Mission and Identity
The Sacraments of Communion and Confirmation
Our celebration of the sacraments of Communion and Confirmation took place on Sunday, 24 May, at St Ignatius Parish Church and was a truly joyful afternoon led by Bishop Greg O’Kelly. Families and staff gathered to support and celebrate this important milestone in the faith journey of our young students.
The celebration held even deeper significance as it took place on Pentecost Sunday, the day the Church celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit, marking the birth of the Church and sending the disciples out with courage, faith and purpose. As they received the gifts of the Holy Spirit through Confirmation and gathered around the table of the Eucharist through Communion, they were invited to continue growing as people of faith and discipleship.
We extend our sincere thanks to all those who helped prepare our candidates for these special Sacraments, Fr Chris Jenkins SJ, Ms Amanda Rego, Ms Sarah Shaw and Ms Kirrily White, families, sponsors and all who supported them along the way. The partnership between home, school and parish is so important in nurturing the faith of our young people.
Congratulations to each of our Communion and Confirmation candidates. May the gifts of the Holy Spirit continue to guide you, strengthen you and inspire you as you continue your journey of faith.
National Reconciliation Week – All In
This week, we recognise National Reconciliation Week, a time for all Australians to reflect on our shared history and our collective responsibility to walk together towards a more just and reconciled future. The theme, “All In,” invites each of us to actively contribute to reconciliation, recognising that meaningful change happens when everyone commits to the journey.
At Loreto, this theme resonates strongly with our Loreto value of Justice. Justice calls us to recognise the dignity of every person and to work towards a world where relationships are built on respect, understanding, inclusion and equity. As a school community, reconciliation is not just a one-week focus - it is part of who we are and how we seek to live out our values each day. It invites us to listen deeply to the stories, experiences and wisdom of First Nations Peoples, and to recognise the rich cultures and traditions that have shaped this land for tens of thousands of years.
On Wednesday, our Indigenous Leader Evie, and Deputy Indigenous leader Jess attended the National Reconciliation Week Breakfast. This event grows ever year and is now the biggest in the country. The theme for this year is ‘All In’, a call to action for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day.
The girls listened deeply to Aunty Ros’ story about the impact of the Stolen Generations and were encouraged by keynote speaker Eddie Betts' story of resilience and determination. Eddie also shared the importance of working together for reconciliation, saying, “You can’t build a bridge from one side”.
May this week encourage us all to be “All In” as we continue to build understanding, strengthen relationships and work together for a future marked by truth, respect and justice.
Magnifica Humanitas ‘Magnificent Humanity’
Pope Leo XIV first encyclical, one of the very highest levels of Church teaching, has now been released. It is called Magnifica Humanitas ('Magnificent Humanity'), which addresses the challenges of safeguarding the human person in the age of AI.
What is significant is that Pope Leo XIV signed the encyclical on May 15, 135 years to the day that the last Pope Leo XIII, signed his landmark encyclical Rerum Novarum, which laid the foundations for modern Catholic Social Teaching through its focus on human dignity, the rights of workers, and social upheaval written at the time of the Industrial Revolution.
Pope Leo XIV addresses the central role of schools in paragraphs 143 – 147.
You can access the full encyclical here: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html
Or a handy breakdown here: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-05/pope-leo-xiv-encyclical-magnifica-humanitas-ai.html
Martina O’Connell
Assistant Principal: Mission and Identity