Welcome to Week 6. I am delighted to be back at the College after a refreshing period of long service leave and take this opportunity to thank Acting Principal Shaun Ellis, Acting Assistant Principal Rebecca Gill and the Leadership Team for their expert leadership during my period of absence this term.

We have officially passed the midpoint of this term and our past three weeks have been filled with wonderful opportunities for learning and celebrating our Mater Dei community spirit. This edition of the newsletter captures some of them, including the iconic MDIFA competition, the Feast of the Assumption Mass with Mater Dei Primary School, Book Week and Mater Dei’s Got Talent, just to name a few! Year 12 HSC Trial exams have finished, Year 10 have selected their courses for next year and Year 11 are preparing for their End of Course examinations. Learning in Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 has been action packed. The recently released NAPLAN results show steady growth in literacy and numeracy, which is a wonderful result.

SOCIAL JUSTICE SUNDAY

This year, Social Justice Sunday will be celebrated on Sunday. For almost every year since 1940, our Bishops have joined together to issue a major social justice statement at this time of the year to inspire reflection and action.

Every year, in time for Social Justice Sunday—marked this year on 31 August—the Bishops seek to make a substantive comment on a key social issue. This year the statement is called Signs of Hope on the Edge: Serving Homeless People with Mental Ill Health. It emphasises that Australia is facing a deepening crisis. Over 273,000 people sought help from homelessness services last year, many also struggling with mental illness. Services are overstretched and many people are left without care, shelter, or hope. Many who are homeless also live with serious mental health challenges. Services are overwhelmed, and too many people are left without the help they desperately need.

In his foreword, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, SDB says that this year’s Social Justice statement “provides a picture of what life is like for people living in homelessness and mental ill-health and the difficulty in providing adequate support for them.” This year’s Social Justice Statement calls us to follow the example of Jesus, who always noticed, listened to, and cared for those on the edge of society. Just as Jesus healed the blind man Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46–52), we are called to see and respond to the needs of our sisters and brothers living in hardship. It is a link to our commitment to raise awareness and financial support for the St Vincent de Paul Society and other key agencies within the Church.

A copy of the full 2025/2026 statement can be found here and we pray:

STAFFING UPDATE

Ms Jessica Brasnett has been appointed as a temporary PDHPE teacher for the remainder of the year.

YEAR 12 PARENT/CARER AND STUDENT EXIT SURVEYS

As we draw to the end of the Year 12 Course at the end of Week 10 this term, it is important that we gather information from this cohort of students and their parents/carers to assist with future planning. This will again take the form of an online survey that takes about 15 minutes to complete. Parents and students will be contacted by email by the external company conducting the survey. The Parent/Carer Survey will open on Monday 8 September for two weeks and Year 12 students will complete the survey at school on Tuesday 9 September.

MOUNT ERIN BOARDING FAREWELL MASS AND DINNER

On Wednesday evening the Mount Erin Boarding community gathered for a very special celebration to mark the end of Boarding for the Year 12 Graduands in just a few short weeks. Bishop Mark Edwards and Fr Andrew Grace celebrated Mass in the Mount Erin Chapel, with students taking on special roles as readers.

With Year 12 parents, Leadership staff from both Colleges, invited guests and the Year 7 to 11 Boarders all present, it was a very special occasion. Each of the graduands was presented with their Mount Erin candle, a tradition that encourages students to go into the world to light the way, in the spirit of Nano Nagle.

Following Mass and photos in the Chapel, the Year 12 graduands, invited guests and parents attended the Graduation Dinner at the Botanical Gardens. As well as enjoying a delicious dinner and hospitality together, the evening allowed the Head of Boarding Mr John Bussenchutt and the Boarding Coordinator Mrs Jackie Tassell to individually farewell the students. As well, the Principals thanked the staff and acknowledged the contribution of parents as partners in their children’s boarding experience. The very enjoyable event concluded with thank you speeches from the Boarding Captains and more photo opportunities for their families.

We wish all Year 12 Boarders every success in the upcoming HSC examinations.

FATHER’S DAY

As we approach Father’s Day, we pause to acknowledge with thanks the selflessness, dedication and love of all our fathers/dads and fatherly people in our College community. We ask God to bless them as we pray:

God our Father,

we give thanks for the lives of these special men.

On this special day, we ask that you might send down your spirit upon the dads and father figures gathered here and give them the gifts of wisdom, gentleness, compassion and your continuous love.

May the Lord bless and keep you;

May He make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

May the Lord be your hope and guide,

and lead you with tenderness and compassion always. Amen

Mrs Val Thomas | Principal

"Mater Dei Matters"

Issue 8 · 29 Aug 2025

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