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

Sacrament of Reconciliation 2022 & Presentation Masses

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

I had a wonderful time with the Year 3 children and Reconciliation Candidates last Friday at our Retreat. We engaged in times of prayer and reflection, as well as games and creative roleplays. Thank you to our Youth Minister Maddie for her support on the day.

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. Thank you.

Project Compassion 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 alternatively make a donation on the Qkr! App under the school payments section.

Fifth Sunday of Lent Year C . John 8:1-11

This entire scene is a conspiratorial ‘set-up’ to trap Jesus. Jewish law dictated that adultery was to be punished by death for both parties. However, the Roman occupation had forbidden the Jewish authorities to carry out the death penalty. By bringing the woman to Jesus they sought to place him in a no-win situation. If he upheld the Jewish law and ordered the death penalty, then he was flaunting Roman law. If he did not uphold the law then he could be branded as a false teacher. They thought it was a perfect trap!

But where is the man with whom the woman was committing adultery? When he is not also brought forward for judgment as any legitimate accusation would demand, Jesus senses the trap being set for him. He realises that those accusing the woman must have somehow been involved in setting her up so that she could be ‘caught committing adultery’. In Jewish law, accessories to a crime were equally guilty and subject to the same penalty. When Jesus says to the gathering, ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned …,’ he’s letting them know that he’s aware of their part in this crime and what judgment is due them also! If they persist with their accusation, they’ll also be tried as accessories! So they quietly walk away.

Jesus’ words to the woman sum up his message throughout the Gospel: ‘Neither do I condemn you, go away, and don’t sin any more.’ As with others in the gospels, Jesus recognises that the woman has indeed sinned, but he does not condemn her for it. By telling her not to sin any more he is calling her to conversion. He is saying, yes, you’ve made mistakes, but you can do better and I’m challenging you to try.

(Reflection by Greg Sunter)

Blessings for the week ahead,

Stephanie Burns

Religious Education Coordinator