Newman News Term 3 Week 8: From the Leader of Mission and Catholic Identity
With two weeks left of Term Three, our Year 12 students are coming to the end of their time at Newman College and assessments are being scheduled across the life of the school, it is an important time to reflect on the College’s Vision for Mission: to form good Christians and good citizens and our Marist theme for 2021 Breathe: The Spirit of Life. This calls us to pause and reflect on our life and what is most important. I encourage all staff, students and families to give thanks for our experience, to reach out to friends or family in lockdown around Australia who may be struggling and to remember that as Marist’s we follow Mary’s example and place our trust in God and the plan God has for us. By trusting in God, we can recognise God’s love, grace and compassion and finish the term with the hope that we can truly let our light shine.
Governor’s Prayer Breakfast
Newman College has launched its Christian Service Learning Program, Living Marist, with Year 7 and 8 students. The purpose is to engage students in service activities that challenge them to reflect, discern and act in the community. Students have participated in a range of activities across, recently supporting Lavalla and Marian students. Congratulations to our students and keep up the good work. There actions espouse the Marist values of Family Spirit and Love of Work.
Marist Connect Night
As Marist school we offer students opportunities to engage in formation that allows them to meet with students from other Marist schools. For the second time this year, students gathered, this time at Bunbury Catholic College to reflect on their future and what it means to follow God’s call in their life. One of our Yr11 students reflects below.
On the 7th of September, 5 of the year 11 Gamechangers members along with Mrs Parker and Mrs Day-Perkins took off to Bunbury Catholic College for a connect night. Connect nights are organized throughout the year and allow Year 11 and 12 students from Marist schools to come together to connect and share ideas centred on the Marist principals.
Bunbury Catholic College is a Marist school set in the South-West of Perth. Once there we met a group of Year 11’s and 12’s and with the help of the teachers began to discuss school life through the Marist traditions. We started connecting by looking at ourselves and how we live according to faith. This conversation grew and soon enough we were having fun and connecting through activities like making paper airplanes that had fun facts written on them about each of us. After throwing the paper planes we then had to match the fun fact to the person. This is harder than what it seems especially when you are meeting for the first time but it still makes for a great activity allowing all of us to share a little bit about ourselves!
After some initial activities, we shared a meal. Where we continued to connect over pizza and talking about how we see life after school and our plans for our future. Finally, we heard from Liam Street, an ex-Newman student and the Marist Youth Ministry Leader who spoke to us about vocation and what to think about when we finish at school. Once he shared his story about finding his vocation, it was over to the teachers who formed a Q&A panel where they shared their vocational experiences.
Thanks Bunbury Catholic College for a great evening.
– Sonia Bruce, Year 11 student.
Thursday morning Community Mass
very Thursday morning family’s are invited to join students and staff to celebrate the Eucharist with local priests from our parishes. The final two weeks of our Community Mass see Thomas More and Year 4 in Week 9 and Romero and Year 3 in week 10. It has been such a blessing to welcome our Year 2 students to our Community Mass in line with our Vision for Mission and their transition to Year 3.
Mr Sullivan, Thomas More Guild Coordinator sent the following message to families earlier this term.
On Thursday the 16th of September at 8.10am, the Thomas More Guild is participating in their community mass for years 7-12 at the Marcellin Campus Chapel. This is an important time for students across the Marcellin Campus as it will be the last mass that Year 12 students will be a part of before they commence their exams as well as marking the start of transition into 2022.
I wish to extend the invitation to all family members of students in the Thomas More Guild. This can be past students, pre-high school children, grandparents and extended family. As the new Co-Ordinator for Thomas More guild I want to foster a sense of family spirit across all year groups.
I understand that there may be other priorities such as work that may get in the way of attending the mass, however it would be great to see families come together particularly in these uncertain times.
We look forward to seeing you in the Champagnat Chapel at 8.10am.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is an important part of our Catholic faith. This year, students across the primary and secondary have had the opportunity to celebrate this sacrament in year groups. The secondary students have been led by priests from the Redemptorist Monastery led by Fr Edmond Nixon and primary students have been led by Fr Kaz Stuglik from Floreat Parish. The sacrament is an opportunity for students to seek forgiveness and reflect on God’s love and mercy in their lives. We encourage all our families to participate in this sacrament through their local parish.
Floreat Parish Youth Mass
On Sunday 19 September, Floreat Parish supported by 24/7 Youth Ministry will be celebrating a Youth Mass. This celebration is an opportunity for students who recently received the Sacrament of Confirmation to come along and share in the Eucharist, games and light refreshments. We all encourage all our Year 6 families to come along and celebrate. The parish will be providing an experience for our young people every third Sunday. Mass commences at 9.30am at St Cecilia’s Church.
Ministers of Communion Preparation
In line with our Vision for Mission: to form “good Christians and good citizens”, we have had some of our Year 11 students apply to participate in the ministering of Holy Communion. This means they will undertake training with Br Terry, reflecting on what it means to serve in the Church and the sacredness of the Eucharist. Congratulations to our students who have put their name forward to be leaders in this way at Newman College.
Special Marist Project: Marist Institute launches Global network
At Newman College we are proud to be part of Marist Schools Australia and an international community that shares a vision “to make Jesus Christ known and loved.” Recently, Newman College was asked to be part of the International Marist Institutes Global Network launch. On Wednesday 15 September, students from across the College will participate in creating a new logo for the network that seeks to demonstrate the diversity of our Marist community and its vision for our Marists communities to be “a place where we all belong!” Click here to learn more about this initiative and how it will help build a better place for young people in our world.