Principal's Message

We have wonderful news, 'Habemus Papam' - we have a Pope. Pope Leo XIV, successor of St Peter, is the 267th Pope of our Catholic Church. While each Pope brings different gifts and is remembered uniquely, they also bring stability and continuity, for they are the custodians of our living tradition. Up until his election, Pope Leo XIV was Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. This was a great responsibility as he oversaw the appointment of Bishops all around the world. He is the first American-born Pope, and the first from the Order of St Augustine. Our new Pope's background is fascinating and inspiring.

While born and educated in the United States, Pope Leo has lived and worked in different parts of the world. Unsurprisingly, he is multilingual. Pope Leo spent much of his life in Peru, where he was a missionary, teacher, Parish Priest and Bishop. He was greatly admired for his selflessness, his genuine love of others, and his outreach to the poor. This respect led to his promotion within the Order of St Augustine Order, where he served two terms as the Prior General in Rome. 

Pope Leo’s work in Rome and Latin America was known and admired by Pope Francis and the two shared a very close, trusting relationship. 

Pope Leo is also no stranger to Australia, having been here a number of times. Those who have met him, and who have worked with him, speak of his prayerfulness and humility, and his desire 'not to be in the limelight'. In a very real way, Pope Leo’s life has reflected the Augustinian charism, for we know that this great saint of the early Church reminded us that, “you have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

Pope Leo XIV is the sixth Pope of my lifetime. When I think back, I recognise that each of his predecessors was different and each did great things for our Church. They also had many things in common, especially their desire to make the person of Jesus Christ known and loved. And they did this with a missionary zeal. I know that Pope Leo will do great things also. 

As we share in the joy, with our new Pope, we pray that his pontificate will heal the wounds of the world, strengthen us in faith, and deepen our love of God and neighbour.    

Mother’s Day

It was lovely to see so many mothers join us for our Mother’s day Mass and celebration. Being able to have so many of you present was amazing. The sun shining on all of us made the morning very special. 

Thank you to Mrs Neeson for coordinating the wonderful event and Mrs McInness and all the staff who prepared the students. 

A special thanks to our parent helpers who assisted with breakfast. 

Staff Development Day 6 June 

Please be advised that on Friday, 6 June, the school will be closed for a Staff Development Day. All staff will be offsite, and no care will be provided by the school on this day. 

However, SCECS will be offering care for families who require it. We strongly encourage you to book early to ensure the service can be provided and to secure your child’s place. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Athletics Carnival 2025

Despite the rain setting in, every student embraced the opportunity to run on the track and participate in their class events, making for an exhilarating start to our Annual Athletics Carnival on Monday at Hensley Athletic Field. The energy and enthusiasm from our students truly lit up the day!

A heartfelt thank you goes to Ms Brid Claffey, our dedicated Physical Education teacher, for her outstanding organisation of the event. Days like this don’t happen without the incredible support of our staff and the generosity of our parent volunteers. Your time, effort, and enthusiasm are deeply appreciated — we simply couldn’t do it without you.

To our amazing staff: thank you for your tireless work in making the day run so smoothly. And to our students — congratulations! Your participation, sportsmanship, and smiles (many with ribbons in hand!) made the day a memorable one. Thank you again for being such a supportive and engaged community.

Tell Them From Me (TTFM) 

We would like to invite you to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning survey. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community we would greatly appreciate your feedback. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and wellbeing at St Anthony's. The survey is anonymous and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. 

http://tellthemfromme.com/65pvt

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ACSP 2025 Conference  

I am currently attending the Association of Catholic School Principals (ACSP) Conference, from 21–23 May at Rydges Resort in the beautiful Hunter Valley. This biannual gathering brings together educational leaders from across the region to reflect, learn, and grow in our shared mission of nurturing young minds and hearts.

The theme for this year’s conference is "Living Waters: Leading with Hope, Inspiring Faith Communities." It highlights the vital role school leaders play in shaping not only the academic success of our students but also their spiritual, emotional, and social wellbeing.

This is a valuable opportunity to engage with fellow principals and thought leaders, and I look forward to bringing back fresh insights and inspiration to enrich our school community.

Week 1, 2 & 3 Assembly - Congratulations to the award recipients!

Yours in Partnership

Anna Novak

Principal