World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation 

The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is held each year on the 1st September.

This day marks the beginning of the Season of Creation, which is an annual event that encourages prayer and action for our common home which runs from 1st September through to 4th October.

On this day each class participated in liturgy via zoom. As apart of this liturgy 1 student from each class received the St Francis of Assisi Award - For love of and appreciation for all of God’s creation. 

Congratulations to these students: 

Ripples: Spirituality for Parents 

Ripples is a PODCAST developed for staff and parents on-going spiritual formation. It 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. Practices like these create a ripple effect. They have the potential to impact the way we respond to family, friends, colleagues, to creation and to God. Come and enjoy some Inspired Voices and Treasured Stillness. 

Ripples: https://ripples.dow.catholic.edu.au/

Have your say on Sacraments of Initiation (From Bishop Brian Mascord) 

In October 2020 I asked Sr Monica Barlow, a Sister of St Joseph to work towards developing a discussion paper in the lead up to the eventual development of Sacraments of Initiation policy for the Diocese. 

Sr Monica began working on this project by consulting with priests and parishes around the present practice of administering the Sacraments of Initiation and options for the future that promote outreach, parish renewal and evangelisation. 

As a next step, she hopes to consult with parents via a Survey to collect what they believe to be important for their children in presenting them for the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. 

I would encourage you, as a parent, to take part in this consultation as your responses are key to the development of this policy. I thank you for considering being part of this important research. You can access the Survey by simply clicking here: https://dow.sh/SacramentsSurvey

Socktober 

This Socktober we are encouraging students to learn what life is like for children from Thailand, specifically those from slum areas in Bangkok, the bustling capital. Thailand  exhibits staggering wealth inequality - around 7% of the Thai population of 69,480,520 people live under the poverty line. 

Thailand is also a major centre for human trafficking, particularly of children and vulnerable people. Sexual exploitation constitutes the majority of cases of trafficking, and it is now the primary form of modern slavery in Thailand. The children most at risk are those living in poverty in city slum areas, especially if there is nowhere safe to stay during the day when their parents are working. 

The Good Shepherd Sisters have been supporting communities in need in Thailand for over 55 years. The Sisters have a mission to build partnerships that promote the dignity and human rights of all, especially women and children. The Sisters run many services, including a kindergarten, which offers two life‑changing services for both local women and their children: firstly, the Sisters provide a loving education in a safe place, catering for essential needs; and secondly, this allows the parents to freely work and earn a living for their families without fear for their children’s safety. 

“If the children have a chance to study or prepare well to go to school, it will be very good … for them. We try to support them, and not only for education. Mind and body have to go together for the children to develop. I believe that if we really and truly help them with love, they will grow nicely and will have a good future.”

In Religious Education for the first 3 weeks of Term 4, students will be learning about Thailand, the work of Catholic Mission in Thailand as well as engaging in class liturgies to prayer for the Good Shepherd Sisters who have been supporting communities in need in Thailand for over 55 years.

Miss Emma Groves - Religious Education Co ordinator