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- NAIDOC Week Mass Canberra
- 1JR's Good Samaritan Religion Unit
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- Lacey Library News
- Book Week 2019
- Book Week Parade Sausage Sizzle
- PRC Update
- Canteen News
- Playgroup
- Uniform Shop
- SPIN Pyjama Day - This Friday
- Parish News - Sacraments of 2019
- CWA of NSW Southern Tablelands - Education Grant
- Yass Gymnastics Disco Night - Aloha!
- Yass Netball Disco Night
Annual Satisfaction Survey
The annual satisfaction survey for parents, students and staff closes this Friday 9 August. Parents, if you did not receive an email inviting you to respond or if you have not yet submitted a survey response, you can use the following link to do so:
https://www.research.net/r/mountcarmelparent2019
Wakakirri
Last Wednesday evening our Stage 3 students performed their Wakakirri story-dance, Protecting Our Forest, at the Canberra Theatre. It is fascinating and exciting to have the opportunity to perform in a proper theatre and gain an insight into the behind-the-scenes workings back-stage at a full production. On the night Mt Carmel was presented with the Spirit of Wakakirri Award, Most Creative reuse of Materials for Sets and Props, and the Best Teamwork Award. Congratulations to all our students for a fine performance and to our Stage 3 teachers for their help, especially Katrina Grace and Tara Cassidy for their coordination and administration; a significant amount of time outside of school hours goes into preparing for such an event. Special thanks, also, to Andrew Harding for transporting our sets to and from the Theatre.
The Peace Garden
As part of their Japanese lessons, the students and Mrs Miller have been planning a Japanese garden for the school grounds. On Tuesday the beginning stage of the garden was opened with the standing of a Torii gate that marks the entrance to the space. A Torii is a traditional Japanese gate that is most commonly found at the entrance of a Shinto shrine and symbolically marks a sacred space. The garden has been named a ‘Peace Garden’ as the opening coincided with the 74-year anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, which occurred on 6 August 1945. As part of our Mt Carmel Day activities, all students wrote a prayer, hope or wish for peace and forgiveness, and these were placed on a thick rope—in Japanese, shimenawa—that is hung across the gate. The Peace Garden will be accessible to all students during Recess and Lunch breaks as a place of quiet reflection. Special thanks to Richard Miller for his assistance in erecting the Torii.
Pyjama Day
This Friday 9 August, Mt Carmel will be supporting the Yass Valley SPIN Foundation's Pyjama Day. Everyone is invited to wear their favourite PJs to school and bring a gold-coin donation to support local families in need.
May God’s peace be in your families,
GOSPEL: Luke 12:13-21
A man in the crowd said to him, 'Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.' He said to him, 'My friend, who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?' Then he said to them, 'Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for life does not consist in possessions, even when someone has more than he needs.' Then he told them a parable, 'There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, "What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops." Then he said, "This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time." But God said to him, "Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?" So it is when someone stores up treasure for himself instead of becoming rich in the sight of God.'
REFLECTION
This week's Gospel begins with an individual in the crowd asking Jesus: “Teacher, tell my brother (or sister) to share the family inheritance with me.” Jesus responds to this person’s statement by saying: “Friend, who appointed me as your judge or your arbitrator?” Then he adds: “Take care to guard against all greed. For though a person may be rich, one’s life cannot be measured by the number of possessions a person has accumulated.”
In today’s world, we hear or see numerous ads every day on television, radio, the Internet, and billboards. We are bombarded with messages enticing us to buy clothing, electronics, cars, or televisions. Count the number of commercials on TV or radio today. The sad news is that many of us have come to believe that more is better or that the newest computer or car is essential for the good life.
Today Jesus also tells the crowd the story of a rich man. This rich man had a great deal of land that typically produced a bountiful harvest. This particular year’s crop produced such a good yield that the man did not have a barn that was large enough to store his abundant crop. Finally, the rich man decided to tear down his barns (notice the plural) and build larger barns. This would not only give him room for his grain, he also would have room to store some of his numerous possessions. Stockpiling this wealth would ensure that he would be able to eat, drink, and be merry for many years.
