Principal's Report

Over the recent holiday period, I was privileged to participate in a pilgrimage with colleagues from across Sydney Catholic Schools and Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, following in the footsteps of St Paul on his second missionary journey through Greece, Turkey and Rome.

The pilgrimage challenged us to consider how the evangelising mission of St Paul remains relevant in our communities today and how we, too, are called to share hope, faith and love within our own communities.

While the highlights are far too numerous to capture in a single newsletter article, our journey began in Athens with a beautiful Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St Dionysius. It was here that Archbishop Anthony introduced us to our "spiritual tour guide", St Paul, through a humorous adaptation of Acts 22:3-16:

"Hi! I'm Saul. A Jew from Tarsus. I grew up in Jerusalem. I went to school at Gamaliel High. I'm a tentmaker by profession. But for a time I was in pest control: I exterminated Christians. Then a funny thing happened on the Road to Damascus. I met this guy who died three years before and everything changed for me. I did Alpha in Arabia, RCIA in Syria, and got confirmed in Jerusalem. Then I hit Syrian Antioch to start preaching Christianity."

The Archbishop's light-hearted retelling reminded us that before he became one of Christianity's greatest missionaries, Paul was simply a man whose life was transformed by an encounter with Christ. His story is one of conversion, courage and an unwavering commitment to sharing the Good News.

As I begin to reflect on the many experiences of this pilgrimage, I am reminded that St Paul's message remains as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago. In our own school community, we are called to be people of faith, hope and service, seeking opportunities each day to make Christ known through our words, actions and relationships.

Over the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing further reflections from this remarkable journey and the lessons St Paul's life continues to offer us as a Catholic community.

For this week, I'll leave you with a fun fact about our starting point, the Cathedral of St Dionysius, or "St Dennis" in Aussie speak!

According to tradition, St Dionysius was an Athenian judge who converted to Christianity after hearing St Paul preach. Following his martyrdom, legend tells us that he picked up his own head and carried it to the church before finally collapsing. It's certainly one way to demonstrate commitment to the mission!

While the story may raise a few eyebrows, it serves as a reminder of the extraordinary courage and conviction of the early Christians whose faith helped shape the Church we know today.

Whole School Reminders

1.   Pupil Free Day - Friday 20 November

A reminder that Friday 20 November is a Pupil Free Day as staff continue their professional learning.

SCECS Outside School Hours Care is planning to offer a full-day care program; however, this service can only proceed if minimum enrolment numbers are met. If your family requires care on this day, please register your interest and make a booking as soon as possible through the link provided.

Your support with bookings not only assists SCECS with planning but also helps ensure this valuable service can be offered to our community.

2.   Kindergarten Orientation 

Next Thursday marks a special milestone as we welcome our newest students and families for our first Kindergarten Orientation Morning. We are excited to meet the children who will begin their journey at St Margaret Mary's next year, along with families who are already part of our community and returning with younger siblings.

Our second orientation session will be held on Thursday 19 November, and we look forward to helping all new families feel welcomed, connected and at home.

Thank you for your continued support in making St Margaret Mary's such a vibrant and inclusive community. The strongest endorsement our school can receive is the positive experiences shared by our students and families. We are always grateful when families speak proudly about our school and help others discover what makes St Margaret Mary's such a special place to learn, grow and belong.

Warm regards, 

Kylie O’Donnell