Easter Reflection

A warm welcome back to everyone in Term 2. After such a disrupted year in 2021, teachers, students and parents found the return this year to be quite hectic and challenging particularly as we navigated COVID and the restrictions this virus put on our school life.

It is timely to reflect on Easter and what it means for us. At this time of year, we think of the Easter story that Christians retell after the 40 days of Lent. The story is about Jesus, a man who challenged the status quo, turned the values of society upside down, offered a way to bridge the natural and the supernatural world and on Good Friday was close to death, hanging on a cross for criminals. Watching him die were the men and women who followed him, supported him and learned from him. All the possibilities he seemed to offer came to an end, when Jesus on the cross cried out the words, ‘It is finished!’, bows his head and gave up the spirit.

So, was it the end? Did the Friday that we call Good Friday mark the end of the Jesus story? Did his followers slink off home, defeated and dispirited? Maybe so, for a couple of days. Then, as the Bible relates, Jesus was raised again to life on the Sunday morning, a new life that somehow broke through all human understanding of what it meant to die.

For Christians, the death and resurrection of Jesus lie at the heart of what it means to be truly human. Why? Because Christians believe that every barrier that might be placed between turning evil to good, between lies and truth, between slavery and freedom, and ultimately, between God and humanity, was broken down on that first Easter Sunday morning. For Christians, the Easter story represents hope of a new start, a new direction, a new future and the opportunity to be truly fulfilled humans.

You may share a belief in that Christian message of hope. You may follow another faith or believe that human resources alone are enough. Yet there is something for all of us in the Easter story. Every one of us has experienced times when we felt so discouraged, so let down by other people that we felt there was no way out, just like those followers of Jesus on that first Good Friday.

It may be that at the moment we all feel a little bit like Jesus’ followers – the world seems uncertain and dangerous. We are asked to isolate ourselves and pull back from society, while the news constantly elevates our concerns, creating a picture of a world we can no longer really understand.

Easter, however, is a story of hope. Easter tells us that, however bad our situation might appear to be, there is a way forward, even if we can’t see it right now. It’s a ‘never say die’ story, but it needs to be fleshed out for us as individuals. It needs to be tangible. So, where might our hope come from?

Let’s start with people. It’s easy to feel like you’re on your own. But what about others? Can you spot anyone else who’s caught in the Good Friday feeling? Why not be the person who brings their loneliness to an end? If you can bring hope to them, maybe the hope will rub off on you. We start by making ourselves look outwards rather than inwards, even in these difficult times – reaching out through social media, phone, text – even Teams lesson! - to those who we know might be feeling alone.

Let’s use this time we have to take a real look at our lives and what matters. Let’s start with today. Let’s think of three sights, words and experiences that have brought us a measure of satisfaction or pleasure or stimulated us to think. They’re worth sharing and pointing out to others who may take pleasure in them. We all have something to offer. Think of all of those amazing individuals volunteering to help in our homeless shelters and domestic violence refuges. Think of those helping the most vulnerable in their communities. Think of those doctors, nurses and scientists around the world risking their own health to help so many others.

Now let’s think about the week that’s gone by. What did we achieve, however slight the achievement might appear? What did we learn? Whose life is a little different because we helped them in some way? Let’s try to look away from the negatives that are dragging us down and deliberately search for the positives – this is especially important at this time. Our students have done brilliantly with their learning last term, with lots of support from staff, all keen that some semblance of normality carries on for our young people. Parents, of course, support this learning as well. A difference is being made; small achievements are happening all the time.

Finally, there is always prayer. It may be prayer to the God you believe in. It may be prayer to the God you don’t know. It may even be prayer that has no known destination. Many people, of all ages, have found that praying can have remarkable results.

Sometimes, it may feel as though we are forever stuck in Good Friday but we must remember that Easter Sunday always follows.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the inspiration and hope that we can take from the Easter story.

Help us to bring that hope and kindness to all those we can.

Amen.

St Patrick. Pray for us.

Blessed Edmund Rice. Pray for us.

Live Jesus in our hearts…Forever.

Anzac Day

We will be commemorating Anzac Day at the College this week following the official Anzac Day commemorations on Monday 25 April.

