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The Season of Lent
Since mid-January, the presence of colourful eggs and chocolate bunnies in supermarkets has steadily been increasing. People like to buy them early in preparation for their Easter celebrations.
However, for us as Catholics, our preparation for Easter goes much deeper than that.
Over the next month or so, teachers will be explaining the importance of the season of ‘Lent’ to all students.
The Season of Lent is a time in which we reflect on our relationship with God and the way we are living our lives. It is the season in which we prepare for the mystery of Easter with minds and hearts renewed.
Through repentance and renewal we can live more fully, our Baptismal call to live as disciples of Jesus.
I have included the following information on Lent to help you and your family understand the meaning, customs and traditions of Lent more fully.We hope that you will work with us to prepare students for the coming Easter Season.
- The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (next Weds) and concludes before the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.
- Lent is a forty-day liturgical season that prepares us for the most sacred part of the Christian year, the Triduum – the days we recall the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ.
- Sundays are not included in the forty-day count because every Sunday is a joyful celebration of our Lord's Resurrection.
- The name Lent, comes from the Old English word for Spring which was lencten. The Latin word for Lent is quadragesima which means forty days.
- During Lent we renew our hearts and mind through prayer, fasting and almsgiving, in preparation for the joyful mystery of Easter.
- Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence. This means we only have one main meal during the day (fasting) and we do not eat meat (abstinence).
- The traditional colour of Lent is purple.
Prayer, Fasting & Almsgiving: What Do They Mean?
- Lent is a time to identify the things we THINK, FEEL and DO, that prevent us from moving closer to God and which stop us from living like Jesus.
- Lent is about conversion – moving into practices in which we grow more like Christ and help us live His way of life.
- As Catholics, we use PRAYER, FASTING AND ALMSGIVING to bring us closer to God and prepare ourselves for the Easter Season. All three of these Lenten practices link together to allow the Holy Spirit to bring about the conversion we seek during Lent.
Prayer
Prayer is our communication with God. It is through prayer that we develop a closer, more intimate relationship with God. During Lent, we try to pray more by talking to God, as well as by being silent with God, so that we may hear God speak to us.
Fasting
Fasting is one of the most ancient actions linked to Lent, although the rules have changed through the ages, it is still considered a sacred practice. When we hear the word ‘fast’ we straight away think of ‘giving up’ something like lollies, chocolate or our favourite food. Fasting is about limiting the amount we eat and/or denying ourselves certain foods. It is primarily a spiritual discipline designed to allow us to concentrate less on our body and more on prayer. Fasting should lead to a deeper relationship with God, it allows us to focus less on ourselves and more on strengthening our relationship with God and others.
Almsgiving
Almsgiving is a sign of our care for those in need and an expression of our gratitude for all God has given to us. Works of charity and the promotion of justice are integral elements of the Christian way of life. When we look carefully, we will find Christ in our neighbours, especially the poor and needy. One way we usually support those in need during Lent is by giving money to the annual Project Compassion Appeal.
Thanks for your support
Mr Simon Abernethy, College Principal
Shrove Tuesday is a day of celebration as well as penitence, because it's the last day before Lent.
Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving things up.
Shrove Tuesday is the last chance to indulge yourself, and to use up the foods that aren't allowed in Lent.
Giving up foods: but not wasting them.
In the old days there were many foods that Christians would not eat during Lent: foods such as meat and fish, fats, eggs, and milky foods. So that no food was wasted, families would have a feast on Shrove Tuesday, and eat up all the foods that wouldn't last the forty days of Lent without going off.
St Francis will be celebrating this day on Tuesday 5th March 2019 by selling pikelets.
Students will be able to buy 2 pikelets for $1 during Break 1. Toppings available will be maple syrup and strawberry jam.
Gluten free pikelets will be available for purchase upon request.
All profits raised will go towards our Project Compassion appeal.
Miss Lisa Christensen, Religious Education and Mission Coordinator
CAR PARK AND ROAD SAFETY
We would appreciate parents/carers taking the utmost care when driving in our car park. Our car park is a shared zone, with a maximum speed limit of 10km/h.
YOUNG CHILDREN/SIBLINGS LEFT IN CARS AT DROP OFF/PICK UP
We have had some complaints from parents/carers noticing that younger siblings have been left in the car at drop off and pick up time. We would ask for parents/carers to please refrain from leaving younger children in the car at drop off/pick up time, if at all possible.
Following is an excerpt from the Children & Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act, which is the Legislation that relates to the supervision of children in motor vehicles:-
ST FRANCIS CATHOLIC COLLEGE
OPEN DAY
SATURDAY 7 MARCH 2020
11.00am to 1.00pm
For prospective and current St Francis Catholic College families
wanting to enrol for Kindergarten to Year 11 at the College for 2021,
as well as Year 7 for 2022.
Please come along and have a look at our College
and collect your Enrolment form.
Sausage Sizzle, Drinks, Popcorn, Fairy Floss,
will be available to be purchased.
College Tours, as well as a presentation by our College Principal
will occur throughout the day.
