Catholic Mission – Socktober

This week, we celebrate “Catholic Mission Week” beginning on World Mission Sunday, 18^th October. During Mission Week we are encouraged to think about the small acts of love we can share to bring Jesus’ mission to the world. How can we work with our head, hearts and hands to help those in need around the world overcome the challenges of poverty, and hopefully improve their living conditions to be able to have better access to the basic needs in life, like clean water, doctors and education.   

Socktober is an annual Catholic Mission initiative that encourages students and families to broaden their perspective while supporting the work of Catholic Mission in developing countries through the universal game of soccer. A game that enhances social connections, helps children learn about countries around the world, and evokes a sense of belonging no matter where you are from.

In countries supported by Catholic Mission, children play sockball. Sockball is soccer played with a ball that is made out of recycled materials. The very first sock ball (pictured above) was invented by four young Zambian men in a town four hours west of Chennai in southern India.   OLOR students discovered how this very same sockball was given to Catholic Mission and has subsequently travelled the world featuring in soccer games in Cambodia, Ghana, the Philippines as well as different states within Australia.

Since its humble beginnings, and through its continuous journey bringing joy to children across the globe, the sockball has become an iconic symbol of Catholic Mission. The Year 3 students worked together to make their own sockballs created from 100% recycled materials, such as old clothes, our lunch and recess snack wrappers,  bubble wrap and plastic bags.,They donated one sockball to each class, which was used in some friendly games across the school in OLOR’s very own soccer carnival. On Thursday, the school yard buzzed with encouragement, enthusiasm and teamwork, as students kicked goals while raising awareness for Socktober.

This Sunday’s Gospel Message for Families

(Brisbane Liturgy)

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A 25^th October 2020

"Love the Lord your God, and your neighbour as yourself.”

Something to Think About 

What does it mean to love someone? Who do you love? Sometimes it seems easy to love people but, at other times, loving is not easy. Is there someone that you find difficult to love? Since God loves us so much, we are called to love God and other people.

The Story 

The religious leaders are trying to trick Jesus again in today’s story, by asking him which is the greatest commandment. This is an easy one for Jesus! First of all you must love God and secondly, you must love your neighbour. The two commands go together and form the basis of the entire Scriptures

The Scriptures 
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew  22:34-40

Love the Lord your God, and your neighbour as yourself. After Jesus had made the Sadducees look foolish, the Pharisees heard about it and got together. One of them was an expert in the Jewish Law. So he tried to test Jesus by asking, "Teacher, what is the most important commandment in the Law?" Jesus answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.' This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, 'Love others as much as you love yourself.' All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets are based on these two commandments." The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. 

God of love,

Help us to love you with our 

whole heart and to love one another.

Guide our hearts and hands to reach out

to our brothers and sisters in need.

Teach us to be kind and forgiving as

we spread you love in the world.

Co-editors; Jennifer Wainwright and Michael Preece.