Religious Education News
2025 Sacramental Preparation
2025 Confirmation Program
We extend our congratulations to the children from our school and parish who were confirmed last Tuesday night. Special thanks to Bishop Brian Mascord, Father Damien, Deacon Mick and Deacon Lawrie for being present for the celebration of this special sacrament. Thank you also to Elise Burns and the parish choir for using your gifts to enhance the liturgy.
St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal
On Wednesday, 2 July (Week 10), our school community will celebrate Pyjama Day as a way of supporting the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. In exchange for the luxury and comfort of being able to stay in pyjamas all day, students are invited to bring in donations to help support those affected by poverty in our local area. Please see the Compass notification for items to bring to school on Wednesday, 2 July. Thank you in advance for supporting our Mini Vinnies initiative so we can bring the love of God to those in need this Winter.
Trinity Sunday
Last weekend, our Church celebrated Trinity Sunday. Whilst the concept of a ‘3 in 1’ God is a bit of a ‘mystery’, the doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most fundamental in our Christian faith. Whilst the word ‘Trinity’ may not appear in the Bible, there are references to the 3 persons of the Trinity. In fact, at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, after Jesus’ death and resurrection but before his ascension into heaven, we hear Jesus give his disciples the great commission - To go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
We express our belief in a Trinitarian God every time we make the sign of the cross. It is important to note that we don’t believe in three gods but rather three “persons” of the one God: Father, Son & Holy Spirit. The term ‘consubstantial’, which is used in the Nicene Creed, aims to express that all three originate from the same source or substance.
Perhaps one of the most useful analogies for this otherwise complex teaching could be to consider water, ice and steam. Whilst their forms are different, ultimately, they are composed of the same substance. Regardless of our understanding of the Trinity, what really matters is that we have a God who loves us and desires to be in relationship with us.
Our School Values
As noted in our last newsletter, our current values focus is stewardship. At St Francis of Assisi, we value stewardship because we are guided by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and are called to “care for our common home”.
At St Francis of Assisi, we show that we are a community that values stewardship by:
- treating others with care, respect and kindness
- re-using and recycling to reduce waste
- considering how our actions affect others
- acting in ways that are good for us, each other and our common home
- being grateful for all of creation
Here are a couple of examples of Stage 2’s stewardship pledges and action plans:
Kindergarten's Visit to the Church
On Monday, Kindergarten visited the Church to look at the special items that are in the sanctuary. The sanctuary is the most important part of the Church building. Kindergarten were learning about the ways that people show reverence not only when they are entering a church but when they are entering the sanctuary. They learnt that people bow and genuflect to show respect for God.
NAIDOC Week Assembly
On July 3 (Thursday Week 10), we will gather together as a school community to acknowledge NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC Week actually occurs during the school holidays but we will use this afternoon to share some learning about First Nations’ culture.
Corpus Christi
This weekend, our Church will celebrate Corpus Christi. The Catholic Church teaches that the bread and wine offered on the altar at Mass is transformed and really becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. For those wanting to venture up to the Macarthur this weekend, the Parish of Our Lady Help of Christians, Rosemeadow invites you to join them for the Corpus Christi Event! If you're seeking a deeper understanding of the Eucharist, the origins of the Mass or want to deepen your faith then this day is for you! You will never celebrate Mass again the same way! Join us Sunday 22 June (10am to 3:30pm) at Our Lady Help of Christian's St. Joachim Hall (adjacent to the Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School) (80A Demetrius Rd, Rosemeadow).
Please note: We welcome all adults over 18. Any person under the age of 18 must attend with a parent or legal guardian. Due to content and nature of material the minimum age of attendees is 14 years. For more information on the day and to register please use the QR code provided.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Have you ever seen religious artworks depicting Jesus and Mary where their hearts are visible? If so, these were probably depictions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Next Friday, the first Friday after the feast of Corpus Christi, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which recalls Christ’s love for us. The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus reminds us that we are loved deeply by God. We all know what Fr Damien would say:
“Loved by God: All the time!
All the time: Loved by God!
Pope Leo XIV’s Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Lord, I come to your tender heart today,
to you who have words that set my heart ablaze,
to you who pour out compassion on the little ones and the poor,
on those who suffer and on all human miseries.
I desire to know you more, to contemplate you in the Gospel,
to be with you and learn from you
and from the charity with which you allowed yourself
to be touched by all forms of poverty.
You showed us the Father’s love by loving us without measure
with your divine and human heart.
Grant all your children the grace of encountering you.
Change, shape and transform our plans,
so that we seek only you in every circumstance:
in prayer, in work, in encounters and in our daily routine.
From this encounter, send us out on mission,
a mission of compassion for the world
in which you are the source from which all consolation flows.
Amen.
Sacred Heart of Jesus: Have mercy on us.
Following the observance of the Sacred Heart, the Church will celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Saturday. Twice, St Luke’s Gospel mentions that Mary ‘kept all these things in her heart’, pondering the Word of God. Mary shows us not only how to listen to the words the Holy Spirit speaks to us in the depths of our hearts, but how to respond to them in faith. As the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the patronal feast day of the Diocese of Wollongong, this is a particularly good time to pray for our diocese.
Prayer for the Diocesan Feast Day
Mother of the Redeemer,
in this diocese dedicated to your Immaculate Heart,
with great joy we call you blessed.
In order to carry out his providential plan of salvation,
God the Father chose you before the creation of the world.
You believed in his love and obeyed his word.
The Son of God desired you for his mother
when he became man to save the human race.
You received him with ready obedience and undivided heart.
The Holy Spirit loved you as his mystical spouse and he filled you with singular gifts.
You allowed yourself to be led by his hidden and powerful action.
On this feast we entrust to you the diocese which acknowledges you
and invokes you under the title of your Immaculate Heart.
On earth you preceded the Church in the pilgrimage of faith:
guide us as we walk in your footsteps,
comfort us in our difficulties and trials,
help us to reach God.
To you, Mother of the Church, we confidently entrust our bishop,
our priests and religious, our families, ourselves.
Give us the light of true wisdom,
a wisdom to be found only in your Son as you told us at Cana:
“Do whatever he tells us.”
Enable us all to meet him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Sustain us, O Virgin Mary, on our journey of faith,
and obtain for us the grace of eternal salvation.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Mother of God and our mother, Mary!
To be followed by three Hail Marys and the invocation:
Immaculate Heart of Mary: pray for us.
Prayer adapted from Pope John Paul II’s Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe (1979)
by Monsignor Graham Schmitzer.
Upcoming Youth Event
Once again, the Sisters are organising a Youth Event for our parish. All youth from Year 6 upwards and their parents are warmly invited to the Parish/School Hall on Sunday 29 June for a Youth Gathering. For catering purposes, please let Ms Maloney or one of the sisters know if you would like to attend. Details for the night are as follows:
Arrival Time / Welcome: 4:45 pm
Dinner & Movie: 5:00 pm
Taize Prayer: 6:45 pm
Finish: 7:15 pm
Canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis - the date has been set!
You may recall that at the end of last term, the date of Carlo’s canonisation was noted as April 27, however with the passing of Pope Francis this was postponed. The Vatican has now announced that the teenager known as “God’s Influencer” due to his digital talents will be canonised on September 7.
Ms Marita Maloney
REC Coordinator