Family and Faith
News from our Family Educator - Ms Tracey Bowler
Stations of the Cross Excursion for Parents/Carers A final reminder!
Parents and carers are invited to an excursion. On Tuesday, 4 April 2023 (10.30 am - 11.30am) you are invited to participate in the Stations of the Cross at Woronora Memorial Park at Sutherland - one of the most important devotions of the Catholic faith set in a beautiful location. It will be a calm, reflective time and an opportunity to explore this beautiful area of the park. If you’d like to come along please fill out the google form here. Please note that toddlers are welcome - you will just need to keep them with you at all times.
Save the Date! Tuesday 28th March! Stations of the Cross at OLF
Did you know that we have the Stations of the Cross here at OLF?
Parents/carers are invited to pray at the Stations of the Cross in the school grounds with me on Tuesday 28th March at 9am (adults only). Babies, toddlers and
preschoolers WELCOME!
In the afternoon at 2.15pm parents are invited to pray at the Stations of the Cross with their child(ren) who are in Years 3 - 6. We will call the children from their classroom to join you for the afternoon prayer service.
Fatima Friends
Friday Fatima Friends have been doing some fun activities like visiting and watering the OLF garden and making a collage on the colour green for St. Patrick’s Day. Pre-schoolers, toddlers and babies with their parents or carers are all welcome!
Coming Up!
Week 8: Free play with equipment to be provided. Wear orange for Harmony Week.
Week 9: Book sharing with Year 5 students.
We have lots of fun at Friday Fatima Friends! Here we are making St. Patrick’s Day green collages and gardening.
Why do we have Liturgical Seasons?
Among the Seasons of the Church, the great season of Lent calls us to the grace of perseverance.
Modern family life is busy. The constant stream of events and activities shuttling kids around, work, parish or community commitments… It’s a constant drone that makes it difficult to maintain our focus on the things that really matter. Our Church calendar is a great antidote to the constant busyness, punctuating our year with seasons of penance and plenty, sorrow and joy.
Lent: a Season to Persevere
The word ‘lent’ means spring. At this time of year in the northern hemisphere, the food stores are running low from the dormant winter months and families grow weary of the cold days and long dark nights. As the ground begins to thaw and come back to life, a sense of quiet anticipation pervades.
Lent parallels this natural reality with a spiritual season of limited physical comfort and prayerful penance. More than any other season, Lent calls us to reconnect with our earthy reality through the tangible practices of penance, fasting and almsgiving. Although they are spiritual practices, they are experienced and expressed in and through the body.
“When the children were young, the years stretched out before me as if there were no end. Sleep deprivation does that- robs us of perspective. I was impatient to move forward. Now as they graduate from school it seems like it passed in a nanosecond. With a twinge of regret, I lament my haste and the lost opportunities of each precious season.
Read more about why we have liturgical seasons here - Seasons of Grace
Faith Formation Videos - Lent, Holy Week and Easter
From Sydney Catholic Schools we are lucky to have the talented John Burland and Cheryl Fernandez who have made beautiful Faith Fun Celebration Videos on Lent Holy Week and Easter. Click on the 3 links below to view the celebration videos:
Don’t forget when buying chocolate Easter Eggs to buy slavery-free ones!
From ACRATH (Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans)
Slavery-free chocolate is chocolate that is certified. Look for chocolate with one of the four logos (below) on it – Fairtrade, UTZ or Rainforest Alliance.
Read more about Slavery free chocolate here.
Family Masses 2023 - Save the Dates
I am happy to announce that our first Family Mass will be on Saturday 29th April at 5.30pm with Yr 6 and Kindergarten invited to lead us in prayer celebrating friendship and positive relationships.
At Family Masses, EVERYONE is invited!
Please check the dates below as some dates have been revised.
Saturday 27th May at 5.30pm - Led by Year 6 families celebrating Pentecost
Saturday 12th August (not 24th) at 5.30pm - Led by Year 3 families celebrating Eucharist
Saturday 4 November at 5.30pm - Led by Year 5 families welcoming Kindy 2024 families
Saturday 25th November at 5.30pm - Led by Year 2 families celebrating Reconciliation.
Check out more delicious healthy recipes including San Choy Bow on the link below.
- Pack a food safe lunch box
- Healthy swaps
- San choy bow – Recipe Snippet
- Check the UV – SunSmart Snippet
Wishing all our families a harmonious week celebrating diversity, respect and peace.
Tracey Bowler | Family Educator