Another busy fortnight here at St Patrick’s Marist: Visits to Primary Schools, Year 7 Information Evening, Working Bee, Open Day, Ash Wednesday and Year 7 Camp.
Thank you to the parents who attended our information Evening and our P&F AGM. A special thank you to all of the families who came along to our working bee. The work that was completed on Saturday morning made significant improvement to our grounds. We are so grateful as a community for your support. It is a great way to meet other families and contribute to the community. Our next working bee will occur mid year.
This Friday is International Women's Day with the 2019 campaign theme of #Balanceforbetter is a call-to-action for driving gender balance across the world. It raises the question for each of us, how can we help make a difference?
Violence against women unlike other crimes continues to grow in our country. Let us ensure that all that we do promotes equity and equality for all. That we continue to live, teach and educate grounded in the firm belief that violence is not an inevitable part of the human condition, that it is possible to break the cycle of violence and injustice.
Let us remember and celebrate the wonderful strong women who have taken care of us, challenged us and taught us what it means to be loving, respectful and compassionate people, our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunties and other influential women in our lives.
As part of Catholic Schools Week, we welcomed over 500 families to our Open Day. I was so proud of all of the students and staff that were involved in the afternoon. Our staff and students put on some wonderful displays, there were plenty of hands on opportunities, our visitors commented on the feeling of excitement and passion of both staff and students. Great music and drama performances, PDHPE competitions, the exciting experiments in Science, a chance to see inside the wonderful work of TAS and Creative Arts. There were opportunities to see STEM in action and solve maths problems, win prizes and so much more. Our Food Technology students created some beautiful food to share with our guests and our Hospitality students kept the Coffee and Hot Chocolate flowing.
It was wonderful to see students from every year group, demonstrating their talents, sharing their passion for their subjects and assisting our visitors with tours around the school. The feedback from everyone was how well spoken, friendly, well-mannered and knowledgeable our students all were, especially our Year 7s after only 5 weeks at the College. I thank the teachers for their contributions, sharing their passion for their subject area, organising demonstrations and other fun activities for our visitors. I thank the P&F for feeding all of our student helpers and finally thanks to Mr Jason Scanlon and Ms Sarah Hagarty for their organisation of Open Day. A reminder we are commenced the enrolment process for 2021 and that interviews and acceptance of enrolments for Year 7 2020 close at the end of the term.
Last evening the Leadership Team attended the 2019 Beginning teachers and Principals Commissioning Mass where four of our new staff members Mr James Palmer, Mr Alex Shaw, Mr Daniel Boulos and Mr Lee Malkoun were commissioned. We are very blessed to have such outstanding new educators join our community and I wish them every success as they begin this exciting, challenging and rewarding career.
Congratulations to all of the students who were elected to leadership positions and received their leadership badges on Ash Wednesday. We are committed as a College to improve student voice in the College and I look forward to working with this outstanding group of young men and women.
I share with you the opening paragraphs from our Marist Schools Australia Newsletter written by Dr Frank Molloy, National Director
Dear Colleagues,
Much has been written and spoken in the past week concerning the trials, verdict and subsequent appeal in the case of Cardinal Pell. As Marists, may we continue to pray together for the victims and survivors of child sex abuse as well as their families and loved ones. Let us also pray for justice.
As we commence the Lenten Season on Ash Wednesday this week, may we turn our minds and hearts to Jesus with intensity. This Lent, as we reflect upon the hurts and sorrows for which we seek forgiveness, let us ask Jesus to bring to the fore our better selves, compassionate, generous, thoughtful, forgiving, and hopeful. In these deeply troubling times we might look to our own story and tradition for inspiration. Despite the many very real challenges and adversity facing Saint Marcellin and the people with whom he lived and worked, deep trust in God was clearly evident, most outstanding in the joy and love for one another that was prospered. Marcellin’s dying wish for the young Christians he had gathered in the name of Mary rings loudly for us today:
See how they love one another!
May Marcellin’s credo enliven us throughout the 2019 Lenten Season.
In 2018, the Australian Province of the Marist Brothers established the first Friday of Lent as a Day of Remembrance for victims and survivors of sex abuse.
Below is an excerpt from the full prayer:
A Lament
For sin that hurts children and the vulnerable
We make reparation O Lord.
For sin that steals innocence and disbelieves truth
We make reparation O Lord.
For sin that crushes spirits and breaks hearts
We make reparation O Lord.
For sin that is overlooked and disregarded
We make reparation O Lord.
For sin that is ignored and hidden away We make reparation O Lord.
For sin that judges victims and excuses offenders
We make reparation O Lord.
For sin that is criminal
We make reparation O Lord.
For sin that harms the Body of Christ, the Church
We make reparation Lord.
Hear our supplication, O Lord
And show us your compassion.
Forgive the failures of your people
And show us your compassion.
(adapted from a prayer of the Australian Bishops’ Conference)
Next week we celebrate St Patrick's Day and launch our annual Anti Bullying Campaign. A reminder that if you have any concerns about your children’s safety, wellbeing or learning, or a concern about bullying or any other issue, please contact us immediately. Pages 10 - 16 in the College Diary outline our expectations, information for parents and what to do if you have a complaint or concern, The College contacts on page 1 of the School Diary may be useful in directing your concern.
Mrs A. Hay