Welcome Back

Welcome back to Term 3! I hope everyone has had the opportunity to have a great break and enjoyed quality time with family and friends.

Prayer for the Start of Term

Dear Lord, help me to live each day quietly and easily. To lean upon your strength truthfully and restfully. To wait for the unfolding of your will patiently and serenely. To meet others peacefully and joyfully. To face tomorrow confidently and courageously. Amen.

The Power of Prayer

So, what exactly is the power of prayer? The power of prayer is not in the words you utter. It is not about what you pray or even how you pray. Prayer can be defined as talking to God, but it is much more than that. Prayer is an act of worship that glorifies God and reinforces our need for Him.

Please Pray for…..

Please pray for our First Eucharist Candidates who are continuing their preparations for First Holy Communion.

The First Eucharist Candidates are:

Bella Betts, Billy Corkhill, Thomas Edwards, Charlie Jackson, Zoe Lenehan, Beatrice Lucas, Emerson Mann-Rea, Tomas Mariani, Grace Metcalfe, Michael Oakley, Tommie Parker, Skye Peterson, Imogen Smith and Ryan Sumich.

Please keep Mrs Doolan and her extended family in your prayers with the recent passing of their dearly beloved ‘Pa George’, one of God’s true gentleman.

Please keep the Gadd family in your prayers, Michelle's father, Alfonro Mabia Aragon passed away in the holidays. 

I would like to continue to keep one of our past students, Molly Innes in our prayers. She has recently been diagnosed with cancer. 

Sacramental Information

The Sacramental preparation program and Sacramental dates will go ahead at this stage. Further information regarding each of the following will be sent to parents of the children.

• Sacramental Retreat Day at St. Anthony’s Church on Thursday 30^th July – 9:30am-3pm
• First Reconciliation Sacrament Evening – Wednesday 5^th August at St. Anthony’s Church – 6pm-7pm

• First Communion Sacramental Mass – Sunday 9^th August at St. Anthony’s Church – 10:30am-11:30am

Readings this Weekend – Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time A

GOSPEL:  Matthew 13:44-46

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013%3A44-46&version=NIV

Jesus said to the crowds, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field. ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it’.

Gospel Focus

Our God is the one who became one like us, in Jesus the Lord, so that we might know, love and serve him. That is what this Gospel is all about.

Jesus reminds his disciples that in glimpsing the things of heaven they have to be like the master of a household. In Jesus’ day such a person would have provided protection, love, security and justice for all.

God has given us free will and treasures, both new and old, to help us protect each other, love each other, feel secure in the truth and act justly. But we need to know that the choices we make in regard to these things have implications for how we live now, and in the life to come.

Living the Gospel

We can present contemporary ‘glimpses’ of the kingdom of heaven likened to the treasure in a field or pearl of great value – are we examples of people living out kingdom values? Do we look upon the world in wonder and awe? Can we identify moments of inspiration in our modern world?

Thought of the Week

Wishing everybody a wonderful weekend.

God bless,

Donna Wade