60. The Soul
As memories of the summer holidays fade and the pace of our schools gear up, The Soul returns to provide respite through inspiration, prayer and spiritual communion. We will continue to compliment our spiritual focus by supporting staff wellbeing through providing resources and suggestions.
Continuing in a fortnightly publication, The Soul will have all the familiar features of prayer, formation, Gospel reflections, music, links and resources. We look forward to journeying with you again in 2022 as we focus on love in our first edition for the year.
Speaking with teachers in 2015, Pope Francis reminded his audience that, “As Jesus taught us, the Law and the Prophets are summed up in two commandments: love the Lord your God and love your neighbour (cf. Mt 22:34-40). We can ask ourselves: who is a teacher’s neighbour? Your students are your “neighbour”! It is with them that you spend your days. It is they who await guidance, direction, a response — and, even before that, good questions!”
We need to keep on loving. The early Christians knew this and focused on the importance of love within their communities. The phrase ‘building up’ was often used as St Paul encouraged the fledgling communities to seek the best in each other and to use actions that allowed for encounters of grace and goodness. As Oscar Romero reminds us:
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
Let us be encouraged that the good relationships we are building now in faith and life will shelter and nurture those who come after. Let us particularly focus on our students at the start of this new school year. How do we build up our school and classroom communities?
Adapted from Love is in the Air - Australian Catholics
Ash Wednesday, marking the first day of Lent, comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. Our practice on Ash Wednesday includes being marked with ashes on our forehead, symbolising the dust from which God made us. Lent is a time of increased prayer, almsgiving, self-denial and deep contemplation about the mystery of God's mercy. Let us prepare well for the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ at Easter. How will you grow closer to God this Lent?
- Ash Wednesday and Lent in 60 seconds with Lego - Explained in a fun and entertaining way, Trideo Media uses Lego to break open Ash Wednesday and Lent in 60 seconds.
- Lent Activities - from RE Teacher Jared Dees. Lent activities to use with your students and staff.
- The Significance of Ash Wednesday - They may just be ashes, but Fr. Mike points out that what they represent goes far beyond mere dust of the earth. With a simple cross on the forehead, we are recognizing that we are far from perfect, but that God loves and redeems us - not despite our brokenness, but in the midst of it.
- Lenten Family Prayer Space & Prayer - If you’d like to share a resource with your school families, this pdf provides families with a guide to creating a simple Lenten themed prayer space.
Need a pick-me-up and the coffee van has left the premises? Give our new music video a spin and start grooving & praising! Your Mercy Holds Me Up is all about embracing the overwhelming joy God gives us, even during times of adversity. We hope that you experience as much joy watching this video as we experienced making it for you.
- 21 Praying With Music (Official 2021 Spotify Playlist)
Want to find a song or artist featured in The Soul last year? Add this link in Spotify and be sure to find all your favourite worship music in one playlist.
- Yes He Can (Cain)
An uplifting song about how God makes miracles by using the people around us.
- Jesus, My Beloved (Jonathan Ogden)
May God’s everlasting love help us desire to keep burning for Him.
- Jesus, What A Saviour (Housefires)
Pondering the awe and wonder of God’s love, which meets us in every moment.
Some Australian Catholics have participated in the process of the Plenary Council. The Synod takes this further and is specifically targeting structures in the universal Church which may provide a voice to all in the Church. To this end, contributions can be made by individuals or groups through an online portal on the Synod website. All people of goodwill are encouraged to have a say. There are no gatekeepers who will edit our response to this Synod. The portal will remain open until Sunday the 13th March, 2022.
As we set out on the adventure that will be 2022 we know that it will have its joys and its sorrows, its ups and its downs – its good times and its not so good times; that is called life! We know that on this adventure we will fail. No one is perfect. Knowing that should be a great consolation to us all. We all have feet of clay – innate to our human condition – and that gives us a shared brokenness and it will be from this brokenness that our greatest growth will occur. Read more from Br Damien Price, including his ten step guide to self gentleness in his blog: Be Gentle With Yourself.
- The NCEC has just released two new documents. The first is Leading Formation for Mission: A Practical Guide. This guide compliments, at a practical level, understandings specific to formation of teachers and leaders.
The second is to supplement the RE document. A Framework for Student Faith Formation in Catholic Schools is aimed to enhance the faith formation of students in our contemporary Australian contexts in line with the goals of Catholic Education.
- Elements is an online initiative by Catholic Youth Parramatta which offers content for youth ministers to use in their respective parishes, schools and movements. It will be distributed monthly.
- Catholic Teacher is an e-newsletter for subscribers of Australian Catholics. It offers fresh articles, ideas and activities for the classroom. There are prayer rituals, RE ideas, prayers, reflections, a Catholic Teacher Calendar, and news relevant to your work as a teacher in a Catholic school.
- The Bridge - A resource from the Australian Catholic Bishops' National Centre for Evangelisation.
All staff in Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Lismore receive The Soul by email. The link in these emails can be forwarded and shared with family and friends. Alternatively, use this form to subscribe as an additional reader to The Soul mailing list.