Principal
Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College Community,
This is the last newsletter for the term and the last before Easter – 31 March, at the start of the school holidays.
I wish all a safe and refreshing time during the term 1 break and look forward to seeing everyone back on Monday, 15 April for the start of term 2.
Holy Week and Easter
This Sunday we enter the period the Church recognises as Holy Week, which is the last week of Lent. It commences with, Palm Sunday and will conclude with the Triduum – which begins at sundown on Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord's Supper, continues with Good Friday, and concludes with Easter evening prayer at sundown on Easter Sunday,
Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the crowd's cheers. However, later that week those who cheered would turn and call for Jesus to be executed.
The next significant day is Maundy or Holy Thursday. This is the day we recognise when the Last Supper took place. It is when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as both a literal and symbolic act of service and the following meal established the sacrament of the Eucharist. The night of Maundy Thursday sees Jesus betrayed by one of his friends, Judas, in the garden of Gethsemane. The word maundy comes from the command (mandate) by Christ at the Last Supper, that we should love one another.
Good Friday follows and this is the day we mourn Jesus’ crucifixion. During special Good Friday services, we meditate on Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, and what this means for our faith. The main service on Good Friday takes place at 3.00 pm in many Churches, and Good Friday events are commemorated in the Stations of the Cross, a 14-step devotion. Good Friday is a day of fasting within the Church. Traditionally, there is no Mass and celebration of the Eucharist on Good Friday. A liturgy may still be performed and communion, if taken, comes from hosts consecrated on Holy Thursday. Church bells are silent. Altars are left bare.
Holy Saturday is the day after Good Friday when Jesus rested in the tomb. The Easter Vigil Service on this day is the first Easter service. During this time, we wait and watch, hopeful and confident that Christ will return at midnight.
Easter Sunday follows Holy Saturday, the culmination of Holy Week and the key to our faith. During the Triduum we celebrate the core mystery of our Christian faith: we ritualize Jesus' transition from life to death to risen life, and our participation in that timeless mystery.
This is not an historical commemoration; we are doing it for more than recalling historical facts. What Jesus did for us has consequences for all people at all times. His life, death, and resurrection happened to him, but they also happen to all of us who claim to be his followers These days, then, are a reminder and celebration of who we are and what our lives are about.
As we celebrate the mystery of Jesus' passing, we celebrate the same passing over in our own lives. Jesus' self-sacrifice opened the way for us to share in new life. But this does require our cooperation in God's divine plan of salvation. We must pass over our lives into God's hands and imitate the self-giving of God's Son.
We will celebrate a Holy Thursday Liturgy on 28 March, the last day of term. It has been prepared by Sarah Roscoe-Smith and the Year 12 Youth Ministry Team. Thanks to all in advance for the enormous amount of preparation to ensure the liturgy is well organised and offer a prayerful experience.
May the risen Christ of Easter, the one united fully in the life and love of God, who invites us to share this life and love with him, fill our hearts this Easter – and lead us to a richer appreciation of life and love help us to radiate the peace and joy of life to others. May our world become a more peaceful and loving place as a result of the effects of Easter on all people of goodwill.
House Athletics Competition
Last Tuesday we held our House Athletics Carnival. The day was extremely well organised and there was high participation by the students present on the day. Congratulations to Chisholm House for winning the competition. They were dominant all day.
Thank you to Travis Newton for his leadership and organisation and he received great support from Donna Wyle, Ruby Adkins, and Jodie Connell. Thank you to all staff for their work on the day.
You can read more about the day in the report in the Sport@MMCRC section of this Newsletter.
SSV Competitions
Thank you Well done to all our athletes and the coaches for their efforts in the completions we have participated in during this term. Thanks to Travis Newton for his leadership.
NAPLAN Testing
Thank you to Laura Higgins for her organisation and leadership of the NAPLAN Testing for Years 7 and 9 over the last few weeks. Thank you to our students for the diligent manner in which they participated and finally I am appreciative of all the staff who assisted and supervised.
Parent, Teacher, and Student Interviews
Last night we held Parent Teacher and Student interviews in the Senior School Building. It was great to be able to speak with families. Thank you to all involved in setting up the interviews, particularly Jodie Connell and Edson Letendrie.
Next Wednesday we will conduct another round of interviews, so if you are yet to book a time please do so as soon as possible.
Staffing News
We welcome Tony Chandler this week who will be teaching Science and Maths
Georgia Townley will commence maternity leave at the end of the term.
Laura Higgins will commence maternity Leave at the end of the term.
Cade Maskell will commence as Year 12 Wellbeing Leader in term 2 whilst Georgia is on leave.
Di Malloy will commence as the Learning and Assessment Leader at the start of Term 2.
Cassie Raschle will commence as the Learning & Teaching Leader for Science in Term 2.
Many of you will already be aware that Carly Kitchingman will be finishing with us on 12 April and taking up the position of Personal Assistant to the DeputyPrincipals atMarist Sion College in Warragul in Term 2. We will acknowledge Carly for her extraordinary contributions to the College during her seven years with us next week. However, for now, I want to thank her for supporting me in my work as Principal since 2022. Carly has many attributes, but most outstanding is her capacity to not only know everyone (staff, families, and in particular the students) in the school but also to know about them. This is because she has a genuine interest in people and wants the best for every person she meets. She will be an enormous gain for MSCW.
Concerning recruiting an Executive Assistant to the Principal, we are working with Best Match Recruitment in this process and more details can be found on their website .
Also, at the end of this term, we will farewell Lyn Mills. Many of you would know that Lyn has been part of the College since 1988 and has had a significant influence on the students she has taught and has the gratitude of their families over the years. Additionally, the staff over Lyn’s time at the College have appreciated her support and friendship. We wish Lyn every enjoyment in the next phase of her life and we will see her again after she completes Long Service Leave as a Casual Relief Teacher. Thank you Lyn.
Sapientia Domini Docet Nos
John M Freeman