Principal's Newsletter
Newsletter Thursday 10th October
We the staff of St Patrick’s acknowledge the traditional owners, the Kulin nations, of the land on which we learn and play.
We pay respects to the Aboriginal Elders, past and present, who are our teachers.
We thank them for taking care of children and country for countless generations.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
Go and sell whatever you have and come follow me.
Jesus was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’ And he said to him, ‘Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days.’ Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, ‘There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, ‘My children,’ he said to them, ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were more astonished than ever. ‘In that case’ they said to one another, ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said, ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’
Peter took this up. ‘What about us?’ he asked him. ‘We have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.
Dear Parents, Carers and Guardians,
This week the Gospel tells us Jesus knows the way possessions and wealth and comforts can tie us down. He knows that his compassion makes up for much human weakness. We offer to the Lord in prayer all we are and all we have, asking for help in using wisely what we possess, and live easily without what we might like to possess but cannot.
What will this man whom Jesus loves do? The text says he became dismayed, and he went away (the opposite of following) grieving. Doubtless Jesus commanded a hard thing, but why this overly sad reaction? Only now are we told, “For he was having many possessions.” If we had been told this detail from the outset, would it have skewed our perceptions of him?
It’s a question we — who most likely are among the world’s most privileged — must also ask. Wealth is clearly a problem. The case of the well-behaved, socially-responsible, apparently-blessed rich man demonstrates how possessions can interfere with the more important need to follow Jesus as a disciple along the way that will lead to a cross. With respect to salvation, however, the rich only have a bigger challenge than that faced by anyone else.
If it came down to the crunch and we had to choose our possessions or our God-which would you choose????
Welcome to our final term of 2024!
Once again, we have an amazing school term filled with so many wonderful events. These include our: Year 6 camp and their fun week, Year 5 UPP incursion, swimming for Foundation and Year 1, Athletics carnival for the whole school (to be held in 2 separate days), Year 6 Confirmation and workshop, Year 5 Mad About Science Incursion, Year 4 Incursion-African Drumming, Year 5 and 6 Incursion with SFX-It’s a Mad House, Year 3 excursion to Scienceworks, Year 3 Fun Day and evening, Year 1 excursion to Legoland, Year 2 excursion to Old Gippstown, Year 4 excursion to ACMI and of course our Christmas Concert! Phew! So much fun and learning to be had.
In connection with our Parish community, we will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation, and we will welcome our new Parish Priest Fr Jeff Kleynjans to our wonderful community of St Patrick’s. This evening, we are hosting Fr Elio Capra who will be conducting the parent information evening for the Sacrament of Confirmation at 7pm in the Parish Hall. We look forward to welcoming all parents.
Thank you to my staff for a fantastic first week. With a lock down called on the first day, every single student was safe and well versed in what to do in such an emergency lock down. Everything went to plan and I so proud of our students and my staff.
Yesterday we held the first of 4 2025 Foundation transition sessions and held the Parent information session alongside this. It is honestly so incredible to welcome so many new families to our St Patrick’s community. The students had the most wonderful time and were very settled. Thank you to my team of Nadine, Yoke, Kelly, Geraldine, Katherine, Lisa, Melissa, Nicole and Angharad for your support as ensure that these new children have the best possible start to their school lives.
God Bless
Meg