Dear Parents and Community,

This week, St Joseph’s joins with others in our country to participate in Reconciliation Week activities. The 2025 theme of Reconciliation Week is Bridging Now to Next. The theme calls on all Australians to step forward together, to look ahead and continue the push forward as past lessons guide us.

Last week, a group of ten candidates joined together to begin their own journey towards receiving the

Sacrament of Reconciliation. This sacrament is one of the seven sacraments recognised and celebrated by Catholics around the world-Baptism, Reconciliation (or Confession or Penance), Eucharist (or Holy Communion), Confirmation, Matrimony (or Marriage), Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick. Sacraments are ways in which Catholics believe that God's love, healing, forgiveness, nourishment and strengthening are experienced.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a sacrament of healing. It involves the idea that people are loved by their families and by God. Also, that people make choices. Good choices are those that show love and poor choices do not show love. Catholics call choices that do not show love, sin. When people sin, it is important to participate in a process of healing. Healing comes about when:

• a person feels sorry for their poor choice
• they admit that they have made that poor choice
• they seek forgiveness for that choice
• they restore relationships through some sort of action or penance.

Catholics believe that love is God’s way, and they are heartened by the belief that God is always ready to show love for people by being always ready to forgive, no matter what poor choices are made by them.

Each day individuals can reflect upon their choices by examining their conscience with a few simple questions.

• Do I take opportunities to help others?
• Have I mistreated others?
• Am I welcoming of others?
• Do I use kind and helpful words?
• Do I think of others before myself?
• Have I prayed?
• Am I grateful?

An examination of conscience can deepen one’s awareness of the choices made every day. This awareness can then lead to a process of healing: sorrow, admission, forgiveness and restoration of relationships.

I invite you this week to take the time to pray for healing throughout the world, in our country and in your heart.

We pray for healing and reconciliation, both in our country, around the world and in our own hearts.
Help us to find common ground, to listen to others with open hearts and to speak with love and compassion as we navigate the choices in each day.
In challenging moments, remind us that reconciliation is not merely a destination, but a journey. Provide us with the strength to reflect on our choices, admit our wrongdoing, seek forgiveness and work towards making our relationships right again.

We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen

Warm regards,

Loyola Best

​Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)

  Parish News:    SACRAMENTS of Eucharist and Confirmation in 2025 (see below)

Next Weeks Readings: 7^th Feast of the Ascension of the Lord: Acts 1:1-11; Eph 1: 17-23; Luke 24; 46-53.