Section 2: Our Catholic Identity: Mrs Ronelle Peardon

Family parish Mass- thank you

Our family parish Mass was a wonderful celebration of the connections that we have with each other and with our parish community. Thank you to all those who came along and contributed to the liturgy and of course the pizza afterwards. A special thank you to Jo Pye and Craig Gveric for their planning and preparation.

Catholic Social Teaching

Our teachers have been working diligently to plan and deliver engaging Religious Education lessons that inspire meaningful learning. This term, we’ve focused on deepening our understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and exploring how these values can shape the way we live each day. Teachers have also been enriching their knowledge of key scripture passages to help students connect with the powerful messages they hold—bringing faith to life in thoughtful and relevant ways.

Human Dignity – The Heart of Catholic Social Teaching

At St Michael’s, we teach our students that every person is special and deserves respect. One way we help them understand this is through the symbol of the heart.

Just like the heart keeps our bodies alive, the idea of human dignity keeps our communities strong and caring. It reminds us that:

Everyone matters, no matter their background or situation.

We are all connected and deserve equal respect.

We should treat others with kindness, love, and understanding.

Doing what’s right means standing up for others and making fair choices.

Even when things are tough, we keep working to make the world a better place.

The heart is a powerful reminder that dignity is at the centre of who we are—and how we care for one another.

Sacraments

First Penance and Communion

Enrollments have now closed

Parent Meeting Tuesday, 14 October at 19:30

Penance Classes 1 and 2 Tuesdays, 21 October and 28 October, 15:45 to 17:00

Sacrament of Penance Wednesday,  29 October at 19:00

Communion Classes 3 and 4 Tuesdays, 11 and 18 November, 15:45 to 17:00

First Communion at either of the weekend Masses on … 29 or 30 November … or 6 or 7 December … or  on any later weekend

Reconciliation Book Instructions will be emailed to those who enrol.

Eucharist Book Instructions will be emailed to those who enrol.

Welcome to the children who will participate fully in the Eucharist for the first time, by receiving Holy Communion, the Body and Blood of Christ.

Last Sunday’s Mass

Click HERE to watch the Mass

Christmas Story Art Competition 

2025 is the 20th year of the Year 5 and Year 6 Christmas Story Art Competition and Exhibition. This competition gives students an opportunity to explore the meaning of the Christmas story through scripture and reflect on that message through the experience of their own lives.

Students in Year 5 and 6 are invited to participate in the competition and each school is invited to enter three artworks from Year 5 and three artworks from Year 6. The subject matter is drawn from the Year 5 and Year 6 Religious Education Curriculum and includes additional verses from the Gospel of Matthew.

Through a rigorous voting system, the 6 chosen art works are:

