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

Vinnies Christmas Appeal 2022

St Vincent de Paul is committed to making Christmas a time to renew hope. They are dedicated to providing shelter, food, clothing, financial support, friendship and care for tens of thousands of people in the Canberra/Goulburn region.

This year, as with previous years, students at Sts Peter and Paul are invited to donate to the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal.  These items will be combined by members of our local Vinnies chapter to fill hampers for families in the Canberra region.   

Each class has been allocated a small list of suggested items to donate in the table below (please select from the list and donate what you can).

These will be placed in near the Christmas Tree in our school foyer.

All donations will be presented to a St Vincent de Paul representative at Wednesday morning assembly in Week 10 (14th December).

SRC LED CHRISTMAS DRESS UP DAY - BONUS DONATION : This year as a special SRC (Student Representative Council) led initiative, we will have a bonus donation day. On Wednesday 14th December, Students are invited to bring in a small gift for a child or family to donate to St Vincent de Paul (unwrapped to aid in hamper creation for the team) Students may dress up in Christmas-themed clothes on this day. Thank you for your generous support of St Vincent de Paul.

Please send in all food items by Tuesday 13/12/22.   

Third Sunday of Advent, Year A Gospel Reflection

Why would John the Baptist send messengers to question Jesus? We recall from last week’s gospel passage that John had a somewhat ‘fire and brimstone’ perception of what Jesus would be like. Perhaps as he sat in his prison cell John began to wonder whether Jesus was indeed the Messiah that John believed him to be. Perhaps the question was not for himself but rather for his disciples that he sent to Jesus. Given the answer that Jesus provided them, perhaps John’s intention was for the disciples to recognise that Jesus was in fact the one that John had proclaimed and that the disciples should switch their allegiance to Jesus. John probably guessed that he would not be leaving that prison alive and may have been leading his disciples to the next step in their discipleship by having them go and scrutinise Jesus.

The indirect answer that Jesus provides to the query would have not sounded like such a roundabout response as it does to us. The picture Jesus describes of the blind seeing, the lame walking, lepers cleansed, and the deaf hearing would have been very familiar to those who were listening and the first audience of this gospel. These were signs of the coming of the Messiah that had been foretold by the prophets. In his answer, Jesus effectively says, ‘Well, all the things that are supposed to happen when the Messiah comes are happening now with me. There’s your answer!’

The reading continues to build on the Advent themes of anticipation, preparedness and hope. As we draw closer to the celebration of the Nativity, in this reading is confirmation that our hope is not misplaced. Today’s readings emphasise the joy that lies in the anticipation and expectation of what is coming.

(Reflection by Greg Sunter)

2022 Graduation Mass and Candle Ceremony

Next Monday 12^th December at 12:00pm we will be celebrating the Graduation of the class of 2022 with a Mass in our school hall. We will also be holding the traditional candle ceremony, where Year 6 Leadership in the Sts Peter and Paul Community will pass from the current Year 6 students, onto our upcoming leaders for 2023.

All families of Year 5 and 6 students are invited to join us for this very special occasion.

Have a blessed week,

Stephanie Burns

Religious Education Coordinator