Issue 13, 15 August 2023

Each year August 8th holds a special place in the calendar and in our hearts at Caritas College. It is the feast day our founder, St Mary MacKillop. As such, we always celebrate this day as a whole school community. On Thursday all of our staff and students gathered for a Liturgy under the aptly named, St Mary’s Shelter. Of course, we focussed on the story of St Mary. We heard important details about her life. We were again inspired by her work, knowing that each day we have the opportunity to carry on her legacy.  

On Thursday we held our Community Night. The evening was a burst energy and excitement with plenty of students, families and community members enjoying the food, events and activities. It was a lovely celebration of the diversity of our school community. I am grateful for the efforts of staff who planned and prepared the activities and stalls for the night. I am also appreciative of the many community groups and businesses that supported the event. This event was always intended to be anchored around St Mary MacKillop’s Feast Day. She set a wonderful example for us in the way she built a strong sense of community. This example is still very much alive and well in many Josephite schools throughout Australia. I am very proud that Caritas College continues to be an expression of her work through the way we come together as a community to celebrate events such as our Community Night.  

Friday July 28th was a special day for our school community. We held our Grandparents and Grand-Persons Day. The day began with a lovely Liturgy in the Tappeiner Room. The whole celebration was centred around the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne. Joachim and Anne represent the importance of fostering and nurturing younger generations in faith, morals, and in an atmosphere of love. Fr Jim highlighted the significant role that grandparents and families play in our community. The R–3 students sang beautifully as they worked hard to impress their loved ones who were able to attend. Following the Liturgy, our SRC representatives catered for the large crowd by cooking a BBQ. The primary courts and nature play space were abuzz with families and friends enjoying each other’s company. The day was made even better by the perfect weather. We are grateful for these types of activities and events in our school community. They bring a spark of joy into the lives of everyone who gathers to participate in them.     

What a wonderful celebration of our school foundress, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, with our whole school liturgy. There is truly something special about knowing and understanding that she started the Caritas College community 152 years on the wharf with Sisters Angelica Greene and Angela Grugen. We continue to stand on the shoulders of the Sisters of St Joseph in all the different ways that we act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly (Micah 6:8) and proud to tell the story of the early years of Catholic education here in Port Augusta. 

St Mary of the Cross was a strong and courageous woman, moving to Penola to be a governess to her cousin’s children on a property just outside of Penola called Greenrise. It was in this time that she met Fr Julian Tenison Woods and from there, the story begins. Along with her sister Lexie, Mary also opened a school in Mount Gambier before heading to Adelaide to teach in St Francis Xavier’s Hall. A woman of strong faith and goodness, Mary did not hesitate to take up this position in Adelaide to continue educating children in the ordinary circumstances of their lives. Even throughout the challenging time of her excommunication, she continued to keep her strong faith and service to the poor and needy.

Our 2023 theme of Call to Community was evident in this liturgy as we listened to how the Sisters lived in the community in simple houses, unlike the traditional convents other religious orders lived in. They offered prayers for members of their communities when there wasn’t a resident priest available to offer the Eucharist and how, when living in Kensington, they assisted a prominent doctor, John Benson, and his family to educate his 9 children well after his passing due to his generous and compassionate nature to assist those unable to pay for medical expenses. Our Year 4 students beautifully illustrated this story, with artworks presented and placed at the front of the liturgy to show this story coming to life.

For the past 152 years, we have proudly held our story, one that has allowed us to continue the Josephite tradition through both the hope filled and challenging times. As a community, we are proud to be part of this story which continues to transform our lives today.

On Friday of Week 2 the Year 5 students presented their wax museum projects that they have worked on for a Term. The task involved students choosing a public figure that has made a significant change in the world, researching them, writing a timeline and autobiography as them and finally presenting as them in a real life wax museum. Students then invited special guests to come and visit, as well as some classes. The Year 5's did a fantastic job and we are so proud of all their hard work.

In Year 6 Science, students have been learning about how electrical energy can be transferred and transformed in electrical circuits. In Design and Technology, they worked in groups to design, create and evaluate electronic quiz boards, drawing on what they have been learning in science in order to be successful. It was a challenging design brief, but all groups were eventually successful, creating quiz boards based on a variety of themes.  Even Mr Smith got in on the action!

The Rite Journey boys have been busy preparing for camp next week and practising setting up their tents. They were so confident in their camping skills they’ve challenged the girls class to a bit of friendly competition in who can set up their tents the quickest and to the highest standard!