Dear St Monica's families and friends,

This week is Sabbath Week and although a number of us feel as though the busyness of life hasn’t slowed down, I do hope some pockets of rest have been found. Pope Leo, in his public audience address on 22 July, encouraged people to embrace the summer season as a time to deepen their relationship with God through silence, reflection, and time spent with others. Whilst this address was delivered to those experiencing summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is not too dissimilar for us as we enter the Spring season here in Canberra.

In Pope Leo’s words: "Summer can be a providential time to experience the beauty and importance of our relationship with God and how much it can help us to be more open and welcoming to others." He reflected on the example of Martha and Mary in the Gospel of Luke of how service and listening can be twin dimensions of hospitality. " We should set aside moments of silence, moments of prayer, times in which, quieting noise and distractions, we recollect ourselves before God in simplicity of heart."

This is what Sabbath week is about, it is a time to “make room for silence” and to step back from the “whirlwind of commitments and worries” that often crowd out opportunities for peace and prayer. Pope Leo urges Christians to seek a wise balance between “contemplation and action, rest and hard work, silence and the bustle of our daily lives,” guided always by the Lord, taking “Jesus’ charity as our measure, his word as our light, and his grace as our source of strength, which sustains us beyond our own capacity.”

Confirmation Retreat – Thank you Fr Mick, Melanie Stratford, Emily O’Rourke (REC Kaleen) Katie Brasnett,  Melinda Brown and Hamish Meagher for their careful preparation of this faith experience for our students today. The students, with the support of their teachers and parishioners, will explore the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and their own personal gifts and charisms. Following the discovery of their charisms, students will be invited to think about how they can use their gifts in practical ways and incorporate them into their interactions with others. I know the Holy Spirit is present with them, guiding and empowering them every step of the way. A special visit from Archbishop Christopher Prowse will also be a key part of the day.

Kindergarten Playground / Naturescape Update – I am very pleased to announce that our Naturescape project will begin next Friday 12 September. We are building a pergola and shade structure that will allow more natural light into the classrooms, as well as offering warmth of the sun in winter. Following the construction of the pergola, works will begin on the Naturescape / playground component of the project. It is anticipated this will take 4 months to complete, ready for the first day of school in 2026. These works will affect the drop-off and pick-up areas of students in the Kindergarten courtyard. Communication about these changes will be sent out via Compass today. This is very exciting news for our school, a project that has been planned since 2018 is finally coming to fruition!

 

Edmund Rice Foundation Schools visit – On Monday, we hosted 12 school leaders from Queensland EREA schools to see the incredible teaching and learning that is happening in our classrooms. We are so very proud to showcase the amazing learning that happens in our school and this was the feedback we received from our visitors:

Dear Lisa & Maggie,

Thank you for your time, hospitality and the sharing of your wisdom with us today. We were blown away by the gesturing, signalling, quick transitions, teacher pace, script fidelity and checks for understanding we saw in your classrooms. The level of student engagement and the obvious learning that is occurring, as a result of your teachers’ attentional control, was occurring in every one of the classrooms we visited. Congratulations!!! We know that NONE of that happens without clear leadership and intentional support of your staff. We benefitted greatly from your presentation, which will assist us with information as we ponder next steps for our schools.  

School Leaders from EREA schools in Queensland