YEAR 12 RECONCILIATION
While a number of students in Primary are participating in Sacraments for the first time, the Year 12 students are being given the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation before they graduate from the College.
What do we celebrate? It is a celebration of encounter with Christ, mediated by the ministry of the priest. It is a celebration of Christ's compassion and love today! The story of Jesus' encounter with the dishonest tax-collector, as recorded in the Gospel of Luke, illustrates what is on offer for our Year 12 students in this time and place:
Jesus entered
Jericho
and was going through the town and suddenly a
man
whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He kept trying to see which
Jesus
was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse o f
Jesus
who was to pass that way. When
Jesus
reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.' And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. 'He has gone to stay at a sinner's house,' they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, 'Look, sir, I am going to give half my
property
to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I
will
pay him back four times the amount.' And
Jesus
said to him, 'Today
salvation
has come to this house, because this
man
too is a son of Abraham; for the Son
of man has come to seek out and save what was lost.'
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(Luke 19:1-10, New Jerusalem Bible, 1985)
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© Sieger Köder - Turning Point
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Pope Francis has encouraged young people to take up the opportunity of encounter with Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In a World Youth homily on Copacabana Beach, he said:
Dear young people: 'Put on Christ' in your lives. In these days, Christ awaits you in his Word; listen carefully to him and your heart will be warmed by his presence; 'Put on Christ': (who) awaits you in the sacrament of Penance, to heal by his mercy the wounds caused by sin. Do not be afraid to ask God's forgiveness! God never tires of forgiving us, like a father who loves us. God is pure mercy!
A celebration of this kind requires a number of priests and we are deeply grateful to the following chaplains as well as priests and Jesuit colleagues from our local parishes who generously made time to make this a special sacramental moment for our graduating Year 12 students:
Cottesloe/Mosman Park Parish: Frs James D'Souza & Wilson Donizetti (John XXIII College Chaplain)
Nedlands Parish: Fr Joseph Sobb SJ
Floreat/Wembley Parish: Fr Andrew Albis
East Fremantle Parish: Fr Steve Astill SJ
Fremantle Parish: Fr Andrew Chen OMI
Chaplain, Trinity & Aranmore Colleges: Fr Oscar Aguilera OSM
Chaplain, University of Notre Dame: Fr John Sebastian OMI
Our sincere thanks to all of you!
ACT OF CONTRITION
God of compassion and goodness,
because you love us,
you sent Jesus, your Son,
to save us and bring us to you.
By his saving death and resurrection
have mercy on me; heal me;
free me from all my sins.
By the grace of your Holy Spirit
help me to live my faith
in holiness and justice and truth. Amen
COMMUNITY MASS
Next Friday, 13th September, we look forward to Year 8s taking on various ministries in our Eucharist, and celebrating the Gospel of the prodigal son. All parents always welcome, particularly those of Year 8 students.
Time: 8:00-8:30am.
When: Fridays in term time.
Where: Chapel.
PARISH LIFE
Sacramental program
We congratulate the following Year 6 students who are being confirmed at St Thomas the Apostle, Claremont, by Emeritus Archbishop Hickey: Anneliese Arundell, Jess Diffen, James Hackett, Thomas Hodge, Samuel King, Toby Morgan, Benjamin Scalise, James Vardanega, Eloise Watson and Hamish Watson. This year, the Family-focused, Parish-based, Catholic school-supported Sacramental Program has been a team effort of families, parishes and class teachers.
If you have children going into these classes next year, you will need to enrol them in your parish. Most parishes will have enrolment details available in Term 4. If you have any questions about the sacramental program, please contact Mary-Anne Lumley: lumley.mary-anne@johnxxiii.edu.au