begin our annual Lenten Project Compassion journey by learning about the story of Jamila and her family. Jamila, 22, is a Rohingya woman, living in the world’s largest refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. A single mother, she fled armed conflict in Myanmar to save herself, her elderly mother and eight-month-old baby. 

With the support of Caritas Australia, through Caritas Bangladesh, Jamila was able to access emergency food and shelter. She also received counselling, emotional support and learnt sewing skills, to help her earn an income.  Jamila now feels less alone, with a sense of community around her. She is able to ‘Be More’ to her little family.  

860,494 people remain in the densely populated camps, in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, especially due to COVID-19.