R.E News - Assistant Principal / Mission

Farewell Year 12 2021

It was a great privilege to attend The Year 12 Final School Mass last Tuesday evening. It was a beautiful mass at the Cathedral where parents in these difficult times of COVID restrictions were able to attend. The music and reading ministries were provided by our own Year 12 students who did a magnificent job. Father Roel, in his homily, drew upon the Gospel reading to encourage our Year 12s to be a light for the world, to be the salt of the earth and to be lifelong learners. With this theme in mind students were presented with lit candles blessed by Father Roel and proceeded from the Mass with this mission. Students outside the Cathedral formed a guard of honour paying respect to their parents and teachers who had supported them on this journey. A very special cheer was given to our departing principal Ms Menz and Year 12 Leader of Learning, Mr Fulloon. Many thanks to Father Roel for celebrating this Mass with our Yr 12 families and Mrs Fittler for all her hard work organising this very special occasion.

Mission Week

Last Sunday was Mission Sunday and at O'Connor, Mission Week is next week! RE classes have been learning about the work of Catholic Missions and specifically The Sisters of Good Shepherd shelter and kindergarten for vulnerable mothers and children. Our Mission Week sees the culmination of some of our fundraising efforts for Catholic Missions including the Big Handball Shootout, Bus Lines Wheelbarrow Stall, Mufti Day and Giant Coin Line. Below is an extract from Pope Francis regarding Mission Month. The full message can be accessed on the hyperlink.

Pope Francis Message for Mission Sunday

Pope Francis' Message for World Mission Month

“We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20) Once we experience the power of God’s love, and recognise his fatherly presence in our personal and community life, we cannot help but proclaim and share what we have seen and heard. Everything about Christ reminds us that he knows well our world and its need for redemption, and calls us to become actively engaged in this mission: “Go therefore to the highways and byways, and invite everyone you find” (Mt 22:9). No one is excluded, no one need feel distant or removed from this compassionate love.

NAIDOC Week

O'Connor celebrates NAIDOC Week in Week 6 of this term. More about this important celebration is forthcoming but an exciting program is planned.

NAIDOC WEEK @ O’CONNOR 2021

What’s on??

Monday 

8:50am:  Morning Flag Raising via Zoom/Video

Breaks A and B: Art Project - Shared art piece in the quad. All are invited to participate.

Tuesday

Break B: NAIDOC Lunch for ATSI Students and Staff.

Wednesday 

Smoking Ceremonies on the oval followed by NAIDOC lesson in scheduled classes: 

P1 - Yr 7 P4 - Yr 10

P2 - Yr 8 P5 - Yr 11

P3 - Yr 9

Breaks A and B: Art Project - Shared art piece in the quad. All are invited to participate.

Thursday 

Breaks A and B: Art Project - Shared art piece in the quad. All are invited to participate.

Friday 

Mufti Day in Aboriginal Colours to raise funds for ATSI Catholic Missions

PAC Period: NAIDOC Liturgy and 2021 NAIDOC Presentation iMovie

All Saints Day, All Souls Day and the Month of November

November is a recent tradition when men attempt to grow a moustache. It is more importantly traditionally the month in the Catholic Church when the faithful departed are remembered and their souls prayed for. It is a time when we remember family and friends who have passed away. Students at O'Connor have access to the chapel to pray. Students also have access to a prayer intentions box where they offer people that we as a community can pray for. Two major feasts occur at the start of November. They are All Saints Day and All Souls Day. All Saints Day is a solemn holy day in the Catholic Church dedicated to the saints of the Church. The term "saints" is interesting. Although the day is primarily focussed on those known saints as recognised by the church such as St Damian and St Cosmas, it is acknowledged that there are potentially millions and millions of saints yet to be recognised whose lives act as an inspiration for our own to be in partnership with God and do good in the world. St Paul references the word saint as believers in the early church and Eastern Orthodox Churches acknowledge saints as any one in heaven whether they are recognised or not on earth. 

All Saints is celebrated on November 1 and introduced by Pope Boniface IV in 609 AD. All Souls Day is a little different. We do remember our departed loved ones but more specifically we pray for the souls of those not yet in heaven. The scriptural basis for this  is in 2 Maccabees, 12:26 and 12:32. "Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out... Thus made atonement for the dead that they might be free from sin."  Catholics believe that through the prayers of the faithful on Earth, the dead are cleansed of their sins so they may enter into heaven.  Year 10 and senior students who have studied the reformation would know that is not without controversy and could tell you how the concept of purgatory was tied up with the selling of indulgences to raise money to build St Peter's Basilica in Rome. Nonetheless All Souls Day remains a lovely tradition in the Catholic Church and reminds us all of our own mortality and our quest for eternal life with God. All Souls Day is celebrated on November 2 and it was also introduced by Pope Boniface IV in 609 AD. 

Gone from my Sight (Rev Luther Beecher)

“What is dying?The ship sailed away and I stand watching till it fades on the horizon, and someone at my side says: ‘The ship is gone. ’Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all; the ship is just as large as when I saw it. As I see the ship grow smaller and go out of sight, it is just at that moment that there are others in a different place who say: ‘Watch; here the ship comes’” and other voices take up a glad shout: ‘You have arrived!’ - and that is what dying is about.”  

Damian Roff

La Salle Youth Minister Opportunities for 2022

Our Founders - St Angela Merici and St John Baptiste De La Salle

Year of St Joseph

Saints Mary and Joseph Cathedral Parish

Keeping in touch with what is happening in the Cathedral Parish is easy through their website and Facebook pages.

With such a difficult year and a half it has been harder for parishioner's to give to the parish through the plates, particularly when the church is closed as it is at present. The Parish account details are available on the Parish bulletin. 

Cathedral Parish Website

Information about our founders

La Salle Website

Ursuline Sisters Website