St Agnes Catholic High Rooty Hill Newsletter

Welcome to Term 3!  

The  beginning of a new semester for years 7-10 and the last term for year 11 before beginning their HSC year. This term, we will begin the process of electing the St Agnes senior leaders for 2020, details about the process will be presented to students over the coming weeks. 

It was wonderful to start the term recognising the many achievements of years 7-10. I am grateful to the Head of Learning, Mr Geoffrey Kemmis, for his organisation of this event and to the generosity of Loyola Senior High School for the use of their presentation space. I look forward to welcoming parents next year to this assembly at our new performance centre which is scheduled for completion during Term 2, 2020.  

This week we commemorate the Feast of St Mary of the Cross Mackillop- Australia’s first Saint;

Mary MacKillop was born in 1842 in (Fitzroy) Melbourne (Australia). On 8 August 1909 she died, having suffered a disabling stroke in 1902. Inspired by a meeting with Fr. Julian Tenison-Woods, Mary MacKillop at the age of 25 took her vows and the religious name, “Mary of the Cross”. In doing so, she founded the congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph. Soon after taking her religious vows, Mary MacKillop began schools. Within 5 years of taking her vows and founding the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

 Mary MacKillop was very conscious of the plight of the poor and needy. She worked with families that lived in isolated areas of Australia. As a result, Mary MacKillop pioneered a new form of religious life in Australia and commenced a “system” of “Josephite" schools that would provide education, especially for the children of the poor. In 1873, Pope Pius IX gave Papal approval for the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Even today, many Australians can say that they too have felt the impact of the enormous work started by St. Mary of the Cross (MacKillop), having been educated or cared for, by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. She was noted for her trust in the providence of God and miracles of healing have been attributed to her.

Cyberbullying

With increasing time spent online, you might be worried about your child and cyberbullying. Understanding cyberbullying can help you to support them to stay safe online.

Conflict between young people is a normal part of growing up, cyberbullying is not.

You may have heard how harmful cyberbullying is but you may feel like you don’t really understand it.

·      Cyberbullying is bullying that uses electronic means like the internet or mobile phones to aggressively and intentionally harm someone

·      Cyberbullying can include name calling, abusive comments, spreading rumours, threats of physical harm, being ignored or excluded, having opinions slammed, online impersonation, being sent rude or upsetting images, or having personal information or images sent or shared with others

·      Cyberbullying is most common in late primary school and early high school and up to half of all young people have experienced it

Cyberbullying can be difficult for parents to detect because it's covert. Here are some things you might notice your child doing if they're being cyberbullied.

·      Socialising less with friends and family

·      Reducing time online or being jumpy when getting text or emails

·      Avoiding school and dropping out of sports and other activities

·      Losing self-esteem or confidence

·      Feeling anxious, sad, embarrassed, angry or physically sick

·      Changing moods, behaviour, thoughts about self-harm

Some students might be tricked into inviting cyberbullying as it is common for students to consent to a TBH. This stands for To Be Honest and is an open invitation for other young people to say vile things about someone under the guise of ‘being honest’. In addition, many of the contributors to this ‘honesty opportunity’ are anonymous.

What can you do?

• Take the time to talk to them.
• Be open to listening and understanding their experience of cyberbullying.
• Take the cyberbullying seriously
• Help them identify what cyberbullying is
• Find out details about the cyberbullying
• Teach them that cyberbullying is never ok
• Reassure them that they're loved
• Find out how your child has reacted to it
• Teach them about power dynamics that underlie bullying behaviour
• Work together to figure out ways they can take back power from the ‘bully’
• Involve them in decision making at home to increase their sense of power and control
• Role model calmly managing your own emotions
• Create opportunities to expand their support friendships
• Support them to speak to another trusted adult or counsellor
• Advise them to avoid opening emails or responding to cyberbullies

Respect that they may not want to limit online access as this can seem like a punishment and lead to greater social isolation. This may lead to them not wanting to tell you next time.

Ken Wolffe

Assistant Principal

Welcome back to all our staff and students to a new semester. On Thursday 8th August, we come together to remember the 110th anniversary of our first Australian saint, Mary MacKillop.

