Faith & Religious Education News
Welcome to 2025
Welcome back to 2025. It has been great to be greeted with the many smiling faces of the students of OLOL, to hear their holiday news and to catch up with everyone as they begin their 2025 academic year.
First Assembly
Our first Assembly is on this Thursday 6th February, at 2:15 pm led by 2G – all are welcome to join us.
Parish Mass to farewell Father Quinlan and welcome Father Jamie Collins and Deacon BJ Perrett
On Sunday 9th February everyone is invited to a special Sunday Mass at 9:30 am to officially farewell Father Quinlan as he begins his long-awaited retirement. Father Jamie Collins and Deacon BJ Perrett will be welcomed at this Mass. This is the only Mass for this weekend, and it will be followed by a Parish Morning Tea in the OLOL School Hall. All are welcome. Please bring a plate to share if you are able. We have a small choir who will be singing on Sunday. Children are requested to wear their smart summer formal school uniform and to meet Mrs Moore and Mrs Rosier outside the church at 9:20 am before Mass starts. We also have some children helping as wait staff for the morning tea afterwards - we will see these children after Mass in the hall.
Beginning School Mass
Our Beginning of School Mass will be on Tuesday, 11th February at 10 am in the OLOL Hall. It is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes – our school’s namesake. It is a day dedicated to the time when Our Lady – the mother of Jesus - appeared to St Bernadette at Lourdes in France. Our Lady asked St Bernadette to tell the world that “God is Love and He loves us as we are”.
Our theme this year is guided by the first of our School’s Charism Values “We are a Community”
Father Quinlan and Father Jamie Collins will con-celebrate this special mass. It marks the end of Father Quinlan’s tenure and the beginning of Father Jamie’s time as the Our Lady of Lourdes Priest Administrator. We also welcome Deacon BJ Perrett who will be mentored by Father Jamie. All are welcome to join us.
Parish Mass Times
Please note there will be Mass time changes at Our Lady of Lourdes from Saturday 15th February. Saturday night Mass will start at 6:30 pm and Sunday Morning will be at 9:45 am. There will be no 5:30 pm on Sundays.
Welcome BBQ
On Friday 14th February – it is our Welcome BBQ and Disco – 5:30pm – 8:00pm. Come along to meet our community.
Leadership Badge Assembly
In Week 4, the Year 6 students will receive their Leadership Badges at a special assembly on Thursday 20th February, at 1:45 pm. Our Year 6 students have been preparing since Prep to be our school leaders. They are super eager to share their leadership skills this year. Year 6 parents and students are invited to a light afternoon tea in the OLOL staffroom afterwards.
Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday
It is Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday in Week 6. We do request donations of pancake mix, maple syrup, serviettes, paper plates and bamboo forks in readiness for our annual Shrove Tuesday pancake breakfast at 7:30 am on Tuesday 4th March. Donations can be sent to classrooms and will be sent down the day before. Pancakes can be purchased for $1. The money raised will be donated to the Lenten Appeal for Caritas. Our Year 6 students will be rostered on to help with the preparation, cooking, serving, and clean up as part of their commitment to our school motto “Serviam” which means “I will Serve”.
This is followed by our Ash Wednesday prayer on Wednesday 5th March at 2 pm in the hall. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent, which is a time of reflection to improve ourselves. Lent is the six weeks before Easter.
Confirmation and First Eucharist Sacraments
The preparation for the 2024 Confirmation and 1st Eucharist Sacramental programme for children in Year 4 and up – begins soon. The initial information form was emailed to families in Year 3 moving into Year 4 and up, late last year. Enrolments due date has been extended to this Friday, 7th February. Please be aware that the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Sacramental Team is running the Sacramental program. If you did not receive an enrolment form, please contact the OLOL Parish Office on 46 341453 or email olol.parish@bigpond.com The Parish office is open Monday to Friday 9am – 1pm. The first parent meeting for 2025 is at 10:45 am on Sunday 23rd February in the OLOL Church.
God Bless and have a wonderful week!
Cheers
Janice
Janice Moore
Assistant Principal Mission and Identity (APMI)
