NATIONAL SORRY DAY

Our Home (2019) – Patrice Muthaymiles-Mahoney OAM (1975 – )

This week at St Francis, we reflected on National Sorry Day (May 26th) and its significance. 

In various classes, and in various ways, we spoke about how, as Australians, it is critical to acknowledge and understand the importance of National Sorry Day; a day which holds deep meaning for reconciliation and healing. 

Indeed, National Sorry Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the past and recognise the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout history. In particular, it serves as a poignant reminder of the Stolen Generations, the countless Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children forcibly removed from their families and culture. By acknowledging this dark chapter in our nation’s history, we affirm our commitment to healing and fostering a more inclusive and harmonious country.

As we move towards important decisions for Australia later this year, we hope that National Sorry Day encourages dialogue, understanding, and the promotion of equal rights for all Australians. May we listen, learn, and appreciate the rich and diverse cultural heritage of our First Nations people.

COLLEGE INSTAGRAM PAGE

I do have to be honest with you, I am not a natural when it comes to using Social Media. So please bear with me, as I build my capacity. However, I’m pleased to announce that the College has now started its own Instagram Account. This will not take away from our Facebook Page, but rather become another means by which the community accesses our communications/information and/or celebrates our successes. Look up St Francis Catholic College on Instagram.

I have posted the first video on the Instagram Account, and while it’s worth a look, I look forward to more talented staff in the area of Social Media who will make future entries far more entertaining than mine. Regardless, follow us on Instagram.

SUCCESS IN THE DA VINCI COMPETITION

I am thrilled to share the exciting news of the wonderful success achieved by our talented students in the prestigious Da Vinci Decathlon Illawarra Regional Event held in the Illawarra region. 

The competition, known for its challenging tasks that test creativity and problem-solving skills, witnessed our students in Years 5, 6, 7 and 8 (in teams of 8) compete across 10 disciplines: engineering, mathematics and chess, code-breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation, creative production, cartography and general knowledge.

Not surprisingly, our students performed admirably against a large number of schools, many of which were selective in nature. And, by Competition’s end, all year groups placed in different categories (Year 5 placed 2nd in Cartography, Year 6 placed 2nd in Engineering and Year 8 Placed 3rd in Engineering).

Our Year 7s in particular shone brightly as they emerged triumphant and WON the Competition placing in 5 disciplines! These students displayed exceptional talent, dedication, and teamwork. Feedback about the team indicated that their ability to solve complex problems and effectively communicate their ideas on the day was impressive as they tackled thought-provoking challenges that pushed the boundaries of both their creativity and critical thinking. I commend Ms Tania Kolar for her hard work in preparing the team and it is a testament to her and the team’s diligence and skill that they had such success in bringing back the Trophy to our College.

We wish our Year 7 students all the very best as they now prepare to compete at the State level at Knox Grammar in Sydney in the coming weeks.

A brief video can be found on our Facebook page linked below:

TELL THEM FROM ME SURVEYS

I would like to thank parents/carers, staff and students for completing the recent surveys about St Francis Catholic College and how we are going across key domains of Spirituality, Wellbeing, Learning and other key aspects of schooling.

Over the past week the College Leadership Team and I have been reading well over 1000 responses and we are currently discerning common themes and areas for commendation and/or for future focus.

Over the next fortnight details about upcoming parent/carer forums will be provided to the community.

While all feedback is useful, we are particularly thankful to those contributors who took their time to write thoughtful, forward-thinking responses that were constructive in nature and looked to build our community and/or the offerings that our College provides.

PRAYER

In keeping with National Sorry Day this fortnight’s prayer is focused on bringing greater reconciliation for our country:

Almighty and loving God, You who created ALL people in your image. 

Lead us to seek Your compassion as we listen to the stories of our past.  
You gave Your only Son, Jesus, who died and rose again so that sins will be forgiven. 

We place before You the pain and anguish of dispossession of land, language, lore, culture, and family kinship that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced.  

We live in faith that all people will rise from the depths of despair and hopelessness.  

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families have endured the pain and loss of loved ones, through the separation of children from their families. 

We are sorry and ask for God’s forgiveness. 

Touch the hearts of the broken, homeless, and inflicted and heal their spirits.  

In Your mercy and compassion walk with us 
as we continue our journey of healing  
to create a future that is just and equitable. 

Lord, You are our hope.

         - Amen. 

[Prayer courtesy of the Aboriginal and Islander Commission, Australian National Council of Churches, 2003].