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What's On @ MacKillop

Year 10

Year 10 Retreat

I want to thank all the staff who volunteered their time for our Year 10 Retreats last week. Thank you to Mr Tom Salter and Mrs Marg Gobius for their leadership and facilitation at each retreat, as well as our small group leaders made up of Teachers and support staff. Staying overnight and exploring the themes with our year 10 students is genuinely an exceptional service. Both our groups enjoyed great weather at Bonny Hills, St Francis Retreat Centre and Stuarts Point. Overall, the feedback from our year 10 students is that they have had a fruitful and reflective time connecting with more of their peers and opening their eyes to the themes of Awe and Wonder. 
Let's keep revisiting these new friendships and the messages we have taken from our retreat into the rest of our year. 

Christa Morrow
College Youth Minister. 

We Thrive Day

On Wednesday, April 3, our year 10 students completed their retreats by coming together as a year group and climbing some of North Brother Mountain. Gathering at the Summit Father Rolland said Mass for us and our students participated in various ministries. There is arguably no greater place to celebrate the Eucharist than in God's Creation, full of Awe and Wonder. The group then made their way to Lake Cathie Foreshore, where we played various team-building games and sports together. It was a fun-filled and relaxed way to end our retreat season altogether. Thank you to all the staff who have been on this retreat journey with our year 10 students, we are truly blessed. 

Congratulations

Congratulations to the following students who have received a Leader of Pastoral Care Award:

Lachlan Brazel, Eli Collins, Matthew Firkin, Suki Fraser, Angelina Harrison-Park, Nathan Johns, Anna Martin, Mitchell McGuinness, Asha McLean, Ellen McManus, Ruby Menin, Tyler Page, Mia Perkins, Phoenix Power, Ume Ryan, Jake Ryan, Janaye Singh, Hannah Vinter-Forth, Maddison West & Maddison Whitton-Howell.

Tom Salter
Year 10 Leader of Pastoral Care

Year 8

Happy Holidays

During the holidays, students need downtime, as do their teachers, to recharge and return to school with renewed spirit and enthusiasm. I challenge all students in Year 8 to take some time over the break to reflect on their successes and disappointments this term.

The start of a new term is an opportunity for a fresh approach and another chance to focus on what we want to achieve. By following the steps below, we can move towards where we want to be.

Step 1: Reflect on the past term. What went well? What could have been better? Use these insights to inform your goals.

Step 2: Dream big, but start small. Break your larger goals into smaller, actionable steps. Want to improve your grades? Start by dedicating an extra hour to studying each day or seeking help in subjects you find challenging.

Step 3: Write it down. Putting your goals on paper makes them real and tangible. Plus, it’s incredibly satisfying to check them off once achieved!

Step 4: Share your goals with someone you trust. This could be a friend, a family member, or a teacher. Sharing makes you accountable and provides a support system.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the following students who have received a Silver Principal’s Award:

Millie Byrne, Samrina Adhikari, Georgie Mulder, Harry Creighton, James Hunt, Amelie Obeid, Tom Sharman, Mark Temple & Jaysen Wei.

Congratulations to the following students who have received a Leader of Pastoral Care Award:

Samrina Adhikari, Baxter Allison. Mira Arnold, Charlton Arrighi, Annabelle Ashton, Milana Baker, Jonah Barnes, Kayla Bayer, Caleb Bilson, Samuel Brazel, Charlie Bryant, Grace Byrne, Millie Byrne, Javier Carle, Georgie Carlton, Sarah Chamberlin, Alex Clarke, Ryan Clarke, Grace Collins, Ruby Comer, Ruby Cramp, Harry Creighton, Tyler Dickson, Noah Dowd, Lila Duncan, Harrison Ebbs, Aidan Esson, Evie Evans, Ruby Ford, Jack Franklin, Talani Fuller, Sienna Goldie, Maddyx Gray, Tahlia Hall, Sam Hewens, Kajus Horan Juzenas, Wilson Huang, James Hunt, Maxwell Karam, Iluka Kincaid, Jack Lacey, Astrid Livingston, Alexander Madeley, Eunan Magill, Ingrid Maher, Dominic Mamo, Manni McGrath, Georgie Mulder, Amelie Obeid, Nathaniel Pohlmann, Edie Porter, Lucy Pratt, Xavier Pye, Taj Ramsey, Kye Randall, Xavier Reichelt, Jake Riches, Rocco Robinson Tobias Rowlatt, Oto Ryan, Tom Sharman, Madison Sivell, Maxine Smith, Alexander Swift, Mark Temple, Archie Wallace, Melody Waller, Jaysen Wei, Isabella White, Georgia White & Annabelle Wickham.

On behalf of the Year 8 Pastoral Care team, I wish all students and staff a peaceful and relaxing break. May you have many shared moments of rest and recreation these holidays with your families and friends. 

Take care. 

Adam O’Brien
Year 8 Leader of Pastoral Care

Assistant Principal Mission

LEAD

Year 11 students were given the opportunity to participate in LEAD during week 9. They joined over 150 senior students from across the Diocese of Lismore. LEAD is a two-day leadership conference held at McAuley Catholic College, Grafton. Students were challenged and empowered to rise as community leaders through keynote speakers, workshops, small groups, sacraments, and prayer experiences. 

Year 7

Easter Raffle

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all Year 7 students and their families for the generosity and goodwill you have shown through your donations to Project Compassion, especially through your support of the Easter Raffle for Caritas.

Special thanks to Tanya Poppleton in Student Services, who generously took on the massive challenge of organising all the chocolate donations into wonderful prizes!

There were a lot of very happy faces at the end of our raffle. Thank you to everyone who contributed; your efforts will positively change the lives of so many through Project Compassion. A special thank you to all the ticket sellers, especially Lila Karam, Mahalia Anderson, Adrienne Arce, Summer Baker, and Erika Collins-Jones, who gave up many lunches to sell tickets.

Volleyball Competition

Year 7 students have been enjoying their PC volleyball competition. House spirit and rivalries have come to the fore, and lots of great skills have been on show. This competition occurs on Tuesdays at Lunch 2 in the College Hall through Week 11.

Thank you to Ms Bewicke and the SRC for running this great competition.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the following students who have received a Silver Principal’s Award:

Lila Karam, Adrienne Arce, Edith White, Mahalia Anderson, Olivia Tian Lan Chung, Stephanie Banham, Nathan Keane, Isla Scaysbrook & Benjamin Ryan.

