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- Principal's Message
- Religious Education
- Awards
- Lenten Message - Pope Francis
- A message from Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong for Catholic Schools Week 2020
- The Relics of St Therese of Lisieux at St Columbkille's Church
- Sacramental Program and Conversations With Catholics - Movie Night
- SCC Sport
- Berry Camp - Year 6
- Fun in Kindergarten
- Kinder Enrolments 2021 Now Open
- Premier's Reading Challenge
- P &F Annual General Meeting
- Commonwealth Bank Start Smart Financial Literacy
- Sleep Is Your Superpower
- Food For Life
- Catholic Care - Support for Fathers Being a Dad
- NSW Health - Family Text Messages
- PCYC Bulli NSW - April School Holidays
- The Salvation Army - Kids in the Kitchen
- Wollongong Lions Junior Football Registration
On Monday we started our celebration of Catholic Schools Week (CSW) with a Liturgy in the MD Hall and culminated at this afternoons Award Assembly with the CSW Student Awards. Themed 'Embacing Our Future Together', CSW provides us with the opportunity to acknowledge the community of Catholic schools within our Dioceses and to affirm the great work that we share together at our school St Columbkille’s, Corrimal. Catholic Schools Week is a reminder of the responsibly we have to our students to living out our vision ‘Learning together, shaping futures’.
Congratulations to the following students who received Catholic School Week awards for living out our Core Values - faith, learning, respect, responsibility, celebrate and community each day.
Kindergarten: Abigail Vaughan and Opal Duggan
Year 1: Zara Erven and Abigail England
Year 2: Harper Harrison and Talon Mayo
Year 3: Olivia Ryan and Indira Lozenkovski
Year 4: Niamh Conway and Zac Rosengren
Year 5: Ben Purtell and Sophia Gualtieri
Year 6: Mira Cameron and Lukas Srbinoski
Thank you for your attendance at the 'Open Classrooms' evening on Tuesday. Our students did a wonderful job in showcasing 'life at school' to parents and grandparents. It was a great success and thank you both for your time and ongoing.
Last Saturday we held our first Open Cinema Evening at St Columbkille's. It was an outstanding and wonderful way welcome our school community to 2020. Thank you to Stone Real Estate, in particular Paul and Natalie Piacentin, the P&F along with former students Xavier Ayres and John Jones-Murphy for supporting the canteen on the night.
We warmly invite you to this Saturday evening at 6pm and Sunday morning at 9:30am, to celebrate our family Mass and supper/morning tea together. Bishop Brian will be joining us for Mass on Sunday morning.
Please find attached information on The Relics of St Therese of Lisieux arriving at St Columbkille's Church Friday 20 March at 4pm Relics, along with Sacramental information including the Parish movie night'The Shack' Parish.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and engagement in our school community particularly during this time of Lent were we are once again called to pray, give generously and support one another.
Enjoy the next couple of weeks.
Take care
Mr Brad Colquhoun - Principal
LENT
This weekend we celebrate the Second Sunday of Lent. Richard Leonard’s reflection of the gospel where Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John, is timely.
“Just when some of us think Lent is a grim season of self-denial, the Church gives us the story of Jesus’ Transfiguration to put our sacrifices in context. The only reason we deny ourselves anything or commit ourselves to actions of service for these 40 days is to grow more deeply in love with the God who loves us into life. Penance is not meant to attack our self-esteem, it’s intended to help us sort out what really matters, to cast some light in the darkness of our lives and to focus on the relationship which gives meaning and purpose for this world and the next.”
How are your Lenten promises progressing? Hopefully our Lenten Family Prayer Boxes have allowed for some time of peace and calm amongst the busyness of your daily lives! Below is a reminder from the Bishop about Lenten Obligations.
During Lent we continue to think about the projects of Caritas and Project Compassion. Our weekly stories from the Caritas website provide students with an understanding of how their money helps people in countries world-wide. If you would like to view or revisit these stories log on to https://lent.caritas.org.au/# and follow the link to ‘Stories.”
Lenten Penance Obligations and the Paschal Precept:
▪ All who have completed their 18th year and have not yet begun their 60th year are bound to fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
▪ All who have completed their 14th year are bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
▪ Pastors, teachers, parents are to ensure that even those who, by reason of their age, are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence from meat, are taught the true meaning of penance.
Paschal Precept: Each of the faithful is obliged to receive Holy Communion at least once a year. This is to be done between Ash Wednesday (26 February 2020) and Trinity Sunday (7 June 2020) unless for a good reason it is done at another time during the year. All the faithful are obliged to confess their grave sins at least once a year.
