Prayer Improves Health

By Elizabeth Pessin

Spiritual/religious practices are used around the world to cope with and treat health illnesses. One commonly under-reported but effective spiritual tool is praying. According to Professor of Psychology Thomas Plante, prayer is a conversation with the sacred, and all of the major religious traditions encourage prayer making it inclusive. Prayer can be as ritualistic as repeating statements or equally as spontaneous and unstructured. Prayer is central to many spiritual people’s lives, and can be used as a tool to improve wellbeing. Although people are most likely to pray when their needs are greatest, many Australians pray each day.

Scientists organise prayer into the following types:

• Contemplative-meditative prayer (e.g., worshiping God, reflecting on the Bible)
• Ritualistic prayer (e.g., repeating statements)
• Petitionary prayer (e.g., asking God for things)
• Colloquial prayer (e.g., thanking God for things)
• Intercessory prayer (e.g., praying for others)

What are the health benefits?

Not only are there many kinds of prayers, but also there are many ways in which they can be used to improve mental health. Techniques such as psychotherapy, meditation, audiovisual resources, and pastoral services can all incorporate prayer to help improve wellbeing. Research suggests these spiritual techniques are associated with decreases in depression and stress, and may reduce clinical symptoms, especially anxiety.

Scientists used qualitative and quantitative methodologies to measure the relationship between prayer and spiritual health. They found private and public prayer predicted better levels of spiritual health. Specifically, they found that both forms of prayer increased participants’ closeness to God and having a stronger sense of identity. Scientists also suggest that praying for oneself and for others has been found to be beneficial for spiritual-health and relationships.

Moreover, prayer has statistically significant positive effects on health. It can be used as a preventative or coping strategy. By practising prayer, patients can increase their self-esteem and overall mental health. Additionally, prayer can improve one’s spiritual health and identity.

Huffingtonpost.com

Week 10

Congratulations to Piper and Frankie who have been selected in the final 16 for the 2018 NSW Country U14 Girls State Team. We are very proud of them and it is a significant achievement to be selected to represent NSW in the Girls National Youth Championships in 2018. We wish the girls all the best as they compete in the tournament in Coffs Harbour from July 16-20.

Reports

It has been delightful to read our Semester One reports and to see the attention that our students have given to building their resilience and growth mindset for learning. It was great to see words like persistence, challenge, learning pit, risk taking with learning, collaboration, investigations, inquiry, future goals/areas for focus, suggestions for what can be done at home, resilience and perseverance – incorporated into your children’s reports.

Our Primary reports were sent home with students and Secondary reports were posted home on Wednesday 4 July. The URL to make parent/teacher/student bookings is: 

https://shcscootamundra.sessionkeeper.com.au/

A full set of instructions for how to make bookings, with example pictures (not our school) will be sent out via schoolzine on Friday 6 July.

Students return

Students return to Term 3 on Tuesday 24 July. All staff will be attending a Spirituality Day in Temora with staff from Western Region Schools on Monday 23 July and the school will be closed. Our facilitator for the day will be Fr Richard Leonard. Fr Richard Leonard is a Jesuit priest, an author, educator and critic of our modern culture. He tackles the tricky questions, including the ageless cry, why does tragedy happen to Christian believers? Aren't they protected if God is on their side? If He isn't, then what's the point in believing?

Our theme for the day is “A Survival Guide to Sane Spirituality in Catholic Education”.

As those committed to Catholic Education we are charged to not just teach the students given into our care, but to enrich their spirituality. The best way we can do this is by attending to our spirituality. This workshop will be in three parts and will use film and media to explore the hallmarks of a Christian faith which can be sane and relevant for us and our students.

1. Without Christ there is no Christianity, but how do we encounter a Christ who is not pious or fundamentalist?
2. If faith gives us any gift, then it has to be discernment – the ability to navigate our daily lives alert to demands of the Gospel and its practical application in our lives.
3. Christianity is not a private feel-good collective. We are sent out to live and proclaim our spirituality. What does the world look like to which we, and our students, are sent? What questions is the world posing to us, and what questions do we have as we go out?

Naidoc Mass in Canberra

Tomorrow, 16 students along with some parents, Mrs Aileen Maher, Mrs Patrece Maxwell and I will be travelling to Canberra to attend the Naidoc Mass in Canberra at St Christopher’s Cathedral. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our community and culture and we are looking forward to sharing this experience to a full cathedral. Students, parents and staff will be travelling from all over the Archdiocese to come together for this very important celebration.

K to 10 Trivia in House Groups

Good luck to all our students who will participate in a fun Trivia afternoon with their K to 10 House Groups on Friday. Year 10 students, along with Mrs Erryn Marsay have been putting together questions for our students and we hope that all enjoy this fun, community building event to finish off the term. Thanks to Erryn and our student volunteers for taking the time to organise this event which is always enjoyed by our students and staff.

Happy holidays

I wish all our students, staff and families a well-deserved happy and blessed holiday. I thank our staff for all their work during the past semester and to our students for their commitment to learning and caring for one another. I look forward to everyone returning refreshed and eager for teaching and learning in Term 3.

We will once again hit the ground running with a very busy Week 1 and 2 back to school. Please check the calendar for all the events which are on. Don’t forget that enrolment intentions are due back by 1 August so that staffing can be prepared for the 2019 school year.

With blessings,

Mrs Janet Cartwright

Principal

janet.cartwright@cg.catholic.edu.au