Wow! There are so many wonderful things to report to you this week that are happening around our School. 

Celebrating 200 Years of Catholic Education in Australia

Last Wednesday Mrs. Baron, our School Captains Jess, Juliet, Jack, Locky and I travelled to St Christopher’s Cathedral in Canberra to attend a special Mass to celebrate the marking of 200 years of Catholic Education in Australia. The Mass was led by Archbishop Christopher Prowse and was concelebrated by several priests including Father Bernie Hennessy, our past Parish Priest.

The Mass was beautifully presented and the choir from Merici College was amazing. Archbishop Christopher’s message in his homily was that we are the head, the heart, the hands and the feet of Jesus and our task is to do His work on this earth every day.

Although, we did not get to see Father Bernie after Mass, I spoke with him on the phone and he sends his love to all his friends in Gundagai.

I would like to congratulate our School Captains on being wonderful ambassadors of our School. After Mass they met the Archbishop and had a photo taken with him. These children were a credit to their families and our School.

Project Compassion Boxes

Last week the Project Compassion Boxes were sent home to each family. During Lent we are asked to help support those in need through the work of Caritas Australia. Remember every little bit counts.

Second Week of Lent (school week beginning Monday 29^th February)

This week through Project Compassion we learn about 39-year-old Margret, a teacher at a vocational school for deaf students in the Solomon Islands. She was born deaf, so she knows the challenges it poses to education and employment. Apart from the difficulties the students all have, the school also faced water shortages, with not enough to supply staff and students with safe water for drinking, cooking, washing and growing vegetables.

Then Tropical Cyclone Harold damaged the school and its vegetable garden, amidst the threat of COVID-19. Staff and students rely on the vegetable garden to provide food for their meals.

With Caritas Australia’s support, the school installed water tanks, provided cyclone-proof building materials and helped to implement COVID-19 prevention measures. Margret’s school now has enough water for its students and the capacity to cater for more, with plans to boost food security, through increased agricultural production. 

• Around 60% of people in rural areas in the Solomon Islands don’t have access to piped water, while about 80% don’t have access to latrines or toilets. (UNICEF, 2019)
• Please support Project Compassion: caritas.org.au

“Aspire not to have more, but to be more.”

Reconciliation for Year 5/6

Father George will visit the Year 5/6 classroom this coming Friday to spend time with each child individually in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

In this season of Lent, we are encouraged to review our lives and make changes in our ways. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we have the opportunity, to say we are sorry for our wrong-doing and make a fresh start with help of our loving forgiving God.

Altar Serving Training

Father Namora will take the children on Friday 5^th March for a training session. We are very grateful to Father for making himself available to instruct our new servers and brush up good practice for our existing Altar Servers. Thank you, Father.

St Patrick’s Day

The 17^th  March is such a special day for our St Patrick’s community. It is a great day of celebrations to honour our Patron Saint.

The children will present a Parish Mass at 10 am. Please note the change in time for this Mass.  After Mass we will come up to school to cut a special St Patrick's Day cake for Recess.  Lunch will be a delicious sausage sizzle followed by a tabloid sports afternoon. 

Year of St Joseph

On January 16, 2015, Pope Francis gave a speech in the Philippines about his love for St. Joseph.  He described his special devotion to the sleeping St. Joseph. It was through dreams that God revealed His plans to St Joseph.

“So, when I have a problem, a difficulty, I write a little note and I put it underneath Saint Joseph, so that he can dream about it! In other words, I tell him: pray for this problem!”  ~ Pope Francis

To celebrate St Joseph’s Feast Day on 19^th March we will hold a special Liturgy at School to honour St Joseph.

Kate Howe

REC