REC News
There is so much to tell you about what is happening this week.
Firstly, this week is Catholic Mission Week.
This Socktober, we are encouraging students to learn what life is like for children from Thailand, specifically those from slum areas in Bangkok.
Thailand is known as the 'Land of a Thousand Smiles', a country renowned as much for the warmth of its people as for the warmth of its weather.
Despite this, Thailand also exhibits staggering wealth inequality. In 2018, the wealthiest 10% of Thai people held over 85% of the nation’s wealth, while the poorest half of the population accounted for under 2% of all wealth. Around 7% of the Thai population of 69,480,520 people live under the poverty line.
Sadly, Thailand is also a major centre for human trafficking, particularly of children and vulnerable people.
The Good Shepherd Sister’s Kindergarten Centre
The Good Shepherd Sisters have been supporting communities in need in Thailand for over 55 years.
The Sisters have a mission to build partnerships that promote the dignity and human rights of all, especially women and children.
The Kindergarten, offers life changing services for local women and their children: firstly the sisters provide a loving education in a safe place and secondly this allows the parents to freely work and earn a living for their families knowing the children are safe.
At St Patrick’s we are hoping to assist Catholic Mission to make a difference to the lives of these people.
On Wednesday each class will be holding a special Liturgy to mark World Children’s Mission Day. The readings, hymns and reflections have been especially chosen to focus on the mission we all have, as children of God, to look after our brothers and sister who need our help.
On Friday the children will have a fun day where they will form their coin lines with the coin donations they have been collecting. They will also display their class sockball and engage in a sockball kick off. Mr Crane has been nominated as the Staff member to test our class sockballs to see which will travel the furthest. We will adhere to our Covid restrictions and participate in our class cohorts.
* Gold coin * Wear your DONATION * CRAZIEST SOCKS
Thank you, families, for your continued support of Catholic Mission.
Example targets
| $35 | can help towards the cost of school supplies for a child for one year |
| $102 | can help towards the meals and snacks for one child at the kindergarten for a year |
| $260 | can support the cost of school supplies at the kindergarten for one month |
| $300 | can help purchase milk for all the children at the kindergarten for two weeks |
| $915 | can go towards the cost of meals for all children at the kindergarten for a month |
| $1500 | could purchase one school uniform each for all 59 girls at the kindergarten for one year |
| $1650 | can keep the lights on and the water running all year at the kindergarten |
| $2290 |
can help every child at the kindergarten to have a school uniform each |
First Holy Communion
Last week our children began their preparation for the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
The children have enthusiastically engaged in their learning and contributed to rich discussions. On Saturday night they were presented to the Parish congregation during Mass. We keep these children in our prayers as they continue, on their faith journey.
The Sacrament of the Eucharist will be celebrated on Saturday 6th November at 4:30 pm in St Patrick’s Church.
Masses and Liturgies
Due to current restrictions, we are unable to celebrate class Masses in the Church. However, classes will celebrate Liturgies within their classrooms during the Term. The children will continue to engage in prayerful experiences within their classrooms.
Kate Howe REC