Catholic Identity
Welcome Mass
Our Welcome Mass last week was a truly grace‑filled moment for our community. With one of the largest gatherings of families we’ve had in a long time, the Shed felt alive with warmth, connection and a shared sense of purpose as we stepped into a new year together.
Fr Jake led us beautifully, inviting us to look ahead with hearts full of hope and reminding us that when we come together in faith, we create space for God to do remarkable things in our midst.
A highlight of the celebration was the heartfelt farewell to Kate Ellis, who has given an extraordinary 23 years of service to our community here in the fields. Her dedication, compassion and steady presence have shaped the lives of countless students and families. While we will miss her deeply, we send her forward with gratitude and the hope that the next chapter brings her joy and fulfilment.
We also celebrate our student readers and all those who took on roles throughout the Mass. Their confidence and reverence were outstanding.
The Foundation and Year 6 Buddy Dance was another highlight of the day. Watching our youngest students step out with their senior buddies brought a sense of joy to the whole community. Our Year 6 leaders guided their Foundation partners with such care and pride, helping them to live, love and learn in God’s love. The bright smiles and enthusiasm of our newest students lit up the space, a simple but powerful reminder of the friendships, confidence and sense of belonging that grow when we walk — and dance — together.
Shrove Tuesday
This week we celebrated Shrove Tuesday, a much‑loved tradition in our school. We were blessed to have a number of mums come in to cook pancakes for the whole school community, and we are so grateful to them for giving up their time and ensuring there were plenty of happy faces and sticky fingers.
After enjoying our pancakes, we gathered as a school to prepare ourselves for Lent. The Year 6 Catholic Identity leaders guided us with great reverence as they led the Burning of the Palms, helping us understand how last year’s palms become the ashes that mark the beginning of our Lenten journey. Together, we reflected on the meaning of Lent and the simple promises we can make to live, love and learn in God’s love throughout this season.
Ash Wednesday
Yesterday, our school community gathered for our Ash Wednesday liturgy, marking the beginning of Lent. It was a reflective and meaningful time for us to pause together and remember what this season calls us to. Ash Wednesday is important because it invites us to look inward, to make space for God, and to consider the small but intentional ways we can grow in kindness, compassion and faith over the next forty days.
Receiving the ashes reminds us that we are called to renewal, to turn our hearts back to God and to live more fully in His love. It’s a simple ritual, but one that carries deep meaning for our students and staff alike.
Our Year 6 Catholic Identity leaders supported the liturgy beautifully, helping guide us through the prayers and responses with reverence and maturity. Their leadership set a thoughtful tone for the season ahead and encouraged all of us to begin Lent with open hearts.
Project Compassion
We are excited to share that our school is launched 2026 Project Compassion fundraiser at the Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Over the coming weeks, students will be learning about the lives of people around the world and the challenges faced by communities that Caritas supports. These learning experiences help our students build empathy, global awareness, and a deeper understanding of how small actions can create meaningful change.
As part of our annual tradition, we will once again be participating in Caritas Ks. This year’s event will take place on Friday, 20th March at 9:30am. During this time, students will carry buckets of water as they walk laps around the school track. This symbolic action helps them experience, in a small way, what many communities supported by Caritas must do each day to access clean water. It is always a powerful and memorable experience for our students.
In previous years, our school community has shown incredible generosity, together we have raised over $6,000 to support Caritas’ life‑changing work. It would be fantastic if we could reach, or even exceed, this mark again in the year ahead.
If you are able to contribute, please use the QR code provided or the following link to make a donation:
Every contribution, no matter the size, helps create opportunities and hope for communities in need.
Thank you for your ongoing support and for helping our students live out the values of compassion, justice, and service.
Rite of Christian Initiation
The St. Therese Parish Kennington are inviting children to the Rite of Christian Initiation for Children (RCIC) program in Term 1 (approximately early March). It is for children 6 years or older who would like to be baptised into the Catholic church, but who were not baptised as an infant.
It will be 3 sessions, over 3 weeks. Please contact Sally at Parish office number 5443 3337 or email kpsacraments@outlook.com for registration or questions.
Dave Waters
Catholic Identity Leader