Socktober DONATE NOW!

Stella is proudly supporting Catholic’s Mission Socktober fundraiser, which connects our students with people experiencing challenges in the developing world through education and the world game of soccer. 

This year, our collective fundraising efforts will contribute vital funds to Zambia, who despite its natural wealth and strong spirit, many families face daily challenges, especially in rural areas. Today, one of the most urgent issues is the severe hunger crisis that threatens the wellbeing of millions.

As a school, we can contribute in a special way, but only if all our stars jump onboard. I’d like to invite you to take a moment to donate for Socktober and make a difference for children around the world.

This term, we’ll have a chance to come together at our school’s Socktober Event Day, where the children will be able to literally kick goals for good during a Socktober Shootout. This is a fun and educational day, and you are invited to join us. We will keep you updated in school newsletters and emails throughout Term 4 as we continue to build momentum towards our Socktober Event Day on 12 November. Students will be able to wear “Sensational Socks” on this day with a gold coin donation. Thank you for your support and for helping your child/ren kick goals for good. Let’s reverence the story of all people together!

Why is Socktober so important?

Socktober points to applicable Catholic Social Teaching, drawing on Human Dignity, Solidarity, Common Good, Preferential Option for the Poor, Stewardship of Creation, and Subsidiarity among others.

So what is Catholic Social Teaching?

Catholic Social Teaching (CST) offers a way of thinking, being, and seeing the world. It provides a vision for a just society in which the dignity of all people is recognised, and those who are vulnerable are cared for. It consists of an interrelated body of Catholic social thought and principles which can be used to reflect on and guide how we relate to one another in our local and global communities.

The perspective and principles of Catholic Social Teaching are a rich heritage, developed as the Church has engaged with key social issues throughout history. Catholic Social Teaching includes insight from the Scriptures, as well as understanding from the thinking, reflections, and lived experience of people throughout the life of the Church.   

https://cssa.org.au/resources/catholic-social-teaching/

“An authentic faith – which is never comfortable or completely personal – always involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it.”

(Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium)

God Bless

Alicia Sanchez-Levine

Religious Education Coordinator

The Most Holy Rosary

The month of October each year is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. This is primarily due to the fact that the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7. Students in all classes at Stella Maris will have opportunities to pray the Rosary during this month.

Grade Masses at Stella Maris 

Grade Masses take place at our Stella Maris Church on Tuesdays at 9:30 am.  Parents, grandparents and carers are most welcome to attend.  Please find below a schedule of the Masses for Term 4, 2025: 

Week 2 - 21/10 - Year 1

Week 3 - 28/10 - Year 2

Week 4 - 4/11 - Year 3

Week 5 - 11/11 - Year 4

Week 6 - 18/11 - Year 5

Week 8 - 2/12 - Kindergarten

All Saints Day -1 November (Reflection by Greg Sunter)

Saints are sometimes regarded as ‘Catholic superheroes’. Stories of miraculous and remarkable deeds abound, though more in the vein of conversions and cures than speeding bullets and tall buildings. But to get caught up on the Saints of the stained glass windows is to overlook the vast majority of saints. You see, a saint is anybody whose soul is in heaven. The Church celebrates a certain number of Saints whose lives provide a glimpse of God for the rest of the Church. But there are many, many more saints whose glimpse of God was only ever experienced by their family, friends and those with whom they worked. The feast of ALL Saints is an opportunity to remember and reflect on the lives of those saints who’ve been known and loved by just a few and whose sphere of influence was such that they will never be recognised as Saints by the universal Church.

What is the difference between All Saints & All Souls day?

The feasts of All Saints (Nov 1) and All Souls (Nov 2) can be seen as something of a twin feast that celebrates all those who have died. With the feast of All Saints we celebrate all those who have died and have entered into direct and immediate communion with God in heaven. With the feast of All Souls we celebrate and pray for those who have died but have not yet entered into that direct communion with God. These two different states revolve around the Church teaching on purgatory – a state or process of purification before entering into heaven.

All Saints Day Celebrations

The feast day of our Parish falls on a Saturday this year and Father Joe thought it might be nice to celebrate it as a community at Mass on Sunday, 2 November at 9 am. 

Part of the ceremony will be Nazareth and Stella Stage 2/3 students singing the song for reflection. In addition to this, students from each school will be dressed as Marian Titles, processing into the Church.  Please join us as together we join with our parish on this special day.

All Saints Catholic Parish NEWS

All Saints Church Mass Times: 19 College Ave, Shellharbour City

Saturday 5.00 pm Vigil - Children’s Liturgy

Sunday 9.00 am & 5.00 pm - Children’s Liturgy (am) 

All Saints Feast Day Mass Sun 2 November 9 am - Nazareth & Stella Student Reflection during the ceremony

Programme for the Sacrament of Communion (Year 3 Students) 

Save the Date - First Holy Communion Sunday, 23 November 11 am

Timetable of Events after the Vigil/Sunday Masses:

If there are any questions related to any of the Sacraments, please contact the parish office via email shellharbourcity@dow.org.au