On Wednesday evening, we hosted Showcase. Here the Year 12 girls displayed the major projects they had worked on over the year for the HSC. The quality of the pieces was outstanding. On display were works from Visual Arts, Design and Tech, Music, Dance, Society and Culture, Aboriginal Studies and History Extension.

Each piece reflected considerable planning, devoted attention and a commitment to excellence. It was thrilling to hear the girls explain their written pieces to the audience, sharing the complexities of their research and formulation of their responses. It was highly entertaining to see and hear the maturity of the dance and music performances. These pieces had clearly been practiced and fine-tuned for many hours. It was inspiring to view the Visual Art, Aboriginal Studies and the Design and Tech pieces. To read the background and inspiration of the works and see the beauty of the product created through this interpretation was wonderful.

I am confident each family would have been involved in the process of these pieces being created and completed. There would have been hours of encouragement, support and critical feedback given, lots of affirmation and plenty of collaborative problem-solving offered. Thank you to all the families for the crucial role you played in enabling your daughter to complete a major work. You must be very proud of the finished product. I also extend my thanks to the staff who guided and supported the girls through the process. We are very blessed to have such strength in the capacity and skill in our staff.

For many girls, the opportunity to create a major work provided an avenue of self-discovery and self-awareness. Every girl had a little of themselves on display on Wednesday evening, which brings with it some vulnerability and sensitivity. Congratulations to all the girls on taking the risk and giving their best. I was moved by the topics the girls chose to represent through their works, some personal, some of broader issues and some more practical. What particularly pleased me was the very strong evidence of young women who had a voice, who had something to say and who wanted to be heard. It was a great celebration.

The evening before Showcase I had the good fortune to visit the Campbelltown Catholic Club where the project presentations of students who had participated in the Max Potential Program were on display. Schools in the Macarthur area are invited to put students forward to participate in the Max Potential Program which builds leadership and independence through a coaching program and the creation of a community-based project. Angelina from Year 10 participated in the program this year. She did an exceptional job in both developing her leadership skills and in the project she created for ‘Wilma’. Congratulations to Dee Raquel Joma who coordinates the program and to the Campbelltown Catholic Club for supporting the program.

Next week we will be acknowledging R U OK day. We are all very aware of the growing number of people with declining mental health in our communities and families. Girls will be encouraged to reach out to each other on that day and check that those around them R OK. I will leave you with a quote from William James, the American psychologist and philosopher who studied religious experience and free will and died around this date in 1910.

“Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact”

Blessings

Sue Lennox - Principal 

On Sunday the Vatican released this statement from Pope Francis which contains much for us to consider. Here is an extract from this statement:

Our prayers and appeals are directed first at raising the awareness of political and civil leaders. I think in particular of those governments that will meet in coming months to renew commitments decisive for directing the planet towards life, not death. The words that Moses proclaimed to the people as a kind of spiritual testament at the threshold of the Promised Land come to mind: “Therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live” (Dt 3:19). We can apply those prophetic words to ourselves and to the situation of our earth. Let us choose life! Let us say “no” to consumerist greed and to the illusion of omnipotence, for these are the ways of death. Let us inaugurate farsighted processes involving responsible sacrifices today for the sake of sure prospects for life tomorrow. Let us not give in to the perverse logic of quick profit, but look instead to our common future!

In this regard, the forthcoming United Nations Climate Action Summit is of particular importance. There, governments will have the responsibility of showing the political will to take drastic measures to achieve as quickly as possible zero net greenhouse gas emissions and to limit the average increase in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius with respect to pre-industrial levels, in accordance with the Paris Agreement goals. Next month, in October, the Amazon region, whose integrity is gravely threatened, will be the subject of a Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Let us take up these opportunities to respond to the cry of the poor and of our earth!

The Season of Creation begins this Sunday and runs through to 4 October, the feast of St Francis of Assisi, and Pope Francis said, “is a time conducive to the praise of God for all his creatures and the assumption of responsibility in the face of the cry of the Earth.”

Louise East - Acting Religious Studies Coordinator

THE LIFE CHANGING OPPORTUNITY OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN THE DIOCESE OF WOLLONGONG

My name is Reagan and I  have been a part of the Catholic school education system for 13 years. I have transitioned from Mary Immaculate Parish Primary School to John Therry Catholic High School to St Patrick’s College for Girls.

