Welcome to Term 3 Week 3
Principals Message
Christina Gretton
SUNDAY CONNECTION
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B Sunday, August 8, 2021
Gospel Reading John 6:41-51
Jesus responds to the murmurs of the crowd, who wonders what he means when he says that he came down from heaven.
Family Connection
Sunday’s Gospel focuses our attention on our faith in Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. Jesus is the bread of life. He gives us his Body and Blood as bread so that we may have eternal life. When we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist, our lives begin to reflect the reality that our communion with Jesus prepares in us. Our Eucharist leads us to live as people of the promise, confident that we will one day share the fullness of life with God.
As you gather as a family, talk about our hope that one day we will share eternal life with God in heaven. This hope can transform the way we live our daily lives, calling us to be people of hope and expectation. In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus promises us this gift of eternal life in the Eucharist. Read together Sunday’s Gospel, John 6:41-51. Observe that Jesus taught us that those who listen to God know that Jesus has been sent by God for the life of the world. Jesus fulfils this promise to us through his passion, death, and Resurrection. He gives us the gift of himself in the Eucharist, which is his Body and Blood, given so that we may have eternal life. Conclude in prayer together asking God to increase our faith in Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. Pray together the Act of Faith.
Act of Faith
O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the holy Catholic Church teaches because you have revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived.
Amen.
Excerpts from the Sunday Connection copyright © Loyola Press. Used with permission. Visit www.LoyolaPress.com for more information
RE News
KIND WORDS AND ACTIONS GO FAR
You may have heard about Aesop’s Fables. These are short stories with an important message, or moral, about life and living. Perhaps a bit like the parables Jesus told.
One of the fables is a story about how gentleness and kind persuasion fare better in convincing people, rather than aggressive words and actions. This story is a great reminder of the kind and gentle words and actions Jesus used in his day to day dealings with people, particularly sinners, and how this approach persuaded them to make better choices. It is also a reminder for us to use gentle and kind words to the people we come across each day, whether that be family or the local supermarket worker. Kind and gentle words can make a difference to the receiver.
Read, reflect and ponder on the story below.
The Sun and the Wind
The North Wind and the Sun had a quarrel about which of them was the stronger. While they were disputing with much heat and bluster, a Traveller passed along the road wrapped in a cloak.
“Let us agree,” said the Sun, “that he is the stronger who can strip that Traveller of his cloak.”
“Very well,” growled the North Wind, and at once sent a cold, howling blast against the Traveller while the Sun disappeared behind a cloud.
With the first gust of wind, the ends of the cloak whipped about the Traveller’s body. But he immediately wrapped it closely around him, and the harder the Wind blew, the tighter he held it to him. The North Wind tore angrily at the cloak, but all his efforts were in vain.
Then the Sun came out from behind the cloud and began to shine. At first, his beams were gentle, and in the pleasant warmth after the bitter cold of the North Wind, the Traveller unfastened his cloak and let it hang loosely from his shoulders. The Sun’s rays grew warmer and warmer. The man took off his cap and mopped his brow. At last, he became so heated that he pulled off his cloak, and, to escape the blazing sunshine, threw himself down in the welcome shade of a tree by the roadside.
The Moral of the Story: Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail.
Student Representative Council
SRC News
Last week on MJR Radio Matthew and Jobe spoke about lining up straight away in the classroom when preparing for a new lesson. Matthew was walking past a class and noticed all the students were lining up quietly, were keeping their hands to themselves and facing the front. This meant that they were not late for the next lesson. Jobe was walking past a class and heard the teacher ask the class to pack up and line up at the door. Every class member stopped straight away and followed the teacher’s directions. This showed they were mature and responsible.
Keeping hands, feet and objects to ourselves was the focus for this week’s MJR radio. Maverick and Jet spoke about everyone feeling safe when playing and it’s important to use equipment properly and not use our body or objects to make anyone feel unsafe. Walking away, getting a drink or playing a different game are all examples of safe reactions when becoming frustrated or annoyed when playing.
UPCOMING EVENTS
SRC Shoe Shining Service
For a gold coin donation, your brown school shoes can be cleaned by a member of the SRC at recess. They will be near the canteen.
Braydon’s Greatest Shave
Braydon, a member of the SRC, is going to shave his head towards the end of Term 3 to raise money for Cancer Research. Any donations can be handed to your classroom teacher and the SRC will collect these on a Friday.
WINTER APPEAL
Thank you for all the donations for the Winter Appeal. The items were presented to a member of the St. Vincent De Paul Society at the last assembly.
School News
BOOK WEEK
To help celebrate Book Week, some of our teachers are inviting volunteers into their classrooms to read to the children. Beginning Monday August 23. Please be brave and volunteer! And be quick! Sharing a book with a class of children is one of life's pleasures - you won't want to miss out!
BOOK WEEK PARADE
This year's Book Week parade will be held on Tuesday August 24 at 10am. Students are invited to dress up as a book character for the day. Spectators are invited to watch the parade from the basketball court (above the Grade five/six classrooms). Wet weather plans TBC.
Kindly,
Tanya Boon
Today (4th August) is National Children's Indigenous Day.
It is an opportunity for us to show our support for our First Nations children, as well as learn about the crucial impact that family, culture and community play in the life of every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child.
The theme for 2021 is "Proud in Culture, Strong in Spirit"
JUST LIKE JESUS
Congratulations to these students who received the "Just Like Jesus" award at assembly. It means that they have been 'caught' treating others in an extra respectful manner.
Stella Maris Facebook Policy
We will be merging our Parents & Friends Facebook page with our main Stella Maris Catholic School Facebook page in the coming weeks. Please like our Stella Maris Burnie Facebook page for all future updates. The Parents & Friends Facebook page will cease in approximately four weeks. Thanks for your understanding. A reminder that all Facebook comments are to be supportive as per our Facebook Policy.
As per our Facebook Policy implemented in February 2021, please note: 'Other Facebook Pages or Groups, which make reference to Stella Maris Catholic School or which make reference to any class groups or grades, are not to be set up by parents/carers or any other people other than Stella Maris Catholic School Administration'. Please be reminded that Facebook Pages and/or Group Messenger apps must be used for positive purposes only. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.