Family Connection
In Sunday's Gospel, the voice from heaven speaks to the disciples saying, “Listen to him.” The Transfiguration was a focused moment for the disciples when they heard God speaking to them and experienced Jesus in glory. They most certainly left this focused moment with a new appreciation for the importance of Jesus' words even if they did not yet understand everything that he had taught them. During Lent, we are invited to consider our attentiveness to Jesus and to one another. In the pace and noise that often characterises family life, how well do we listen to one another? What opportunities do we have for quiet prayer?

As you gather with your family, count the number of pieces of equipment in your home that produce sound: televisions, radios, CD players, computers, video games, etc. Observe if sometimes more than one piece of equipment is playing simultaneously and how this might affect communication. Discuss the question: What is it like to try to talk with one another when this equipment is on?

Read aloud, Luke 9:28-36. Consider whether the noise and pace of your family life allows family members opportunities for quiet prayer. During Lent, it may be appropriate for your family to choose a time for quiet in the household by turning off televisions, radios, and CD players. Consider whether your family would like to establish such a time during this Season of Lent and suggest that it might allow you the opportunity to listen more attentively to one another and to find time for quiet prayer. Spend a few such moments as a family, asking God to help you listen well to one another and to Jesus.

Conceptual Inquiry: Prayer
The students and teachers have been wrapping up their prayer inquiry units with lots of classes producing creative work pieces that demonstrate a deeper understanding of the form and ritual of different prayer types and the importance of prayer in our lives.

Below are a handful of inquiry wall displays relating to our Prayer unit. 

The Season of Lent marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allows Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to alleviate poverty, hunger, oppression and injustice. Each year we raise student awareness of people around the world who need support and encourage giving to this cause. Your child can take donations to school at any time throughout Lent and place it in the donation box in their class. 

Harmony Day
Harmony Week is a time to celebrate Australian multiculturalism, and the successful integration of migrants into our community. Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world and we should celebrate this and work to maintain it. The message of Harmony Week is ‘Everyone belongs’. It is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

We are inviting students to wear casual clothes with something orange on Tuesday, 22nd March, to celebrate Harmony Day. This might sound simple, but did you know that orange is the chosen colour to represent Harmony Day and it signifies social communication and meaningful conversations and relates to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect?

Students are also asked to bring a gold coin donation in on this day. All donations will go to Caritas Project Compassion, as they work to bring peace and harmony to the world. 

Daniel Hunt
Acting Religous Education Co-ordinator