This week, we ran the student leadership camp with our new Year 11 leaders. It was a privilege to spend a few hours with the girls, to hear of their dreams and share with them what leadership looks like in a Benedictine community. I am confident they will be an exceptional team and will take up the baton that Tavara and her team have held so well through this last year. We wish them the very best.

Last week a few of the College leadership and management teams and our Directors, in addition to our College Board Chair Mr Paul Colyer, attended the Good Samaritan Education Conference held in Sydney. Representatives from all the Good Samaritan Colleges across Australia were present. Keynote addresses by Bishop Vincent Long, Fr David Ranson and Aboriginal Christian leader, Brooke Prentis, inspired and enriched us over the weekend. The outstanding part of the conference was the presentation made by students from each of the Colleges. Our Year 11 girls Monique R, Millie E, Kaleena H and Charlotte T did a wonderful job in putting forward a project which would see the creation of a picture book which represents an opportunity to effect reconciliation and the promotion of stewardship, peace and hospitality. I must congratulate the girls in the passion they applied to their work and the maturity they demonstrated in delivering their project to many delegates at the conference. Over the coming weeks, we will share this work with the rest of the community. The girls were outstanding.

Life in and around the College is beginning to return to pre-COVID times. We hosted our Year 9 2023 information night face-to-face and the girls are engaging in a number of activities now with other schools that previously was considered too risky. Unfortunately, the numbers of deaths due to COVID and the numbers who have contracted it and find themselves in intensive care continue to be alarming, yet the transactions and interactions of people in the broader community would suggest that COVID is behind us. The health advice is that it continues to be a source of concern and that precautions need to be taken by families. Staff will continue to wear masks at the College and, for now, we have moved staff across the offices and meeting spaces at the College. Transmission rates across the College have been relatively low, which we like to think is due in part to the precautions we have used. We will continue to welcome back, cautiously, the events and activities we have loved over the years, so that we can all enjoy and participate without unduly placing people at risk of becoming ill.

The next exciting event for the community is the return of the Father Daughter Dance. Scheduled for Friday 2 September, it will be a great night. The caterers are booked, the band is booked, and they have reassured us that girls will only be dancing with their fathers on the night, which means no progressives barn dances. I hope you will be able to join us. Please book through trybooking, www.trybooking.com/CBLNJ

Next Tuesday, 16 August, we will be hosting the Alumni AGM. The meeting begins at 7pm in H11. If you are an ex-student or know of an ex-student who would like to give back to the College, I urge you to join us for the meeting. We need a number of positions to be filled so it would be wonderful to have you connect with us in this way.

Finally, as you know, the girls at the College are exceptional. They are respectful, kind, hard working and inclusive. It is always wonderful when we hear of their successes and triumphs, and we are able to acknowledge their achievements to the rest of the community. I would like to encourage you to read through this edition to see the wonderful achievements of a number of our girls.

I will leave you with the prayer for Mary we are all familiar with as we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption on Monday 15 August.

Blessings

Sue Lennox -  Principal

Hail Mary full of Grace
the Lord is with you,
blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God
pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of death.
Amen.

Fr John Joseph Therry said the first Mass in Campbelltown on 1 September 1822. It was to be celebrated on “The Green”, an area now known as Mawson Park; however, a sudden rainstorm forced a change of plans and Fr Therry took his congregation into the unfinished Anglican church of St Peter. This last minute decision produced a negative reaction from the Anglican rector, Mr Redall, who complained to the Governor who, in turn, reprimanded Fr Therry. The Irish priest replied that his action was actually a way of honouring the new St Peter’s church. Relations between Fr Therry and Mr Redall were not strained too long as it is on record that the Anglican rector made a donation towards Therry’s appeal for his church building fund. It is said that they in fact became friends and this could be our first example of ecumenism.

Louise Barry - Religious Studies Coordinator

On Tuesday 9 August, the Year 8 cohort gathered, together with their Pastoral Teachers, for their year group Liturgy. At each of these liturgies, it is our practice to invite one of the girls from the year group to write and deliver a reflection on the Scripture readings used in the Liturgy.

The following is the text of the reflection read out by Anastasia O.  

As we come together today as a Year 8 community, it is important to reflect on the journey that we have travelled so far. In 18 months, we have already experienced some of the most difficult times in recent human history. Lockdowns, remote learning, flooding, fires – these are just some of the challenges that we have endured. Combine this with starting high school and trying to find our feet and our place in this large community, and it is fair to see that we have truly come so far in such a short time.

I know myself that these times have been hard. But at the core of adversity is hope – and being a part of this wonderful Catholic community brings hope to us each day. Not only through our connections with other students, teachers, and staff, but most importantly through the way we connect with God each day.

This year St Pat’s is focusing on the Benedictine values of Lectio Divina ("Holy Reading" of the Bible) through the lens of obedience and discipline. Given these values, 2022 has been chosen by the College as our Year of Prayer. Lectio Divina was devised by St Benedict as a way of using scripture as a form of prayer. Prayer is our way of connecting with God. In connecting with God, it is important to listen, which is the primary aspect of obedience. Having listened to what God wishes to communicate to us through Lectio Divina, we use our discipline to carry through with appropriate action in response to God's Word and call. Note also that a disciple is one who exercises obedience through discipline.

