APMI News
By Mrs Patrice Riordan, Assistant Principal Mission and Identity
All Saint’s Day & All Soul’s Day
Two very important dates within the Catholic church were celebrated last week.
All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the Saints of the Church, whether they are known or unknown. From the 4th century, feasts commemorating all Christian martyrs were held in various places, on various dates near Easter and Pentecost. In the 9th century, some churches in the British Isles began holding the commemoration of all saints on 1 November, and in the 9th century this was extended to the whole Catholic Church by Pope Gregory IV.
All Souls' Day is a day of prayer and remembrance for the faithfully departed, observed by Roman Catholics and other Christians on 2 November. To further remember those souls who have passed, a special Remembrance Mass for families who have lost loved ones over the past year will take place on Tuesday 15 November, 2023 at 7pm at St Mary’s Church. All are welcome to attend.
Catherine McAuley Day 11th November
Assumption College’s vision is under the guidance of Mary, Our Lady of the Assumption, and in the tradition of Catherine McAuley and Edmund Rice.
Who is this amazing woman?
The Venerable Catherine McAuley, RSM was an Irish Catholic religious sister who founded the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin in 1831 to provide compassionate assistance to the poor. The women’s congregation has always been associated with teaching and education.
We at Assumption College embrace Catherine’s desire to provide an Empowering Pastoral and Co-curricular education for all our students and staff.
This day will be celebrated by the College on Friday 10 November, 2023.
Vinnies Christmas Appeal – Can-Can for Christmas
Only one week left in the Vinnies Christmas Appeal! The appeal officially ends on Monday, 20 November 2023 Week 8, when the students from the Vinnies Club start to assemble the hampers for delivery to our local Vinnies organisation. Can I please encourage all families to think about donating at least one can this year. I am aware many families are feeling under pressure to give this year, therefore, any gift helps to ensure we all experience joy this Christmas.
Pope Francis reminds us,
“For the poor to overcome their oppressive situation, they need to sense the presence of brothers and sisters who are concerned for them and, by opening the doors of their hearts and lives, make them feel like friends and family. Only in this way can the poor discover the saving power at work in their lives.”
Pope Francis, Second World Day Of The Poor, 2018, 6
Thank you to all have donated so far.
Year Level Mass and PC liturgies
St Mary’s Parish Church is having its beautiful stained glass windows renovated over the foreseeable future. As a result, daily Mass is being held in Assisi Place. Unfortunately, there is no room for our students to attend. We will still be celebrating this time together as a year level taking part in a year level liturgy instead. Every year level has experienced Mass at the Church four times over the course of the year. A very big thank you to Fr. Bony and Fr. Franco who have led these Tuesday and Thursday morning Masses with such enthusiasm, reaching out to our students with caring words and relatable stories. A big thank you also to the members of the St. Mary’s Parish who have shown patience and have welcomed our students with such genuine smiles. We look forward to continuing our year level Masses next year.
PC liturgies will continue each Wednesday throughout Term 4. PC liturgies are a time for each PC class to pause, connect, embrace and reflect on scripture.
Prayer
The Suscipe of Catherine McAuley
My God, I am yours for all eternity. Teach me to cast my whole self
into the arms of your Providence
with the most lively, unlimited confidence in your compassionate, tender pity.
Grant, O most merciful Redeemer,
that whatever you ordain or permit may always be acceptable to me.
Take from my heart all painful anxiety;
suffer nothing to afflict me but sin,
nothing to delight me, but the hope of coming to the possession of You
my God, in your own everlasting kingdom.
Amen.