Project Compassion
This year the Caritas Australia Lenten season is themed “Be More”.
As Saint Oscar Romero said, “Aspire not to have more, but to be more.”

Through your generosity and by aspiring to “Be More”, you are assisting some of the world’s most vulnerable people build better futures for themselves, their families and their communities.
The money we collect in our classrooms this term will support Project Compassion that Caritas Australia organises.

Please read the focus stories for the next two weeks.Second Week of Lent 
(School week beginning Monday 1 March)

This week through Project Compassion we learn about 39-year-old Margret, a teacher at a vocational school for deaf students in the Solomon Islands. She was born deaf, so she knows the challenges it poses to education and employment. Apart from the difficulties, the students all have, the school also faced water shortages, with not enough to supply staff and students with safe water for drinking, cooking, washing and growing vegetables.

Then Tropical Cyclone Harold damaged the school and its vegetable garden, amidst the threat of COVID-19. Staff and students rely on the vegetable garden to provide food for their meals.

With Caritas Australia’s support, the school installed water tanks, provided cyclone-proof building materials and helped to implement COVID-19 prevention measures. Margret’s school now has enough water for its students and the capacity to cater for more, with plans to boost food security, through increased agricultural production. 

Around 60% of people in rural areas in the Solomon Islands don’t have access to piped water, while about 80% don’t have access to latrines or toilets. (UNICEF, 2019)

Watch a short film about Margret’s story here.

“Aspire not to have more, but to be more.” Please support Project Compassion: lent.caritas.org.au

Third Week of Lent 
(School week beginning 8March)

We are now in the third week of Lent with the Project Compassion story of Oliva, a 22-year-old woman from Tanzania. She did not have the opportunity to go to school and was embarrassed that she was unable to read, write or count. As an adult, her business was losing money because she couldn’t add up her money and give the right change to customers.
Then Oliva enrolled in Caritas Australia’s literacy and numeracy classes. She also set up a home classroom to teach her neighbours, for free, because they were too shy to attend larger classes.
Oliva has now graduated, attendance at her classes are growing, her kiosk is thriving and she is helping her children with their homework. She aims to become a pastor and run for leadership in the next local election - to help her community to ‘Be More.’

Approximately 260 million children don’t have the chance to go to school (un.org)

Watch a short film about Oliva’s story here.

 “Aspire not to have more, but to be more.” Please support Project Compassion: lent.caritas.org.au

2021 Catholic Schools Week Liturgies
The CEDoW theme for Catholic Schools Week 2021 is ‘​Faith in the Future​’. This theme aligns with the NCEC theme for Catholic Education celebrating 200 years in Australia. ​This year ​marks the bicentenary of the first Catholic school being established in Parramatta in October 1820.

Our theme this year is ‘Faith in the future’, also reminds us to maintain our hope that God’s kingdom draws ever closer while challenging us to ensure our Catholic schools continue to be vibrant communities of faith, providing opportunities for encounter with Jesus in the midst of a world often dominated by a sense of isolation, tragedy and despair. (Peter Hill Director of Catholic Education Wollongong)

Our staff celebrated a Catholic Schools Week Liturgy before the Staff Meeting on Wednesday. We heard insightful messages from the Director of Schools Mr Peter Hill and Bishop Brian, during the shared liturgy. 

The whole school CSW liturgy will be celebrated this Friday, where the following awards will be presented. Principal and Values Awards, Catholic Schools Week Award and Kindergarten Welcome Certificates.

Thank you to Fr Damien, who will celebrate these liturgies with us.