Relics of St Therese of Lisieux
On Friday 20 March the Relics of St Therese of Lisieux and her parents, St’s Louis and Zelie Martin, will be at St Columbkille’s Parish for 24 hours.
We officially welcome the relics at 4pm on the Friday afternoon and Father Patrick has asked members of our school community to be present. If your child wishes to be a part of this event, they will be required to wear their school uniform and meet at the Church at 3.50pm.
We look forward to your attendance in recognition of this special event and fostering our and parish relationships.
Catholic Schools Week
What a special week in the life of St Columbkille’s School and Parish we have celebrated. Our movie night kicked off festivities, followed by an uplifting whole school liturgy on Monday, open classrooms on Tuesday evening and finally our Parish/School Masses this weekend. A huge thank you to all those who have been involved in or taken on extra roles during this week. We are blessed to have such a supportive school, which includes students, staff and parents/carers as well as a welcoming parish.
Parish Weekend Masses and Celebration
This weekend the School and Parish of St Columbkille’s celebrates its monthly gathering. Thank you to those students and families who have offered to help in some way. Don’t forget a plate of food to enjoy after Mass.
Sacraments
For those parents making the commitment to support their child/ren in preparing and receiving the Sacraments
Confirmation - 9 and 10 June
First Reconciliation – 9 September
Eucharist (First Holy Communion) – 21 and 22 November
There will be two Parents Only nights that are essential for you to attend (besides the Workshops).
18 March – (6.45pm to 7.15pm) - Liturgy & Adoration – at St. Columbkille’s Church - On this night you will receive the enrolment kit for your child
26 March - (6.30pm to 9.30pm) - A Movie screening of “THE SHACK” – at St Columbkille’s School Hall. Please return the enrolment forms and fees. All refreshments will be provided (drinks, popcorn and choc-tops).
Bishop’s Visit Corrimal
Throughout the month of March, Bishop Brian is visiting our parishes and schools around the Northern Suburbs. On Sunday 8th March he will be celebrating the 9.30am Mass with our parish. Friday 27 March he will be visiting the teachers and students of St Columbkille’s School. Saturday 28 March he will be visiting two local nursing homes, and concluding his visit, celebrating the 6pm Vigil Mass with our parish, followed by supper.
Baptismal Preparations
The next Baptismal Preparation for Parents at Corrimal is 28 March at 3pm in the Parish Centre. Please attend if you would like your child to be baptised at St Columbkille’s Church.
Mrs Jo Herring - Religious Education Coordinator
Congratulations to the following students:
Dear students, families and school communities,
Thank you for your school's participation in Catholic Schools Week from 1-7 March. It's a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and showcase many of the fantastic things happening in your school every day, and in all our Catholic schools across the Diocese of Wollongong.
We thank you for working together in partnership with us to help make your school community such a vibrant, nurturing place of learning, faith, belonging and hope.
If you or a family member or friend would like to enrol your child in one of our schools, please download an enrolment package here.
Have a look at our Catholic Schools Week video below, celebrating what our students across the diocese love about their Catholic school. Can you spot the students from your school?
SAINT THERESE OF LISIEUX
The Relics of St Therese of Lisieux arrive at St Columbkille's Church Friday 20 March at 4pm. We warmly welcome you to attend this signifcant event in the life of our Parish Church. Below is some inofrmation about Saint Therese of Lisieux.
At the age of 14, on Christmas Eve in 1886, Therese had a conversion that transformed her life. From then on, her powerful energy and sensitive spirit were turned toward love, instead of keeping herself happy. At 15, she entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux to give her whole life to God. She took the religious name Sister Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Living a hidden, simple life of prayer, she was gifted with great intimacy with God. Through sickness and dark nights of doubt and fear, she remained faithful to God, rooted in His merciful love. After a long struggle with tuberculosis, she died on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24. Her last words were the story of her life: "My God, I love You!"
Her inspiration and powerful presence from heaven touched many people very quickly. She was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925. Had she lived, she would have been only 52 years old when she was declared a Saint.
"My mission - to make God loved - will begin after my death," she said. "I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses." Roses have been described and experienced as Saint Therese's signature. Countless millions have been touched by her intercession and imitate her "little way." She has been acclaimed "the greatest saint of modern times." In 1997, Pope John Paul II declared St. Therese a Doctor of the Church - the only Doctor of his pontificate - in tribute to the powerful way her spirituality has influenced people all over the world.
The message of St. Therese is beautiful, inspiring, and simple. Please visit the areas in this section of the Web site to learn more about this wonderful Saint.
