“Truth happens in the course of dialogue. There is always a temptation to allow our answers to bring to an end the process of searching, as if the topic of the conversation was a problem that has now been solved. But when a fresh question arrives, the unexhausted depths of mystery show through once more. Let it be said over and over again: faith is not a question of problems but of mystery, so we must never abandon the path of seeking and asking.”

• Fr Tomas Halik, Patience with God

Tomas Halik is a priest from the Czech Republic. He has written many books and is increasingly known for writing for people on the margins, especially in our Western culture, where the cultural currents which carry us along do not easily allow for the flourishing of faith. His comment above, that faith is concerned with mystery, and does not easily provide answers, resonates with a theologian of statue no less than Karl Rahner, who himself prefers to speak of God as ‘ineffable mystery’. We know as adults and parents that life, at times, provides no easy answers, and that many of the challenges experienced by family and friends are really summonings to mystery. This is of little comfort for a person or family in deep crisis – and yet, somehow, we find ourselves sustained when we let mystery be. A capacity for joy can be present – not to mention faith, hope and love – even amidst the struggle.

Tomas Halik article

Assumption of Mary

This Thursday, at 12pm, we are celebrating Mass in our school hall. It is the Feast Day of the Assumption of Mary and as such, is known as a ‘Mass of obligation’ for Catholics. We celebrate the assumption of Mary, Jesus’ mother, into heaven, body and soul. In so doing, we remember her extraordinary gifts as a mother and as someone who was pivotal in shaping Jesus’ character and his life, as all parents do for their children. All parents are invited to join us for the Mass. My thanks to Sarah Walsh, our Acting REC, for excellent coordination of the Mass; and my thanks to Fr John Woods, for celebrating our Mass.

Science Day

Squash Program

This Friday, our Year 5 students begin their inaugural Squash Program, one which I hope becomes a mainstay of sport in Year 5. Our Year 5 students will walk to Woden Squash Courts and take part in a special squash lesson program delivery, which will be great fun, very good for fitness, and provide an invaluable opportunity to learn new skills. My thanks to Luke Gubler for coordinating the program.

Have a wonderful week with your families.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal

Sacramental News

SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATION: First Eucharist

The Sacrament of First Eucharist will be celebrated at Holy Trinity Church, Curtin, on Saturday 21st September, and Sunday 22nd September 2024.

As a community, we pray for the students and families as they begin their preparation to receive the Body and Blood of Christ at the table of the Lord; Hannah A, Shayden B, Emily G, Aaleyah H, Baron M, Freyja S, Ebony S, Mia SR, Kolbe T and Alexis V. Presentation masses for the students who are preparing for First Eucharist at on Saturday the 24th August at 6:00pm and Sunday 25th August at 9:30am at Holy Trinity Church in Curtin, All are welcome to celebrate the above students and their families.

If you have not yet received your child’s workbook or your leaders booklet, please let me know sarah.walsh1@cg.catholic.edu.au. Thank you.

KEY FIRST EUCHARIST DATES

August-September (various dates): Family Group meetings to be held before the First Eucharist Retreat Day

Saturday 24th August 6:00pm and Sunday 25th August 9:30am: Candidate Presentation Mass at Holy Trinity Church, Curtin

Friday 6th September 9:00am-2:15pm: First Eucharist Retreat Day at Holy Trinity for all children in Year 4

Saturday 21st September 6:00pm: Sacrament of First Eucharist at Holy Trinity Church

Sunday 22nd September 9:30am or 5:30pm: Sacrament of First Eucharist at Holy Trinity Church

If you have any questions, please contact Catherine Grinsell Jones at the Parish Office on 6281 3999.

Feast of the Assumption of Mary

On Thursday 15th August (tomorrow), Fr John Woods will lead our parish in prayer, celebrating the Assumption of Mary. The Assumption commemorates the belief that when Mary died, both her soul and body were taken to Heaven, to be with her Son, Jesus. All members of the community are warmly welcome to celebrate mass with us in our school hall, commencing at 12:00pm.

Gospel - John 6:51-58
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Whoever eats and drinks of the body and blood of Christ has eternal life.

Today's Gospel… focuses on the Christian Eucharist. The change is signalled by the words ‘flesh to eat’. Up until now, Jesus has spoken of eating bread in a metaphorical sense, but the word ‘eat’ that is now used is very physical, it is like ‘munch’ or ‘chew’. The imagery Jesus uses ‘to eat the flesh and drink the blood’ would be particularly horrific to a Jewish audience for whom blood is forbidden, and animals are killed in a special way so that all the blood is drained out, since the blood is the life-force and belongs to God.

