Prayer and Worship 

Tomorrow we will gather as a whole school in St Monica’s church for our Whole School Prayer led by 1 White on Palm Sunday. We would like to invite all members of our comunity to join us for the Palm Sunday service this weekend.  

Palm Sunday, also called Passion Sunday, marks the beginning of Holy Week. During this week, we prepare ourselves for Easter by prayerfully reflecting on the events of Jesus’ passion and death. During this week, your family might display a crucifix in a prominent place as reminder of the salvation that Christ won for us. This can also serve as the focal point for family prayer during Holy Week. 

Because of the length and complexity of the passion narrative, it is difficult for children to remain attentive when it is proclaimed in its entirety. Families can make it a tradition to read a portion of this Sunday’s Gospel each day of Holy Week, providing ample opportunity for children to ask questions and respond to the events described there. In this way, the entire week can become a “way of the cross.” 

Today all students in Year 4 participated in a Reconciliation Retreat. We retreated from our usual school day and spent our time in the Church and Parish grounds. The children participated in a range of art and drama activities to develop their understanding of the Parable of The Prodigal Son, shared a pizza lunch and finished the day creating an artwork and liturgy in the classrooms.  We thank Mrs Currie, Mrs Lustica, Mr McFadden and Mr Mass for leading our day.  

We have 50 of our students preparing for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We also have some students choosing to be Baptised. I look forward to sharing their good news over the coming weeks. 

Social Action and Justice 

Fifth Week of Lent

As of last week, we have raised an incredible $798 for Project Compassion. We still have another 1 week of our fundraising period and if you have capacity your donations are appreciated. Each week our Year 6 Faith and Justice students go into each class to lead a Lenten reflection and share the stories of those our funds are  helping.

The work of Caritas Australia is only possible with the dedication, passion and tenacity of our local partners who implement the programs. They are the heroes on the ground, working tirelessly behind-the-scenes every day to create a better future for their communities.  

Caritas Australia partners with the Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ) to support communities living in urban slums in the Philippines. FCJ runs a number of programs that include house renovating, food processing, basic literacy skills, urban gardening, upcycling and income generating activities. They also have a clinic visited weekly by a doctor and community nurse.   

Caritas Australia partners with Caritas Samoa to assist communities to have increased access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene to ensure human health and well-being by providing water tanks and sanitation facilities. 

Caritas Australia partners with the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi through the A+ program. Since 2016, the A+ program has helped 7,397 families across Malawi improve their food security, access to basic water and sanitation, boost women’s income generation and strengthen child protection.    

Please donate to Project Compassion. 

Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow for all future generations.  

You can donate through Project Compassion donation boxes, online by visiting caritas.org.au/project-compassion or by calling 1800 024 413.