Assistant Principal - Mission 

Lent

O'Connor students have enjoyed a great start to Lent. The Lenten Season is the 40 days leading to the great feast of Easter. This is a time of preparation. Catholics prepare for Easter by prayer, almsgiving, and abstinence.

Shrove Tuesday

Traditionally the day before Ash Wednesday is known as Shrove Tuesday although Pancake Tuesday is another name for which it is known. Shrove comes from the old English word shriven, meaning to go to confession before Lent began on Ash Wednesday. Pancakes came into the equation as a part of this preparation to rid the pantry of fatty foods before fasting in Lent. This year our Vinnies group cooked pancakes and topped them with maple syrup and ice cream to raise money for Caritas and Project Compassion. Thanks to all the Vinnies students and Mrs. Leggat for organising this. 

Ash Wednesday

O'Connor celebrated mass on Ash Wednesday with Father Paul in the De La Salle Chapel. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. It is a Solemn Mass where the ashes from last year Palm Sunday are distributed in the sign of a cross on members of the congregation's forehead. The words "Repent and believe the Gospel"  is spoken during this process. The ashes are a symbol of confession reminding us that we rely on God for the forgiveness of our sins. On Ash Wednesday fasting and abstinence from meat are traditional practices.

Lenten Group

O'Connor has a Lenten Group that is open to students, parents, friends, and teachers. This will take place in De La Salle Chapel at 3.30 pm. This takes the form of prayerful reflecting on the Sunday Mass readings during lent and applying these to everyday life. In terms of preparing for Easter, it is wonderful to experience.

The Pilgrimage of St Therese and her Parents Ss Louis and Zelie Martin.

A number of student volunteers attended the mass to celebrate the relic of  St Therese and her parents Sts Louis and Zelie Martin visiting the Armidale Diocese. St Therese was known as the "The Little Flower". She is revered in the church because of her simplicity and practicality of her spirituality. Father Samson described her as a Saint who attended and gave love to the everyday occurrences in life, the little things.

Mr Damian Roff