Faith and Mission

Indigenous Culture

‘Warami Mittigar’ – which means “Hello friends... welcome!” in the local Darug language.

My name is Lachlan Ridgeway, and I am a proud Worimi man from the Newcastle area. The Worimi Nation extends from the Hunter River in the south to Forster in the north, and as far west as the Barrington Tops.

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this land, the Darug people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present, and emerging. They hold the memories, the traditions, and the hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia.

As one of the current senior Indigenous students at St Luke’s Catholic College, I am committed to continuing our cultural journey in partnership with Uncle Ted and the Jarara Indigenous Education Unit. Together, we are working to maintain, strengthen, and build upon the cultural initiatives that have been started at our school.

As a group of Indigenous students, we aim to carry forward the projects that have been left in our care. Some exciting initiatives currently in progress include:

• Creating a Totem Mission unique to St Luke’s - We hope to unveil this totem by the end of this year
• Creating a Video to educate the College on how to use the Yarning Circle 
• Establishing an Indigenous Focus Group

…and we hope to have more to come!

Our goal is to ensure these initiatives continue each year—some as long-term cultural goals, and others as actions that can begin within the next few terms. 

Faith and Formation

Liturgy

Year and Stage Masses

The term began with some very exciting news — our St Luke’s Church has been officially opened! Our Kindergarten students were the first to celebrate their Stage Mass in Week 2, followed by our Year 5 students. The children were reverent, respectful, and deeply engaged as they participated in the celebration of the Eucharist, guided by Father Gayan. It was a special moment to see our youngest learners experience Mass in our beautiful new church.

In Week 3, Stage 1 and Year 7 students also came together in prayer and thanksgiving during their own Masses. Once again, students showed great reverence and joy as they gathered as a faith community. It has been a wonderful experience for our students to feel God’s presence in their lives and to celebrate together in our new sacred space.

Formation

Introduction of Midday Prayer at St Luke’s

This term, St Luke’s has introduced Midday Prayer, led by Year 12 Student leaders across all stages of the College. This initiative is being embraced from Kindergarten to Year 12, providing a shared moment of reflection for our entire community and an opportunity for parents to discuss the daily prayer with their children.

Each day follows a simple and reflective format:

• Monday: The Angelus
• Tuesday: Lectio Divina – staff and students reflect on a short piece of Scripture together.
• Wednesday: Meditation – a time for stillness and reflection, including Scripture meditations and the Examen.
• Thursday: The Rosary – one mystery per week, focusing on the Joyful Mysteries in the first five weeks of Term 4.
• Friday: The School Prayer 

This new rhythm of prayer invites our community to pause in the middle of each day, creating space to reconnect with God and one another through reflection, gratitude, and faith.

SAVE the DATE - Christmas Carols in the Marketplace

Join us for our St Luke’s Catholic College and Parish Community Christmas Carols as we come together to celebrate the joy and spirit of Christmas!

Our students will be sharing their talents through song and dance, bringing festive cheer to our whole community. And… we’ve sent a special invitation to Santa — we’re hoping he’ll be able to make an appearance too!

Date: Friday December 5 

Time: from 5.30 to start at 6 pm sharpLocation: The Marketplace

Bring your family, and Christmas spirit — it’s sure to be a wonderful evening of celebration and community connection.

We hope to see you there!!

YCS News:

The 2025/26 Young Christian Students (YCS) Leadership Commemorates its journey together this term! 

After a multitude of discussions and decision-making hosted by the YCS President, Salma Bah, and the Vice President, Anshdeep Thind, on electing its new leaders, we proudly announce the student roles for 2026:

• Atharv Rathore (Year 12)  - Secretary 
• Asmika Vanam (Year 12) - Marketing Director 
• Japraj Kaur (Year 12) - Treasurer 
• Sudeep Velagapudi (Year 12) - Mentor

Together with the YCS Team, the leaders have identified a new direction in solving a common issue - academic stress, and planning the next steps or movements that can minimise stress and maximise student wellbeing. This has been done by the YCS methodology of See, Judge, Act, in shaping and sparking new, insightful conversations. The common question “What makes you feel so stressed about school?” has pivoted the direction for student engagement and response. Some of the following responses include a lack of organisational tools and time management. Reflecting on this, the YCS team has now started its brightest next movement of solving stressful environments.