Congratulations to the following students who have received a Leader of Pastoral Care Award:

Mahalia Anderson (x2), Adrienne Arce (x2), Summer Baker, Maja Baker, Stephanie Banham, Patrick Blackman, Joseph Blundell, Mia Bringans, Grace Broderick, Malakai Brown, Lydia Buttigieg, Grace Campbell, Paige Causley, Chloe Chilko, Benjamin Clarke, Flynn Cloake, Erika Collins-Jones, George Conway, Madeleine Cooley, Sonny Cowan, Liam Cox, Johnny Davidson, Amelia Dekker, Samuel Dicker, Sophie Donohoe, Indigo Duncan, Tyler Dutton, Olivia Edwards, Ava English, Liam Friend, Sienna Furney, Xanthiah Galea, Callum Galleghan, Hayden Gardner, Elliott Geddes, Lachlan George, Angus Hawkes, Lachlan Hilkemeijer, Charlotte Hill, Chelsea Hodges, Declan Jones, Lila Karam, Brady Keane, Nathan Keane, Sophie Lawrence, Trinity McIlroy, Gracie Moore, Meela Munro, Lotte Paterson, Grace Pulham, Ranuki Ranasinghe, Adler Robinson, James Rohr, Hannah Ryan, Benjamin Ryan, Isla Scaysbrook, Nathaniel Sun Zhong, Shylah Tattersall, Olivia Tian Lan Chung, Charlie Treasure, Amelia Varcoe, Dhiya Varsani, Ayla Vonbun, Joslyn Wake, Oliver Walters, Sophia Ward, Edith White & Amelia Williams.

Holidays

Well done to Year 7 on completing Term 1 of Year 7. Seeing students settle in, make friends, and build a sense of community has been great.

I wish all students and their families a wonderful holiday break. I hope that you have a restful and peaceful time.

Ryan Adams
Year 7 Leader of Pastoral Care

Busways Notice

Following our previous correspondence regarding the closure of King Creek Bridge on King Creek Rd, Port Macquarie Hastings Council have confirmed the new start date for these works. Therefore, commencing Monday 8th April 2024, Morning School Bus S414 and Afternoon School Bus S499 will be required to divert as detailed in the attached letters.

Wellbeing

MacKillop strives to create interactive learning spaces that radiate a sense of belonging and connectedness for both staff and students. Similar to the sense of belonging experienced in the home, it is love, care, and relationships that are at the heart of creating this environment.

Belonging is something that we do, so it therefore requires a certain level of skill. Staff are constantly meeting in professional learning teams and upskilling on professional development days to refine the skills that promote this sense of belonging and connectedness. If students feel cared for, they feel like they belong. This sense of belonging is shown to impact learning in a positive manner.

Some of the more prominent teacher skills being utilised by staff include:

• Developed routines: implementing processes in the classroom that create a level of predictability that reassures students of acceptable actions and behaviours, e.g., classroom entry and exit routines.

• Clear and defined expectations: sharing with students what our classroom expectations are. What do they look like in action? What do they sound like when we communicate with each other?

• Use of student names and positive gestures: one of the better ways to create a sense of belonging is to get to know those around us. Using names, making polite gestures, and learning what interests our students leads to a great sense of belonging.

• Acknowledgement and praise for student success—recognising student success through obvious pathways such as merits and newsletters, but more importantly through personal conversation and interaction—shows students care and appreciation.

• A restorative practices approach is critical to relationship building. At times, students will make mistakes, and the restorative model provides time for reflection to consider the impact of their behaviours on others. 

Additionally, there are a number of student skills that they need to develop in order to contribute to a positive sense of belonging. These skills are developed at home, in social settings, and at school. Some of these skills include:

• Empathy is critical for young people in order for them to acknowledge their own feelings and the feelings of others. Set a good example for our young people by showing empathy in everyday life.

• Communication skills: communication skills that are relevant to the environment and context. Knowing that they communicate differently with our parents and teachers than they do with their friends. 

• Engagement is the skill to engage in conversation with people of different ages, coupled with the ability to listen to the perspectives of others. To best prepare them for the outside world as young adults, we need to model this skill often.

• Value learning: while this can be difficult at times, learning is a lifelong skill. As teachers and parents, conversations that create the link between knowledge and skills and future pathways and occupations will aid in creating a sense of connectedness and value towards school. 

As educators and parents, we both play a role in learning and modelling the elements that create a sense of belonging for our students. We all then become teachers for our students and children to equip them with the skills to belong.

Warren Lorger
Leader of Wellbeing: Behaviour Support

Year 9

Thank you, parents, for your input regarding the Year 9 Canberra excursion as an immersive experience of topics studied in subjects in Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE). I am pleased to announce, “Great News: Year 9 Canberra excursion will go ahead!” Detailed information will follow as we move closer to the date.

Review

As mentioned in previous newsletters, PULSE is an application that helps the college monitor the current level of wellbeing for individuals and year groups. Students are encouraged to check in for two minutes and complete PULSE every Monday. Why? Student data informs us how students feel and prompts us to implement early intervention strategies to mitigate factors impacting their wellbeing.

Below are some considerations in reviewing the student PULSE data for the whole of the first term: 

The majority of students in Year 9 enjoy a sense of wellbeing: feeling valued and safe; being healthy; enjoying material basics; learning and participating in the classroom and extracurricular activities; and having a positive sense of identity and culture.

Student data at school is comparatively on par or better than students in other schools.

The factors most positively impacting our students are:

• peer belonging;
• connectedness to adults at home;
• cognitive engagement;
• access to necessities and
• school response to bullying.

The factors most negatively impacting our students are:

• meeting expectations;
• feelings about after-school study or work;
• engagement (flow).

Student responses to experiences that are the most polarised: 

• ‘Eats Breakfast’: Although the majority of students eat breakfast, it is concerning the number who do not, and this has a flow-on effect; food is fuel for the brain, and not eating breakfast affects young people’s mood and capacity to concentrate. 

• ‘Emotion Regulation’: Teenage growth, nutrition, sleep, and mindfulness fundamentally affect one’s mood and capacity to think and sustain calm, which helps when navigating the challenges faced in learning and relationships. 

• ‘Connectedness to Adults at School’: Every student needs a significant adult at school to champion them, i.e., support and advocate for them. While most students enjoy a positive relationship with at least one staff member, it is important that both staff and students learn more about each other’s ‘why’ to create stronger bonds of empathy and understanding.

It was especially pleasing to note the number of students who practice gratitude and actualise our theme, espousing Mary MacKillop's charism, “We have much for which to be thankful." Such meaningful expressions motivate the Year 9 PC Team and their peers to continue striving to find ways for our wonderful young people to thrive at school.

If you are interested in finding out more, you may find these online resources helpful:

Emotional Regulation in Teens

The Ten Emotional Skills Every Teen Needs to Be Taught

Help teens cope with their emotions.

Breathing

Students may apply for one-on-one support for ten weeks via the tab Referral to Student Counsellor in Compass.

As always, parents may contact their child’s PC teacher or me about any individual needs or challenges their child is facing at school. 

Student Commitment to Learning reports will be published on Monday, and I encourage you to sit down and reflect on them with your young person. Affirm what they are doing well and discuss areas and ways they could experience greater schoolwork and life satisfaction for continued progress in Term 2.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the following students who have received a Silver Principals Award:

Ayla Cross, Tahlia-Lucy Merrett-Sivell & Julia Helena Streegan.

