Message from the 

School Principal

Dear Sacred Heart Families,

A warm welcome to the start of Term 2. Even with a shortened first week, it seems much has happened since I last wrote to you in Week 8 of Term 1. 

Footsteps of St Paul Pilgrimage

Recently, I had the privilege of taking part in a pilgrimage in the footsteps of St Paul with Principals from the western region of Melbourne and it was a journey that has deepened my faith and offered many moments for reflection. On Tuesday evening, I shared my experiences and insights with the School Advisory Council and  I'd like to take the time to share some of this with you today.....

Who was Paul? 

Paul was originally known as Saul of Tarsus and was born in modern day Turkey. He was a well-educated Jew and a Roman citizen. In his early life, he strongly opposed early Christians and was involved in their persecution. He had a dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, leading to his conversion to Christianity and became one of Christianity’s greatest missionaries, travelling widely to spread the message of Jesus. Paul wrote many letters to early Christian communities — these form a major part of the New Testament. Throughout his ministry, Paul faced imprisonment, beatings and hardships while preaching. Paul is believed to have been executed in Rome around 64–67 AD.

Impact on Leadership

Whilst on the pilgrimage and since returning, I have reflected on the qualities that made Paul such an influential leader. Firstly, Paul was a man of unwavering courage and conviction. Many of the places Paul travelled to and the people he spoke to were not receptive to his message. He was imprisoned in places such as Philippi and Rome and yet he stayed true to his purpose. Paul was also incredibly resilient at times of hardship, which was often for him. As leaders, in whatever domain, we are called to show conviction, courage and resilience.

As I journeyed in the footsteps of St Paul, I also took time to reflect on his key messages and how they can enrich my leadership at Sacred Heart. To the Corinthians, Paul stresses that love is the foundation of all the gifts that build a strong, united community (1 Cor 12–13; Rom 12:6–8) and is a reminder for me to lead with love as the foundation. In his letter to the Philippians, he speaks of humility as a key virtue for community life—a reminder for me to lead with openness and attuned to the needs of all (Phil 2:1–11). In Colossians, Paul highlights forgiveness and gentleness, qualities I can draw on in my relationships with staff, students and families. 

These reflections have deepened my sense of purpose and reaffirmed my commitment to leading our school with compassion, faith, love and reflective of Gospel values. Thank you, once again, for supporting the opportunity for me to journey in Paul's footsteps. 

Thank you!

I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to Cath Palmer for leading the school as Acting Principal whilst I was away & to Erin Stone and the leadership team for their support and care of our school community. I feel very blessed to work with each one of them, alongside all of the staff at Sacred Heart, who are so dedicated and hard working and keep our students at the centre of all we do. 

Passing of Pope Francis

As a school community, Sacred Heart mourns the passing of Pope Francis and give thanks for his life and service as our Holy Father and leader of the Catholic church around the world. May the peace of the risen Christ be with us all as we remember and pray for Pope Francis in the coming days and weeks. We pray also for the cardinals as they come together to elect a new Pope. 

Congratulations Fr Samuel

As a school community, we congratulate Fr Samuel on his appointment as Parish Priest of St Joseph's. We are very fortunate as a school and parish to have Fr Samuel guiding us in our faith and supporting our school with such commitment and generosity of spirit. 

Our school community is invited to join the broader parish in celebrating Fr Samuel's installation. See the invitation below for more information.

Movie Night

What an amazing night! Last night, our school community came together for our inaugural Movie Night. Families snuggled up together to watch Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. The weather was just right for the evening. A huge thank you to Caitlin and Michael for organising the event as our Family Engagement leaders and staff, parents and children who attended the event. 

We wish our Year 6 students who are receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation at St Patrick's Cathedral next Friday night. May God's blessing be upon them for this special evening

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kaylene Carlin

School Principal