Ministry and Evangelisation

Feast of the Assumption

Feast_Day_of_the_Assumption.jpgTomorrow, 15th August, marks one of the greatest feast days for the Catholic Church – the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.   Mary is the Mother of Jesus and, for this special calling and role, she holds a very special place in the hearts and lives of all Catholics.

The Assumption is the Catholic belief and teaching that, at the end of her life on Earth, Mary was assumed Body and Soul into Heaven.  Mary is the greatest Saint, and we honour her especially on this Feast.

Often, Mary is misunderstood by Catholics and non-Catholics, and it is important to mention here that we do not worship Mary, but rather we pray to her and ask her to pray to God for us.  She is the first and model disciple, who literally carried Jesus with her, so we can be confident in her prayers in our times of need.

On Wednesday’s whole school Zoom Assembly, I showed a video about Mary and her struggles, by American priest Father Mike Schmitz.  It’s only seven minutes so check it out.

Year 8 ‘Catch the Wave’ Retreat

Catch_the_Wave.pngOur YMOs, Calissa and Darcy, have been busy planning for the Year 8 Catch the Wave Retreat Day, which is coming up in Week 6 on Wednesday 26 August.  We look forward to welcoming Youth Ministry Officers from other diocesan schools to help in facilitating this day, along with members of our Senior Ministry Team.

Catch the Wave will be an excellent opportunity for the Year 8s to be able to explore their faith with their peers in a non-threatening, relaxed atmosphere, as well as to learn about what being in a Youth Ministry class may be like.

All Year 8 students are invited to apply to be in a Youth Ministry class for Years 9 and 10.  Application forms will be made available on the retreat.  More information has gone home with the Year 8s in a letter.

 Year 12 Reflection Day

In Week 8, after our Senior class concludes their Trial Examinations, they will experience their final school retreat at their Reflection Day.  The aim of the day is to give our soon-to-be graduates an opportunity to spend some meaningful time as a cohort reflecting upon their schooling years, upon both the joys and the struggles, as well as looking ahead to what the next steps may bring for them.

Notes have gone home with the Year 12s with further details about the day.  Please keep them very much in your prayers as they embrace their end-of-schooling journey.

 Year 12 Graduation Mass – Photos

Due to the ever-changing situation surrounding the coronavirus, we are yet to finalise what the Year 12 Graduation Mass will look like this year.  We are still planning for it, and to make this culminating ritual special, we are asking ALL Year 12s to send in a baby photo, a Kinder photo and their Year 6/7 photo.  These can be brought into the office where the ladies can scan them for you.  Please write your names on the back so that you get yours returned to you.

 Year 12 Prayer Sponsors

An initiative that we are offering to the Year 12s this year is to have a parishioner ‘adopt’ them as a Prayer Sponsor during their HSC Exams.  The prayer sponsors will receive a card of one Year 12 student and the dates of the HSC exams, so that they can pray for them specifically during this crucial time.  This is an opt-in opportunity, so if there are any Year 12s who would like to take part, they need to contact me to arrange this.

Parish Sunday Masses

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As we continue to navigate our way through the Coronavirus pandemic, our Parish Priest, Father James, is generously celebrating some additional weekend Masses, to enable as many people to be able to attend weekend Mass as possible!  To attend one of these Masses, please contact the Parish Office.

 For the time being, weekend Mass times will be as follows:

  • SATURDAY 9:30 AM – South West Rocks
  • SATURDAY VIGIL 6:00 PM – Kempsey
  • SUNDAY 7:30 AM – South West Rocks
  • SUNDAY 9:30 AM – Kempsey
  • SUNDAY 11:00 AM – Kempsey

 Sunday Mass will continue to be live-streamed via the following platforms for those who are unable to make it:

  • 8:00 am in Lismore with Bishop Gregory Homeming
  • 10:00 am with Father Rob Galea
  • 10:30 am from St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney

YMO Happenings

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Our Youth Ministry Officers (YMOs), Calissa and Darcy, have come back with plenty of enthusiasm for Ministry here at St Paul’s this term, despite the current restrictions.

  • REACH.jpgOur lunchtime youth group, REACH, continues with a good core group coming along to explore and nourish their faith.  The REACH Instagram page is still up and running – there is some great content posted there!  Follow it using reach_kmc
  • Look out in the Macleay Argus (both online and in print) for an article that highlights the great work that Calissa and Darcy have been doing at both St Paul’s and St Joseph’s Primary
  • Something that our YMOs have been working hard on is to host a local Street Retreat here in Kempsey.  The ladies have put an enormous amount of work into this event, which will hopefully go ahead (restrictions permitting) on Friday 20 – Saturday 21 November, in Term 4. This will be an opportunity for ALL STUDENTS to learn about some of the social justice issues affecting people right here in the Macleay Valley and to put their Catholic faith into action.  Watch this space for more details over the coming months.

 Spiritual Resources

Without You - Wildfire

At the end of last term, the Diocesan worship band, Wildfire, called for staff and students to submit artworks to create the music video for their new song “Without You”.  Students from St Paul’s participated in this and Year 9 student Blair Hughes had his artwork chosen to be included in this video.  Blair's artwork, along with all of those submitted and chosen, seeks to capture the essence of the lyrics of this song.

Macleay Valley Catholic Parish Website

The Macleay Valley Catholic Parish website has a number of valuable resources, which are being added to weekly.  I commend these to you.  You can also find the parish newsletter here.

 School Retreats Update

It is our intention, to hold the following Retreat and Reflection days during the second half of the year.  Some have been postponed/changed due to the coronavirus pandemic, however as a Catholic school, the spiritual formation of our young people remains of utmost importance.  More details will be forthcoming as we get a better idea of the ‘lie of the land’.  Here is a tentative list of what we hope to hold this semester:

  • Year 8 ‘Catch the Wave” Retreat (Week 6, Term 3)
  • Year 12 Reflection Day (Week 8, Term 3)
  • Year 9 Retreat Day (Week 2, Term 4)
  • Year 10 Retreat (29 – 30 October, Week 3, Term 4)
  • Senior Retreat (4 – 6 November, Week 4, Term 4)
  • Kempsey Street Retreat (20 – 21 November, Week 6, Term 4)
  • Year 7 Reflection Day (Week 8, Term 4)

Unfortunately, both the 2020 SHINE and IGNITE gatherings have been cancelled due to the Coronavirus situation.  We look forward to being able to attend these amazing, faith-filled gatherings again next year (hopefully)!!!

 Acting Leader of School Evangelisation

Over the next two weeks I will be taking some more paternity leave to enjoy the time with my new daughter, as we settle in as a family of four!  Miss Megan Henry will again serve in the role of Leader of School Evangelisation, and I know that she will do an amazing job once more in journeying with our school community in its spiritual growth.

If you have any ideas about how to improve Ministry and Evangelisation at St Paul’s, then please let me know.

God bless!

Mr Dominic MacAndrews - Leader of School Evangelisation

dominic.macandrews@lism.catholic.edu.au