Congratulations to the following students who have received a Leader of Pastoral Care Award:

Georgia Allan, Zeke Anderson, Isaac Archer, Tameah Baird Moran, Zachary Bibel, Annabelle Broderick, Olivia Brown, Oliver Bryant, Evie Bullen, Oliver Cairns, Samantha Carr, Joe Caruso, Max Choi, Hunter Clark, Leeann Clint, Blaze Colthorpe, Saoirse Crinion, Ayla Cross, Grace Dahlenburg, Louis Dimmers, Frieda Dudfield, Jasper Eichorn, Rhys Evans, Charlotte Fitzpatrick, Ashton Fraser, Toby Fraser, Darcie Gleeson, Sarah Gleeson, Paige Goldie, Patrick Green, Amarlie Gregory, Olivia Gridley, Quinn Hancock, Leah Hanson, Jack Hartley, Abigail Heal, Amelia Heery, Julia Helena Streegan, Jackson Hollis, Logan Howard, Jake Keegan, Jedda Lenton, Charlie Long, Kayden Madden, Poppi Maltman, Sviatoslav Mashliatin, Rocco McCallum, Tori McGrath, Charley          McGuigan, Izabella McVerry, Declan McWhirter, Sharlotte Meani, Tahlia-Lucy Merrett-Sivell, Lucas Merrick, Jessica Moore, Oliver Munro, Eli O'Bryan, Milly Platt, Keegan Pope, Ava Ribot de Bressac, Mylee Roach, Bailey Rowlatt, Emily Ryan, Bailey Speechly, Benjamin Spencer, Sierra Westbrook, Henry Wootton, Sebastian Wyllie & Daniel Zhong.

Nicole O’Connell
Year 9 Leader of Pastoral Care

Principal's Report

Catholic Education Week

Next week, MacKillop College will join more than 45 schools across the Lismore Diocese to celebrate Catholic Education Week (CEW). This year’s theme is “Innovation and Faith’. The transforming power of innovation and faith working in unison to ensure our students experience the fullness of life (John 10:10). 

For many of the great innovators throughout history, their faith motivated them to explore and understand the wonders of the universe. Our Catholic schools walk alongside clergy, parishioners, and families to prepare and nurture our future innovators and faith leaders on their journey. 

As we embrace our core value of "faith" for 2024, we are excited to announce a special initiative. In honour of CEW and to embody the spirit of "Faith," all students will be given the chance to receive and proudly wear a wristband representing our core values. These wristbands will serve as an informal addition to our school uniform, and we encourage all students to participate. While wearing the wristband is optional, we hope that many will choose to do so. We extend our gratitude to the Student Representative Council (SRC) for their efforts in distributing these wristbands to our student body. Please be reminded that any damaged wristbands will need to be replaced.

In addition to this, we will begin every day with the following prayer:

Dear God,

We give thanks for this wonderful education community that You have given us, and we thank You for the teaching and learning that takes place each day in every classroom. We are grateful for the gift of all those in our schools who create a community where faith and innovation continue to shine.

We give thanks for the passion, commitment, and sacrifices of parents and carers, who are the first educators and witnesses to the faith. 

We give thanks to our clergy as they bear witness to the gospel and lead us in prayer and the celebration of the sacraments. 

May we never take for granted the community that our Catholic schools provide, and may we use our gifts wisely and responsibly as we continue to shine as beacons of the church.

Loving God, you have entrusted us with your gift of creation so that we can reflect the light of Christ in our world. Give us the courage to be visible signs of your faith and innovation through our words and actions.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Anzac Day

Over the holidays, MacKillop College invites all students the opportunity to participate in the Port Macquarie Anzac Day March and Service. Invitations have been sent to all students through Compass as an "opt-in" event. Those interested in attending are requested to gather at the traffic lights on Horton Street (near HEM) at 9.15am, dressed in full formal uniform. Additional information is available in the Compass Event.

Term 1 Commitment to Learning Profile

As part of our ongoing dedication to fostering active learning and collaborating with parents, students from Years 7 to 11 will receive a Commitment to Learning Profile on Monday of Week 11 at 3pm. These progress reports, delivered via Compass, will outline students' performance across the following domains:

• Is considerate and respectful of others
• Engages with and shows initiative in learning
• Is organised and prepared for class
• Responds constructively to feedback
• Completes learning activities, including homework

These reports will be issued three times annually, enabling us to track progress using a scoring system. Starting this year, we will discontinue mid-year awards and phase out individual subject awards (e.g., the blue application award). Instead, we will celebrate and recognise students who consistently embody our College values across all subjects and at all times. Every student has the potential to earn these accolades.

If students fall short of our standards, as indicated in the Commitment to Learning Profile, we will provide support to help them improve after each reporting cycle. However, our focus is not solely on points and awards; rather, it's about personal growth and accomplishments. We will continue to acknowledge students who exemplify our core values through our merit system. These will be released 3.00pm on Monday, 8 April (Week 11). 

Term 2

Next term we will begin with two consecutive Staff Development Days. The first day will centre on our School's Annual Improvement Plan, followed by the next day dedicated to the new curriculum. Therefore, all students are scheduled to return on Wednesday, 1 May.

As we close out this newsletter for Term 1, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire MacKillop College community for their unwavering support throughout this term. Serving as Acting Principal in Cath Eichmann's absence has been an invaluable learning journey, made possible only through the incredible support of our staff, students, and parents.

Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a rejuvenating and enjoyable holiday break.

Christine Harmer
Acting Principal

Music News

“Music, great music, relaxes the mind, awakens profound sentiments, and is, as it were, a natural invitation to raise one’s mind and heart to God in every situation of human existence, both joyful and sad. Music can become prayer.” Pope Benedict XVI

Ensemble Rehearsal Timetable: Term 1

LINKS & FORMS

Music Ensemble Sign Up Form 2024

Music Tuition Request Form 2024

Instrument Rental Agreement 2024

Please contact Mr Denham with any questions relating to the co-curricular music program at MacKillop College.

UPCOMING EVENTS

RIDE THE SOUND WAVE (Kids Concert)

(Town Beach Port Macquarie) Week 10  - Saturday, 6 April, 10.00am - 12.00pm, SAPSS DRUMLINE

ASSEMBLY PERFORMANCE

(COLLEGE HALL) Week 1  - Wednesday, 1 May, Period 1, Pop Choir and Collective Singers

YEAR 7 INFORMATION NIGHT

(COLLEGE HALL) Week 2  - Monday, 6 May, 5.30pm - 6.15pm, Concert Band

YEAR 11 MASS

(Chapel) Week 3  - Wednesday, 15 May, Period 1, Collective Praise Band & Singers

Please contact Mr Denham with any questions relating to the co-curricular music program at MacKillop College.

Robert Denham
Leader of Co-Curricular Music

Sport News

YEAR 7

YEAR 8

YEAR 9

YEAR 10

REPRESENTATIVE SPORT REPORTS

REPRESENTATIVE SPORT AND UPCOMING EVENTS

All registrations for MacKillop College sports teams are completed by students by logging into the school Moodle page. Go to the Student Links tab on the left-hand side and click on the Representative Sports Registrations link. Click on the relevant sport and fill out the Google form.

Students will be notified through the morning notices of when to sign up and when trials will occur.