As I read more about her life, I noticed a very close connection to the St. Agnes pillars, our school values to the lessons she lived and promoted throughout her life. I want to highlight some of these:

• Sister Ethelberga, Mary’s nurse, said of her: ‘I never knew her to speak an unkind word to anybody. Neither would she permit any Sister to do so in her hearing.’ Mary spoke with integrity; this means with kindness and truth. It’s so easy for us to say what’s on our mind in moments of stress and frustration, however Mary calls us to think about the words we say and who we are saying this to - is it truthful? Is it kind?

• As we go about our days, we teach, not so much by preaching lessons, as by the way we are in this world. Our way of seeing things and people will come through in our responses. Mary knew this instinctively: ‘We must teach more by example than by word’. Mary valued the dignity of every human person by placing herself as an example on how to live with dignity; this means to have respect and love for self, to have good morals and to imitate Jesus just as St Francis of Assisi did. It is easy for us to forget that we are made in the image and likeness of God and therefore we have the capacity to love like Jesus did, not only for the marginalised, but most especially for himself.

• Mary didn’t live her life to earn the title of being a saint. Instead she placed God at the centre of her life through all the good and bad times. She reminds us that we are all called to be saints. What does this mean? It’s not about doing extraordinary things, but it’s putting love in ordinary moments: ‘Love one another and bear with one another and let love guide you in all your life.’. We live this by showing compassion to the needs of the other person firstly by understanding one’s experience and walking beside them. Jesus led others not by word alone, but by listening and walking beside people because he deeply understood the value of every person.

We celebrated the legacy of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop during our weekly Thursday morning Mass and it is wonderful to see staff and students begin the day with Mass together. This is truly a gift to St Agnes that we have the Holy Eucharist in our presence one a week.

May the spirit of St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop help us to live out our St Agnes pillars of Compassion, Integrity, Inclusiveness and Dignity in our daily encounters with others so we may find moments of sainthood too.

Welcome to Term 3!

Congratulations to all of our students on a successful Semester 1 of learning.

Academic Awards

We have now successfully acknowledged the achievement and effort displayed by our students in the first semester. To bring awards into alignment with the continuum of learning from Year 7 to Year 12, the process has altered slightly from previous years. 

In Stage 6, awards are received for first place, academic achievement and sustained effort.

In Stages 4 and 5, awards are received for academic achievement and sustained effort.

Principal's Awards for Approaches to Learning

The Highly Commended: Academic Achievement award is determined by the class teacher and the Leader of Learning. The considerations are given to students who regularly achieve consistent results in not only assessment tasks, but also, class tasks. 

The Highly Commended: Sustained Effort award is determined by the Learning Advisor, in consultation with the Learning Mentor and Leader of Learning Pathways. The considerations for this award are for students whose effort is consistent and they regularly complete the set work, homework, maintain focus in class and when/where possible, seek teacher feedback.

All of our awards are connected to the St Agnes Pillars and the students will be able to apply the receipt of these to our Merit System and indeed potential medallions.

Sleep is crucial not just for physical and mental well-being, but for the consolidation of learning, and to ensure you perform in all your endeavours in peak condition. The absolute last resort should be to sacrifice sleep time in order to get things done. How much sleep is right for you? This is tricky as everyone is different. Some lucky people need only 6 hours a night, most people need about 8 hours and some people need 10 hours! 

 Two ways to tell if you are getting enough sleep: 

How quickly do you fall asleep at night? If you fall asleep instantly that can be a sign you are not getting enough sleep as it should take 10-15 minutes to fall asleep. 

 How do you feel when you wake up in the morning? If you feel tired and sluggish then that can also be a sign that you need to get to bed earlier.

 IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP: 

• Avoid caffeine (cola drinks, coffee, energy drinks, chocolate) after dinner or even better, no later than 4pm.

• Organise as much as you can at night to minimise what you have to do in the morning (e.g. organise your clothes for the next day, pack your bag).

• Try and have a half hour to an hour before you go to bed without computers, TV, phone or any electronic devices or homework or chatting to friends. If you can’t do that, at least put the devices on night mode or turn the brightness down. 

• Set up a relaxing ‘wind-down’ routine for before you go to bed. Do this same routine every night (e.g. warm shower, reading, listening to quiet music) so your brain associates these activities with bedtime and sleep. 

