From the Dean of Mission

Year 12 Retreat 

In Week 6, the Year 12 students had the valuable opportunity to engage in reflection, prayer, and listening to exceptional guest speakers. These speakers shared profound insights on topics including their future, academic pursuits, mindfulness, and resilience, offering guidance and inspiration for their personal and academic journeys. 

We are particularly grateful for the following speakers who took time out of their busy working and training days to travel to Mulgoa to share their story. 

We thank the following people

Darian Brooker - Founder and CEO of ‘We Future Leaders’. 

Some key takeaways from her talk collected from students:

• It's the micro decisions, not the big ones.
• Working to be 1% better
• All goals can be realistic
• Taking small steps to reach your goals. Being resilient is being resourceful. Motivation requires discipline.  

Sam Stonestreet  - Cronulla Sutherland Sharks Rugby League Player

Key takeaways:

• Always try your hardest, you're not going to get anywhere without hard work 
• Have a good balance between school work and extra-curricular
• Everyone has a support network - tap into that

Angus Lambie: 2024 Australian Olympic Water Polo Player

Key takeaways:

• setbacks don't define you but make you stronger 
• Come back stronger from the things that pull you back
• Sometimes you have to do things you don't like in order to progress.

These are just a few of the comments gathered from the students, but they offer a glimpse into the impact and quality of the retreat experience. Many students are already applying insights gained during the retreat in their conversations with Mrs. Kennedy, Instructional Leader for Pathways and Partnerships. Thank you Fr Rex Paulrej (School Chaplin) and Br John Pill (Pastoral Associate) who joined us for the week. Their guidance and involvement is very appreciated.  

Sacraments

Throughout the year, our College Chaplain, Fr. Rex Paulraj, has dedicated time to building connections with the students, particularly those in Year 7. Recently, a group of students completed significant milestones in their faith journey, including receiving sacraments such as Baptism and being formally welcomed into the Catholic Church. Their preparation was guided and supported by Ms. Bernadette Fabris, the Sacramental Coordinator at Our Lady Star of the Sea, Miranda who played a key role in fostering their understanding of these sacraments. 

Vinnies Christmas Appeal

Thank you to all staff and students who assisted in raising money for the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal.  2024 has been another successful year, raising over $3,500. 

Pastoral Class Miguel would like to acknowledge and thank:  Next Door Cronulla, Event Cinemas , Craig Pisani and  Sarah Fox for their generous contributions.  Your support towards this initiative was greatly appreciated.  Josie Raftery, Miguel Pastoral Teacher