The following sports are open to all boys and girls in each sport to register for trials:

• 11/12 Mixed Touch Football: Boys and Girls
• Hockey: Boys and Girls
• Year 7-9 Soccer (Bill Turner)—Boys and Girls
• Year 11 and 12 Netball: Boys and Girls
• Year 10–12 AFL—Boys and Girls
• Netball Umpires
• Under-15s AFL (boys and girls)
• Touch Football: Boys and Girls
• Rugby League: Boys and Girls

If you have any questions, please see Mrs. Denham. 
Click on this link to register: MacKillop College Representative Sport Registration Link.

LISMORE DIOCESAN EVENTS AND REGISTRATION

Sports that are currently open for students to be able to sign up to or register their interest to trial, have been advertised to students through morning notices. 

Please click on the link below to register for the sports.

http://sport.lism.catholic.edu.au/registration

NSWCCC & NSW All Schools Events and Registration

NSWCCC CALENDAR 2024

All individual sports registrations are completed on the CSNSW.SPORT website. The parent must have an account and add their child to have access. (Sport Registration HELP available on sport info page) SEE BELOW sports open for registration.

For further information, go to the CSNSW Sport website Sport pages. https://csnsw.sport

Students MUST be registered for the event with parent and Principal or Leader of Sport approval.

Registration is through the CSNSW.sport portal. Details on how to register – Guide For Parents – Sport Registrations >>. 

Please note all close dates are firm dates. No registrations will be permitted after the close dates.

Swimming and Touch Football registrations are through the Diocesan/Association pathways.

For further information, go to the CSNSW Sport website Sport pages. https://csnsw.sport/

NSW ALL SCHOOLS – EVENTS 

The selection for these events are a result of the NSWCCC events.

COMMUNITY SPORT 

Congratulations goes to one of our student entries Olivia Gridley, who has been selected as the Design a Jersey Secondary School winner! She has won some prizes from the NRL Schools Team and we are so proud of her talented entry! 

If your child has achieved outstanding sporting results in their community sport, we would love to hear about it. Please email myself, or your child’s respective Leader of Pastoral Care, so we can acknowledge these achievements.  

If you have any questions regarding sport at MacKillop College, please do not hesitate to contact me either by email or phone at the College.

ERIN DENHAM
LEADER OF SPORT

Community News

Canteen Update

Monday 8 April
Vanessa Aird & Michael Richards

Tuesday 9 April
Jenny Murray, Chris Pees & Julie Tipper

Wednesday 10 April
Danielle Sen Gupta & Roz Brockhurst

Thursday 11 April
Jo Sexton & Chris Jourdant


Holidays

Wednesday 1 May
Peta Clancy

Thursday 2 May
Renae Maher & Laura Mayes

Friday 3 May
Rowena Beukers, Kelly Dingle, Vicki Hamlyn & Ronnel Skea


Monday 6 May
Paul Atkins & Kate Perkins

Tuesday 7 May
Michael Richards

Wednesday 8 May
Danielle Sen Gupta & Roz Brockhurst

Thursday 9 May
Jo Sexton & Chris Jourdant

Friday 10 May
Caroline Horam, Leanne Hatherly & Lisa Hogan

To order from the canteen:

1. Orders can be written out at the canteen (bags supplied free of charge).

2. Orders can be written out at home and handed in at the canteen.

3. Download the Qkr! app and order online.

All orders are to be in by 8:00am, please.

Please ensure when ordering online that your child year group is correct.

There is hot food available over the counter to purchase, however, to avoid disappointment it is best to order.

Please remind your child/children if you have ordered for them, and what their order is. 

If your child is sick and you have ordered, please phone the canteen (6583 2632) to arrange credit. 

Please note to change your child's year group when using the QKR! app to order lunch for 2022.

Now available: Gluten-free pies $5.00 and gluten-free sausage rolls $4.00; these items must be ordered.

Canteen Help Needed

The canteen is desperately seeking volunteers for one hour per month. No cooking, cleaning or stocking is needed, just serving our lovely students. Even if you can only do one half-hour shift it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you to all of our current volunteers, we appreciate your help.

Sign up and receive a Welcome Pack (coffee voucher, chocolates, voucher for your child to use at the canteen).
Please contact Maxine at the College 6583 2632 or via email at maxine.stone@lism.catholic.edu.au 

NSW School Vaccination Program 2024

UPCOMING VACCINATIONS

Term 1—Thursday, April 4 

• Year 10 Nimenrix (meningococcal ACWY)
• Year 11 Nimenrix (Meningococcal ACWY) (catch up)
• Year 8 HPV and Boostrx (catch up)

If your child is in Year 7 or Year 10 this year, you can now provide online consent for their routine school vaccinations. 

In Year 7, students are offered free vaccines for diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) and human papillomavirus (HPV). In Year 10, students are offered the meningococcal ACWY vaccine. 

Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received.

HOW TO PROVIDE CONSENT

1.    Visit: https://engage.health.nsw.gov.au/engage
2.    Follow the steps to log in to your existing ServiceNSW account. This is the same account you may already use to renew your driver's licence. If you don't have a ServiceNSW account, refer to ServiceNSW to create one.
3.    Update or confirm your personal details in ServiceNSW as required.
4.    Complete the School Vaccination Consent Form for your child/ren. You will need to:

a)  Enter your child's personal details
b)  Provide the Medicare card details for you and your child
c)  Read the linked Parent Information Sheet and privacy statement. Translations are available in 27 languages
d)  Provide consent

If you or your child do not have a Medicare card, consent can still be provided by requesting a paper­based consent form directly from your child's school. 

For more information on routine school vaccinations, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination. 

If you require information in your language, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/imrnunisation/Pages/school vaccination language.aspx

What's On @ MacKillop

Sport News

YEAR 7

Year 7 students will participate in their sport double once a fortnight. Students need to come to school in their sport uniform when their timetable indicates a double sport lesson. 

Students will need to bring to school their swimmers, towel, rash shirt, and shorts (bike pants are acceptable) to participate in the Swim & Survive course at either the Wauchope or Port Macquarie pools.

Parents have received a permission note for students to participate in the course. This should have been returned.

YEAR 9

Please ensure your child has a towel, hat, rash shirt, singlet, swimmers, and shorts (bike pants are acceptable) for their swimming lessons. If your child has a wetsuit, it is recommended that the students bring it each week. 

If your child cannot participate in sports, please provide a note to your child’s sports teacher explaining why your child cannot participate. Parents received a permission note for students to participate in the course. This should have been returned.

Cross Country Carnival

It was great to see so many competitive runners race in our recent cross-country carnival. We certainly have some exciting talent coming through, and we cannot wait to see how these students (top 6) progress when they represent the school at the Diocesan Cross Country Championships on May 17. Permission to attend Diocesan Cross Country will go out through Compass. 

Congratulations to Innes, who have taken out the honours of Champion House again. It was great to see House Captain Grace Davies come in first, truly leading her house to victory. Flynn Burrage (Year 10 Innes House Captain) could not be there as he was playing tennis in Tweed Heads.

My sincere thanks to our maintenance team who prepared the track, to Amber Mann, Renae Bignell, Lucy Sales, and Anna Gleeson for their assistance at the start and finish lines, to Mrs. Denham’s Year 9PASS class for assisting with the races, and finally to our house captains, who were a great help on the day. 

