Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Lent and Our Journey to Easter
This morning, on Ash Wednesday, we gathered for a special prayer service to mark the beginning of Lent. Lent is a season of penance, reflection and fasting which prepares us for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which we attain redemption. During the service in Homegroups, the Ashes were used to mark our foreheads with a cross to remind us that life passes away but eternal life awaits us. Ashes are a symbol of penance, and they help us to develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice.
The distribution of ashes comes from a ceremony of ages past when Christians who had committed grave faults performed public penance and were marked with ashes as a sign of their sinfulness. The ancient ceremony has developed into our present day liturgy when all Christians are invited to receive the ashes out of devotion and as a sign of our need for forgiveness and to forgive. The ashes are made from the palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year and are blessed with Holy Water and scented by exposure to incense. While the ashes symbolise penance and contrition, they are also a reminder that God is gracious and merciful to those with repentant hearts.
God’s Divine mercy is of upmost importance during the season of Lent, and the Church calls on us to seek that mercy during the entire Lenten season with prayer, penance and good works. At Mater Dei, we put an emphasis on all three of these important aspects.
Ash Wednesday is a day of prayer and fasting as we commence our forty day journey to Easter.
As Catholics traditionally do not eat meat on Ash Wednesday, a special canteen and café menu was is in place today and more non meat options will be available each Friday during Lent.
A Lenten Prayer for Families
Lord, as we begin this holy season of Lent,
Grant us a change of heart that we might turn away from sin and follow your Son’s Gospel.
We ask you to fill us with a hunger for
what is just.
May our lives become more grace filled through prayer,
self-sacrifice and a willingness to share.
We ask you this, through Christ our Lord.
Amen
Farewell to Centacare Counsellors Mrs Emma Carroll and Mrs Bronwyn Wallet
It is with great sadness that we farewell our Centacare Counsellors Mrs Emma Carroll and Mrs Bronwyn Wallet this week. They have both been a valued part of our College community since 2010 and have brought great skills and warm and caring hearts to their work at Mater Dei. Emma and Bronwyn are both taking up new positions beyond Centacare and leave Mater Dei with our thanks and our very best wishes for their new roles. Centacare has advised that the process of appointing a new counsellor for the College is underway.
Welcome to Mr Craig Britton
This week we will welcome Mr Craig Britton to the Science staff at Mater Dei for the 2015 school year. Craig graduated from CSU last year and comes highly recommended from Junee High School and Kildare Catholic College, where he under took his professional experience placements. He has been working at Kildare this term as a casual teacher. Craig will be teaching junior Science here but comes well qualified for senior courses, with specialisations in both Physics and Chemistry. He has a particular interest and capacity in using technology to enhance learning and engage his Science students. We warmly welcome Craig to the Mater Dei family.
Repair Costs for Laptops
Information about the Laptop Program accompanied the last edition of the newsletter in the form of “Frequently Asked Questions”. Details about the contribution by parents to the payment of repairs to damaged laptops were included in this document. The College shares the repair costs with parents, who are invoiced for the replacement parts. The College pays all labour costs associated with repairs.
Parents are asked to support the College in minimising damage to laptops by insisting that students carry them in the laptop bags supplied and reminding them to store their laptops safely at school and at home.
Year 12 Retreats
Please keep our Year 12 students in your prayers as they gather for their Retreat at Warrambui this week. Fr Bernie and I will join them for Mass on Thursday night, which is the pinnacle of this special time of prayer and reflection.
Mrs Val Thomas
Principal