2 March 2021
Welcome to Lent: APRIM letter
The season of Lent has begun and Christians around the world are observing a…
The season of Lent has begun and Christians around the world are observing a period of focus on prayer, charity and reconciliation. It is the time we hone in on these most lifegiving practices of Christianity as we approach the pinnacle of our faith; the bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the sign that convinces us He is God.
The preceding liturgical season is called ‘normal’, and it ends with Shrove Tuesday. On this day pancakes are served as they are a rich food, and this signifies a purging of excesses in order for Lent to become a time of going without. At Blackfriars pancakes and crepes were served up across the school from R-12 by our Year 12 student-leaders, who did an excellent job.
Ash Wednesday was marked with a whole-school Mass led by old scholar Fr Pat Lopresti. Fr Pat was also invited to lead this Mass for us as a celebration of his ordination, which took place late last year. Our youngest students of ELC to Yr2 began the Mass with a separate children’s liturgy in the Chapel of St Albert the Great and Frassati Hall where they experienced the Word of God and reflected in a more accessible age-appropriate way. They then joined the rest of the school to receive ashes and to witness the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Ashes were sprinkled on heads this year instead of the customary forehead crosses this year, to ensure COVID safety. As usual, our students showed exceptional reverence and appreciation of the occasion.
As is customary during Lent, our Young Christian Students (YCS) launched Caritas Project Compassion at the end of Mass. As a means of raising awareness and raising money for this charity, each Primary class from Reception to Year 6 and all Secondary Home Groups have been provided a container filled with Easter Eggs for a competition to guess the number of eggs, with guesses costing $2 each, and these funds going to Project Compassion. The student that chooses the correct number for their class wins the eggs. This will be finalised in Week 11 this term (after Easter).
We hope the season of Lent is a time for all of us to reflect on the importance of prayer and service in our own lives, and renew our commitment to our own faith lives as part of this strong Dominican community.
