R.E. News
By Sonia Costa
RE NEWS
A message from St Kevin's Parish
“Returning to Church as we come out of lockdown”
Fr Charles has been considering our return to being able to come together in and around the church.
Currently the ‘Road Map’ is unclear in how we can actually gather, to the extent that it is not possible yet to say how we will actually be able to meet and what the limitations are around that and how we can justly and effectively gather when some people are unvaccinated. We will probably not gather outside for the one weekend for which that may be the only option.
Which means I can’t tell you yet how and when we can gather. We are getting vaccinated rapidly across Victoria so the various deadlines look to be met or beaten along the Road Map. Hopefully things will become very much clearer during the next week or so.
This lack of clarity is not just me : the Archdiocese of Melbourne is working hard with government to seek clarity so that it can formulate consistent guidelines/rules for all parishes.
In the meantime please do the following:
· If you aren’t yet vaccinated: please consult your doctor as needed but look to start getting vaccinated soon, or ensure you get an appropriate exemption from vaccination if that is what you need.
· If you are vaccinated: please ensure that you get your vaccination certificate linked in with your Service Vic App so that when you check in when you are (eventually) able to check in for Mass your vaccination status is clear. You’ll need this anywhere you go. If you need help to make this link between vaccination certificate and Service Vic you can click on the following link.https://www.instagram.com/p/CU4Xjs6PTjl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_linkOr you can open the first attachment “How to Add Covid certificate”)
· And please also read the other attachment just to remind you about the process we need when you check in at the church.
Thank you all and hope you are all travelling safe and well.
Please Note:
Term 4 First Eucharist Celebrations have been postponed until Term 1 2022 - please check your emails for this information.
RE NEWS
By Sonia Costa
Dear Families,
Unfortunately at this stage I am unable to say whether we will have the traditional Christmas Carols or Graduation and Thanksgiving Mass at the end of this year. As soon as we know the exact numbers that can attend these events, we will be able to plan and then inform you of the dates.
Fingers crossed that we can proceed with some of our St Kevin’s events as they are a wonderful celebration of our school community.
Please Note:
Term 4 First Eucharist Celebrations have been postponed until Term 1 2022 - please check your emails for this information.
My Mask
Holy God, you see me and you hear me.
Through my mask, you see if I smile or if I scowl.
Through my mask, you hear me if I whisper a brief prayer or mutter a muffled curse.
My friends don’t see or hear or know; nor do my family; nor my colleagues.
But you do.
This mask takes away power – the power of clear communication but also the possibility to infect. But it also grants freedom to be with.
My smiles, my thoughts, my mumbles, though – these I know, but they are a greater mystery to others now.
But not to you, Lord. You see past my mask, you hear through it, you know.
But your mask, Lord, what about your mask? Who can see through your mask? Hear through it?
I cannot.
I cannot see if you smile or if you scowl.
I cannot hear if you whisper an answer to my prayer or brush off my curse.
I cannot sense if you are pleased with me or if you are waiting for me to do much better.
Can we all take off our masks, Lord? Put them away?
When the disease that moves us to mask our faces for safety fades away, will our eyes and our ears be stronger, better able to see and to hear the smiles and the frowns, the cries and the whispers of those who fill our lives? Who make our lives worth living?
Will we see, Lord, that what we think of as your mask is really also our own, our inability to find you in the rush of our lives, our failure to see you in all the wonders you show us, our incapacity to hear your gentle voice in the tumult that surrounds us.
Can we know, Lord, that we put on many masks so we can cope, avoid, pretend, be acceptable? (What scar did the Phantom’s mask hide? “Who was that masked man?”)
Help us, Lord, to move beyond our masks. You are here for us to see and to hear. Help us. Let us take off our masks.
- By Fr. Edward Schmidt S.J.
Don't forget about the parish website which has fabulous articles and children’s activities. Also each week in the Family Page and Fun (scan QR code to go straight to page)
https://www.stkevinsparish.org.au/childrens-family-page/
section of the website there are links to that weekend's Gospel activities. There are two gospel links: one for the juniors and one for the seniors. These activities can be downloaded and printed or just viewed. These worksheets will help the children understand the gospel message for that particular reading.
PARISH LINK:
Please take a look at the Parish Newsletter too. There is lots of great information and inspiration in this document each week.