“He who lays up treasure for himself… is not rich towards God.”

Luke 12: 21

(from the Gospel for the eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C)

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a very good start to Term 3. The children are settled and working well. This morning we celebrated Mass with the parish to mark the beginning of the term. The theme of the Mass was “kindness”. Nothing characterises Jesus more than loving kindness. This is the lived example given to us by Jesus and the example we, as people of faith, need to try to live by. How we model kindness to our children is how they will learn from the adults in our community of how to practice kindness in their own lives. This weekend’s Gospel relates the story of the rich man storing up material wealth immediately before he dies. The riches of our tradition are in living and  teaching virtues, including kindness. Passing this example to our children is our challenge and privilege as parents, teachers and adult Christians.

NAIDOC celebration: Last Friday was a great celebration and thoroughly enjoyed by the children. They participated in tabloid sports learning traditional Aborignal children’s games. The Year 6 students had learned these games and taught them to the younger children. They did a magnificent job! Aunty Sharynne join us and told stories and shared Aboriginal artefacts with the children. Our day concluded with a beautiful NAIDOC themed liturgy. The children are to be commended on their enthusiastic and thoughtful participation. I would like to publicly thank Miss Jess Malloy who coordinated and organised the day on behalf of our community. Great planning always results in a great event!

Year 6 Mass with the Bishop: next Wednesday (6 August), our school will be hosting the annual “Year 6 Mass with the Bishop”. Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Brian in the school hall with the Year 6 children from St Paul’s Camden, St Anthony’s Picton, St Micheal’s Mittagong, St Thomas Aquinas Bowral along with our own Year 6 children. In total we will have around two hundred children and staff visiting our school. There will be a music concert for all our Year 6 visitors after Mass. 

Western Region Athletics carnival: next Friday we have twenty one children attending the Western Region Athletics carnival. Mrs Smith will accompany the children. Children travelling with Mrs Smith on the train the the carnival will need to be at Moss Vale station no later than 6:55am. Children returning to Moss Vale by train with Mrs Smith, will be ready to be picked up from school at 4:30pm. 

Wakakirri: is fast approaching! There is an extended rehearsal tomorrow (Friday 2 August) between 2pm and 4pm. On Monday (August 5 August), there is a dress rehearsal. The children will perform the piece for the children of the school. Parents are welcome to attend. This will be held in the school hall between 1.15pm and 2.20pm.

On Friday 9 August, the children will perform their piece at WIN stadium. The performance commences at 7pm. We will be bussing children to Wollongong for a rehearsal on the afternoon of Friday 9 August. The children are very excited and looking forward to what will be a memorable experience.

Director of Schools visit: We are being visited by the Director of School Mr Peter Turner on Wednesday 14 August. Mr Turner will visit the children in the classrooms. We are discussing the future building plans that are in progress for St Paul’s.

SHIPS Athletics Friday 16 August at Tudor House: Our school athletics team will participate in the SHIPS (Southern Highlands Independent Primary Schools) athletics carnival on Friday 16 August. The team has been selected from the results of the school athletics carnival held in Term 2. We will bus the children in the team to Tudor House departing school at 9am. SHIPS is a social event and does not lead to further competition as provided for by our diocesan series of events. A note has gone home today with team members providing details of the SHIPS athletics carnival.  

Confirmation: Our Year 6 students will begin preparation to receive the sacrament of Confirmation with the first sacramental class to be held on Sunday 11 August. Please keep our Year 6 Confirmation candidates in your prayers . Confirmation will be held on Saturday 21 September with Bishop Brian.

Date claimers for Term 3:

Don O’Brien – Principal

Whole School Mass

On Thursday the 1^st of August we celebrated the beginning of Term 3 Mass as a school and parish community. The theme was kindness, which ties in beautifully with the work our school is doing around mission. The students participated enthusiastically and reverently, and the readers did an excellent job. Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in this mass.

Confirmation Program

Students who wish to participate in the Confirmation Program will soon begin the classes.

Session 1: Sunday 11^th August

Session 2: Sunday 18^th August 

Session 3: Sunday 25^th August

Session 4: Sunday 8^th September

Session 5: Sunday 15^th September

(No classes on Father’s Day – 1^st September)

Confirmation: Saturday 21^st September

Families are required to attend the 10:00 am Mass followed by class in the School Hall.

Thank you

Catherine du Bois

Religious Education Coordinator

The ICAS Nomination forms have been sent home today. ICAS provides an opportunity for students in Year 3-12 to gain a measure of their own achievement in an external testing situation.  The competitions are very challenging and are aimed at students who show proficency in particular subjects.

Please read this form and if you would like your child to participate, please complete the persmission note and return it with the money no later than Tuesday 13 August.

Confirmation
All enrolment forms have now been accepted.

The Sacrament (confirmation) will be celebrated on Saturday 21st September at 6pm.
If you have any enquiries please contact the parish office or email the Sacramental Coordinator at:
sacramentsmossvale@gmail.com

Registrations open next week for the 2019/20 summer season. The season will run from October to March.

Since 1990, Bowral Little Athletics has helped thousands of Southern Highlands children improve their fitness, learn new skills and make new friendships in a fun, family-friendly environment. They are an Active Kids provider too, which means parents can use a voucher from the NSW government to contribute to the cost of registering their children.

Like most sporting clubs in the Southern Highlands, Bowral Little Athletics is run purely by unpaid volunteers and any funds it generates are poured back into the club. If you would like your child to join in the fun, please register online at www.bowrallittleathletics.org.au