RE News with Laura Matchett

Prayer for the beginning of Lent

Lord,
Let everything I do this day and in this season of Lent
come from you, be inspired by you.

I long to be closer to you.

Help me to remember that nothing is important in my life

unless it glorifies you in some way.

It's so easy to get caught up in the day to day of my life and keep saying,

"Tomorrow, I will spend more time in prayer,"

but now my longing meets your love and I want to do it now. 

Help me to rely on you for help.

The prayer asks you that I reach perfection.

Please, Lord, remind me that "perfection"

isn't the crazy, "successful" way I try to live my life,

but a perfection of my most authentic, real self.

My "perfection" might be holding my many flaws in my open hands,

asking you to help me accept them.

Heal me, Lord, and help me to find you in the darkness of my life. 

Let me reach out in this darkness and feel your hand and love there to guide me.

Source: https:/onlineministriesscreightonneduuCollaborativeMinistryy/Lent/Daily-prayers-00.html 

Prayers for Pope Francis

Many of our Parish priests have asked us to keep praying for the health and well being of Pope Francis and those who are currently caring for him. You may like to pray the following prayer:

O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful,

look favourably on your servant Francis,

whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd;

grant, we pray, that by word and example

he may be of service to those over whom he presides

so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care,

he may come to everlasting life.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Source: https:/www.usccbborg/prayers/prayer-popefrancis 

Project Compassion

Caritas Australia has launched the 2025 Project Compassion campaign with the theme: Unite Against Poverty this Lent. There are many Project Compassion boxes around the school, including in each classroom, and every student is encouraged to donate some money to this worthy cause. Project Compassion is Caritas Australia’s major fundraiser  for the year, and much of the work they do in developing communities around the world, depends on our generosity. Even a donation as small as 50c a week during Lent can make a huge difference to our school’s overall total. Our classroom teachers will continue to promote Project Compassion throughout Lent, and we encourage our students to embrace this as the alms giving part of their Lenten journey. We understand that times are difficult financially for many families at the moment, so please give what you can.

Sacraments 2025

Registrations for Reconciliation for 2025 have now closed, however, registrations for First Eucharist and Confirmation remain open. Families of students who are eligible to make one of the Sacraments (Reconciliation, First Eucharist or Confirmation) this year are encouraged to visit the Parish website: https:/stjv.westoncreekblogspot.com/ for information and registration details for each of the Sacraments. 

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 

SPAR - Parents and Friends Prayer Group

Our SPAR Parents and Friends Prayer Group will be held regularly on Thursday mornings at 8:45am in the space between the canteen and the hall, and will run for 10 minutes. A reminder that the group is open to everyone regardless of faith background, practising or non-practising Catholics, those who pray regularly, those who haven’t prayed in a while, anyone considering becoming Catholic, anyone curious about how we pray here at school, or anyone who would like 10 minutes of peace and calm in their week! You don’t need to attend each week, it will always be open to anyone who wants to come along.

Parents and friends with younger children are welcome to bring them along where they will be watched by Year 6 students in the hall. The prayer group will focus on reflections on the forthcoming Sunday’s Gospel, Christian meditation, and significant events and feast days central to the Catholic faith. No one will be asked to share or verbally participate unless they feel comfortable to do so. I’d encourage you to consider whether this might be something you give a try this year. Please feel free to contact me: laura.matchett@cg.catholic.edu.au with any questions or feedback (particularly regarding the timing, if this is a barrier for you to attend). I hope to see you there.

School Masses

The next Mass the school will be attending will be for the feast day of Our Lady of the Annunciation on Tuesday 25th March. This Mass will be celebrated with staff and students from St Jude’s as it is the feast day of our joint Parish. St John Vianney’s will host feast day celebrations this year. The Mass will be followed by lunch out on the oval, some play time and activities with students from St Jude’s. More details to follow in the coming weeks.