Newsletter Term 1 Week 11

During Lent, we have been preparing our hearts and minds to celebrate Easter at Star of the Sea school. On Monday we joined Christ as he entered Jerusalem. Students joined in a class Liturgy to remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem where crowds waved palm branches as a sign of respect. They shouted ‘Hosanna!’ meaning “save us.”

Holy Thursday is the day we commemorate the Lord’s Last Supper. On Tuesday we came together in Liturgy to remember Jesus as he gathered with his disciples and washed their feet as a sign of service. During the meal Jesus took bread and wine and shared them with his disciples. This became the very first Eucharist.

Good Friday is the day our Church remembers the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus. On Wednesday we prayerfully remembered the sacred story of his death on the cross. Jesus lived, died, and rose to help us understand more about our Lord.

This year we followed the stations of the cross based on those introduced by Pope John Paul II on Good Friday 1991. They invite us to reflect more deeply on the Scriptural accounts of Christ’s passion.

With this in mind, our students supported by their teachers designed an artifact to represent their nominated station. In addition, they wrote a provocation for us to reflect on what that station means for us. Below is the list of provocations. This in example of students being agents in their learning:

Father Peter visited our school and walked the Scriptural Way of the Cross. He was truly humbled by the experience and admired your way teachers captured students thoughts and ideas in a creative and prayerful way. 

S1: 6M: “What is happening in our world that we need to keep our eyes open to?”

S2: 6KS: How might we do more to stand together and see the face of God within each person?

S3: 6SS: “Have you ever told someone something, but they haven’t believed you? How has that made you feel?”

S4: 5P: Jesus, how can we find the courage to stand up when something is not right?

S5: 5T: How can we find the courage to speak up when people are treated unfairly?

S6: 4LF: How do we stand up for others?

S7: 4EL: Do you always get your way? Do you do what you don’t want to without complaining?"

S8: 4F: Have you gone to someone that you didn’t want to help but you

still helped them?

S9: 3G: Think about who your protectors are. Who are they and why?

Can we be protectors of this world?

S10: 3R: What is forgiveness?

How do we show forgiveness?

What does forgiveness sound like?

What does forgiveness look like?

S11: 3S: What did you learn about the people (thieves) in this story?

There were two different views/responses to Jesus. What were the differences?

The choices are the same choices each of us make every day (to believe or not to believe) How are we like one or the other?

Do you believe in the promise made by Jesus?

S12: Year 2: Think of a time that something sad has happened in your life. How have others shown you comfort and love? How do we welcome and show inclusivity to others?

S13: Year 1: Did you ever feel that you wanted to make something better and if you had tried harder it would have been possible? Think of a time like that, then show Jesus your heart.

You can ask Jesus to help your heart be more like his heart and change things for the better.

S14:  Reception: How can we open our hearts to let God’s love shine through?

On Friday April 1st parents from our school community gathered for a Lenten Reflection in the Sacred Garden at the Glen Osmond Monastery. We visited each of the 14 Carrara marble sculptures depicting the Stations of the Cross and deeply reflected what each station means for us. A sincere thank you to Vania Dotto for organsing the prayerful event.

Thank you, Star of the Sea community, for your generous donation to Project Compassion. The funds raised will support people who are facing poverty and injustice in some of the most vulnerable communities in the world.

We thank Sienna Damjanovic (4F) who donated all the money in her piggy bank to Project Compassion. Sienna, you have the capabilities to live, learn and lead. Your generous action promotes the common good by thinking of those in need.