This Lent Pope Francis gives us the theme for 2024:

“Through the desert God leads us to Freedom” and that Lent is a ‘time to act, and in Lent, to act also means to pause. To pause in prayer, in order to receive the word of God, to pause like the Samaritan in the presence of a wounded brother or sister. Love of God and love of neighbour are one love.’

He has based this theme on the passage from the Book of Exodus, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Ex 20:1-17). With this in mind, Lent is a time of spiritual renewal, self-reflection, and a deepening connection with our faith.

Our collective efforts in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving contribute to the transformation of our hearts and the nurturing of our relationship with God.

Project Compassion 2024 - For All Future Generations

This year, Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion theme is "For All Future Generations".

It is inspired by the story of the burning bush in the book of Exodus (Exodus 3:1–20). As God called Moses, so now God calls us to work ‘for all future generations’ and give to those who are less fortunate than ourselves. For over 60 years, Caritas Australia has worked hand in hand with the most marginalised and remote communities here and overseas to confront the challenges of poverty and as a community, we have been able to support Caritas for the past 20 years.

Caritas is able to give us real-life stories that are focused on the great service and work that can be carried out by your almsgiving via the Project Compassion program. These include a story on Ronita, a 22-year-old mother of two in the Philippines, Memory, who was selected by local leaders in her community in Malawi as a candidate for a vocational skills course and Leaia who built her own home from recycled scraps and is better able to care for her five children, thanks to a new water tank that affords her a consistent water supply.

Please take some time to learn about these three individuals who are highlighted in this Year's Caritas campaign in the presentation provided.

During Homegroup students have been learning about these three women, learning about the impacts that can be made by our own almsgiving and donations to those less fortunate across the world.

This Lent, we are encouraged to make simple lifestyle changes to allow us to donate small change, and thus enable greater acts of social and environmental justice. We would like to continue our generous efforts from past years in 2024. Thank you for supporting such a worthy cause allowing others to live a better life.

Vinnies Easter Raffle

Yesterday at our College assembly we launched our 2024 Easter Raffle. This is a good way of fulfilling our Lenten commitment as Pope Francis urges us “to pause like the Samaritan in the presence of a wounded brother or sister. Love of God and love of neighbour are one love.” Thinking of these words, supporting our local chapter of St Vincent De Paul during Lent helps us to reflect on how we should be caring for others who are less fortunate.

As always, we need your support through donations of easter eggs, baskets and gift bags to make this possible. Raffle tickets will be distributed in Homegroups next week, to be sold for $1 each. The Raffle will be drawn at the end of Week 9 before the Easter weekend.

Please get behind this wonderful cause. As a community, we have the capacity to make a direct impact on the lives of those members of our local community who have less than we do. Let’s take these steps to make our intentions a reality, this Lent. More information will be provided in Homegroup notices. Thank you in anticipation of your support.

Year 12 Retreat

Our Year 12 students and a team of Staff embarked on the annual Year 12 Retreat. This took place at Warrambui, a beautiful bushland setting that provided a superb venue that allowed students to disconnect from their usual routines, including social media and the outside world.

Throughout the Retreat, students were able to gain a sense of community and connectedness with each other and we were able to focus on relationships with self, others and God. This resulted in students being able to draw closer with their peers and as a whole year group. Chris Doyle from Karis Ministries shared his inspiring advice through song and dance and Year 12 students were challenged to break down barriers and push themselves out of their comfort zones.

The Retreat Liturgy was the final event on Friday morning where students were able to celebrate together as a united year group demonstrated their creative gifts and talents, igniting strong friendship bonds and connections.

Year 7 Reflection Day

On Thursday 29 Feb our Year 7 students enjoyed their Reflection Day experience with ‘Just Motivation’, led by Guest Presenter Az Hamilton. Az has an incredible ability to connect with young people through stories and personal experiences spent both overseas and within Australian communities. His message inspired our students to live a life worth getting excited about through his program entitled ‘Connections’. Year 7 journeyed through the program; discovering more about themselves, their relationships and friendships with their cohort, and their relationship with God.

Student Council Representative

After calling for student expressions of interest at the end of 2023, we are very pleased to announce the Student Representative Council team for 2024. These students will join our College, House and Boarding Captains for 2024 providing an important voice and support to our College community. This Student Representative Council will have a strong social justice and service focus and provide a platform to build student leadership within the College.

The skills and experiences we hope these students will develop and enjoy are:

skills in leadership and communication,
Promoting care for our College and what happens in it and
Experiencing enjoyment through successful participation

These SRC students have already been involved in College Open Night, and will soon be promoting our Vinnies Easter Raffle, along with Caritas, Catholic Mission, and other St Vincent de Paul initiatives. Later on this year, they will be selling Legacy Badges, promoting Socktober during Mission Month, and actively leading our Alpha Youth Group.

Let us pray for our 2024 SRC student leaders:

May these leaders always act in the Spirit of justice.

May they envisage, pray about and work to create a different world, in which injustice is replaced with a renewed sense of solidarity and care. Enflame their hearts with the passion and desire for change.

May these young people be inspired to go forth as servant leaders, in the peace of the Holy Spirit, as representatives of the person of Jesus, and in the creation of God the Father, Amen.

Mrs Thomas presented the SRC students with their leadership badges at our College Assembly yesterday. The students are as follows:

Year 8 - Piper Brunyee, Jian Chew, Miley Gibson, Jorjii McDonald, Eve Piltz, Rebecca Tadrous

Year 9 - Felicity Steele, Samuel Thomsen, Harrison Uphill

Year 10 - Cameron Huckel

Let’s congratulate these leaders on their appointment to the SRC for 2024. We look forward to having these Student Leaders working on our projects throughout the year.

Mrs Pauline Streckfuss | Acting Leader of Mission

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