2. Special Character Week 3 Term 4 2021

Welcome, Kia Ora Whanau/Malo e Lelei!

Special Character Focus: Feast of All Saints and All Souls

This week our R.E teaching is focus on All Saints and All Souls Day.

All Souls Day is a holy day set aside for honoring the dead. The day is primarily celebrated in the Catholic Church, but it is also celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and a few other denominations of Christianity. Purgatory is necessary so that souls can be cleansed and perfected before they enter into heaven. There is a scriptural basis for the belief of purgatory. The primary reference is in 2 Maccabees, 12:46;  “It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.”  

School Mass: 

There was no Mass last week. This week's gospel presentation was Ruma Pukeko- Year 1/2.  We had a Liturgy to celebrate All Saints and All Souls. Next week the gospel presentation will be Ruma Kiwi-Year 3. 

Faith Facts Term 4 2021

Week 3: November 1 – 5 (Green)

1^st November All Saints (White)

2^nd November All Souls (Violet)

4^th St Charles Borromeo

All Saints-This feast day grew out of the love and devotion of God's people. The Church chose this feast to honour God in the saints. The communion of saints is made up of all children of God. We thank God as the creator of all holiness and for the graces God has showered upon them. 

All Souls' Day This feast day is one of the most loving celebrations in the Church's year. It is the day that we especially remember all those who have passed from this life into the next. We stop to remember all who have died especially our relatives and friends. We pray for those who taught us good things and made sacrifices for us. We pray for those who prayed for us while they were on this earth.

We pray for the most forgotten souls.
We pray for those who had great responsibilities while they were on earth. At Mass and pray for all souls that have hastened their journey to God.

On November 5th many celebrate Guy Fawkes Night. Perhaps this year, here in Aotearoa New Zealand we can remember the people of Parihaka and their non-violent resistance to invasion. This happened on November 5th 1881. 

Tohu, Te Whiti and all of Parihaka’s men were arrested, houses and cultivations destroyed and livestock slaughtered or confiscated. Remembering Parihaka is a great resource to read and find out more. 

Thank you/ Malo Aupito

God Bless

Tua Misiloi (Co DRS)