- Written by Atharv Rathore, Secretary, St Luke's YCS Team

Social Outreach

At St Luke’s, our Social Justice initiatives are grounded in our Catholic faith. We are guided by the belief that :

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him.” – Genesis 1:27.This reminds us of the dignity and worth of every person, calling us to act with compassion and justice, especially for those on the margins of society.

St Luke’s Vinnie’s Christmas Hampers

As we enter the season of Advent and prepare our hearts for Christmas, we once again take part in the annual St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hamper Appeal. This initiative is a wonderful way for our St Luke’s community to live out our call to serve others and bring hope to families doing it tough at Christmas.

Each class has been allocated specific items to donate, which can be found HERE. 

We kindly ask that students bring their donations into their classrooms, where collection tubs have been provided. All donations must be non-perishable and have a minimum six-month shelf life to ensure they can be distributed safely.

Your generosity directly supports local families in need, helping them to experience the joy and dignity of Christmas. Together, we can make a meaningful difference and be, in the words of St Vincent de Paul, “the hands of Jesus in the world today.”

Donations will be accepted up to Friday, November 28. Thank you for your continued support and compassion during this special time of giving.

Music Therapy at Marsden Park Care Community

Throughout terms 2 and 3 a group of Year 7 and 8 students have regularly participated in Music Therapy sessions at Marsden Park Care Community. During the visits, students and residents have been learning two songs Que cera and Perfect by Ed Sheeran.  Each week they have continued rehearsing the songs in preparation for the upcoming Spring Fair in November.  The sessions provide a meaningful opportunity for students and residents to connect and build new friendships. The students through their commitment to this initiative demonstrate a strong commitment to our Faith in Action values by offering support and encouragement to others through singing and the playing of instruments.  These students will be performing with the residents the 2 songs they have been learning together at the upcoming Spring Fair in November.

Spring Fair at Marsden Park Care Community

On Thursday, November 20, a team of talented singers, dancers, and musicians from across the College will visit Marsden Park Care Community to help celebrate their Spring Fair and second anniversary of operation. Students will share a variety of cultural and creative dance performances, while our choir and band will provide joyful entertainment for the residents.

This visit is a wonderful opportunity for our students to share their gifts and talents with the older generation, bringing connection, joy, and community spirit to this special celebration.

We hope to provide updates and photos of this vent in the next issue of The Net.

Operation Christmas Child

This term, our St Luke’s community once again participated in Operation Christmas Child, a global initiative of Samaritan’s Purse that brings joy and hope to children in need around the world.

Operation Christmas Child invites individuals, families, and groups to pack shoeboxes filled with gifts such as toys, school supplies, and hygiene items. Each box becomes a tangible expression of God’s love, reminding children that they are seen, valued, and cared for. For many recipients, this shoebox is the first gift they have ever received.

This year, we are delighted to share that 46 shoeboxes—lovingly packed by our families and staff—were delivered on Monday, 27 October, ready to be sent to children in vulnerable situations across the world.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed. Your generosity and compassion help bring smiles, joy, and the Good News of Jesus to communities that need it most.

WASTE FREE WEDNESDAYS - Social Justice Initiative

In alignment with Pope Francis’ call in Laudato Si’ to care for our common home, we have introduced ‘Waste Free Wednesdays’. This initiative encourages students to bring lunches free from single-use plastics, fostering environmental stewardship and reflecting our Catholic values.

Each Wednesday, we’re encouraging all students and staff to bring waste-free lunches to help care for our environment.

• That means: Reusable containers Refillable drink bottles Nude food (no wrappers or single-use plastics)

Let’s work together to reduce waste and protect God’s creation.Every small action makes a big difference! 

Think Green. Act Clean. Be Waste-Free! 

Thank you for your support in making this initiative a success! 

From the St Luke’s Parish Community

Parish Contacts

Should you need to contact the St Luke’s Parish Community, the contact details follow

here:

Fr Gayan Thamel: gayan.thamel@parracatholic.org

Parish Priest

Ged Oblea: marsdenpark@parracatholic.org

Administrative Assistant

Ph: 02 8530 0173 Mobile: 0422 724 160

Website: https://stlukesmarsdenpark.org.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stlukesmarsdenpark