From the Principal

We are in Lent, the Christian season of preparation for Easter. It’s a time where we focus on our many blessings and God’s sacrifice for us. Traditionally we do this through prayer and reflection, by giving to charity and fasting. Fasting is about living with less.

This message of living simply is a valuable one in a world where our wealth is growing at the expense of others.

Lent would be a good time to make a new, lifelong habit to live more simply. The colour for Lent is purple, but maybe we can make it green this year? 

10 tips for making the Lenten season more meaningful: 

• Slow down – set aside 10 minutes a day for silent prayer or meditation. It will revitalise your body and your spirit.
• Read a good book – you could choose one about the life of a saint, a spiritual how-to, an inspirational book, or one of the Pope's new books.
• Be kind – go out of your way to do something nice for someone else every day.
• Get involved – attend a Lenten lecture or spiritual program.
• Reconnect with your parish – go to Mass, volunteer for the roster to clean or read, or have a conversation with someone on the way out of the church.
• Reach out – find someone who needs a hand and give them one.
• Pray – especially for the qualities you need to be a better 'you'.
• Tune out – turn off the TV and phone and spend quality time talking with family or friends.
• Clean out closets – donate gently used items to the St Vincent de Paul Society.
• Donate – Caritas collects money for its work, and there are many other charities that care for others.

(The information included in this article has been adapted from www.simplycatholic.com.)

Helen Spencer

Principal