Dear parents and friends,

Lent Begins:

This week, we celebrate the start of Lent, one of the most important times of year for Catholics & Christians around the world. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which is always held 46 days (40 fasting days and 6 Sundays) before Easter Sunday. While Advent(period leading up to Christmas) is a celebration and a time of great anticipation, Lent is more frequently seen as a time of solemn observance and preparation for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter. From its start on Ash Wednesday until its conclusion on Easter Sunday, Lent has been a traditional time for fasting or giving something up or abstinence. Just as we carefully prepare for events in our personal lives, as a wedding, or birthday; the commencement of Lent invites us to make our minds and hearts ready for remembering Jesus’ life, death and body resurrection.

These days, Catholics around the world observe Lent in many ways. Traditionally Catholics wear ashes on their forehead to acknowledge Ash Wednesday and beginning of Lent. At St Francis, this year, we looked for a COVID safe way of distributing the ashes blessed by Father Gideon. Student leaders decorated a book mark with the ashes and gave it to students. We also ask students to make charitable donations to ‘Project Compassion’ throughout Lent. This money goes to Caritas Australia which works to aid poor communities in Australia and around the world.

Students may also be encouraged to choose to give up just one item for Lent, more commonly a ‘luxury’ such as chocolate or desserts. It is also becoming increasingly common for people to give up other things in order to refocus their faith during this time; such as watching television or giving up social media.

Others may choose to ‘take up’ rather than ‘give up’ something during Lent. Many Catholics use Lent to study their Bibles and pray more intensively. Some may choose to focus on daily good deeds or being cheerful & charitable. All of these Lenten observances are good ways to prepare ourselves for Holy Week & Easter.

What commitment is your child or children making for this Lenten period? How can you support them? Are they aware of the various ways they can prepare? I thank you for your support and encourage you to discuss Lent with them. It may be a great time to commit to something as a family.

Open Day:

Hopefully the rain settles and allows us to enjoy Open Day 2022 this Saturday 5^th March from 10am -2pm. The response to this ticketed event was huge with over 100 enrolment applications already being picked up from College Reception and over 800 people registering to attend Open Day. 

Open Day is the start of our official enrolment period and in particular we are looking for the enrolment of students in Kindergarten 2023, Year 7 2023 & 2024. Classrooms will be open for tours, there will be demonstrations and displays and enrolment packages will be available for pickup (please note that due to the busyness of the day, the earliest enrolment packages can be returned is Monday 7^th March). We look forward to seeing you on Open Day!

May God continue to bless you.

Mr Abernethy
College Principal

As the rain fell and the world seemed to be in turmoil, the St Francis community came together to remember those who are less fortunate or have been affected by the floods. We prayed in our classes, homerooms and at assemblies for all people in our world you need an extra thought of love and compassion. Shrove Tuesday was also celebrated, by donating a gold coin to our Project Compassion campaign and enjoying some yummy pikelets with maple syrup that were graciously served by our teachers who are part of the Social Justice Committee. 

As we begin the season of Lent, we as Catholics have been asked to pray for peace. Pope Francis in his Lenten address asks us all to “not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up. So then, while we have the opportunity, let us do good to all” (Gal 6:9-10). We are called during Lent to be co-workers with God, to pray, fast and give to those less fortunate. In current times, it is the important messages of faith, hope and love that keeps reminding us of the true meaning of the Lent, ‘goodness, together with love, justice, and solidarity, are not achieved once and for all; they have to be realised each and every day of our lives.’ During Lent, encourage your family and friends to simple acts of kindness and generosity. Here are some suggestions…

1. Greet people - a hello never goes astray  
2. Give thanks for the simple things we take for granted
3. Remind people how much you love them
4. Be attentive to those who need you, this includes being attention to your needs
5. Listen to each other's story, without prejudice, just with love and concern
6. Offer to help someone at work or school
7. Call out something that doesn’t sit right with you, we need to work for justice and peace in the world
8. Celebrate the qualities or successes of colleague or friend 
9. Select what you don't use and give it to those in need
10. Helping out at home or work when needed, so someone else gets some rest
11. Correct with love, do not keep quiet out of fear
12. Have a good chat with those who are close to you, sometimes we forget them
13. Share in a meal and offer a thought to those who have no food 
14. Help others overcome obstacles
15. Call or visit your parents/grandparents, if you're lucky enough to have them and make sure they know you love them 

Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent. To commemorate this occasion, students received a bookmark as a symbol of a “Covid safe” way of receiving ashes. These were created by the REIM team and student leaders. Students also took part in a class based liturgy to explore the ways they can pray, fast and give during the next 40 days leading up to Easter. On this day, the college also marked the launch of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allow Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

The theme of Project Compassion 2022 is ‘For All Future Generations’ and reminds us that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues.  We encourage you to put your compassion into action this Lent through your prayer, fasting and giving by supporting Project Compassion. If you wish to make a donation, students will have boxes in their classrooms or online https://fundraise.projectcompassion.org.au/stfranciscatholiccollegeedmondsonpark

Congratulations to Nicholas C in year 8 on receiving the Wests Sports Award for Youth Sportsperson, for the month of January.

Nick achieved a top 10 ribbon in the Boys 12-13 50 Backstroke