Sounds like the good life, doesn’t it? The reality is that many people work very hard to ensure that they will have a good life. However, God says to this man: “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded of you. And everything you have worked so hard to accumulate will belong to others.” Jesus then adds: “Thus will it be for the person who stores up earthly treasures for him/herself but who is not rich in what matters to God.”
In today’s world, we are enticed on every front to accumulate wealth, possessions and status, but today Jesus reminds us that when we die, our wealth, our possessions, and our status will not matter. The only criterion we will be judged on is whether we have worked to accumulate the riches only God can give. Today may be a good day to ask ourselves: Who and what is most important in my life? Is it money, status, possessions, esteem? Or is it the people that I love or the many individuals who are in need? Do I strive to make a difference in our world by my love, care, and generosity? Do I freely share the many gifts that God has given me?
Today and every day we are paving our road to heaven. What is the path we will pave today by our choices? Will Jesus approve of our path? I pray so! (Sr Kristine Anne Harpenau)
FEAST OF SAINT MARY MACKILLOP PRAYER SERVICE
On Thursday 8th August, 2TD will be leading the school in a special prayer service to celebrate the Feast of Saint Mary MacKillop at 9am in the PAC. We invite all members of our school community to come and pray with us.
Mary Helen MacKillop (1842-1909), known in life as Mother Mary of the Cross, was born on 15 January 1842 in Fitzroy, Melbourne, the eldest of eight children of Alexander McKillop and his wife Flora, née McDonald. Her parents had migrated from the Lochaber area in Inverness-shire and married soon after they reached Melbourne. After a prosperous start the family became impoverished.
Mary was educated at private schools but chiefly by her father who had studied for the priesthood at Rome. To help her family Mary became in turn a shopgirl, a governess, and at Portland a teacher in the Catholic Denominational School and proprietress of a small boarding school for girls. As she grew to womanhood Mary was probably influenced by an early friend of the family, Father Patrick Geoghegan, and began to yearn for a strictly penitential form of religious life. Concluding she would have to go to Europe to execute her plan, she placed herself under the direction of Father Julian Tenison-Woods who, as parish priest of Penola in South Australia sometimes visiting Melbourne and Portland, wanted to found a religious society, 'The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart'; they were to live in poverty and dedicate themselves to educating poor children. With Mary its first member and Superior the society was founded at Penola on 19 March 1866 with the approval of Bishop Laurence Sheil. By then she was spelling her surname MacKillop. The Sisterhood spread to Adelaide and other parts of South Australia, and increased rapidly in membership but ran into difficulties. Tenison-Woods had become director of Catholic schools and conflicted with some of the clergy over educational matters. One priest with influence over the bishop declared publicly he would ruin the director through the Sisterhood. The result was that Mary was excommunicated by Bishop Sheil on 22 September 1871 for alleged insubordination; most of the schools were closed and the Sisterhood almost disbanded. The excommunication was removed on 21 February 1872 by order of the bishop nine days before he died.
In 1873 at Rome Mary obtained papal approval of the Sisterhood but the Rule of Life laid down by Tenison-Woods and sanctioned by the bishop on 17 December 1868 was discarded and another drawn up. Tenison-Woods blamed her for not doing enough to have his Rule accepted and this caused a permanent breach between them. She travelled widely in Europe visiting schools and observing methods of teaching, and returned to Adelaide on 4 January 1875. In March she was elected Superior-General of the Sisterhood. In journeys throughout Australasia she established schools, convents and charitable institutions but came into conflict with those bishops who preferred diocesan control of the Sisterhood rather than central control from Adelaide. In 1883 Bishop Christopher Reynolds, misunderstanding the extent of his jurisdiction over the Sisterhood, told her to leave his diocese. She then transferred the headquarters of the Sisterhood to Sydney. On 11 May 1901 she suffered a stroke at Rotorua, New Zealand. Although retaining her mental faculties, she was an invalid until she died in Sydney on 8 August 1909.
