Year One and Year Three Class Visit to the Church 

On Monday July 26, Year One and Year Three had a wonderful visit to our Parish Church with Fr Ken. Fr Ken identified statutes, stained-glass windows and art that depict the saints. He discussed with the children the reasons for having images and memorials of saints displayed and how the church remembers and honours its ‘Saints’. He also discussed with the students about the main symbols and actions that take place during the Sacrament of Baptism.  Fr Ken shared with the students the focal points in the church in greater depth: altar, tabernacle, lectern and lectionary, and baptismal font and spoke about ‘reverence’.

We are so blessed to have Fr Ken, he is always so willing to share his great knowledge of the church and his strong faith with our school community.

Religious Literacy Assessment 

On Monday Year Four completed the Religious Literacy Assessment. This assessment provides a sustained and systemic Diocesan approach to the documentation and reporting of students’ learning in the key learning area of Religious Education (RE) across the diocese and in particular, aspects of religious literacy. It is a means of celebrating and sharing the good news about students' learning in Religious Education and enables the story to be told on a continuing basis.

The concept of 'religious literacy' is the basis for the framework for assessment in Religious Education in Wollongong across K-6. To be religiously literate, children leaving a Catholic primary school need to be able to communicate with and be at home in Catholic society and religion in general. The assessment of religious literacy focuses on students’ knowledge and understanding of the key concepts that are being addressed by the Religious Education program and the children’s ability to communicate with their religious tradition. 

I would like to thank the Year Four students for their positive approach to this assessment and their teacher Mrs Chelsea McLeod who supported the students in their preparations.

Year Six Mass with the Bishop 

Each year the Bishop meets with the students in Year Six to join together with them in prayer and gathering. Unfortunately due to Covid over the past two years this special event has been cancelled. This year we were blessed to be able to come together with Bishop Brian Mascord to celebrate a Mass with the Year Six students from St Michael’s and a range of other Diocesan primary schools at St Joseph’s, Catholic Church Bulli yesterday. After the Mass the students had an opportunity to gather and share lunch with other Year Six students in our diocese. The students participated in  a beautiful liturgical movement reflection. They were reverent and represented our school with pride.

Liturgy/ Prayer  Celebrations

Last term the Staff reflected on the Liturgy and prayer calendar. We wanted to ensure that our Liturgies remain authentic and are prayerful experiences that our whole community values. We have looked at the entire liturgical year and the liturgies that remain for 2022. We have kept the liturgies that we felt were the most significant, meaningful and were also the most important ones that students could learn from. Other liturgical celebrations (Saint days) will become part of either a  Friday afternoon Assembly or Monday morning assembly in the form of a simple prayer. 

Friday Parish Mass

We are trialling this term ‘Buddy Masses’, this will give an opportunity for each grade to participate in the Friday Parish Mass throughout the term with another grade in the school. We thought this would be a valuable experience for our students,  due to restrictions over the past couple of years their opportunities to be in the Church and experience the Mass have been limited. Last Friday Year Two, Three and Six gathered and celebrated a lovely mass together.

Upcoming dates

Our Lady of the Cross - Mary Mackillop Liturgy 

Monday 8th August @ 2:30pm 

Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary Liturgy  - Hosted by Year Three 

Monday 15th August @ 2:30pm 

Staff Spirituality Day

Friday August 26th - Pupil Free Day

Naidoc Celebrations

On Monday July 26 we gathered as a school community to celebrate and reflect on the meaning of this year’s NAIDOC Week theme “Get Up, Stand Up”, during the Liturgy we were reminded to walk with our First Nations’ sisters and brothers on the road to reconciliation and do what we can so that all people will experience justice, equality and respect. 

Each Grade was asked to stand up and say together: 

“Yes we will get up, stand up and show up.”

As part of our Naidoc Week celebrations we created a whole school display.

“We will all walk together.”

We also introduced the upcoming ‘Unity Garden - Growing together as one’. This new garden space will be an opportunity for the whole school to be involved in maintaining God’s creation and learning about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. 

We look forward to seeing this come together within the year and look forward to sharing it with the whole school community. 

Grace and Blessings

Mrs Steph Brown - Religious Education Co ordinator