We hope to see you then!
MISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Week Four (19/2)
SFCC v Thomas Hassall Anglican College
Score: 3 - 1 LOSS
Player of the Match: Liam N for a consistent effort throughout the game.
Week Five (26/2)
SFCC v Good Samaritan Catholic College
Score: 3-2 WIN
A great game from the boys today to secure our first win of the season. The boys are continually improving and showed excellent effort today in scrambling to win points.
MISA GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
SFCC v Thomas Hassall Anglican College
Another strong performance this week by the girls. The opposition were strong, especially with their serving. The team can improve by ensuring that they communicate more with each other and keep moving their feet in order to get them in the best position possible to set up their three touches of the ball and to stay in the rally.
Player of the Match: Lily C for consistently saving points.
Week Five (26/2)
Score: 3-0 Loss
An improved performance by so many players today. The girls also showed improvement with their communication and cooperative team play, which meant that they were able to stay in and save many points. The girls are really enjoying themselves on the court and showing positive behaviour with how they encourage each other and treat the opposition with respect. Daniela M and Andrea W were our most improved players today. Keep up the good work girls!
Player of the Match: Andrea B for her efforts during the game.
An overcast but pleasant day provided some relief from the heat of recent weeks. The third annual St Francis Catholic College Swimming Carnival saw another significant increase in student numbers from the previous year. For the first time students participated in both swimming races and novelty activities, both contributing to the final house point tally.
A huge congratulations to our carnival winners MACKILLOP
Congratulations to our age champions for the day:
| Harrison Birkbeck | 8 Years Male |
| Chrysanthia Trinh | 8 Years Female |
| Sam Tuigamala | 9 Years Male |
| Tanisha Saba | 9 Years Female |
| Callum Trinh | 10 Years Male |
| Accalia Auditore and Amber Crosland | 10 Years Female |
| Zach Hutchinson | 11 Years Male |
| Zoey Saba | 11 Years Female |
| Noah Pellicciaro | 12 Years Male (Primary) |
| Stephanie Grant | 12 Years Female (Primary) |
| Johan Menezes | 12 Years Male (Secondary) |
| Jennifer Saliba | 12 Years Female (Secondary) |
| Zacharius Muiser | 13 Years Male |
| Danielle Marks | 13 Years Female |
| Michael Fletcher | 14 Years Male |
| Bella Grant | 14 Years Female |
| Matthew Vecerin | 15 Years Male |
Congratulations also to the following students who broke records on the day:-
| Tanisha Saba | 9 Years Female 50m Freestyle |
| Sam Tuigamala | 9 Years Male 50m Freestyle |
| Amber Crosland | Junior Female 50m Breastsroke |
| Zoey Saba | 11 Years Female 50m Freestyle |
| 11 Years Female 50m Backstroke | |
| 11 Years Female 50m Breaststroke | |
| Paige Muiser | 11 Years Female 50m Butterfly |
| Zach Hutchinson | 11 Years Male 50m Butterfly |
| 11 Years Male 50m Freestyle | |
| 11 Years Male 50m Backstroke | |
| 11 Years Male 50m Breaststroke | |
| Stephanie Grant | 12 Years (Primary) Female 50m Butterfly |
| 12 Years (Primary) Female 50m Freestyle | |
| 12 Years (Primary) Female 50m Backstroke | |
| 12 Years (Primary) Female 50m Breaststroke | |
| Eshem Kler | 12 Years (Secondary) Female 50m Backstroke |
| Jennifer Saliba | 12 Years (Secondary) Female 50m Freestyle |
| 12 Years (Secondary) Female 50m Breaststroke | |
| Johan Menezes | 12 Years (Secondary) Male 50m Backstroke |
| 12 Years (Secondary) Male 50m Breaststroke | |
| Danielle Marks | 13 Years Female 50m Butterfly |
| 13 Years Female 50m Freestyle | |
| 13 Years Female 50m Backstroke | |
| Jessica Marks | 13 Years Female 50m Breaststroke |
| Zach Muiser | 13 Years Male 50m Butterfly |
| 13 Years Male 50m Breaststroke | |
| Bella Grant | 14 Years Female 50m Butterfly |
| 14 Years Female 50m Freestyle | |
| 14 Years Female 50m Backstroke | |
| 14 Years Female 50m Breaststroke | |
| Michael Fletcher | 14 Years Male 50m Butterfly |
| 14 Years Male 50m Freestyle | |
| 14 Years Male 50m Backstroke | |
| 14 Years Male 50m Breaststroke |
Finally, a huge thank you to our parent helpers for your assistance on the day.
Miss Jessica Flegg, Sport Coordinator
There is an exciting promotion currently underway at all Big W stores.
To make reading more accessible to Australian families, Big W are giving away free books to every child that visits one of their stores.
One classic storybook will be given away for free each week for 12 weeks, beginning Thursday 21st February.
A link to further information about this wonderful giveaway is provided here: https://www.bigw.com.au/free-books-for-kids
Happy reading!
Miss Elise Laidlaw, K-4 Literacy Coordinator