Welcome to Week 6.

We have passed the midpoint of this term and our past three weeks have been filled with wonderful opportunities for learning and celebrating our Mater Dei community spirit. This edition of the newsletter captures some of them; the iconic MDIFA competition (a report will be included in the next newsletter), the Feast of the Assumption Mass with Mater Dei Primary School, NEAA Student Conference in Brisbane, Book Week and Mater Dei’s Got Talent, just to name a few! Year 12 HSC Trial exams have finished, Year 10 have selected their courses for next year and Year 11 are preparing for their End of Course examinations and learning in Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 has been action packed. The recently released NAPLAN results show steady growth in literacy which is a wonderful result.

SOCIAL JUSTICE SUNDAY

This year, Social Justice Sunday was celebrated last Sunday. For almost every year since 1940, our Bishops have joined together to issue a major social justice statement at this time of the year to inspire reflection and action.

Every year, in time for Social Justice Sunday—marked this year on 25 August—the bishops seek to make a substantive comment on a key social issue. This year the focus is on the promotion of peace and the need for truth in public life.

‘Words are never enough to make peace—action is required,’ writes Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB in the foreword to the statement.

It examines rising tensions around the world, the nature of truth, the spread of misinformation and disinformation, the arms race, domestic cohesion, the need for dialogue and education for peace.

As well as highlighting the devastating effects of war and the need for action to make peace, the statement looks at the ways the erosion of truth and the emergence of a post-truth culture contribute to the current crisis of trust and peace, noting that disinformation and misinformation have become more widespread due to the rapid dissemination of fake news and conspiracy theories through social media. It also identifies the arms race and the international arms trade as major obstacles to peace, calling for efforts to end the production and sale of weapons.

The violence in Australia and other parts of the world make it all the more urgent that all who believe in Jesus Christ work together with everyone of good will, all who love truth, to show the world that there is a realistic way to peace.

The Bishops argue that peacemaking involves building a culture of dialogue and encounter in order to promote understanding, respect and the common good. This process is not limited to political decision-makers, they say, pointing out that while God is the ultimate source of peace, everyone can contribute to peace through actions such as prayer, advocacy and local community engagement. Education can also play a vital role in promoting peace by teaching the values of truth, trust and dialogue, according to the Bishops.

The statement also lists practical action that people can take to make a real difference, including ways to foster dialogue and understanding; support and promote educational initiatives that teach the values of peace, conflict resolution and empathy; advocate for disarmament; engage in community service and reconciliation efforts; and embrace non-violent approaches to conflict resolution in personal relationships, communities and broader society.

A copy of the 2024 statement can be found here and we pray:

O God, Trinity of love, from the profound communion of your divine life,

pour out upon us a torrent of sisterly and brotherly love.

Grant us the love reflected in the actions of Jesus, in his family of Nazareth, and in the early Christian community.

Grant that we Christians may live the Gospel, discovering Christ in each human being,

recognising him crucified in the sufferings of the abandoned and forgotten of our world,

and risen in each sister or brother who makes a new start.

Come, Holy Spirit, show us your beauty, reflected in all the peoples of the earth, so that we may discover anew that all are important and all are necessary, different faces of the one humanity that God so loves. Amen

STAFFING UPDATE

Mrs Bright is currently Acting Assistant Principal at Kildare Catholic College until 16 October and Mr Hope is Acting Leader of Curriculum during that time.
Mrs Dodds is Acting Leader of PDHPE and Mrs Baggio is Assistant KLA Leader.
Mrs Gill will continue as Acting Leader of Faith Formation and Mission until Mrs Streckfuss returns from Leave on 9 September.
Mr Fahey will be Acting Leader of TAS/VET for just over 2 weeks while Mr Geurtsen is on Leave and he will be assisted by Mr Carroll during that time.
Next week we will welcome Mrs Priest back to her role as Leader of Webber House this year and I thank Ms Thomsen for her leadership in the role for the past six weeks.

YEAR 12 PARENT / CARER AND STUDENT EXIT SURVEYS

As we draw to the end of the Year 12 Course at the end of Week 10 this term, it is important that we gather information from this cohort of students and their parents/carers to assist with future planning. This will again take the form of an online survey that takes about 15 minutes to complete. Parents and students will be contacted by email by the external company conducting the survey. The Parent/Carer Survey will open on Monday 9 September for two weeks and students will complete the survey at school on Tuesday 10 September.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

Congratulations to our students who have represented the College in a variety of ways in recent weeks. I accompanied Ms Thomsen and Year 10 students Siyanda Thomas and Nadamary Tadrous to the Nagle Education Alliance of Australia Student Conference in Brisbane last week where they were outstanding ambassadors of the College. I would also like to acknowledge students who have represented the College in a variety of sports over the past few weeks and to congratulate our Senior Netball Team, who once again are the Combined Catholic Colleges Championship winning team and our Junior girls who came runners up - an extraordinary achievement!

MOUNT ERIN BOARDING GRADUATION MASS AND DINNER

On Wednesday evening the Mount Erin Boarding community gathered for a very special celebration to mark the end of Boarding for the Year 12 Graduands in just a few short weeks.

Fr Sean Byrnes and Fr Andrew Grace celebrated Mass in the Mount Erin Chapel, assisted by Seminarian Patrick Drum and students who took on special roles as readers and musicians.

With Year 12 parents, Leadership staff from both Colleges, Sr Barbara Webber and the Year 7 to 11 Boarders all present, it was a very special occasion. Each of the graduands was presented with their Mount Erin candle, a tradition that encourages students to go into the world to light the way, in the spirit of Nano Nagle.

Following Mass and photos in the Chapel, the Year 12 graduands, invited guests and parents attended the Graduation Dinner at the Botanical Gardens. As well as enjoying a delicious dinner and hospitality together, the evening allowed the Head of Boarding Mr John Bussenchutt and the Boarding Coordinator Mrs Jackie Tassell to individually farewell the students. As well, the College Leaders thanked the staff and acknowledged the contribution of parents as partners in their children’s boarding experience. The very enjoyable event concluded with thank you speeches from the Boarding Captains and more photo opportunities for their families.

We wish all Year 12 Boarders every success in the upcoming HSC examinations.

FATHER'S DAY

As we approach Father’s Day, we pause to acknowledge with thanks the selflessness, dedication and love of all our fathers/dads and fatherly people in our College community. We ask God to bless them as we pray:

God our Father,

We give thanks for the lives of these special men.

On this special day, we ask that you might send down your spirit upon the dads and father figures gathered here and give them the gifts of wisdom, gentleness, compassion and your continuous love.

May the Lord bless and keep you;

May He make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

May the Lord be your hope and guide,

and lead you with tenderness and compassion always. Amen

Mrs Val Thomas | Principal

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