We are all disciples of God. Not in the sense that we go from place to place preaching God’s word, rather, through the way we live and interact with each other … a smile, offering a seat on the bus, holding the door open for someone else. This is how I see us as disciples of Jesus. We all have a part to play, and through our actions, our place becomes more special and connected with God.

I am excited to grow more spiritually as our journey continues. We will have so many more exciting opportunities and memories to make during our time here at St Pat’s. In speaking to the Year 12 students, one thing that was clear to me is just how fast time goes by. I have heard them speak about their time as a Year 8 student as if it was only yesterday. I want to really cherish every moment I have as a St Pat’s girl. I want to make sure that I leave no stone unturned, making the most of every opportunity I have at the College. I think this is a great idea for all of us to stop and reflect on. What are we hoping for? What do we want to achieve? How can I be a better disciple of God?

We are on this journey together. I know that we will succeed together and achieve our full potential knowing that ‘the Lord is our light’.

These are certainly reflections that the Year 8 girls can ponder as they continue their St Patrick’s journey.

Angelo Gattone - Mission Coordinator

Our retreat consisted of acknowledging what it means to be a leader and the qualities of a good leader, as well as how these qualities can be used effectively within our roles. We participated in activities that taught us how to work in an effective team and how we can work together to reach our goals. Additionally, we had the opportunity to interact with our supporting teachers to share our vision of what we want to achieve throughout our leadership at the College.

After reflecting on articles, presentations and videos surrounding leadership, our team decided on a phrase that resonated with us and will act as our leadership motto for the coming year: “She lifts her up”. The meaning of this motto encompasses the idea of working together as leaders of the College community, to lift up and support the overall academic, mental and physical welfare of the students and encourage participation in all aspects of College life.

We want to thank Mrs Wright, Mrs Conti and Ms Glase for organising and joining us on our retreat, but also to our supporting teachers, Ms Lennox, Dr Bourne, Mr Ashcroft, and Mr Gattone. We look forward to stepping into our new roles and working closely with the teachers and students of our College community.

The Year 11 Leadership Team

eSafety Commissioner

The eSafety Commissioner is a great resource for parents looking to find support, guidance and resources on how to educate and support their children when using digital technologies. Under the Parents tab of their website, there are a number of sections including:

• The Big Issues
• Skills and Advice
• Children Under 5
• Downloadable Resources

The Skills and Advice section in particular is very useful when looking for support on the hard to have conversations and how to tame the technology.

When your daughter starts using a new social media app, consider applying the advice from the eSafety Commissioner and have a discussion about:

• sharing personal information unnecessarily
• considering her digital reputation
• thinking before posting, the “Family Test”
• appropriate times to use the app

Stage a play, perform a dance, film an artwork, make a documentary, produce an animation or surprise us with your creativity. Your video must be at least 30 seconds long and no longer than 4 minutes. It can be on any of the following topics:

• Defining Moments in Australian History 
• Australian’s Defining Moments Digital Classroom 
• Momentous 
• Or a moment that is unique to your local area
  
  

This is open to all year groups and entries close 4 November 2022
For more information see https://digital-classroom.nma.gov.au/history-makers

Year 7/8 Netball Division 1

Matilda G, Olivia J, Olivia L, Alanna S, Lilly W, Chloe C, Mahlia L, Adele L, Sophie P, Deziah P and Isabella K. Coach Miss Joachim.

Year 7/8 Netball Division 2

Lily H, Lia I, Gabriela R, Caitlyn S, Eliza T, Abbie H, Gabriella L, Piper M, Jada Q, Georgia T and Charlize D. Coaches Mr Nash and Ms Wallin.

Year 7/8/9 Soccer

Hannah S, Patressa A–L, Mia A, Valentina S-M, Jemma S, Emily B, Cody M, Hannah W, Hannah M, Annalise E, Charlize F, Laila A, Cora W, Jordana N and Lily K. Coach Mrs Nash.

Year 9/10 Netball Division 1

Lofia A, Nyala R, Mackenzie Q, Lexi V, Mirae Q, Breanna R, Charlie C, Keesha D, Hannah Y and Aaliyah B. Coach Mrs Pereira.

Year 10/11/12 Softball

Abigail B, Myah B, Ava C, Lillian M, Bronwyn Z, Grace B, Jordanne M, Faith R, Gabrielle V, Grace G, Isabella N, Sienna W, Lucy G, Hope E and Katarina S. Coach Mrs Lawrence.

Year 10/11/12 AFL

Sianna F, Jacqueline C, Mia F, Fale'ofa A–L, Sarah M, Dakoda L, Annabelle M, Siena B, Angelina H, Mia L, Helen T, Annalise D, Olivia H, Sophia S, Monique V, Amy Y, Carrera-Rose K, Sandrine M and Sienna M. Coach Mr Ashkar.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

A big thank you to our team manager, Mr Muller, and to the senior students who supported him throughout the day. After a full day of competition, St Pat's finished in 3^rd place and will have eight students go on to represent the Wollongong Diocese at the NSWCCC Athletics Championships being held in September.

