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Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Next week we will celebrate two important feast days on the Church's calendar, All Saints Day (Our Parish Feast Day) and All Souls Day. It is good to consider why we say prayers to saints? Shouldn’t all our prayers be to God? Praying to the saints is praying to God, in a fundamental way. We're praying to those who can ask God to help us in our various needs in accordance with God's will.
In a way when we pray to a particular saint we ask them to “put in a good word” for us with God in Heaven. They are not the focus of our worship, God is.
As people of faith we can relate to the saints because they too had their weaknesses and struggles just as we do. They are however, our models of witness to God as they also had a tremendous devotion to their faith. They became canonised (that is to say, officially recognised) as Catholic Saints after their deaths. This was usually done after a lengthy review of both the holiness of their lives and miracles associated with them.
What is comforting is that with the saints we have so many members of our Church in heaven to look out for us. On some days we need all the help we can get. We can ask one of many patron saints for their assistance. They’ve been “put in charge” of various causes, occupations and even countries, through popular traditions or by the Church. These saints are considered our protectors as well as our intercessors.
As we celebrate All Saints Day it is good to know that they are looking after our school community and taking our struggles, successes and thanks to God on our behalf. Unfortunately due to the current restrictions we are unable to celebrate Mass or even a school-based liturgy. The students will certainly be covering this significant feast in their class Religious Education Lesson.
RETURN TO SCHOOL
Thank you to all parents and carers for supporting their children in the return to school. It was wonderful to have everyone back and the buzz and chatter in classrooms on Monday morning was something to hear. We have really missed the students and we will look for opportunities to re-connect more as a school community when opportunities arise and restrictions subside.
LONG SERVICE LEAVE
I will be taking a short period of Long Service Leave from Monday 1 November, returning Thursday 11 November. In my absence Miss Angela Crandell will be acting Principal, except for Monday 8 November when Gayle McMahon will be in this role, as Angela is attending a Professional Learning Course.
KINDER 2022 TRANSITION PROGRAM
As previously communicated, we are still waiting for further direction regarding this year’s Kinder Orientation mornings (19 &26 November). We are still going ahead with our parent/carer meeting via Zoom on Monday 12 November at 9am and a Zoom code was emailed earlier this week.
UNIFORM & HAIRCUTS
I have been impressed with the standard of uniforms on the whole, given the problems that have been experienced with supply. The new bomber jackets look so smart and tidy. Now that barbers and hairdressers are operating once more, I ask that longer hair is either cut if longer than collar length, or tied back off the face as we endeavour to maintain high standards.
ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL ARRANGEMENTS
The new arrangements appear to be working well, especially with parents using the family signs on pick-up time. Could I please urge parents to keep to the allocated times, where possible to reduce overcrowding and to refrain from gathering to talk on footpaths.
WHOLE-SCHOOL PARENT COMMUNICATION MEETING
During the current school Level 3 Guidelines we are still unable to to hold a face-to-face P & F Meeting. Given that we are late in the year and we haven’t had an opportunity to connect with our parents apart from Compass newsfeeds, I thought that it would be a good idea to hold a Parent Information Zoom meeting later this term. The main goal will be to provide feedback to parents regarding the students’ return to school as well as sharing some items of communication. It will not be an opportunity to have an open forum as I am always available to meet with parents who may have ideas, questions or concerns. A Zoom link will be sent in the next fortnight via Compass.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
This Sunday’s Gospel
The wise scribe asks Jesus which is the greatest commandment.
All Saints Catholic Parish Shellharbour reopened on the 23/24 October
Mass times:
All Saints Church
19 College Ave, Shellharbour City
Saturday 5.00pm Vigil
Sunday 9.00am
5.00pm
* Please note that there is the compulsory QR code check in, 4sq meters rule and masks are compulsory. Stella Maris Church and The Parish Office will remain closed until stage three (90+%vaccination).
First Holy Communion
For all Yr 3 students and any other students Yrs 4-6 who wish to complete their First Holy Communion, please be aware that enrolment forms will only be available at the Masses this weekend the 30th and 31st of October.
Mass at Stella Maris has been put on hold until we have further information. Any missed masses will be rescheduled.
Socktober, Mission Month Fundraiser
This marks our fourth and final week of World Mission Month. The students have learned all about the children in Thailand and are ready for the school Socktober shootout! Based on the concept of the soccer penalty shootout, which famously sent Australia to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the Socktober Shootout allows students to have some fun with the sockballs they have made throughout the Socktober Challenge.
During class sport this week, students will participate in the Socktober Shootout at school, shooting penalties with their own sockball against their classroom teacher and support staff goalies. For each goal scored by a student the school will donate $1 to the Mission. Unfortunately, due to restrictions, we will not be able to have family and friends at the event. However, we will endeavour to take many photographs to share with you!
We encourage you to please share the fundraising page with friends and family so that together we can donate to this worthy cause.
Please use the following link to donate:
https://www.socktober.org.au/fundraisers/stellamariscatholicprimaryschool
Thank you to those of you who have already donated, supporting our school in Socktober!
Let’s kick some goals for kids in need!