Year 5
	The Path Of The Lord Aria G I chose the Scripture Prepare The Way, because it was nice and simple, not too long. I also wanted mine to be different from the others, no one wanted to do Prepare the Way. It was perfect. I just had to plan the artwork. I thought of when I was bushwalking, and the path was so well-worn that it looked almost artificial! Many people must have walked that track, I thought, so I added a dirt track to the artwork to symbolise the journey ahead. White symbolises purity, but the clouds aren’t completely white, because we can’t be perfect, we can just try to be like God as much as possible. The path doesn’t intercept the river because we shouldn’t ruin God’s Creation. When I was (and still am) trying to raise awareness about the kākāpō, it was difficult because no one knew what it was. It must have been like that for Mary and Joseph when they tried to prepare for Jesus with only a stable as shelter. I added the rainbow lorikeet because I wanted to prepare for the Lord right here, Australia 2025.	The Night Of The Lord Everett W I decided to choose Luke 2:9-14, ‘The birth of Jesus and the Visit of the Shepherds.’ I chose this scripture because it's the scripture that means the most to me. I personally think that this scripture is one of, if not the most important scripture. In my art work I used a series of different acrylic paints. I chose to use white and gold for the star and black, dark blue, blue and light blue for the star. I mixed yellow, gold and brown to make an almost sandstone colour for the buildings. Mary and Joseph are not in my art work nor are the three wise men as I wanted to focus more on the birth of Jesus. I believe that Luke 2:9-14 is a message of hope and love. My artwork symbolises how important the birth of Jesus is by only focusing on baby Jesus. I spent about 4 weeks and 1 month on my artwork. I used a few different types of brushes. I use a thick brush for the background and a thin brush for all the buildings and the stable.	The Journey to Jesus Summer D I based my artwork on the scripture (Matthew 2:9-12) ‘The Visit of the Magi’ because I could portray the journey of this scripture passage through a variety of artistic techniques. The part of this scripture when they saw the star reminded me of when I was young. At night I would find the brightest star and go to sleep wondering where it would lead to, just as the three wise men followed the star to the newborn king.  Firstly, I used a mirror for the canvas of my posca painted star to show that we are all stars in the Christmas story. When you open the door, the journey continues with the three wise men walking towards the stable on a sunset of beautiful colours. The trio of purple, white and gold represent the wise men preparing for Jesus, the Christmas savour being born and the wealth and luxury of the wise men’s gifts. In the nativity scene the clay sculptures prove that simplicity can be the purest form of art. I put three candles in the corners of the scene being the Holy Trinity giving light to the world in Jesus.
Year 6
	The Good News Spreads the Light. Oska M My artwork is inspired by the scripture passage “The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38)”. I chose it because it shows the moment that God’s great plan begins, and because this moment in time is one of the most important events. “And I trust that God has great plans for all of us.” In my artwork, it shows Angel Gabriel giving the good news to Mary, my background is black, but around Angel Gabriel, the light is starting to spread like the good news changing the dark times into a new life. There is also a white dove beside Angel Gabriel to show that peace is entering the world showing that it will be okay. I used acrylic paint to make the background and also water colour pencils to portray the news tuning into the light over the dark world by blending the colours. There is no dove in the passage, but I believe it belongs there because I feel like this is where peace starts to spread.	A field of Lilies  Talita W I have chosen the Journey of the Magi (Matthew 9:9-12). I chose this scripture because the three wise men journeyed so far to see baby Jesus and this reminds me of when I traveled all the way to Brazil to see my new baby cousin.  I have used acrylic paint to create my artwork. In my painting, Mary is pregnant and she’s standing in a field of lilies. Angel Gabriel gave a lily to Mary at the Annunciation.The lilies are a symbol of purity and innocence just like Mary. Next to Mary the angels are celebrating that the king is going to be born. Inside of Mary, the three  wise men are on their way to see Jesus with their presents. I believe we should all be like the three  wise men because they were willing to sacrifice time, effort and money for someone they didn’t know but they followed the star and trusted God just like we can.	The Birth of Christ  Maia V I have chosen the scripture; Matthew 1:18-25, The Birth of Jesus. I chose this scripture passage because it is a very important part of the Bible because it was when Jesus, our king was born. The mediums I used were acrylic paint, gold aluminium flakes, glue, a black paint pen and transfer paper. The star above the stable is the star of Bethlehem. This star is very special because it guided the Magi to the stable to bring the gifts to the newborn king, just like Jesus and God guiding us through our lives every day. The gold flakes in my artwork represent the gift of gold that was brought to Jesus once he was born. The different shades of hills in the background represent the hills near and far showing how long Joseph and Mary’s journey was and how much they did for Jesus like our parents did for us.

We wish our winners the best of luck at the next phase of the competition.

Questions about last Sunday’s Gospel

Gospel John 3:13-17

 “For God so love the world that he sent his only Son … ” So, what is your job? Who is going to tell the world about this love? Name some ways (other than preaching) that you can do such a thing. Might you run into difficulties at times? When this happens can you remember that you are not alone and that you will always receive the grace you need?

