Andrew Chinn: Christmas Concert  

Thursday 2nd December, 2021. 

On Thursday the 2nd of December, Andrew Chinn will be coming to Thirroul to run Christmas workshops for our students during the day, which will culminate in an evening Christmas Concert on our school grounds that families and friends will be invited to attend. More details in terms of timing will come in following correspondence. 

Since 2001, Andrew has regularly toured schools and parishes around Australia, New Zealand and in more recent times, North America. His concerts and workshops are celebrations of faith and fun through singing, actions and a bit of comedy as well. Children are very much encouraged to be active participants, rather than spectators.

This event will be dependent on Covid restrictions at the time.

Pupil Free Day and Staff Spirituality Day - Monday September 6

Monday September 6 will be a Pupil Free Day for students as staff will be involved in their annual Spirituality Day. The Staff Spiritual Formation Retreat Day will focus on the theme: Ritual. We are called to be People of Ritual with an understanding of sacramentality and a valuing of reverence in all relationships. Ritual is fundamental to the meaning-making of human beings and is found in both sacred and secular contexts. In the Catholic tradition, ritual is most evident in liturgy – the formal prayer of the Church. But ritual is also evident in much simpler actions and attitudes. All Catholic ritual is founded on the belief that God is present and revealed in the world and, in a particular and powerful way, through Jesus. This means that God is revealed and encountered in the real and tangible moments of everyday life, particularly in our interactions with other people. When we understand this, we cannot help but see the world and each other with eyes of reverence.

Spiritual Reflection

The Walk to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) – Part 1, Making Sense

In Luke’s Gospel, we hear a story which recounts a journey for two people who are feeling bewildered and scared, are heading away from Jerusalem and for all intents and purposes have abandoned their part in Jesus’ mission.

They begin this journey reflecting on their experience and trying to make sense of the death and rumoured resurrection. Whilst walking a man whom they do not recognise approaches them "but their eyes were kept from recognizing him” (Luke 24:16). This stranger invites them to tell the story of what has happened. “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?”  (Luke 24:17) It is here that he models meeting them where they are, as they are and then invites them to share their story and in turn, He listens deeply and becomes engaged in their reality. They share their story of sadness and loss of hope. They are unable to see that through Jesus’ death he had accomplished all that was required. They lament that God seems so far away in the midst of this experience and they don’t know where to turn.

We too can often find ourselves in this situation. We can fail to see the extraordinary in the ordinary or the hand of God holding us as we journey. Something has not gone right and we can be so absorbed in what is happening around us that we fail to recognise our Christ who is walking behind us, beside us and with us.  It is vital, during these uncertain times we find ourselves living in, that we recognise and remember that we are never alone.

Reflection Questions

Have we met someone where they were at this week?

Have we engaged and listened deeply to someone else’s story?

Where have you recognised Christ walking with you this week?

Miss Emma Groves - Religious Edication Co ordinator