From the Religious Education Coordinator
“Let your Light Shine”
On Friday 24th June, we were able to celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with Br Pat in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, while also having him bless badges for our four new Encounter Youth Leaders. Now in its third year and with more and more religious and youth ministry events taking place, the College’s Encounter Youth Group was in need of new student leaders to help carry it forward. When the group first launched, we inducted over ten senior leaders into leadership positions but last year saw the last of these leaders graduate. Our new senior leaders include Michael Abou Fram and Alanna Nahas of Year 11 who will assume the responsibility of Encounter Youth Leader and will assist in the overall administration of the group. To encourage greater participation from our junior year groups, we inducted Samy Dabbagh of Year 9 and Oriana Pavone of Year 7 into the brand new role of Encounter Youth Ministry. They will have the opportunity to support Michael and Alanna, as well as take on areas of responsibility within the youth group. It is hoped that they will be the first of many other students who will take on areas of responsibility and leadership within the areas of Catholic Life and Youth Ministry at the school.
It was also fitting that at the same Mass that these students were inducted into their leadership positions, that we were able to launch their very first Encounter Youth initiative. With so many students not having the same level of experience of Mass at school as a consequence of two years of Covid, it has been noted that a large number of the students that attend Friday Mass are not completely knowledgeable or comfortable participating in aspects of the Mass. For this reason we have created a special video involving our four new leaders, where they instruct students on how to participate in the celebration of the Eucharist. This video will play before every Friday Mass to both welcome everyone to the Chapel and help them prepare for the Mass. One of the major intentions of this video is to help students know how to come up to the altar to receive the Eucharist or a blessing. It is hoped that this will be the first of a series of videos instructing students on parts of the Mass.
Finally as we come to the end of another term, I pray that everyone in our College community is able to enjoy a safe and restful holiday. I look forward to the many religious events that will take place in Term 3.
God Bless!
Mr Matthew Bradbury
Religious Education Coordinator