St Benedict's Catholic College
Newsletter - 29 March 2018
PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
Dear Parents
By the time you read this, the Easter Triduum will be on us. The Triduum, begins during Holy Week, and is made up of the feasts of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. This includes the Great Easter Vigil, the summit of the Triduum.
The word Triduum comes from the Latin word meaning "three days." It begins the evening of Holy Thursday and ends at Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday. Thus the Triduum consists of three full 24-hour days which begin and end in the evening. The Triduum technically is not part of Lent (at least liturgically), but Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are still reckoned as part of the traditional forty day Lenten fast.
The Triduum celebrates the heart of Christian faith, salvation, and redemption: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus, the Triduum commemorates the Institution of the Eucharist (the "sacrament of sacraments"), the passion, crucifixion, death of the Lord, his descent to the dead, and finally his glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday. Along with the Ascension, these important events make up the Paschal Mystery.
Even though the liturgical year begins chronologically at Advent, it reaches its culmination during the Easter Triduum, particularly at Easter, the "solemnity of solemnities," the "Great Feast." The Catholic Catechism describes the importance of the Triduum:
Beginning with the Easter Triduum as its source of light, the new age of the Resurrection fills the whole liturgical year with its brilliance. Gradually, on either side of this source, the year is transfigured by the liturgy. It really is a "year of the Lord's favor." The economy of salvation is at work within the framework of time, but since its fulfillment in the Passover of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the culmination of history is anticipated "as a foretaste," and the kingdom of God enters into our time (1168).
We have included Mass times for our local Parishes elsewhere in this Newsletter.
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In the last newsletter I wrote about parents making a choice between perseverance and talent. The key character traits of grit, self-control and conscientiousness are forged under hardship and duress. This makes our current propensity to over protect and over indulge our children a problem. When children continually experience easy success we set them up for failure because when they finally face up to difficult situations many lack the capacity to push through the tough times.
Encouraging kids to step out of their comfort zones and take learning and social risks is one of the great challenges for modern parents. It’s critical that we challenge children and young people to attempt activities where failure is a significant option. Overcoming setbacks and pushing through difficulties are how character is formed.
The good news is that character, like intelligence, is malleable. It’s not fixed. It’s important to establish in your own mind as a parent and also in children’s minds that character traits such as grit, self-control and conscientiousness can be developed. To this end it’s important then that parents steer clear of using absolute language to label behaviour and views traits and abilities as fixed. Comments such as “You’re no good at math” become a rule that young people learn to live by, and become default thinking that’s hard to budge. Our Wellbeing Team is currently investigating the VIA Character Strengths Programme for 2019 as part of our Positive Schools initiative.
Parents can actively promote grit and persistence in kids by making character part of their “family’s brand”. They can focus on character in conversations. They can share experiences where character paid off for them in their lives. They can discuss how character contributes to excellence and success in every day lives, including at work, at school and in the sporting field. Character and its many components can become part of the family narrative regardless the age of children.
On behalf of the College staff can I wish you and your families a safe and prayerful Easter Triduum.
Warm regards,
Michael Hanratty
Principal
Garden of Gethsemane
FROM THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF MISSION AND VISION
Easter Blessings
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life”. John 3:16
As the season of Lent rapidly approaches its conclusion, we as a community are asked to pay attention to what Jesus has done for us, through his passion, death, Resurrection and Ascension. What does this really mean to us? How can we truly be present in this paschal mystery?
During Lent we have been a part of the preparation for this Holy Week, many of us have abstained from meat and made promises to avoid treats. Others have been donating money through almsgiving - helping support those in our community that have less through the Caritas Lenten Appeal. Also, for many of us our preparation has included regular prayer and reflection. So what can we do this Holy Week? We can remember.
Holy Week in Catholic tradition is a time when we remember the sacrifice and gift that Jesus gave us. We can learn from Jesus that new life can come from even the most difficult times and that there really is light after the darkness. We can find comfort in God’s love - that is our Easter gift that we can share as a community and with each other.
Easter Liturgy
Our Easter Liturgy this week was an opportunity for our school to come together to pray and remember the importance of Holy Week. A number of staff and students came together to retell the stations of the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus through the theme ‘We Remember”. The Liturgy focused on the significance of the events of Holy Week - the reason that we get the long weekend!
This event was highlighted by the accompaniment of the St Benedict’s Music Ensemble who performed so beautifully along with our dramatists. Our College captains led us in prayer and overall it was a reverent way to reflect upon Jesus’ death and resurrection, at the heart of Christianity. We extend a big thank you to all the students who volunteered to be a part of this experience and the staff - Mrs Jenny Koryzma, Mr Alex Hayden and Mr Craig Davidson who helped to bring this together on the day.
