Catholic Identity
Term 1 Reflection
~ Seeking Peace in Our Journey Together ~
This term, we have truly lived out our theme, “Seek Peace and Pursue It,” in all that we have done as a school community.
We began the year in a spirit of reflection and intention, with staff formation at St Brendan’s focused on prayer and the importance of creating meaningful, prayerful moments with our students. This deepened our understanding of our Mercy charism and guided us as we introduced our new school theme.
Across the school, students contributed to a beautiful PEACE display, now showcased on the library windows facing the courtyard. It serves as a powerful and timely reminder of our call to be people of peace in the world we live in today.
Teachers have embraced the new Source of Life curriculum with dedication and fidelity, ensuring rich and meaningful learning experiences in Religious Education.
Lent came early this year, beginning with our annual Pancake Tuesday celebration in the hall. Our Year 6 leaders showed wonderful initiative in supporting the event, alongside our generous parent helpers. A final amount will be shared when we return early in term 2.
Thank you to all who donated throughout the term.
We were also inspired by a new student initiative, our Caritas Cans Boys ,who have been promoting the collection of recyclable cans, cartons and plastics to support Caritas. Their efforts have already raised over $80. We congratulate the boys and thank the families and students who supported this creative act of service and solidarity.
Our Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the courtyard with our junior students was a reverent and meaningful beginning to the Lenten season, followed by a well-received Mass with our middle and senior students.
Our whole school Mass was a beautiful expression of our faith, marked by joyful singing, active participation and deep reverence. Fr Ronald led our students so thoughtfully, particularly during our first Adoration of the Eucharist, which was a prayerful and significant experience for all. We were also privileged to honour the Jubilee Migrants Cross during its visit to our parish, reminding us of our call to welcome, respect and walk in peace with others.
Now, as we continue our journey through Holy Week, we walk with Jesus toward the cross, gathering each morning in prayer and reflection. May this sacred time continue to guide us as we seek peace in our hearts and actively pursue it in our words and actions.
May we continue to seek peace and pursue it in all that we do, trusting that Christ walks with us each day. As we enter this sacred time, may our hearts be open to His presence, His peace, and His call to love one another.
Loving God,
As we enter this Easter break,
help our families to seek peace and pursue it in all we do.
Fill our homes with Your calm,
our hearts with gratitude,
and our days with kindness and joy.
Keep us safe in our travels and in our rest,
and draw us closer to one another and to You.
May the risen Christ be our light and our peace,
now and always.
Amen.
A Heartfelt Goodbye and Blessing to Fr Adi Indra
Sadly, as our term comes to a close, we also say goodbye to Fr Adi Idi, a truly remarkable young priest who has brought so much joy to our school community. Fr Adi has always made time to connect with our staff, often sharing in their stories and even supporting them in their sporting endeavours with great enthusiasm.
During his visits to classrooms on Monday, one of our staff members spoke openly about the profound impact Fr Adi has had on him, sharing that he had never experienced such a meaningful connection with a priest before. It was a beautiful moment, one that truly reflected the way Fr Adi lives out his vocation. It certainly made my heart sing, and I know Fr Adi was deeply humbled by these sincere words.
We thank Fr Adi for the kindness, presence and faith he has shared with us. As he returns to Wodonga to support the many Catholic primary and secondary schools in that region, we keep him in our prayers.
May God continue to guide and bless you in your ministry, Fr Adi.
You will be greatly missed by all.
Happy 4th Year of Ordination Anniversary Father Jackson
Last Thursday morning, our Year 6 students had the wonderful opportunity to join Fr Jackson for a special Mass during his visit to Shepparton for the Assembly of Priests. It was a meaningful and joyful occasion, particularly for our Year 6 altar servers, who were delighted to reconnect with Fr Jackson after being trained by him when they first began their ministry back in Year 3.
Fr Jackson warmly engaged with the students and shared a simple yet powerful message about the importance of recognising our blessings. He encouraged us all to pause and be grateful for the many things we often take for granted in our daily lives — from our families and friendships to the opportunities we are given each day.
It was a beautiful celebration of faith and connection, and a lovely reminder of the lasting impact that guidance, support and shared experiences can have on our students’ spiritual journey.
Holy Week liturgies
Palm Sunday -Year 1 Mitchell/Anderson
Holy Thursday- Year 4 Beks/Wild
With Faith and Courage in the spirit of our Mercy founders,
Leanne Pellegrino (Catholic Identity Leader)