Principal's Address

All Saints Day and All Souls Days 

Our prayer focus will include All Saints Day, next Monday 1 November and All Souls Day, which will be celebrated on the following day. 

All Saints Day is a surprisingly old feast. It arose out of the Christian tradition of celebrating the martyrdom of saints on the anniversary of their martyrdom. When martyrdoms increased during the persecutions of the late Roman Empire, local dioceses instituted a common feast day in order to ensure that all martyrs, known and unknown, were properly honoured. 

In our contemporary world All Saints Day offers a chance to look to our spiritual forbearers, those holy men and women who are models of love and fidelity. It is also an opportunity to reflect upon our baptismal gifts and to bring God’s love to those we meet on a daily basis through our words and deeds. 

The day after is known as All Souls Day, a day to remember and offer prayers on behalf of all who have died. A special Mass is celebrated at Sacred Heart Church each year at this time to pray for all those from the parish who have died in the last twelve months. We pray:

Jesus, dear Saviour, on All Soul’s Day 

we prayerfully remember all our loved ones who have died.

Please give them comfort and hope and may they be at peace,

Knowing that they will rest in God’s arms eternally.

Thank You for our memories of them and for the good times we shared.

We ask You, please, through their intercession,

To deepen our faith, strengthen our hope and increase our love

That we, too, may someday stand before You, ready to enter Your Holy Kingdom. Amen

World Teachers’ Day – 29 October 

World Teachers’ Day on Friday is an opportunity to celebrate teaching and a chance to thank our dedicated Mater Dei teachers. They have gone above and beyond during a very difficult year to provide every possible opportunity to the students in their care. Thank you, teachers!

Just Between Us - Family Is What You Make It

Our Mater Dei student Ronejan Kassem will feature with his family in an upcoming documentary on the ABC entitled “Just Between Us – Family Is What You Make It”. The episode on ABC TV at 9.25pm on Tuesday 2 November is the second in a series that started on 26 October. 

I encourage you to watch this program and follow the family’s journey as Yazidi refugees from Iraq to Wagga. We are blessed to have Ronejan and his family as members of our Mater Dei family.

Students Departures at the end of 2021

Please advise the College in writing if you daughter/son is not returning to Mater Dei in 2022. Parents/carers of any departing students must complete the College Clearance process to formally conclude the enrolment and advise their child’s future school if they are under the leaving age of 17.  This process includes the return of College resources and finalisation of  any outstanding fees.

Prayers

Please keep our HSC students in your prayers with the commencement of the exams on 9 November. We also pray for members of our community who are unwell at this time. In the spirit of Catholic Mission, our Socktober fundraising focus in October, we pray for the vulnerable children in Thailand and around the world. 

Finally, please stay COVID safe and well and continue to check your service NSW App history to identify exposure sites and respond to NSW Health advice.

Mrs Val Thomas | Principal