Family and Faith

News from our Family Educator - Ms Tracey Bowler

A Tired Family Is Better Than A Hard-Hearted One

“I prefer a family with a tired face from sacrifices made rather than a pretty one which is unfamiliar with tenderness and compassion"

Pope Francis, Mexico 2016

Prayers Needed for Year 12 De La Salle HSC Students

Parents are once again invited to write a prayer of support and encouragement for a Year 12 student at De La Salle College Cronulla. An invitation was sent out on Compass last week but if you missed it it is not too late to put your hand up. Please email me your interest this week and in Week 1 of Term 3, you will receive the name of a Yr 12 student and a card on which to write. After two tough years of study, these students really need our prayers!

Save the Date for a Parent's Day Out!

Family Educators in the Shire are organising a parent excursion! On Friday, August 12th there will be a private screening at Event Cinemas at Beverly Hills of the popular adult movie Father Stu and you’re invited!. Based on a true story this movie is about second chances and finding your real purpose in life. This is an adults only excursion so why not make a day of it with other parents? More details to follow next term including a booking google form for you to register your interest.

Families are important

Last week each family received a prayer card titled “The Decalogue of our Family” to celebrate the World Meeting of Families hosted last weekend. It offers ten tips and sound advice on how to foster positive relationships within the family unit. Here is more advice from CathFamily on the importance of families.

Families are centres of learning – Parents are the prime educators of their children and best placed to pass on core values such as a sense of self-worth and of caring for others.

Families have a mission – In the religious practices of the home a child first senses a reverence for God. This flows on to include living justly and exercising a social conscience.

Families shape society – They offer a humanising and personalising influence. In a family, one’s importance is not determined by salary, status or age. A family says to each member: We love you for who you are; you belong to us.

Meal Time = Prime Time

Meals are prime time for family, where life is shared and values are formed.

Some tips:

Turn off the TV & smartphones so that you can be present with each other.
Say a prayer of thanks for the meal: gratitude reminds us of our blessings.
Don’t rush it. Allow time to enjoy the food AND the conversation.
Listen. Catch up on each other’s day. It can be helpful to have a standard question: What was your high? What was your low?
Keep conversation respectful. Affirm, don’t criticise. Humour can defuse tension.
Be persistent – even if your attempts end in failure sometimes, never give up!

All members of a family play a vital role in family life.

Aunts and uncles, single or married, are often crucial mentors, providing wisdom, stability and empathy to their nephews and nieces.

Grandparents bring gifts of time, memory and perspective. They help network extended family, fostering reconciliation and family traditions.

Children inspire hope and optimism. They call forth generosity and self-sacrifice in their carers, helping them to grow in holiness and virtue.

Sydney Catholic Schools Vinnies Family Winter Sleepout @ Home

Save the Date # 2

Once again families are invited to participate in a safe activity at home to support the St. Vincent de Paul Society with a winter sleepout at home on August 5th (Week 3 next term). More details next term.

Naidoc Week (July 3-10)

National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country. Everyone is invited to the many celebrations across our nation.

Friday Fatima Friends

It’s been a busy term for Fatima Friends - making friends, praying, singing and dancing, practicing sports skills, listening to stories, making prayer spaces, watering the OLF garden, playing with equipment and toys and socialising. After the school holidays, Fatima Friends returns on Friday, July 22. We have been meeting in the Library instead of Keller Hall lately. We will continue with this arrangement if the Library is available.