First Holy Communion

It was a special, joyful occasion last weekend for the children who received the Sacrament of Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time at Masses in Taralga, Crookwell and Goulburn. May the ‘life’ of Jesus (in the form of the bread and wine) continue to bring them peace, joy, inspiration, strength, and courage throughout their lives.

We will be celebrating Mass next Wednesday at 9:30am to give thanks for this Sacrament and for the school term we have had. All are welcome to attend.

WHY should you go to Mass?

• Going to Mass and receiving Communion is about saying YES I BELIEVE in Jesus. I believe he loves me and died for me.
• We hear God’s WORD speaking to us through the Scripture readings telling us how much we are loved and cherished and guiding us to lead good lives.
• We hear and remember the ‘Jesus story’. We learn how to follow in his footsteps to bring peace and joy to our fractured world.
• We relive Jesus’ last supper where he spoke about his death and resurrection,

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you (on the Cross); do this in remembrance of me.” … he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you (on the Cross). Do this in memory of me.”

• The Holy bread and wine we receive at Mass become Jesus Himself. In this way Jesus nourishes and strengthens us with Himself.

When we share communion we become joined as one community…. And nourished for life’s journey, taking Jesus to others and making our world a better place

Mini Vinnies Social Justice at St Mary's

‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.’

However, not everyone in the world is as fortunate as us and many people struggle to survive from day to day, while we live in comfort, with three meals a day and a bed to sleep in each night. It can be easy to remain unaware of actual people who are experiencing an injustice like homelessness.

The St Vincent de Paul Society is very active in social justice advocacy. They not only support people who are experiencing hardship but also work to eliminate the problem. They attempt to do this by researching the problems to learn more about them and educating the wider community.

Last week Years 5 and 6 considered themselves very fortunate to take part in a St Vincent DePaul social Justice workshop. They were shocked and concerned about the facts on homelessness in Australia that Youth Workers Mat and Tia presented. They got to see ‘close-up’ the inside of a Night Patrol van and learn about the nightly assistance given to the homeless of Canberra.

Not only have our students learned about the injustice of homelessness in our own country, but they have been inspired to do more than just ask for donations for the Vinnies Winter Appeal. Stay tuned to hear more.

Mini Vinnies Winter Appeal

Many thanks to those who have donated so far.

Donations of the following items would be greatly appreciated and can be dropped to the school.

• Thick socks
• Gloves/mittens/beanies/scarves
• Coats
• Sleeping bags
• Blankets/doonas
• Non-perishable food items

(please make sure any used items are in reasonable condition)