Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to the beginning of the 2024 school year. It is so lovely to see all of the students back at St Mary’s. A very special welcome to our Kindergarten students and their families. 

K-12 religious theme for 2024
At the end of last year, our new school leaders from St Mary’s, St Bernard’s and Carroll College met to workshop the K-12 religious theme for 2024. The students decided that the theme would be:

"Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life".
John 8:13

This beautiful extract will be central to everything we do across our K-12 schools this year and  offers scope for developing a focus on the Holy Spirit. 

Sacrament of Reconciliation
Students in Year 3 are invited to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation this term. During Week 3, an enrolment letter will be sent home with students. Please also note the following key dates for the Sacrament of Reconciliation:

5:30 pm, Thurs 15 Feb - Sacrament of Reconciliation enrolment meeting (Year 3 classroom)
5:00 pm, Sat 24 Feb - Commitment Mass 
Fri 1 March - Year 3 Reconciliation Retreat Day at Carroll College
Wed 10 April - Celebration of First Reconciliation

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the sacrament of Reconciliation genevieve.schofield@cg.catholic.edu.au

Ash Wednesday
Please join us at Sacred Heart Church next Wednesday 14 Feb at 9:15 am for a whole school mass to celebrate Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

A prayer for the new school year
God of wisdom and might, we praise you for the wonder of our being, for mind, body, and spirit. Be with our children as they begin a new school year. Bless them, their families, their teachers and staff. Give them the strength and grace as their bodies grow; wisdom and knowledge to their minds as they search for understanding; and peace and zeal to their hearts.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Genevieve Schofield
Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)