As we celebrate Anzac Day this year, we need to reflect on the meaning and impact of Anzac in our national consciousness. In the past 25 years Anzac Day has become the focal point of a new form of nationalism, especially among younger generation of Australians.

Lest we forget what Anzac symbolises, the spirit of multicultural Australia where everybody fights for each other and stands for each other. Where our differences make us unique and beautiful, where strangers risk their own lives to save others. It is a people bonded by a common nationhood, devoid of geophysical, cultural, and ethnic stratification.

Lest we forget, the First World War was supposed to be the war that ends all wars, but we seem to be letting those who fought to end all wars regret their sacrifice through the world’s insatiable appetite for more wars. We are on a knife’s edge in the Ukraine with the Russian invasion with NATO countries nervously hoping that rash decisions are not being made.

Lest we forget, those who laid down their lives for our freedom did not willingly want to die, they had families who they left for the sake of people they have never met and may never have met. Let us use Anzac Day to celebrate our common humanity as Australians. From the going down of the sun to the morning, we remember them. Lest we forget. Have a reflexive Anzac Day celebration.

Our senior Rugby players who were touring in Canberra were fortunate to take part in a very special ceremony at the Australian War Memorial. Our boys, in uniform, were asked to form a guard of honour. I share the clip with you as it is very moving. Our students did us proud in the gravitas and respect they brought to the occasion.

Staff Changes

There have been a few changes to our staff that I would like to share with you. Like all schools, we have found it incredibly challenging to recruit teachers at a time when there is such a huge shortage across the state of NSW.

We welcome back:

Mr Steve Fochesato (Director of Cocurricular) and
Mrs Denise Lombardo (Director of Learning and Innovation)

and thank Mr Calavassy and Mrs Timillero respectively for filling in for them on the Leadership Team.

We also welcome back Ms Noelle Lamir from parental leave who will be job-sharing with Mr Chon.

We farewelled two members of staff at the end of Term1. Mr Paul O’Donoghoe made the decision to retire and Mr Thomas Jubb was successful in securing a position close to home in the Pennant Hills area. We wish them well and thank them for their contribution to the College. They are being replaced by Ms Louise Clark (English) and Mr Sam Boggs (TAS/PDHPE). Ms Jacqueline Sum resigned at the end of Term 1 and will be replaced by Ms Mikaela Newcombe.

We also welcome new members of the support staff of the College:

Mrs Michelle Barr (Receptionist)
Mrs Carmel Allen (Executive Support HR/Wellbeing)
Mr Borce Sazdanovski (IT Manager) and
Ms Lara Strati (Learning Support Officer)

COVID: Key Changes from Term 2

The NSW government has announced the removal of the 7-day isolation requirement for household/close contacts effective 6 pm on Friday 22 April 2022, which will be replaced with Health guidelines that require household/close contacts to:

wear a mask in indoor settings outside of the home
undertake daily RAHT before coming into contact with people outside the home
avoid contact with the elderly/immunocompromised
not visit aged care, hospitals, disability and correctional facilities unless an exemption applies

This means that if someone in your household tests positive, and your son has not had COVID in the preceding twelve (12) weeks, then he is deemed a household contact. He can keep coming to school provided:

You advise me at principal@spc.nsw.edu.au and include the date of the positive COVID diagnosis; and
Your son will need to take a daily RAHT test for five (5) days. The school will not be supplying these. They will need to be purchased by each family; and
He will need to wear a mask at all times whilst at school with the exception of when he is outside at recess and lunch and out in the open.

Please continue to let me know if your son tests COVID positive at principal@spc.nsw.edu.au and the same seven (7) day isolation period will apply. Year 11 and 12 students who miss assessments due to being in isolation should have a PCR result sent to Mr Newman or Mr Fox to support their Illness/Misadventure Appeals.

Community News

Please join me in congratulating Mr Bruno Milheiro (Year 9 Coordinator) and his wife on the arrival of their daughter born in the last week of Term 1, and Mrs Jessica Perri (Mathematics Faculty) and her husband on the arrival of their daughter, Bianca born during the holidays. We thank the Lord for their safe arrival and know these children will bring their families many blessings.

Dr Vittoria Lavorato

Principal

SPC boys can do anything!

**except divide by zero

Uniform Shop

Supporters Jacket - SALE