God of all life…

May your love and light shine in and through me today

In a way that no mask can hide.

May my eyes dance with the laughter and joy

Replacing my hidden smile.

May my actions of care and concern

Speak louder than my muffled voice ever could.

And may the generosity of my heart

Radiate out through who I am

And how I respond to the world around me

So that others may not see my mask

But your image shining out

Moving in and through me today.

Amen

Br Michael Herry fms

After another term of interrupted classes due to COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns, we are about to enter the final week of Term 2. It's hard to believe that half of the school year is almost behind us.

With the changes to restrictions that came into effect at midnight last night, it is certainly disappointing to advise that we are still limited to essential-services visitors only. We were hoping that there would be a relaxing of the restrictions such that we would be able to welcome parents for our last assembly of the term next week. Sadly, this will not be the case though (subject to any change in the next seven days).

School Reports

With Semester One coming to an end next week, Student Reports will be sent home on Friday. Please be sure to check your child's bag next Friday for their progress report. We will have Parent-Teacher Interviews early in Term 3 in line with any restrictions that may be in play at that time (hopefully there won't be any more restrictions!).

Coloured Clothes Day

Next Friday will be a Coloured Clothes Day - school uniforms do not need to be worn on our last day of school for the term. Students are still required to wear appropriate footwear that cover and protect the feet (no thongs, slides, etc).

Please note that students will be dismissed at 2.15pm next Friday.

Library

Both the senior and junior (p.m.) classes will have library on Monday next week. Please bring borrowed books for return so that new ones can be selected in readiness for holiday reading.

Lightning Premiership

Sadly the Years 3-6 Lightning Premiership which was scheduled for 8 June and was postponed until 22 June has now been cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions affecting interschool sports and interactions between students of different schools. Our senior students have been preparing for their involvement in the Tee-Ball competition which will now not go ahead.

Lockdown Drill

As part of our compliance requirements we are to conduct regular Emergency Drills. In Term 1 we had a Bushfire Drill and this week we had a Lockdown Drill. A school lockdown can occur for situations such as if there is an intruder on the school grounds, in the event of severe weather, a gas leak or similar within the local area, or under police guidance for some other reason. As part of our lockdown drill, students responded very well and moved quickly and quietly to our designated lockdown area.

We will have another drill for a different scenario next term.

New seating

There has been another spattering of colour added to our school grounds this week with a new Buddy Bench and some extra tables and seating. Students are enjoying being able to sit and chat on the new seats and the table settings also provide for more seating when eating their snacks and lunches.

Refugee Week

Refugee Week in Australia commences on Sunday. The theme for 2021 is Unity.

Refugee Week helps raise awareness of the issues affecting refugees. This year's theme aims to highlight aspects of the refugee experience and help the broader community to understand what it is like to be a refugee. The coming week also promotes harmony and togetherness. The theme aims to unite individuals, communities and organisations from many different backgrounds behind a common cause. It is a reminder that, regardless of our differences, we all share a common humanity.

In the New Testament we find Jesus the Son of God, who experiences forced migration as well as prejudice because of where he was from. Jesus had a special solidarity with the marginalised and those who were oppressed in society.

We often hear the media refer to asylum seekers as illegal immigrants or illegal refugees. These terms are contradictory given that by definition an immigrant is a person who has legally been given permanent residence, and if an asylum seeker is found to be a refugee, Australia is obligated under international law to offer protection.

There are no illegal human beings. Actions and behaviours can be illegal, but people cannot.

It is not illegal to be a refugee. Refugees have a lawful right to enter a country for the purposes of seeking asylum, regardless of how they arrive or whether they hold valid travel or identity documents. The motivating factor for refugees is safety and protection from persecution and human rights abuse.

As members of a Christian church, our mission is to offer assistance to immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers.

The Bible provides many examples of people fleeing their homelands: Abraham, who heeds God’s call to leave his country for another; the people of Israel, who walked through the desert for forty years until they reached the land promised by God. Even the Holy Family– Mary, Joseph and the child Jesus – was forced to emigrate to flee the threat of Herod.

The Holy Family of Nazareth, fleeing into Egypt, is the epitome of every refugee family. Jesus, Mary and Joseph are, for all times and all places, the models and protectors of every migrant, pilgrim and refugee. God decreed that His only Son should experience the hardship and grief of exile. This is why the Catholic Church seeks to look after and care for refugees and migrants in their trials and welcome the stranger who knocks at our door seeking refuge.

It is not illegal to seek asylum.

Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me (Matthew 25:40)

And so we pray for all refugees, asylum seekers, and those who are displaced throughout the world.

Jesus,

friend and brother,

You know what it is like to be hungry and thirsty.

You know what it feels like to be a stranger who is made to feel unwelcome.

You know the suffering of all who have lost everything.

We pray that by showing our care for refugees,

we may show love for our neighbour and be closer to you.

We ask these prayers in Your name.

Amen

Ration Challenge

There are a number of challenges taking place at the moment. The Push Up Challenge in for awareness of Mental Health issues and suicide prevention; the Sit-Up 45 Challenge asking people to do sit ups to promote awareness of Prostate Cancer; and many of us this week have been completing the Ration Challenge in support of Syrian refugees. For the past week, those of us on the Ration Challenge have been eating similar to a Syrian refugee.

My diet, and that for others on the challenge this week, has been limited to 1.92kg rice, 400g flour, 170g lentils, 85g dried chickpeas, 120g tinned sardines, 400g tinned kidney beans, and 300ml vegetable oil.

Whatever challenge you are currently facing or undertaking, I wish you well!

Push Up Challenge

Meanwhile, our staff team have been pushing on with the Push Up Challenge. The challenge is to complete 3318 push ups between 1-25 June. This number represents the number of Australians who took their own lives during 2019. By completing the push ups and fundraising efforts we are helping to promote awareness of Mental Health issues as well as supporting organisations such as Headspace and Lifeline. With a week to go, the St Patrick's School staff team have completed over 7700 push ups!!

Remember to follow us on Facebook

Those who are on Facebook are encouraged to follow our page at St Patrick's School, Nhill. 'Like' our page, enjoy our posts, and share them with your friends. Stay connected through our Social Media page.

Our Josephite Heritage

The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, often called the "Josephites" or "Brown Joeys", were founded in Penola, South Australia, in 1866 by Mary MacKillop and the Rev. Julian Tenison Woods. In 1949, three Josephite sisters arrived in Nhill to open St Patrick’s School. In 1978, the Sisters of St Joseph informed the Nhill Parish that they would no longer be able to maintain their role within the school.

We endeavour to honour our Josephite heritage through the regular presentation of the Little Joey awards at our assemblies. In support of this we also include a reflection from Mary MacKillop on our newsletter each week.

"God's love is too deep for words to express" Mary MacKillop, 1870

It has certainly been a cold and wet week and I am hoping that the Sun's won't be shining tomorrow either! C'arn Port!

God Bless you all.

Kingsley Dalgleish

Principal

Our Vision

As partners in Catholic Education and open to God’s presence, we pursue the fullness of life for all.

St. Patrick’s School is a Child-Safe School.

Our Mission

Therefore, inspired by the Gospels, our community will:

Build on the traditions of our Catholic faith.
Offer engaging, contemporary education aligned with Catholic tradition.
Provide a safe and inclusive environment to support and nurture the development of all.
Provide and maintain a supportive environment that effectively utilises resources.
Promote caring and responsible relationships between the school, family, and wider community to enhance student learning.

Community News

School Holidays Program

Nhill Pharmacy - school holiday fun