Issue 7 25 May 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,

What a busy few weeks it has been at St Rita’s. Last week our P-2 students attended Babinda State School to participate in the Under 8’s Day. By all reports our students enjoyed their time there with many relishing in the opportunity to mingle with the other students from different schools.

On Friday our whole school jumped in the bus and travelled to South Johnstone to attend a special excursion for St Rita’s Feast Day. This is the first time we have celebrated this event with ‘the other’ St Rita’s and what a great day it was. Fr Kerry celebrated Mass with us all in their church before we headed back to the school to cut and eat a special Feast Day cake. Our students were then divided into groups for a number of fun activities. I’d like to thank St Rita’s South Johnstone for hosting this event, and for Mrs Gaul and Mrs Burzacott (from South Johnstone) for organising such a great experience for our children.

Last week we also launched our first ever St Rita’s Artwork competition. Over the coming weeks our students will be challenged to create an artwork depicting our Patron Saint, Rita. The artwork will be judged based on a strict criterion with winners announced to the school community. The overall winner will have their artwork converted to canvas and displayed in our school office. Each class will also have a winner, with their artwork permanently displayed in their classroom. Winners will also receive a prize pack for their efforts.

Over the past two weeks our Years 3 and Year 5 students have completed their NAPLAN testing. While this is hardly their favourite thing to do, our students acquitted themselves to the task well and persevered throughout the various tests. Results for these tests will be released later in the year.

Congratulations to our awesome first year teacher, Miss Anna Wilson who officially graduated last week. Anna travelled to Brisbane to attend this momentous occasion with family and friends. Anna currently teaches Year Prep and Year 1 and has established a great rapport with all of her students.

Today the year 4 students and I are heading to St Monica’s Cathedral in Cairns to attend Mass with all of the other schools in our diocese, to mark 200 years of Catholic Education in Australia. This event will be celebrated in numerous places throughout the country as a reminder of the great work our Catholic schools do every day. While the first Catholic School in Australia is 200 years old, our school has been around for 95 years, with a big celebration looming on the horizon.

Regards and blessings,

Michael Rowe
Principal

APRE THOUGHTS

St Rita Our Patron Saint

Have you ever felt despair and confusion when dealing with seemingly insurmountable difficulties in life? Praying to St Rita may help, as many miracles have been attributed to her. St Rita of Cascia, our school’s Patron Saint, holds the title in the Catholic Church of ‘Saint of the Impossible”. Her story reveals that she too lived much of her life in miserable circumstances, yet she was able to find peace and joy through her commitment to her faith.

In classrooms, we have been learning about St Rita, as well as our School Logo and Motto, which clearly state what we believe in and what we try to live by. Our school crest shows: The Book to signify the academic excellence that we strive for at St Rita’s; The Rose to represent God’s love for St Rita, and her ability to intercede on behalf of lost or impossible causes; and The Crosses to honour the years of dedicated service the Sisters of Mercy have given to the St Rita’s Community. Our St Rita’s School Motto ‘Under God’s Protection’ represents God’s protection and guidance which we ask for, as we each strive to fulfil our individual promise.

These symbols speak to us of the spirituality of our community and the qualities of our school’s Patron, Saint Rita, which we aspire to: peaceful, compassionate, merciful and loving, and above all gifted with faith in Jesus as her Lord and Saviour.

At our mass celebration at St Rita’s South Johnstone, we gave thanks for the blessings of our communities, and asked God to guide us to be people of peace and forgiveness. You may like to pray that we allow the grace of the Holy Spirit to be effective in us, so we can live with joy in the love of God, as St Rita did. The prayer to St. Rita, like her miracles, helps remind us indeed that “all things are possible with God,” as Jesus said in Mark’s gospel (10:27).

Pentecost

Last Sunday in the Catholic Church, the glorious Feast of Pentecost was celebrated, bringing Eastertide to a close. Pentecost is celebrated fifty days after Christ’s resurrection, whereby the Holy Spirit was bestowed upon the apostles. To the ancient Jewish people, fifty days after Passover was originally a pilgrimage feast to give thanks to God for bountiful produce, and held in Jerusalem. This may explain how the disciples, empowered by the Holy Spirit, were able to begin their ministry and tell of the mission of the Church to the many from foreign lands. It was on this day that Peter – the first pope of the Catholic Church – called all present to be baptised, and so Pentecost also marks the birth of the Catholic Church.

Let us pray together asking the Holy Spirit to be our helper and guide.

Spirit of God, You teach us about peace.

Guide us and help us in our decision making.
All: Come to us O Holy Spirit!
Spirit of Truth, You remind us to show goodness and love.
Calm our fears and give us strength.
All: Come to us O Holy Spirit!
Spirit of Life, You live in us.
Help us to respect creation and see God in all things.
All: Come to us O Holy Spirit

Source : https://catholicidentity.bne.catholic.edu.au/prayer/SitePages/Ways-to-Pray-Year-B-Week-16-2021.aspx

Accessed 22nd May.

National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Weekend is ‘bookended’ by two important dates in Australia’s recent history – the anniversary of the 1967 referendum on 27 May, and the anniversary of the historic High Court Mabo judgement on 3 June. The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2021 is “More Than a Word. Reconciliation Takes Action”. This year, Australians are urged to move towards ‘braver and more impactful action, to achieve the goals of a just, equitable, reconciled Australia’.

Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We all have a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures.

Please remember the importance of privileging and amplifying First Nations’ voices as you add your voice to calls for reconciliation and justice. For further information about our shared history, visit the link below:

Source: https://nrw.reconciliation.org.au/ Accessed 22nd May.

Blessings,
Maureen Gaul

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS

Catholic Education Week Excursion to South Johnstone

On Friday May 21st our school travelled by bus to St Rita’s school at South Johnson.

It took us one hour to get there. We went there to celebrate Catholic Education Week. When the whole school arrived we had Mass at the church with Father Kerry. After Mass we played some games and did some art with the students of St Rita’s. We played ‘rob the nest’. I really liked the art activities. I made a cross with beads. Then we had lunch and a delicious cake and travelled home.

My favourite part was travelling in the bus because I had a nap.

By Leo Nelson
Year 2

Under 8’s day at Babinda State School

On Thursday the 20th of May St Rita’s Preps, Year 1’s and Year 2’s went to Babinda State School for Under 8’s Day. We travelled by bus. When we got there, there was lots of activities to do. There was a farm with animals to pat. It had a very, very cute little piglet. It was one of my favourite things to see there. Another favourite part was decorating biscuits to eat. At the end everybody did some singing and dancing with clowns. It was a good time.

By Jaxon Costello
Year 2

DATE CLAIMERS

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

St Rita’s School congratulates those students who were awarded ‘Student of the Week’ at Assembly on Friday 14th May 2021

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

We congratulate Abel Rowe (Prep/Year 1) for completing 2 different levels of the M100W high frequency words. Abel successfully completed Yellow and Red levels in the M100W word lists. Abel was presented with M100W Certificates at Assembly on Friday 14th May. Well done Abel!

BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS

St Rita’s wished Riley Ballarino, Mia Bennett and Brayden Ballarino all the very best for their recently celebrated birthdays.

We hope you had wonderful birthday celebrations Riley, Mia and Brayden!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

MUNRO THEATRE