Junior Faith Education Faith Education
e commenced the school year with a Mass prepared by the teachers, setting a wonderful example of what was to follow with Year level Masses.
W
At this Mass we had the blessing and presentation of the Prefects’ and House Captains’ Badges. The Year level Masses are a central part of our Faith Develop Programme. Each class has several opportunities during the year to organise the Mass for the rest of the school community. This year we were well supported by parents who attended these Masses. It has now become a tradition that the parents who attend Mass bring a plate and have morning tea in the Boardroom after Mass. It provides an opportunity for parents to socialise, and more importantly to build on our community spirit.
Chaplain At Trinity we are blessed with the services of a full-time Chaplain, Fr. Michael McMahon who generously attends to the Sacramental needs of the community. We really appreciate the time and effort he puts into the Junior School. Nothing is too much trouble for him especially driving to Dwellingup to celebrate the Eucharist on our Confirmation retreats. Father also ran a very successful retreat day for the staff at the Redemptorist Monastery in North Perth. The purpose of the retreat was to instill an awareness of the origins of the Gospels in general in the historical context of the Church Journal and in particular with regard to the Gospel of Luke and to tease out the contextualization which took place in the Gospels and how this process can be duplicated in our reflection on the Gospel. The day was very casual, enjoyed by the staff and ended with a Eucharistic celebration and lunch.
The Confirmation Retreat was held at Camp Kelly and was a great success. Special thanks to Father Michael McMahon who attended both Year 7 Retreats and for all his input with the program. The Masses we had were very special and meaningful for the boys. The setting was superb, overlooking the valley. Confirmation took place on the 7th June. This was the second year that we had Father Michael as our main celebrant and what a superb job he does! The service was a memorable occasion beginning with the recognition of the traditional custodians of our land. Our thanks to George Walley who did a brilliant job playing the didgeridoo. Special thanks to Mr. Maxfield and Mr. Bell for doing a superb job preparing the boys and for their input on the retreat.
First Holy Communion On the 17th August about sixty- two boys received their First Holy Communion. There was much preparation leading to this very special celebration. The boys were well prepared by Mrs Margaret Trutwein and Miss Felicity Trend. One of the highlights of the preparation was their day retreat at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Armadale. Sister Lissett facilitated a wonderful day of reflection and hands on activities for the boys. Parents and boys did a wonderful job with the First Holy Communion posters which were displayed in the foyer of the Junior School before adorning the Chapel on the Day. Special thanks to the many parents who helped with the flowers and decorating of the Chapel.
Confirmation
Fr. Michael added his own special touch to the service and made it very personal for the boys.
Once again we had an overwhelming response with parent involvement in the Confirmation Home Program.
Letters from the boys
The Home Program was a great success and parents expressed how beneficial it was for the parents and boys involved. It also provided the parents with the opportunity to get to know each other on a more personal level.
Dear Jesus, On Friday I received my First Holy Communion. In the morning I was in a hurry to get to school. Once I entered the Chapel, I was surprised at how many people there were. When it was my turn to speak, I felt very nervous. I was very excited when Communion started. The bread tasted like an ice-cream cone. From Nick Gillespie Dear Jesus, When I arrived at school I was a bit nervous and I told myself to be confident and to relax. When I was doing my reading, I felt proud to read in front of so many people. I saw my mum taking a photo of me and it made me smile. When I received the Host, I felt that I was a man like my dad. From Christopher Goi
101