Reconciliation

Reconciliation is an occasion to celebrate God's love and forgiveness, which is always accessible to us. The first celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation provides an opportunity for children to accept the gift of God's light and love more fully. When we hurt others with our words and actions, we also hurt God. This is what we call sin. Sin is a common human trait that we all experience, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we can make amends for our sins by asking God for forgiveness. In doing so, we can heal our relationship with God and move forward to become the very best versions of ourselves and shine God’s light in all that we do.

Last Monday, Father Emil officiated a beautiful First Reconciliation service for our Parish Community. It was a particularly meaningful occasion for five members of our parish who experienced the sacrament for the first time. Congratulations to Laura, Mia, Mitchell, Harry, and Rayner for taking this significant step in their faith journey.

Sacramental Program

On Sunday, April 7th, our students will take another step in their preparation for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. They will pledge their commitment to our Parish. Families with children celebrating First Communion are reminded to bring their decorated loaves, commitment forms, and prayers to Mass.

Here are our upcoming dates for celebrating the sacraments:

- First Holy Communion - June 2nd, 2024, at 9:00 am

- Confirmation - September 1st, 2024, at 9:00 am

Project Compassion - Caritas

Thank you for supporting Project Compassion 2024. If you still have your Project Compassion box at home, please bring it back to school next week. Your generosity will empower the world's most vulnerable communities to grow stronger and lift themselves out of poverty. We especially thank the 2/3 class for organizing a delicious bake sale to contribute to our support of Project Compassion. Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow for all future generations.

School/ Parish Weekend Masses

Our first School/Parish Weekend Mass will be hosted by the Year 5/6 and Year 1/2 classes. We invite all students to attend this Mass. If your child is in one of these classes, please add the date to your calendar and look out for further communications requesting student participation for specific roles.

A friendly reminder of the dates for our School/Parish weekend Masses for the year.

Term1 – Sunday 7^th April 9:00am Yr 5/6 and Yr 1/2

Term 2 – Sunday 19^th May 9:00 am Yr 4/5, Yr 2/3 and F/1

Term 3 – Sunday 15^th September  Yr 4/5 and Yr 5/6

Term 4 -  Sunday 8^th December F/1, Year 1/2

Easter Plays

Today, our students performed an outstanding retelling of the central story of our faith, presenting the pivotal events that led to Jesus' final breath on the cross. This was a wonderful opportunity for our students to develop their public speaking skills, but more importantly, it allowed them to gain a deeper understanding of the story and the great mystery we celebrate on Easter Sunday.

As we left the hall, we were filled with a mix of sorrow, gratitude, and hope as we contemplated Jesus' crucifixion and the depth of His love for us. We invite you to join us next Tuesday at 9:00am, as we continue the story. Please come and share this experience with us.

May the joy of Easter fill your heart with gratitude for God’s light, the beauty of His creation, and the blessings of your loved ones.

Mrs Rosemary Perre
APRIM

As we approach the culmination of Holy Week and head into the Easter weekend, let us prepare our hearts to celebrate the glorious feast of Easter! This is a time to rejoice in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, over two thousand years ago, and the promise of eternal life for all believers. Easter Sunday itself is a day of immense joy and celebration. We invite all families to attend Easter Mass at 9am on Sunday, to remind their children that Easter is about more than just chocolates.

The last couple of weeks have been very busy. Last week we celebrated Harmony Day, which is celebrated annually on March 21st, and is a time to recognize and celebrate the rich cultural diversity of Australia. It's a day to promote inclusivity, respect, and a sense of belonging for everyone. Many students wore orange to signify harmony, or cultural outfits which were wonderful! We also enjoyed a cake stall run by the Year 2/3 class, which raised over $200 for Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion.

Last week I was lucky enough to be part of the Diocesan Assembly in Port Pirie, with many priests, parishioners, schools and bishops in attendance. Fr Michael Trainor was a guest speaker, and he challenged us to revisit the story of Jesus, and the example of Jesus, in our parishes and schools. He said often we get caught up in our individual charisms (ours being the Josephite charism started by St Mary MacKillop), but forget that these are based on the person and example of Jesus to begin with.

The Assembly culminated with the Chrism Mass, which is a significant liturgical event in Catholicism celebrated annually before Easter. During this Mass, the bishop blesses or consecrates holy oils used in various sacraments and rituals throughout the year, including for Confirmation for students in our school. Two of our Confirmation students, Ally and Ocea, were lucky to have been chosen to bring the Oil of Chrism to Bishop Karol to bless, which is the same oil used later this year at their Confirmation. It was a grand service at St Mark’s Cathedral. Bishop Karol was joined by all of the priests in the diocese, as well as representatives from each school, for the occasion. This was a fantastic experience for our students to be part of.

This week we have been involved in Parent Teacher interviews. These are an opportunity for parents and teachers to discuss the learning, behaviour and wellbeing of their children. Working together with families, we want to create an environment where all students are able to achieve their best with the support at school and home to help this happen. As always, we invite families to share any concerns they have about how their children are going and their feelings about school. Parent Teacher interviews are just one part of the reporting process, and we encourage families to continue these conversations with teachers throughout the year.

A big thankyou to those who were able to join us today for our Easter play. Students have been preparing for weeks, learning songs and lines, and they did themselves proud today. The reverence and respect they showed to the story was evident, and they presented themselves very well. Thanks to the teachers for their efforts in getting the students organised for this important event.

With two weeks of Term 1 left, we still have lots to look forward to and prepare for. I wish all families a safe and loving Easter break and the chance to share some time with those you love. May this Easter season be filled with hope, peace, and the blessings of the Risen Christ!