Education in Faith

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.

Our Grade 3 students have begun to prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. School students will be prepared for Reconciliation during school hours as a part of Religious Education. Teachers will administer lessons that focus on:

• Making choices
• Forgiveness  
• Reconciliation in Scripture 
• Prayers of Sorrow 

We keep our Grade 3 students in our thoughts and prayers during this special preparation time.

Lent

Lent is the period of about six weeks before Easter. It is a time in which we are quiet and thoughtful, preparing for Easter.

During this time we are invited to pray, show kindness to our loved ones, help out those in need, or give up something that is special to us. 

The period of Lent ends at Easter, which is a time of great celebration as we reflect on how Jesus had died on the cross but then rose again from the dead.

Lent is traditionally forty days long. That is because the Bible says that Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness, preparing for his death and resurrection.

Project Compassion

The season of Lent began last week on Ash Wednesday 22 February. 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 2023 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.

The Grade 6 Social Justice Leaders and Community Leaders have taken the lead in promoting this within our school, and we thank them for their work so far.

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

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. 

First Week of Lent

We begin our annual Lenten Project Compassion journey by learning about Laxmi, a 16-year-old girl living in Jajarkot, a remote district in Nepal where almost half of the population live below the poverty line.  Tragedy struck when Laxmi was 10 years old and her father passed away. Her father worked hard to pay for his children's education and, after losing him, Laxmi was at risk of falling further into extreme poverty.

With the support of our partner Caritas Nepal, Laxmi joined a child's club at her school where she was encouraged to resume her education. Through the child’s club, Laxmi developed the skills and confidence to become a leader, advocating for clean water taps at her school.  

Laxmi is now excelling in her studies and working towards her dream of becoming a civil engineer. She continues to be involved in the child's club, serving as an advisor and mentoring the next generation of young leaders at her old school.    

Second Week of Lent

This week through Project Compassion we learn about Tereesa, a Gamilaroi woman from Western Sydney who struggled with homelessness while raising her four children. At just 16 years old, she had to leave school when she was pregnant with her first child. A single mother struggling with homelessness, Tereesa’s only concern was finding stability for her children.   

Seeking a better future for her family, Tereesa joined Baabayn Aboriginal Corporation’s Young Mums and Bubs Group, supported by Caritas Australia. Baabayn helped Tereesa access housing and psychological support. Through Baabayn, Tereesa was also able to hear stories from Indigenous Elders and reconnect with her culture.  

Today, Tereesa is studying a certificate in Community Services so that she can strengthen her skills and give back to her community. Tereesa now works at Baabayn, providing support to young mothers and mentoring the next generation of young people.  

Caitlan Taig

RE Leader