 How does Pope Francis “help us see the true face of God”? Does he emphasize Jesus’ words to Nicodemus,

“God so loved” and God “gave”? Nicodemus was a Jewish elder who wanted to know the Master. Do Jesus’ words to him, God so loved, help us to see the true face of God? He has always looked at us with love, and for the sake of love he came among us in the flesh of his Son. He went in search of us when we were lost. In Jesus, he came to raise us up when we fell. In Jesus, he wept with us and healed our wounds. In Jesus, he blessed our life

forever. The Gospel tells us that whoever believes in him will not perish. In Jesus, God spoke the definitive word about our life: you are not lost, you are loved. Loved forever.

What’s on in our parish

BLESSING OF ANIMALS, MONDAY , 6 OCTOBER AT 09:30.

As usual, the Blessing of Animals will take place on the Monday of the long weekend, 6 October at 09:30. The blessing takes place in the courtyard next to the church. All animals under 800kg and their carers/handlers are

welcome, though please keep the larger pythons on a tight leash. The feast of St Francis of Assisi is on Saturday,

4 October, with a special Mass at 09:30 on Saturday, 4 October – animals are welcome at that Mass.

Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation.

We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day

slogan; it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.

If you would like to receive our Parish Bulletin emailed to you each week, as well as the Saturday evening Mass each week, please email our Parish Office,

thirroul@dow.org.au and make your request in the email.

Ronelle Peardon - Religious Education Coordinator

Father’s Day Breakfast: Our school buzzed with excitement at this year’s Father’s Day Breakfast, as dads, grandfathers, and students came together to celebrate. The smell of coffee, bacon, and egg rolls filled the air, while laughter rang out across the playground. There was even some serious handball happening! It was wonderful to see families connecting, sharing smiles, and making memories that will last a lifetime. A huge thank you to our amazing P&F and all the additional helpers who made this morning possible, and to all the dads who joined us. You make our school community brighter every day.

Science and Electricity Week: In Week 7, our school celebrated Science and Electricity Week with an exciting burst of curiosity and creativity! Students explored hands-on STEM tasks in their classrooms, joined fun lunchtime STEM challenges, and proudly showcased their projects at the Science Fair. Creativity was everywhere! Students brought their ideas to life through colourful entries in our colouring-in competitions and imaginative comic strips. A special thank you to our Year 6 Excellence in Learning leaders, along with our wonderful teachers and helpers, who guided and supported the activities, helping make the week so memorable. Seeing our students’ curiosity, excitement, and “aha!” moments were truly inspiring!

Please enjoy a clip of all the amazing fun moments that made Science week so amazing! 

Family Fun Movie Night: Last Friday, our school came alive with laughter and excitement at our Family Fun Movie Night! Families enjoyed a fun-filled night of action on the big screen, alongside tasty treats including tattoos, fairy floss, popcorn, sausage sizzle, and pizza. A huge thank you to our P&F and all the amazing helpers who made this memorable evening possible. Your time and effort truly brought our community together! 

STEM MAD: Last week, we celebrated an amazing showcase of work from our Year 5 and 6 students who have been working on a Level 3 STEM project. Using the engineering design framework, our students created solutions to real problems in our school and local community, aiming to make a positive difference in the world. Next Tuesday, four groups will take their projects to the STEM MAD Showcase at the 2025 Innovate for Impact event. We wish these students the very best of luck moving forward.

Sense Therapies Lunchtime Program

Over the past few weeks, our students have been enjoying some fun and engaging lunchtime sessions with Sense Therapies. These sessions are designed to support students who benefit from extra movement and sensory input throughout the day.

Through purposeful activities such as crawling through tunnels, jumping onto crash mats, and pushing weighted balls, students are able to regulate their bodies, improve focus, and build confidence. The program also provides opportunities for connection, movement, and sensory regulation in a supportive environment.

We are grateful to Jesse and Amy from Sense Therapies for bringing this wonderful opportunity to our school and for supporting the wellbeing of our students.

