Dear parents and carers,

Jesus replied: ’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Matthew 22:37)

Brother Damien Price poses a question: “Can you leave what is urgent and attend to what is important?” He reminds us that our world is constantly telling us that this phone call, that email, this text message, that meeting, this party, that commitment and that job are all so urgent and we must attend to them. In the rush to do these ‘urgent’ things, we can forget the ‘important,’ necessary and life-giving things - patting your dog, hugging your children, hugging your parents, laughing at yourself, cracking a joke at the dinner table, enjoying a sunset, or realising what great friends you have.

Something is important if it fits into what Br Damien calls ‘the Jesus file’ : “You must love the Lord your God with your whole heart and soul and mind, and you must love your neighbour as yourself.” What is really important is to do with love – of God, of neighbour and of self. I hope that with the upcoming student vacation you get some time to attend to the important ‘Jesus file’ things! 

With our term coming to an end this week, I would like to pass on my thanks for your continued support. Grandparent’s Day and the celebration of the 200^th Anniversary of the first Mass said in Campbelltown were two highlights for our community, and demonstrated what can be achieved when members of our community.

I hope your children have a relaxing and safe holiday break. They continue to be a source of great joy at St John’s with their enthusiasm for learning and care they show their friends. Their health and well-being, as well as that of the staff, continues to be at the forefront of our daily operations. While there are fewer cases of COVID, we are still seeing staff and students suffering from other varieties of cold and flu. Hopefully this will shift with the warmer weather.

 P & F Movie Night

Thank you to the families who supported this fundraising initiative on Monday night. Our school has begun some planning to improve the playground and the things that students can do during playtime. Much of this will involve the purchase of new equipment and possible capital works in 2023, and the P & F has indicated a willingness to support this. Fundraising initiatives like the Movie Night contribute significantly to this support.

Staff Development Day

Wishing you all a happy and safe fortnight. We look forward to seeing you in Term 4,