Mary Immaculate Primary Newsletter

Dear Parents/Carers,

It has been wonderful to have the students increasingly return to school. We hope that the partial return schedule has worked as well as it can for families. Please remember that if families are struggling with the current circumstances, students are able to attend on days that are not their grade's scheduled days. This week we have ensured at least one teacher from each grade is operating onsite to assist with learning.

In the coming weeks, we expect that many more students will be joining us more regularly as directions from the authorities change.

Thanks to everyone for your support of the afternoon dismissal procedures introduced recently. This has worked very well.

Semester 1 Reports are still scheduled to be going out around the end of this term. But as you can imagine they will need to look decidedly different to the usual. We are working with CEDP in terms of a modified report. We are also in discussions with teachers about the best and most productive way to approach reporting for this semester. A lot more about this will follow as the term progresses.

Lots of families are doing things tough at the moment and really trying hard to hold everything together. I know that is the case. Please feel free as always to reach out for support. We want to help. Please contact me if you or your children have a need that we can help with in some way.

With appreciation of your continuing support,

Stephen Dowd

Principal

Welcome back to what has started off as a very unusual term. We have all had to make major adjustments to the way we live and learn. It has been wonderful to see the children return over the past few weeks and we look forward to having them all join us on a full time basis. The look of joy on the children's faces as they return to school when meeting with friends and their teachers tells a beautiful story. The school is certainly not the same without all of the wonderful smiling faces of the children and we have missed them terribly.

We would like to congratulate and thank the students for the exceptional effort they have made to continue their learning remotely.  We have witnessed many extraordinary examples of work and look forward to this continuing as the students return. I have personally enjoyed being part of the grade Zoom meetings and witnessing the students participate in their learning.  

It has certainly been a challenging time adapting to the different modes of operating, our thanks to our parents for all of your support in assisting the students with their ongoing learning.  We would also like to thank our wonderful staff who have worked tirelessly to ensure the high level of work we are accustomed to at MIPS continues.

We look forward to welcoming all of the children over the coming weeks.

Take care and stay safe.

Sharon Mizzi

Assistant Principal

As the weather is unpredictable, we will have a transition period into full winter uniform. If the weather is warm, children are welcome to wear summer uniform. However if the weather changes and you would prefer your child to wear their winter uniform they are able to do so. Please note that children are to wear full winter or summer uniform not a mixture. Parents will be advised of the date the students are to commence wearing full winter uniform only. 

To Our Dear Parish Family of Mary Immaculate Church,

COVID-19 remains present in the community and highly infectious, though in small numbers at present. With the relaxation of isolation measures and the approach of winter, an increase in cases is expected.

As you will be aware from Friday 15th May, 2020 in New South Wales we will move to Stage 1 of a three-stage process that will ease some of the restrictions that have been in place for several weeks. It will mean that some opportunities for limited ministry will be available and that will present some challenges as we move forward.

From Friday the 15th May 2020.

1. Our Church will reopen for private prayer and Mass services, with no more than 10 people are in the church at once, which does not include the priest and other ministers during a religious gathering.

2. Our Church will be opened for private prayer during our parish office hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday – 9.00am – 5.00pm.

Thursday and Friday – 8.30am – 4.00pm.

Also on Saturday from 8.00am – 12.00pm.

No more than 10 people in the church at once and physical distancing must be observed.

We ask parishioners to sit in the places indicated with signs in the pews facing the sanctuary (altar).

Please do not enter the blessed sacrament room as the tabernacle has now been placed on the rear of the altar.

If there are more than ten people in the church we ask parishioners to wait outside until someone leaves.  

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3. Reconciliation will be celebrated in the church, at our regular time on Saturday between 4.00pm to 5.00pm, with no more than 10 people in the church at once and physical distancing must be observed. We ask parishioners to sit in the places indicated with signs in the pews facing the confessional. 

If there are more than ten people in the church we ask parishioners to wait outside until someone leaves.  

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4. For funeral Masses 20 mourners indoors or 30 mourners outdoors are permitted, in addition to clergy and funeral directors.

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5. The parish will now conduct Baptisms for families who are happy to have a limit of 10 attendees. Those who had or have Baptisms booked which were affected by the church closure will be contacted by our parish staff shortly to discuss their child’s baptism booking.

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6. For Weddings up to 10 persons plus the couple, the celebrant and assisting ministers are permitted.

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7. All those who come into our church must use the hand sanitizers available at the doors/foyer (as they enter and exit the church), maintain physical distancing, and record their contact details on our attendance log. Antibacterial spray and wipes will be located in the pews and we request parishioners to wipe down the areas they have come in contact with when leaving their seat.  

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8. Sacramental programs offered by the parish are still postponed until further notice.

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9. Parish group meetings/choir practices that use the church are still postponed until further notice.

Please note that the parish has a Zoom account that can be used by parish groups to have online meetings. If your group is interested in using this service please contact Ged at the parish office.

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How to register your interest to attend Mass.

We ask parishioners to email the parish office (parishoffice@maryimmac.org.au) registering their interest to attend a Mass service and your contact details.  

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If you do not have email access please contact the parish office on 96263326 during parish office hours to register your interest.

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You will be contacted by a member of the parish staff to discuss with you which Mass service that will be available for you to attend.

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We will be accepting registration of interest for Masses starting on Friday 15th May for parish Masses no more than 5 days in advance.

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Our Mass services will occur as follows:

Monday – 6.00am only

Tuesday to Friday  - 6.00am and 9.15am

Saturday - 7.30am

Sunday Masses – Saturday Vigil Mass 5.30pm

Sunday- 7.30am, 9.00am, 10.30am and 5.30pm

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Our Daily Mass will be streamed LIVE on Facebook Monday – 6.00am , Tuesday to Friday – 9.15am

Saturday – 7.00am

Sunday Mass will still be broadcasted on Sundays from 7.30am.

We understand that majority of the faithful will be unable to attend Masses due to these restrictions. All but priests, therefore, continue to be dispensed from attending Sunday Mass.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

We all long for the day when we can resume our normal parish activities and the People of God can once again gather to celebrate the Eucharist.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Oliver, Fr. Ever, Deacon Leon and Parish Staff.