• A drop in body temperature near bedtime triggers the sense that is time to go to sleep. So after a warm bath or hot shower, cool yourself down. It is also better at night to be cool rather than overheated.

• Keep your room as dark and as quiet as possible at night. 

• When you lie in bed, start at your feet and mentally imagine relaxing each muscle as you slowly work your way up the body. Most people do not make it up to their head before they fall asleep!

• In the morning open the curtains wide or go out into the sun and get lots of light to help wake your brain. Being exposed to lots of natural light during the day will also help the body produce the melatonin at the right time for a good sleep cycle.

• A healthy breakfast will help to kick-start your body clock for the day.

 Our school’s subscription details are -

Username: stagnes

Password: 24success

Year 11

Year 11 students have begun in earnest their final term of learning before commencing Year 12 in Term 4. Many have now realised the effort and commitment required to attain marks that truly reflect their ability. The recent Learning Walks carried out by staff members highlight the focus our Year 11 students have in wanting to learn and they are engaged in the tasks presented to them. The students will receive their Examination Timetable at the start of Week 6 and exams will run from Wednesday 11th September to Friday 20th September. During this time, the students will only be required at school for their examinations and are to spend their time revising/preparing at home on the other days.

Year 10

Our Year 10 students have now successfully selected their subjects for Year 11 and will be spoken to by a member of the Leadership Team or a Leader of Learning this week. The focus of this discussion will be about their particular study pattern and the aim will be to ensure that all students experience personal success in Stage 6. Year 10 students will also be completing their HSC Minimum Standards Test during the second half of Week 4. We were required to hold these tests over until NESA released a Locked Down Browser for iPads. This has now occurred and the IT Team are assisting each student in placing this application on their device.

The testing days are as follows:

Writing - Wednesday 14th August p5

Reading - Thursday 15th August p4

Numeracy - Friday 16th August p1

Geoffrey Kemmis

Head of Learning

The Mount Druitt Cluster of Schools (St Agnes Catholic High School, St Clare’s Catholic High School, and Loyola Senior High School) formed a partnership in 2018 to pool resources together to offer students a range of Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses to meet student needs and provide better outcomes.  VET courses provide students the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge to work in a specific job role in an industry they are interested in learning about.

This year, Year 11 students are accessing the following courses which are delivered at Loyola Senior High School: Construction, Hospitality, as well as Information and Digital Technology.  Our students are also accessing Business Services which is delivered at St Agnes.

Here is a snapshot of our students in action in Construction and Hospitality this year.  Information and Digital Technology and Business Services will be showcased in a future school newsletter.

Construction

Construction students have learned how to be safe when working in the Construction industry, with students gaining their Whitecard.  This qualification enables students to work on a Construction site once they have had an Induction.  Students learned about how to use various carpentry tools and equipment, as well as interpret plans and specifications.

They have had a visit from Civil Construction and the employment opportunities available in this industry, which is set to continue demanding a skilled workforce over the next 25 years given the large infrastructure projects in NSW, and particularly Sydney and the Western Sydney areas. Students commented that they learnt so much, that the talk 'got them thinking' and exploring new and different opportunities that they had not considered before and did not know about.  TAFE NSW also visited the students and spoke about pathways which was also very insightful for the students. 

Hospitality students have learned how to work safely in the hospitality industry, particularly within a commercial kitchen.  They learned about food safety and maintaining high standards of hygiene.  They are currently developing their skills in making simple dishes, as well as sandwiches.

As part of undertaking VET courses, NESA mandates that students participate in work placement, by undertaking a minimum of 70 hours of work in the industry for which they are studying. 

Our Year 11 students will be participating in their first block of work placement this term, followed by a second block in Term 1 next year.  Hospitality students will receive their work placement packs within the next fortnight, followed by the rest of our courses, over the next few weeks.

Placements are scheduled for the following dates this term:

·      Hospitality – Week 6 (26/8/19 – 30/8/19)

·      Business Services – Week 10 (23/9/19 – 27/9/19)

·      Construction – Week 10 (23/9/19 – 27/9/19)

·      Information and Digital Technology – Week 10 (23/9/19 – 27/9/19)

How parents/guardians can support students prepare and have a successful work placement?

