Faith and Mission

Indigenous Culture

‘Warami Mittigar’ – which means “Hello friends... welcome!” in the local Darug language.

Celebrating Indigenous Student Leadership & Culture in 2025

This year at St Luke’s Catholic College, we have witnessed wonderful growth in our Indigenous programs and student leadership. Guided by a commitment to reconciliation, cultural learning and community, our Indigenous students have led and contributed to projects that enrich the life of our College.

In 2025, students engaged in a number of meaningful initiatives, including cultural workshops, Yarning Circle gatherings, and planning with community Elders to shape future opportunities for cultural expression at St Luke’s. We are now able to see tangible expressions of Indigenous culture across our school, through art, shared practices, cultural storytelling and visible spaces that honour First Nations identity.

Our senior Indigenous leaders also continued their work with staff and Jarara to strengthen awareness and understanding across the school, helping their peers connect to culture through story, art and shared experiences.

These achievements reflect pride, identity, and a deep sense of belonging. We are incredibly proud of our students for the way they continue to lead with courage, creativity and cultural wisdom. As we look ahead, we remain committed to walking together as a community — learning, listening and celebrating the rich First Nations culture that is such an important part of who we are.

Faith and Formation

Liturgy

In week 6, our school community gathered to celebrate the Feast Day of St Luke with our first whole-school Mass in the Performance Hall. It was a meaningful and faith-filled occasion where students were invited to reflect on the Word of God and participate through prayer and song.

Our Year 12 students led the liturgy with reverence, supporting the community in prayer. During the celebration, our Year 12 leaders were formally commissioned and blessed by our parish priest, Fr Gayan, as they begin their leadership journey for the year ahead.

We are grateful to all staff and students for helping make this first whole- school Mass a special moment in our school’s spiritual life.

Formation

ACYF - Australian Catholic Youth Festival

Living the theme of this Jubilee, Pilgrims of Hope, we answered the call to become closer to God. In Week 8, Zoe Butler in Year 10 attended ACYF accompanied by Ms Saab and Mr Tromp. This Festival was more than simply praise through music, there was an opportunity to connect with others, yourself and your faith. Numerous workshops, expos and prayer spaces gave a diverse range for experiencing and nourishing our faith journeys.

This experience invited physical, emotional and spiritual growth. Through the first day, walking from St Patrick’s Cathedral to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, to entering the first Plenary, worshiping with 6,000 others from Catholic schools around Australia. What an experience to reflect on, one of reverence, response and respect.

We look forward to 2028, the ACYF will be held in Sydney.

YCS: End-of-Year Report:Our YCS leaders facilitated a comprehensive review session to reflect on student experiences throughout 2025 and identify priorities for 2026. During the workshop, students generated a wide range of insights, which were consolidated into 10 key themes:

Time-management challenges, including balancing study, homework, and extracurricular commitments.
Changing or unclear deadlines that increase student stress.
Poor organisation and scheduling due to limited use of planning tools.
Difficulty balancing school, work, and personal responsibilities.
Communication gaps, particularly around expectations between teachers and students.
Feedback is not always timely or actionable.
Lack of effective revision strategies, especially before exams.
Need for greater wellbeing support, including stress-management opportunities.
Need for explicit skill-building in prioritising, planning and organising tasks.
Interest in mentoring and subject-specific support from senior students or teachers.

From these insights, students narrowed their ideas to three priority actions for 2026:

Explicit teaching of organisational and time-management skills – including calendars, schedules, planning strategies, and prioritising tasks.
Wellbeing and stress-management workshops – incorporating interactive activities and small-group discussions.
Improved communication and consistency between teachers and students – through clearer deadlines, more regular feedback, and structured check-ins.

At the start of next year, the YCS leaders will present their findings and recommendations to Mrs Bauer, who will collaborate with them to decide on one primary focus area for 2026.

Special thanks to all members and leaders of the St Luke’s YCS team for their dedication, insight, and guidance throughout the year. We look forward to an exciting and purposeful 2026 as we continue strengthening student voice and wellbeing at St Luke’s.

Social Outreach

St Luke’s Vinnie’s Christmas Hampers

This term, students across St Luke’s have participated in our annual Vinnie’s Christmas Hampers initiative. Through their generous donations of non-perishable food items, toiletries and small gifts, our learners have helped bring hope and joy to families in our local community who may be experiencing hardship during the Christmas season.

Their willingness to give and serve reflects the true spirit of Christmas and beautifully demonstrates our College motto, “Live the Good News.” We are incredibly proud of their compassion and commitment to supporting others.

Thank You for a Year of Compassion, Service & Community – Social Outreach at St Luke’s 2025

As we come to the end of 2025, we pause to reflect with deep gratitude on the many ways our community has put faith into action across the year. Social Outreach has been a core part of our mission at St Luke’s, and it has been inspiring to witness our students grow as young people who use their heads, hearts and hands to make a difference in the lives of others.

At St Luke’s, our Social Justice initiatives are grounded in our Catholic faith. We are guided by the belief that: “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him.” – Genesis 1:27.

This reminds us of the dignity and worth of every person, calling us to act with compassion and justice, especially for those on the margins of society.

Through your generosity, encouragement, and partnership, students have been able to live out the Gospel call to “be the hands and feet of Jesus” — responding with compassion to those who are vulnerable and living on the edges of society.

This year, our community has engaged in meaningful service and awareness initiatives including:

Vinnies Christmas Hampers – providing families with food and essentials to brighten their Christmas.
Operation Christmas Child – packing shoeboxes filled with hope and joy for children around the world.
Catholic Mission & Social Justice Fridays – raising funds and awareness for global communities in need.
Sandwich Making for Vinnies Van – supporting those experiencing homelessness in our local area.
Winter Appeals, Mufti Days & Donation Drives – showing what it means to stand with others, not above them.

Each initiative has provided students the opportunity not just to learn about social justice, but to experience it — to see, judge and act with empathy, responsibility and love. These moments shape who they become, nurturing a spirit of service that reaches beyond school gates and into the wider world.

To our parents, carers and families: thank you. Your support, donations and willingness to walk alongside us make these programs possible. You are forming young hearts capable of compassion, leadership and hope.

As we look toward 2026, we are excited to continue expanding these opportunities and deepening our commitment to outreach, justice, and the common good. We look forward to your continued support as, together, we help our young people Live the Good News and shine God’s light through service — one small act at a time.

From the St Luke’s Parish Community

New Sunday 5.30 pm Mass from 14 December 2025

We will begin a new Sunday 5.30 pm Mass starting on 14 December 2025. This additional timeslot will help support our growing parish community and offer more flexibility for families and individuals. All are warmly invited to join us.

Christmas & New Year’s Mass Schedule

All Christmas Masses and the New Year Mass will be celebrated in the Performance Hall of St Luke’s Catholic College. Please find the following dates and times for Mass over the Christmas period:

Christmas Eve: 24th December – 7:00 pm & 11:30 pm
Christmas Day: 25th December – 8:00 am & 10:00 am
Weekend Masses: 27th & 28th December – usual times
New Year’s Day: 1st January – 9:30 am
Parish Office Christmas Closure—from the 24th December afternoon, re-opens 5th January 2026

Parish Contacts

Should you need to contact the St Luke’s Parish Community, the contact details follow

here:

Fr Gayan Thamel: gayan.thamel@parracatholic.org

Parish Priest

Ged Oblea: marsdenpark@parracatholic.org

Administrative Assistant

Ph: 02 8530 0173 Mobile: 0422 724 160

Website: https://stlukesmarsdenpark.org.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stlukesmarsdenpark