Faith and Mission
Indigenous Culture
‘Warami Mittigar’ – which means “Hello friends... welcome!” in the local Darug language.
As our Year 12 students approach the end of their time at St Luke’s, our senior Indigenous students are preparing for a particularly significant moment — the passing of our College Message Stick to the next generation of Indigenous student leaders in Week 10.
Now in its second year, this tradition represents the passing of leadership, culture and legacy from one generation of Indigenous students to the next. Handcrafted especially for St Luke’s by Uncle Roger, one of the Uncles from Kinchela Boys Home, the Message Stick carries with it a story of strength, survival, resilience and connection.
For our graduating students, the handover is an opportunity to reflect on the contribution they have made to our College and the ways they have helped ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture continues to be seen, heard, respected and celebrated at St Luke’s.
As they prepare to pass the Message Stick on, they also pass on a responsibility — to continue what has been established, create new opportunities, lead with pride and add their own story to the legacy of St Luke’s.
Our students are looking forward to this significant moment in Week 10, when one generation of leaders will place the Message Stick into the hands of the next, continuing a tradition that we hope will remain an important part of St Luke’s for many years to come.
Faith and Formation
Liturgy
Fathers Day Celebrations
On Friday 4 September, s Our Father’s Day celebrations began bright and early with a sausage sizzle, providing a wonderful opportunity for families to gather and enjoy time together before the school day began. It was fantastic to welcome more than 400 fathers, grandfathers, uncles and family members to St Luke’s as we came together as a community to celebrate and give thanks for the important father figures in the lives of our students.
Following the sausage sizzle students from Kindergarten to Year 8 gathered for a special Father’s Day Liturgy, celebrating the love, guidance and care of our fathers and father figures.
Through prayer and reflection, students explored God as our loving Father, considering the many ways He cares for, guides and watches over us. We also reflected on St Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, whose life provides a powerful example of faith, strength, protection and selfless love.
Throughout the liturgy, students were encouraged to consider the qualities of a loving father and the many ways fathers and father figures nurture, encourage and support their families. A particularly special part of the celebration was hearing students pay tribute to their own fathers and father figures through personal reflections, sharing their gratitude for the important role these people play in their lives.
The liturgy was a wonderful opportunity for our students to give thanks for their fathers and father figures and to recognise how their love, care and guidance can reflect the loving care of God, our Father.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the fathers, grandfathers, uncles and other family members who joined us for this special celebration. Your presence made the occasion even more meaningful for our students, and we are grateful that you were able to share this special Father’s Day celebration with our St Luke’s community.
Faith In Action
Operation Christmas Child -Sharing Hope
St Luke’s is once again supporting Operation Christmas Child, giving our families the opportunity to bring joy and hope to children experiencing hardship around the world.
Families are invited to pack a shoebox with small toys, school supplies, personal care items and other useful gifts. Through this initiative, students can put their faith into action by demonstrating human dignity, solidarity, generosity and care for others.
How to participate:
- Pay $13 per shoebox through the Qkr! App. This covers the postage and delivery of your box.
- Select the age and gender you would like to pack for: Boy or Girl aged 2–4, 5–9 or 10–14 years.
- Once payment has been made, collect your shoebox from the College Office.
- Use the packing information linked here to help choose appropriate items for your box.
- Return your completed shoebox to the College Office by Monday, 19 October 2026.
We encourage our St Luke’s families to get involved and help us Live the Good News by sharing kindness, generosity and hope with children around the world.