Prior to Work Placement

·      Sign and date the Student Placement Record (SPR) and return one to school.

·      Assist with travel arrangements to and from work.

·      Students are required to call their supervisor one week prior to their scheduled placement, remind them to do this and assist in alleviating their anxiety.

·      Help with preparing clothing that is appropriate for the workplace/industry that they will be working in, including appropriate footwear and any personal protective clothing required.

·      Assist with snacks and lunch.

·      Have a conversation about what they would like to gain about doing work placement.

During Work Placement

·      Remind them to give a copy of their Student Placement Record (SPR) to their supervisor when they arrive at their work placement.

·      Remind them to use their mobile phone during break times only, not whilst they are working.

·      Have a conversation about their day at work, for example:

-        What activities did they get you to do?

-        What pathways did you learn about? What training did people do within the organisation to obtain their job?

-        Is it what you expected? Why/Why not?

-        Is it a workplace that you would like to work at in the future?  Why/Why not? What is the culture of the organisation like?

·      If students comment that they are doing the same task all day, ask them what they have done to change this. Have they demonstrated initiative, asked if they could assist with another task, they may observe someone in the organisation doing something that they would like to learn about and how to do.  If students show enthusiasm and are keen to learn and be a part of the organisation, they are more likely to have a successful placement.

·      On their last day of work placement, remind them to complete their Employer Report, and to thank the supervisor for hosting them, as well as people within the organisation that spent time developing their skills and knowledge. 

After Work Placement

·      Remind them to return their Employer Report to their teacher during their first week back.

·      Remind them to complete work placement evaluation from our work placement provider, SIP.

If there are any issues, concerns or questions prior to, or during work placement, please contact the Leader of Learning VET:

Irene Pereira: 0400 202 688 or ipereira@parra.catholic.edu.au

External vocat(VET) courses are available to senior students.  Courses that are not available at school may be available to students through an external provider.  Courses include:

·       Animal Care

·       Applied Fashion

·       Baking

·       Beauty Services

·       Design Fundamentals

·       Floristry

·       Human Services

·       Logistics and Warehousing

·       Property Services

·       Screen and Media 

Students can only apply for one VET course. Important dates for external courses are as follows:

·      Expression of Interest forms are due 16th August 2019.

·      Application forms and payment of $500 is due to the school office 30th August 2019

Please contact Leader of Learning VET:

Irene Pereira: 0400 202 688 or ipereira@parra.catholic.edu.au

I would like to thank all the staff and students at St Agnes for their time and patience in welcoming and supporting me as I transition as the new Careers Adviser into this new community. It has been a lovely experience.

• What courses do you hope to study at uni or TAFE once you finish High School?
• What pathways are available to you for those courses?
• What plans have you put in place and what is your timeline to work towards them?

I look forward to meeting our year 10 and 11 students initially to discuss these important transition questions. Initially I will be meeting with year 10 regarding subject selections and whether they align with your ability and the requirements of your desired career pathways. I would also like to connect with students in year 11 who are looking for early opportunities to work in a particular industry they are passionate about. We could investigate opportunities such as school-based traineeships that could lead to employment in the industry of your choice in the future. A key element is also to ensure your educational pathways are clear and that you plan and apply for educational opportunities before the deadlines. My role includes supporting and advising on apprenticeship and traineeship applications; university and cadetship applications; TAFE and College applications.

Look out on Facebook and around the Chappotin and San Damiano Buildings as well as the library careers corner for posters with events taking place that will provide you with opportunities to network or gain “insider scoops” on the best pathways to enter your chosen fields.

Nashwa Karafotias

Careers Advisor

At St Agnes Catholic High School we celebrated NAIDOC Week by welcoming Aunty Julie, a Darug Elder, to the school. Aunty Julie spoke to the students about the history of our nation's First People and her family experiences, with language and acknowledgement of their experiences. The theme for NAIDOC Week 2019 was Voice, Treaty, Truth. The Uluru Statement from the Heart, below, underpins this theme and focuses on the yearning for our nation's First People to have a constitutionally enshrined voice, agreement and acknowledgement of their history in our Australian story, past, present and future.

