Dear Parents and Caregivers
Welcome back to Term 4. I hope that you all had a lovely mid-semester break.
This term is the shortest term of the School Year but sometimes I feel it is the one that is the busiest. There are many exciting things to look forward to like our Christmas Concert, our End of Year Mass and Graduation Ceremonies for Year 7 and Preschool students as well.
In Week 6, we will be holding our annual Mission Day Fair between 1:15pm and 2:15pm at the Bridge Street Campus raising money for Mary MacKillop Today. Classes will be organising stalls and students will be encouraged to participate in the different activities on the day. Class teachers will be looking for support on the day and they will be sending out information regarding donations. I look forward to this event.
St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal
During Weeks 7 and 8, we will be supporting St Vincent de Paul and their annual Christmas Appeal. Donations of Christmas food items, Christmas wrapping paper or a small Christmas gift for a child aged 12 months to 12 years of age would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps, over the next few weeks, when you are out shopping, you might pop something into your trolley to support this initiative?
All Saints / All Souls Day
Next week, we celebrate the feasts of All Saints (Friday November 1) and All Souls (Saturday November 2).
All Saints day has its origins in the Roman Catholic Church of the Middle Ages. Reflecting on the lives and examples of the saints had been a widespread practice for Christians since the earliest days of the church. By the early Middle Ages, the liturgical calendar was filled with the commemorations of hundreds of saints and martyrs. Many of these lesser observances were combined into a joint celebration called All Saints Day.
All Souls Day is a special day in the Church's calendar as it is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. This feast, dating back to the 11th century, is a special time to remember members of our family and friends who are no longer with us.
Reconciliation Celebrations
As children within our parish prepare to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance this year we reflect on the story of the Prodigal Son.
In the story, the younger son has turned his back on his father and run away. After squandering his father’s gifts, he decides it is in his best interests to return home. On his return, the son is not confronted with a closed door but rather with a father waiting on the front porch, waiting for his return.
When the son meets his father, the father is not interested in his son’s excuses but instead embraces him and takes him in immediately. He is home, nothing else matters. This example of the Father is the one Jesus talks to us about. The father, who offers his love and acceptance, to the people around him unconditionally.
In the story the older brother is there to remind us that even if we get our relationship with God wrong, that God’s love is free and forgiving. The older son believes that he has earned his father’s love but love is not earned it is spontaneous and forgiving.
Congratulations to the following students who will celebrate Reconciliation on Tuesday evening:
Grace Vassallo-Wakefield
Assistant Principal