Religious Education Curriculum

World Behind the Text - maps

Often when looking at the world in which Scripture was written, and the geographical context of the stories, we need to have a good understanding of the places we are reading about. Teachers use maps such as these (https://www.bible-history.com/maps/ ) to help children understand the location, terrain and physical spaces we are learning about when we look at Scripture.

Holy Spirit

Whilst deepening their understanding of, and relationship with the Holy Spirit students in 5/6 are looking at inspirational people who have opened themselves to God’s will and have been named as saints in our world. One of these is Mother Teresa of Calcutta, now St Teresa. See her story here: https://watch.formed.org/mother-teresa-seeing-the-face-of-jesus/videos/mother-teresa-seeing-the-face-of-jesus .

Religious Life of St Michael’s School Community

Morning Prayer

Andrew Chinn is a long-time favourite of children and staff at St Michael’s. His music is engaging and inspiring. He has generously put together this website to assist with morning prayers at home in this challenging time. I invite you to explore the site and use some of his offerings for your daily morning prayers. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC12Rjgz6Mo3IF7xvJXORX_g/featured

Ascension Sunday

This coming Sunday is Ascension Sunday. We celebrate in the Church Jesus’ return to Heaven to be with the Father.

Not many years ago we celebrated the Ascension of the Lord on a Thursday, forty days after Easter Sunday. It has since been moved in Australia and elsewhere to the 7th Sunday of Easter.
In marking the ascension on the fortieth day of the Easter season, the church took literally Luke’s account of events in Acts 1:3. Liturgical history indicates that the Lord’s ascension and the giving of the Holy Spirit were originally celebrated together on the solemnity of Pentecost. It was not until the end of the fourth century that the Ascension became a separate feast from Pentecost.

Celebrating the Ascension on a Sunday of Eastertime helps give this solemnity its rightful orientation. The Ascension is not a farewell nor a time of sadness at Jesus’ departure from this world. The earlier practice of extinguishing the paschal candle on this day is therefore quite inappropriate. Like every Christian festival the Ascension celebrates the on-going presence of the risen Christ in our midst.

As always the readings and prayers of the Mass help us find the focus of this special day.

The first reading is from Luke’s prologue to the book of Acts. Just as Jesus travelled to Jerusalem to his passion and death, so the Church will take the Good News out to the world, beginning in Jerusalem and reaching to the ends of the earth. The Gospel reading from Matthew reassures the followers of Christ that, although Jesus is no longer physically present, he is with them even to the end of time.

Sewers Needed Please!

We have some stoles that are in need of hemming. They are used for our Year 6 Graduation and Blessing but I’m hopeful of having them finished before the end of September. If you are a sewer and can help out please contact Meaghan at school.

Thank you.