Issue 5 27 April 2021

Newsletter Articles

VISION STATEMENT

St Rita’s School will be a compassionate and supportive community built on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, specifically incorporating the Mercy Values which are lived out. We will be a values-based community reaching out to and welcoming the wider community. Our strong school spirit will shine. St Rita’s will be a school in which every member is respectful of self and others.

PRINCIPAL’S PEN

Dear Families,

It was great to welcome everyone back last week, in what has been a very wet and wild few days. Our students however have settled back in nicely, readjusting to the school routine very quickly.

Unfortunately, the weather cancelled our ANZAC Day plans however we were well represented by Eva, Jack and Katara at the 10am service which was held at the RSL Hall. It was also great to see Hannah and Evie brave the cold and wet to pay their respects at the dawn service.

As a school we had a very moving and reverent ANZAC Day service last Friday. We were also lucky enough to have Clifford Stone visit all of our students to talk about his experience so far in the Royal Australian Navy. Clifford is an ex-student of St Rita’s and the son of Jenni Stone. We thank him for giving up his time for us, as it is not often that he has the opportunity to come home to Babinda.

We also took the opportunity to acknowledge the risen Christ, as we celebrated Easter over the school holidays. It was fitting to acknowledge both ANZAC Day and Easter during the same liturgy as we were able to reflect on the sacrifices of both our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the diggers who fought and continue to fight so bravely for our country.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

This Friday, our students in Years 2-6 will be off to Cairns to see the production of Matilda, presented by St Augustine’s and St Monica’s colleges. This is a great opportunity for our students to be exposed to the performing arts and see their interpretation of Roald Dahl’s classic story. Please check your email to return the permission form if you have not already done so.

We are now taking Prep enrolments for 2022. Parents and prospective parents can complete the enrolment forms online by following the links from our website. If you know of any families that are interested in enrolling their children at St Rita’s please encourage them to call the office and book a tour, I would be more than happy to show them around our great school.

Regards and blessings,

Michael Rowe
Principal

APRE THOUGHTS

ANZAC Day

St Rita’s commemorated the 106th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli last Friday, at our whole school Easter and ANZAC Day Liturgy. We were most fortunate to have had Seaman Clifford Stone – a St Rita’s past student and Royal Australian Navy recruit to visit classes and share his knowledge of the ANZAC tradition and the Australian Armed Forces. You may be interested to read of the meaning of the Rising Sun Badge, which is the official insignia of the Australian Army and fundamentally entwined with the notion of the Australian Digger. Personally, I found this information quite fascinating:

One of the mainsprings of an army is its esprit-de-corps - that spirit which gives a soldier purpose and the endurance to carry on when others might give up. In the prolonged and bitter struggles of World War 1 and World War 2, the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd AIF (Australian Imperial Forces) had this esprit-de-corps, and its focal point was a humble badge. The so-called ‘Rising Sun’ badge, worn on the upturned brim of a slouch hat, typified the spirit of ANZAC - the camaraderie of Australian soldiers to fight for the Crown and the British Empire.
© Warrant Officer C. JOBSON 1998

Each ANZAC Day, Australians and New Zealanders remember those who fought and died for freedom during times of conflict and strife. This annual celebration of our nation is of course, not to glorify war, but to honour the selfless sacrifice of men and women who have served to protect our country. That this day falls during the Church’s Liturgical Season of Easter, seems to be of little coincidence. In fact, the sacrifice in service made by the fallen appears to be accentuated by the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, who also offered Himself through death as our Saviour freeing us from sin.

Jesus replied,

“Now the hour has come for the Chosen One to be glorified.
The truth of the matter is, unless a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies,
it remains only a single grain;
but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.”
(Jn 12: 23-24)

As continue to enjoy the benefits of a peaceful existence in Australia, let us pray for those who continue to work for peace, and thank God for the extraordinary gift bestowed upon us through the death and resurrection of Christ:

God of Life, Amen.

In this season of Easter,
We rejoice in the New Life your Son the Risen Jesus gives us.
You offer us hope. You offer us peace.
We thank you for this treasured land of ours, today
As we remember the ANZAC soldiers who fought to protect our country.
Help us to strive for peace in all we do.
We make our prayer in the name of our Risen Lord.

Sacramental Program

Last year, St Rita’s Parish Sacramental Program, held biennially, was interrupted due to Covid restrictions. As such, this term, we will offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In order to prepare for the Sacrament, children, along with their parents/carers attend two information sessions, held on agreed days from 3:30pm – 4:30pm in the school library. If your child is in Year 4 or above, is baptised (or is to be baptised) and you would like them to participate in the program, please contact the school office on 4065 9580 to organise an enrolment form.

Holy Week Liturgy and Easter Assembly Prayer

On the final day of Term 1, St Rita’s students presented a Holy Week Liturgy which retold the main events of the Passion of Jesus. Through music, dance and drama, the story portrayed both the ecstasy and agony of the final days in Jesus’ humanly existence, beginning with the exultant Palm Sunday procession and ending in sorrow at His death following the crucifixion. The Liturgy was a touching spectacle, and it is with sincere gratitude that I would like to thank both the staff and students for their preparations and practise in order to depict this significant event so beautifully. My thanks also to the Year 5 and 6 students who then completed the Easter story of Jesus’ resurrection through Scripture reading and prayer at the combined Easter and ANZAC Day Liturgy last week.

Project Compassion Success

Our final week of school last term was one of fruitful and fun endeavours, all in the name of charity and solidarity with our communities who are assisted by CARITAS’ Project Compassion. St Rita’s CARITAS Café was, once again a brilliant success; a culinary delight enjoyed through the labours of our budding chefs during the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program.

And to finish the ten-week term with some light-heartedness, we had a free-dress day and CARITAS Ks water-carrying walk. Through this last, seemingly unremarkable event, we aimed to highlight to the plight of less fortunate children across the globe who provide their family’s water supply each day. Fetching water can take hours, and be fraught with the perils of contact with wildlife. Significantly though, this chore denies children the right to an education.

This year, Caritas Australia, has targeted projects in Bangladesh, Solomon Islands, Tanzania, Indonesia and Australia, offering vulnerable people opportunities to create change in their communities. Thank you for your financial support to this cause, as our fundraising for Project Compassion’s 2021 Lenten Appeal has raised $285.60. Though we are a small school, we have big hearts!

Blessings,
Maureen Gaul

DATE CLAIMERS

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

St Rita’s School congratulates those students who were awarded ‘Student of the Week’ at Assembly on Friday 26th March 2021

BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS

St Rita’s wished Rhylee Wood, Katara Ambrum and Maddisyn Masina all the very best for their recently celebrated birthdays.

We hope you had a wonderful birthday celebrations Rhylee, Katara and Maddisyn!

P & F News

Dear Parents,

Thank you to all the parents, relatives and friends who supported our Easter Basket Raffle, which was drawn on the last day of Term 1. It was a huge success, and funds raised for the P & F were a fantastic $450.00. Thank you so much for support. Timothy, Izaac and Samuel were very happy to receive the Easter Basket. Eva, Rhylee, Mia, Jessie and Michael received some easter goodies for selling lots of tickets.

On Wednesday 5th May, the P&F will be hosting a Mother’s Day Gift stall in the tuckshop at 2:00pm.

There will be a range of gifts for the children to purchase for their mum’s and grandmother’s. For example mugs, perfume, earrings, necklace/earring sets, frames, candles, keyrings and pens. Gifts costing between $ 3:00 and $ 6:00. If you could send some money to school with your children so they can make their purchases on Wednesday it would be very much appreciated.

Maryjane Masina
P&F Secretary

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

MUNRO THEATRE