Lourdes

Lourdes and their new House Leader, Mrs Corina Hennessy, have hit the ground running in 2023! The students have been busier than ever with classroom activities, excursions and camps, sporting activities and other school based events. 

We proudly announced the election of our Sports Captains for 2023 amidst a number of worthy Year 11 candidates; Isabella Sawyer and Rachel Fairfull. These two students have already shown great leadership by wearing their uniform with pride every day, mentoring and supporting junior students and helping to organise the immense comradery shown by Lourdes at the recent Swimming Carnival. Bella and Rachel led the pre-carnival meeting where they outlined the expectations for the carnival and led the charge with learning chants etc. On the day Lourdes did not have a single behavioural issue and that made their House Leader and all of the Lourdes staff  very proud!

On Friday 10th February we celebrated the Our Lady of Lourdes Feast Day in style. 

“On Feb. 11 each year, the Catholic Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, recalling a series of 18 appearances that the Blessed Virgin Mary made to a 14-year-old French peasant girl, Saint Bernadette Soubirous during 1858. The Virgin Mary's appearances at Lourdes turned the town into a popular travel destination. Thousands of people say their medical conditions have been cured through pilgrimage, prayer and the water flowing from a spring to which Bernadette was directed by the Blessed Virgin. Experts have verified 69 cases of miraculous healing at Lourdes since 1862.”

All staff and students were encouraged to wear “a touch of yellow” and Lourdes students were treated to a picnic lunch consisting of sausage sandwiches and icy poles on the Convent Lawn. Father Peter Paul joined us under the marquees and enjoyed the music and festival atmosphere of the day.

Lewis Donaldson, Lourdes student and College Captain has had a very productive year on the public speaking front. Lewis has been steadily advancing through two competitions - Lions Youth of the Year and Rotary Public Speaking. 

Lewis was successful in advancing through two rounds of Lions Youth of the Year and competed recently in the District Finals, where he missed out on first place by less than a decimal point! However, Lewis has used this opportunity to start networking; he is already in conversations with stakeholders looking to offer him employment in journalism and study at University in France.

In Rotary, Lewis will be competing in Tamworth at the end of March in their Regional Final in front of an audience of 500-600 people at the TRECC. We wish Lewis the best of luck in the coming competition! 

Cayla McInerney Year 10 received a silver medal in the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge because she has successfully completed the challenge for three years, and most recently this year completely off her own initiative and motivation. Congratulations Cayla!