A Message from Fr. Manny

A Message for St. Joseph the Worker Primary School North Reservoir

Greetings to you all: Maria, School Staff, leaders, teachers, students, parents, guardians, and families, my thoughts of blessings and prayers are with you all. At the beginning of the last term of the year 2024, I now say Goodbye. 

Firstly, I thank you for the well-presented and very moving prayer service you celebrated for me on Monday Seventh October 2024, when you prayed for me and blessed me. Thanks to Kate who led it and thanks to Maria for the wonderful speech about me which I appreciated very much. Thank you, Maria, for speaking of a richness of values that led us to a good, gentle and friendly communication to work well together for the common good of our school and our parish community. Thank you for all your support and prayers. Thank you for the special thanksgiving prayer and blessing at the conclusion of the speech. Thank you, Maria for your good leadership helping our school to continue to grow in respect, education and faith. 

As I leave the parish and the school with sadness, I will not forget the dedication shown by teachers and staff in the school through the years, I will not forget their strength and capacities during some challenging times. During my seventeen years in St Joe’s I always admired the expressions of faith values shown by teachers, families and students at school and in church at the celebrations of the sacraments and other occasional Eucharist celebrations for the whole school. As I leave, I will remember the dedicated participation of the Parents and guardians in the School Advisory Council (School Board), in the Parents and Friends Committee and other committees. Thank you all for your great work encouraging the school community to live out and follow our motto: “Let us work together” Thank you and Well Done.

Today I thank everyone of you, Maria, Leaders, Teachers, staff and students and families for the many good wishes, prayers and words of encouragement you have given me, in particular the many words written in the books from each class. Thank you and well done. As I say goodbye to you and leave, together with some sad feelings I feel privileged to have been Parish Priest of North Reservoir for seventeen years and was always happy and proud of the school community. We pray for each other to keep moving forward in faith in hope, and in Charity and love continuing making Jesus Real. Saint Joseph the Worker: Pray for us. 

Thank you and my blessings to you all.

Manny Bonello