Reflections on Faith 

Now in the third week of Lent, our Religious Education programs are reflecting the change of Church season. Lent is a time to prepare for Jesus' resurrection and we are asked to reflect upon ourselves, leading simpler lives through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. At the beginning of Lent, Caritas boxes were sent home with students for the Lenten period and these are welcomed back at the end of the term or week 1 of term 2. 

Kindergarten are being introduced to  Lent through the stories of ‘The Lost Sheep’, ‘The Washing of the Feet’ and ‘The Last Supper’. Through these stories, and in keeping with the season of Lent and Holy Week, the students are introduced to Jesus as the one who loves us, who seeks out the lost, who humbly serves others and who provides nourishment. This unit is the foundation for later exploration of the Lenten season and the Last Supper. 

In Stage 1, students are being introduced to the Lenten practices of this season.  Engaging with Scripture, the story of Zacchaeus explores the idea of ‘beginning again’; this is called repentance. The story of The Poor Widow explores the practice of ‘giving’. Students will also look at the events of Jesus’ life that are celebrated during Holy Week. 

Next Friday, 25th March, K-2 students will join together in the Church to celebrate a Liturgy of the Word with Father Gleeson in the Church. As many of our students have been away from the Church for such a long time, Father Gleeson will be using this time to reintroduce Church practices and rituals so that all students are reverent and prayerful throughout. 

Stage 2 are focusing on the Liturgical Season of Lent as a time to reflect on how we live our lives. They are exploring choices and their impact on our growth and conversion and learning about the sacrament of Penance. Students will be attending the Sacrament of Penance this Friday in the Church with Father Gleeson. They will then review the events of Holy Week through the Scriptural Stations of the Cross. 

In Stage 3 students are exploring the season of Lent as a time of conversion and growth, presenting Jesus’ passion as an experience of suffering and rejection. Students are encouraged to reflect on their experiences of acceptance and rejection and explore how times of difficulty can be times of growth. They  will be challenged to reflect on the experience of God with us today in times of difficulty. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving will be linked to Caritas material and raising awareness for Project Compassion. The Church’s celebration of the events of Holy Week will be presented and explored.

Stage 3 Representation of Lent