What Students Are Learning About

Last week, 3B had their class mass with Fr Chung. Next week will be 3M’s turn. The scripture that has been selected continues to support Year Three’s learning about Eucharist, “I am the bread of life” John 6:35.  This follows on from their recent reflection time with St Francis Xavier College students.  Experiencing the Mass helps them to deepen their understanding of the importance of celebrating the Eucharist and why it is central to our faith.

Thank you to the Year Three teachers for writing such a beautiful liturgy and preparing the children.

What Staff Are Learning About

I was lucky enough to go on retreat with other Religious Education Coordinators on Monday and Tuesday.  We spent the time reflecting on “Mercy”.  In the evening we had Eucharistic Adoration and Mass.  I was able to spend the time in silence with ease.  Drinking in the peace and prayer with other Religious Educations Coordinators.

Pope Francis has encouraged people to reacquaint themselves with Eucharistic Adoration:

During his Aug. 2 homily at the Jerónimos Monastery Pope Francis said “I would like to ask a question here, but each one should answer it interiorly. How do I pray? Like a parrot — blah blah blah blah blah? Or taking a nap in front of the tabernacle because I don’t know how to talk to the Lord? How do I pray? Only in adoration, only before the Lord, can the taste and passion for evangelisation be recovered,” 

You might like to read more about what the Pope has said in this article.

Catholic Life and Reflection

Visiting St Clements Retreat House in Galong is a treasured experience. It is the place of encounter with Christ. I didn’t understand what that was until I started going on retreats there in my early Religious Education Coordinator days. 

Time, light, faith and relationships have an unusual clarity to them as soon as you cross the cattle grate into Galong. Your breath deepens and slows, your heart beats rich and full and your mind and spirit can catch up with the rest of you.

This time as I drove down Burley Griffin Way I was hoping, not being a country girl at all, that the canola would be out.  My heart lifted as I rounded a corner and saw fields of gold stretching out against the blue sky. 

The more I experience “places” like this the more I feel like I have a glimpse into First Nations connection to country.  Just setting foot on this piece of land makes me feel more …centered (the best word I can think of but not quite enough).

I hope in the coming weeks, as the weather improves, you find some time to retreat to your “place”. The place that brings the breath of life back into your soul.  God is there waiting for you.  

Ruach (pronounced roo-akh) is the Hebrew word for spirit, breath, or wind. When spoken, the word engages one’s breath and lungs. The first mention of Ruach in the Bible is in the very first chapter of Genesis – Genesis 1:2

And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit (Ruach) of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

God bless,

Stephanie Stewart