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Last week the Director of Schools shared with all staff a message of Hope. It was a beautifully written piece that reminded us of what is important and the value of our faith, connection and family. I would like to share an excerpt with you today and I hope you are able to connect with it as much as I did.
At this time, more than ever, we need to co-create hopefulness with others. Hope is really about looking ahead – a long way ahead. Our work in Catholic education is about the daily challenge of keeping hope alive. In an age when faith can be fragile, when COVID-19 has engulfed our lives, how do we patiently keep hope alive?
A little while ago, Pope Francis provided us with a guide, On Hope, about how we can work at keeping hope alive and remain hopeful in daily life. I will take some liberties, but this is my summary.
Pope Francis said, believe that wherever God has planted you is exactly where you are meant to be at this moment. Trust in your place in the world at this particular moment. Begin with trust.
He said the great enemy of hope is not out there somewhere but inside each of us. Don’t give in to hopelessness – don’t make room for bitter or dark thoughts. Resist the temptation to despair because despair is the real enemy of faith.
Further to this, put your emotional and spiritual energies into the most noble and beautiful of ambitions. And surely there is no greater or noble ambition than writing on the very spirit of human beings through the noble work we do in Catholic education. Let us not be ruled by cynicism or pessimism, but aim high for the best of things. Concentrate on the great virtues of faith, hope and love.
Pope Francis said, you can’t hope alone. Maintain a connection with community. Don’t fall victim to desolation and never believe that our struggles are “useless” or “pointless”. God never disappoints us and God desires that the seed he planted in everyone will flourish.
He said, when life gets hard, and you have fallen, get up. Never stay down. Get up and let people help you to your feet. And here is a great bit of advice, don’t brood too long when you have made a mistake because it will only let you lose heart.
Finally, he said, if you feel empty and demoralised, “ask the Holy Spirit to replenish the void”. And the best way to do this, to fill the void, is to turn outwards towards others in the community in gestures of kindness, compassion, peace and reconciliation. Stop looking at yourself but rather look towards others.
So, in summary, this is what I think Pope Francis said:
- Trust you are where you are meant to be in this moment
- Don’t give in to bitterness and despair
- Concentrate on faith, hope and love
- Maintain a connection to a community of hope – a nested purpose of individual and collective hopefulness
- Have faith that God wants you to flourish
- Don’t brood self-indulgently
- Attend to the whisperings of the spirit in your heart by turning towards others
Keeping hope alive takes patience: patience with ourselves, with others and with God. We need plenty of patience at the moment dealing with this pandemic because patience is the mother of hope.
And remember
These circumstances will change
This situation shall pass
Let us all go and co-create hopefulness with others.
God Bless,
Belinda Hughes - Principal
World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is held each year on the 1st September.
This day marks the beginning of the Season of Creation, which is an annual event that encourages prayer and action for our common home which runs from 1st September through to 4th October.
This year, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation falls on a Wednesday (Week 8, Term Three). In 2021 the theme is A Home for All? Renewing the Oikos of God.
On this day each class will be participating in liturgy via zoom. As apart of this liturgy 1 student from each class will receive the St Francis of Assisi Award - For love of and appreciation for all of God’s creation. Based on the Criteria:
Criteria
- Aligns their environmental beliefs with Gospel Values through their words and actions, at school and at home.
- Reflects St Francis' devotion to God through their love and appreciation for all of God's creation. This includes showing care / concern for those less fortunate, the poor or sick.
- Exhibits the naturalist intelligence. Students with naturalist intelligence are those who seem to be in love with the natural world. They like to spend time there, they thrive there, they are skilled and confident and comfortable there, and they learn best there — in short, they are nature smart.
- Demonstrates great interest in nature, the environment, conservation, stewardship, ecology, and/or sustainability and sustainable development.
- Exemplifies enthusiasm, energy, initiative, and commitment toward the natural environment, and serves as an inspiration to other students.
- Has perhaps put their interest into action through an ongoing campaign or one-time project (of age/grade-appropriate scale) that has raised environmental awareness or led to environmentally friendly discussion, reaction or change in the student's class, school or community.
- Assists with the waste management within the classroom and the playground by making sure the 4 coloured bin system runs smoothly.
Ripples: Spirituality for Parents
Ripples is a PODCAST developed for staff and parents on-going spiritual formation. It seeks to offer a space where people can draw on the wisdom of a series of guest speakers and can experience some treasured stillness through meditation. Practices like these create a ripple effect. They have the potential to impact the way we respond to family, friends, colleagues, to creation and to God. Come and enjoy some Inspired Voices and Treasured Stillness.
Ripples: https://ripples.dow.catholic.edu.au/
Spiritual Reflection
We become the inheritance of Mary’s Queenship, and the promise made to her through our existence.
