Catholic Identity 

Parent & Child Puberty Information Evening 

An Information evening for all Year 4 learners and their parents/carers will be held on Wednesday 19th August from 7.00pm - 8.00pm. This Information session is an online virtual presentation led by CHOICEZ MEDIA and is delivered by an experienced Family Life educator and endorsed by Catholic Education Sandhurst. The online session is viewed by parents/carers with their child in their home.  

Participation in this online evening creates opportunities for parents/carers to have the sensitive conversations with their child in the privacy of their own home. 

The one hour session will cover age-appropriate information which is grounded in the dignity of the person and Catholic values including topics of personal development, changing and growing, emotions, friendships and puberty.   

Following the evening, parents will be provided with a link to a Digital Parent pack including video resources. It is at parents/carers discretion to decide which information is appropriate for their child at that given time.  

Further information will be sent to Year 4 families via Compass. 

Installation Mass for Bishop of Sandhurst 

On Thursday 30th July Bishop René Ramirez RCJ will be installed as the ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Sandhurst at the 11.00am Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bendigo. 

Bishop René will succeed Shane Mackinlay, who was made Archbishop of Brisbane in September 2025. 

Invitations have been extended to all schools in the Sandhurst Diocese to attend this Mass and to join to warmly welcome and pray for Bishop Rene as he continues his faithful ministry in this life-giving role.  

This important celebration will be filled with rich, memorable imagery and an experience which will be stay with those present for a long time. 

Staff Spirituality Day 

On Wednesday 5th August all staff will gather along with our neighbouring schools to engage in a Staff Spirituality Day. The theme for the day is ‘Life to the full’ (John 10:10).  

St Mary’s will play host to our neighbouring Diocesan schools including St Mary’s Cohuna, St Joseph’s Kerang and St Joseph’s Rochester.  

The core purpose of this day is to pause, reflect on the core values of our purpose and vocation, and nurture our personal mental and spiritual well-being. 

Two online workshops will be hosted externally by Lisa McInnes-Smith, author of Human Performance, Teams and Leadership, and Stan Grant, journalist and International Correspondent. 

At the close of this day we look forward to hearing from Bishop Rene Ramirez. 

Seeds to service 

St Mary’s is very grateful to Bunnings Echuca for their generous donation of seasonal seedlings, compost and garden stakes. Last week the Just Leadership Team began the planting process after much weeding, fertilising and preparation of the garden beds throughout the final weeks of last term. As we nurture this initiative we hope to nurture other’s lives with the produce of our work! 

St Anne’s Feast Day 

St Anne, the mother of Mary and the grandmother of Jesus is recognised particularly on her Feast Day, 26th July. 

Those learners who belong to St Anne’s school House group will wear a splash of yellow on Monday 27th July to recognise this important woman in our lives. 

St. Anne is the patron saint of grandparents, educators, and homemakers. 

St. Anne, you know what it means to wait on God’s timing.  

I bring my heart’s greatest desires and anxieties to you today.  

Please pray for me to have greater trust in God's plan while I wait.  

Give me the strength to let go of control, the patience to persevere through uncertainty, and the peace of knowing that He has a special plan for my life. 

Amen 

St Mary’s Choir 

Father Novie has extended an invitation to St Mary’s Choir to lead the singing at the 9.30am Mass at St Mary’s Church on Sunday 16th August. This is another wonderful opportunity for our Choir to showcase their love for song and to lift the spirits of all.  

‘To sing is to pray twice.’  

~ St Augustine 

St Mary’s Church Mini Market 

Following the Family & G’Day Mass on Sunday 16th August St Mary’s Parish will host a Mini Market Day. The market will host many stalls including face painting for a gold coin donation. Any donations are warmly invited including plants, books, jams and preserves, and cakes. All may be left at the Parish centre on Saturday 15th August between 4.30 - 5.30pm. 

All proceeds will go towards a Parish Disabled Toilet project. 

All are welcome. 

Mass & Liturgy Timetable 

Colleen Hampson 

Leader of Pedagogy: Catholic Identity