Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome to Term 2. I trust that you and your family had a joyous Easter, and that your children had some time to rest and enjoy doing some of their favourite things. Yesterday our school community was able to celebrate Mass together, a culmination of the Easter story which we began at the end of last term with our Holy Week Liturgy. Fr John and seminarian Darren reminded the students that the risen Jesus is with us each and every day and can be a source of strength for us.

Our school joins with the rest of the Catholic church, and in fact many parts of the world, in mourning the death of Pope Francis. It seems that in his life he had a significant impact on many across the world, especially those who live on the fringes of society or in parts of the world that are impacted by such things as war, oppression and famine. He was also a great advocate for the environment with his encyclical, 'Laudato Si', imploring all of us to be active stewards of creation. This is a link to a statement from the Bishop of the Wollongong diocese. We now shift our prayers to the selection of our next Pope, asking the Holy Spirit to inspire the Cardinals in their deliberations.

Federal Election

Before you cast your vote this Saturday, it’s important you know where the political parties stand when it comes to Catholic education. While both Labor and the Coalition support Catholic schools and our priorities, that’s not true of all candidates running in this election.

To help you understand the views of the major parties, the National Catholic Education Commission has prepared this helpful scorecard.

ANZAC DAY COMMEMORATIONS

On ANZAC Day we think about all those who have served defending our rights and freedoms to live in this beautiful country. 

Thank you to the students, parents and teachers who gave up their time to represent our school at the Campbelltown RSL Anzac Day March. We met at Campbelltown Mall before marching along Queen Street with many other schools and groups to Mawson Park. A very moving service commenced just after 9am. 

Congratulations to the students for the wonderful respect they demonstrated throughout the ceremony.

On Monday, 5 May, we will hold a Prayer at morning assembly to recognise ANZAC Day and remember all the brave men and women who have served our nation in conflict and peace-keeping missions. This year we commemorate the 110th anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops on the Gallipoli peninsula in 1915. 

TERM 2 CLASS CAPTAINS

It is wonderful to be recognised for leadership qualities. These students will be provided with their badge on Monday, 12 May (Week 3) at the morning assembly. We will inform parents via Compass of who our Term 2 Class Captains are, so you might be available to grab a photo and see your child receive their badge.

We are confident that our student leaders will be great examples for others demonstrating our Good Samaritan values and ‘Walking in Peace and Joy’.

MAY- MONTH OF THE ROSARY

May is the month we dedicate to Mary, the Mother of God and Mother of the Church, whom we honour as the first disciple. We recognise Mary as the one who listened and responded by saying yes to God.  

This month we particularly encourage the praying of the Rosary at school and at home, a prayer that is special in the Catholic tradition. The Rosary dates back a long way in the history of the Church and traditionally consisted of three sets of mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious. The optional Mysteries of Light were added in 2002 by Pope John Paul II. 

The Website below provides details about the rosary:

http://www.rosary-center.org/howto.htm

ANNUAL SCHOOL ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

Weather permitting, our Athletics Carnival is being held this Friday, 2 May, at the Narellan Sports Hub (Thursday, 15 May- backup day). Information for parents and carers about the organisation of the day and events can be accessed via Compass.

This year, all students will need to come to school and will be catching the bus to the Narellan Sports Hub. Parents will have the option to collect their children from the carnival, or they can catch the bus back to school.

A reminder that students will need to wear their sports uniform with their St John’s hat. They are encouraged to wear a coloured shirt (VAUGHAN green, POLDING blue, ST JOSEPH red, THERRY yellow). Please ensure that all items are labelled with your child’s name. Students may bring a small backpack that has their name on it, to store their belongings in for the day.

Unfortunately, there are NO CANTEEN FACILITIES at Narellan Sports Hub, so students will need to have their own packed lunch with plenty of water for the day. No food is allowed inside the boundary fence.

We are looking forward to another wonderful whole school event!

Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who are celebrating their birthday this week : 13th April - 3rd May

Week 11 - Awards: INFANTS

hashvat Langer of 6 Gold participated in Australian Taekwondo (AusTKD) NSW State Championship on 13 April and won a Gold and Silver medal in Individual and Team category. Well done Shashvat

Please click on the link below for the latest edition of the Council of catholic school parents Newsletter

Parent Talk

One of our students, Isaac Jones, has been cast in the ensemble of our upcoming production of Alice in Wonderland Jr, which will be staged at the Camden Show Hall from 23 May to 1 June 2025. Isaac is really enjoying being part of our show and we look forward to seeing him shine on stage!

Got a bit of time next month? Time to give blood and change lives? 1 in 3 people in
Campbelltown will need blood, and they need people like you to give it. We’re rolling into
town on 5 to 9 May. Don’t forget to pre-book your spot at Lifeblood.com.au, on our app or on
13 14 95.