From the Religious Education Coordinator
In our Church ……
On the 8th of February the Church celebrated the Feast of St Josephine Bakhita, the Patron Saint of Sudan and of Victims of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. St Josephine Bakhita, also known as ‘Mother Moretta’ was kidnapped at the age of nine and sold into slavery.
It was only in 1882 that her suffering was alleviated after she was bought for the Italian Consul. This event was to transform her life. In this family and, subsequently in a second Italian home, she received from her masters, kindness, respect, peace and joy.
A change in her owner’s circumstances meant that she was entrusted to the Canossian Sisters and her next fifty years were spent witnessing
God’s love through cooking, sewing, embroidery and attending to the door. She was a source of encouragement and her constant smile won people’s hearts, as did her humility and simplicity.
As she grew older she experienced long, painful years of sickness, but she continued to persevere in hope, constantly choosing the good. During her last days she relived the painful days of her slavery and more than once begged: ‘Please, loosen the chains… they are heavy!’.
Surrounded by the sisters, she died on 8 February 1947. February 8 has been designated as a day of prayer, reflection and action to end the injustice of human trafficking.
SHROVE TUESDAY: Tuesday 4 March
Shrove Tuesday is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent. The other name for this day, Pancake Day, comes from the old English custom of using up all the fattening ingredients in the house before Ash Wednesday, so that people were ready to fast during Lent. The fattening ingredients that most people had in their houses in those days were eggs and milk. It was a simple recipe to use up these ingredients, combined with some flour, to make pancakes!
Students and staff can pre-order their pikelets via Flexi School from TODAY. The cut off date for orders will be Wednesday the 26th of February.
Each order will consist of 4 pikelets for $6 with the choice of butter, jam or honey. There is a gluten free option also. There will be a small amount of pikelets available to sell on the day – please bring coins/cash.
The orders will be distributed near the Flat at recess on Tuesday, 4th of March. All proceeds will go to Caritas’ Project Compassion.
ASH WEDNESDAY: Wednesday 5 March
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Church’s season of Lent. Preceded by Shrove Tuesday is the start of the Lenten period leading up to Easter. t is our holy day of prayer and fasting. Our Marist Sisters’ Woolwich community will gather together in their House Groups to celebrate Ash Wednesday with a liturgy and distribution of Ashes.
Canteen menu will not be offering meat on a Friday during Lent. Starting Friday 7th March. Fish and Vegetarian options will be available.
This article on College life meets The Archbishop’s Charter for Catholic Schools – Charter #1, #2