A special mention goes to our bike riders, Jeremy Hopfe, Harrison Grey, Daniel Allen, and Tully Patterson, who rode tirelessly, guiding students around the track. 

Congratulations to the following students who were crowned Age Champions or Runners Up for their respective age divisions.

Congratulations and good luck to the following students who will be attending Diocesan Cross Country; 

2024 Cross Country

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REPRESENTATIVE SPORT REPORTS

NSWCCC TENNIS SELECTION TRIALS

Congratulations to Flynn and Noah Pociask, who recently travelled to Sydney to play in the NSWCCC Tennis Selection Trials. This selection trial sees the top 32-seeded players in the Catholic system competing for a position on the coveted NSWCC tennis teams. 

After narrowly missing out last year, Noah played 6 matches and won 6 matches, convincingly winning 36 games and only dropping 8 games. 

Flynn also did really well playing several boys up to 6 years older than him, an admirable effort given Flynn is only in Year 7. He didn’t make it through but gained valuable experience to try again next year.

NSWCCC GOLF

Congratulations to Edward Coombes who recently played at the NSWCCC Golf Championships at Marks Point in Belmont. He was happy with his performance, and held his own in a very competitive field. 

Eddie was one shot off making the NSWCCC Team to compete at the NSW All Schools Golf Championships to be held in Sydney.

DIOCESAN WINTER SPORT TRIALS REPORT 

Two weeks ago Mr Lorger, Mr Littler and myself travelled to Lismore with 30 students to the Diocesan Football and Rugby League Trials. This was a larger contingent than usual with many of our students making the Lismore/Armidale teams to play at either the Northern Country Rugby League Trials or the NSWCCC Football Championships. 

We were impressed with our student's behaviour and the skill that was demonstrated on the day. Congratulations to the following students who were successfully selected;

SURFEST 

We arrived at the beach around 6.45am to excellent offshore conditions in the morning, but unfortunately, as the end of the boys Round One finished, the wind turned onshore and the conditions deteriorated.

There was strong competition in the boys' field, with approximately 60 teams competing. Team 1 finished third in their first heat, hampered by a lull in the swell. They were unfortunate not to get a scoring ride for their third surfer, Harry Hudson. Team 2 fared far better, taking out their heat on the back of solid surfing from Oscar Conway. Team 3 came away with a second in their heat on the back of good rides from Angus Oakshott and Hudson McNeil. 

Day 2 was marred by terrible conditions after the contest site was moved to Nobby's Beach. The boys all did well in getting some scoring opportunities, but unfortunately, they did not get enough scores to make the shortened finals competition.

The girls' first heat was around lunchtime, and the team consisted of Annabelle Broderick, Gia Hudson, and Lily Dunshea. Fortunately, all the girls got to surf in the first round of the competition thanks to Izzy Campbell and Summer Waite, who kindly volunteered to help out by joining one of the local teams so they could compete. It was a tough competition but all the girls worked hard as a team, encouraged each other, and had a fun day of surfing.

The girls second day of surfing was in very poor conditions. The girls did their best and showed great sportsmanship and camaraderie. The first surfer on the team was Gia Hudson, followed by Izzy Campbell and Summer Waite, who got a quick two waves and scored bonus points for coming in early.

Thank you to Matt King for driving the bus. MVP Oscar Conway. 

Adam O'Brien & Megan Verdon
Coaches

Diocesan Open’s Basketball Championships

The girls started their competition against the very strong St. John Paul College. Due to timing, the game was only played in the second half, and the girls went down. Game 2 against Woodlawn was tightly contested throughout the whole game, but the girls went down again by 1 on the buzzer. 

Xavier College came into our next game as favourites, but the girls showed an intense heart and narrowly went down by 5 points. 

The girls finished on a high against Casino College winning 42-4.

The improvement the girls showed throughout the competition was outstanding. All games were played with intensity and great sportsmanship. Team: Mikayla Adams, Evie Bullen, Grace Byrne, Grace Collins, Grace Davies, Amber McIlroy, Cara McIlroy, Maya Perry, and Kyla Roach. MVP Cara Mcilroy.

Anna Gleeson
Coach

Open Boys Basketball

The Open Boys Basketball team had a winning day at the recent Diocesan Championship.

The boys went through the day undefeated on the court, defeating Trinity Lismore, St. John Paul College Coffs Harbour, Xavier Ballina, and Woodlawn College. Unfortunately, The boys were awarded a forfeit (20-0 loss) to start the day against Newman College. The boys played the second half of the game and overcame the 20-0 deficit in the 15 minutes played.

The boys officially finished the day in 3rd place.

The boys now look forward to the NSWCCC Championship in June. Congratulations to the team on a successful day on the court and the sportsmanship displayed.

The team included Sam Blain, Toby Harper, Riley Harmer, Lucas Scott, Blake Collins, Kaden Lawler, Blake Romer, Felix Hurdle, Kaeleb Morris, and Zake Morris. MVP Sam Blain. 

Ryan Adams
Coach

Dioccesan Tennis Championships 

On Monday and Tuesday of Week 7, 22 students from MacKillop and Regional College, trekked North to compete in the Lismore Diocese Tennis Championships. The bus was at maximum capacity, without even a single spare seat, and our representatives enthusiasm was equally brimming.  Stops at Coffs Harbour and the Ballina Service Centre ensured everyone remained well-fed and stretched as we approached our destination.

After checking out the Coolangatta Beach precinct, having dinner at Seagulls, and taking on more supplies, we made camp at St. Joseph's Banora Point. Indoor tennis games were played, and some sleep was had.

Tuesday was Competition Day. Students across the Diocese descended on Arkinstall Park, determined to leave nothing on the court while representing their respective colleges. Junior teams played four games, while Open teams played five. With each game being 35 minutes in length, competitors were in for a big day.

At the end of the day, the results were:

• Junior boys runners-up
• Junior girls 4th
• Open boys 4th
• Open Girls 7th

All our students tried their very best, and some excellent tennis was played throughout the day. Our Best and Fairest, Flynn Burrage and Tori McGrath, were especially notable.

Well done, team!

Tracey Bewicke and Brent Lowrey
Coaches

Rugby Union 10’s

U14 Boys

It was a great day for rugby at Ian Walton Rugby Park last Thursday. The U14 boys were primed and ready for a big day of physical rugby. Over the course of the day, some great rugby was played, and the team was lucky enough to win all five of their games and were crowned overall winners in the U14’s division. There were standout performances across the park. The backs were organised very well by Jack Franklin and Baxter Allison, and the forwards dominated every other pack that they came across. The standout forwards for the day were Rocky Mann, Ashton Gillespie, Riley Garel, and Eamon O'Sullivan, and the standout backs were Oto Ryan, Sunny Chippendale, and Liam Holding.

• Game 1: MacKillop 35, St. Paul’s 0
• Game 2: MacKillop 20-BDC 10
• Game 3: MacKillop 30–Kempsey High 0
• Semi-Final: MacKillop 19, St. Paul’s 2
• Final: MacKillop 31-00
• Thank you to the boys for a great day.

