Dear Parents,

We look forward to seeing you all at the opening of our beautiful community garden this Wednesday from 2-4pm. It is set to be a great community afternoon so bring all the family and come along to celebrate all that we are doing in our wonderful school.

Last week, we highlighted the journey of our First Nations people and the need for reconciliation, respect and a voice for generations to come.

Last Wednesday, our Year 1/2 community led us on a journey of recognising our First Nations people in our Reconciliation Mass. What a positive, spirit filled afternoon where we paid respect to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the need for us to have faith in the future, using the spirit to guide us and listen to the voice of all.

On Friday, students from Year 1/2 at Hastings Primary joined with us to celebrate Reconciliation Week. It was such a wonderful morning where students rotated through activities, joined in a dance and did amazing chalk drawings of native animals. A huge thanks to Lucette Talbot along with our Indigenous perspectives team, Natalie and Marissa, and our Fire Carrier leaders, Zarnah and Callum, and other senior students who helped on the day.

A few staff also attended the Reconciliation event at Willam Warrain in Hastings yesterday, where a huge crowd of people gathered to support our First Nations people celebrating their amazing contribution to our wonderful country and the need for reconciliation and recognition as wonderful stewards of our land.

What a wonderful, spirit filled week we had at St Mary’s last week where we focused on the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the importance of reconciliation and being the voice for generations to come!

Last Monday, our Year 6 students spent the day at Saltbush Centre in Balnarring Beach where they inquired into how to live a life of service to others using the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. They listened to three wonderful speakers who took them on an inquiry into being the best people they can be, living lives of respect and responsibility through positive relationships with others.

We welcomed a Bunurong custodian, Alvin, who commenced the day with a smoking ceremony and a yarning circle, highlighting symbols of wind, flame and smoke and the connection to the land we walk on. The event demonstrated the importance of recognising past, present and future relationships and the need for respect and responsibility to always look after one another and the land we connect to.

We heard from Sr Joan Power and the amazing work the team does at Saltbush, restoring the property and being stewards of the earth. The students worked with Sr Joan on the land being of service to others and then Sr Joan planted a beautiful tree in memory of their Confirmation.

Ange Virgona then made kites with the students, talking about going forth from the day with uplift using the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit to make a difference in the world. It was such a spirit filled day and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with our magnificent Year 6 cohort.

Yesterday, we celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation at Hastings with Father Shymon and Most Rev Bishop Tony Ireland. It was a beautiful ceremony and I congratulate Emily, Jack and Rachel on taking this important step in their spiritual journey.

Congratulations to Gus for running in the Zone cross country last week.

Yours in Partnership,

Gab

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