Flourishing in the Footsteps

Prayer and Worship 

This is it! This week is the pinnacle of our Catholic faith. This week is Holy Week, the most important week of our Catholic Year and includes three main events.  

Holy Week begins seven days before Easter Sunday with Palm Sunday. At St Monica’s we started our Holy week with a Palm Sunday Liturgy led by 1 White with energy and excitement. On Palm Sunday we celebrate the triumphant entry of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, into Jerusalem, riding a donkey. On that day, the people laid palms before Him, a gesture reserved for triumphant leaders. We celebrate this at Mass by distributing palms. The palms are blessed at Mass and eventually returned to the Church where they are burned, and their ashes saved and distributed at the following year's Ash Wednesday services. 

Later, when Jesus entered the Temple in Jerusalem, he angrily drove out the money changers who had turned the Temple court into a place of business instead of devotion. Once the court was cleared, Jesus began teaching the masses. Meanwhile, His enemies drew plans to kill Him. 

The next major event in Holy Week is Holy Thursday. On Holy Thursday, Jesus washed his disciples' feet and celebrated the Jewish Passover feast with the disciples. We know this feast as the Last Supper. Today our Year Faith and Justice leaders led us in a Holy Thursday Liturgy where all students had their hands washed and then went back to their classrooms to share bread and blackcurrant juice in memory of Jesus.  After supper, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives and prayed. From this event comes inspiration for our practice of Eucharistic Adoration, where we are invited to spend one hour in prayer with Jesus, truly present in the Eucharist; Body, Blood, and Divinity. Holy Thursday is the night He was betrayed by Judas and arrested. 

The next event in Holy Week is Good Friday where we commemorate the trial, punishment, and crucifixion of Our Lord. Today Year 6 has led us in a Good Friday Stations of the Cross Liturgy. On Good Friday, Jesus was brought before Annas, a powerful Jewish cleric who condemned Jesus for blasphemy. From there, Jesus was presented to Pilate for trial. Although Pilate found no guilt in Jesus, he agreed to have him crucified to appease the crowd of people and prevent a riot. Christ was stripped, flogged, and crowned with thorns. He was then forced to carry His Cross to the place of His execution. There, He was nailed to the Cross between two thieves who were likewise crucified. Later that afternoon, seeking to ensure Christ's death, a Roman guard stabbed him in his side with a spear. When Jesus died, an earthquake is said to have occurred as well as a great darkness which covered the land. Suddenly, many people knew Jesus was the Son of God. 

Jesus was taken and laid quickly in a borrowed tomb, in accord with Jewish law, which required the dead be buried by sundown before the Sabbath. 

In our churches, the Tabernacle is left empty, to show that Christ is departed. 

On Holy Saturday, we remember that Jesus was descended into hell where He preached the Gospel to those who died before and opened the way to heaven for all those who were worthy. Holy Saturday concludes Holy Week.  

The following day is Easter Sunday, the day on which it was discovered the Tomb was empty, and our Lord was resurrected, triumphing over death once and for all time. Next Tuesday at 10.30am Year 3 White will lead us with a Resurrection Liturgy in the church. You are invited to join us. 

Sacraments 

Last weekend 5 of our students were Baptised by Father Mick. Baptism is the first Sacrament in our Catholic Faith and the initiation to becoming Catholic.  At Baptism, we receive a spiritual mark and the gifts of the Hoy Spirit. We congratulate Cooper, Chelsea, Brooke, Riley and Hugh on formally becoming active members of our Catholic community and pray that they use their gifts given by the Holy Spirit in our community with courage and confidence. 

We also have 50 of our students preparing for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Next week these children will complete their preparation by going to their first confession. Please keep these children in your prayers as they take this step in their faith journey. 

Social Action and Justice 

Project compassion finishes today. We are still counting our final donations, but we have raised over $800 during this Lenten season. What an outstanding achievement St Monica’s!

This year, we shared with you the story of three inspiring women from across the globe, who overcame challenges to complete their education, access water and find secure employment. With the support of compassionate people like you, they are now forging a path to a better future for their families and their communities.  

Ronita from the Philippines has now graduated high school and secured a job at a call centre. This job was only possible because of a certificate she gained from completing her studies.   

Leaia and her family now have a water tank at their home in Samoa. She and her family now have a steady supply of clean drinking water. Next year, they will also have a toilet built, with the support of Caritas Samoa, which will further improve their health and living conditions. 

Memory completed her vocational training course in carpentry and joinery. After completing a work contract at one of the largest electrical companies in Malawi, Memory now plans to return to her village and provide carpentry services to people in her community.  

It’s through the generosity of people like you that we can continue to support people like Ronita, Leaia and Memory.  

There is still time to donate! Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow, for all future generations. 

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. 

Photo: Richard Wainwright / Caritas Australia