First Holy Communion

Last year, I shared this image of an ancient mosaic that is situated in front of the altar inside the Church of the Multiplication in Tabgha, Israel.  Most people would be familiar with the story of the loaves and fishes where Jesus fed a multitude of people using the gifts of five loaves and two fish that were offered. 
In this mosaic, we see only four loaves of bread in the basket.  The placement of this mosaic within the Church of the Multiplication - right in front of the altar - tells us that this is not a mathematical oversight by the artist.  Rather, it is a deliberate attempt to remind us that the fifth loaf continues to be broken and shared every time the Mass is celebrated.  In this way, Jesus continues to feed the multitudes that gather in his name.
We extend our congratulations to the children from our school and parish communities who gathered at St Mary of the Rosary, Berkeley and St Francis of Assisi, Warrawong last weekend to celebrate their First Communion.  We pray that they will continue to gather at the altar to be nourished by the Eucharist so they are well-equipped to be the presence of Jesus in the world.
Special thanks to Fr Gerard for the time and effort he invested into revising our current preparation program and for working closely with our parents during the preparation period.  Thanks also to Fr Damien, Deacon Mick, Mrs Matos, Mrs Madaschi, and the Sisters for their contributions to the successful running of the program.
Thanks also to the Legion of Mary - a lay Catholic organisation in our church - who provided Rosary beads for all of the children, Mrs Sherrell for assisting Ms Maloney with compiling reflection books from the program, to Elise, Serefina and the parish choir for ensuring our ceremonies had quality music and to Deacon Mick for making sure we had cake at both of our gatherings!

Christmas Hampers for St Vincent de Paul 

Thank you to all of the families that sent in items for the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hampers over the last few weeks - your generosity is much appreciated!
Our food items will be collected by representatives from the St Vincent de Paul society next Friday so they can be arranged into hampers and passed on to families in need in preparation for Christmas.  Thanks again!

Caritas Australia - Appeals for Tonga, Sudan and Gaza

You may be familiar with the work of Caritas Australia as we support their humanitarian efforts during the Season of Lent with our Project Compassion boxes.  There are currently 3 appeals being run by Caritas - one for Tonga, following last year’s volcanic eruption, one for Sudan, following violent clashes that began in April this year and one for Gaza, following the sudden escalation of hostilities in Israel and Gaza since early October.  If you would like to donate to any of these appeals, the links can be found on the Caritas website:  https://www.caritas.org.au/         

End of Year Mass & Christmas Concert - Friday 8 December

Next Friday, the whole school will be joining the parish community to celebrate our End of Year Mass at 9 am.  Kindergarten certificates will be presented at this Mass.   Following recess, our Christmas concert will take place at 11:30 am. The classes have been preparing their performances all term and are looking forward to sharing them with the wider school community.  Parents, carers, and families are warmly invited to join us for both of these events next Friday. 

Advent - Happy New Year … Almost!

It may seem early to be considering New Year’s resolutions, however, in our Church, the new liturgical year begins this weekend with the First Sunday of Advent.  With that in mind, now is as good a time as any to be thinking about making some New Year’s resolutions around our spiritual life and well-being.  These 10 Attitudes for Advent from CatholicLink might be a good place to start.

Arguably, one of the most widely recognised symbols of Advent is the Advent wreath.  The Advent wreath symbolises our spiritual preparation for the celebration of Jesus’ birth.  During Advent, we prepare our hearts to receive the Good News that God has blessed our world with the birth of Jesus by allowing our loving God - who is with us always - to enter our hearts.  It is a time of watching, waiting, hoping and praying.  Perhaps one of your New Year’s resolutions could be to invest in your family’s prayer life.  You may like to set up an Advent wreath in your home and use it when you pray together as a family.

• 
  The Advent Wreath’s evergreen, circular shape reminds us of God’s endless love for us.
• The three violet (purple) candles remind us of our waiting, longing and preparation for Jesus’ coming at Christmas.
• The rose (pink) candle reminds us of the joy and hope that will replace our longing, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas.
• The white candle, if included, is the sign of Jesus’ birth and the new life that comes to us through his death and resurrection.

Lighting the candles of the Advent wreath:

• First Sunday & week of Advent: light only 1 violet candle.
• Second Sunday & week of Advent: light 2 violet candles.
• Third Sunday & week of Advent: light 2 violet candles and the rose candle.
• Fourth Sunday & week of Advent: light 3 violet candles and the rose candle.
• Christmas Day – light all candles.

Parish Sacramental Programs for 2024
A letter went home from the parish last week regarding the Sacramental programs being offered in our parish next year.  This letter was given to children in Years 2 and 5 who have been baptised in the Catholic faith.  If your child did not receive a note and you would like one, please let Ms Maloney know.  

• Term 1 - Reconciliation program
• Term 2 - Confirmation program
• Term 4 - First Communion program

Please note:  We are not collecting enrolment forms at school.  These are to be returned to Fr Damien, Deacon Mick or Deacon Lawrie at our weekend Masses.

Wishing you a blessed Advent and a happy liturgical new year!

Ms Marita Maloney
Religious Education Coordinator