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Hello Families,

Year 6 Confirmation - Pentecost Sunday - May 24th

For many people, the Sacrament of Confirmation can feel like a formal milestone, something you do as part of growing up in a Catholic family, a box to tick before moving on. But if we strip away the ceremony and look at what Confirmation is really about, it becomes something far more practical and relevant. At its core, Confirmation is about receiving and recognising the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. That might sound abstract, but it doesn’t have to be.

My lecturer in religious theology at Australian Catholic University’s Mercy Campus back in the late 1990s, Linda Salpietro, encouraged my fellow students and I to think of the Holy Spirit as being like an inner compass; something that nudges, guides, and strengthens us, especially in moments when we’re unsure, under pressure, or trying to do the right thing. We can ask ourselves, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, “What’s the right course of action to take in this moment?” 

Confirmation isn’t about our Year 6s suddenly becoming different people. It’s more like an invitation for them to become more aware of their inner compass, and to trust what it tells them. For some Year 6s, that awareness is explicitly connected to faith in God. For others, at this stage it may simply feel like becoming more mature or more connected to others. Either way, the message is similar: Our Year 6s already have the capacity for wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord. Confirmation is a special moment that recognises this capacity and encourages our young people to use it consistently for the good of others.

We ask that you keep our Year 6 Confirmation candidates and their families in your prayers as they continue the final preparations to receive the Sacrament in less than two weeks.

Art News

• Have you wondered about the story behind our new mural? Hear from Merindah Gunya herself in the text box below.

Briohny

• Briohny is out of hospital and has moved into a rehab facility where she will continue to work on her physical recovery. Please continue to keep her in your prayers.

Solar Power at St Anne’s

• Solar panels were installed last September on the roof of the Year 5/6 classrooms, at a cost of $34,319 to the school (after subsidies). Solar is expected to provide 40% of our power, with a payback of 2 years 10 months. Across the life of the system, it is forecast to generate over $300k in savings for St Anne’s and avoid 55 tons of CO2 each year – the equivalent of planting over 10,000 trees. 

Mothers Day Stall

• Thanks to Petrece, Rosa and Clare for sorting such an amazing array of gifts, and to all those who came along to help out on Wednesday last week. We hope all the gifts were well received and that all Mums were treated like the superstars they are.

At St Anne’s we…

• At the Senior School Sports today, students will be encouraged to demonstrate the pillars We are Safe, We are Responsible and We are Respectful. I’m sure everyone will blow us away with how well they do!

Prep 2027 - Siblings

• We have been overwhelmed with applicants for our Prep classes in 2027, and will likely have an extensive waiting list. For this reason, it is important that all current families adhere to deadlines. Sibling offers are going out soon, and must be formally accepted by the deadline of June 17th. This is when we will open up second round offers, and we would hate for current families to miss out. Even if you are considering another year of Kinder, accept the offer and defer later on in the year.

Warm Regards and God’s Blessings,

Stephen