The Year Three class completed their First Reconciliation on Friday 12th August with Father Gavin at Holy Rosary Parish. In the weeks leading up to this special event, the students learned that people have the gift of conscience, and it is this gift that helps people to work out right from wrong. When people’s choices damage or weaken their relationships with others, they must learn how to restore and heal that relationship or friendship. To heal a relationship, people need a fresh start to make things right or better.
In class, the students read the Parable of the Lost Son, which taught them that God continues to love people when they turn away and do wrong things. God never gives up on people. God always forgives people if they are sorry and want to change. The students learnt how to identify sin as something people do that they know goes against God’s rules. In the days before Reconciliation, the students completed an Examination of Conscience which invited them to reflect on their lives and take responsibility for the wrong choices they have made. They also learned the Act of Contrition, which is a Prayer of Sorrow, spoken during confession. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the students chose to; remember that God loves and forgives them, make choices to live good lives, make an effort to restore peace and harmony, and take action to make a better world. The service concluded with a presentation of certificates to the penitents and those who participated in the Reconciliation program.
Emily Meneghello, Year Three Teacher, Loreto Nedlands
