Dear Parents,
The Gospel of this Sunday’s Mass focuses on the mission of the Church. As parishioners of CTK, the Church exists in our local parish community, sensitive to the call of the risen Lord encouraging us to continue his mission in the world. As missionaries within our church we are empowered to:
· tell and show the world that the Word was made flesh in Jesus and that Jesus is the one who has the Spirit to love, forgive and empower.
· spread the gospel as a basic duty of the People of God.
· unite our Catholic faith through our involvement in our local parishes, school communities and and our daily lives.
· respect the prayer and the religious life of Christians and non-Christians as stated by Pope John Paul II.
· respect and acknowledge non-Christian religions because they are the living expression of vast groups of people gathered in God’s name.
· participate in a dialogue of action, in which Christians and others collaborate for the integral development and liberation of people irrespective of race or socio economic status.
· seek out our local community reach out to the young, to those with young families and to the old and middle aged whose role in the mission of the church may have lapsed.
As we enter into this holiday period, let us take this time to examine our hearts and search for the response to share in the mission of the Church on both a local and world level.
As the term draws to a closure I would like to thank you all for your support of the school community, our staff and the education of our students over the last ten weeks. It has been a busy and productive term with many highlights and achievements recorded over the last three months. My thanks and appreciation to the staff for their professionalism and dedication to their teaching roles throughout the term. May the holidays be a relaxing period for all members of our community and a time to renew one’s energy as we embark on the second semester later this month.
Over the past two week teachers have conducted parent teacher interviews. Thank you to our parents who took the time to avail themselves of the opportunity to speak with their children’s teachers. If you require an additional interview or were unable to attend an interview, please make an appointment to see your child’s teachers to organise an interview early next term. Thank you to all the teachers who prepared the student reports over recent weeks and for giving of their time to conduct the interviews.
Last Friday we celebrated the St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal Liturgy with the staff and children. We were joined by members of the Parramatta and CTK Chapter of the society, celebrating their work with the homeless and underprivileged in our surrounding community. I extend my thanks to the Vinnies representative who shared with our children the story of St Vincent de Paul, the founder of the society and the work Vinnies do each day of the year. Many thanks to all our families who donated blankets, toiletries and food items that will be distributed to the homeless and needy during these winter months. Your generosity and compassion is greatly appreciated by all concerned. Thank you to Mr Horne for coordinating the school winter appeal and liturgy.
Enjoy the holiday time with your children.
Cheers
Tony Hughes
Principal
