Term Four

Whole School Mass- The End of the 2024 School Year-Advent Week 1 Hope

Thursday, December 5th. St Brendan’s Church at 11:30 am.

Leaders: Foundation staff and students. All are welcome.

Year Six Graduation Mass- Wednesday, December 11th, St Brendan’s Church,

Somerville at 5:00 pm. Leaders: Year 5/6 staff and grade six students

(Graduation Mass will be attending by year six students and their families)

Social Justice Action Team (SJAT) News

Another way that student voice is actively supported here at St Brendan's is through the work of the SJAT.

To ‘Kick Off’ Term Four, the SJAT coordinated a Crazy Sock Day on Thursday, October 17th to raise money for the Catholic Mission project, 2024. Together, the St Brendan's Community raised $266.50. Thank you to the families who contributed to the Socktober Appeal this year. All funds raised on Crazy Sock Day, and on the Staff Dress Code days in Weeks One and Two of this term will be donated to Catholic Mission to support the ‘Kick Goals for Good’ campaign. The campaign will support the Caring Center in Otgonbayar, Mongolia. The Center is a warm and safe refuge for the homeless and vulnerable members of the Otgonbayar community in Mongolia, for whom a night of sleeping rough can be fatal with temperatures falling between minus 12 degrees Celsius and minus 30 degrees Celsius. To donate, or for more information, please visit www.socktober.org.au

Mini Vinnies Cook Up at Padua College

As part of our Catholic Social Teaching at St Brendan’s, and our involvement in the Western Port Parish

Schools Mini Vinnie’s Project, the St Brendan’s SJAT and their parents and carers were invited to support the Mini Vinnie’s Cook Up on Thursday 17th October at Padua College, Tyabb. The purpose of the Mini Vinnie’s Cook Up was to be of service to others by working together to cook meals for those in need within our Western Port Parish School Communities. Each school community now has a stock of nutritious and lovingly made frozen meals to assist those in need within our school communities whenever a need arises and is identified by our wonderful staff members. This initiative is just a small way in which we are working towards authentically engaging the principles of Catholic Social Teaching within our schools, and building our communities as we care for and support our families during their times of need.

The evening was led by chef Matt DeMarte from St Joseph’s School, Crib Point, and facilitated by Matt along with staff from Padua College, St Mary’s Hastings, St Joseph’s Crib Point and St Brendan’s Somerville. On behalf of the SJAT, I sincerely thank Tina Lunny and the students and staff from Padua College, Tyabb Campus for their warmth in welcoming us to the Food Technology Department. We especially thank them for sharing their wonderful food preparation and cooking facilities at the Tyabb Campus for our collaborative Cook Up. The Cook Up was a fabulous, hands-on event where everyone in attendance participated in the meal preparation, cooking, packaging and cleaning. Well done team for preparing over 160 meals for those in need. Thank you to Mrs Carr, and to Mia, Emi, Abel, Ella, Fawn and their parents and carers who came along, rolled up their sleeves and got involved with the Cook Up. It was very special working with you all and seeing social justice in action in this practical way within our Parish School Community. Well done, Team!

Thank You

Thank you to the Year One and Two staff and students for leading the Whole School Creation and Mission Mass on Thursday, October 17th. We loved hearing about your learning of the Creation Story from The Bible in The Book of Genesis. Thank you to the family members, parishioners and other special visitors who came to celebrate this Mass with us.

Catholic Baptism

Did the disruption of the ‘COVID-19 years’ disrupt your plans to seek Catholic Baptism for your child?

Now is a great time for families considering The Sacrament of Catholic Baptism for their child/ren, to contact the Western Port Parish Centre on (03) 5979 4374. Should you make Baptism arrangements with the Parish, please inform me so that this special milestone for your child can be acknowledged within the school community. Please also forward a copy of your child’s Baptism Certificate to the school so that this can be reflected in the school records.

Families who wish for their children to receive any sacrament or The Rite of Reception through the parish have been requested by Fr Shymon to make timely arrangements, as adequate preparation is required. This is especially important if families wish to pursue sacramental preparation programs in 2025.

Christian Initiation for Adults: RCIA

Have you ever considered becoming a Catholic or continuing the Catholic sacramental journey that you commenced as a child or younger adult?

Adults who wish to begin or continue their faith journey through the reception of the Catholic sacraments are invited to contact the Western Port Parish Centre on (03) 5979 4374.

Western Port Parish News

Please follow this link to the Western Port Parish web page, and to find out more about parish happenings.

Access to Australian Catholics Online Magazine

Hard copies of the Australian Catholic Magazine will be distributed to all families whose eldest children are in Years 3-6 this year. Please look out for these throughout the year and have a read over a ‘cuppa’ to discover more about happenings in Catholic schools and parishes.

ALL families have FREE access to the Australian Catholics online resource. To access this fabulous resource, please click here and use the following login details to gain access:

Email: parents@sbsomerville.catholic.edu.au

Password: acparents

Yours in faith & harmony.

Emma Chapple

-Religious Education Leader

-Performing Arts Classroom Specialist Teacher echapple@sbsomerville.catholic.edu.au

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