My journey within Catholic education over the past few years has been fulfilling, influential and empowering as I have been provided with the opportunities to express both my individuality and faith.

I have loved being a part of St Patrick’s College as we acknowledge various talents through providing many opportunities for students to express their individuality such as K-Pop, CAPA, sports, environment and many more. This school has also allowed students to become leaders in their own way whilst challenging the negative depictions of females. 

The life lessons I have experienced in school that I will take into account for the remaining 30 days of Year 12 and beyond is the importance of perseverance and diversity.

Our minds are gardens and our thoughts are seeds, with which we may grow both weeds and flowers. It’s up to us to decide which one to water to provide nourishment towards. School has taught me that no matter what situation or circumstance that occurs in life we have the power to persevere. As St Catherine of Sienna said, “Nothing great is ever achieved without enduring much.”

In life there are always going to be people who do not approve of us or our decisions but being a part of the Catholic community has taught me that exploring diversity is the key to inner peace and a stronger community as we are all made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, we should support and accept each other rather than exclude people for being different.

School in this diocese has been life changing as it has provided me with the opportunity to find my passion and become an advocate for social justice. I have been an active member of the St Pat’s Social Justice Council, attended many social justice forums, participated in peace days, performed as both Thandolwayo (to promote Project Compassion) and as a homeless person (to promote the annual Winter Sleepout Appeal). I have also assisted in social justice initiatives and was selected to attend an immersion week known as Ministry Outreach to help those who are in need within our community at both Foodbank and Allowah Children’s Hospital. From this I have gained a purpose to life to live out Mary Mackillop’s message “Never see a need without doing something about it.”

The sand in our hour glass is almost empty as we only have a short period of time until graduation. I will miss being a part of a community surrounded by such empowering people who inspire me each day to be the best version of myself and live out the Word of God. Our College motto is “The Lord is My Light” and as I mentioned previously, we are all created in the image and likeness of God, therefore as I look around the room, I can see we each have the light of Christ within us. I also notice many familiar faces as the unity within Catholic faith has brought people from my primary school back together after so many years as we have continued to remember our primary school motto “Christ our way and life.”

I would like to thank all of the staff members of St Patrick’s College and at the other schools I attended for helping me further develop an understanding of myself and my faith, especially Mr Gattone for helping me pursue my passion of being an advocate for social justice and our Year Coordinator, Mr Ashkar, who has been one of my biggest supporters and helping hand over the past year. I would also like to thank the priests and Bishops I have encountered for continuing to spread Christianity and making our community stronger through faith. In particular, I’d like to thank Fr Michael Healy for the gentle and authentic way in which he exercises his priestly ministry.

It has been a privilege, Bishop Brian, sharing my journey with you as to how being in my school in this diocese has been life changing.  And it has been a privilege sharing it with my fellow Year 12 students of St Patrick’s College and all the Year 12 students at this Gathering today.

Reagan B - Year 12 Student

During break times this week we have opened up ‘Games Central’, where students have had access to a range of board games, card games and other literacy and numeracy activities to enjoy with their friends. Playing collaborative games like Charades, Monopoly and Pictionary are fantastic and fun ways to develop critical thinking, problem solving, literacy and numeracy skills, along with cooperation, communication and social skills. Games like these are always available in the Library, and of course, are great device-free relationship builders for students and families of all ages. We thank our volunteer teachers for supervising Games Central this week in their break times.

On Tuesday we celebrated LAN Week 2019 with a College Assembly in the MSC. We were honoured to welcome our guest speaker, Hannah Bleyerveen from the Class of 2010, along with students and staff from three of our local primary schools. Hannah presented her journey from her years as a student leader at St Pat’s into the world of university study, travel and employment. She inspired all of us to look at the world with inquisitive eyes, respond actively to the needs of others and use our skills and talents to make a positive difference in the world, in whichever field we pursue.

Our LAN Assembly was a fantastic display of student achievement in a variety of KLAs, and we gratefully acknowledge all the students and staff from all areas of the College who worked so collaboratively to make it such an enjoyable morning.

