We are witnessing a new way of life at the moment with COVID-19. In this time of uncertainty may we pause and take some time out for prayer and reflection.

I read a positive post that reminded families about all the things that you can still do while staying at home with your children. Take the time to play games with your children, read, cook or complete farm work with them. Enjoy the time to be just able to be together and acknowledge all the things we can be grateful for – especially our health and the resources we have in our community to ensure we are cared for.

During Lent the students have been following the personal stories of people who have benefitted from our donations through Caritas Australia. Shirley from the Phillippines, trained to become an indigenous health worker and is now able to support her family and community. Phany from Cambodia joined a Caritas program to learn more productive farming techniques and water management to combat drought. Viewing these personal stories certainly opens our eyes to the challenges others face in their daily lives and enables the children to see how their donations can make a difference.

Thank you for the support given to the Easter Raffle organised by Year 6. All money raised will be donated to Caritas Australia. The raffle will be drawn on Tuesday 31^st March, so if you would like any tickets please pop your money into an envelope with your family’s name written on it. Tickets are 50c each.

Our preparations for Holy Week and Easter will certainly be different this year, both for our school and parish, with the cancellation of Liturgies and Mass. I have some Prayer Services, for families to celebrate Holy Week at home, that I will copy and leave out for families to collect when you pick up your school packs. In the religion folder on your child’s google classroom I have added some links for Stations of the Cross and an Online Mass that you might like to access. At this stage the links are not working so I have put them here for families that might like to use them.

Online Mass: https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/mass-online/

Stations of the Cross: https://media.loyolapress.com/assets/lent/stations-eng/stations-eng.html

Caritas: https://lent.caritas.org.au/#blank

Yesterday was the Feast of the Annunciation. This feast day marks the visit of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, during which he told her that she would be the mother of God.

During the week ahead let us ask Mary to watch over our families and our wider community by saying her special prayer – the ‘Hail Mary’.

Take care of each other this week.

- Liz Murray