Mission and Religious Education

Mission and Religious Education

Mission 

St Michael’s Day 

St Michael the Patron Saint of our school, actually isn’t a saint but an archangel. He is the leader of the archangels and his name comes from the Hebrew and translates to “who is like God” or “gift from God.” St Michael is the protector of all those who love God and like St Michael we strive to reflect the love of God in the world today. St Michael is the patron saint of grocers, soldiers, doctors, mariners, paratroopers and the police. The Feast Day of St Michael along with the other Archangels Gabriel and Raphael is on Friday 29 September and again this year falls in the school holidays. 

We Wish Everyone a Happy Saint Michael’s Day on Friday 29 September

And Say A Big Thankyou to Everyone Who Works to Keep Us Safe

Marriage and Family Week

Week 2 of Term 4 is Marriage and Family Week. This is the week the Diocese of Armidale sets aside to celebrate the important role of family life.

Real Talk

On Monday 16 October St Michael’s students in Year 4 and Year 6 will be joined by students in Year 4 and Year 6 from St Joseph’s Barraba for Real Talk. Real Talk are a company engaged by CSO Armidale to provide information sessions for students in Year 4 and Year 6 relating to identity, eSafety, relationships and love. A note will go home early next term with further details. 

Reconciliation

On Wednesday 18 October students in Year 2 and 3 will go to the Church for the celebration of Reconciliation. Please keep in your prayers Alice Coker who will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. Students who made their First Reconciliation earlier in the year will also go to Reconciliation on this day.

Socktober Fundraiser For Catholic Mission

Socktober is the official fundraising campaign for Catholic Mission held each October. The theme for this year’s Socktober campaign is Kicking Goals For Good in 2023. All money raised goes towards supporting children in Timor-Leste to have a brighter future. During the first 2 weeks of Term 4 the students will be learning about the work of Catholic Mission and how funds raised in Socktober will be used to help the people of Timor Leste. As part of their learning the students will be making sockballs. If you have any scrap material or old clothes you no longer leave, old plastic bags and pieces of twine or string, please send these into school during the first week of Term 4 so that we can make sockballs.

Friday 20 October is our Crazy Sock Day, when students wear their craziest socks to school and bring a gold coin (or larger amount) donation for the people of Timor-Leste. The sport shed will be closed on this day and students will only have the sock balls they made to play with to help provide them with some understanding of what playing sport may be like in some of our poorest countries and to appreciate how lucky we are to have so many great toys to play with.

Please support our fundraising and together let’s sock it to poverty. Below is a photo of our 2021 Kindergarten students wearing their craziest socks

Wholeschool Mass

Our next whole school Mass will be celebrated on Friday 20 October at 9.30am and will be led by Kindergarten. The theme for this Mass will be Mission/Socktober.

Living Well, Learning Well - Pastoral Care and Wellbeing 

Mini Vinnies / Catholic Earthcare Work

Recording Light the Way

On Tuesday 31 October staff and students from St Michael’s Manilla will travel by bus to McCarthy Catholic College to record Light the Way, a song by Andrew Chinn. Our thanks to Andrew Chinn for giving us permission to record his wonderful song and to the McCarthy staff for their assistance and support, especially Rod Wheland and Isaac Carr. This is an exciting opportunity for us and a permission note will be sent home early next term outlining further details.

Legends of the Light Shine

Our Legends of the Light Shine focus for the start of Term 4 will be our School Rules For Living. It is important that these rules are re-visited regularly to encourage positive behaviour and attitudes to learning.

Kamilaroi Environmental Talk

On Friday 20 October Paul Moxon will be speaking to the students about the Kamilaroi culture and how they care for Country and about bush tucker found in the Manilla area.

Wishing everyone a restful and enjoyable holiday.

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

Jacquelene Cronin

Assistant Principal - Mission