Welcome to 2024! I'm thrilled to be working with you all again this year. This Sunday, the Gospel comes from Mark 1:40-45, 'Jesus cures a leper.'   It challenges us to think - who is your leper? There is a story of Francis of Assisi in which he encountered a horribly disfigured leper. Initially, Francis was repulsed by the man but remembered that this man too was a child of God and made in the image and likeness of God. Overcoming his fears, Francis ran forward and embraced the man. Rather than seeing the disease, Francis saw the person. We can ask the question, Who is your leper? Who is the person in your life that you need to embrace rather than reject? Who would benefit from you viewing them with different eyes? Soft eyes! Eyes of compassion!

Last Friday, we celebrated our Opening School Mass. We focused on our school theme for the year 'We are the Light.' This theme is derived from our Archdiocesan theme the 'Year of the Holy Spirit'. We thank our Parish Priest, Fr James Antony for celebrating today's mass and our Parish Sacramental Coordinator Ms Anne Gowen for assisting. A big thank you to Elise S and Hunter E for altar serving so reverently. 

In order to ensure access for all, sacramental enrolments will open early this year. Enrolment for ALL sacraments through our parish will be open during Term 1. Please keep an eye on Compass and the Parish Bulletin for further information. 

Just incase you are forward planning, the dates for our 2024 Sacraments are:

Year 4 students - Reconciliation - Wed 4 Dec/Thurs 5 Dec (one night only)

Year 5 students - First Eucharist - Sat/Sun 14/15 September (any of the four Masses)

Year 6 students - Confirmation - Tues 18^th June (SCA students only)

Last year we had a number of children and families interested in having their child Baptised into the Catholic faith. Our parish does provide opportunities for older child baptisms.  If you are wanting to know more about this, please feel welcome to send me an email or speak to our Sacramental Coordinator directly, TuggeranongSouth.Sacraments@cg.org.au 

It's almost that time of year again where we begin our Lenten preparation! To acknowledge Ash Wednesday, we will be hosting a liturgy here in our School Hall on Wednesday 14^th February. The Liturgy will begin at 9:15am and children will receive the ashes on their forehead. Teachers will prepare students but you may like to share your experiences of preparing for the Lenten season with them too, to make it more meaningful.  

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any queries.

Best wishes

Rachel Kennedy

Religious Education Coordinator