Religious Life of the School 

Christian Meditation

Many of us when we pray we like to speak…… but we don’t like to listen. I was raised with prayer being spoken, sometimes with the rosary or other standard prayers, as the main method of being spiritual and being in God’s grace. Prayer simply means to be with God and sometimes to speak with him. Does this have to be vocal? While I think these prayers are wonderful,  necessary and are explicitly taught in the religious curriculum to our students. However, are they enough to nourish our soul? Sometimes, if we don’t stop and pay attention we run the risk of speaking a prayer without being conscious of the words spoken. This means that we are running the risk of saying prayers without actually praying.

Christian meditation is not just speaking to God but allowing us to speak with God. This implies that we also listen, not just speak. Which raises the question of how is it possible to listen to God? God speaks to us all the time through scripture, when we attend mass in the Holy Church, God also speaks to us in the everyday events of our lives. Every day at school I am blessed to see the face of Jesus in every child and staff member at our school. It is in these moments that we need to listen. To take more time in our busy lives to meditate.  Meditation is simply reflecting on God’s word with the help of the Holy Spirit. It involves opening your mind and heart and your will to the presence of God. It is not about looking for visions or extraordinary insights. Anyone can do it. Just stop…. Take a minute or two to close your eyes and recall the presence of God that lives within us. Let everything go from your day… all those thoughts and worries and let our spirit rest in God. Start small, just a minute or two to be mindful of God’s presence in our lives and invite the Holy Spirit into that moment, reflect on God’s will, resolve to move forward with his presence and be thankful. 

Lent

Coming up next week is Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. We will be having a liturgy in the Flexible Learning Area at 1:40pm for Ash Wednesday. We would love it if you could join us for this liturgy. 

What is Shrove Tuesday?

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent. It’s a day of penitence,to clean the soul and the last chance to feast before Lent begins.  Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving things up. So Shrove Tuesday is the last chance to indulge yourself and use up any foods that weren’t allowed during Lent. Traditionally, Christians would not eat certain foods during Lent such as meat and fish, fats, eggs and milky foods.  So on the day before Lent Christians would feast on the foods that wouldn’t last the forty days of Lent. 

Curriculum News

Parent Volunteer introduction session  

Thank you to those parent who gave up there time to go through the parent induction session. If you are interested in volunteering at School, in any capacity, you will be required to undertake a short induction session. I am happy to run additional sessions if there is a need. Please just register your interest at the office. 

May St. Joseph smile on you, 

Meg Newell