Mary's finest feature was her large blue eyes. Affectionate but determined, her virtues were multitudinous with charity towards her neighbour outshining all. Always regarded as holy, she was put forward in 1972 as a candidate for the honour of beatification and canonisation and on 1 February 1973 the Cause was formally introduced. Mary was beatified on 19 January 1995 at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, in a Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II. She was canonised as Saint Mary of the Cross at a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in St Peter's Square in the Vatican on 17 October 2010. (Osmund Thorpe, )
FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION MASS
Next Thursday, August 15, we will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption through a Parish Mass at St Augustine's Church, commencing at 9:45am. We welcome all members of our community to come an celebrate with us.
God Bless,
Warren Ziebowski
Religious Education Coordinator
Archdiocesan Athletics Carnival - Thursday 22 August at AIS, Canberra.
Todd Woodbridge Cup Zone - Wednesday, 11 September
Years 3-6 Cricket Blast School Cup - Tuesday 24 September
All students will be participating in the Cricket Blast Cup to be held at Joe O'Connor Park.
Boorowa Touch and Netball Carnival - Friday 25 October
Please complete permission and payment through Qkr! if possible OR via the note sent home last week. Please ensure permission forms are returned by 16 August so I can enter the teams.
Esther Glover
Sports Coordinator
Congratulations to the following students who will receive a Principal's Award at this Friday's assembly. The assmbly will be held at 9am in the PAC and presented by KNB and 5/6MA.
KJG | KNB |
Macy Camilleri | Georgina Collins |
Max Braithwaite | Hudson Rosemond-Stephens |
1EK | 1JR |
Camilla Bremner | Phoenix Streatfeild |
Blake Foster | Justice-Jay Elliott-Miners |
1SS | 2HR |
Jessica Davis | Ella Johnson |
Samuel Masters | Christopher Potter |
2TD | 3LS |
Mila Kelly | Ava Reynolds |
George Watson | Darcy Gooley |
3TC | 4EG |
Tiana Pidding | Macy Tarlinton |
Jake Wullaert | Samuel Laughton |
4KF | 4SS |
Caitlin Guiney | Bailey-Jane Hass |
Phoebe Brown | Oliver Quarrell |
5/6JH | 5/6MA |
Dominica White | Angus Pack |
Clancy Ritchard | Jack Kelk |
5/6WZ | |
Luka Barac | |
Willoughby Walsh-Deove |
Congratulations to the recipients of this week's Coordinator Merits, which focused on 'Show Respect'.
KJG |
KNB Georgina Collins Beau Jones |
1EK |
1JR Lola Finnigan Xavier Doyle |
1SS |
2HR Gypsy Barker Marc Mosca |
2TD |
3TC Georgina Burke Jack Ryan |
3LS |
4EG |
4KF |
4SS Isla Pearsall-Membrey William Hall |
5/6JH |
5/6MA Mia Watchorn Max Buser |
5/6WZ |
Merits will be presented at Thursday morning's assembly. Next week, the focus will be on 'Be Fair'.
1JR's Good Samaritan Religion Unit
1JR have been working on the unit 'Good Samaritan' during Religion and have been looking at the path from Jericho to Jerusalem. The class spent time in the sandpit to map out the path to be taken.
A very big thank you to Tara Leighton, Cassie Streatfeild and Nat Broers for covering many of our new library books. The children apprecaite your kindness.
Also a special thank you to Helen Shaw for collecting, sticking and checking the Woolworth Earn and Learn stickers and sheets collected from Woolworths. Your time doing this is very much apprecaited. The school collected a total of 41,126 stickers.