MVP Jack Franklin

David Kennedy
Coach

U14 Boys (Green Team)

The MacKillop College U14's (Green Team) embarked on a courageous journey this season, fearlessly facing opponents from higher age divisions in the Rugby Union 10's Competition. Comprising Year 7 students, these mighty boys displayed unwavering determination and skill on the field.

Faced with formidable adversaries such as St. Paul's College Kempsey, the towering giants from Dorrigo High School, and the indomitable St. John Paul College Coffs Harbour, our team rose to the challenge with valour and sportsmanship.

For many of our students, this season marked their inaugural experience with Rugby Union, and they seized the opportunity to showcase their passion for the game while building a foundation for future success.

Key players emerged as pillars of strength for the team. Kade, Harvey, and Joshua demonstrated exceptional prowess in piercing through the opposition's defence, while Declan and Sam Clifton tirelessly engaged as workhorses, ensuring the protection and continuity of our ball possession.

Elijah, Kyan, and consistently turned the tide of play with their hard-hitting tackles, while Hudson and Tyler showcased exemplary teamwork through their strategic passing, unlocking various attacking options for our team.

Defensively, Xavier and Sam Tarbox stood as steadfast guardians, thwarting countless attempts from the opposition. Sonny and Tauka unleashed ferocious attacks, keeping our adversaries on their toes throughout the matches.

The season culminated in a day of thrilling competition and camaraderie, underscoring the invaluable lessons learned and memories forged on the field of play.

Here's to the unforgettable moments shared and the victories yet to come.

Rhys Jones
Coach

U14 Girls 

The Girls U14 Rugby Union team travelled to Crescent Head for the 10’s tournament on Thursday and showcased their talent, determination, and sportsmanship. In their first game against St. Paul’s, they displayed resilience and skill, resulting in a draw. The team's performance improved in the second game against BDC despite a loss, showing promising development and a competitive spirit.

However, it was in their third game against SJPC that the girls truly shone, securing a convincing victory. Their hard work, teamwork, and dedication paid off as they dominated the match with exceptional rugby and some hard-hitting defence. This win not only highlights their progress but also sets a strong foundation for future success.

The Girls U14 Rugby Union team's journey so far demonstrates their potential and commitment to the sport. With each game, they are growing stronger and more cohesive as a team, promising an exciting season ahead. Well done, girls! MVP London Curtis, Ayla Vonbun, and Frankie Healey

Mr McRae
Coach

U16 Boys

On Thursday, 14 March, thirteen U16 boys represented MacKillop at the Mid-North Coast Rugby 10’s. We had a good win in our first game against Macleay Valley Vocational. In our next game against BDC, we could only field 8 players in order to match theirs. They proved too tough, and we gave away far too many penalties. Against JPC, the boys tired hard, but they proved too strong. In our final game against St. Paul’s, the boys played the best they had all day; there were some good plays in the backs that were converted into tries, and the forwards defended well and ensured we had good possession. There were many highlights, but the greatest was seeing the team's commitment to turning up to trials, training, and giving their all on game day. A special mention goes to first-time rugby players Paxton B, Lachlan B, Max C, and Max M, who all contributed greatly throughout the day. MVP Sam Ayton.

James Way
Coach

U18 boys 

Congratulations to the U18 boys for showing a lot of heart with only 1 sub on a very hot day. The boys still managed to qualify for the next level after a convincing win against Dorrigo. MVP Jacob Power.

Macca Murray
Coach

Diocesan Swimming Championships 

A team of forty-five students competed in the Diocesan Swimming Championships held locally in Port Macquarie last Thursday. All the students were a delight to take away for the day and approached their competition in a highly organised, disciplined, and positive manner. Congratulations to:

Madilyn Tinley, who achieved the Diocesan 12 Year Girls Runner Up: 3rd 50m F/S, 3rd 200m Freestyle, 4th 100m Backstroke, 1st 400m F/S, 2nd 50 Breaststroke, 3rd 100m Freestyle, 4th 50m Backstroke, 11th 200m IM, 5th 100m Breaststroke

Bianca Harrison, who achieved the Diocesan 13-Year Girls Age Champion: 1st 100m Brst, 1st 50m F/S, 4th 50m Fly, 1st 200m F/S, 3rd 100m Bk, 1st 50m Brst, 1st 100m F/S, 4th 50m Bk, 5th 200m IM

Owen Hilkemeijer achieved a new Diocesan record in the Boys 16 Year 100 Fly with a time of 1:07.51. Owen also won the point score to achieve the title of Diocesan 16-Year-Old Boys Age Champion. 6th 50m F/S, 3rd 50m Fly, 1st 100m Bk, 2nd 400m F/S, 5th 50m Brst, 4th 100m F/S, 4th 50m Bk, 1st 200m IM, 1st, 100m Fly, 2nd 100m Brst

Other significant placements:

• Mark Temple (14 years) 2nd 200m F/S, 3rd 100m Bk, 3rd 100m F/S, 2nd 200m IM
• Neave O’Brien (15 years) 3rd 100m Bk
• Max Schneider (13 years) 3rd 50m Brst
• Gia Hudson (14 years): 3rd 50m Brst, 2nd 100m Fly
• Locke Williamson (14 years) 2nd 50m Brst
• Flynn Daly (15 years) 3rd 50m Brst
• Maeve Kinchington (17 years) 2nd 50m Brst
• Xavier Dunn (15 years) 3rd 100m F/S
• Girls 12-14 years 4 x 50m F/S relay 3rd (Bianca Harrison, Chloe Chilko, Charlotte Fitzpatrick, Gia
• Hudson)
• Girls 15-16 years 4 x 50m F/S relay 3rd (Neave O’Brien, Megan Goldie, Lacey Urqhart, Matilda Medlin)
• Boys 15-16 years 4 x 50m F/S relay 2nd (Ashton Fraser, Owen Hilkemeijer, Lewis Tebbutt, Xavier)
• Dunn)
• Girls Open 4 x 50m F/S relay 2nd (Grace Davis, Ava Kyan, Sally Temple, Maeve Kinchington)
• Boys Open 4 x 50m F/S relay 1st (Charlie Ford, Harry Hudson, Ethan Hatch, Edward Coombes)

Thank you to Erin Denham, Zac Nancarrow, Tracy Knight, Peter Murphy, and Anna Gleeson for managing and supporting our swimmers on the day.

REPRESENTATIVE SPORT AND UPCOMING EVENTS

All registrations for MacKillop College sports teams are completed by students by logging into the school Moodle page. Go to the Student Links tab on the left-hand side and click on the Representative Sports Registrations link. Click on the relevant sport and fill out the Google form.

Students will be notified through the morning notices of when to sign up and when trials will occur.

The following sports are open to all boys and girls in each sport to register for trials:

• 11/12 Mixed Touch Football: Boys and Girls
• Hockey: Boys and Girls
• Year 7-9 Soccer (Bill Turner)—Boys and Girls
• Year 11 and 12 Netball: Boys and Girls
• Year 10–12 AFL—Boys and Girls
• Netball Umpires
• Under-15s AFL (boys and girls)
• Touch Football: Boys and Girls
• Rugby League: Boys and Girls

If you have any questions, please see Mrs. Denham. 
Click on this link to register: MacKillop College Representative Sport Registration Link.

