LET US PRAY

Almighty God and Father,

Maker of the Heavens and the Earth,

Giver of light and Author of All Wisdom

From eternity you have been gracious and kind to all your children providing inspiration and guidance to those who seek you.

We thank you for this term and the gift of many new opportunities. Bless each of us who belong to the community of St Augustine’s. We give thanks for all students, staff, parents and all who have contributed to this term of nurturing and growth.

We affirm all the positive moments, of insight, of the excitement of learning, of accomplishment, of creativity, of laughter, of a sense of community.  We also recognize the times of struggle, of difficult work, even of failure. We give these to you for transformation, so they can become seeds that will find rich soil. May the gift of your Holy Spirit continue to enlighten our minds with its many gifts of wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding. In all we do may we open our Hearts to live and to love.

Gracious God may our School continue to grow to become an Altar of Love and Charity through the patronage of St Augustine. May your presence always be felt by all in our midst.

As we head into the holidays, may we take with us the knowledge that You will keep us all in your embrace so we may rest and return refreshed.

We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

 

 

 

 

Our Lady of the Rosary, you care for each of us with tender motherly love. You wish us to truly turn to you so that you may care for us as a mother. May we and all people grow in true devotion to you. Grant to all of us your constant love and in a special manner your maternal blessing. Thank you for guiding us on life’s journey. Continue to  wrap us in your mantle of love. Keep us in your loving embrace. Help us to know your Son Jesus better and walk in His way. Inspire in our hearts a fervent love for the Rosary. By meditating on the mysteries may we obtain the graces and virtues that we ask, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer.

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us

Amen

Why is October the month of the Rosary                                                                        In the Church calendar, the month of October each year is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. This is primarily due to the fact that the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated annually on October 7.The rosary is one of the most beloved prayers among Catholics around the world. The word rosary itself comes from the Latin “rosarium,” meaning “crown of roses” or “garland of roses”. The Rosary focuses on gospel stories from the life of Christ in addition to a handful of prayers. By focusing on the life of Jesus Christ, when one prays the Rosary, in this meditative way it can bring people closer to Jesus, through his mother, Mary .

What is the significant story of the Holy Rosary for October 7?

• The feast day was established by Pope Saint Pius V on the anniversary of the victory at Lepanto on October 7, 1571. The naval victory was attributed to the Virgin Mary whose intercession was entreated through the recitation of the Holy Rosary. Different popes have prompted the rosary as part of the worship or reverence of Mary in the Catholic faith and church for more than four centuries. The rosary is symbolic of the emphasis the Catholics have placed on the participation of Mary in the divine and physical life of Christ. Our Lady is seen as the gateway to Christ.
• The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer and draws its mysteries from the New Testament and is centered on the great events referring to an event in the life of Jesus and Mary. The Mysteries of the Rosary reveal the life of Christ and his Mother. The prayers that constitute the Rosary are arranged in a set of ten Hail Marys called decades. The decades are preceded with the Lord’s Prayer followed by the Glory Be  and followed by the O my Jesus Prayer. The Rosary is believed to be a prayer that can transform hearts and lives. Praying the rosary is more than a tradition, rather it is an encounter with the Lord.

• The Joyful Mysteries are taken mostly from Saint Luke’s Gospel in the New Testament. They involve the joyful events of Jesus’ childhood.
• The Luminous Mysteries bring a deeper understanding to the public life of Jesus. They fill in the blanks between the childhood of Jesus and His suffering and death on the cross.
• The Sorrowful Mysteries remind us of how much Jesus loves us. They recall how He suffered and died just for us.
• The Glorious Mysteries tell us what happened after Jesus died-His Resurrection, the descent of the Holy Spirit and the love Jesus had for his Mother.

 

Thankyou

Thank you for your gold coin donation collected on footy Day.  The money will be sent to the following project.  Mary Mackillop Family Services Australia: Yawardani Jan-ga – Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Equine-Assisted Social and Emotional Learning Centre (Horses doing healing) Warrnambool.

In the spirit of St Mary Mackillop the focus of their social and emotional learning program forms an important part of MacKillop’s commitment to reduce young people’s dependence on long-term welfare and teach them social and life skills.

As a school we based our theme this year in the spirit of  St Mary MacKillop – See a need…Make a difference. During term 3 the staff also attended a professional development day at the Mary MacKillop heritage centrwhere we became even more familiar with her contribution to our great nation.  We felt that this project complemented our learning.

Thank you and well done also to the wonderful children’s Social Justice Team who promoted the fundraising and explained the program to the children and staff with the following information.

‘Down on the ranch in Warrnambool South West Victoria there is the MacKillop’s Family Services Equine-Assisted Social and Emotional Learning Centre

Working with horses helps reduce stress. Horse therapy can also help mental health. Now it is being used to assist helpless young children living out of home care.

Horse therapy is available to children living in MacKillop’s residential care houses and in foster care. The social and emotional learning program helps these children and teaches them social and life skills.

It also helps in the healing  process for children who have experienced trauma. They learn how to earn a horse’s trust and co-operation by showing care and respect for the horse.  This develops a sense of ownership and achievement in this care.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs Barone