Theme: “Reading is my Secret Power”
Dates: 17 - 23 August 2019
Book Week Parade: Friday 23 August, 12.30pm
The Children’s Book Council of Australia has shortlisted the 2019 books from a large selection of books. Each class from K-6 has been assigned a book to study. Students will then create a display based on the book for exhibition in the Lacey Library during Book Week. All parents, grandparents and friends are invited to Mt Carmel to enjoy the Book Week Parade and the Class shortlisted Book Displays for 2019.
Book Week Parade: Friday 23 August, 12.30pm
Dress Up: The children are encouraged to dress up as a book character for the day. They can use the clothes they have at home and change them slightly. They do not have to buy a costume but if you wish to that’s your choice.
WHY NOT try this….
*Swap last year’s costume with a friend or a cousin in another town.
*Use what clothes you have at home and add a few props.
*Visit St Vincent de Paul’s dress up rack.
Guest Author
Tohby Riddle is an award-winning writer, illustrator, cartoonist, designer and sometime editor based in Sydney. He has written and illustrated numerous well-loved picture books; written a young adult novel; was the cartoonist for Good Weekend for nearly ten years; and is a former editor of The School Magazine, a literary magazine for children published by the NSW Department of Education.
Tohby will be visitng the school on Thursday 22 August to talk to the students about the process involved in creating a book and his wonderful achievements. His book 'Here Comes Stinkbug!' has been shortlisted in this year's Early Childhood category.
Evelyn Turner
Teacher / Librarian
Book Week Parade Sausage Sizzle
Mt Carmel is providing a FREE SAUSAGE SIZZLE FOR ALL STUDENTS on Friday 23 August. Each student will receive one sausage sandwich at lunch time. The canteen will still be available for children who would like to order additional lunch items or for cash sales. Parents, friends and family members are welcome to order a sandwich for the day. A note has been sent home today requesting additional family sausage sizzle orders. If you have any questions regarding the sausage sizzle, please contact Carol or Emma in the office on 6226 3357.
Sausage Sizzle Helpers Needed
If you are able to assist with the barbeque on Friday 23 August, please call Carol and Emma in the front office or complete the note sent home today. Help is required from 10.30am until 1.30pm.
Three weeks to go!
Please make sure you are able to log on and start logging your books to avoid the panic at the last moment. There are still 36 incomplete Reading Records; please see me Monday lunchtime if you need assistance logging your books as I am more than happy to help!
Congratulations to Maddelin Barker who completed the challenge this week.
Jaclyn Green
Commencing this week the canteen will have Mini Pizza Muffins and Cheesy Garlic Bread available at recess. Both items will be $1.00 each, served hot and only available at recess.
At lunch, we will have Apple Pies available for $1.50 each. These will also be served hot and will need to be collected from the canteen.
These items will need to be pre-ordered, via Qkr or lunch bag, to ensure they are ready at recess or lunch time for collection.
Front room of the PAC (off Dutton Street)
$3 for the first child, $1 for each subsequent child
Morning tea provided
Everyone Welcome
The Mt Carmel School Uniform Shop is open each Tuesday afternoon, between 2.30pm– 4.00pm during school terms.
Ordering Options - Uniform orders can be placed online via Qkr! or by order from which can be collected and paid for from the front office.
All Qkr! orders placed before 2pm each Tuesday, will be bundled up and sent home with your child on Wednesday afternoon.
Please note that if the incorrect size/item is ordered or the size selected does not fit correctly, please return the item along with a note regarding changes required and the correct size/item can be sent home.
Parish News - Sacraments of 2019
Confirmation
Reflection Day - Friday 6 September 9am-3.10pm Hartigan Centre and St Augustine's
Sacrament of Confirmation - Sunday 8 September 10am St Augustine's
CWA of NSW Southern Tablelands - Education Grant
All applications and references are strictly confidential.
Applications close September 30 2019.