LISMORE DIOCESAN EVENTS AND REGISTRATION

Sports that are currently open for students to be able to sign up to or register their interest to trial, have been advertised to students through morning notices. 

Please click on the link below to register for the sports.

http://sport.lism.catholic.edu.au/registration

NSWCCC & NSW All Schools Events and Registration

NSWCCC CALENDAR 2024

All individual sports registrations are completed on the CSNSW.SPORT website. The parent must have an account and add their child to have access. (Sport Registration HELP available on sport info page) SEE BELOW sports open for registration.

For further information, go to the CSNSW Sport website Sport pages. https://csnsw.sport

Students MUST be registered for the event with parent and Principal or Leader of Sport approval.

Registration is through the CSNSW.sport portal. Details on how to register – Guide For Parents – Sport Registrations >>. 

Please note all close dates are firm dates. No registrations will be permitted after the close dates.

Swimming and Touch Football registrations are through the Diocesan/Association pathways.

For further information, go to the CSNSW Sport website Sport pages. https://csnsw.sport/

NSW ALL SCHOOLS – EVENTS 

The selection for these events are a result of the NSWCCC events.

COMMUNITY SPORT 

If your child has achieved outstanding sporting results in their community sport, we would love to hear about it. Please email myself, or your child’s respective Leader of Pastoral Care, so we can acknowledge these achievements.  

If you have any questions regarding sport at MacKillop College, please do not hesitate to contact me either by email or phone at the College.

ERIN DENHAM
LEADER OF SPORT

Wellbeing

CHARACTER STRENGTHS

This term’s character strength is judgement. Judgement is often a term that has negative connotations, as we tell our young people that “they shouldn’t judge.” However, judgement is really about making rational and logical choices using all the information that we have. It is a critical thinking skill that calls for you to consider all the evidence, think things through, and prevent you from jumping to conclusions. 

Our character strength hype person, Lara Inman (Year 12), is currently running a fun activity where students need to exercise their judgement to find the location of their teacher’s hidden picture with prizes to be won. It’s an introduction to judgement, but hopefully the beginning of our young men and women developing and strengthening an important life skill.

VAPING AWARENESS AND PREVENTION PROGRAMME

Vaping has become a significant health concern for our young people, with the numbers of people who vape rising and the harmful effects of e-cigarettes beginning to be understood. MacKillop College has developed an evidence-based vaping awareness and prevention programme to be delivered to all students. To date, approximately 90% of students (years 8–12) have successfully completed the one-hour programme, with the aim of having the remainder finish the mandatory one-hour learning by the end of this term. The programme will be delivered to Year 7 within Term 2. 

The programme aims to enable each student to be:

• aware of the health consequences of vaping;
• knowledgeable in order to make healthy choices;
• competent in their understanding of the consequences of poor health and behaviour choices in regards to vaping; and 
• able to seek help at MacKillop or in the wider community.

It is an important initiative that we are very pleased to be able to deliver as we work to enable all students to reach the fullness of life.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Lisa Kable
Leader of Wellbeing: Social and Emotional Support

Music News

“Music, great music, relaxes the mind, awakens profound sentiments, and is, as it were, a natural invitation to raise one’s mind and heart to God in every situation of human existence, both joyful and sad. Music can become prayer.” Pope Benedict XVI

Ensemble Rehearsal Timetable: Term 1

LINKS & FORMS

Music Ensemble Sign Up Form 2024

Music Tuition Request Form 2024

Instrument Rental Agreement 2024

Please contact Mr Denham with any questions relating to the co-curricular music program at MacKillop College.

UPCOMING EVENTS

ASSEMBLY PERFORMANCE

(COLLEGE HALL) Week 9  - Wednesday, 27 March, Period 1, Concert Band

SENIOR CAMPUS CARITAS LUNCH CONCERT 

(COLA) Week 9  - Thursday, 28 March, lunch 2, selected students and ensembles

RIDE THE SOUND WAVE (Kids Concert)

(Town Beach Port Macquarie) Week 10  - Saturday, 7 April, 10.00am - 12.00pm, SAPSS DRUMLINE

ASSEMBLY PERFORMANCE

(COLLEGE HALL) Week 11  - Wednesday, 10 April, Period 1, Concert Band

ASSEMBLY PERFORMANCE

(COLLEGE HALL) Week 1  - Wednesday, 1 May, Period 1, Pop Choir and Collective Singers

YEAR 7 INFORMATION NIGHT

(COLLEGE HALL) Week 2  - Monday, 6 May, 5.30pm - 6.15pm, Concert Band

YOUTH & FAMILY MASS

(St Agnes Church) Week 2  - Sunday, 12 March, 5.00pm, Collective Praise Band & Singers

YEAR 11 MASS

(Chapel) Week 3  - Wednesday, 15 May, Period 1, Collective Praise Band & Singers

Please contact Mr Denham with any questions relating to the co-curricular music program at MacKillop College.

Robert Denham
Leader of Co-Curricular Music

Assistant Principal Mission

Colours for Caritas

On Friday, April 5, we will celebrate Colours for Caritas as an out-of-uniform day. The event will be promoted at our Week 9 assembly. Students will be asked for a minimum $2 donation.

Symbols relating to the theme of Project Compassion, ‘For All Future Generations’, will be given to students in their pastoral class. After an activity using these themes, students will post the themes on the windows of every pastoral class across the college. This will serve as a visual prompt to act with motivation and generosity far beyond one’s own self-interest.

Holy Week 

Isaiah 50:4–7 I Philippians 2:6–11 I Mark 14:1–15:47 or Mark 15:1–39 

We see images of the cross everywhere, from school uniforms to hospital buildings. Perhaps it is so commonplace that it doesn’t stop us in our tracks the way it should. The cross of Jesus is the best key we have for understanding the mystery of God’s love. God’s compassion for the human family took Jesus to a lonely and brutal execution. Jesus was the victim of appalling injustice and degradation. His experience asks us to try to make the world more just and to revere the dignity of every person. ‘Whatsoever you do to the least of my sisters and brothers, you do to me.’ This is part of the reason why Project Compassion has, for 60 years, been part of our Lenten observance. 

This year, Holy Week begins with the reading of the passion story from Mark’s Gospel. Even in busy lives, we should try to set time aside to spend with this extraordinary story, not to rush it. Gently take a little at a time and ask for the grace to be close to Jesus. In the Spiritual Exercises, St Ignatius asks us ‘to consider how the divinity hides itself.’ 

One way to spend time with the passion story is to take a different character each week and quietly ponder what it looked like to them and what they may have felt. Here is a suggestion: 

• Sunday –Judas Iscariot 
• Monday –Simon Peter 
• Tuesday –The high priest 
• Wednesday –Pontius Pilate 
• Thursday – Simon of Cyrene 
• Friday – The centurion 
• Saturday – Mary of Magdala 

Let us remember a beautiful prayer of just seven words that was taught to Pope Francis by his grandmother: Jesus, make my heart more like yours. We pray that the mystery of the death of Jesus will deepen within our hearts. May we be ready to take up the cross in our time, especially as we support those who experience injustice throughout the world. Amen

Pope Francis has issued the Lenten statement for 2024, entitled “Through the desert, God leads us to freedom”.

