Students from 2020 have finally celebrated their First Eucharist, while the First Eucharist candidates from 2021 are waiting to celebrate the Sacrament in the coming weeks. These children have grown deeper in their faith journeys and willingly let their lives be guided by the Sacraments of the Church. They have also participated in the life of the Church on a different or even more meaningful level. From now on, our children are invited to receive Communion during Mass with the rest of the Church’s faithful who usually gather every Sunday. Through this Communion practice, the children will have more opportunities to experience the meaning of celebrating the Last Supper which Jesus shared with his closest disciples before his suffering and death on the Cross.

Within the parish setting, it is a tradition that after the children have celebrated their first Communion, they are also invited to attend the Altar Server Come and See Day.   They will spend some time exploring, for example, some of the items that are used in celebrating Mass, the meaning of different liturgical colours and the Lectionary and Roman Missal. The children will also have an opportunity on this day to experience being an Altar Server by dressing in the Altar Server robes and assisting at the Altar.

After the Altar Server Come and See Day, children are warmly invited to join the Altar Server Ministry in our parishes. This ministry is a group of our youngest parishioners from Grade 4 and above who have been trained to serve regularly in Sunday liturgies as well as at other special liturgies during the year such as School Masses, Easter and Christmas. This is a great opportunity to have our children share the responsibility of church’s lives and liturgies. In addition, it is a simple way that our children can deepen their faith journeys. Further training will be provided at a Refresher Day for our current Altar Servers and for any new members across our parishes.

Come and See Days

● OLGC School children: due to lockdown-6 new dates TBC.
● OHR School children: from 2.15 pm to 3.15 pm on Thursday,19 August.
● OLPS School children: from 2.30 pm to 3.15 pm on Thursday, 26 August.

Refresher Training Day

For current Altar Servers and for any new members across our parishes: from 11.00 am to 12 noon on Saturday, 28 August 2021.

Expressions of Interest

To express your interest in training as an Altar Server, please email the Altar Server Coordinators:

• Camberwell, Balwyn and Deepdene Parishes : Kerry Hersom or Mieke Lochrie
• Surrey Hills Wattle Park Parish : Kirsten Italiano or Fr Trac Nguyen

Alternatively, contact the Parish Office during office hours.

By Fr Trac Nguyen