St Brigid's Catholic Parish Primary School Gwynneville eNewsletter

FROM THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COORDINATOR'S DESK

OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS - Feast Day 24 May

The feast day of Mary Help of Christians has been celebrated in Australia since 1844. The infant church in Australia had a special reason for turning to Mary. No priests were sent to the colony in its early days and Mass was not allowed except for one brief year until 1820. It was largely the Rosary in those early days that kept the faith alive.

Catholic Australia remained faithful to Mary and was the first nation to choose her under the title Help of Christians, as principal Patroness.

When Australia became the first country to have Mary Help of Christians as Patroness, it became the first country to have a mother cathedral under the same title, which is St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney.

In our Prayer for Our Lady Help of Christians, the Church prays that through Our Lady’s intercession God will “grant wisdom to our leaders and integrity to our citizens”, so that “under her protection, Australia may be granted harmony, justice and peace”.

AND SO WE PRAY…

Almighty God, deepen in our hearts
our love of Mary Help of Christians.
Through her prayers and under her protection,
may the light of Christ shine over our land.
May Australia be granted harmony, justice and peace.
Grant wisdom to our leaders and integrity to our citizens.
Bless especially the men and women
of the Australian Defence Force and their families.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord.

Amen

Our Lady Help of Christians, pray for us.

RECONCILIATION WEEK 26 May - 3 June

National Sorry Day 2022 falls this year on Thursday 26 May and is a day when we pause to remember the Stolen Generations of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

It leads us into the Week of Prayer for Reconciliation and National Reconciliation Week which is held each year between 27th May and 3rd June.

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2022 is Be Brave. Make Change.

Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

For the Catholic Church in Australia, this week offers us a time to be fully the Church that God dreams for us - a Church in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples make their own unique contribution and that contribution is joyfully received by others.

AND SO WE PRAY…

Loving God, you call us to work together to be one people.

May we work together to bring hope and healing to all who live here in Australia.

Help us to show compassion and justice to all, especially our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters, whom we have treated so badly in the past.

May we walk forward in a spirit of healing and reconciliation so that all may live with dignity and respect.

We make our prayer in Jesus’ name.

Amen

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Friday June 3 and Saturday June 4, 2022. And so we keep our Year 6 students in our prayers

Lord, You send out Your Spirit to touch the hearts of all people, so that they may believe in You and in Jesus whom You sent.

Look kindly on all candidates for Confirmation as they listen to Your voice.

Open their hearts to Your Spirit and bring to fulfilment the good work that You have begun in them.

Amen.

FOR YOUR DIARY

It was lovely to celebrate Mass with the Year 2 and Kindergarten students and some of their parents and grandparents in the last few weeks.

An invitation is extended to parents, grandparents and carers to attend their child / children’s designated grade Parish Mass and then stay for a ‘cuppa and a chat’.

We are hoping that this will assist you to become reacquainted with the Mass and our community. Please put the date/s in your diary!

DATE	CLASS ATTENDING
2 June	Year 5
9 June	Year 4
16 June	Year 3
23 June	Whole School Liturgy

LUMEN CHRISTI PARISH - RECONCILIATION AND HOLY COMMUNION 2022 - YEAR 3 2022

The Sacramental Programme for Reconciliation & First Holy Communion will begin with the Parent/Caregiver Meeting at 6.30pm on Wednesday 29th June, and Thursday 30th June 2022, at St John Vianney Co-Cathedral, Fairy Meadow. Parents/caregivers must attend either one of these meetings to enrol their children for the First Holy Communion Programme. Please bring your child’s completed enrolment form and a copy of your child’s Baptism Certificate. You can download the enrolment form from our parish website. Go to: www.lumenchristi.org.au/sacramental2022 Enrolment forms will only be accepted at the Parent/Caregiver session held 6.30pm on 29th/30th June at St John Vianney Co-Cathedral. Strictly No late enrolments will be accepted. The cost for administration and materials for the First Holy Communion Programme is $60. The sessions for each sacrament will be held in St John Vianney Co-Cathedral commencing at 6.30pm sharp. If you require any further information or need to discuss any concerns please, contact Cathy on 4211 0506 email: cathy.zamroz@dow.org.au

Reconciliation (shortened programme)

Session 1 20/21 July SJV 6:30 pm
Session 2 27/28 July SJV 6:30 pm

Eucharist

Session 1 3/4 August SJV 6:30 pm
Session 2 10/11 August SJV 6:30 pm
Session 3 17/18 August SJV 6:30 pm
Session 4 24/25 AugustSJV 6:30 pm

First Reconciliation will be available after each First Holy Communion session.

