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.

Week

Year Level/s

Date

Venue

8

Week beginning 24th November

Grade 1

Mass

Thursday 27th November

@ 12.30pm

Brigidine

Centre

9

Week beginning 31st November

Advent Liturgy in each Shared space

(1st Week of Advent)

Monday 1st December

@ 8.45am

Year level

Shared space

10

Week beginning

1st December

Advent Liturgy in each Shared space

(2nd Week of Advent)

Year 6 Graduation Liturgy

Monday 8th December

@ 8.45am

Friday 12th December

@ 12.00pm

Year level

Shared space

Brigidine

Centre

Fete 2025

A BIG Thank you to all of our Sponsors for this years fete!