This language also directs attention to the future death and resurrection of Jesus – his flesh given for the life of the world. In speaking also of blood, in Jewish terms Jesus is speaking of his essential life-force. To speak of eating flesh and drinking blood is therefore not to be speaking about something that is dead, but something that is still living, something that still has its life-force. Jesus has passed through death and returned as a living presence to his community. Because Jesus now lives with eternity life, he is able to offer the same eternity life to believers. Today’s passage needs to be understood as reflecting on the living presence of the risen Jesus now present with the community. Only in this resurrection perspective will the discourse have any sense and Eucharist have any meaning. ‘Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me and I live in them.’ In other words, those who believe in me, live in me and I live in them.

When the community gathers Jesus is present in their midst and the consuming of bread and wine sacramentalises that presence. Eating and drinking is something we can physically do, making our belief concrete. We are not simply giving intellectual assent to Jesus – we profess our faith bodily. How else can God come to us except through our bodies? How else do we communicate with others, except through our bodies? Our liturgical celebration of Eucharist engages our entire self, in all our senses of sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste. God has come to us incarnated in the flesh of Jesus, and through Eucharist this incarnate, bodily presence is still available to us, and we can make our bodily response in faith to him.

Adapted from Mary Coloe PBVM

Blessings for the week ahead,

Sarah Walsh

Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)

The Seasons for Growth Program for Years 5 and 6 will begin later this term.

The Seasons program is for students who have experienced grief, loss or change in thier living arrangements such as in a separated family or divorce or a blended family. The death of a family member is also applicable, after a 12 month period of bereavement. The program is a quiet space for the children to experience the depth of their feelings about the changes in their lives in a supportive and encouraging way. 

If interested, please contact your child's classroom teacher.

The program for students in other years will be run later in the year.

Dear Families and Friends of Sts Peter and Paul

Join us for a night of fun and friendly trivia at our TRIVIA NIGHT event on Friday the 13^th of  September!     

 The night will be a beautiful opportunity to get out, meet other parents and friends in our school community as well as a chance to win amazing prizes, raffle prizes as well as bid on some incredible silent auction items on the night.  The clever team who takes out first prize will share a $250 visa gift card and 2^nd place will get a $100 visa gift card thanks to our prize sponsor, Hayman Property.

This adults only night is open to teachers, parents, family and friends in our school community.  Your $15 ticket price includes a share platter of nibbles and you are invited to bring your own food and alcohol.

You are welcome to organise your own team up to 10 people per team. If you have arranged a team, can we please ask that one member of your team email the School Community Council at parentcouncilstpandp@gmail.com; with the names of those people on your team.  If you don’t have a team and would like to be allocated one, please select the option to be allocated to a team and select which grade level your child is in so that we can put you with others looking to form a team.

We have over $7000 in silent auction items donated to our school including; a $200 The RUC Dining Voucher, $200 Club voucher at the Woden Valley Gymnastics Club, 3 month family training pass at Canberra Martial Arts, $200 voucher at Canberra South Cross Club, 10 class pass at Dance Sculpt, 2 person escape room pass at Escape Rooms Canberra, 10 class pass at Canberra Yoga Space, 6 month membership at Fitstop and so much more so come along and get yourself an amazing item all kindly donated by local businesses.

Date: Friday, 13th September
Venue: The School Hall, Sts Peter & Paul, 59 Wisdom St, Garran
Time: 6:30pm start
Cost: $15 per person – tickets available on Qkr! 
BYO Drinks and Food

Ticket sales close 12pm, Wednesday 11^th September.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to showcase your trivia skills and have some fun!

Thanks in advance for your support

School Community Council

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students who are celebrating their birthday this week

Eliana B

Marcus J

Aaleyah H

Hannah Agland

Madeline W

Rapael L

Evelyn B

Razma GH

Fletcher K

Library Week 4

Thank you for your support of Book Club! Ordering is now closed, and items should start arriving next week.

This week in the library, we're focusing on exploring more non-fiction books. We have a variety of non-fiction titles on display. Students will practice important research skills like skimming and scanning for information, as well as learning how to effectively use the index and contents page. Reading non-fiction not only enhances research skills but also helps build general knowledge with fun facts.

ONLY 2 WEEKS TO GO!

