PRAYER
This year we are having a renewed focus on prayer in our school. As part of our Religious Education lessons, we will focus on a different prayer each week and explain the meaning of the words and the overall meaning of the prayer. This prayer will be the one used each day during our morning gathering enabling all students to understand and say the prayer focus. It is really important that all students have their school prayer book in their bag and take it out and follow the words while praying. We encourage all students to locate their prayer book or purchase one from the school office. The beginning of our school prayer focus will be our 'School prayer'. All students will be given a copy of this as a bookmark. One side of the bookmark will be the School Prayer and on the other side will be the Acknowledgement of Country.

COMMISSIONING MASS FOR PARISH MINISTRIES
This Sunday at 10 am Fr Martin will bless and commission all those who work for the parish in ministries for 2020. This will include all staff, all parishioners are invited to attend.

SHOVE TUESDAY
Our Mini Vinnies team will be selling pancakes on Tuesday at Recess. See further details next week.

LENTEN PENANCE OBSERVATIONS FOR CATHOLICS
During Lent and on the Fridays of the year, we do penance, not only on our own account, but also in the name of the Church and of the world. We must take seriously our penitential obligations and be sure to carry them out. The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference has not restricted our penance to fast and abstinence in all cases, it has left room for our own responsible choices. We should carefully select the form of penance that we consider most appropriate for our own circumstances and growth in Christian life.

DAYS OF PENANCE

1. Abstinence from meat, and fasting, are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. All who have completed their 18th year and have not yet begun their 60th year are bound to fast. All who have completed their 14th year are bound to abstain.
2. On all other Fridays of the year, including the Fridays of Lent, the law of the common practice of penance is fulfilled by performing any one of the following:

(a) prayer – for example, Mass attendance; family prayer; a visit to a church or chapel; reading the Bible; making the Stations of the Cross; praying the Rosary.

(b) self-denial – for example, not eating meat; not eating sweets or dessert; giving up entertainment to spend time with the family; limiting food and drink so as to give to the poor of one’s own country.

(c) helping others – for example, special attention to someone who is poor, sick, elderly, lonely or overburdened.

Lent lasts from Ash Wednesday to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Holy Thursday) exclusive. On Good Friday and, if possible, also on Holy Saturday until the Easter Vigil, the Easter fast is observed.

PASCHAL PRECEPT
Each of the faithful is obliged to receive Holy Communion at least once a year. This is to be done between Ash Wednesday and Trinity Sunday unless for a good reason it is done at another time during the year. All the faithful are obliged to confess their grave sins at least once a year.

IMPORTANT - ANDREW CHINN
On Sunday 8 March Andrew Chinn, a well-known local hymn composer and singer, will play at the 10 am Parish Mass. Andrew will visit the school on Thursday, 5 March to prepare the students. We are very lucky to have this opportunity and encourage as many people as possible to attend this 10 am Mass. We sing many of Andrew’s songs during our school celebrations. Andrew performed at our Easter celebration last year.