Principal

A Reflection on Prayer and The Magnificat

In our faith journey, we often encounter days filled with challenges—pressures from work, fatigue, and distractions can make it difficult to find time for prayer. Faced with making a difficult decision this week, I took the time to pause, go to the Chapel, and pray for the inspiration to make the right decision. I took my trusty prayer book with me that I have had since Year 6 (!) and it randomly opened at the Magnificat. An often-forgotten prayer, I was reminded of its beauty.

Yet, as a wise Franciscan priest once shared with me, it is essential to strive for at least one sincere, focused prayer each day, particularly the Our Father.

The Gospels present us with two precious prayers: the Lord’s Prayer, which Jesus taught us, and the Magnificat, spoken by Mary, the Mother of Jesus. While the Our Father is widely known, the Magnificat holds profound significance. It expresses deep gratitude and praise to God for uplifting the humble and the oppressed.

In the Gospel of Luke, we witness Mary's beautiful encounter with her cousin Elizabeth during the Visitation. This moment is not merely a celebration of new life; it reflects the transformative power of God’s presence in the world. Mary’s words in the Magnificat celebrate God’s promise to lift the lowly and fill the hungry, affirming that justice will ultimately prevail.

However, as we look around us, we may feel disheartened by the ongoing struggles faced by the poor and marginalised. The gap between rich and poor continues to widen, and many still suffer from hunger and violence. It can be easy to feel powerless in the face of such injustice.

Yet, the Magnificat reminds us of the hope found in Jesus's resurrection. It assures us that, despite current challenges, there will come a day when justice is restored and the powerful are brought low. This prayer is not just a reflection of Mary’s joy; it is a powerful declaration of hope for all who suffer.

As we grow in our faith, let us commit to praying the Magnificat daily, allowing it to give voice to our hopes and the cries of the oppressed. In doing so, we join Mary in proclaiming God’s faithfulness and justice.

Br Berg LCD Scoreboard Campaign     

We truly appreciate each parent/carer, student or community member who has donated money towards the scoreboard campaign after last week’s Especean. 

There are many other donors who prefer to keep their donations anonymous – we thank each of you as well.

Our current total has now edged along to $28,744.98.

As you can see, we are a long way from our target! Curiously, many of our families contributed to a neighbouring school’s Day of Giving, which raised over $300,000! However, we have not been beneficiaries of their largesse. 

If every family (who has not already done so) could contribute a minimum of $100 (which is tax-deductible), we would reach our target before the end of the year. We will acknowledge all benefactors by perpetually making a list of donors available from a QR code on the plaque that we install. 

If you can, please donate today. We would gratefully receive more! The link to the Australian Sports Foundation website is Br Berg LCD Scoreboard Breen Oval. 

Help us to achieve our Dream for Breen, a precinct that your son/s can truly enjoy and be proud of! 

Second-Hand Textbooks and Uniforms📚 🎻 ⛹🏻‍♀️ 

We have partnered with Sustainable School Shop to provide families access to second-hand textbooks, uniforms, calculators, musical instruments, sports gear and much more!

Sustainable School Shop have preloaded items specific to our school onto their site. This makes it super easy to list your items for sale and to buy items.

👉🏼 See all the second-hand uniform items for sale here:  https://www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au/stocktake/st-patricks-college-strathfield 

👉🏼 See all the second-hand textbooks for sale here: 

https://www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au/booklist/st-patricks-college-strathfield 

So, jump onto the site, register, and list your items for sale. You will be:

• reusing items rather than adding to landfill
• making money on items you sell
• saving money on items you buy
• providing another family in our school with cheaper items
• helping to create a culture of contact amongst our school community families!

💻 Login or register here: https://www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au.

Parents' and Friends' Committee: Join us in 2025!

As we approach the end of 2024, it's time to elect new members to lead our Parents' and Friends' (P&F) Committee! Any position on the P&F Executive is usually filled for a maximum of two 2-year terms. All current positions will be vacated, so we are looking for dedicated individuals to fill the following roles:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Social Coordinator
• Parent Representative Coordinator

If you are passionate about supporting our school community and would like to contribute your skills, this is your chance! These roles are crucial to ensuring the success of P&F initiatives in 2025.

For further details about the roles, please email the P&F team at : Parentsandfriends@spc.nsw.edu.au. 

If you are interested in applying for any of the positions, please contact Mr. Adrian Byrne at Adrian.byrne@spc.nsw.edu.au or complete this online form. 

All nominations should be in no later than Friday, 8 November 2024. The online form can also be accessed using this QR Code.

Get involved, make a difference, and help shape the future of our school!

Community News

• Old boy Martin Deehan (’94) and his wife Laura, who have a son, Patrick (Year 8), received some terrible news about their second son, Daniel, Paddy’s younger brother. Daniel is currently bravely facing a serious medical battle, for which he is receiving ongoing medical treatment. 

Each one of us could participate in a Novena Prayer for Healing (each day for nine days) for Daniel and those we know and love who are facing similar battles:

(Mention your request for Daniel and other loved ones here…) 

Say 1: Our Father…  Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…

In Memoriam

Please keep in your prayers the family of Valentino (Year 11), Marcello (Year 9) and Old Boy Alessandro Romeo ('22 College Captain), who recently lost their beloved grandmother Pamela Katen.

Dr Vittoria Lavorato

Principal

SPC boys can do anything! 

**except divide by zero