Staff Development Day T2

At the beginning of Term 2, the dedicated staff of St. Michael's converged with a unified purpose: to unravel and deepen our understanding of educating through the lens of mission. Here's a glimpse into the enriching learning journey we embarked upon:

At St. Michael's, our mission is not merely a statement but a vibrant reality that defines our community. It encapsulates our collective purpose, the essence of our existence, and the vision we aspire to realise. We are committed to living out this mission in every facet of our lives, guided by the values of joy, justice, and peace.

Our Mission in Action:

Community Collaboration: Mission is where everyone in our joyous community works together to build the kingdom in everything we do. It's about fostering a sense of togetherness, where each member plays their unique part in realising our shared vision.

Living Christ's Values: We are dedicated to living the values of Christ every day, striving to be in right relationships with each other and God. Our actions are guided by compassion, love, empathy, and forgiveness, mirroring the divine qualities we see in Jesus.

Partnership with God: We recognise that our mission is not solitary but a partnership with God. By working alongside the divine, we bring about the Kingdom of God, seeking out opportunities to serve and make a positive impact in the world.

Journey of Evolution: Mission is a journey that continues to evolve. It's a dynamic process where we constantly seek new ways to embody our values and further the Kingdom of God, adapting to the changing needs of our community and the world.

Being Present and Playing Our Part: Mission is about being present to help build the 'kingdom,' both within our community and beyond. Each of us has a role to play, and by fulfilling our responsibilities with dedication and humility, we contribute to the realisation of our collective vision.

Living in Right Relationships: Mission is about living in right relationships—with ourselves, with others, and with God. It's about fostering a sense of unity, where we walk alongside one another, supporting and uplifting each other on our spiritual journey.

Embodying Mission: Mission is not just an abstract concept; it's who we are in the ordinary and the extraordinary moments of our lives. It's about embodying the qualities of compassion, love, respect, and kindness in our interactions with others, reflecting the divine presence within us.

In essence, our mission is the heartbeat of St. Michael's—a constant reminder of our purpose and calling as a community of faith. It's a journey that we undertake together, guided by the light of Christ and fueled by our commitment to building the Kingdom of God here on earth. As we continue on this path, may we always remember that each one of us is mission, and together, we can make a meaningful difference in the world.

Vale Bishop Peter

Bishop Peter has profoundly impacted countless lives within our community. Today, as we collectively grieve his passing, we find solace in our unwavering belief that he is now enveloped in the boundless love of the Divine. 

On 25 July 2001, Bishop Peter was installed as the fourth bishop of Wollongong, and with his typically selfless dedication, served the diocese for 16 years, retiring in November 2017. He was 83 years of age and almost 60 years a priest.

He was compassionate and approachable, faith-filled and prayerful—in essence, a servant leader. His greatest joy was to be a disciple of Jesus and a true shepherd of God’s people.

We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. 

Amen.

May almighty God bless us with his peace and strength, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Easter liturgy

At the close of the previous term, our hearts united in jubilation to honour the Resurrected Lord. "Alleluia, He is risen!" echoed through our hall, as Year 5 and Kindergarten joyfully led us in commemorating this pivotal moment of our shared faith. 

Living the Vision awards

At the culmination of last term, we had the privilege of honouring those exceptional students who embody the essence of our vision: "Inspired by Christ, we aspire to excellence in learning, living fully in community."

We were even treated to an outstanding performance from our very talented choir

The ANZAC Day liturgy marked a poignant beginning to our term, inviting us to reflect deeply on the selfless sacrifices made by those who prioritised the needs of others above their own.

Mrs McLeod and myself attended the dawn service at Thirroul cenotaph with our school captains, Maggie and Nate. They represented our school with such pride. A special mention to Nate and his dad, who travelled back from the central coast to be there. They returned later that day - what a stellar effort. 

Mother’s day 

Mother’s Day is a special occasion that celebrates and honours motherhood and Mums nationwide. It’s a time to honour the powerful maternal bond that connects Mother and child and celebrate the influence our Mums have on us as individuals.

Celebrating Mother’s Day is a fairly new pastime, but celebrations honouring mothers have been held for thousands of years. Some notable examples include: Christian Mothering Sunday (originally a commemoration of the Mother Church, not motherhood directly); the festivals held in ancient Greece to honour mother goddesses Cybele and Rhea; the Roman Festival of Hilaria.

Tender, gentle God of love, bend down your ear: bless the mothers of our families. Bless them with the strength of your Spirit, as they taught their children to walk. Bless them with the melody of your love, as they shared how to talk and sing. Bless them with a place at your eternal dinner table, they who fed and nurtured life. Bless them today with good things, with good health, with pride in their children, with joy, love and laughter. Surround them with many good friends. May they who carried life in their wombs be carried one day to your divine embrace. May your blessings descend on all mothers. Amen! (Fr Ken)

What an incredible turnout we experienced in commemorating Mother’s Day! It was a truly beautiful occasion, honouring the extraordinary mothers who grace our community with their love and strength. Thank you to all who joined us in making this celebration truly special.

