Welcome to this first newsletter for Term 3 and Semester 2. These first few weeks have been very different as we readjust to the necessary changes required under the present circumstances of dealing with the COVID19 Lockdown restrictions.

Again, I thank the students for their patience and acceptance in dealing with the necessary changes and how they are reapplying themselves to the remote learning program needed over these weeks.

Thank you also to our parents for your support and understanding as we reset again with a different outlook for Term 3. We are very conscious of the numbers of letters and the correspondence being sent to keep all families abreast of the current advice and Government updates. I thank you for taking the time, in the midst of busy family life, to work through the various school processes for your son.

While we are very occupied with everything going on around us, especially as we comply with the Stage 4 lockdown procedures, it is worthwhile to acknowledge some important occasions and dates in the Church’s liturgical calendar and which contribute to the faith life of our College. We are unable to honour and celebrate these feast days at school in our normal ways, however it is important that we do take a moment to recognise each day.

Feast of St James the Apostle

Saturday, 25 July, was the feast day of St James The Apostle, our College Patron Saint. St James was one of the Twelve Apostles who were called by Jesus to follow him, as he moved around Judea, preaching the message of God. From the Gospel stories, James was one of only a few apostles present when Jesus worked many of his miracles and cures.

James was also one of those closer to Jesus when Jesus suffered what we know as the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the evening before Jesus was crucified on Mt Calvary, near Jerusalem. As we are told in the Acts of the Apostles, James was the first of the twelve apostles to be put to death, martyred, for his following and preaching the teachings of Jesus. James was a great proponent of putting our faith into action through doing good works, and this is particularly relevant for our College community through our Social Justice actions.

We celebrated St James Day with Online Homeroom Liturgies on Friday 24 July

Feast of St Mary Mackillop – Australia’s first saint

Saturday, 8 August, tomorrow, will be the feast of Mary Mackillop.

Mary MacKillop was born in Fitzroy, Melbourne on 15 January, 1842, to Scottish immigrants Alexander and Flora MacKillop and died in North Sydney on 8 August, 1901. After living what she described as “a most unhappy” early life, largely due to financial hardship, Mary moved to Penola, South Australia at age 18 to work as a governess for relatives. There she met Fr Julian Tenison Woods and they set up a school for underprivileged children before going on to establish the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart – the first religious institute established by an Australian. The Order grew and the Sisters travelled the countryside setting up schools, orphanages and other good works for those in need.

Today, there are about 800 Sisters of St Joseph, still working with the poor and marginalised in Australia, New Zealand, Timor Leste, Scotland, Ireland and Peru.

At St James College, our Year 7 Homerooms and our Library Resource Centre are located in the Mary MacKillop building named in honour of Australia’s first saint.

Feast of St Benilde

Thursday, 13 August, is the feast of De La Salle Brother - Benilde Romancon

Benilde was born in France in1805. His father was illiterate, but he was eager for Benilde to have an education. At age thirteen Benilde attended a De La Salle school and there decided that he wanted to become a Brother. As time went on, Benilde’s father needed him to help on the farm but Benilde persuaded him to allow him to continue his education. He then had to convince the Brothers that he really wanted to join them. As a De La Salle Brother he was asked to teach primary classes, which he did all his life. He was a person of prayer, great love and wise counsel to his students, their parents and to the Brothers. Benilde did the ordinary tasks of life extraordinarily well and many of his pupils later followed him and became Brothers in the De La Salle Order. Benilde was Canonised a Saint in 1967.

We celebrate the life and contribution of St Benilde with one of our Houses named in his honour, and we will acknowledge this feast day with a Homeroom liturgy.

Feast of the Assumption of Mary

On 15 August we celebrate the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This significant feast day recalls the spiritual and physical departure of the mother of Jesus Christ from the earth, when both her soul and her body were taken into the presence of God.

Although defined as an article of faith by Pope Pius XII over half a century ago, the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven has been accepted from the earliest of Christian times.

The Assumption signals the end of Mary’s earthly life and marks her return to heaven to be reunited with Jesus.

We will offer prayers of intercession to Mary at the time of this feast day.

Parent/Student/Teacher

On-Line Interviews and

On-Line Subject Selections

I would like to take this opportunity to thank parents for their Online attendance and continued support at the Parent/Student/Teacher Evenings scheduled over these weeks. It is important that the discussions held at these interviews are followed by attention to the recommendations and plans that result from the meetings. It is also important that we encourage our sons, to either continue their great efforts, or we support them even more, in their quest to improve their performance over this semester while mindful of the challenges they are currently facing.

This week we commenced our subject selection process for parents of students moving from Year 8 into 9. The presentations and the necessary documentation are available online through SIMON. Later this term, a similar process will be in place for the parents and students moving from Year 9 into 10. Thank you to Ms Natalie Bates and Ms Amy Collins, our Curriculum and Learning Leaders, who together with our Domain leaders, are organising these On-line subject selection presentations as part of the process for our students to select their subjects for next year.

Year 10 Transition Evenings

Our Year 10 students transitioning to St Bede’s College, are in the midst of their preparations for course and subject selection for 2021. In partnership with staff at St Bede’s College, we will be holding online subject selection interviews with our Year 10 students and their parents to work through subjects and pathways for the next two years. I thank Mr Justin Shepherd and the Year 10 Staff as they work with the students in preparation for these discussions.

We wish our students and families well as they continue to work through this aspect of the transition process that works very smoothly with our brother Lasallian Colleges and our other partner schools.

Prayer for our College Community

We keep in mind those in our community who are on the front line and in essential work. We pray for those whose health or welfare have been affected by the virus.

Following his recent Feast Day, we recall that St James was a faithful disciple of Jesus and is an inspiration for all of us. We attribute much of our Catholic Heritage to the qualities that St James displayed while being with, and following Jesus, namely: companionship, support for others, collegiality, respect, and being the guiding example for others.

During these uncertain times let us use this example of St James to give us strength to support our families and those around us who maybe feeling vulnerable and unsure.

We pray that like St James, each of us will gain better insights into how we too can be faithful followers of the message of Jesus, as found in the Gospels: The Good News!

St James the Apostle … Pray for us

St Benilde … Pray for us

St Mary MacKillop … Pray for us

Our Mother Mary … Pray for us

I would like to wish everyone connected with

St James College all the very best for these weeks ahead and for Semester 2.

Stephen Pooley

Principal

Twilight Retreat