Principal's Report

Dear St FX Parents and Carers,

P & F Meeting - Wednesday 15th October, 5:30pm

The P & F is being held this Wednesday 15th October at 5:30pm in our school staffroom. 

We welcome any new or returning faces so you can hear about upcoming plans for the 

P & F and to share ways and possible opportunities for us to help strengthen the St Francis Xavier’s family community. 

A zoom link will be sent out via compass if you would like to join.

Dance Extravaganza

Thank you to all the families and friends who joined us at our Dance Extravaganza at the end of last term. To look out from the stage and see a full theatre was amazing. The success of the evening was a wonderful culmination of all the effort the staff and students had put in across weeks leading up to the performance. 

I would also like to extend a ‘thank you’ to both Aleeta Northey and Lauren Grant who worked with our staff and students to assist them with choreography for the various performances. 

School Oval Maintenance

Our school oval has been weeded, aerated, and fertilised, ready for Term 4! A huge thank you to Jeff Brown from Nutrien for donating the fertiliser, our dedicated Groundsman Mr Flood, and Mrs Leitch and her family for generously giving their time over the holiday break to help with the maintenance. The oval is looking wonderful and ready for students to enjoy!

A Unique and Holy Experience

The 2025 Jubilee Year, an ancient Catholic tradition held every 25 years, is themed "Pilgrims of Hope". Recently, I was presented with the opportunity to travel to Rome to pass through the sacred Holy Door, and visit local Basilicas and other holy sites as a pilgrim of the Armidale Diocese. 

Vatican City was definitely a highlight as our group was part of a papal audience at St. Peter's Basilica, one of the world's holiest Christian sites and the burial place of St. Peter. We also explored the Vatican Museum which included the breathtaking Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's famous frescoes. 

Many of the pilgrims (including myself) also climbed ‘The Holy Stairs’. Tradition holds these 28 marble steps are the ones Jesus climbed to reach Pontius Pilate's praetorium in Jerusalem. Pilgrims typically ascend these stairs on their knees as an act of penance and devotion. The stairs are located near the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Other notable highlights of Rome were; the tomb of the late Pope Francis, Pantheon and the Trivvi fountain -not to mention the gelato!

The journey then lead our group to the hilltop town of Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis and St. Clare, and a central spiritual location for 2025. We explored the magnificent Basilica of St Francis of Assisi dual-church structure. The Lower Church houses the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi which was an extremely powerful and moving experience for all.

The focus for many 2025 pilgrims, especially the youth, was venerating the body of the newly canonised St. Carlo Acutis. St Carlo, the "patron saint of the internet," chose Assisi as his burial place due to his great admiration for St. Francis, whom he saw as a model of faith and service to the poor. His presence here connects the ancient spirituality of St. Francis with a modern example of holiness.

There were so many more highlights and I will treasure these memories and special experiences for many years to come.

Have a great week!

Mrs Michelle O’Connor

Principal