Education in Faith

‘BE THE KINDNESS YOU WANT TO RECEIVE’

THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Sunday 27 October, 2019

Gospel of Luke 18: 9 - 14

‘The publican returned to his home justified, the pharisee did not’

YEAR SIX CONFIRMATION REFLECTION DAY AT AMBERLEY

Last Monday all Year Six students from St Francis Xavier and Holy Trinity, spent a wonderful day together reflecting on what their Confirmation meant for them in their own choices and actions. The students had the opportunity to spend some quality time to think and reflect on their own faith journey since their Confirmation. Congratulations to all Year Six children for their behaviour and demonstrating such reverence throughout the day. Thank you to the Year Six teachers from both schools for their preparation and assistance with the day.

GOODIES ARE PACKED AND READY TO BE SHIPPED

Thank you to the whole school community for your ongoing support to our sister school Buhisan Elementary. These are the goodies collected at Social Action Day earlier this year. We have three huge boxes full of face washers, soap, toothpaste and brushes, lunch boxes, thongs, stationery…...the list goes on. The boxes were packed by our Year Six Social Justice Liturgy Team last week and they are ready to be picked up and shipped. A huge thank you to Maddy Kos, Olivia Cifone, Cooper Wilson, Matthew Southey, Adam Peters and Ayesha Bourke for their continued and ongoing support of the RE Social Justice program. Congratulations for being ambassadors to our RE Program.

PREP 2020 WELCOME MASSES

On the weekend of November 9 and 10, we welcome our new Prep children and their families to our school-parish community at the Saturday 6pm and Sunday 10:30am Masses. 

These Masses are dedicated to our new Prep children from both St Francis Xavier and Holy Trinity schools. They are celebrations, complete with balloons and stories that are a wonderful way for the children to begin building their own connections with the church and the school. 

We welcome and encourage all 2020 Prep families to come along to one of the Masses and be part of this celebration.

THE FEAST OF ALL SAINTS AND SOULS

All Saints Day, November 1, is traditionally an important day of remembrance in our church. We take the day to honour the saints, both known and unknown, from our history. We know the popular ones who we prayed for our everyday trials; St Anthony to help us find the things we lost; St Christopher to keep us safe in our travels; St Jude when things seemed hopeless (popular in my family around exam time) and more recently our first Australian saint St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.

But what do these people really mean for us today? What relevance do they have to our modern day lives? Regardless of the history or story behind any individual saint, together they send us a collective message that is still relevant today. They remind us of the importance of hope, inspiration, trust and faith in our lives. They remind us as Catholics that we find hope, inspiration, trust and faith in the life of Jesus Christ.

All Souls Day, November 2, is a day for more personal reflection as we remember those in our lives who have died. It was once a day to pray for their soul to go to heaven but maybe it is also a day when we pray and give thanks for them having shared their lives with us. 

CLASS MASSES

An important and much loved part of our RE Program at St Francis Xavier has always been the Class Masses. The children enjoy being able to share this special celebration with their friends and family. Class Masses will be at 9.10am and will take place either in the classroom or the church.

Our last Class Mass for the year will be our Year Six Children next Thursday October 31

Dates and times are as follows: 

TERM 4

Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 November - Prep 2020 Welcome Mass (6pm and 10.30am Mass only)

Tuesday 3 December - St Francis Xavier Feast Day Mass 9.15am

Friday 6 December - End of Year Whole School Mass 12.30pm

Monday 9 December - Whole School Christmas Carols night @5.30pm Venue to be confirmed

Wednesday 11 December - St Francis Xavier Graduation 7pm

Monday 16 December - Mystery Tour for the Year Six students to the Herald Sun Paper

Adriana Bownds

Religious Education Leader (REL)