Catholic Identity
Mercy Prayer
We pray for the Sisters of Mercy, who established our school and for the priests who have served at St. Mary’s.
It is through their vision, determination and strong faith that we enjoy the benefits of a Catholic Education here in Mooroopna.
We are proud to be a Mercy School, where the values of love and justice are taught and lived every day.
Term 2 Week 6 Catholic Identity Newsletter 2022
NEW NEWS!
St. Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal.
We will celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart Mass on Friday, 24th June at 10am and will once again be supporting the St.Vinnie’s Winter Appeal as part of this celebration.
We invite you to send along any “Winter Woollies” to support others in our community during the colder months of the year.
Blankets, coats, beanies, scarves, jumpers, windcheaters and socks (much needed items!!) would be gratefully accepted! Food items, such as tinned soup and fish, and other non-perishable foods, would also be appreciated.
Please send along any food items and new or “good condition” second hand Winter Woollies to school over the next few weeks.
NEW NEWS
2022 First Reconciliation candidates:
We congratulate the following students who will celebrate the Sacrament of First Reconciliation on Thursday, 2nd June at 7pm in St. Mary’s Church:
Ella Thomas
Izarith Thomas
Isaac Lagana
Shai-Leigh Woodman
Tyler Irwin
Bella Walsh
Isabelle Vraca
Julian Mandaradoni
Cristina La Gamba
Ava Vraca
Jensen Ferrari
2022 First Communion
Congratulations to the following students on celebrating their First Communion.
NEW NEWS
The Seven Sacraments.
The Catholic Church celebrates seven sacraments.
In order of celebration here at St. Mary’s, the sacraments are:
Baptism - a sacrament that welcomes people into the Catholic Church and the first sacrament of initiation. This sacrament is celebrated only once. If your child has been baptised into another church and you would like them to be a member of the Catholic Church, a “welcoming ceremony” can be celebrated for them to become Catholic.
Reconciliation - a sacrament of forgiveness and one of the sacraments of healing. This sacrament can be celebrated many times.
Eucharist - a sacrament of initiation that celebrates the Body and Blood of Christ. This sacrament can be celebrated many times; every time you attend Mass.
Confirmation - a sacrament of initiation that makes you a full member of the Church. This sacrament is celebrated only once.
Marriage - a sacrament of commitment/ service. The vows made between the two people are the symbol of this sacrament.
Holy Orders - a sacrament of commitment/ service where a man celebrates entry into the priesthood.
Anointing of the Sick - a sacrament of healing which can be celebrated many times. This sacrament brings spiritual and emotional healing to those who celebrate the sacrament.
NEWS REMINDER!
Sacramental Parent Information Meetings.
The Parent Information Meeting for the Sacrament of First Eucharist will be held in Term Three on TUESDAY, 19th JULY at 7pm in the Marian Centre. Payment for the program can be made on this night. The Sacrament of First Eucharist will take place on Saturday, 20th August at 6.30pm and Sunday, 21st August at 10.00am.
The students enrolled in this program are:
Ava Vraca
Nico Maksacheff
Willow Dean
Mikhail Maksacheff
Grace Sibio
Lucas Tripoli
Isabelle Vraca
Sienna Tripoli
Cherie Smith
Abel Huggard
Jett Maksacheff
Macabe Smith
Ella Thomas
The Parent Information Meeting for the Sacrament of Confirmation will be held in Term Three on TUESDAY, 13th September at 7pm in the Marian Centre. Payment for the program can be made on this night. The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated in Term Four on Saturday, 5th November at 6.30pm and Sunday, 6th November at 10.00am.
NEWS REMINDER!
Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ Encyclical Letter.
Mr. Woodward and the Grade Six Sustainability Team are working towards enrolling St. Mary’s Primary School as an Earthcare school, following the example of many other Sandhurst schools who have signed up to this program aimed at making a difference in our world by focussing on the goals from Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter, Laudato Si’.
From Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ Encyclical Letter come seven goals we are asked to strive for as part of our obligation to care for our Earth and the environment.
These goals are:
1. Response to the Cry of the Earth (greater use of clean renewable energy and reducing fossil fuels in order to achieve carbon neutrality, efforts to protect and promote biodiversity, guaranteeing access to clean water for all).
2. Response to the Cry of the Poor (defence of human life from conception to death and all forms of life on Earth, with special attention to vulnerable groups such as indigenous communities, migrants, children at risk through slavery).
3. Ecological Economics (sustainable production, Fair-trade, ethical consumption, ethical investments, divestment from fossil fuels and any economic activity harmful to the planet and the people, investment in renewable energy).
4. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles (sobriety in the use of resources and energy, avoid single-use plastic, adopt a more plant-based diet and reduce meat consumption, greater use of public transport and avoid polluting modes of transportation).
5. Ecological Education (re-think and re-design educational curricula and educational institution reform in the spirit of integral ecology to create ecological awareness and action, promoting the ecological vocation of young people, teachers and leaders of education).
6. Ecological Spirituality (recover a religious vision of God’s creation, encourage greater contact with the natural world in a spirit of wonder, praise, joy and gratitude, promote creation-centred liturgical celebrations, develop ecological catechesis, prayer, retreats, formation).
7. Emphasis on Community involvement and participatory - action to care for creation at the local, regional, national and international levels (promote advocacy and people’s campaigns, encourage rootedness in local territory and neighbourhood ecosystems).
Thanking you,
Michelle Hicks