Dear Families, 

Last weekend we celebrated the great feast of Pentecost. The Church celebrates Pentecost (so called because it is fifty days after Easter), as the day on which the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, gathered in an upper room with Mary, mother of Jesus, "as a mighty, rushing wind", fulfilling Jesus' promise when he "breathed on them", as recorded in John's Gospel (Chapter 20). This event, which marks the beginning of the Church, is recorded in the book of Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2. The liturgical colour for Pentecost is red, a reminder of the flames that "rested on them". Another symbol for the Holy Spirit is the Dove, usually emitting golden rays of light. The Holy Spirit gave the apostles gifts of grace through which they would undertake the evangelical mission of the Church. On the day of Pentecost, the apostles were given the miraculous "gift of tongues", so that everyone from every country understood the Christians’ inspired message of salvation as if they were hearing it in their own languages. Thousands were converted by the preaching of Peter and the other apostles.

The Solemnity of Pentecost ends the Easter Season. For centuries, the Sundays of the Catholic Church year between Pentecost and Advent were numbered as "after Pentecost". Since the Second Vatican Council, this period is called "Ordinary Time" (the first period of Ordinary Time is that between the Epiphany and Lent). Three Solemnities are celebrated in the weeks immediately following Pentecost: Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi (The Body and Blood of Christ) and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

As parents, you have given life to your children and are their principal educators. It is in the family group that Christian values are first instilled and Christian attitudes formed. As you took your children to receive the Sacrament of Baptism, it is your role to walk with them as they continue their initiation into the Church through the reception of the Sacraments of Confirmation, Reconciliation and Eucharist.

Last night, we celebrated Confirmation in our Parish, and this gave us the opportunity to reflect on our own Confirmation and personal faith journey. In this Sacrament, the Holy Spirit calls, helps and co-operates with us in our efforts to become witnesses to Christ in our family, school, workplace and community. It is an effective sign of God’s presence and activity. It is a Sacrament of process, of change and growth. It is kept alive by the way a person, with the help of the Holy Spirit, tries to overcome negative forces in their lives.

 ‘Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful

Kindle within us the fire of your love

Send forth your Spirit

And we shall be created (and even re-created)’

We continue to pray for, and congratulate our Confirmation candidates who received the Sacrament of Confirmation last night.

Bicentenary Mass – 200 Years of Catholic Education in Australia

Our National Mass for the Bicentenary of Catholic Education was held in Lismore last Monday.

This celebration coincided with numerous other venues across all diocese within Australia.

Guests, school principals and student representatives from across the Diocese attended this very significant event that was held in the Cathedral.

Our School Captains, Maude Webster and Andreas Pereira, attended the Mass and lunch that followed.

This day reminds us of the significant role Catholic Education has played in education across Australia. 

World Support Day

Last Monday we celebrated World Support Day. This was a great opportunity for us to say thank you for the great job that our support staff each and every day to support our students, teachers and families. We are so grateful to have these wonderful people on our staff.

National Sorry Day

On Friday we gathered as a school community for a service in recognition of National Sorry Day. Observed annually, National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as 'The Stolen Generations'. 

School Reports and Interviews – advance notice

School Reports will be sent home on Friday, 18th June (Week 9) and interviews with teachers will be held in Week 10. We will again be using the online booking format for Parent/Teacher interviews and more information will be sent home with the Event Code and a reminder on how to book these interviews electronically in the near future.

Kindergarten Enrolments 2022

Parents of children who are ready to start school in 2022 are asked to fill out the online Enrolment Application so that we can begin the enrolment process.

Please pass on this message to family and friends who are intending to enrol children in Kinder next year. Children must turn five by 31st July 2022 to be enrolled in Diocesan schools.

Covid Guidelines Updates