Religious Life of Mt Carmel School
Welcome to Term 2! It is fantastic to see everyone after the holidays and I hope you all had a lovely time with your family and friends. We started the term with two important prayer services: Easter and ANZAC Day.

Easter Prayer Service
Thank you to Mrs Glover and 6 Blue for preparing and leading a reverent prayer service to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

ANZAC Day Prayer Service
Thank you to Mrs Field and 6 Gold for preparing and leading a beautiful prayer service to remember and honour those who fought to protect our beautiful lands. It is also an important day for us to stop and pray for peace – peace in our world, peace among people in our own country, peace in our families, and peace in our own hearts.

Mother’s Day Prayer Service
Students are excited about Mother’s Day and are busy preparing something special for their mothers and creating cards for St. Augustine’s Parish mothers. 2Blue will be leading a Mothers’ Day Prayer service on Friday 9 May 2025 at 9 am in the PAC. Parents and the wider community are warmly invited to attend. 


Pope Francis
Sadly, the world is mourning the death of Pope Francis who has had a significant impact on the world. My family and I were fortunate to be visiting Rome during the day leading up to the funeral preparations and the day of the funeral of Pope Francis. Below are a few photographs capturing memories of the day before Pope Francis was laid to rest at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.

Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore - preparing for the funeral.

In front of the basilica, very early in the morning, pilgrims and mourners gather the day before the funeral.

My family and I were able to cross through the basilica’s Holy Door (Porta Santa) before the basilica was closed for the funeral.  

‘In crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, the pilgrim is reminded of the passage from chapter 10 of St John’s gospel: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” Passing through the Holy Door expresses the decision to follow and be guided by Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd. The door is a passageway that ushers the pilgrim into the interior of a church’ (https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en/giubileo-2025/segni-del-giubileo/porta-santa.html).

The Papal conclave will begin today, May 7th, to elect the 267th Pope to lead our Catholic Church. Please keep the voting Cardinals in your prayers.


St Augustine’s Parish News
Please pray for the children as they prepare for their First Holy Communion.

Lord Jesus, 

Bless all the children preparing to receive Holy Communion for the first time.
May that day be an initial step into a life-long love of the Eucharist.
Give them a hunger for this sacred food so that they will turn to you for comfort, guidance and wisdom as they grow into full discipleship.
May their hands, extended in anticipation of your Body and Blood, inspire all of us to cherish this sacred sacrament.

Amen

Children's Liturgy

Children are invited to attend Children’s Liturgy every second and fourth Sunday of the month. 

Have a lovely week and wishing all mothers a great Mother’s day. 

Eva Karakotas
Religious Education Coordinator