Religious Education

"If your brother listens to you, you have won back your brother."

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - 6th September 2020

With Father's Day upon us this coming Sunday, we often take for granted the things that people do for us.  The busy-ness of life sometimes gets in the way of seeing what really matters - the love and care we have for each other and our 'neighbours'.  As a Catholic School Community at St Joseph's we are automatically part of an extraordinary family, where we come to know and love each other for the gifts and talents each of us possesses.    In Matthew's Gospel (Mt 18: 15-20),  Jesus speaks to His disciples about supporting one another in the difficult times.  He says that if a brother is having trouble, and you cannot help alone, ask for more assistance - and it will be given.  And Jesus said:  "I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them."

As I reflect on Father’s Day, the word that comes to mind is “thankfulness”.  The story told by Jesus of The Prodigal Son,  is a parable of a father and his two sons - a powerful lesson of love: the one who went astray who discovered that his father's care came to him even when he had run away from it and the other who struggled to understand such extravagant love in the face of his brother's failures and his own fidelity. The father in the story, like God, never gave up on either of his children.

St Brigid's Mass Times

Saturday Vigil Mass - 5pm

Sunday Mass - 9:30am (Father's Day)

All Welcome

God our Father,

We give thanks and praise for fathers young and old.

We pray for young fathers, newly embracing their vocation;  

may they find courage and perseverance to balance work, family and faith in joy and sacrifice.

We pray for our own fathers around the world whose children are lost or suffering;  may they know that the God of Compassion walks with them in their sorrow.

We pray for men who are not fathers but still mentor and guide us with fatherly love and advice.

We remember fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers who are no longer with us, but who live forever in our memory and nourish us with their love.

Amen.

An update on our 'Thank You' pictures and notes of Appreciation for Local Essential Services.

You may remember last term, that students were wanting to acknowledge the wonderful people we have in our community that have worked to keep us safe and healthy during these uncertain times.  We received some photos we would like to share with you!

God bless,

Mrs Wendy Rheinberger

REC