Last Sunday we celebrated the Queenship of Our Lady when Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. Mary has become known to us as our model of the Divine Feminine that works in and through us to bring goodness into this world. She is present at our beginning and our transitioning into eternal life.
Right now we see the world in trouble with conflicts and wars, famine and disasters, pandemics and climate change. Only last week the United Nations delivered the grim report that the current condition of our planet is a “code red for humanity”.
The dying of our planet is a reminder of the lack of focus on our actions and their consequences for our planet. Mary gently prompts us to bring beauty to our world and to help us to love, nurture and care for our planet. Should we not then look to Mary as the image of the spiritual beauty of what we and our planet should look like in the eyes of God? Mary reminds us to remain focused on the divine in all things including our planet.
If those in power throughout the world cannot resolve the world conflicts and injustices, nor protect our dying earth, then as people of hope, maybe it’s time to re-focus on our own actions and decisions that have led to human overconsumption and deprivation of our planet? We could turn to Mary as an example of our inherited goodness to lead us to act with integrity for the common good for all.
Responding to Jesus’ call to love all of creation and through our personal devotion to Mary, we can have complete trust that she hears our prayers and walks with us as we make the disciplined decisions necessary to heal and preserve our earthly home.
Reflection questions:
Where is Mary present in my life, in this time and place?
Like Mary, where do I allow God to co-create with me, building relationships with others and caring for all creation?
'Our very body is a Mary with a Jesus inside' – Rumi
A couple of notes from Father Ken
Vinnies Winter Appeal (Donating online)
To The Vinnies Winter Appeal, please click on this link
https://my.fundraise.vinniesnsw.org.au/fundraise-your-way/vinnies-winter-appeal-2021
Have your say on Sacraments of Initiation
Bishop Mascord is developing a discussion paper that will lead to a Policy for Sacraments of Initiation for the Diocese of Wollongong. If you would like to take part in a survey you can access it via this link: https://dow.sh/ParishSacramentsSurvey
Miss Emma Groves - Religious Education Coordinator
Remote Learning Extension - Reflection and revision of current practices
The extension of remote learning until the end of term 3 was confirmed this week. With this in mind we are continuing to reflect and refine our practices and procedures to ensure that fine balance between maintaining engaging and purposeful learning and having a focus on student, family and staff wellbeing. Please see below some further refinements to the delivery of remote learning until the end of the term:
- The lighter day of the week, Friday, from Week 8 onwards will be a device free day. The learning grid for the week will articulate how this will operate. Focus on creative, wellbeing and physical activities.
- We will maintain a practice that continues to celebrate student superstar awards, Principal, Gold and Blue Medallion awards. This will also be outlined on the grid.
- Students who require supervision on a Friday will have printed material for them to access.
- Week 10 will be a 'lighter week', structured lessons and feedback will be paired back. There will be no guided groups or intervention groups in Week 10.
- Whole class check ins and zooms will continue to operate in Week 10.
- Next Thursday is RU OK? Day, all classes will have a focus on this theme throughout all of next week. Keep an eye out for some great affirmations and gratitude.
We are very aware of the challenges facing all families currently and hope that the continual review and refinement of the implementation of remote learning brings some relief and easing of pressures at home. Your ongoing support, understanding and positive feedback is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the school.
Book Week 2021
This week is nominated as Book Week. As communicated earlier this week, as a school we have decided to postpone the formal celebrations and dress ups until Term 4 in the hope that we will be able to dress up and celebrate in person. If this is not the case in Term 4 we will ensure that we continue with the planned events in a virtual way.
To acknowledge Book Week Mrs Hughes and Miss Treble have been sharing a short listed book each day with the students this week. The children have enjoyed the story sessions.
RU OK Day? A Conversation can Change a Life
More than ever the message of RU OK Day is particularly relevant. As a school we will be acknowledging this day with our classes throughout the week and as a staff we will also be recognising the day throughout the week. I encourage you to take the mark of this day to reach out to someone who you have been thinking about, or have a family conversation around the dinner table or have a face time with your parents / grandparents.
Please take care during these challenging times, remember the school is only a phone call away if we are able to support you in anyway. Go gently, be kind to yourselves and ask RU OK? https://www.ruok.org.au/
Summer Uniform
If students are to return to Face to Face Learning our official change over date to summer uniform is Monday 4 October, Week 1, Term 4. Please refer to the Lowes website or Wollongong store if you need any summer uniform items.
Year 4 have been exploring Informative Texts over the past few weeks. We have looked at different ways to engage and hook our audience by using a range of different techniques and styles of writing.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics was the perfect opportunity for us to explore Newspaper Articles and today we would like to share some with you.
Mrs Chelsea Mcleod - Year 4 Teacher
Principal Awards:
- Ethan Z
- Sofia L
- Will H
- Fiadh M
- Shaun J
- Milly G
- Arabella B
- Jamie D
- Leon D
- Teo T
- Milla B
- Oliver D
- Tye F