Dear Colleagues,
As we continue to celebrate the season of Easter, I am reminded of the critical role that our schools play in sharing the message of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in such a way that it provides our young people and our communities for a frame of reference for life.
I had the pleasure of reading Principal, Georgia Dennis’ Easter message to the Salisbury Catholic Parish and I quote aspects of it here for your enjoyment too. Georgia’s message and the work of the St Augustine’s Parish School, especially the teachers, is replicated across all of our schools. We have a right to be immensely proud of these contributions to our young people.
Georgia writes:
"When we are looking at other learning, we seek to ignite all of the senses to make meaning. To teach our children and young people about their faith, we immerse them in a multimodal way of learning, engaging the senses of sight, hearing, taste and smell. We use imagery, symbol and ritual as well as technology, music drama and voice. We use age-old storytelling and power of impact to capture and build curiosity and deep learning.
During Holy Week and Easter at St Augustine’s, we participated in this learning as a whole school community. During Holy Week, we remembered the various events in the lead up to the Crucifixion of Jesus. We began the week in the Prayer Garden with a commemoration of Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem. All of the school gates were festooned with palm branches as the children entered the school with their families. Gospels tell us that Jesus was welcomed into the city with crowds waving palm leaves and singing ‘Hosanna!’. ‘ Open the gates for the King of Kings’ rang out across the school as children participated in the remembering of Palm Sunday.
On Tuesday each class commemorated The Last Supper in their own individual way. They were provided with freshly baked Turkish pide to enhance the experience. Children eagerly shared with their families about ‘the bread’. On Wednesday we made a pilgrimage around the ‘Way of the Cross’. Each class from Year 4 to 6/7 depicted one event from the Passion of Jesus and displayed it on a door.
This year we did not do the Stations of the Cross as such. We remembered the Passion of Jesus according to the Gospel of Luke; in short, ‘The Way of the Cross according to Luke’.
As we remembered Jesus’ Last Supper earlier in the week, we began with Jesus’ arrest. On Thursday we commemorated Jesus death with liturgy in Siena Hall. We dressed the cross with a black shroud and a crown of thorns. Using a question and answer technique as commentary, we walked the children though the event of the Crucifixion and a reading from Luke’s Gospel.
On Tuesday (29th March) we celebrated the Risen Christ with great joy at a mass at St Augustine’s Church. Once again the children dressed the cross in white and lit the Paschal Candle to signify Jesus’ new life."
The Catholic community should take great comfort that children and young people in all of our Catholic schools are invited into a deep knowing and experience of the Tradition. Principals, teachers and other staff work to make these moments memorable. This will have been replicated across all of our schools, in different but meaningful ways.
I am very grateful for this gift of grace given by our school staffs to their communities.
I wish you every blessing for this continuing Easter season.
Helen O’Brien
Intergenerational playgroups are truly something special — an experience that enriches the lives of both the young and the older members of our community. These playgroups are more than just a space for children to play; they are a vital platform for different generations to come together, share wisdom, and build meaningful relationships.
