Mission and Religious Education

Mission and Religious Education

Year of Jubilee

2025 is a Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church.

A Jubilee Year is traditionally proclaimed by the Universal Church every 25 years. It is a particular year set aside to encourage the faithful to embark on pilgrimages, to repent of their sins and forgive the sins of others, and to renew a focus on spiritual life.

The theme is Pilgrims of Hope. Pope Francis has invited Catholics to renew our hope and discover a vision that can "restore access to the fruits of the earth to everyone". We are also invited to rediscover a spirituality of God's creation in which we understand ourselves as "pilgrims on the earth" rather than masters of the world.

You will see this logo often this year...

The logo symbolises unity and fraternity among all of humanity, with four stylised figures from different corners of the earth embracing each other. The leading figure holds a cross, representing faith and hope. The rough waves beneath the figures symbolise life's challenges, emphasising the need for hope in difficult times. The elongated lower part of the cross forms an anchor, a well-known symbol of hope. This image depicts the pilgrimage as a communal journey towards the cross, which reaches out dynamically to offer presence and hope. 

To learn about the meaning of the logo for the 2025 Jubilee, click here.

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope   (Youtube)

Jubilee Miniature Cathedral Pilgrimage and Mass

In this year of Jubilee The Miniature Cathedral Pilgrimage will be celebrated at each of the 3 Deaneries. The Miniature Cathedral will then go to each of the Parishes for one week. 

On Wednesday 15 October Year 6 students will travel by bus to Quirindi with students from St Joseph’s Barraba for the celebration with other schools in the Southern Deanery.

On Tuesday 11 November the Mini cathedral will be in St Michael’s Parish.

The Jubilee Prayer

To pray and download the Prayer for the 2025 Jubilee, click here. Copies of the Jubilee Prayer are available in Braille. Please contact the Office of Deaf and Disabilities Ministry for a copy: specialneedsministry@adw.org or 301-853-4560.

Official Hymn for Jubilee

To listen to the Official Hymn for Jubilee, click here.

C2S (Called to Shine) Committee News

Our C2S Committee is a team of volunteer students in Years 2-6 who work with Assistant Principals Cathy Shepherd and myself for ecological justice in our world. The Committee meets at the start of lunch each Monday and gives an authentic student voice to addressing social and ecological issues in our school and world. The C2S Committee leads charitable works and ecological initiatives at St Michael’s.

Socktober - Crazy Sock Day Fundraiser Friday 24 October 

The Month of October is when we focus on the work of Catholic Mission and supporting their work through their annual Socktober fundraiser. This is the link to the Socktober website, where you can access more information about the work of Catholic Mission and this year’s focus country of Zambia. 

One of the key activities of Socktober is making sockballs. The purpose of the sockball is to repurpose materials and unite people across the world in solidarity through the universal game of soccer. You can access instructions, as to how to make a sockball through the following link. If you have any materials to repurpose especially twine or string please send them in to your child’s class teacher. Repurposing materials supports our school environmental focus of living more sustainably.

Below are some photos from last year’s Crazy Sock Day Fundraiser. Please support this year’s fund raiser by:

• Sending in materials for making sockballs
• Supporting our Crazy Sock Day Fundraiser on Friday 24 October by wearing your craziest sock and giving generously - a gold coin or more - to support the work of Catholic Mission

Environmental Legends and Little Doves

Our Environmental Legends are a team of volunteer students in Years 3-6 who work with the Little Doves, a team of volunteer students in K-2 and myself to lead environmental and sustainability initiatives within our school. Our work in this area is in response to Pope Francis’ call to action in Laudato Si’ to Care for the Earth Our Common Home and to hear and respond to the Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor.

Season of Creation and Biodiversity

Monday 1 September - Saturday 4 October is the Season of Creation. 

Legends of the Light Shine

Our Legends of the Light Shine Program is a program that runs across our school, led by students in Stage 3. This program focuses on Christian living, recognising and promoting Christian virtues and positive attributes.

This Fortnight’s Legends of the Light Shine Focus

Our new Legends of the Light Shine focus for Weeks 1 and 2 of Term 4 is focused on understanding and living our St Michael’s School Rules for Living.

Connecting With Our Parish

Weekend Mass Times

We encourage all of our families to celebrate Sunday Mass with our parish.

Manilla Parish Mass Times 

1st Sunday of the month - Sunday 8.30am

2nd, 3rd & 4th Sunday of the month - Saturday 5.00pm EST and 5.30pm DST

Attunga Mass Times 

2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday of the month - Sunday 12 noon

If You Would Like To Be Involved

We encourage all of our families to be involved in the life of the Parish. There are many ways to be involved including:

• Altar Serving for those who have made their first Holy Communion
• Reading at Mass
• Taking up the Offertory Procession
• Visitations
• Odd Jobs

If you would like to be more involved in the life of our parish please contact Father Curran (02) 67851094 for further details.

Living Well, Learning Well 

Living Well Learning Well is a student support framework for Catholic Schools in the Armidale Diocese. The framework is based on a universal and unconditional positive regard for children and young people and supports faith, learning, wellbeing and positive behaviour domains.

St Michael’s School Rules For Living

St Michael’s School Rules For Living encompass those in the Living Well Learning Well Framework.

Parents As Partners

Armidale Catholic Schools work with Realtalk to offer families free premium access to resources to help navigate difficult areas children face, particularly in the digital world, from a catholic perspective in an increasingly complex world. SIGN UP FOR FREE ACCESS HERE

Long Service Leave

I will be taking long service leave for Term 4 and I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone at St Michael all the very best. During this time Amanda Scott will be Acting Assistant Principal: Mission and I know you will make her feel very welcome. Thank you for your support throughout 2025.

“Let Your Light Shine” support others to let their light shine and remember “We Shine Brighter Together”

Jacquelene Cronin

Assistant Principal - Mission