Mission and Religious Education

Mission and Religious Education

Mission 

Beginning of Year Mass

Today Friday March 10 we celebrated our Beginning of Year Mass. It is important to take the time at the beginning of the school year to gather as a school family and pray for God’s blessings. It was a wonderful celebration of school spirit as students and staff gathered with parents, other family members, friends and parishioners. Many of our students participated through altar serving, reading and taking up symbols of our school year to create a prayer focus and our School Captains: Ruby Kenafick and Nicholas Gallagher and Sports Captains Riley Butcher and Ryan Elliott were officially inducted and presented with their badges by Father Curran and Bronwyn Underwood. Congratulations Captains, we know you will do a great job and represent the school with pride. We thank Father Curran for his guidance and support of all we do.

Symbols of our school life at St Michael’s.

The Bible – The Bible reminds us of how to act in all of life’s situations by following God’s word and examples.

A Candle - A candle reminds us of our school motto “Let Your Light Shine”, which encourages us to be an example to others, a light shining in the darkness, a guide along life’s path. 

Our School Flag – Our school flag reminds us that we are called together as one family under the banner of St Michael’s.

Our School Houses of Penola & MacKillop – Our School Houses of Penola & MacKillop remind us that we have fun together and work together in teams to support one another.

School Books – Our school books remind us that we will learn many new and interesting things that allow us passage through understanding to the fullness of life. 

Music & Sports Equipment – Our Music and Sports equipment remind us to enjoy all aspects of school and to live life to the fullest. 

St Michael’s School Captains and Sports Captains Pledge

Lord, we offer ourselves to you as leaders of St Michael's School in 2023.

Lord, help us to show love and loyalty to you, Fr Curran, our teachers, other staff members and our fellow students. May the Spirit of God open our eyes to the needs of others, open our hands to give freely in service and open our hearts to all.

Help us to use our gifts to be of service and to give good example to others through humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance and love.

AMEN.

St Michael’s Mini Vinnies and Catholic Earthcare Committee - Social Justice and Charitable Works

At St Michael’s we have a strong sense of Social Justice and our Mini Vinnies and Catholic Earthcare Committee (Caritas Australia) is our student-led group of dedicated students in Years 3-6 and staff who volunteer their time and talents to lead social justice and charitable works initiatives at St Michael’s school. These initiatives are founded in recognising and protecting the dignity of the human person and strive to promote the common good. 

St Michael’s Mini Vinnies and Catholic Earthcare committee also supports the work of  Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion, Catholic Mission through their Socktober Program as well as engaging with other organisations and initiatives such as Bear Cottage and Clean Up Australia Day. We are a Level 2 accredited Catholic Earthcare school and this year we continue to have a special focus on Laudato Si’ leading ecological change and promoting Environmental Sustainability.

We will induct our 2023 Mini Vinnies and Catholic Earthcare Committee at the Ash Wednesday Mass on Wednesday 22 February. Parents, relatives and friends are welcome to attend.

We welcome any parents and carers who would like to join our ‘Leaders of Light’ committee in supporting our work throughout the year. We meet most Monday’s of the Term at 11.15am for approximately 15 minutes in the School Library. 

Twilight Prayer Retreat

Parents, carers and parishioners are invited to join with St Michael’s school staff in attending a Twilight Prayer Retreat on Monday 13 February 3.30pm - 5.00pm. This retreat is facilitated by the CSO Spirituality Team and is a time for adults to gather together in prayer.

Lent

Lent is the Church season when we prepare to celebrate Easter. It is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving (giving to the poor). The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and finishes on Holy Thursday at sundown.  Busted Halo has a clip Lent in 3 Minutes that is helpful in understanding Lent.

Ash Wednesday Mass

On Ash Wednesday we will be attending Mass with the parish. At this Mass all in attendance are signed with a cross of ashes on their foreheads. When the children receive the ashes the words “Remember friend that Jesus loves you” are spoken to remind us on the first day of Lent that Jesus loves us throughout Lent we try and grow closer in our relationship with God.

Parish Lenten Groups

Parents, carers and friends are invited to attend the Parish Lenten groups held in the Presbytery at 5.oopm each Monday during the Lenten Season commencing on Monday 27 February. Lenten groups are a time to gather and pray together. Everyone is welcome. Please contact Father Curran for further information.

Stations of the Cross

During the season of Lent the Stations of the Cross are prayed in St Michael’s Church on a Friday evening. Everyone is welcome. Please contact Father Curran for further information.

Living Well, Learning Well - Pastoral Care and Wellbeing 

Legends of the Light Shine 

The Legends of the Light Shine Program is a Christ-centred school-developed program that recognises and celebrates the sacredness of each individual developing student leadership skills, peer support, and fosters positive social and emotional behaviours. These behaviours reflect the example of Jesus  ‘light of the world,’ who taught us all how to walk in the light as people of faith, hope and love. Our school motto “Let Your Light Shine” reminds each of us that we are all called to be Legends of the Light Shine by following the example of Jesus and being a light for the world and by supporting others to let their light shine. The program explicitly teaches positive character attributes that reflect the Light of Christ in the world today such as compassion, empathy, equity, honesty and teamwork. The program is led by Stage 3 students who work collaboratively to develop engaging activities to explicitly teach the weekly focus of a positive character attribute. Students are divided into 12 small groups of students from K-6. Each group is then allocated a home room with 3 groups in each home room and 2  teachers to assist them.  Teachers are responsible for monitoring behaviour. 

Our current focus is introducing our 2023 Legends of the Light Shine Groups and establishing high expectations.

St Michael’s Clean Up Australia Day

Friday 3 March is St Michael’s Clean Up Australia Day. On this day staff and students will take time to clean up our playground in support of the Clean Up Australia Day campaign on Sunday 5 March.

“Let Your Light Shine” support others to let their light shine and remember “We Shine Brighter Together”

Jacqueline Cronin

Assistant Principal - Mission