The feast of the Ascension 

Year 5 made a visit to each class and led the classes in prayer. They asked the classes to reflect deeply…

Was Jesus ascending to heaven the start or the end of God’s mission to build right relationships with us and others? It was actually the start.

As Jesus left, it was sad for the disciples. They thought that they would never see Jesus again and that Jesus wasn’t with them anymore. But they knew he was still looking after them, Jesus was still with them. He is still with us! 

Through the Ascension, Jesus invites us to tell everybody that God loves us and to help each other grow as we go about each day. Our actions can help spread this good news. We can treat others with love, we can care for each other by checking if they are okay, we can include people in our games and we can listen to one another.

How can we spread the good news and show that Jesus is still with us?

Parish news

Mass for 11/12 May 2024, the feast of the Ascension of the Lord.

 https://cloud.swivl.com/v/7a5c16780d24948aa2eaa2cbf2425b25

From the moment of His resurrection triumph, the Saviour was living in the bosom of the Father. The faith of the Church had its beginnings in meetings with the Risen Lord – in which he ‘showed himself alive’ and ‘told them about the kingdom of God’

– preparing them for the great mission that would be theirs. Today’s celebration reminds us that these meetings finally came to an end – after ‘forty days’, as Luke puts it in our reading from Acts. Luke is preparing us for what will occur after ‘not many days’: at the Pentecostal celebration, fifty days after the Passover. 

Jesus is not abandoning his friends. On the contrary, he tells them to look forward to ‘what the Father has promised’

When they are ‘baptised with the Holy Spirit’ – the Spirit who is the very expression of the life he shares with the Father – he will be with them in all that they are called to be and do. The Lord’s new presence will fill with new life the Church which is about to be launched forth on its mission – to bring the power and blessings of the Lord’s Paschal Mystery ‘to the ends of the earth’ (Luke), ‘to all creation’ (Mark).

According to the Gospel of Luke the angels tell the disciples not to seek the Lord ‘in the sky’, but to take up the mission they have received, to be his ‘witnesses’ throughout their world. The era of the pilgrim Church that is about to begin – the angels tell them – will end when Jesus returns, and the Church’s life in faith and sacraments gives way to the absolute fulfilment of the final Kingdom.

Our readings describe the task of the Church as it journeys through history towards the final Kingdom, bringing the ‘Good News to all creation’. Its life together – in the power of the Resurrection – should be a living sign, confirming the message it brings. ‘Charity, selflessness, gentleness and patience’ should be an expression of the ‘unity of the Spirit’

– the unity which only God can give, the unity of the ‘one Body’ of Christ, the unity of those who know that they are called together by the ‘one God who is Father of all’

Today, however, we begin by forgetting ourselves and just looking at him, and expressing our joy that at the end of his life’s journey, God raised him to life and took him to himself, into the eternal embrace of love that we call heaven.

Like us, Jesus spent his life dreaming of this day, his whole being longing to see God face to face and to enjoy, without distraction, the communion of love for which we are all created and for which we all yearn. As we love him, so our hearts are happy for him. His time of waiting, his time of suffering is over. Nothing can ever come between the longing of his heart and the joy of experiencing his heart’s desire.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS SUNDAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS

First Reading Acts 1:1-11

“Then they prayed.” Do you pray before you make important choices? Would you feel comfortable “casting lots,” throwing dice, or flipping a coin after you pray? How would you make a final choice like the one they had to make?

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This could be the definition of evangelization. Pope Francis says that Jesus himself is the model of evangelization. How important is listening to people’s needs in being a witness and evangelist for Christ?

Weekend, 18/19 May Baptisms

Thursday, 30 May 19:15 Baptism Preparation for June Baptisms

THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION 2024: THURSDAY, 27 JUNE

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated in our Parish on Thursday, 27 June 2024 for Year 6 (or older) students. Enrolments for the Sacrament of Confirmation 2024 close on Monday, 13 May 2024. Enrolment Forms for 2024 are downloadable from the Parish website or may be collected from the Parish Office:

http://thirroulcatholic.org.au/images/stories/02_Enrolment_Form_Confirmation_2024.pdf

Enrolment Forms are to be returned to the Parish Office, not to the School Office.

THIRROUL LADIES BOWLING CLUB – MANGO FRUIT CAKE + AMBROSIA SALAD

500 grams mixed fruit; 6 glazed cherries cut in half; 1 tin mangoes. Chop mangoes roughly, place in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Preheat oven to 160°C. Add to saucepan 1½ teaspoons baking powder, 1½ cups self-raising flour, 2 lightly beaten eggs. Put in square or round tin. Bake at 160°C for 1 hour, or two loaf tins, bake for 50 mins.

1 can (420g) mandarin oranges, drained; 1 can (225g) pineapple titbits, drained; 1 cup miniature marshmallows; 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut; 1 cup sour cream; In a large bowl, combine the oranges, pineapple, marshmallows and coconut. Add sour cream and toss to mix. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.

SUNDAY MASS TIMES

Saturday 17:30

Sunday 08:00

THIS WEEK’S LITURGIES

Monday ———

Tuesday 17:30

Wednesday 09:00

Thursday 09:00

Friday 09:30

Tues, Wed 09:00–15:00; Fri 08:30–1

Upcoming events: