St Pius X College Newsletter

From the Principal

The Opening and Blessing of Workul Koo began with a traditional smoking ceremony

  • Prayer:  Blessing and Opening of "Workul Koo
  • Thank you to our Volunteers
  • Founder's Day - this Friday 23 November 2018
  • Textbooks 2019
  • Christmas Appeals - please give generously​
  • Upcoming Events

Prayer:  Blessing and Opening of “Workul Koo”

On Monday 19 November, students and staff from CBHS Lewisham and St Pius X College Chatswood gathered for Mass at our newly refurbished Retreat Centre at Wamberal on the Central Coast. The ceremony was opened with a traditional smoking ceremony led by CBHS Indigenous teacher and advisor Mr Kaleb Taylor, along with the Indigenous students from both schools. Fr Paul Finucane our former Parish Priest who is now the Parish Priest of Kincumber, celebrated Mass. This concluded with a blessing and then an official renaming of this facility by EREA Deputy Executive Director Mr Peter Leuenberger. The Retreat Centre is named “Workul Koo” which translates as “One God”, reflecting our faith in God and our relationship with the land, all of creation, the ancestral spirits of the past, present and future.  We give thanks and praise.  We are one.

 

I share with you below the special prayers said by Fr Paul Finucane at this celebration, along with some photos.

Blessing and Opening of Workul Koo 

We ask you loving Father to bless Workul Koo, a place of beauty and peace and dedicate it to the education and wellbeing of present and future students and staff of Christian Brothers High School Lewisham and St Pius X College Chatswood.  Through its use may we continue to grow in faith, hope and love.

 

May we be instilled with the example of Blessed Edmund Rice as we search for the wisdom that guides the Christian life and strive wholeheartedly to stand with Christ.

 

We pray that our schools will continue to grow through the integration of our four touchstones.  That we recognise the value of every person because they are made in God's image.  That we celebrate diversity and value inclusion.

 

We pray that we will always foster welcoming places of inclusive community, justice and solidarity.  That we will use and share our unique gifts and talents in celebration of all God has given us.

 

May Workul Koo be a place of solitude and peace for all.  May God's will be fulfilled in all who enter this house.

Father, listen to these prayers which we make in a spirit of thanksgiving and hope in the future.  We ask this through Christ the Lord.

Amen.

 

The date of 19 November also commemorates 150 years since Br Ambrose Treacy arrived in Melbourne and he went on to personally lead and open 30 Christian Brothers schools across Australia.

Thank you to our Volunteers

On Tuesday 20 November we held a special reception at the College for our volunteers this year and I personally offer our appreciation to all those many, many helpers who have assisted in the P&F, the Committees, the Canteen, Uniform Shop, Reading and Literacy Programs, Music and the Performing Arts, Sports Teams and BBQs.

Thank you all so much.  It is what truly makes St Pius X College a great community.

Founder's Day - this Friday 23 November 2018

This Friday is a compulsory school day and all students must attend.  Any absences must be accompanied by a Doctor's Certificate. It will be led by our Year 12 2019 students and I thank the team of P & F who are assisting on the day.  St Edmund’s Wahroonga’s, “Eddie’s Entertainers" will be present with us too.  Our special guest will be Steve Smith former Australian Cricketer.

 

A unique opportunity for St Pius X College has presented itself to make a brief appearance in an advertising campaign on television and the internet this summer. The address by Steve Smith and Gus Worland to the school next week is to be filmed as part of an advertising campaign for Vodafone and they would like St Pius X College to appear in this campaign. Steve Smith and Gus Worland have been asked to encapsulate what it means to be gutsy and share the journey they are on both personally and professionally. In particular, their coming together for Gotcha4Life and changing the perception of men’s mental health. While only a small handful of students will appear on screen, any concerns should be directed to me.

 

Please advise the College if you do not wish your son to be photographed or to appear in this filming.

Years 7-11 Textbooks for 2019

Information regarding the purchase of text books for students who will be in Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 next year is now available.  Details from the Assistant Principal Teaching & Learning are on the following page.

Christmas Appeals

Please give generously to the St Pius X College charity collections for the Christmas Giving Tree and the Christmas Food Hampers.   Details can be found on the Student and Parent Matters page.

Upcoming Events

Please refer to the 'Upcoming Events' page of this Newsletter for full details of the term's events and 2019 calendar dates. 

Information on how to download the College App is also included so you can stay up to date with College news and events.

 

Mr John Couani - Principal