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Easter Ideas
St Patrick’s School, Pyramid Hill,
Principal Jim Waight has some great
ideas to help families to pray together.
Hot Cross Buns
What a wonderful celebration Easter is for families.
Below are a few things that you might like to try this
Easter.
Easter Egg Hunt
Many families organise an Easter Egg Hunt around the
house or back yard etc. Why not try to add some of the
following items/symbols to the Easter Egg Hunt and discuss
the significance of each item along with the eggs that are
collected in the Easter Egg Hunt.
A lamb
Try using a soft toy lamb or a plastic lamb from a farm set.
Use this to discuss how the lamb is a symbol of Jesus. A lamb
can be used as a symbol of new life.
A rock
Discuss how the rock can remind us of the empty tomb
of Jesus – the rock has been removed and Jesus has been
raised to new life.
A jug/container of water
Without water nothing grows. All life needs water. Talk
about how the water in the Easter Egg Hunt is a symbol of the
new life from the resurrection of Jesus.
A candle
The candle that is hidden in the Easter Egg Hunt can be
used at a special Easter Meal. Place the candle in the middle
of the table. Discuss that this candle reminds us of Jesus
who has been raised from the dead. Use the candle at special
family gatherings throughout the Easter Season.
Cooking
Last year, people really enjoyed the recipes that were
included in some of the articles. I have included a hot cross
bun recipe here for use this Easter. Good luck and enjoy!
Did you know...
The Easter Tridiuum (which means three days), lasting from
Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday evening, is the climax of
the Church’s year.
Holy Thursday is sometimes known as Maundy Thursday, a
corruption of the Latin word for commandment, mandatum.
This is to commemorate the ‘new commandment’ that
Jesus gave us at the Last Supper: ‘Love one another as I
have loved you.”
Good Friday and Easter Saturday are the only days of the
year on which Mass is not celebrated.
Why not bake your own hot cross buns this Easter?
Hot Cross Buns
Makes 12
Ingredients
4 cups plain flour
2 x 7g sachets dried yeast
¼ cup caster sugar
1½ teaspoons mixed spice
pinch of salt
1 ½ cups currants
40g butter
300ml milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Flour paste
½ cup plain flour
4 to 5 tablespoons water
Glaze
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons caster sugar
Method
1. Combine flour, yeast,
sugar, mixed spice, salt and
currants in a large bowl. Melt
butter in a small saucepan over
medium heat. Add milk. Heat for
1 minute, or until lukewarm. Add
warm milk mixture and eggs
to currant mixture. Use a flatbladed
knife to mix until dough
almost comes together. Use
clean hands to finish mixing to
form a soft dough.
2. Turn dough out onto
a floured surface. Knead for
10 minutes, or until dough is
smooth. Place into a lightly oiled
bowl. Cover with plastic wrap.
Set aside in a warm, draughtfree
place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours,
or until dough doubles in size.
3. Line a large baking
tray with non-stick baking
paper. Punch dough down to its
original size. Knead on a lightly
floured surface until smooth.
Divide into 12 even portions.
Shape each portion into a ball.
Place balls onto lined tray,
about 1cm apart. Cover with
plastic wrap. Set aside in a
warm, draught-free place for 30
minutes, or until buns double in
size. Preheat oven to 190°C.
Make flour paste
Picture by Clare Bloomfield
Mix flour and water together
in a small bowl until smooth,
adding a little more water if
paste is too thick. Spoon into
a small snap-lock bag. Snip
off 1 corner of bag. Pipe flour
paste over tops of buns to
form crosses. Bake for 20 to
25 minutes, or until buns are
cooked through.
Make glaze
Place water and sugar into a
small saucepan over low heat.
Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring
to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes.
Brush warm glaze over warm
hot cross buns. Serve warm or
at room temperature.
Notes
These buns are best eaten
on the day they are made.
Otherwise, freeze for up to 7
days. To defrost in microwave,
place 1 hot cross bun onto a
sheet of paper towel. Heat,
uncovered, for 45 to 50 seconds
on MEDIUM-LOW (DEFROST)
(30 per cent) power. Stand for 1
minute.
He is risen
Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, and towards dawn on the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to visit the sepulchre.
And all at once there was a violent earthquake for the angel of the
Lord, descended from heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat on
it. HIs face was like lightening, his robe white as snow. The guards were so
shaken, so frightened of him, that they were like dead men. But the angel
spoke; and he said to the women, “There is no need for you to be afraid. I
know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he
has risen, as he said he would. Come and see the place where he lay, then
go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and now he
is going before you to Galilee; it is there you will see Him’. Now I have told
you” Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the
tomb and ran to tell the disciples.
And there, coming to meet them was Jesus. “Greetings,” He said. And
the women came up to Him and, falling down before Him, clasped His feet.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that
they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there.”