Newsletter - 15th May 2022
First Holy Communion
This Sunday we welcome 14 children to the Communion Table: Paloma, Eleanor, Isla, Lena, Leonardo, Kamsi, Sean, Thomas, Victoria, Amelia, Elisabetta, Alessandro, Lorenzo and Chiara. I want to describe the journey these children have been on.
A Team Approach. The children and their parents have been accompanied by a wonderful team of catechists. Antoin Hanley has led the team working with the parents, along with Jean Paul Sande, Olga D’Souza, and Louisa Pantelli. With the children were Margaret Hanley, Graeme Walsh and myself. Chiara Aletti, our parish catechetical coordinator has overseen the whole program. I give this detail as an example of how our parish works – things are run by teams who meet regularly to plan. It’s not always the most efficient way to operate but it adds a richness to the journey. As Fr. Christophe likes to quote: “Alone we go faster but together we go further.”
How did it Work? We met for twelve sessions (every other Sunday) on the first floor of the parish at 9:45, followed by the 11:00 Mass. Sometimes the parents and children met separately, sometimes we were all together. When the parents were separate, they talked about the same theme as the children.
What did we cover? How do we introduce children to one of the greatest mysteries of our faith – that Jesus is present with us in the Eucharist? The year was divided into three sections: 1) in the fall we introduced the children to the basics of our faith - who is God? Jesus? the Bible, Baptism, prayer. 2) Beginning in January the children prepared for their first Reconciliation by looking at the mercy of God through the stories of the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son. 3) The Timothy Weekend where children participated alongside other children from the parish where they experienced the love and mercy of God. 4) Finally, in the spring we spent six sessions understanding the Eucharist – a story of bread (Feeding the 5000) and a story of wine (Wedding at Cana), learned about the Passover and the Last Supper when Jesus said those words we hear each week, “This is my Body, this is my Blood.” Finally, what happens when we go to Mass.
For those attending the celebration, you will notice that the children are all in white, wearing albs that symbolise their baptismal garment. In baptism they officially became children of God, now they can receive Him most intimately. We hope that they will continue to receive Him for the rest of their lives.
Nancy Wood, ccn
Focus of the Week
Sunday Evening Mass
Sunday 15 May 2022 – 5:30pm
This is the first of three masses that will be offered on Sunday evenings : 15 May 2022, 19 June 2022 and 10 July 2022. These masses will have an informal atmosphere with music followed by refreshments.
Parish Pentecost Party
Sunday 5 June 12.30 - 3.00pm
Join us for a special, social, bring and share party. We will be gathering on the pitch to celebrate Pentecost as a Church Family.