PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear Parents/Guardians,
WELCOME BACK TO TERM 3
Each day we hear of more cases of Covid 19 infections – and we listen for the locations and can see that he South-West area of Sydney is in the firing line. We all need to be vigilant and follow health advice. At John Therry we are taking all precautions to keep the students and Staff safe.
The next ten weeks will be the last ones full of learning for our Year 12 students. Surely no other graduating group has had such a difficult journey in their end of schooling in Year 10 and 11. The positivity and shared sense of care is clearly visible in so many of these students as they go about preparing for a future that is unclear with covid affecting things. With the Universities trying to be as normal as possible, in the light of diminished numbers of overseas students, more university places will be available for local students.
Term 3 in a school’s life is always one where mixed emotion’s exist. The sadness at seeing the graduating class come to an end of their formal schooling and leaving the community, is mixed with the excitement of badging new College leaders. Both our Year 11 group and our Year 12 group are wonderful students.
We wish our Year 12 students all the very best for the trial HSC Exams that commence next Monday. These are the major preparatory opportunity for students to experience HSC conditions and timings.
FEAST OF ST MARY OF THE CROSS MACKILLOP – August 8th
Mary MacKillop was born in 1842 in Fitzroy, Melbourne. On 8 August 1909, she died, having suffered a disabling stroke in 1902. Inspired by a meeting with Fr. Julian Tenison-Woods, Mary MacKillop took her vows at the age of twenty five, and the religious name, “Mary of the Cross”. In doing so, she founded the congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph. Soon after taking her religious vows, Mary MacKillop founded several schools. Within five years of taking her vows and founding the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Mary had established over thirty schools in South Australia. By that time, more than one hundred women had joined the Sisters of Saint Joseph.
Mary MacKillop was very conscious of the plight of the poor and needy. She worked with families that lived in isolated areas of Australia. As a result, Mary MacKillop pioneered a new form of religious life in Australia, and commenced a “system” of “Josephite” schools that would provide education, especially for the children of the poor. In 1873, Pope Pius IX gave Papal approval for the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.
Even today, many Australians can say that they too have felt the impact of the enormous work started by St. Mary of the Cross (MacKillop), having been educated or cared for, by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. She was noted for her trust in the providence of God and miracles of healing have been attributed to her. She was declared a Saint by Pope Benedict XVI on the 17th October 2010. In January 2013, St Mary of the Cross (MacKillop) was declared by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, to be the Second Patron Saint of Australia. This means that Australia now has two Patron Saints: Mary Help of Christians and St. Mary of the Cross (MacKillop).
NAIDOC ASSEMBLY
Last week the College celebrated the annual NAIDOC assembly. This assembly was a celebration of our first peoples nd the culture. Congratulations to those students who received awards and to the singers, digeridoo players and dancers. It was a wonderful event with special guests Sr Kerry, Uncle Ivan Wellington and Uncle Dave in attendance along with Catholic Education Office staff.
LOWES UNIFORM PRICES
We have been informed by Lowes that the costs involved in the manufacture of our college uniforms has risen along with most other cost of living expenses.
As such from the commencement of Term 4 there will be a price rise. Most items are rising by $1.00 but some will be slightly greater than this, up to $5.00. A new price list will be pulished to all parents when we receive it.