Book Week celebrations are just around the corner on August 29th. This year's theme is "Reading is Magic." Children are invited to come dressed as their favorite book character or a character with a magical theme. Remember, the focus is on celebrating the joy of reading, so don't stress about creating the perfect costume—it's all about having fun! ?

We're also collecting any unwanted balls of wool, half balls, or scraps for a craft activity we’ll be doing on the day. If you have any to spare, please send them in.

Until next week...

Keep Reading!

Your Library Team

Amanda de Jongh and Michael Washington

The last two weeks in Garden Club and the kitchen have been busy.

Year 1 have been making damper and lemon slice using rosemary and lemons from the garden. The children have been enjoying mixing, kneading, and taking turns while learning new cooking skills. In the classroom they are learning all about healthy eating and what foods we need to have to make sure we have a healthy diet.

In the garden we are trying to win against the weeds as we want to plant more seedlings in the coming weeks. We have some beans that are ready to be planted so we spent the last few weeks clearing out two beds so we are ready to plant this week.

Donations wanted - If you have a watering can lying around your garden or in your garage that doesn’t leak, would you consider donating it to the garden club? We need to restock our watering cans as many watering cans make things easier during garden club.

If you would like any more information about the kitchen garden program or would like to help in any way please email katherine.birch@cg.catholic.edu.au.

The Garden Club

LEMON SLICE

Ingredients - Base

1 pkt Arnotts Nice biscuits, crushed

125 g butter, melted

1/2 tin condensed milk

1/2 cup coconut

Method

Combine together and put in a lined tin.

Refrigerate while making the topping.

Ingredients - Topping

125 g softened butter

2 cups icing sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Method

Beat together until smooth.

Spread over base.

Top with lemon rind and extra coconut.

Refrigerate until set.

Variation

For chocolate slice use chocolate biscuits for base.

For topping omit lemon and sift in 1/4 cup of cocoa.

THE CANTEEN IS CASHLESS FOR ALL LUNCH ORDERS

 Families are required to place ALL lunch orders via Qkr! before 8.45am

 Please purchase over-the-counter sale items (snacks & treats) for your child in a lunch order.

 Purchase a “daily counter sales voucher” via Qkr! for your child to go to the canteen to collect items at lunchtime.

WEEK 5, TERM 3,  CANTEEN VOLUNTEER ROSTER

Thank you, helpers; your assistance is very much appreciated!

Please contact me if you are unable to assist on your day. 

 Are you able to help in the canteen?

 TERM 3 Canteen Roster  

 Parent/carer helpers are most welcome in the Canteen.

A lending hand is always required and very much appreciated.

Helping in the Canteen is a great opportunity to meet new people and make a valuable contribution to the school.  No doubt your child/ren will get a buzz from seeing you at the school. 

So if you have any spare time and would like to help out in the canteen, PLEASE feel free to contact me through email at lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au

 Or click on the link below to add your selected time to the roster.

Please ensure you have your WWVP card.

https://stpandp.schoolzineplus.com/Term3Roster

Qkr! TIP

 Is your child sick and not going to school, and you have placed a lunch order on Qkr!?

 You have till 8.45am that morning to cancel the lunch order - instructions on how to cancel lunch orders are below.

Thank you to all the students who participated in today’s Special Lunch Day! 

Mrs R was so happy seeing all the children enjoying themselves chatting and sharing the same meal with their friends.

 Thank you, Beth, Vicki, Doris, Drew and little Lincoln for your help today!  You made the day run a lot smoother.  Your help was very much appreciated, and it was a fun day! THANK YOU

OPEN TUESDAY MORNINGS

8.30 – 9.30AM

The Uniform Shop is a service for the parents and children. 

We sell New & Quality Second-hand school clothing, and all money raised goes back to the school to provide resources for the children.

The School Uniform is available via Qkr!
Tuesdays - Fridays, orders will be delivered to your child’s classroom. Orders need to be placed before 8.45 am. 

It is usual practice for most schools to offer second-hand clothing at the uniform shop to families at a discounted price. Quality second-hand clothing can only be purchased during uniform hours.  We do understand that this may not be convenient for some families so please feel free to send me an email if you are unable to get to the uniform shop during opening hours and I will do my best to attend your needs.

The Uniform shop is stocked up with second hand uniform, please visit on a Tuesday morning to purchase second hand uniform.

The uniform shop is limited with space, so if you wish to donate pre-loved items, PLEASE ONLY DONATE CLOTHES

that are washed and in perfect resalable order.

Lauretta Raccosta

Uniform Shop

Lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au