Religious Education 

Joseph, husband of Mary, foster father of Jesus.

St. Joseph has two feast days on the liturgical calendar. The first is March 19—Joseph, the Husband of Mary. The second is May 1—Joseph, the Worker.

“Saint Joseph is a man of great spirit. He is great in faith, not because he speaks his own words, but above all because he listens to the words of the Living God. He listens in silence. And his heart ceaselessly perseveres in the readiness to accept the Truth contained in the word of the Living God,” Pope John Paul II had once said.

There is very little about the life of Joseph in Scripture but still, we know that he was the chaste husband of Mary, the foster father of Jesus, a carpenter and  a man who was not wealthy. We also know that he came from the royal lineage of King David.

We can see from his actions in scripture that Joseph was a compassionate man, and obedient to the will of God. He also loved Mary and Jesus and wanted to protect and provide for them.

Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus' public life, at his death, or resurrection, many historians believe Joseph had probably died before Jesus entered public ministry. Joseph is the patron of many things, including the universal Church, fathers, the dying and social justice.

REFERENCE FROM :https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/feast-of-st-joseph-the-worker-471

This is the week that we honour our Fathers. The men who guide us to be strong, good people. The men who are quiet and humble, the men who are loud and fun, the men like Joseph who foster others children and take them as their own, the men who love like Jesus.

 A very happy Father's Day to all our dads and special people in our lives.

My prayer this week is for our fathers.

Dear Father in heaven,

Bless those who are Fathers in our community. Help them to show strength in the messiness of life and to be good role models for our children and each other. Help them to know you and be with them as they raise the next generation of Fathers.  We pray for our Fathers in heaven who are watching over us.

Amen

Below is a poem about Fathers enjoy!

WHY GOD MADE FATHERS

Why God Made Fathers… God had said… I need someone who is tall in stature, for his children to look up to, but who can bend to kiss and tuck his child into bed, give nightly piggy back and airplane rides. So God made a Father.

Then God said I need someone with a strong heart. Strong enough for toddler tantrums and teenage testing, yet broken enough to fall on his knees and pray, pray, pray. Someone with a tough exterior, with hands of steel, but can manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on pony tails or even remove splinters caused by baseball bats. They have to be large enough to hold everything a small boy empties out of his pockets…yet small enough to cup his child’s face in his hands. A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle, and hold a sleepy head on the way home from the county fair. So God made a Father.

God said I need someone who can whip an attitude back into shape, but shape a soul to reflect an attitude of respect. And make a tree house out of nothing with his bare hands, teach his children how to cut the grass, repair a leaky faucet and plunge the toilet when it overflows all while keeping his sanity while putting in an 80 hour week by Wednesday night but can fit in an extra shift. And keep on going another 80 hours because raising generations matters and giving thanks around a table matters and making memories matters. So God made a Father.

It had to be someone who could help with the calculus and how to get from here to there without asking directions. Someone who could bait a hook, play a round of golf and horseback ride and not give a thought to all of his aching joints and bones. Someone who could walk his daughter down the aisle, holding back tears pretending to smile. So God made a Father.

It had to be someone willing to keep loving when it made no sense because that’s what love does. Someone who would love and keep his family safe from harm, but had a sense of humor and a playful charm. Through triumph or heart ache, relationships, grades, or friends, it is him that was needed and could always depend. Someone who’s been a mentor for many a year, there for the long hall through laughter and fears. Someone who knew when to guide and when to let go, the latter the hardest as he well knows. Someone willing to feed and lead, lay down his life and pick up his cross, give of his time because they have his heart. Someone who knows that failure is one of life’s lessons, so lift your chin and set your shoulders and take what you have learned to conquer. Someone who can humble himself with a sincere sorry that covers a multitude of sins. And who prays without ceasing for those precious miracles , for he knows that when he prays it opens up heavens doors allowing him to hear what God wants him to know, so he can walk in His perfect will wherever he shall go. So God made a Father.

(Anon)

CONFIRMATION

The date for Confirmation is Sunday 28th October 2018 

Candidates will be attending a preparation day with Candidates from St. Joachims on the 9th of October at Don Bosco Retreat Centre Lysterfield hosted by Father Martin Tanti. More information will follow regarding the day.

Bishop Elliott will be coming to meet with the candidates on the 23rd October 2018 to discuss the sacrament and the children's readiness.  Parish and School will be assisting you to prepare your children for the sacrament. At home please discuss the person your child will choose for their sponsor. The sponsor must be over 18 and Catholic and have made their Confirmation. 

Also please help your child to do some research on the Saint whose name they will take as their Confirmation name. The Bishop prefers that Females take the name of a Female saint and the Males take the name of a Male saint.

Seaford Parish Youth Group