Class Sport Week 4
Supporting vulnerable children at the Good Shepherd Kindergarten in Bangkok, Thailand.
Please wear your school sports uniform and your favourite coloured socks.
Unfortunately, parents/carers are unable to join us.
Don’t forget to donate: https://www.socktober.org.au/fundraisers/stellamariscatholicprimaryschool
Tips to nailing the perfect penalty goal
On your Socktober Event Day, you'll be kicking plenty of goals. Here are a few tips from our resident soccer guru to help you match it with the Matildas and the Socceroos and net all your shots.
Confirmation | Shellharbour City Parish | Retreat and Sacrament
The rescheduled dates for the Retreat and Sacrament are as follows:
3 December 2021 Retreat/Preparation Day 9 am-1:30 pm
Sat 4 Dec 2021 Confirmation Mass at 11 am (Families that had previously nominated for the 29th Aug 2pm Mass)
Sun 5 Dec 2021 Confirmation Mass 11 am (Families that previously nominated for the 29th Aug 11am Mass)
Should the date/time not be suitable there is only room to move from Sunday to Saturday at the moment.
If there are to be any changes, please contact the parish office via email. shellharbourcity@dow.org.au
The parish office is closed to the public until Stage 3 in accordance with the Bishops Covid-19 Road Map.
All Saints Day 1 November (Reflection by Greg Sunter)
Saints are sometimes regarded as ‘Catholic superheroes’. Stories of miraculous and remarkable deeds abound, though more in the vein of conversions and cures than speeding bullets and tall buildings. But to get caught up on the Saints of the stained glass windows is to overlook the vast majority of saints. You see, a saint is anybody whose soul is in heaven. The Church celebrates a certain number of Saints whose lives provide a glimpse of God for the rest of the Church. But there are many, many more saints whose glimpse of God was only ever experienced by their family, friends and those with whom they worked. The feast of ALL Saints is an opportunity to remember and reflect on the lives of those saints who’ve been known and loved by just a few and whose sphere of influence was such that they will never be recognised as Saints by the universal Church.
Have you thought? All Saints / All Souls
The feasts of All Saints (Nov 1) and All Souls (Nov 2) can be seen as something of a twin feast that celebrates all those who have died. With the feast of All Saints we celebrate all those who have died and have entered into direct and immediate communion with God in heaven. With the feast of All Souls we celebrate and pray for those who have died but have not yet entered into that direct communion with God. These two different states revolve around the Church teaching on purgatory – a state or process of purification before entering into heaven.
God Bless and Keep Safe
Alicia Sanchez-Levine
Religious Education Coordinator
Book Writing Competition Award Assembly
2022 School Travel Applications Now Open
Applications for student travel in 2022 are now open. From October 2021, information on the School Student Transport Scheme will be available via Transport for NSW.
Students who need a School Opal card or travel pass for 2022 can apply now. Parents/students will need to submit a new application if they are applying for a school travel pass for the first time, or if they are requesting an additional travel entitlement as a result of a new shared parental responsibility situation.
Students who change address, school, campus location, or who have repeated a year or received an expiry notification from Transport for NSW for their school travel entitlement should renew or update their details before the end of term 4. This will ensure that schools can endorse applications and current entitlements are updated and remain valid. School Opal cardholders will have the changes applied to their existing card.
Students who have an entitlement approved under a medical condition that is due to expire will receive a notification advising them to re-apply.
Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card for the first time or reapplying will receive their Student Opal card at their nominated postal address. Cards will be mailed out from January 2022.
Students living in rural and regional areas should receive their travel pass at the start of the new school year from their nominated transport operator.
Any questions, please contact OPAL not the school.
Canteen News
We are a school run canteen and rely on volunteers to operate.
Canteen is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to make and prepare lunch orders and serve the children over the counter.
Online orders can be made via the My School Connect app - www.myschoolconnect.com.au/stellamarisps click on create account.
New Early Learning Centre for the Shellharbour City
CatholicCare will open a state-of- the-art the long day care centre in early 2022, for the 2-5 year age group, with placements open and filling fast.
The 60-place centre will provide a high-quality early education experience and boasts lots of great features children and parents will love.
The indoor space has been architecturally designed and purpose built with children's learning and play at its core. The outdoor space will inspire imagination, exploration and adventures with a blend of natural areas, eatable gardens, water elements and sand play.
CatholicCare is a faith-based, not-for-profit agency that has helped families in the Illawarra for over 40 years. Children will be supported in a spiritually and culturally inclusive environment, which will provide a nurturing space to help them thrive, build self-esteem and establish positive relationships, setting the foundation for a lifelong love of learning and discovery.
Working closely with Catholic Education, the Parish and our local Catholic Schools, the centre will be a steppingstone to big school. Great emphasis is placed on preparing children for the challenges of primary school, providing a supportive and seamless transition.
The Centre is open to all families in the local community, to ensure you don’t' miss out on a placement, register your interest by calling now 42271122 or go to www.catholiccare.dow.org.au.
The centre is conveniently located within the precinct of All Saints Parish and Nazareth Primary School, at 19 College Avenue, Shellharbour City.