Unite Festival
Next Friday, the 6 April, we will be holding our annual Unite Festival! The evening will begin at 3pm and conclude at 8pm here in the College. Unite is a great opportunity for students to come together, share in some exciting entertainment and activities and the opportunity to engage in meaningful prayer and great food!
Permission notes due back next week with a gold coin donation, and are available in home room, on our web site or through our permission notes button below. This is a popular evening where more than 250 students join in each year. So come along and bring a friend or two! See you there...
God Bless you all this Easter,
Mrs Tarnya Grana
Acting Director of Mission
Students reenact the Stations of the Cross at Thursday's Easter Liturgy.
UPCOMING DATES TO NOTE
- Understanding and Parenting Your Teen (2) - Wednesday 4 April
- Year 7 Enrolment Interviews for siblings - Wednesday 4 April
- Unite Festival - Friday 6 April
- Year 7 Applications for 2019 to be returned - Friday 13 April
- Last day of Term 1 - Friday 13 April
- First day of Term 2 - Monday 30 April
- Year 7 Zoo excursion - Friday 4 May
“HE IS RISEN!” By Bishop Brian Mascord
“He is risen!” (Matt 28:6)
Everything that matters in Christianity revolves around this central claim.
Many people attribute great moral teaching to Jesus—his push towards non-violence, turning the other cheek and treating others as we would want ourselves to be treated. Jesus, in many respects, is unrivaled in his attitude towards the outcast, the forgotten and those on the margins of society.
But there is an elephant in the room. He never claimed to be a great moral teacher. What did he claim? He claimed to be the only Son of God and that he would rise from the dead. So, did he?
Well, we know something happened because his cowering followers suddenly found a new bravery. Many went to their death fearlessly and willingly, not to take lives, but offering theirs for the sake of the One who rose from the dead.
For them and for us, Jesus’ resurrection is a moment of redemption. It can redeem our lives from being self-focused, trapped in the day-to-day grind and endlessly searching for meaning in things and people. There is so much more to life than this. We are loved. That is who we are.
Last year I led a pilgrimage to the Holy Land during which I had the opportunity to celebrate in the tomb of Jesus. What struck me most of all was that the tomb was empty. We are people of the empty tomb—for Christ is risen. We are not a people who sit in mourning, but rather, we live life in the light of the Resurrection. We each bear the Light of Christ. This Easter, igniting the Pascal Candle, we will gather together and become a beacon of hope for all to see. Let us continue to pray, reflect and encounter the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus and allow this mystery to draw us deeper into the great love that God has for us. He is risen, yes, he is risen indeed! Alleluia, Alleluia. I pray the blessings of the risen Christ be upon you.
Grace and peace to you this holy season,
Most Rev Brian G Mascord DD
Bishop of Wollongong
1 April 2018
LITERACY AND NUMERACY CORNER
Importance of Reading
Reading is essential for a child’s educational success. There are many benefits which include:
- Exposure to new vocabulary which aids in the development of language skills
- Introduces the reader to new topics and information
- Enhances one’s ability to concentrate
- Promotes creativity and imagination
- Helps one to develop empathy by identifying with a character
- Exposure to correct grammar, punctuation and paragraph structure
- Improves understanding of real world concepts
- Provides a form of entertainment that is appropriate and educational
Research indicates that 10-16% of students in Australian schools have a learning disability, which can involve reading. Where deficits in reading occur, intervention to enhance decoding skills is encouraged. One form of intervention that can take place at home is guided reading to an adult. Guided reading allows a child to read aloud and develop their phonemic awareness and knowledge of phonics. The guiding adult can model correct sounds and provide explicit phonics instruction. Continued reading practice will aid in improving reading comprehension and fluency.
The school library has a vast range of books across all genres for students to borrow including graphic novels, science and sport magazines and illustrated short novels. Popular at present are the Manga series, Weirdo collection by Anh Do, Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling, Lockwood & Co series by Jonathan Stroud, Dorky Diaries by Rachel Russell and Australian Story historical fiction series.
Julie Keedle
Learning Support Coordinator
Year 9 Food Technology Excursion to the Easter Show
On Friday the 23rd of March, Year 9 Food Technology students had the opportunity to experience the Sydney Royal Easter Show at Homebush. Upon arrival students were in awe of the agricultural displays from high schools across NSW. Student representatives from these schools were keen to explain their design concepts and emphasised time and effort that went into maintaining an agricultural plot and putting the display together.
We then made our way to the sheep pavillion where we met students from a school very close to us, Macarthur Anglican High School. We got to ask students questions about general care of sheep including how to determine their age, behaviours and changes in the quality of their fleece.