 The red dotted lines symbolise the bloodshed which resulted from British colonisation (indicated by the blue hand where the canvases join). The hands of all Australians then become blended as we embrace the future as one. The circle on the first canvas represents the sun as a lifeforce for the people, while the second circle represents their hope for the future, which is unity. 

On Monday 29th July, eight St Agnes students were invited to the FIAT event held at Rooty Hill RSL. Four Year 10 students attended, and the other four representatives were from Year 9.

During the day, there were numerous Catholic schools from the Parramatta Diocese gathered together and it was very heartwarming to witness so many fresh relationships bloom. FIAT was most significant in providing us with the opportunity to hear the stories of others and voice out our own personal experiences. As one, we focused closely on the meaning of EMPOWERMENT and the importance of knowing one’s origin. In three separate groups, we were taught to explore certain platforms that we may use to share our stories and to that, reflect deeply upon the most pivotal moments of our lives.

I admired the discussions that were made afterwards and how these different perspectives either inspired or opened up others to make changes. - Holly-Anne Ramos (Year 10)

At the event, we discussed stories - how to tell them, ways we can express them and the importance of knowing your own story as well as others. When I first heard “stories”, I immediately thought that we would be discussing stories about Jesus, like the ones that you hear from the Bible. This was not the case. The event heavily encouraged us to delve a little deeper, to know ourselves better and help us understand our stories. The La Salles leaders did this in a way which stuck with the youth by asking fun, intriguing questions and questions that actually made you think a little harder, rather than general questions like “what’s your favourite subject?”.

The FIAT event was incredibly empowering, memorable and enjoyable. One thing that deeply resonated with me was “You cannot, not love someone once you have heard their story”. - Nicole Cabalhin (Year 9) 

During the school holidays, four of our year 10 students, Alecksandra Favor, Dilara Alsan,  Ida-Laura Ioane and Rianna Cregan were granted the opportunity to participate in UNSW’s STEM Program. This program stretched between two consecutive days, aimed to encourage female students across Sydney to pursue careers within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. 

The first day of the program began with current students from the university, taking the St Agnes students to the Cochlear site at Macquarie and Holsworthy Barracks, from the UNSW campus by bus. Students gained an idea and impression of biomedical engineering through the first-handed showcase of the various cochlear ear piece models and the extensive process behind the manufacturing of these devices. They were also able to experience the meticulous procedure of putting on the working suits, that would be worn before entering the manufacturing rooms that are claimed to be twelve times cleaner than a standard operating room. 

Following the tour around Cochlear, the students boarded the bus to Holsworthy Barracks, an aviation base for the Australian Defence Force, where they were given a presentation on different STEM careers in the Australian Defence Force. The students were given a tour around the various transportation, engines and suits utilised by the Australian Defence Force during field assignments - and even got to go inside a helicopter.

The day concluded back inside the UNSW campus, where the students were given a lecture and quiz by the students and teachers within the psychological science department.

 The experience given to the students of St Agnes was very insightful and empowering, allowing them to experience various STEM careers and pathways. They were also able to acquaint various students from different NSW schools with the same interests and passion for STEM careers. St Agnes students will hopefully be returning to UNSW to participate in many more exciting programs.

-       Alecksandra Favor, Dilara Alsan & Ida-Laura Ioane

The Standard Collection Notice document outlines the sort of personal or sensitive information collected within Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta and the school, how it is used and how your privacy is managed.We ask that you spend a moment to read through this and if you have any concerns please contact CEDP on (02) 9840 5600 or at privacy@parra.catholic.edu.au

A copy of the Collection notice can be found HERE

The Uniform Shop for this Term will be changing its hours on the Wednesday. The opening times are:-

Monday 8am - 12pm

Wednesday 12pm - 3:30pm

These times will be reviewed for Term 4.

Remember, Year 10 will now wear the Senior Uniform in 2020, purchase now to ensure your student has the correct uniform.

Orders can be made online at https://theschoollocker.com.au/schools

Date: Saturday 17 August 2019

Event name: Public Astronomy Night: Astronomy at the Bottom of the World

Event details: Speaker – Dr Nick Tothil The Antarctic Plateau is the most extreme, most isolated environment on Earth and perfect for Astronomy. From star birth to black holes, from hard-to-spot neutrinos to the cosmic microwave background, Antarctic telescopes have given us new insights into our universe.

