Principals Message

Dear parents and carers,

Welcome to Term 2. I hope you enjoyed time with your children over the break, the weather was fabulous. As we enter the second week of occupying the new building the joy is still obvious in all who enter.

On Monday we had the Spirituality Team from the Catholic Schools Office lead us through a reflection day on how St Xavier’s first came to be. Sr Christine Belling was an integral part of the day and If you have ever had anything to do with Sr Chris I am sure you would agree she is a fine storyteller. Chris is humble, honest, funny and compassionate. It was so special to have her here to talk with us.

We were led on a journey that started with Catherine McAuley who founded the Sisters of Mercy in Ireland in 1831. The Sisters arrived in Australia in January 1846. Can you imagine the heat they would have experienced dressed in their long, thick, black habits? On January 3rd (in the heat once again) four Sisters of Mercy came to Gunnedah and started a school down in Maitland Street. This led to the buildings we now see at the Convent. 

For many staff their relationship with St Xavier’s is new and for some staff it goes back many years. Mrs Jaeger and Mr McEvoy both attended Kindergarten in the room with the round windows which is now Year 4. Sister Christine was in Yr 5 at St Xavier’s when a new building was opened. That new building is the one that was demolished to make way for our current new building. 

We all really enjoyed learning of the history of our school and the Sisters of Mercy. It was rather emotional to be sitting in our new magnificent space and hear of the hardships and struggles the nuns and the community faced in those days.

It was powerful to think that we are carrying on the work of those Sisters, to carry on the tradition of providing unconditional love and support for all the children in our care. As Catherine McAuley said, “ May the ordinary service to others always be done extraordinarily well.”

Kind regards,

Jen