Dear Parents and Carers,

Spirit of Wisdom,
guide our actions so they tell of God’s love.

Spirit of Truth,
open our eyes to see the world as it really is.

Spirit of Power,
enthuse us to work for justice throughout the world.

Spirit of Love,
inspire us to respect the dignity of each person.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.

Come, Holy Spirit.

Come.

This Sunday we celebrate the feast of Pentecost. This word means fiftieth, as it marks the fiftieth day of the Easter season. On Pentecost, we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles gathered full of fear in the upper room in Jerusalem. This marks the beginning, or birth, of the Church.

In that upper room in Jerusalem, Jesus greeted his disciples with the gift of peace. “Peace be with you,” he said. Jesus then commissioned his disciples to continue the work that he had begun: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” He breathes the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and sends them to continue his work of reconciliation through the forgiveness of sins. Both the Greek and Hebrew words for “spirit” can also be translated as “breath.”

As we celebrate this great feast of the Church’s fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus, how have we been a sign of reconciliation in our families, in our world, and among people of faith everywhere? Have we been an instrument of God’s peace to everyone we meet?

National Sorry Day/Reconciliation Week

This Friday is National Sorry Day which then marks the beginning of Reconciliation Week. This provides our country with an opportunity to acknowledge the pain and suffering caused to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. Our school benefits from having children from a large number of different cultural backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. The children at St John's are well placed to be a future generation of genuine reconciliation as they learn and play with others from different backgrounds and cultures.

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023, Be a Voice for Generations, encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise. We are all urged to use our power, our words and our actions to create a better, more just Australia for all of us.

Staff Development Day

You are reminded that our next Staff Development Day (pupil-free) is Monday 5 June. Aspire, the company that runs our before and after school care, will be open all day if you need care for your children.

Wishing you a great week,

Paul Moroney

Principal