The eight students representing the College and Wollongong Dioceses are:
Aaliyah B of Year 10 in the 200m
Chloe C of Year 8 in the 1500m
Charlie H of Year 8 in the High Jump
Olivia L of Year 7 in the 200m, High Jump and Shot Put
Hannah S of Year 7 in the 100m, 200m and 400m
Katarina S of Year 12 in the Shot Put and Javelin
Cora W of Year 9 in the 100m
Hannah Y of Year 10 in the 800m

Added to what was already an amazing day, we also had:
Olivia L named the 12 Years Overall Age Champion
Hannah S named 13 Years Overall Age Champion
Aaliyah B finishing runner up in the 16 Years
Charlie H finishing in 3^rd in the 13 Years.

The 2022 Athletics team consisted of Hannah S, Olivia L, Amelia B-W, Gabriela R, Victoria S, Sienna T, Hannah W, Charlie H, Chloe C, Charlize F Ajani O, Evie R, Cora W, Jiselle P, Valentina V, Ava C, Mia F, Fale'ofa A–L, Dakoda L, Annabelle M, Jordanne M, Hannah Y, Siena B, Aaliyah B, Amelia M, Charlotte T, Amy Y, Lara M, Sandrine M and Katarina S.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

Charlie has had a sensational year which has included a bronze medal at the NSW All Schools Championships in the 14 years high jump, as well as a silver medal at the Australian Championships. Charlie obviously has a massive future in the sport and we wish her the best of luck in her upcoming events.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

The story, written by Alton Walley, is based on this year’s NAIDOC Message ‘Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up’, focusing on the value of leadership and how we can influence those near to us to make a positive change. Students from local schools submitted illustrations for the book, which then went to a public vote.

On 4 August, a group of St Patrick's College students were invited to attend the Awards presentation and NAIDOC Week ceremony to conclude the project at Campbelltown Mall.

The ceremony began with a Welcome to Country and face painting representing connection to country through waterways. A cleansing ceremony using eucalyptus leaves was also conducted.

Then the winning illustrations were announced - three St Patrick's College students were selected to have their illustrations featured in the book:

Jasmine P - her illustration was chosen for the front cover

Arianna P - her illustration was chosen for page 11

Kamilla P - her illustration was chosen for page 12

These students were presented with a framed copy of their illustration and a copy of the book titled, Being a Big Brother.

Thank you to all of the students, parents, grandparents and other family members and friends who attended the event to support these students. 

The College Library

In the last three months, I have had the pleasure to facilitate a group of nine students who were part of the Children's Book Council of Australia's (CBCA) Shadow Judging initiative - the group read all six novels short-listed for Book of the Year, and came together periodically to discuss which novel should be the winner. The students judged the books using the actual judging criteria considered by the CBCA judging panel, and then produced a creative response.

The nine wonderful students who have volunteered to form St Pat’s CBCA Reading Group were Ava M, Lillian J, Simra B, Vienne S, Cailtin R, Abbey C, Yukiko W, Georgina K and Charley L. 

It is no mean feat to read six novels in three months, let alone factoring in time required for course work and extra-curricular activities, but the students rose to the challenge. Their insights, thoughtful considerations, group work and good humour made the experience a valuable one for all. They are to be commended for taking part, and doing so with such dedication and effort.

The students have chosen Malla Nunn's novel Sugar Town Queens as their Book of the Year, and we look forward to coming together for a final time on 26 August to watch the winner announcement by CBCA.

Lisa Robertson - College Library

Book tasting is a fun and social way of delivering book suggestions to students. A menu was devised to consist of books that would be quick and easy to read, so that students could reach their target of 20 books in the challenge.

For entrée, a selection of Quick Reads (under 100 pages) was displayed. For mains, a selection of books recently added to the PRC booklists. And for dessert, a selection of Picture Books was displayed.

While the students were browsing the displays, they enjoyed a morning tea of doughnuts, biscuits and muffins.

A bookmark was also designed for the event which featured the book tasting menu on one side, while the other side included information about how to complete the challenge. A QR code on the bookmark directed students to the PRC Student Experience website, where they must log the books they have read.

The NSW Premier's Reading Challenge closes on 19 August 2022. Students who require assistance logging their books online are encouraged to contact Mrs Denford in the Library.

The College Library

After two years of being unable to host this event, we look forward to hosting a fun evening for our girls and their dads/father figures. This night will include a delicious meal, music to dance the night away and an opportunity to meet other members of the St Patrick's College community.

Tickets are $45 per person (for adults and students) and can be purchased at www.trybooking.com/CBLNJ (Bookings close 26 August 2022). To avoid disappointment, book early, as tickets will sell fast!

Thank you for your ongoing support and we hope to see you on 2 September.

St Patrick's College P&F Association