Includes presentation, short 3D movie, tour of the dome and viewing of the night sky through a range of telescopes (weather permitting).$18.00 Adult

$12.00 Child/Concession

$50.00 Family (2 adults + 2 children)

Children under 3 years of age free.

IMPORTANT: Parents/Carers are responsible for and must remain with their children at all times.

BOOKINGS VIA OUR WEBSITE ESSENTIAL

Time:  7pm – 9pm .     Venue Address: Penrith Observatory (Building AO), Western Sydney University, Werrington North campus, Great Western Highway, Werrington 2747

Contact phone or website for public enquiries and bookings:

https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/observatorypenrith/penrith_observatory/whats_on

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2833679230040094/

The Office for Worship is taking enrolments for its Liturgical Ministry Formation Courses for those who are interested in being Readers, Extraordinary Ministers of Communion or Bringing Communion to the Sick and Dying. The course will be at the Institute for Mission (Downstairs Hall). NOTE: Introduction Session on 12 August is compulsory. Enrolments close on 5 August 2019. Please see your Parish Office for a form or for more information, contact 02 8838 3456 or ingrid.vergano@parracatholic.org

The Annual Pilgrim Walk from the Shrine of the Holy Innocents, Kellyville to St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta will be held on the Feast of the Assumption Thursday 15 August. Bishop Vincent Long will celebrate Mass at 12Noon before the pilgrimage begins. Anyone is welcome to begin walking from any point of the 14km walk. For more information, contact the parish office on (02) 9629 2595.

"Come and See Day" at Holy Spirit Seminary, Harris Park on 18 August is a whole-day event, inspired by Our Lord’s invitation to the two disciples of John the Baptist to “Come and see”, found in the Gospel of John. Open Day provides single men open to a priestly vocation with the opportunity to experience seminary life, beginning with Holy Mass at St Oliver’s Parish Church at 10am, followed by talks, a tour, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and dinner with Bishop Vincent. RSVP essential. Please contact Fr John Paul Escarlan via johnpaul.escarlan@parracatholic.org or 0420 310 771

The Institute for Mission’s Reflective Ministry Program – Component 2 starts on August 20. This is a great opportunity to enrich and enthuse those involved in the ministries of the Catholic communities. Go to ifm.org.aufor more information and registration, or contact the IFM team on 02 9296 6369.

Are you looking for a healthy, natural and effective method to manage your fertility? Learn how to identify the best time to achieve or postpone pregnancy. You are warmly invited to this event on Tuesday 20 August at the Diocesan Ministry Centre, 51-59 Allawah St, Blacktown from 7pm. For more information and to register please contact Catherine on 02 8838 3460, 0400 427 605 or catherine.bourne@parracatholic.org

American Catholic Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers is the guest speaker at The Life, Family and Marriage Office’s 2019 Faith in Marriage Seminar on Friday 30 August at St Paul’s Catholic College Hall, Greystanes from 7.30pm. Free entry and a light supper will be served afterwards. Donations are welcome. Please register your attendance to 02 8838 3460 or lmf@parracatholic.org

There will be a special collection for the Clergy Support Foundation of the Diocese – on Father’s Day. Your donation helps them cover healthcare costs and expenses associated with everyday living, supplementing the pension that some receive. Please give generously this Father’s Day Appeal. Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. Donations can be made here: parracatholic.org/csf

Adult Confirmation for 2019 will be held on Tuesday 10 September at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta from 7.30pm. A Catechesis Day for Adult Confirmation will be held on Saturday 31 August from 9.30am to 2pm. Any adult over 16 years wanting to be confirmed please see your Parish Office for information or contact the Office for Worship on 02 8838 3456 or mary-louise.walsh@parracatholic.org

ACYF19 is a biennial national gathering of Catholic young people established by the Bishops of Australia. The event involves three days of exciting, large scale Plenary's, tens of workshops, concerts, prayer experiences, fun, expos and concludes with an outdoor mass with the City of Perth. Bishop Vincent and Catholic Youth Parramatta will be leading an expected 200 participants. Free twin-share hotel accommodation is being offered now. For more information and to register visit www.catholicyouthparramatta.org