In period 2, the visiting Stage 3 students and staff explored our beautiful library space and enjoyed playing a range of puzzles and games. Our special hosts from Years 7, 8 and 9 did a wonderful job keeping them all engaged in the activities and then followed up the session with a short tour of the College.

Even though LAN Week is coming to a close, we will continue work actively and collaboratively to promote Literacy and Numeracy across the College, in all areas of learning and teaching.

Claire McGillicuddy and Michelle Parker - On behalf of the Literacy and Numeracy Team

On Monday 2 September, our class invited Mrs Harradine from our school library, and her miniature toy poodle Ruby to give us some information about their role in the Delta Society.

The Delta Society is a non-profit organisation where people from the community can volunteer their time and their pet dog.

The society aims to bring the joy of animal companionship to those who need it most.

They have programs like: Dog Safety, Paws the Pressure, Canines in the Classroom, and Dog Therapy.

Mrs Harradine and Ruby volunteer in the Dog Therapy program.

They regularly attend a nursing home in Glenfield where they bring cuddles and conversation to the residents.

Mrs Harradine explained the importance of bringing comfort to people who need it the most.

“My Nan was in a nursing home for 8 years, and she was fond of our last toy poodle but I couldn’t bring her in at that time,” said Mrs Harradine.

“So now I bring Ruby to help others.”

Our class learnt about the happiness that people like Mrs Harradine bring to the clients. We were inspired and really enjoyed meeting people who care so much about our community.

A big thank you to Mrs Harradine and Ruby for their time and all their hard work.

Aiesha C - Year 11 Student

At this commissioning the current student leaders were acknowledged for the role they have played over the past twelve months in serving the College community and they in turn welcomed the new leaders who would be taking up the challenge to be the next leadership team.

The focus of this commissioning was ‘servant leadership’  - that modelled by Jesus Christ, whereby the students in accepting the role of leader are asked to “ use the authority entrusted to them to serve others and to lead by example and teach others by word and deed”.

This year marked the first of the new student leadership model. The new roles will bring with them new challenges and so we wish them well as they lead the student body in continuing to make St Patrick’s a place where the voice of all is listened to and valued. Congratulations to the following students:

College Captain - Imogen M
College Vice Captain - Benedict - Jessica-Leigh R
College Vice Captain - Scholastica - Minduli T
Sports Captain - Ruby D
Performing and Creative Arts Captain - Paris H
Community Captain - Ellie F

Lord, give courage to these new leaders
that they may embrace their call to service.
Help them utilise their gifts and talents
to lead this community
in ways that are true to the Gospel.
Guide them as they strive to be leaders
filled with faith and hope.
May the blessing of Almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit
rest upon this community of St Patrick's
and remain with us always.
Amen

Karen Wright - Assistant Principal - Students

More photographs can be viewed on our Facebook Page.

Year group reflection days are opportunities for the girls in a year group to spend time away from the normal daily school routine and slow down. The theme of each of the Middle School year group reflection days is different. In a relaxed atmosphere, the Year 8 girls were able to spend time in prayer, discussion, and exploration of social justice issues. The main emphasis of the day was to deepen the girls’ understanding of the concept of “See, Judge, Act”. These are the three stages to go through in responding to any the social justice issue. Many of the Year 8 girls came away from their Reflection Day feeling confident that they can make a positive difference in the world, especially when they share their gifts with others.

Angelo Gattone - Mission Coordinator

Mr Thomas brought an authentic World War I nurses cape known as a 'tippet' from Merryland RSL's collection. The tippet originally belonged to Sr M.R. Bradford and has been beautifully restored by the sub-branch. Such capes (and the medal on it) are extremely rare  and we are extemely grateful for Mr Thomas bringing it in for us to see. He also brought a collection of photographs and other memorabilia for the girls to view.

The other highlight of the visit was an artefact from Pompeii - a petrified apple from 79AD. Mr Thomas brought this from his own collection and it was an amazing experience for the girls to hold something almost 2000 years old.

Fran Musico Rullo - HSIE Teacher

The day was an overwhelming success for all teams, and it was by far the best result the College has achieved since entering the competition.

The highlight of the day being the Year 9/10 team being crowned the Overall 2019 State Champions, but this achievement only just eclipsed the efforts of the Year 7/8 and Year 11/12 teams who both lost playoff games to make the grand-final to finish in third place overall.

