RE News with Laura Matchett

Prayer for Christmas

Loving Father,

Help us remember the birth of Jesus,

that we may share in the song of the angels,

the gladness of the shepherds,

and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate

and open the door of love all over the world.

Let kindness come with every gift

and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing

which Christ brings,

and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning

make us happy to be thy children,

and Christmas evening bring us to our beds

with grateful thoughts,

forgiving and forgiven,

for Jesus’ sake.

Amen.

Source: https://hallowcomblogchristmas-prayer-catholic-blessings/

Vinnies Christmas Appeal

Thank you to everyone who was able to donate food items as part of our Vinnies Christmas Appeal. Our front office area was overflowing with your generosity. The donations were gratefully collected this week by Mr Peter Winter from our local Vinnies Conference. He expressed his profound gratitude to the SJV community and assured us the items will go to those in our community most in need.

Sacraments 2024

The Parish is eager for students who are eligible to make one of the Sacraments (Reconciliation, First Eucharist or Confirmation) to register for the Sacramental program before the end of the year. Students received a formal invitation from the Parish to be part of the Sacramental program for 2024. These invitations were sent home with students last term. We encourage you to read the information (on the back of the invitation) and visit the Parish's website for more information. The Parish website is: https:/stjvwestoncreekblogspot.com/ 

If your child has not received an invitation and you would like them to receive one of the Sacraments, or if your child has received an invitation for the wrong Sacrament, please let me know via email: laura.matchett@cg.catholic.edu.au 

Eligibility for each Sacrament is as follows:

Reconciliation - open to students who have been baptised Catholic and who are in Year 3 or above.

First Eucharist - open to baptised Catholic students who have made their Reconciliation and are in Year 4 or above.

Confirmation - open to baptised Catholic students who have received their First Eucharist and who are in Year 6 or above.

It is possible to receive more than one Sacrament in the same year, however, the Sacraments usually need to made in order (i.e. Reconciliation, followed by First Eucharist, then Confirmation). These questions and other general enquiries about the Sacramental program are best directed to the Parish Office via email: SacramentalOLA@cg.org.au 

Updates and information about the Sacramental program will be published in the school newsletter and Parish bulletin throughout the year.