Dear Parents and Carers,

Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning is now and ever will be,

World without end. Amen

This prayer is a dedication to the Holy Trinity, the concept that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are as one. We celebrate the feast of the Trinity this Sunday. 

The Trinity is a mystery that we are to experience with our hearts not with our heads. It is not a puzzle or a riddle that we are expected to answer or solve. When we use the word ‘mystery’ to talk about and describe the Trinity, we are talking about a reality that is so endlessly rich and profound that it will never be exhausted. 

The Trinity offers us a model of sharing, belonging and community. It also challenges our individualism and our demand that our rights be met all the time. The Trinity asks us to be mindful of our responsibilities to those around us in our families, our neighbourhood and our parish community.

In the Christian tradition, when we begin our prayers, whether as individuals or a community, we do so by making the sign of the cross and calling on the power and presence of the Trinity. When we pray glory be…, we do the same. We deliberately and consciously ask the Trinity to be part of prayer and our daily life. Perhaps on the Feast of the Trinity we could say these prayers slower and let their meaning become part of us in a more intimate and personal way.

Wollongong Diocese system perspective

There has been much to celebrate at St John’s up to this point of the year, with many examples of engagement in faith development, improvement in learning and  community events. I continue to be filled with many moments of pride and privilege in being able to work at St John’s.

It is a timely reminder, however, that our school is part of the system of schools in the Diocese of Wollongong. Our system is made up of 29 primary, 8 secondary and 1 K-12 school. Being part of a system means there are support structures in place in a range of areas, such as faith development, curriculum support, financial and property management and well-being support. This year there have been two significant publications for our diocese. The first was written by Bishop Brian Mascord - "Bearers of Christ’s Love." Tt is his personal statement about Catholic schools and the important role they play in the evangelising mission of the Church, and it makes it more relevant knowing that he was a teacher in a Catholic primary school before joining the priesthood.

The second publication is the strategic plan for Catholic Education, Diocese of Wollongong. It is titled "2023+" and is only available online. It outlines the system’s goals covering the five key areas of:

    Formation in the Catholic Tradition

    Student Learning and Wellbeing

    Belonging in a Connected Community

    System Support for the Core Work of Teaching

    Ensuring Catholic Schools Continue to Thrive

Our school sets its priorities ensuring there is coherence with these two key system perspectives.

Staff Development Day

You are reminded that our Staff Development Day (pupil-free) is next Monday 5 June. 

Wishing you a great week,

Paul Moroney

Principal