Special mention must go to our team coaches Mrs Arena (staff), Maddison Kirk (ex-student) and Emily Kirk (ex-student) as well as our College netball captains Amy S and Natalie S for all the time and effort they put into selecting and coaching the teams. Having ex-students share in the success of the College was an extremely special moment and a tradition we would like to foster moving forward. Below is a short report from a number of students in each of the three teams.

Year 7/8 Team Report

It was an early start to the day with our first game commencing at 8.30am. Unfortunately, we weren’t at our best for this game and lost in a close contest, but we kept our heads high and everyone committed to pushing themselves even harder in the next game. This extra effort saw us win the next game and continued on a winning streak until the final round where we lost in another very close game. This result saw us finish 2nd in our pool and we then went into semi-finals where we played against the team that finished in 1st place from the other pool. Unfortunately, we lost this game in a close contest by one or two points, leaving us to finish in 3rd place overall in the Championship division.
The team consisted of Krisa K, Amy Y, Eden G, Hannah Y, Mia F, Lucy G, Ilori P, Amelia M, Charlie C and Monique G. Coach Emily Kirk.

Written by Amy Y

Year 9/10 Team Report

The last time our two year groups played together was two years ago in 2017 as the Year 7/8 team. That year, we made it to the grand final making us the first team to make it that far in the CCC Championships, but unfortunately we finished second on that occasion. This year as the Year 9/10 team we were determined to take home the gold.

We started off the day with a good warm-up to be ready for our first game against Caroline Chisholm. The scores were quite close at half time so we knew we had to lift our intensity in the second half and we eventually came out with a convincing win. Monte Sant’ Angelo was our second game of the day and one of the more challenging we had to play. In the end we finished with another good win which saw our confidence grow. Our last couple of games required us to be really switched on because our goal this year was to win finals.

We were all ready for the finals against St Mary's and couldn't wait to get out on the court and give it our best shot. At this point in the day, we were starting to get a little tired and sore from the games before, so when it came time for finals we had a good warm-up to get our feet moving and our brains back in the game mindset. After that it was time for the pep talk, we all huddled together and said a few inspiring words then did our cheer before stepping on the court. Once that first whistle was blown everyone lifted the intensity and played their absolute hardest, the support from the sideline and our coach Maddy was unreal and it definitely made us play even harder. At half time we were up by a few goals but we all knew we couldn't stop working there. After getting some feedback, we went back out onto the court for the second half. The second half was just as intense as the first knowing the game could turn at any time. We were leading by 5 when the buzzer went but didn’t know it at the time but we could tell from the reaction from the sideline that we had won. We shook hands with St Mary's, celebrated, then headed over to the clubhouse to receive our gold medals. 

A massive thank you goes to Maddy Kirk for being our coach for the day, we could not have done it without your feedback, support, and guidance. Another big thank you to all the supporters and parents that were always cheering us on from the sidelines. It really helped us lift our game and play our hardest. Thanks must also go to our entire team of girls who played their best in every game, especially the final. We are very proud of our team and they should be proud of themselves and what we have achieved together. One last thank you goes to Mr Ashcroft for organising the dresses, information, and transport for the day. Congratulations to all the other teams who played on the day as it was a tough day all round.

The team consisted of Charlotte F, Olivia F, Maya B, Brianna C, Chantel S, Piper A, Lucy O, Kassandra S, Hannah S, Katarina S and Evana S. Coach Maddy Kirk.

Written by Evana S

Year 11/12 Team Report

Following a successful Diocesan carnival, the St Pat’s senior netball team competed at the NSWCCC carnival in the Championship Division. The team started the day off well with two strong wins before meeting Monte, which turned out to be the toughest game of the pool rounds. The girls understood the challenge and were able to step up and after two halves of quality netball, we came out on top. Following this, we continued the success finishing on top of our pool. As a result, we came up against James Sheehan, Orange for a spot in the grand-final. In what was an extremely intense semi-final that went into extra time, we put up a strong fight but ended up going down by two goals leaving us to finish in 3^rd place overall in the Championship Division. The team consisted of Emily A, Julia P, Olivia F, Natalie S, Amy S, Rahni W, Stephanie E, Eva B, Elizabeth C and Rachael W. Coach Mrs Arena.

