Catholic Identity
Our Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst’s theme for 2023 is ‘Let the Words you Speak always be full of Grace’. It comes from a larger piece of Scripture from the letters of St. Paul to the Collosians (4:6). To let your speech be full of grace, is to speak the truth in love. The passage reminds us that our words can build and strengthen relationships. Our actions can connect our community. Let Jesus shine a light on our paths this year.
St. Mary’s School Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We are grateful for the gift of Mary, Jesus’ Mother, whom our school is named after. May she be a guiding presence in our midst.
At St. Mary’s, we proclaim your presence through our Faith, Trust and Love. Help us to live like Jesus calls us, through our graduate outcomes.
Teach us to serve others with Jesus as our model.
Support us to celebrate our faith, achievements and all that life has to offer us.
Help us to strive to achieve and be our best.
Instill in us the courage to stand up and be strong, even when it is hard.
Guide us to be inclusive of all and value differences.
Inspire in us the call to respect others, ourselves and our environment.
Please bless our school community, our students, their families, our staff and parishoners. Help us to work together to serve you and each other.
We ask this prayer through Christ our Lord,
Amen
Whole School Beginning of the Year Mass
We warmly welcome parents & guardians to our first Whole School Mass at 12.30 on the 14th of February, St. Valentine’s day! We look forward to celebrating with our whole school community the beginning of the year. Some students from across the year levels will have special roles and we hope that you can join us in prayer at Mass.
Shrove / Pancake Tuesday
This falls on the 21st of February and launches our efforts towards creating an awareness and fund-raising for Caritas. This year’s Project Compassion campaign centres around the theme of ‘For all future generations’ and is raising awareness and funds for the plights of countries like Zimbabwee & Nepal. In both the stories of these countries we see how access to clean water saves hours of walking and enables farming.
Students will learn about the meaning of the day as well as be treated to some pancakes with their choice of topping. We are asking for donations of ingredients from F-2 families. 3-6 families have traditionally donated to an Easter egg raffle (more details about the raffle, next newsletter).
On the day students can bring in a gold coin donation too, to kickstart the liturgical season of Lent.
If Foundation families could donate toppings, Year One - self raising flour and sugar, Year Two some additional eggs as we do use our chicken’s eggs but they may not lay enough for our whole school!
Donations can be brought to the front office.
Any families who have access to a lemon tree some donations of lemons would be greatly appreciated as it has previously been student’s most favourite topping. Thanks in advance for your support, the student’s love this special day in our calendar.
Ash Wednesday Liturgy
On Wednesday the 22nd of February at 9.15 will be our annual Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Your child will be blessed with a cross of ashes to their forehead that symbolises that we are a community of faith. The cross of ashes is an act of remembrance and a sign or a witness for others. All welcome
Parish Based Sacramental Program
Our St. Mary’s Echuca Parish Priest Fr. Novie and the Sacramental Team, warmly welcome and invite prospective parents to the continuation of your child or children’s faith journey. Please see the advertisement below for details.
St. Mary’s Church Hospitality Space
Our Parish is raising funds for a hospitality space to be created in our Church. It’s called ‘Cash for a cause’ Please see the flyer below and help to support our St. Mary’s Parish.