First Holy Communion Dates are Saturday 27, August & 3, September 2022.

VINNIES VAN FOOD DRIVE

REFLECTIONS

THE ACSENSION OF OUR LORD

The Feast of the Ascension is really a kind of liminal moment in the Easter season. It is a time between times; a moment when we have left one place, but have not yet arrived at a second. While the narratives that describe the Ascension fit well into the unfolding story of redemption, the feast celebrates the exaltation of Jesus. The readings allow us to focus on this theological point while we commemorate a turning point in the life of the church. We do this by considering the enthronement of Christ in the heavens and the new body of Christ on earth.

Many of the Easter accounts have directed our attention to the appearances of Jesus which were intended to strengthen the Christians' belief in his bodily resurrection.

Today we stand awestruck, watching Jesus ascend into the clouds of heaven, there to be enthroned at the right hand of God. Today is a day to be overwhelmed by the reality of the divinity of the one whom we have known in his humanity.

Christ who ascended into heaven in his body carries on what he began on earth through his new body, the community of believers. He teaches through its apostles and evangelists. He ministers through its prophets and pastors. We have not been left alone; we have his power, the same power with which he performed marvels when he walked the earth. We have not been left alone; we have each other. Together we make up the new body of Christ.

PENTECOST

Holy Ghost, Holy Gust

In the very old days, the ‘Holy Spirit’ was known as the ‘Holy Ghost’. It comes from the old English word ‘gust’ which ‘blows wherever it pleases’. St Luke’s account of Pentecost tells of what ‘sounded like a powerful wind from heaven’. This is the Divine Wind, this is the Holy Gust, the Holy Spirit. Out of nowhere, this mighty Gust burst into the disciples’ lives with gale force, sweeping away their fear.

The Divine Wind is nothing less than the Breath of God. ‘O Breathe on me Breath of God’ is one of the most beautiful hymns, sung to a traditional Irish melody. One verse goes: ‘O Breathe on me Breath of God . . . until this earthly part of me glows with thy fire divine’. It is like a log at the back of the fireplace late at night. The log is intact but absolutely glowing through and through with fire. It is to be the same with us.

Peter was inspired to preach to the crowds ‘with a loud voice’ about ‘Jesus the Nazarene’ and the fact that ‘God raised him to life’. That is the gospel. That is the message which those who breathe with the breath of God have been preaching since the birthday of the Church at Pentecost.

We could pause for a moment to pray an ancient chant of the Church:

‘Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,

and enkindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they will be created,

and you will renew the face of the earth.’

THE MOST HOLY TRINITY

Painting the Picture of God

The Feast of the Trinity of God comes about because Jesus painted a picture of the most intimate communion of Divine Life between Himself, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. This is a relationship and yet the most perfect unity.

God is Divine pulsating, shimmering light dancing in threefold exchange of love. In fact, the best name for God is ‘Being-in-Love’. What does this mean for us?

How often have you heard: ‘You are made in the image and likeness of God’? If God is threefold Being-in-Love, then you and I are made to live in relationship – not in solitary. We are totally on the wrong track if we think that the ultimate good is to be self-sufficient. It will turn out to be a Hellish choice. When we live as much self-giving as is possible, we are closest to Divine Life. In fact, we are Divine Life pulsating into a particular time and place through us.

Each time we bless ourselves, a bit of a Catholic routine, we are invoking the threefold exchange of love and calling its power into our life. Be careful, there will be consequence! You could become more God-like!

We could pause for a moment, slowly make the Sign of the Cross which recalls our baptism: ‘In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’, and promise to image that Name in our lives.