Written by Amy S

Unfortunately a late arrival and a slow start saw us lose our first game against our ‘rivals without rival’, Mount Carmel. This loss forced us get our act together as a team and made us work harder and as a result, we ended up winning each game from then on.

The concept of teamwork and communication was definitely shown by all team mates, leading us to making it to the semi-finals where we played St Joseph's and won 2 sets to nil. All the team talks and pre-warm up sessions helped us significantly to achieve our goal in making it to finals
face to face with our rivals Mt Carmel once again.

Coming back stronger than ever, we proudly dominated Mount Carmel 2 sets to nil in less than one hour! Thank you to Mr Ashcroft for giving us the opportunity to play one last Dio game in the sport we love to play. Another thank you to our development squad players, Darcy E, Amy Y, Helen T and Fale'ofa A. May you guys continue to strive for success but always remember to be humble as a team and to carry out the brilliant legacy of the St Patrick's name.

Thank you to team mates Amy and Natalie S, Eva B, Emma L, Lilyann V, Evana and Katerina S and Co-captain Esther M for making our last year of Dio Volleyball one of the greatest and most unforgettable moments this year! Your hard work and outstanding efforts paid off.

Always remember, “A positive mindset, leads to positive outcomes”. And last but not least, on behalf of the 2019 Dio Volleyball team, we would like to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to Mrs Cornett for driving us to victory one last time. Your love and passion for Volleyball never failed us on and off the court. As you quoted in our very last game, “You were all once my babies playing Volleyball and now I can’t believe this is your last game”. Thank you Mrs Cornett, for helping us to blossom and grow in the sport we love dearly. Cheers to a 5 year streak of being Wollongong’s Diocesan Champions. And for our future Volleyballers who are reading this, continue our legacy with pride and remember to always be humble.

Dryandra M (Co-captain)

Damon Gameau embarks on a journey to explore what the future would look like by the year 2040 if we simply embraced the best solutions already available to us to improve our planet and shifted them into the mainstream. Structured as a visual letter to his 4-year-old daughter, Damon blends traditional documentary footage with dramatised sequences and high-end visual effects to create a vision board for his daughter and our planet.  Click to view the trailer. 

2040 has been added to the College's Clickview library, enabling staff and students to view this film.

The recipients of Book Club badges have attended weekly meetings throughout the year, and are thoughtful and engaged participants. Many a lively discussion has been had over some of our chosen titles this year, including Anne of Green Gables, One of Us is Lying, Dear Evan Hansen and My Life as An Alphabet. As a Book Club member, students are to attend weekly meetings on a consistent basis for two terms to attain a badge. Book Club is open to all students, regardless of reading ability, and new members are enouraged and most welcome to join. Junior Book Club is for students in Years 7 and 8, and Senior Book Club members are for students in Years 9 - 12. Congratulations to our Book Club ladies, as a facilitator of the meetings, it is a joy to be a part of each week.

Lisa Robertson - The College Library

• REWARDS: Set yourself small specific tasks to do with a specific reward at the end of the task. For some people little rewards are enough to get them going. 
  
  
• CHUNK IT DOWN: If the work seems overwhelming or boring or unappealing, break it down into small bearable chunks and just do it one piece at a time. 
  
  
• FRIENDS: Work with a friend or else tell your friend what work you want to get done and then check in on each other at the end of the night. Help each other stay on track.
  
  
• RULE OF 3: If you can’t get started, write down the 3 most important things you must get done before you go to bed, then don’t even look at any other tasks until these 3 are completed.
  
  
• MOTIVATING IMAGES: Find slogans, or images that motivate you and put them near your workspace.  Some people are motivated by pain (thinking of the consequences if you don’t study) while others are motivated by pleasure (thinking of all the good outcomes that will happen if you do study).

The study skills handbook is freely accessible to all students on the library's webpage or in the Links section of Destiny Discover.

To utilise the features of this book, users need to download the free app 'Online with Saints' from the App store or Googleplay. Once the app is downloaded, it is a simple process of opening the book to the page featuring the Saint of interest. Using the app, scan the image of the saint. The app will take you to their social media profile. You can even take a selfie with the Saint of choice.

The College Library

for all events at the College, CLICK HERE