Religious Education News
A Catholic Community nurturing mind, heart and spirit – following the light of Christ
A million thank you's to the beautiful parents who emailed their reflections on our Vision Statement, I hope you enjoyed your little thank you treat!
Over coming months, the staff of St. Kevin’s will be reflecting and creating our St. Kevin’s charisms or pillars, as they are also known, to authentically match our Vision Statement. St. Kevin’s is a Josephite school, meaning we are founded upon the life, beliefs and values of St. Joseph. We were originally opened and staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph, so we have a very rich and precious heritage that we are excited to honour.
The life of St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop will largely form the themes the St. Kevin’s staff choose to become the pillars upon which we take St. Kevin’s Primary School into the future. Over the next many newsletters, I will share with you some of Mary MacKillop's life and writings that I ask you to reflect upon.
We wish to include our parents and students in the process of developing our St. Kevin’s Josephite pillars and we would deeply appreciate you sharing your reflections and the themes you feel are present in these writings.
Please click this link to watch a clip about Mary MacKillop. Please follow this link to two short questions and share your reflections on this video.
I have more little treats to send home with your children to say thank you for your time and thoughts!
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK
We had a wonderful turn out to our Catholic Schools Week Mass a couple of Sundays ago, thank you to the families who were able to join us. Mary-Anne will be in touch as soon as possible with a new date for Open classrooms. It is exciting to open our doors and welcome you back into our school!
RECONCILIATION WEEK LITURGY
Thank you to Mr Taylor and our Indigenous children for leading us in a lovely liturgy for Reconciliation Week last Monday. The theme for 2022 is Be Brave, Make Change. During the liturgy and as a beautiful, visual reminder for Reconciliation Week, the children created a collaborative artwork symbolising that we are all committed to being brave and making a change for a better future. The artwork ‘Tree of Life’ was crafted by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Artist and Christian Leader Safina Stewart.
PENTECOST
Pentecost will be celebrated at St. Kevin’s tomorrow with an intimate in-class prayer service replicating the feeling of the disciples in the room thousands of years ago. Pentecost is a very special celebration of the events which occurred 50 days after Jesus Resurrection. This was the first time that Christians received the gift of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus told them they would. The disciples were given the gift of being able to speak in many different languages, enabling them to spread the Word of God to everyone. What an incredible blessing!
SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM
Fr. Joseph has now confirmed dates for our Sacramental Program for 2022.
Children from Years 4, 5 and 6 who have completed their Reconciliation are invited to take the next step along their faith journey by participating in the sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist. Please pop the following dates in your diary.
CONFIRMATION
Confirmation will be celebrated on September 13th.
Donna Morgan (mum of Harper, Year 6) has volunteered to run two sessions to prepare the children for the sacrament of Confirmation. These will be held at St. Kevin's on Tuesday 9th August and Tuesday 16th August from 5 – 6pm.
FIRST EUCHARIST
Donna will then run two sessions to prepare the children for the sacrament of First Eucharist. These sessions will be held at St. Kevin's on Tuesday 30th August and Tuesday 6th September from 5 - 6pm.
Following these sessions, families are welcome to attend any mass service over the next couple of weekends for the children to receive Holy Communion for the first time. There is no specific First Eucharist Mass.
RECONCILIATION
Details have not been finalised. I will be in touch with Year 3 parents later down the track.
We would love some parents to help Donna. No experience necessary and everyone is warmly welcomed! If you have any questions regarding the Sacramental Program, please contact Donna at donna.morgan@mn.catholic.edu.au
May God’s Spirit be with you all each day.
Mrs Jasmina Boudan
Religious Education Coordinator