RE News

It has been wonderful to hear of the children engaging so well in their Religious Education learning at home. Thank you to parents for your support of this very important learning.

This year the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord falls on 24th May which is usually the date of the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians, Patron Saint of Australia. Because of this, the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians has been moved to Monday, 25th May this year.

The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord

This coming Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. The children (and maybe some of us), might think of the Ascension as Jesus boarding a rocket ship and blasting off to heaven. The problem with this image is that Jesus did not go anywhere – he remained with us, but in a different way. Ascension does not mark the end of Jesus’ presence. It simply marks the change in how he is present and how he acts. Jesus taught us that where he is, so shall we be, that he was going to prepare a place for us and that, in and through him, we will have life and have it to the full.

The feast of the Ascension is the day, each year, where we remember and we celebrate that, just as Jesus was welcomed to God’s right hand, so, too, shall we be welcomed to the right hand of Jesus. This is his promise, this is our faith and this is the hope we are called to proclaim to the world. And let’s be clear about the invitation. There is nothing we have ever done, are doing, or will do, that will get our name removed from the invitation list to the feast of Christ’s kingdom. The challenge is accepting that we have a standing invitation and living lives worthy of the love that places our name on the list. The feast of the Ascension announces that Jesus will faithfully accompany us no matter how far we lose our way and that by our fidelity to Christ we accept or reject the standing offer.

Thoughts from Richard Leonard and Dianne Bergant

Family Prayer

Lord Jesus, give us the courage 

to go out into the world 

and share your love 

with everyone we meet. 

Amen

Mary, Help of Christians

The bishops of Australia have decided to entrust Australia during this pandemic to the Immaculate Heart of Mary under the title of Our Lady Help of Christians.

This entrustment is to be prayed throughout Australia on 24th/25th May. Please find  the Prayer of Entrustment below.

This year we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, the Patron Saint of Australia on Monday, 25th May.

We look to Mary for her help, her protection and guidance. We celebrate the many gifts God gives us here in Australia – the diversity of our people, the beauty of this land, the values of freedom and peace that we treasure.

We ask Mary to intercede for us.

With the help of Mary, we pray that we may embrace and respect all Australians. May we work towards reconciliation with our Indigenous brothers and sisters, and learn to live in harmony with all those who are different from ourselves.

With the help of Mary, we pray for those who seek hope in Australia, especially migrants and refugees. May we be a sign of true Christian hospitality and generosity to them.

With the help of Mary, we pray that Australians might be an example to the world in our concern for global peace, human rights and justice for all.

Entrusting Australia to Mary Help of Christians

O Immaculate Mary, Help of Christians, Queen of heaven and

earth, and tender Mother of humanity, at this time when a

pandemic threatens all your children, we entrust to you our

nation, Australia, and all who live in this country.

 We commit to your intercession all the members of our

community, beginning with the weakest ones, from the unborn

to the sick, the disabled and the elderly.

 We commit to you our families, our young and old, and all who

are vulnerable, those who are quarantined or anxious.

 We entrust to your Immaculate Heart those who have lost their

livelihood or employment, our pastors and other essential

service workers, and our leaders at this time.

 We implore your intercession especially for the protection of

doctors and nurses and those who minister to the contagious

sick in this crisis.

 Reign over us, Mother of God, and teach us how to make the

Heart of Jesus reign and triumph in us and around us, as it has

reigned and triumphed in you!