Upcoming Liturgical Celebrations

Next week we have 2 important celebrations at school, Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday of which you are warmly invited to join us for both liturgical celebrations.

Shrove Tuesday

Traditionally, Shrove Tuesday is a day for confession and preparation for Lent. The word "shrove" originates from the Catholic practice of "shriving," which means to confess your sins and receive absolution from a priest. It is also a day when people would use up foods such as eggs, flour, sugar, and dairy before the Lenten fast. This is why many people eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.

One way to celebrate Shrove Tuesday is by holding a "burying of the Alleluia" ritual. "Alleluia" is an exclamation that means "Praise the Lord!" and is used throughout the Psalms as a shout of joy. Since Lent is a season marked by reflection and solemness, the Church omits "Alleluia" from the liturgy during this 40-day period. In a way, we "fast the Alleluia." This fast is joyfully broken with the opening words of the Easter liturgy on Easter morning: "Alleluia! Christ is risen!"

Ash Wednesday

On Wednesday 5^th March we will celebrate the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday. We will mark the students’ forehead with a cross of ashes to remind them to be more like Jesus and of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. As you enter the school during this time you will see the colour purple around, this symbolises the anticipation of the pain that Jesus endured at the crucifixion.

Project Compassion

The season of Lent marks the start of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Your donations to Project Compassion enable Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to collaborate with local communities worldwide to combat poverty, hunger, oppression, and injustice. This year, Caritas is focusing on communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Samoa, and Vietnam.

I encourage you and your family to put your compassion into action this Lent through prayer, fasting, and giving by supporting Project Compassion. Each classroom has a donation box, and it would be wonderful for students to practice generosity. One idea is for students to do jobs around the house to earn extra money to place in their class box.

Over the next five weeks, classes will learn about the stories of Toefuata’iga, Lam, and Irene. Our St. Kevin’s Mission Team, led by Miss Brownlow, will organize fundraising events to support Caritas directly. We encourage you to donate any money earned to the Project Compassion boxes located in the school.

SRC

Exciting news at St Kevin's! We are thrilled to announce the establishment of our very own Student Representative Council (SRC). The SRC aims to give students a voice in school matters, foster leadership skills, and promote a sense of responsibility and community among our students. Students from Years 2-6 will have the opportunity to elect two representatives from their class per semester, with the Student Leaders taking turns in chairing the council to ensure productive meetings and that everyone's voice is heard. The council will meet once a month to discuss and implement initiatives that create a positive and inclusive school environment. We look forward to seeing the great contributions from our young leaders!

Donna Morgan

Religious Education Teacher