Family Educator

Preparing Hearts and Minds: Our First Holy Communion Retreat Day

Our Year 4 and 5 communicants recently took a wonderful step forward in their sacramental journey by participating in the First Holy Communion Retreat Day. It was a joyful, grace-filled day dedicated to prayer, reflection and community as the children prepared their hearts to receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the very first time.

Throughout the day, the students engaged in a variety of meaningful activities designed to deepen their understanding of this sacred milestone:

• Children explored the roots of the Mass, learning how the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ.

• The candidates created beautiful keepsakes, including a personalised First Communion Banner, to remind them of their spiritual preparation.

• Students visited the altar, spent quiet time in prayer before the Tabernacle and practised how to reverently receive the host.

   

The retreat concluded with a beautiful prayer service and the sacrament of Reconciliation, leaving our students feeling excited and spiritually ready for their big day. We extend a heartfelt thank you to our catechists, teachers and parents, whose dedication made this day so special.

A Blessed Celebration: Our First Holy Communion Mass

With hearts full of joy, our community gathered on Saturday night, the 12th September, to celebrate our children as they received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. It was a beautiful, grace-filled evening as our young candidates took this monumental step in their faith journeys, fully participating in the Eucharistic feast for the very first time.

The atmosphere in the church was one of deep reverence and celebration. Dressed in their finest, the children processed into the church with radiant smiles, carrying the prayers of their families and parish community. Each child approached the altar with immense reverence to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, marking a lifetime bond with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Parents, godparents, grandparents and parishioners filled the pews, surrounding our communicants with love, support and shared faith. 

We extend our deepest gratitude to our parish priests (especially Fr Phil), our catechists, teachers and parent volunteers who dedicated countless hours to preparing these children for this sacred milestone. Most of all, congratulations to our first communicants! May the peace and joy of Christ remain in your hearts always.

St Carlos Acutis Major Pilgrim Relic and Exhibition

We are excited to share that the Major Pilgrim Relic of St Carlo Acutis will be on exhibition at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Primary School and Parish on Tuesday 13th October 2026.

This is a scheduled event during school hours, however, OLSH have extended a warm invitation to families to join them from 4pm. 

A flyer on our Instagram page details the Parish Schedule of events which will include visiting the exhibit on school grounds, Veneration of the Relic at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Reconciliation and Mass. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Primary School and Parish looks forward to welcoming you and your families on the afternoon of 13th October 2026 from 4pm.

School Readiness Playgroup 

Our School Readiness Playgroup continues to move ahead in leaps and bounds, with many of our future students so keen to learn that they are asking for homework! In Week 8 we read “Ten Terrible Dinosaurs” and practised our counting and number skills. The playgroupers were extremely enthusiastic and enjoyed singing along to dinosaur and little duckling songs. Unfortunately, Week 8 was our last playgroup for a little while as we had the swimming carnival in Week 9 and then a pupil free day in Week 10. There is no playgroup during the school holidays, but we will resume in Week 2 of Term 4, on Friday, 23rd October, at 9:00am. All are welcome!

Session Details

• When: Most Fridays during the school term (starting Week 2, Term 4)

• Time: 9:00 AM – 10:10 AM

• Meeting Place: We meet in the school playground after morning drop off from 9:00 AM.

• Who: Children preparing for school next year

• Invitation: All are welcome to attend! 

What We Do

• Social skills: Children practice sharing, taking turns and playing together.

• School routines: Kids learn to follow simple instructions and enjoy group storytime.

• Fun activities: We explore arts, crafts, music and outdoor play.

Come along and join us!

St Margaret Mary’s Primary School 70th Anniversary 

Did you or your family members go to St Margaret Mary's Primary School? Let others know and come and join us in celebrating the school’s 70th Anniversary!

Calendar reminder: St Margaret Mary’s Primary School 70th Anniversary Celebrations, Friday,16th October, 2026, at 9:00am. 

Year 12 Support Packs

Thank you to those families who sent in the Year 12 HSC Support Packs. These were gratefully received by Year 12 students at Brigidine College. Our Family Educator Network also added Miraculous Medals to the packs, which were blessed by His Grace, Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP. A short video about the blessing was also produced and shown to the Year 12 students.  

As our HSC students prepare for their examinations, we keep them in prayer. May Our Lord fill them with his peace, wisdom and courage.