Ash Wednesday – 17th February 2021

Last week the season of Lent began with Ash Wednesday, which 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 homegroup has a Project Compassion box to collect donations throughout the rest of the term, 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

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.

Watch a short film about Jamila’s story here.

“Aspire not to have more, but to be more.”

SMJ Horsham Newsletter

Ss Michael and John's Primary School Horsham - Caring, Learning, Growing: Every Child; Every Day -

Issue 4 · 26 Feb 2021

In this issue