Catholic Identity 

Sacramental Candidates 

On Wednesday evening some of our Year 3 learners received the Sacrament of Reconciliation: Levi Spence, Sofia Montgomery, Brady Richardson, Hudson Russ, Ryder Bourke, Sam Farrant, Cyrus Stafrace and Kevin Lukose. Thank you to the Year 3 staff for supporting these learners throughout this significant part of their faith journey. 

Please continue to keep these learners in your prayers. 

Lord,  

Strengthen these learners with Your Holy Spirit  

to grow in faith, hope, and love,  

and guide them to live a life modelled in your ways.  

May they always walk in Your peace, seek goodness,  

and forgive others as You have forgiven them. 

Amen. 

F.I.R.E. Carriers 

The F.I.R.E. (Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education) Carrier program is an important initiative promoting respect, fairness and inclusion for Aboriginal people. While this is everyone’s responsibility, the role of a F.I.R.E. Carrier is to embrace this commitment and to serve as a model for others. Twenty-two applications have been received and were of an exceptional standard where each applicant addressed three questions: 

• Why would you like to be a F.I.R.E. Carrier? 
• What skills do you bring to this position? 
• What do you hope to achieve by becoming a F.I.R.E. Carrier? 
•  

The successful applicants will be commissioned on Tuesday 25th November at 2.05pm. Michael Chisholm, CESL Aboriginal Education Lead along with his Team member, Tanika will lead the ceremony. We congratulate each of these candidates and are confident that they will each fulfil their role to a high standard. 

Year 4: 

Harvey Brown  

Leon De Silva 

Fletcher Farley 

Brodie Geltch 

Edi Jones 

Ryder Kilmartin 

Gemma Mills 

Phoebe O'Mahony 

Jordan Palmer 

Callum Smith 

Patrick Wallis 

Asher Williams 

Etta Warren 

Year 5: 

Grace Dicketts 

Sadie Dobell 

Evie Gillie 

Pippa Lloyd 

Luca McCallum 

Skyla McLean 

Emily Parker 

Georgianne Serpell 

Sienna Stewart 

The season of Advent.   

The season of Advent begins on Sunday 30th November and is a four-week period in the Christian calendar that prepares people for Jesus Christ’s birth at Christmas, while also pointing ahead to his promised return.  

Each Sunday of the season traditionally spotlights a key theme—like hope, peace, joy, or love—to invite reflection, prayer, and expectant celebration.  

Each Monday of Advent every Year level will gather in their Shared spaces to consider the week ahead and how each of us can prepare for Christmas. 

Celebrating Advent also means living into it by practicing a generous way of love and care for our neighbours as we partner with Jesus to bring peace on Earth. 

The first week of Advent is associated with the theme of ‘Hope’. This theme is central to the season's start, which is a time of preparation and anticipation for Christmas and the second coming of Christ. The first candle lit on the Advent wreath, the Prophecy Candle, symbolises this hope and recalls the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. 

Advent and Mission - St Mary’s ‘Giving Tree’.         

This term all Year levels have been learning about how we can reach out and serve others. Many classrooms have been exploring the concept of service within our communities and identifying how they can use their gifts within their 

community to support others. 

As we approach the season of Advent, this has been a wonderful opportunity for us as a community to reach out to those who are less fortunate than ourselves. 

In the Administration building, a ‘Giving Tree’, a Christmas tree has been erected. This tree does not have any decorations, but only 27 gift tags hanging from it. Each gift tag has the gender and age of a young person for whom you may like to purchase a gift for. The value of this gift is left up to you.  

Pop into the Office to select a gift tag from the ‘Giving Tree’ to support one child who may not be as fortunate as those in our own families. Perhaps the selection of the gift tag could be a family decision. 

Please wrap your gift, attach the gift tag chosen from the ‘Giving Tree’ and place this under the Christmas tree in the Office. 

Anonymity is the key to this gesture. 

‘The art of giving is perfected through anonymity.’  

~ Douglas Horton. 

For those who would prefer to donate non-perishable grocery items rather than purchasing a gift, a large crate has been positioned in the Administration building for donations. Additionally, each classroom has a container beside their Prayer table in their classroom. 

All donations are appreciated and welcome. 

Thank you in advance. 

Just Leadership Day 

Last week St Mary’s hosted the Caritas Just Leadership Day welcoming potential leaders from Year 5 across a number of our neighbouring schools including St Mary’s Cohuna, St Joseph’s Kerang, St Patrick’s Tongala and St Augustine’s Kyabram. A total of 48 learners gathered to learn what it means to be ‘just’ and what the important qualities of a leader are. 

St Mary’s was well represented by 11 of our Year 5 learners who demonstrated wonderful leadership skills including courage and confidence to speak up and share their thinking and knowledge. 

We look forward to their leadership as they continue their learning journey at St Mary’s. 

Aisha Burke 

Elsie Cavallaro 

Grace Dicketts 

Sadie Dobell 

Parker Finn 

Evie Gillie 

Pippa Lloyd 

Luca McCallum 

Emily Parker 

Georgie Serpell 

Harper Welch 

Please pray for these future leaders.