Congratulations to all our young parishioners who celebrated their First Reconciliation this week.

Thank you to the Religious Education Leaders, teachers and Principals at our Parish Primary Schools, the catechists who ran the classes and all those involved in the preparation of these students.

In the lead up to receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, students attended a Reflection Day to support their preparation.  Students explored scripture and the sacrament through dialogue, art, role play and games.  It was a lovely day for students to reflect on their faith journey and to build on what they had learnt in the classroom.

Students reflect on their participation in Reflection Day:

My favourite activity on reflection day was the role play!  Me and some other people acted out the Prodigal Son.  I was the older son who was jealous.  The role play was good fun!  On Tuesday night on Reconciliation, I was a bit nervous at first but after I spoke to the priest I wasn’t nervous.  I spoke to father Frank, after I spoke to him I went up and lit my candle.  When it was finished I got my certificate!  Evelyn

My favourite part of Reconciliation was when we decorated a candle and then lit the candle on Tuesday night with a lighter.  What I learnt, I learnt that Reconciliation is not about saying sorry and hoping you won’t get in trouble, it is about healing a friendship.  Lincoln

My favourite activity was making our candles.  I loved reading in church and I loved talking to the priest.  I learned the story of Zacchaeus and the Prodigal Son.  I also learned how to FORGIVE.  My favourite part of going to Reconciliation was lighting the candle and doing the readings.  I liked saying the prayer and doing the activities. I liked eating ice-cream.  Riley

On Tuesday we had Reconciliation.  My favourite part was when I got to read the prayer of the faithful.  I was a bit nervous, but when I read it I felt happy that I did it.  I learnt that it is alright to do the wrong thing sometimes, you just have to try and not do it again.  On Monday we made candles, they smelt like cupcakes.  I loved decorating them and acting out the story of the prodigal son.  We also made these booklets of a sorry prayer and made a poster.  Poppy

My favourite part on Monday was making my candle, doing the play’s, making the prayers and eating the ice-cream.  My favourite part on Tuesday was lighting my candle, speaking to the priest, getting my certificate and seeing all of my friends.  Ava

My favourite activity was making candles.  My second favourite activity was the prayer.  I love Jesus and God and respecting Jesus and God.  I learnt the story of Zacchaeus and the prodigal son.  Daniel

We went to Our Holy Redeemer for our reflection day.  For our reconciliation we practiced singing.  We decorated stones, we made our sorry prayers and we decorated coasters (they were wooden).  We did get to know each other bingo, we did meditation.  We did an example of what’s going to happen.  We had a great day.  Lucy and Frankie

When we went to OHR.  We found an old friend called Axel.  We were so excited.  He told me and Iverson and the place was so big and cool.  We were playing with him the whole day.  It was so great!  And fun.  It was a very good day! Iverson and Ario

On Friday at Reflection Day, the first thing we did was a bingo task to learn everyone’s name.  Josh and I were very close to getting bingo.  After that we had lunch and went outside to play but we couldn’t go on most things because they had inter school sports.  Next we split up into groups A, B and C.  We went to do some activities about reconciliation and then it was time to go home.  We had a great day.  Hugo