This year at Sts Peter and Paul, we are all called to ‘Let Your Light Shine”

Harmony Week 2022

As you would be aware, this week is Harmony Week. To celebrate we invite all children to wear free choice clothing this Friday, 25th March. If possible, students are encouraged to find something orange to wear, to highlight the message of Harmony Day. On the day, we also encourage the children to bring in a gold coin donation for their classroom’s Project Compassion box or donate on Qkr! - under the School Payments section.

Sacrament of Reconciliation 2022 & Presentation Masses

This Saturday marks the beginning of the Sacrament of Reconciliation for our Candidates. Congratulations to the students and their families at this special time.

Thank you to all the families who attended the Parish Mass last weekend, it was lovely to see our Reconciliation candidates and their parents, I know the parishioners were very happy to see so many happy, smiling faces.

For any parents who would like to see the home groups sheet, please click here.

You can also double-check your child’s name on the online booking sheet to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation here.

REMINDER: Parents of candidates for the Sacrament of Reconciliation must forward a copy of their child’s Baptism certificate to the Parish Office if their child was Baptised outside of Transfiguration Parish.

Reconciliation Retreat Day

On Friday 25th March 2022, Year 3 students and all candidates for the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be participating in a Retreat Day as the final step in their journey of preparation for this important Sacrament. On the day, students will then engage in different activities that touch on aspects of the Sacrament and the themes of prayer, faith and forgiveness. Students will be in the school hall from 9:00am-12:00pm, with the same breaks as usual.
Students will be wearing free dress in honour of Harmony Day, and are to bring their hat, drink bottle and lunch as they normally would.
I have heard from a number of parents who are concerned that due to COVID restrictions, their child will be isolating and unable to participate in the Retreat Day. Please do not worry.  I will be creating a series of Google Slides that I will share with families closer to the day, that will run through the content covered on the retreat day should you need to access that for your child. Please, rest assured that all children will be able to receive the Sacrament, even if they are unable to attend the Retreat Day.

Project Compassion 2022

Now that Lent has begun for this year, we are turning our focus to the Caritas Project Compassion fundraiser for 2022. The Theme this year is “For all Future Generations”. Our support of Caritas Australia this Lenten season will help support vulnerable people around the world, now and For All Future Generations. Each class has been given a Project Compassion box that will allow students to donate money to Caritas over the Season of Lent. We encourage you to discuss this with your child and consider allowing your child to make a donation to the box that is on their classroom prayer table or through the Qkr! App.

Fourth Sunday of Lent Year C . Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Today’s Gospel is perhaps the most famous of the parables that are unique to the Gospel of Luke. Sadly, what is often overlooked is the accusation aimed at Jesus that leads into the telling of this and two other shorter parables (the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin – Lk 15:4-10). The Pharisees and scribes accuse Jesus of what they regard to be abhorrent behaviour in relation to the purity code that dominated 1st Century life: not only does Jesus welcome sinners, he actually shares meals with them. This would be absolutely scandalous behaviour. Who you ate with was a reflection of who you were. To eat with sinners and the unclean effectively made you a sinner and unclean.

The three parables Jesus tells in response to this accusation are all about the lost being found and great rejoicing over the finding of the lost sheep, lost coin, or lost son. The Gospel of Luke – more so than any of the others – has a very strong focus on the message of Jesus being addressed to and welcomed by the outcasts and marginalised; in other words, the ‘lost’ of His society. Rather than being embarrassed by the accusation that He ate with sinners, Jesus would have worn those words like a badge of honour. It was exactly what His mission and ministry was all about – being one with the poor; the outcast; the sinful; the lost. The three parables, and particularly the parable of the lost son, demonstrate the joy of a loving God when one who was lost returns. The extravagant welcome the prodigal son receives from his father is symbolic of the extravagance of God’s love that will be poured out for any ‘sinner’ who returns to God.

 (Reflection by Greg Sunter)

Blessings for the week ahead,

Stephanie Burns

Religious Education Coordinator