Our Beautiful New Library Space

We are excited to share that our school library has recently been updated with beautiful new furniture and shelving. This refreshed space has quickly become a place where students love to come and spend time.

Each day at lunchtime, students can enjoy drawing and reading sessions in the library, making it a calm and creative hub within our school. The Zen Zone has also found its permanent home here, providing students with a quiet space to take a calm brain break if they are feeling overwhelmed or just need a moment away from the busyness of the playground.

We are thrilled to see our students making the most of this special space!

Art Club: This week, we’re excited to launch another new lunchtime activity for our students — Art Club! Running twice a week, Art Club is an optional space for students who love being creative and want to explore their artistic side. To kick things off, students will take part in a fun competition to design the cover for our 2025 Yearbook. We can’t wait to see the amazing ideas and artworks our students create!

Waste Free Wednesday Results

Week 7

Kindergarten: 69%

Year 1: 46%

Year 2: 80%

Year 3: 61%

Year 4: 46%

Year 5: 77%

Year 6: 67%

So the Gold Waste free warriors are: Year 2

And the Silver waste free warriors are: Year 5

Week 8

Kinder: 69%

Year 1: 46%

Year 2: 80%

Year 3: 86%

Year 4: 53%

Year 5: 74%

Year 6: 50%

So the Gold waste free warriors are: Year 3

And the silver waste free warriors are: Year 2

Week 9

Kindergarten: 73%

Year 1: 59%

Year 2: 60%

Year 3: 90%

Year 4: 53%

Year 5: 91%

Year 6: 52%

So the Gold Waste free warriors are: Year 5

And the Silver waste free warriors are: Year 3

MANAGING RISK AT DIOCESAN, REPRESENTATIVE OR OFFSITE EVENTS

If a student has a high behaviour following  High and Low behaviour definitions in the three week period leading up to an offsite event and the school holds concerns about the student’s ability to act in a safe, respectful and responsible manner, upholding the school’s vision and expectations, the student will generally be unable to attend. A discernment process involving all stakeholders may take place to make an informed decision to ensure minimised risk to all students and staff and to uphold the reputation of the school.

If students have received a High Behaviour aligned to the High and Low behaviour definitions within a two week period leading up to an awards assembly, they will not be awarded a superstar award. This award will be held over until the following awards assembly.

Mrs Chelsea McLeod - Instructional Coach

Gotcha4Life Year 5 Student Voice Project:

Last week, Year 5 presented their Gotcha4Life Student Voice Projects to the school community. In Week 5, Shelley from Gotcha4Life tasked the class to create a product that promotes mental fitness and the three protective factors of ‘Build Your Emotional Muscles, Embrace Your Village and Don’t Worry Alone,’ within our school community. 

Students in their groups created fun, engaging and creative ways to address the three protective factors. It was great to see students show amazing leadership throughout the showcase as they presented their projects to the school community. Each project will be utilised within the school community as we continue our mental fitness journey. The student’s projects include:

• Gotcha4Life Merchandise, including sports equipment, hats and drink bottles.
• A role play that demonstrates the protective factors.
• Gotcha4Life Snap.
• Guess Who? Gotcha4Life Edition.
• A Gotcha4Life Buddy Bench.
• St Michael’s Mental Fitness Run Club.
• Gotcha4Life Flash Mob

Next term, in Week 1, a group will be heading to Western Sydney University to present their project in the Mental Fitness Leaders of Tomorrow Showcase. 

Student Engagement

This week, Year 6 has begun the process of reviewing the definition of engagement and identifying what student engagement looks like within the classroom. Students were provided with an opportunity to share how they define engagement. Next steps for Year 6 involves developing an understanding of engagement as a partnership whilst developing a shared language found in the Continuum and expectation of engagement within the classroom. 

Mr David Ryan - Middle Leader 1

St Michael’s School Social Media

With so much going on at school, a great way to follow any up and coming events and read about the great things that are happening, please follow us on:

Instagram- stmichaels.thirroul or Facebook-St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Thirroul