Dear Parents and Carers

Another week full of opportunities for our students as we close in on the halfway point of the term.  This week has seen our Yr 6 students head off on camp to Wambiana Station.  From all accounts so far, they are having an amazing time.  Over the next 2 weeks, students in all year levels will be getting ready for the second St Joseph's Tech Expo.  Last year was a great event and this year promises to be even better. If you have the chance to join us on the day I am sure it will be well worth your time. 

Some minor building work will be taking place over the course of this week.  We have had some repairs to our hall roof and this week work commenced on building some small instrumental music rooms in the hall.  These rooms will help form a music hub in our hall and will mean greater flexibility for our instrumental music program.  It will also provide a home of sorts for all music in the school. I know that these will be welcome changes for our students and staff.  Some minor changes will also take place in OSHC.  The office is receiving some much needed upgrades and these will assist our Kindy students as well.  Hopefully, the changes will mean easier access for our OSHC clients and less disruption for our Kindy students and staff.  Looking forward to these changes being completed.  

As we move towards the end of the year work will begin on our five year improvement plan goals.  Two of these goals are to look at our mission statement and school logo.  My time recently studying overseas highlighted some important aspects of this kind of work.  These were to ensure that whatever decisions are made there must be engagement and understanding from all stakeholders, but especially our students.  With this in mind, the school will be initiating consultation with parents, students and staff, to look at reshaping these key elements of our school.  Your participation will form a key part of this work and I look forward to seeing where this work will take us.

Have a great week.

Tim

Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop

Mary MacKillop was born in Melbourne in 1842 and died in Sydney on 8 August 1909. She took the religious name Mary of the Cross. Responding to the isolation of colonial families, she pioneered a new form of religious life to provide education for their children. She and her sisters shared the life of the poor and the itinerant, offering special care to destitute women and children. She is remembered for her eagerness to discover God's will in all things, for her charity in the face of calumny, and for her abiding trust in God's providence.

We celebrate the feast day of St Mary of the Cross on August 8th.  To celebrate the feast of St Mary of the Cross, Year 3O led us in a special liturgy yesterday and this morning we gathered as a whole school for Christian Meditation in Mary’s honour.

http://bcewaystopray.weebly.com/week-24-4-10-aug.html

Mary MacKillop Prayer

Ever generous God,

You inspired Saint Mary MacKillop

To live her life faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ

and constant in bringing hope and encouragement

to those who were disheartened, lonely or needy.

With confidence in your generous providence

and through the intercession of Saint Mary MacKillop

We ask that you grant our request……………….

We ask that our faith and hope be fired afresh by the Holy Spirit

so that we too, like Mary MacKillop, may live with courage, trust and openness.

Ever generous God hear our prayer.

We ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen.

https://www.sosj.org.au/our-foundress-mary-mackillop/mary-mackillop-prayer/

Homelessness Week

Homelessness Week is an annual awareness raising week to highlight the 116,000 Australians who are homeless on any given night. This year, in honour of Homelessness Week, St Vincent de Paul is hosting a stall at Castletown Shopping Centre to make people aware of homelessness in our community. They are hoping to raise $12000 to help fund programs in this area. Other than money, donations of nonperishable groceries, toiletries and new linen are all greatly appreciated. If you can spare any of these items, please bring them into school where they will be collected by the Year 6 Mini Vinnies students. 

Sunday’s Gospel

Luke 12:13-21 - A person's life does not consist of possessions.

Family life helps us learn about the values of solidarity and the common good. As a family, we strive to respect the rights of each family member and make decisions that promote the common good of the family. Talk about what it would be like if the family ordered a pizza and then divided it unevenly, with some members getting as many pieces as they wanted while others got only a half slice. Talk about how you work to make sure that everyone in the family has his or her fair share.

Talk about how your family is also a member of the human family, called to share the goods of creation fairly and justly. Explain that in Sunday's Gospel, Jesus challenges us to remember that the goods of the world are intended to be shared by all. Read aloud Luke 12:13-21. Talk about the parable of the rich fool and ask family members to describe what they think he did wrong. Emphasize that although the man in the story doesn't seem bad, Jesus points out that this man's flaw was that he was thinking only about himself and his own comfort and security. Life does not consist in possessions but in sharing what we possess with others. The goods of the earth have been given to everyone.

https://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/liturgical-year/sunday-connection