NEWS FROM THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COORDINATOR'S DESK
MESSAGE FROM POPE FRANCIS
Pope Francis says the COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity for mission and service to others
While isolation, social distancing and economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic prove to be a challenge, Christians are called by God to take part in the church’s mission in the world to help those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis wrote in a message for World Mission Sunday 2020.
“The impossibility of gathering as a church to celebrate the Eucharist has led us to share the experience of the many Christian communities that cannot celebrate Mass every Sunday,” the Pope wrote in his message, which was released by the Holy See on May 31.
“In all of this, God’s question: ‘Whom shall I send?’ is addressed once more to us and awaits a generous and convincing response: ‘Here I am, send me,’” he said.
World Mission Sunday will be celebrated October 18.
In his message, the Pope said that despite the suffering and challenges posed by COVID-19, the church’s “missionary journey” continues.
Although pain and death “make us experience our human frailty,” it also serves as a reminder of “our deep desire for life and liberation from evil.”
“In this context, the call to mission, the invitation to step out of ourselves for love of God and neighbour presents itself as an opportunity for sharing, service and intercessory prayer,” he wrote.
“The mission that God entrusts to each one of us leads us from fear and introspection to a renewed realisation that we find ourselves precisely when we give ourselves to others.”
To be a “church on the move,” he said, is neither a program nor “an enterprise to be carried out by sheer force of will,” but rather follows the prompting of the Holy Spirit “who pushes you and carries you.”
Pope Francis said the celebration of World Mission Sunday offered an opportunity to reaffirm that one’s prayers, reflections and offerings were ways “to participate actively in the mission of Jesus in his church.”
He also reminded Christians that the mission of evangelisation was “a free and conscious response to God’s call” that could only be discerned by one’s “personal relationship of love with Jesus present in his church.”
“In all of this, God’s question, ‘Whom shall I send?’ is addressed once more to us and awaits a generous and convincing response: ‘Here am I, send me,’” the Pope said.
“God continues to look for those whom he can send forth into the world and to the nations to bear witness to his love, his deliverance from sin and death, his liberation from evil.”
And so we pray…
The Prayer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-vDUpp3XSQ&feature=youtu.be
NAIDOC WEEK
A message from the National NAIDOC Committee:
National NAIDOC Week 2020 celebrations will be held from the
8 - 15 November.
The National NAIDOC Committee has decided to postpone NAIDOC Week 2020 (5 July - 12 July) in the interest of safety for our communities. This decision was not taken lightly.
We have taken on-board the advice from the Federal Government, health experts, our key partners and from leading national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations.
We all believe that an escalating COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis, as we head into winter, would have disastrous impacts on our mob - especially for our elders and those in our communities with chronic health issues.
The National NAIDOC Awards scheduled for Saturday 11 July in Alice Springs will not go ahead as planned.
ST VINCENT DE PAUL FUNDRAISER
Following recent conversations with Vinnies, there seems to be an increased need for warm garments this winter, in particular beanies, scarves and blankets.
The Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong has been challenged to knit or crochet these garments, and because my skills in this area are ‘primitive’, I am extending the challenge to any of you that may be able to help me out.
All you need to do is knit or crochet a beanie, scarf or blanket and send it in to me and I will make sure that it is passed on to the organisers of the Vinnies Van to be given to those most in need.
PODCAST SERIES - RIPPLES
In response to COVID-19, a significant initiative has been developed for staff and parents to support their ongoing personal spiritual formation. It is a new podcast series entitled ‘Ripples: Inspired Voices, Treasured Stillness’.
Ripples seeks to offer a space where people can draw on the wisdom of a series of guest speakers and can experience some treasured stillness through meditation. On Tuesday of each week a new Episode and Meditation will be offered. Practices like these create a ripple effect. They have the potential to impact the way we respond to family, friends, colleagues, to others in our world, to creation and to our loving God.
The Ripples Podcast is now available
SUNDAY REFLECTION:
| Sunday 5 July 2020 |
FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A COMPASSION Jesus says, "Come to me, all of you who are weary from carrying heavy loads and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you. Learn from me for I am gentle and humble in spirit and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and the load I put on you is light." |
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| Sunday 12 July 2020 |
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A GOOD SOIL Jesus said, "A farmer went out to sow some grain. Some seed fell along the path and birds ate it. Some fell on rocky ground; it sprouted straight away for the soil was not deep but when the sun grew hot, the seedlings died because they had no roots. Some of the seed fell among the bushes which choked the seedlings. But some seed fell on good soil; it grew and gave a great harvest." |
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| Sunday 19 July 2020 |
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Jesus said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like this. A sower sowed good seed in his field but while he slept, his enemy sowed weeds among the wheat. He said to his servants, ‘Do not pull out the weeds for you might pull up the wheat as well. Let both grow until harvest and then I will tell the reapers to gather the weeds to be burnt and then gather the wheat into my barn’. " |
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