From here we ventured through to the Petey Pie Bakery where we got to see inside the daily operation of a bakery, in particular how pies are made. It was here we got the chance to sample the food innovation of a cheeseburger pie!! It was a hit!! We then got to watch two state representative bakers in a cook off to see who was able to make the best damper. Along the way they also demonstrated how whole wheat grains are ground to produce flour. The baker we saw in the workshop was the winner of the Best Pie in the whole of Australia. We watched as he very calmly but efficiently made the winning damper.
We then met a lovely dairy farmer who was very happy to share her knowledge of the components of milk and how farmers can be paid for their milk, how farmers look after their cattle and how calves are fed. We also got to see how milk is received in the milking pipelines, filtered, separated and stored as we walked through the dairy plant. It is amazing to see how much technology is used in food production.
Throughout the day we made our way through as many pavilions as we could to see cake decorating displays, steggles exhibits, baby chicks hatching, learn about how eggs are quality tested and had opportunities to sample many new foods such as deep fried oreos, cheesecake on a stick, donut pies and spaghetti burger buns before heading home. The students behaviour was exemplary, we had such presence as the 48 of us walked together through the crowd in our purple jackets. Special thanks to the staff who accompanied us on the day.
Mrs Alicia Pollicina
COLLEGE SPORTING WEEK
Congratulations to the following students who were nominated as MVPs for Week 9
Swimming:
Joey Grima, Talia Rosario
NRL/UFC:
Keisha D’Costa, Bailey Cave
UFC/NRL:
Aydian Maiolo, Mya Romeo
Marital Arts:
Ella Fielding, Paige Fisher
Netball:
Michael Pavey, Olivia Krepez
Soccer:
Jeremy Battistuzzi, Amelia Azzopardi
MILO Cricket:
Alex Tedesco, Jessica Rocchetto
Bowls/Indoor Sports:
Moira Cruz, Joshua Cefai
Indoor Sport/Bowls:
Leonardo Malisano
Crossfit/Golf:
Bianca Tedesco
Golf/Crossfit:
Sebastian Hurtado, Kai Straub
Kickboxing/Gym:
Calista Natsia, Eric Mougios, Zach Rodriguez
Gym/Kickboxing:
Althea- Faith Dela-Cruz
Skating/Dance:
Alyssa Moore, Haylee Gibson, Amy Kingsley
Dance/Skating:
Liam Reardon
Beach Sport/Tennis:
Felix Muzirwa, Nathaniel Murphy
Bowling B:
Ben Waights
MISA Sport
Our MISA teams had their first week of competition against Oran Park Anglican College
Year 7-9 Girls Bball Draw
MVP: Sophia Laurantus, Kamaria Nader
Year 7-9 Boys Bball Win
MVP: Alessandro Borja
Year 10-12 Boys Oztag Bye
Year 10-12 Girls Oztag Bye
Year 7-9 Girls Volleyball Loss
MVP: Jade Chambers
Year 7-9 Boys Volleyball Win
MVP: Anthony Ellul
Year 7-9 Girls Softball Win
MVP: Alyssa Chambers (Umpire)
Year 7-9 Boys Softball Draw
MVP: Damien Eagles
Year 10-12 Boys Cricket Win
MVP: Jack Smart
Yours in Sport
Miss Liska
St Benedict's Cross Country Carnival
EASTER MASS TIMES FOR LOCAL PARISHES
ST MARY MACKILLOP CATHOLIC CHURCH, ORAN PARK
Holy Thursday
7.00pm (Oran Park)
Good Friday
9.00am - Stations of the Cross (Leppington)
3.00pm - Passion Service (Oran Park)
Easter Saturday
5.00pm Vigil (Oran Park)
Easter Sunday
8.00am (Leppington)
8.00am (Oran Park)
10.00am (Oran Park - outside under St Justin's covered area. Please bring fold-up chair or rug)
No 5.00pm Mass on Easter Sunday
ST PAUL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, CAMDEN
Good Friday
Stations of the Cross 10.00am
Passion of our Lord 3.00pm
Holy Saturday
Easter Vigil 7.00pm
Easter Sunday
Mass 7.30am
Mass 9.00am
Mass 10.30am
Mass 5.00pm
ST ANTHONY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, PICTON
Holy Thursday
Solemn Mass Of The Lord's Supper - 7.00pm
Good Friday
Stations Of The Cross - 10.00am
The Passion Of The Lord - 3.00pm
Holy Saturday
Easter Vigil & Mass Of The Lord's Resurrection - 7.00pm (TBC)
Easter Sunday
Masses - 7.30am & 9.30am