Mission and Identity
The Hope that Easter brings
As the season of Lent draws to a close, we are invited to pause and reflect on the journey we have undertaken. Over the past few weeks our community has been called to prayer, fasting, and acts of service seeking to grow in compassion, deepen our faith, and become more aware of the needs of others. Lent is not simply about giving something up; it is about making space for reflection, for gratitude, and for God.
During Holy Week, we walk closely with Jesus through His final days, suffering, death, and His resurrection. These moments remind us that even in times of challenge and uncertainty, hope is never lost. At the end of Lent, we move into the joy of Easter, the most significant celebration in the Christian calendar. Easter is a season, not just a single day, and it marks a new beginning. It is a time filled with light, joy, and the promise of new life.
The celebration of Easter reminds us that love is stronger than fear, and invites us to be people of hope, to bring light into the lives of others, and to continue building a community grounded in compassion and faith. In our world today, that message becomes more pertinent than ever.
Wishing our entire Loreto community a joyful and hope-filled Easter season.
Year 10 Chapel Mass
Amid the busyness and pressures of senior student life, Year 10 Chapel mass was a moment that invited the cohort to pause and to be still during Holy Week. They reflected not only on the story of Christ’s suffering, but on what it revealed about courage, fidelity and self-giving love.
Holy Week reminded Year 10 that even in moments of challenge, uncertainty and struggle they are never alone. We thank Fr Chris Jenkins SJ who celebrated Mass with us on a busy Holy Week.
Senior School Liturgy
The Senior School Holy Week Liturgy brought the community together in a prayerful way, allowing the students to reflect on the story of the most significant days of Holy Week and leading into Easter. Through listening into scripture, prayer, and reflection, students were invited to see the relevance of Holy Week and the Easter story in their own lives, recognising moments of struggle, but also the promise of renewal and new life.
Thinking of others during Lent
Throughout the season of Lent, our senior students have embraced the call to live out their faith through action, participating in the powerful “Walk for Water” initiative in support of Caritas Australia. This experience invited students to step, quite literally, into the daily reality faced by millions of people around the world who must walk long distances to access clean water. Walking together as a community, students were challenged to reflect on the privileges often taken for granted, and to grow in empathy and awareness of global injustice. Through their efforts, they also raised vital funds to support the life-changing work of Caritas, helping to provide access to clean water, education and sustainable futures for vulnerable communities. They also welcomed Caritas Diocesan Director for the Adelaide Archdiocese, Kaz de Souza, to this week’s Senior School Assembly, where she spoke powerfully about the impact a community can have in supporting others.
At the Senior School Assembly, our Social Justice Captains and Diversity Leader spoke with honesty and courage about the impact of global conflict and its human cost today. They invited us to reflect on the deeper realities connected to poverty and inequality, and the devastating cost of conflict in many parts of the world. They invited all present to consider a shift in perspective to look beyond our own experiences and to recognise the dignity and struggles of others. In speaking about the cost of war, our student leaders highlighted our call to awareness and compassion. It reminded our community that the journey of Lent is not just personal, but global. It challenges us to respond not only with generosity, but with a commitment to justice, which is at the heart of a Loreto education.
Martina O’Connell
Assistant Principal: Mission & Identity
Purple Day – Walk for Water
The Junior School participated in a “Walk for Water” on Tuesday 31 March to raise awareness and funds in support of Project Compassion. We began the morning by reflecting on how our support can benefit communities who do not have fast or easy access to clean drinking water.
We were joined by Kaz De Sousa, Caritas Diocesan Director for the Adelaide Archdiocese, who spoke to us about Caritas Project Compassion’s work supporting vulnerable communities. Kaz explained how Caritas provides essential resources such as water and shelter, as well as opportunities to develop skills for the long‑term benefit of communities.
Afterwards, Reception and Year 1 students walked around the Junior School grounds, while Years 2 to 4 made their way to Tusmore Park. Years 5 and 6 students walked to Hazelwood Park.
It was a beautiful day and a meaningful experience, as the students were able to reflect on how fortunate we are to have ready access to clean water.
Junior School Holy Week Liturgy
On the morning of Holy Thursday, the final day of Term 1, year levels held Liturgies in their classrooms to reflect on the Easter Story. Each year level then made their way to the Sunken Garden in the Senior School, where the Year 6 students presented the story of Jesus’ final moments on earth before His death on the cross.
The beautiful narration, prayers, and tableaus set the mood for this solemn occasion, as we prepare to celebrate the joy and significance of Easter Sunday this weekend.
Amanda Rego
Religious Education Coordinator R-6