On Wednesday we had a school prayer service for our Kindergarten - Year 3 students for Ash Wednesday and Years 4-6 attended the Parish Mass. The ashes were blessed by the Bishop at Mass and distributed by teachers to our students. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent in our Church year. Lent is a very significant time in the Church year. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter, when we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many Christians think of the forty days of Lent as an opportunity to change their daily lives and become closer to God.

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, Lent invites us to make our minds and hearts ready for remembering Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

These days, Christians around the world observe Lent in many ways. Many from more orthodox and traditional denominations will still observe the fast strictly, beginning with the wearing of ashes on Ash Wednesday and abstinence of meat, fish, eggs and fats until Easter Sunday. Others will choose to give up just one item for Lent, more commonly a ‘luxury’ such as chocolate, meat or alcohol. 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 TV and even social media. Many Christians also use Lent to pray more intensively and to use simple daily reflections and acts of generosity as a way of putting others first during preparations for Easter.

Pope Francis, in his Lenten message asks; “What are you giving up for Lent?” It’s a question a lot of people will get these next few days. If you want to change your body, perhaps alcohol, sweets and cigarettes is the way to go. But if you want to change your heart, a harder fast is needed. This narrow road is gritty, but it isn’t sterile. It will make room in ourselves to experience a love that can make us whole and set us free.  So, if we’re going to fast from anything this Lent, Pope Francis suggests that even more than sweets or alcohol, we fast from indifference towards others.

Let us take time to reflect on the past year and during this season of Lent perhaps think about ways we can ‘fast’ in our own lives.

Year Six Induction Mass

Last Thursday we celebrated our Year Six leaders with a Mass in the Cathedral. Our School Captains, Vice Captains and Colour House Captains were presented with their badges and all of our Year Six student leaders recited their pledge to do and be the best person they can be in their senior year at St Carthage's.

We thank Fr Bing for celebrating this special mass with us.

Lions Citizenship Award

Congratulations to Bonnie Hogan and Jimmi Matthews who were presented with the Lions Citizenship awards at our Year Six Induction Mass last week. This award recognises school service, leadership amongst peers and school spirit.

We congratulate Bonnie and Jimmi on this great achievement. 

Congratulations

Parent/Teacher Information Night

It was wonderful to see parents and carers at the Parent Teacher Information nights over the past week. Hopefully these meetings provided you with an overview of the year ahead and answered any questions/ concerns that you may have had.

Parent/Teacher Interviews

We look forward to welcoming our parents and carers into our class rooms in Week 6 to meet with teachers. Working together in partnership helps to clarify goals for your children, inform about areas of strength and areas to work on as well as clarify any issues or concerns which we may not be aware of. 

Bookings for interviews are made online. Please check Compass for how to book if you haven't already done so.

Welcome Barbeque and Disco - Thursday 2nd March

We are excited to be able to host our annual Welcome Barbeque and Disco on Thursday, 2nd March. Please return your attendance notes by Monday 27th February for catering purposes. Please see the flyer in the Notice Board section of this Newsletter.

Thank You

We would like to say a BIG thank you to a local primary school for the donation of some playground benches and tables. We are very grateful for this very kind gesture. These will be well used by our students during morning tea and lunch times.

School Photos
Our School photos will be taken on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th March. School Photo envelopes will be sent home with the students soon. Please return these envelopes, with correct payment enclosed, on the Monday of the photos, as
these will be handed straight to the photographers. We do not handle photo money. Sibling envelopes will be available from the School Office. Please ensure that students are in their correct school uniform on these days.

Infant's Play Equipment After School

Our Infants’ play equipment is designed for use by our younger students under teacher supervision during the school day at the following times: before school from 8:30am to 8:55am, morning tea and lunch. It is not to be used by students from Years 3 to 6 at any time. Students catching buses, walking to Cathedral pick-up or waiting for parents are NOT to be on the equipment as they are not being supervised. Students must be supervised by their parents on the play equipment after school. We don’t wish to spoil fun, but safety is paramount and teachers are spending much time moving students away from this area to where they should be in the afternoons.