Faith, Mission 

& Identity

Celebrating NAIDOC Week in RE classes

Students had the opportunity to participate in a NAIDOC Week liturgy during RE classes developed by Miss Crnogorac. Moreover, students had the opportunity to write a handwritten letter to be included in the NATSICC Hospital Bags. NATSICC provides Hospital Bags with toiletry items for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are admitted to hospital – often without any basic items - to make their stay more comfortable. This letter of hope and support could be a bright light in a difficult time.

Jubilee of Young People (July 28 to August 3, 2025)

The Church invited all youth and young adults to celebrate the Jubilee of Young People in 2025, of which 500,000 participated during the week and over 1 million attended the final mass with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. Click on this link for more detail on the Pope’s homily, “The Lord is gently knocking at the window of your soul”. This special moment during the Holy Year was an opportunity for young people to journey to Rome and celebrate experiences of transformation and hope.

A Resource for the Jubilee of Young People. The resource has links to reflections, prayers and Saints that young people can look up to during their life journey.

10:10 Parish Night

The 10:10 Parish night was held on Friday 1st August at Marcellin College, Randwick. Despite the rain, the youth were in good spirits. The night began with Mass and then activities like bingo, lucky door prize and trivia.

Jersey Day 3rd September

In 2025, the CWF Fundraising Appeal will be highlighting the works of two ministries supported by the Charitable Works Fund:

CatholicCare Disability Services - Focusing on their life skills program, which supports people with disability to be more independent.

The Ephpheta Centre - Supporting deaf and hard of hearing people, including playgroup, community events, Mass in Auslan, and individual assistance in many ways.

Brigidine will be hosting a fundraising initiative, inviting all students and staff to wear a jersey on the 3rd September and bring in a gold coin.

Our first Australian Saint, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, challenged the people of her time to “Never see a need without doing something about it.” Her challenge rings true for us today as it did then. We can do something about these needs by participating in jersey day.

August: The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary 

Honouring the Heart that Loves Us Most

So… what’s August all about in the Catholic Calendar?

August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Yep, that’s right! It’s all about the deep love Mary has for Jesus and us.

This devotion focuses on Mary’s pure, motherly heart; full of love, compassion, and complete trust in God. Her heart is like a compass pointing us towards Jesus. 

What did Pope Leo XIII say?

Pope Leo XIII encouraged this devotion because Mary is the “guardian of the faith and protector of the Church.”

He reminded us that turning to Mary’s heart leads us to live pure and faithful lives and helps us grow closer to Jesus. Her heart is our safe place, especially when the world feels heavy.

Why does it matter to us?

Let’s be real: Life is full of choices, noise, pressure, and distractions. Mary shows us how to live with faith, courage, and peace in the chaos.

She stood by Jesus when things got tough.

She said "yes" to God even when it was scary.

Her heart was broken but she never gave up on love.

When we honour her heart, we’re reminded to:

• Choose kindness over gossip
• Be brave in our faith
• Love deeply, even when it’s hard

This August, let’s choose to love big, stay strong in faith, and follow Mary’s example – heart first.

A Prayer for August – Honouring Mary’s Heart

Dear Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother,

We turn to your Immaculate Heart this month.

Teach us to love like you do with patience, kindness, and strength.

Help us to trust God even when we don’t understand His plan.

Pray for us when we’re struggling, and guide us closer to your Son.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

 Amen.

Pope Leo XIV’s Motto – Peace & Mercy

What It Means for Catholic Schools

Papal Motto: “Pax et Misericordia”

That’s Latin for “Peace and Mercy” – two powerful words that Pope Leo XIV chose to guide his mission as our new Holy Father.

But what do these words mean for you, for your fellow students, and for our school communities?

Let’s break it down:

Peace

Pope Leo isn’t just talking about an absence of war; he means a deep, lasting peace that comes from knowing we are loved by God.

In our schools, this looks like:

Creating safe, inclusive spaces

Handling conflict calmly and with care

Promoting unity between students, staff, and families

Mercy

Mercy is love in action. It is forgiveness, compassion and kindness.

In our schools, this might be:

Offering second chances

Standing up for someone being left out

Speaking with gentleness even when it's tough

Watch & Reflect

Pope Leo XIV on Peace & Mercy – What It Means Today

For Students:

This week, try to be a person of peace and mercy.

Challenge: Can you find one moment each day to forgive, include, or listen with love?

“Mercy is not weakness; it’s the strength of the heart.” – Pope Leo XIV

Monica Ribeiro

Director of Religious Education & Mission