Mission and Religious Education

Mission and Religious Education

Jane Martin

We ask you to keep Jane Martin, our wonderful groundsperson and her family in your prayers. Jane passed away last Friday 28 February. Jane was a great help to our C2S committee during her time at St Michael’s, helping us with the fruit trees, labyrinth and veggie gardens and we remember and appreciate all she did to help us. 

Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace.

Stage 2 Class Mass

Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4) will be celebrating their Class Mass at the 9.30am Mass on Friday 14 March. Everyone is welcome.

Project Compassion

Project Compassion Boxes went home this week on Ash Wednesday to each family. Project Compassion is the main fundraising event for Caritas Australia during the Season of Lent and calls us all to unite against poverty. We encourage all families to give generously to this social justice fundraiser by contributing money to the Project Compassion Boxes or directly online. Project Compassion Boxes can be returned to school at the end of term or taken to the Church at the end of Lent. All money raised goes directly to Caritas Australia to help the poor in Australia and overseas.

Twilight Retreat

Parents, carers and parishioners are invited to join with St Michael’s school staff in attending a Twilight Prayer Retreat on Tuesday 11 March 3.30pm - 5.00pm. This retreat is facilitated by the CSO Spirituality Team and is a time for adults to gather together in prayer. This year’s theme is ‘Pilgrimage’ to reflect the Jubilee year.

C2S (Called to Shine) Committee News

Our C2S Committee is a team of volunteer students in Years 2-6 who work with Assistant Principals Cathy Shepherd and myself for ecological justice in our world. The Committee meets at the start of lunch each Monday and gives an authentic student voice to addressing social and ecological issues in our school and world. The C2S Committee leads charitable works and ecological initiatives at St Michael’s.

Week 5 Meeting - Monday 24 February

Discussed fundraising ideas for Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion

Week 6 Meeting - Monday 3 March

At our Week 6 meeting the committee members organised the Project Compassion Boxes and posters to go home and for each classroom and delivered them. The Committee members are continuing to think about fundraising ideas for Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion to discuss at next week’s meeting.

Environmental Legends and Little Doves

Our Environmental Legends are a team of volunteer students in Years 3-6 who work with the Little Doves, a team of volunteer students in K-2 and myself to lead environmental and sustainability initiatives within our school. Our work in this area is in response to Pope Francis’ call to action in Laudato Si’ to Care for the Earth Our Common Home and to hear and respond to the Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor.

Induction of C2S Committee Members, Environmental Legends and Little Doves

At the end of the Ash Wednesday Mass our C2S Committee Members, Environmental Legends and Little Doves were officially inducted into their roles. This year due to the enthusiasm of our younger students we opened up Little Doves to include volunteers from Year 1 and Kindgarten. We are pleased to recognise that over 80% of our students have volunteered their time this year to work for social justice in our world, as we hear and respond to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor in our world. 

As part of their induction the students read the following pledge;

“As a member of the C2S Committee and Environmental Legends, I promise to make a difference in my world by:

• Caring for and respecting myself.
• Strengthening my friendship with Jesus through prayer and following his example.
• Caring for others especially the poor, sick  and lonely.
• Contributing to the happiness of my family by my willingness to help
• Treating others the way I would like them to treat me.
• Caring for our common home, the earth.”

Following their pledge Father Curran gave the volunteers a special blessing. Congratulations to all of our wonderful student volunteers. We are very proud of you.

Legends of the Light Shine

Our Legends of the Light Shine Program is a program that runs across our school, led by students in Stage 3. This program focuses on Christian living, recognising and promoting Christian virtues and positive attributes.

This Fortnight’s Legends of the Light Shine Focus

Today we introduced our new Legends of the Light Shine focus for Weeks 5 and 6. Our new focus is Service and links in well with our Service Week next week in Week 7, when we encourage each class to engage in an act of service. 

Connecting With Our Parish

Weekend Mass Times

We encourage all of our families to celebrate Sunday Mass with our parish.

Manilla Parish Mass Times

1st Sunday of the month - Sunday 8.30am

2nd, 3rd & 4th Sunday of the month - Saturday 5.30pm

Attunga Mass Times

2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday of the month - Sunday 12 noon

Jubilee Year - Pilgrims of Hope

Pope Francis has declared 2025 a Jubilee Year for our Church, themed “Pilgrims of Hope”, a  year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the climate crisis. 

Living Well, Learning Well 

Living Well Learning Well is a student support framework for Catholic Schools in the Armidale Diocese. The framework is based on a universal and unconditional positive regard for children and young people and supports faith, learning, wellbeing and positive behaviour domains.

St Michael’s School Rules For Living

St Michael’s School Rules For Living encompass those in the Living Well Learning Well Framework.

Parents As Partners

St Michael’s works in partnership with the families in our school to achieve a high standard of education for the students in our care. Please be aware that the SchoolTV tab on our St Michael’s School Website provides parents and families with lots of wellbeing resources to support you with many of the challenging aspects of parenting.

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

Jacquelene Cronin

Assistant Principal - Mission