COVID-19 is continuing to challenge us all, including our planned Ministry events. We have had to postpone our Years 8 and 12 Retreats for this term. It is hoped that we can hold these later in the year when it is safe to do so. Unfortunately, we were not able to hold our Whole School Commencement Mass; however, at this time, we are able to take small groups of students to St. Mary’s Parish Church for Mass on a Wednesday morning.
Thank you to those students who have offered their assistance with our Ministry events, especially our Masses and liturgies. Last week we commenced the training of our new Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist and hope to commission these students for service at the next available opportunity. We are still looking for students from all year levels to assist as altar servers at College Masses (if Catholic and already trained in a parish, or training can be provided), so if this is of interest then please contact Sr Emma.
Current Year 11 students are reminded about their Senior Christian Service Learning 'Service in Action' Program (Community Service), which is due to be completed by the end of this year. A minimum of 20 hours should be completed, recorded and reflected upon in their booklet. These hours will be reported and printed on their Year 12 Statement of Results. A copy of the booklet has been sent to all Year 11 students via SEQTA this week. One way to gain hours for Community Service is by volunteering at our College Breakfast Club, 7.30-8.30am in the CASS Kitchen, Monday-Friday. Students may like to offer their time on one or more mornings before school. Interested students should contact Mrs Sue Russell or Mrs Sascha Gwynne.
We are nearing the season of Lent, which for Catholics will commence on Ash Wednesday (March 2). Lent is a special time of preparation, prayer, penance (fasting) and almsgiving (doing works of love and charity) in the lead up to Easter. As we must limit the mix of students and staff at this time, we will be commemorating Ash Wednesday with a simple liturgy in small groups throughout the day. For Catholics, Ash Wednesday is a day of abstinence and fasting, which means not eating meat and limiting the consumption of food. Traditionally, Catholics also abstain from eating meat every Friday during Lent.
The day before Ash Wednesday is Shrove Tuesday, also known as 'Pancake Tuesday', which traditionally is a day of using up all the leftover, fatty foods and feasting before commencing the fasting season of Lent. During Recess on Shrove Tuesday (March 1), we will be selling pancakes for a gold coin donation, which will go towards Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion, so please encourage students to bring gold coins on this day. Our Year 12 Social Justice Leaders will be participating in the Project Compassion 2022 Launch (online), as a way of connecting with our broader Catholic Church community at this significant time in our liturgical year.
May you and your loved ones keep well and remain hopeful particularly at this time. Let us pray for peace and harmony in all parts of our world, especially in Russia and Ukraine.
Blessings,
Sr Emma Llewellyn
Head of Ministry