The Catholic Diocese of Broome, WA, is looking for volunteers to assist with the work of the local Church in the Kimberley. There are various voluntary tasks: administration, building maintenance, gardening, shop staffing, cooking, cleaning etc. Placements are preferred for a period of six months. For further details, please contact volunteer coordinator Anneliese Rohr on (08) 9192 1060, email volunteers@broomediocese.org or visit www.broomediocese.org/volunteering

The Jesus Light of the World Communities is hosting a Formation Day on the theme ‘Here I Am (Isaiah 6:8)’ at St Joseph’s Parish Hall, Walz St, Rockdale on Saturday 17 August from 9am to 4pm. Morning and afternoon tea will be served. For enquiries, contact Helen on 0488 037 631, Ida on 0424 267 500 or email jlowcommunity@gmail.com

The Divine Retreat Centre in Somersby, NSW is holding an inner healing retreat on 17 and 18 August. Accommodation and food will be provided. For more information, please contact 0468 486 782, email drcsydney@gmail.com or visit www.divineretreatcentre.org.au

Christian Meditation Introduction and Renewal Day at St Benedict's Monastery, Arcadia. Presentations, Introduction to Meditation for newcomers and Meditation for on-going meditators. After the lunch break for BYO picnic lunch we will have Mass. This is a free event and accommodation may be available at the monastery guest house. For enquires please contact Ann Bergman on anniebergman@hotmail.com or Ann Lomas on atlomas@bigpond.com or 9653 2637

The Blue Mountains Centre for Faith and Public Issues will host a public forum with Dr Seforosa Carroll on ‘Faith in a changing climate: Disappearing Islands, Displacement and Justice’. Sunday 18 August at Our Lady of the Nativity Church Hall, Lawson from 2pm. For enquiries please contact William Emilsen - wemilsen@gmail.com or Allan Walsh - secretary@bmert.org

The Divine Retreat Centre in Somersby, NSW is hosting a spiritual healing on Sunday 25 August. The day will include Eucharistic Adoration, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Mass and ministry for children and teenagers. For more information, please contact 0468 486 782, email drcsydney@gmail.com or visit www.divineretreatcentre.org.au

Youth aged 18 to 35 are invited to join The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth for the Holy Hour for Vocations at the St Joseph Convent, Quakers Hill, on Thursday 5 September at 7pm. Dinner will be served afterwards. RSVP to Sr Paula – vocationscsfn@gmail.com or 0449 656 406.

Did you commence Year 7 at OLMC in 1964, or attend any year thereafter, such that you did your HSC in 1969, or your SC in 1967? It’s OK if you left before your exams, you’re still welcome at our 50th Reunion! Contact Jennifer Newton: email fiftyyearsonolmc64-69@hotmail.com or Facebook page OLMC Parramatta 1964-1969 50th Reunion (September 2019).

Rome Pilgrimages, by the Archdiocese of Sydney, is a Catholic pilgrimage which deepens one’s prayer life, offers a cultural experience, and connects pilgrims to our tradition and faith. The cost of the 7-day Pilgrimage is $2,350.00 (twin share accommodation – excludes airfares, some meals and travel insurance). Discounts available for large groups. Pilgrims stay at Domus Australia in the heart of Rome with opportunities for daily Mass. For more information, call 1800 753 959 or email pilgrimage@sydneycatholic.org

Domus Australia is a Boutique Pilgrim Guesthouse established by the Australian Catholic Church, welcoming travellers to Rome seeking comfortable accommodation and an ideal base from which to explore historical and cultural sites of the Eternal City. Centrally located with a magnificently restored Chapel featuring daily Mass in English, Domus Australia is the perfect oasis in the heart of Rome for Aussie pilgrims. For enquiries, please contact reservations@domusaustralia.org or visit www.domusaustralia.org

CatholicCare Solo Parent Services is hosting a two session Seminar on “Understanding Family Law,” for anyone experiencing a divorce or separation. These sessions are presented by an Accredited Family Law Specialist and will be held on Saturday 10 August at St Patrick’s Cathedral Hall, Parramatta. $10 per session. Registration is essential. Contact Rita on 02 8843 2575 or email soloparentservices@ccss.org.au

For more events please go to: parracatholic.org/events