We are almost at the end of the journey. And by this, I do not mean, the end of the term, but the end of LENT.

The word Lent derives from the Middle English word lenten, meaning springtime – the time of lengthening days. Forty days is significant for Christians because it is the length of the fast and temptation of Jesus in the desert (Luke 4:1-13).

This Sunday is Palm Sunday: the celebration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem before he was arrested. In Scripture, people placed palm branches on the road as Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem.

You will also hear the word Triduum. Triduum is the “Great Three Days” -the three-part celebration beginning with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, continuing with The Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, and concluding with the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.

We warmly invite you to our School Easter Mass on Tuesday 11^th April at 12pm.

And for celebrations over the Easter Period, the Kingswood Mass Community welcome all members of the school community to join their Easter celebrations and celebrate the Risen Lord with the following Masses and ceremonies:

Palm Sunday (2 April) 9 AM: Please gather in the hall for the beginning of Mass and then we will process to the church as Jesus processed into Jerusalem. The children are invited to stand along the fence with their musical instruments to escort the procession. Please bring a palm / olive leaf, though some will also be available. 

Good Friday (7 April) 11 AM: Live Stations of the Cross on the school grassed area. All children are welcome to participate in this simple, silent yet profound re-enactment of the Easter events as we move around the area. Shared hot cross buns in the hall afterwards. 

Good Friday (7 April) 3 PM: Celebration of the Lord's Passion with Holy Communion in Our Lady of Dolours Church.

Easter Sunday (9 April) 9 AM: Easter Sunday Mass at Kingswood

Other Mass times across the Emmaus Parish are listed on the parish website.

CARITAS MONEY BOXES will be collected during weeks 10 and 11. Please send them to school with your child.

A CARITAS FUNDRAISER will be held on the last day of term 1. Please keep an eye out for details!

I want to finish my contribution today with some photos from our Sacramental Workshop held on Sunday 26^th March.

We had a beautiful number of Candidates present. During this workshop, we talked about the significance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and its power to help us be in a healthy relationship with God. We talked about how we are Beautifully Broken just like a line of dominoes where one topples over and ‘breaks’ the line. How beautiful is the ‘domino effect’ that results from it?! We also talked about how Reconciliation is a way to build strong bridges between us, others and God by building bridges with spaghetti and blutac. 

I wish all the Kingswood families a blessed Easter.

Regards,

Christine Farrugia | APRIM