RE Happenings
O’Connor Feast Day Celebration – Wednesday February 26
On Wednesday, February 26, our school community will come together to celebrate O’Connor Feast Day. Students in Years 7-10 will travel by bus to St Mary’s Catholic Church, where they will join the primary students for a special prayer service. This gathering will be a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the values and inspiration of Eileen O’Connor. Following the service, students will share lunch and enjoy games, strengthening our sense of community and faith. We look forward to a joyful and faith-filled day!
We invite families to explore the link below and, together with your child/children, learn about the life of Eileen O’Connor. Take time to reflect on how her example can inspire us “to be more.” Conclude your reflection by praying the Eileen O’Connor prayer as a family.
Every 25 years, the Catholic Church holds a Jubilee Year. All members of the global Church are called to participate in this Holy Year. It is a time to grow deeper in our faith and prayer life. A time too to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation. Key aspects of a Jubilee Year include how we treat one another and how we live out the mission Jesus states in chapter four of Luke’s Gospel. It is this Gospel which provides the scripture for this Celebration of the Word.
What is a jubilee?
Jubilee years are a time of newness. They have been celebrated throughout the history of the Church, but their roots go back to the Old Testament, when the Israelites were commanded to celebrate a jubilee every 50 years.
Beginning with the blowing of a ram’s horn - the yobel, from which the word jubilee comes—on the Day of Atonement, it was meant to be a kind of ‘reset’ or ‘refresh’ for their relationship with God and with each other.
Debts would be forgiven, misappropriated land returned, slaves freed, and the land given rest. It was a stark and dramatic reminder for the ancient Israelites that nothing was absolutely theirs—not even the Promised Land.
The Israelites were to live as if everything was a grace and blessing from the God who brought them out of Egypt.
Pope’s Monthly Intention
For vocations to the priesthood and religious life
Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ's mission in the priesthood and religious life.
Vinnies
The Vinnie’s group at St Matthews is a school group that anyone can be involved in. They aim to help those around them and the wider Mudgee community. The group so far have held things like the Year 7 retreat and have helped deliver the Christmas hampers at the end of 2024. We attended a St Mary’s St Vincent de Paul Conference and had a tour of the shop. One member, Oliver O’Brien, volunteered at the shop over the school holidays and is continuing to offer his time. Vinnies started at the end of 2024 and since then have held meetings to discuss things here at school and out of school.
They are a group open to anyone, and would love people to get involved. It is open for 7-10 students and new members are much appreciated. 2025 is going to be an amazing year full of new and exciting challenges for the group.
Lily Hockley | Year 10
Belinda Redden | Leader of Mission