Principal's Panorama

Great two weeks in the life of SMOTA!!

Excellent learning in all of the classrooms, huge access to great sporting opportunities for our young people, Student Agency Pilot Team, and of course this week culminates in our Reconciliation and First Eucharist Sacramental Programs.

Many thanks to our Skilled Helpful Adults (SHAs) for the preparation of our catechists and our families for entrusting aspects of this faith journey to us. 

It is a joy to be a part of this for our young people. 

Additional thanks to our REC and AP Mrs Lockwood for her group sessions for our catechists and to Father O'Shea for presiding over our celebrations.  Reconciliation was celebrated last night and we look forward to First Eucharist on Sunday at 9:30am.

There have been many wonderful sunsets and sunrises here in Guyra and surrounds for the past few weeks and as a result, a number of mentions of the old; "Red sky morning, Shepherd's warning..Red sky night, shepherds delight" from our young people and our Skilled Helpful Adults (SHAs).

There are a number of variations from the colour choice (red or pink) to a nautical theme with the use of 'sailors' instead of shepherds, although it seems to have originated with Matthew 16:2b-3, where Jesus says:

When it is evening, you say, "It will be fair weather; for the sky is red." And in the morning, "It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening."

According to the BOM and MetOffice in the UK; the reason for the reddish glow of the morning or evening sky is because of particles (dust, smoke etc.) that are trapped in the atmosphere beneath a high pressure system, refract the light, scattering the blue light from the sun's rays, which means by the time the light meets our eyes it is more of the red/orange/yellow light that remains. 

Depending on the time of the year and the prevailing winds, this affects the orange-red glow and we can tell the change in weather patterns associated with it! Fascinating!

If you would like to know more... have a jump onto the BOM's page on weather proverbs found HERE.

Message Stick

Did you know? 

The Australian continent is home to over 250 different Aboriginal groups with distinct cultural practices, beliefs and languages. Interaction between different language groups was common as they engaged in trade, travel across each other's country, political negotiations, ceremony and intermarriage. Message Sticks have played an important role in bridging language gaps and communicating between differing language groups or even within clans. HERE

Next Sunday, 30th June, St Mary of the Angels is honoured to commence our week long host of the Message Stick, before it continues the journey over the Diocese and toward the CSNSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander State Education Conference in October. 

"Commencing in March and  reaching its final destination in late October the Conference Message Stick is embarking on a historic journey across the Armidale Diocese. Visiting each of the Armidale Diocesan Schools and their local Parish, the message stick will prompt celebration and cultural learning both in the schools and beyond the school gate in local communities. In all, the Conference Message Stick will travel around 1700 km as it journeys from the sprawling black soil plains of the west to the mountainous New England High Country, before completing its journey upon arriving at the venue for the Catholic Schools NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Conference, the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre."

ABORIGINAL MESSAGE STICKS - ‘Communicating across the immense Australian landscape'

We are looking forward to sharing our celebrations with you in our next issue.

Until next time, blessings.

Zoe