Emmaus Encounters - Intergenerational Program
Over the past month a number of Year 10 students have been visiting residents at Opal’s Marsden Park Care Community. Throughout the conversational visits, our students connected with an older person or “Wisdom figure” asked them questions about life such as “What life lessons did your parents teach you?” or “Who taught you the most about love?” The visits have been a positive encounter for both students and residents, the following quotes capture the shared experiences of our students……. “Kerry taught me to live life with no regrets” “I have learned how to be more patient when listening to older people” “I now understand the challenges older people face” “ I like that we made them happy, they looked forward to our visit” “I think my visits helped Maria to feel less old….. |
Socktober Launch - Wanderers Five Fields
On Monday September 14 Stage 3 students went to the Wanderers Five fields and engaged in learning about the 2026 Socktober campaign. Year 5 and Year 6 participated in a series of soccer games and met with Western Sydney Wanderers players with the whole day dedicated to coming together in a spirit of Catholic fellowship through soccer as a universal language. The students represented the College and displayed all the values of the School of Leadership through their participation and sportsmanship.
Vinnies Van Food Drive
On Saturday 30 August, Stage 5 students and staff participated in the Vinnies Van Food Drive, supporting people in our local community experiencing hardship.
In preparation for the evening, students and staff made sandwiches and organised essential supplies, including warm drinks, snack packs, beanies, scarves, socks and sleeping bags. At Mount Druitt and Parramatta Park, students helped distribute food and supplies while taking the time to connect with members of the community, showing genuine compassion, kindness and respect.
The experience provided students with a meaningful opportunity to put their faith into action and live out the Catholic Social Teaching principles of Human Dignity, Solidarity, and the Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. Through serving and connecting with others, students were reminded of the dignity of every person and our shared responsibility to build a more compassionate and supportive community.
Christmas Hampers
Next term, our St Luke’s community will once again support the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal through our annual Christmas Hampers Initiative.
This initiative provides a meaningful opportunity for our students and families to put their faith into action by supporting individuals and families in our local community who may be experiencing hardship, particularly during the Christmas season. It reflects the Catholic Social Teaching principle of the Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable, encouraging compassion, generosity and solidarity with those most in need.
As in previous years, each year group and stage will be allocated specific items to contribute to the Christmas hampers. Further information, including your child’s allocated item, will be shared at the beginning of Term 4.
Through the generosity of our St Luke’s community, we can work together to bring hope, dignity and practical support to those in need this Christmas.
St Mary MacKillop Faith in Action Award Program
This year, fourteen St Luke’s students are participating in the inaugural St Mary MacKillop Faith in Action Award Program. Four Year 8 students are completing the Silver Award, while ten Year 10 students are working towards the Gold Award.
Inspired by the life and example of St Mary MacKillop, the program encourages students to put their faith into action through Advocacy, Service and Outreach. Throughout the year, our students have generously given their time to a range of initiatives, including preparing sandwiches for the Vinnies Van, visiting residents at Catholic Healthcare Norwest and Marsden Park Care Community, participating in the Vinnies Winter Sleepout and Socktober, and supporting other school and community outreach activities.
We congratulate these students on their commitment to the program and their willingness to serve others. Through their actions, they are demonstrating compassion, generosity and a genuine commitment to living their faith through service within our school and wider community.
From our Parish Community…
AFRICAN MASS 2026
Date: Sunday 27 September 2026 Time: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Principal Celebrant: Very Rev Peter Williams AM, Vicar General & Moderator of the Curia Venue: Mary, Queen of the Family Parish (St Patrick’s Church), 51-59 Allawah Street, Blacktown
Refreshments and entertainment will be provided after Mass.
OCIA – ORDER OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS ~
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) will begin on Tuesday, 1 September, at 7:00 pm in the parish office. If you are interested in becoming a Catholic, or if you know someone who would like to learn more about the Catholic faith and explore becoming Catholic, we invite you to attend the Inquiry Night.
SENIORS GROUP
We're looking at starting a Seniors Group at our parish—a welcoming place to connect, make new friends, and enjoy fellow-ship together. If you're interested, please complete the questionnaire forms available at the welcome table or contact the Parish Office
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
For general inquiries and sacramental process details:
Ged Oblea: ged@stlukesmarsdenpark.org.au
Parish Secretary
Ph: (02) 7261-0246.
Mobile: 0422 724 160
Website: https://stlukesmarsdenpark.org.au/