Principal's Message
Dear Parents/Guardians and students,
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE AND THANK YOU
With Christmas Day just a few weeks away there are signs of the festive season everywhere; red robed Santa’s in the shopping centres, decorations all around and houses festooned with lights. The sights and sounds of Christmas are normally bright and joyful, announcing the season of good cheer. It is also a time of ending and as the year ends we think ahead to what may be and how we might do things better.
This Christmas may the spirit of loving relationships be with our families and friends. May we have the power to forgive any hurts that we may have suffered. May we have the courage to forgive, and make a new start and proceed to make amends. Remember that we are all connected to John Therry and as such, have the capacity to improve and become better people. We try to live the values of Marcellin Champagnat and set out to be a gift for one another.
Within this edition of the College Newsletter are the Christmas Mass times for our surrounding Parishes. I encourage all to attend a service and experience the joy of the risen Lord. It is a special time in our Catholic calendar. John Therry is very proudly a Catholic College and we support our links to our Parishes. As a parent, support your child in their faith development at this time. Embrace the opportunity to be part of the celebration of the birth of Christ.
I wish to thank all members of the College community for their contributions this year. We all work together to provide a quality Catholic education for the students – quality Catholic and quality education. May the peace of the family of Bethlehem be with your family this Christmas. I wish all families a wonderful Christmas break and look forward to 2022.
YEAR 12 FINISH – GRADUATION and FORMAL
After such a disruptive year we finally had our end of year events for this wonderful group of students. The Graduation on Monday night was a celebration of the resilience and talent of the group. Worthy award winners will be listed in this Newsletter later.
Tuesday saw the fabulous dresses and stylish suits come out for the Formal. This year held at Ottimo House in Denham Court. A wonderful evening of fine food and dancing closed with hugs and tears.
STAFF CHANGES
As is normally the case we have a turnover of Staff each year. The last few years has been very small but this year is a little larger. I name these people so that the students may wish them well over the final few days of next week.
Staff leaving
- Mr Jim Forshaw – retiring
- Ms Katrina Pemberton – Casimir Catholic College
- Mr Nick Kmet – St Gregory’s College
- Mr Darren Conway – Corpus Christi Catholic High School
- Ms Laura Killen – St Francis Catholic College
- Ms Danica Duval – Magdalene Catholic College
- Mrs Mariam Abdel-Malek – Home duties and casual work
- Mr Harry Vella – McCarthy Catholic College
- Mrs Jacky Benney – St Patrick’s College
- Mr Josh Howe – The Smith Family
- Ms Samantha Painter – Chevalier College
- Mrs Josephine Carroll – Catholic Education Office
- Mrs Katrina Robinson – Macarthur Anglican School
- Mr Brad Humbles – Catholic Education Office (Term1 and 2)
New Staff to the College will be announced in the first Newsletter of 2022.
SAD NEWS FROM THE U.S. AGAIN
I am an educator and I hesitate to make political commentary but I am also a teacher and a Father. I heard with great sadness on Tuesday of last week, the news of another school shooting in the US. Four innocent lives lost and another six seriously injured. Why? The pointlessness of these events is stunning. And yet what truly shocked me – was that this was the 222nd school shooting for THIS year in schools in the US. I will never understand their gun laws and ease of purchase of them.
We live in a country where our politicians prove time and time again that they are fallible. But they do lead a country which is inherently safe – for us and our children – to live and flourish in society. Our gun regulations are strong for good reason. The terrifying incident at Wyndang was a reminder of what can happen, even in Australia. I pray that these sorts of events never occur in our wonderful country.
The following came from Br Peter Carroll, leader of the Marist Association.
To state the obvious, we are most fortunate. We live in stable social environments. Our towns and cities are safe and secure. Most of us are untouched by violence. We experience peace on a daily basis. The recent demonstrations in Melbourne and civil disturbance in Honiara are the exceptions. Large parts of our world don’t share our good fortune. You only need to view the nightly news to know that: out of control gun violence in the USA, border tensions in Eastern Europe, civil war in Ethiopia, residual suffering in Afghanistan, oppression in Myanmar or Hong Kong, displaced people on every continent, and it goes on. Peace is only a distant aspiration for many, not a reality.
Peace is a virtue associated with Christmas and is represented in the second advent candle.
I wish the peace of Christmas to descend across the world after this most difficult year.
Have a wonderful Christmas,
Wayne Marshall