Deputy Principal 

Welcome back to Term 2. We have had two assemblies early this term and we have loved the turn out. It’s great seeing all the friendly faces each morning and afternoon.

Religious Education 

Jubilee Pilgrimage

Thank you to all the families who made it out last Friday for our Jubilee Pilgrimage. This was a huge undertaking by staff and students and we were very proud of the results. Our school captains, Densil, Emilia, Wenyasha and Clara, and our SACE leaders Noah, Evie, Avnoor and Olivia, did a fantastic job presenting to families. The teachers and students in every year level did an excellent job with their creative and colourful displays. Each year level was assigned a theme from the song "We Are Your Instruments" by James Wahl. Students created thoughtful displays that reflect these themes and highlight the Catholic values that underpin and inspire our school. 

Above are some images from the day showing the pilgrimage and our student leaders speaking. I will be creating a presentation for the school website which will be shared with the community when completed. For the time being, I will include an exert from each station that our leaders read out.

Prep: Theme of Love

At St Catherine’s, a school which is extremely diverse, our teachers show us that love is a gift from God for others, a mission for us to do. We learn that divine love is about giving to others, not only with material offerings, but by giving time. Through Caritas, we learn that love is sacrificial, as we are giving to others above the needs of ourselves. We are taught that God will not judge us by our possessions, but how well we have loved others.

We also acknowledge that the Dreaming is ongoing, which relates to the Catholic belief of creation. Christians believe that God made everything, as per Genesis, whereas Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders believe that the world and all its inhabitants were created by Ancestral beings during the Dreaming, a time before time, which is ongoing, just like God’s interaction with us. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have a deep love for Country due to this connection.

Year 1: Theme of Faith
At St Catherine’s, we are taught faith by being given opportunities for prayer in the morning and afternoons. This is a time when everyone has a chance to reflect and are invited to develop faith in God. We learn that God is reaching out to us through the good times and the hard times, and that faith in God will help us to understand. We also learn that our faith grows as they receive more sacraments, and that God is inviting everyone who haven’t been baptised to grow their faith. 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have faith connected to the land due to the ongoing Dreaming. Their faith is connected to locations, land features and animals. We learn to respect this faith by our teachers educating us on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander beliefs, and through developing personalised Acknowledgement to Country.

Year 2: Theme of Hope

At St Catherine’s, we learn to have hope in ourselves and in each other, as this grows into a community where good wins. No one has an easy life without any ups or downs, but our teachers explain that God is always by our side. It is through hope that we can better understand God’s plan for us, and to find the good work in what other people are doing through the Holy Spirit. It is easy to lose hope when you look at the news, so our teachers are building religious resilience within us so we can use hope when things are tough, or when we are surrounded by negativity.

We also learn about Reconciliation, which relates to righting the wrongs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is their hope, and that of Pope John Paul the second in 1986, that hope can be used to reconcile with the traditional owners of the land. It is through this hope that we can reconnect and share love with one another to help heal history.

Year 3: Theme of Joy
At St Catherine’s, we are taught to be joyful in the little moments and remember that it is all part of God’s plan. We have opportunities to show joy on the yard, in the classroom during prayer time, when celebrating liturgy in the chapel, and when learning with their friends. We learn about resilience, which is in fact, remembering that God is with us when things feel tough. Being a joyful person, through the love of God, will help us grow up to be role models in the future.

We also learn that joy is represented through celebrations, cultural ceremonies, and symbols connected to ancestral stories within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This is taught when we have significant days, during Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC week, and when reading stories of the Dreaming.

Year 4: Theme of Forgiveness

At St Catherine’s, we learn to give the ultimate gift of forgiveness to others when they have wrong us. This isn’t an easy concept to teach, or accept, even for adults. However, we learn that God wants us to forgive others so they can receive His love. Our teachers help us learn that we ask for forgiveness in prayer, and through Mass, and how this brings us closer to God. Our Year 4 students look at the act of Reconciliation closely as they prepare to complete this sacrament with Father Paul.

We also learn that reconciliation has a deep meaning to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. Righting the wrongs of the past is central to moving Australia forward. This isn’t a simple process of just saying ‘sorry’, it’s about an ongoing commitment to celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and closing the gap.

Year 5: Theme of Giving

At St Catherine’s, we learn that we should help others without expecting anything in return. By helping someone in need, we are showing them that we notice them and that they matter. A friend in need is a friend in deed. When we donate money to Caritas, we learn about their stories and our similarities rather than our differences. The aim is for us to understand that we are all made in the image of God, and to be grateful for what we have. Just because someone is less fortunate, does not mean they are lesser.

We are also taught that giving is represented through reciprocal generosity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditions. The idea of sharing resources, food, land, and knowledge are embedded in their culture, and we should be grateful for this. We can learn a lot about their generosity with their land and how we can give back by protecting, caring for, and respecting it.

Year 6: Theme of Peace

At St Catherine’s, we are taught that peace is the outcome that should be sought for in all conflict. Using our words and listening to others helps create peace as we learn more about them and their beliefs. If there is no peace, there is no God. We can find peace within our community through all the other themes discussed earlier, but it ultimately comes from a place of respect and listening. If we can create peace in our community, then this can spread beyond. The ripple effect can grow far and wide, effecting more people and helping those who need it most. 

The Torres Strait Islander flag has a five-pointed Dhari which is white in the centre of its flag. This represents peace. It flies with pride on the flag which we have at the front of our school. Next time you see it, stop and have a look.