Dear brothers and sisters!

When our God reveals himself, his message is always one of freedom: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Ex 20:2). These are the first words of the Decalogue given to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Those who heard them were quite familiar with the exodus of which God spoke: the experience of their bondage still weighed heavily upon them. In the desert, they received the “Ten Words” as a thoroughfare to freedom. We call them “commandments”, in order to emphasize the strength of the love by which God shapes his people.

The call to freedom is a demanding one. It is not answered straightaway; it has to mature as part of a journey. Just as Israel in the desert still clung to Egypt – often longing for the past and grumbling against the Lord and Moses – today too, God’s people can cling to an oppressive bondage that it is called to leave behind.

We realize how true this is at those moments when we feel hopeless, wandering through life like a desert and lacking a promised land as our destination. Lent is the season of grace in which the desert can become once more – in the words of the prophet Hosea – the place of our first love (cf. Hos 2:16-17). God shapes his people, he enables us to leave our slavery behind and experience a Passover from death to life. Like a bridegroom, the Lord draws us once more to himself, whispering words of love to our hearts.

The exodus from slavery to freedom is no abstract journey. If our celebration of Lent is to be concrete, the first step is to desire to open our eyes to reality. When the Lord calls out to Moses from the burning bush, he immediately shows that he is a God who sees and, above all, hears: “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex 3:7-8).

Today too, the cry of so many of our oppressed brothers and sisters rises to heaven. Let us ask ourselves: Do we hear that cry? Does it trouble us? Does it move us? All too many things keep us apart from each other, denying the fraternity that, from the beginning, binds us to one another.

During my visit to Lampedusa, as a way of countering the globalization of indifference, I asked two questions, which have become more and more pressing: “Where are you?” (Gen 3:9) and “Where is your brother?” (Gen 4:9).

Our Lenten journey will be concrete if, by listening once more to those two questions, we realize that even today we remain under the rule of Pharaoh. A rule that makes us weary and indifferent. A model of growth that divides and robs us of a future. Earth, air and water are polluted, but so are our souls. True, Baptism has begun our process of liberation, yet there remains in us an inexplicable longing for slavery. A kind of attraction to the security of familiar things, to the detriment of our freedom.

In the Exodus account, there is a significant detail: it is God who sees, is moved and brings freedom; Israel does not ask for this. Pharaoh stifles dreams, blocks the view of heaven, makes it appear that this world, in which human dignity is trampled upon and authentic bonds are denied, can never change. He put everything in bondage to himself.

Let us ask: Do I want a new world? Am I ready to leave behind my compromises with the old? The witness of many of my brother bishops and a great number of those who work for peace and justice has increasingly convinced me that we need to combat a deficit of hope that stifles dreams and the silent cry that reaches to heaven and moves the heart of God.

This “deficit of hope” is not unlike the nostalgia for slavery that paralyzed Israel in the desert and prevented it from moving forward. An exodus can be interrupted: how else can we explain the fact that humanity has arrived at the threshold of universal fraternity and at levels of scientific, technical, cultural, and juridical development capable of guaranteeing dignity to all, yet gropes about in the darkness of inequality and conflict.

God has not grown weary of us. Let us welcome Lent as the great season in which he reminds us: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Ex 20:2).

Lent is a season of conversion, a time of freedom. Jesus himself, as we recall each year on the first Sunday of Lent, was driven into the desert by the Spirit in order to be tempted in freedom. For forty days, he will stand before us and with us: the incarnate Son.

Unlike Pharaoh, God does not want subjects, but sons and daughters. The desert is the place where our freedom can mature in a personal decision not to fall back into slavery. In Lent, we find new criteria of justice and a community with which we can press forward on a road not yet taken.

This, however, entails a struggle, as the book of Exodus and the temptations of Jesus in the desert make clear to us. The voice of God, who says, “You are my Son, the Beloved” (Mk 1:11), and “You shall have no other gods before me” (Ex 20:3) is opposed by the enemy and his lies.

Even more to be feared than Pharaoh are the idols that we set up for ourselves; we can consider them as his voice speaking within us. To be all-powerful, to be looked up to by all, to domineer over others: every human being is aware of how deeply seductive that lie can be. It is a road well-travelled.

We can become attached to money, to certain projects, ideas or goals, to our position, to a tradition, even to certain individuals. Instead of making us move forward, they paralyze us. Instead of encounter, they create conflict. Yet there is also a new humanity, a people of the little ones and of the humble who have not yielded to the allure of the lie. Whereas those who serve idols become like them, mute, blind, deaf and immobile (cf. Ps 114:4), the poor of spirit are open and ready: a silent force of good that heals and sustains the world.

It is time to act, and in Lent, to act also means to pause. To pause in prayer, in order to receive the word of God, to pause like the Samaritan in the presence of a wounded brother or sister. Love of God and love of neighbour are one love. Not to have other gods is to pause in the presence of God beside the flesh of our neighbour.

For this reason, prayer, almsgiving and fasting are not three unrelated acts, but a single movement of openness and self-emptying, in which we cast out the idols that weigh us down, the attachments that imprison us. Then the atrophied and isolated heart will revive. Slow down, then, and pause!

The contemplative dimension of life that Lent helps us to rediscover will release new energies. In the presence of God, we become brothers and sisters, more sensitive to one another: in place of threats and enemies, we discover companions and fellow travelers. This is God’s dream, the promised land to which we journey once we have left our slavery behind.

The Church’s synodal form, which in these years we are rediscovering and cultivating, suggests that Lent is also a time of communitarian decisions, of decisions, small and large, that are countercurrent. Decisions capable of altering the daily lives of individuals and entire neighbourhoods, such as the ways we acquire goods, care for creation, and strive to include those who go unseen or are looked down upon.

I invite every Christian community to do just this: to offer its members moments set aside to rethink their lifestyles, times to examine their presence in society and the contribution they make to its betterment. Woe to us if our Christian penance were to resemble the kind of penance that so dismayed Jesus. To us too, he says: “Whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting” (Mt 6:16).

Instead, let others see joyful faces, catch the scent of freedom and experience the love that makes all things new, beginning with the smallest and those nearest to us. This can happen in every one of our Christian communities.

To the extent that this Lent becomes a time of conversion, an anxious humanity will notice a burst of creativity, a flash of new hope. Allow me to repeat what I told the young people whom I met in Lisbon last summer: “Keep seeking and be ready to take risks. At this moment in time, we face enormous risks; we hear the painful plea of so many people.

Indeed, we are experiencing a third world war fought piecemeal. Yet let us find the courage to see our world, not as being in its death throes but in a process of giving birth, not at the end but at the beginning of a great new chapter of history. We need courage to think like this” ( Address to University Students, 3 August 2023). Such is the courage of conversion, born of coming up from slavery. For faith and charity take hope, this small child, by the hand. They teach her to walk, and at the same time, she leads them forward. [1]

I bless all of you and your Lenten journey.

God Bless. 

Peter Murphy
Assistant Principal - Mission