More than 300 primary students from three schools came together for a parish appreciation day as part of Catholic Schools Week 2023.
St Peter Chanel Primary School at Regents Park was joined by students from St Joseph the Worker Primary, South Auburn, and St Joan of Arc Primary, Haberfield, for a day of faith, fun and family which included prayer, praise and worship music, catechesis, and Eucharistic Adoration.
Students also took part in craft activities, including making a cut-out monstrance.
St Peter Chanel Parish priest Fr Thomas Kurkuruntham along with Fr Lewi Barakat and Fr William Chow offered the sacrament of reconciliation, which staff, students and their families took advantage of.
Based on a US faith rally model for primary students, the theme of the day focused on Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist and his overflowing love for each person.
The day concluded with a Eucharistic procession where Jesus “passed by” the students who were encouraged to touch “the hem of His garment” in the form of the priests humeral.
One student told The Catholic Weekly “it was the best day of my life” while another said, “It was almost like a miracle to be able to be so close to Jesus all day.”
“I loved being able to have a whole day to talk to Jesus,” another student said.
Event organiser St Cecilia Joseph Dulik, principal of St Peter Chanel Primary, said the day “far exceeded her expectations”.
She said it provided an opportunity for a “personal encounter with the Lord” for all 320 students.
“I have organised faith rallies at schools in the USA, so I knew that this method of prayer works with young people however, never having organised this type of day in the Australian context, I was a bit nervous about how it would be received,” she said.
“However, I needn’t have worried, the day far exceeded my expectations, and the Lord was truly present and took care of every detail.
“The comments from the students really do speak for themselves.
“To be honest, I think this faith rally was the best I have ever attended, everyone was so open to all the graces of the day, and I assured everyone involved the faith rally will now be an annual event!”