Parents and grandparents, thank you for making the commitment to support your child/ren in preparing and receiving the Sacraments for 2020. There will be two Parents Only nights that are essential for you to attend (besides the Workshops). These include:
- Wednesday18 March – (6.45pm to 7.15pm) - Liturgy & Adoration – at St. Columbkille’s Church - On this night you will receive the enrolment kit for your child/ren.
- Thursday 26 March - (6.30pm to 9.30pm) - A Movie screening of “THE SHACK” in the MD Hall. Please return the enrolment forms and fees on this night.
On Thursday 26 March, we would also like to invite parents and of students who are not making the Sacraments this year to attend join us in watching the movie and a brief discussion afterwards.
Refreshments including drinks ,popcorn and choc-tops with be provided.
The Shack - trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL0yUbSS5Eg
Diocesan Swmming Carnival
Congratulations to the SCC Swimming Team 'The Cobra's' on their 4th placing at the Diocsean Swmming Carnival at Corrimal Pool yesterday. Thank you to Mrs Smyth, Mrs Gaffney and Sports Captains for their support in the running of the carnvial and Mrs Place for officiating as timekeeper throughout the day. Well done to Maddi Wood for placing 1st overall in the 11 years girls and Kane/Taj Bloom, Mitchell Bailey, Maddi Wood, Aliza Woodford, Levi Huggins, Paxton Stewart, Ellie McCormack and Olivia Otsyula, for making the Diocesan Swimming Trials on Monday 9 March at Corrimal Pool. Well done and we wish them all the best.
Diocesan Sports Trials
Today, Wednesday 11 March and Tuesday 31 March, a number of students will be participating in the Wollongong Diocesan trials for a number of sports.
Rugby League - Jake Walsh, Riley Locke, Jed Petre, Tayler Humphries, Robert Banfield, Taj Dorrington
Netball - Olivia Otsyula
Soccer - Lucy Baggio, Lukas Srbinoski, Lucas Dubowski, Noah Smart, Byron Morris
Touch Football - Tayler Humphries, Emma Lumsden, Harper Fursey, Jake Walsh
All the very best once again to these students.
Mrs Colleen Kipp - Leader of Sport
On Wednesday the 19th of February, Year 6 travelled to Berry Sport and Recreation Centre for two nights. We did rock climbing when we got there, it helped us to have trust in our classmates and friends. Most of us achieved our goals and some people even went further. We also completed a ropes course where we had to attach ourselves to a harness. Many of us went out of our comfort zone and had to use a lot of self confidence. Some of the other activities we did were the dark maze, archery, water bomb fight and our favourite was Berry Battlefield where Mr Colqhoun shone a torch and tried to guess who you were. A lot of people stepped out of their comfort zone and challenged themselves. As you can imagine we were all exhausted by the end of camp but it was worth it because we all truly had a wonderful time.
By Niceisha and Mira
It’s been a great first few weeks in Kindergarten. We have visited the library, had a few music lessons, enjoyed the outdoors and of course learnt many new things. PE and dance have been fun as well. Our Investigation Centres have been very popular, especially drama with the puppets. Looking forward to the rest of the term.
Kinder Teachers - Mrs Pauline Leonard, Mrs Michelle Emmett and Mrs Jo Illias.
The NSW Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) will take place agian this year. Challenge entries are now open. The PRC student site is available again this year! Students can search for books to read, add books to their reading logs, and track their progress throughout the challenge. You can find the site at https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/studentExperience.html#/. The final day for student entries is Friday 28 August. Start reading and start recording!
Our first P&F meeting for the year will be held on Tuesday 10 March at 7pm in the Library. It is also our Annual General Meeting. All are most welcome to attend.
During Week 4 and 5, students Year 1-6 participated in the Commonwealth Bank Start Smart program as a means of teaching our students money smart and numeracy skills. It’s never too early to teach children the value of money. Research indicates that it is crucial to develop financial literacy skills from an early age. The Start Smart Primary program teaches these skills in a way that students can understand and enjoy. It was developed with a panel of leading specialists in primary education, cognitive development, instructional design and financial literacy. Take this as an opportunity to talk to your child/ren about ‘being clever with their coins.’
Maria Disibio
Assistant Principal
Sleep is your life-support system and Mother Nature's best effort yet at immortality, says sleep scientist Matt Walker. In this deep dive into the science of slumber, Walker shares the wonderfully good things that happen when you get sleep -- and the alarmingly bad things that happen when you don't, for both your brain and body. Learn more about sleep's impact on your learning, memory, immune system and even your genetic code as well as some helpful tips for getting some meaning sleep.
Below is the link:
