Have you ever considered how difficult it is to be a young person in today’s world? Their access to social media means they are constantly reminded that they are inadequate, they are uninformed and that they are missing out on the fun, the good times and the popularity that comes with having a perfect life. Their platform of choice will use algorithms to recognise the content that interests them, based on their screen habits, and will then fill their screens with images and stories that confirm and reinforce their insecurities, their vulnerabilities and inadequacies. As a young person still developing into an adult, it is hard to recognise the insidious nature of this material and have the resilience to not feel overwhelmed by its influence.

I can still recall my adolescent years and how they were very turbulent and unsettling to navigate. I am sure many of our parents will remember the onset of their growing changes and how troubling it was to witness those changes and feel more like the ugly duckling than the swan that we would all eventually become. Fortunately for us, we were spared the bombardment of images and testimonials of the "beautiful people" whose lives are very different to ourselves. The "beautiful people" of my time were the celebrities and high profile personalities who would have their images photo shopped by professional photographers. We all knew this happened. Today, everyone has access to the applications that enable then to sculpt their own image in the likeness that they desire. There is no need to present in anything less than stunning! How can our young girls defend themselves from this pressure and constant comparison to what is impossible to attain?

Fortunately there is some change occurring that recognises the need to present a more realistic image of women and girls in particular. The new Disney short film called “Reflect” introduces a character called Bianca who is their first plus size protagonist. She represents a little girl who doesn’t fit the dimensions of their previous Disney princesses. She is a more realistic image of what a girl can look like in real life. Similarly, the new performance of “Moulin Rouge” has the lead character played by a “plus size” woman who has stunned audiences with her talent and vitality on stage, not in any way impeded by the fact that she is a larger size than that normally cast.

We need to advocate for our girls to be allowed to be themselves. A strong protective factor at the College is that the absence of boys onsite means girls feel they can be themselves and not have to worry about how they look or what they say in the presence of boys. In a co-educational environment, the pressure can be far more intense for girls and boys for that matter as they manage their way through adolescence. It is important that our mums and dads continue to reassure their girls that they are more than good enough just as they are and that social media platforms are monitored so that appropriate filters are used to stop the advertising coming through that inappropriately influences them. Finally, we need to empower the girls to recognise their beauty in its many forms and have confidence in what is real and call out the fake for what it is.

During the week, I had the pleasure to be present at the finals of the Lions Youth of the Year competition. Four young people were competing. They had each been interviewed over the weekend and then had to present an impromptu speech and a prepared speech on the night. It was wonderful to hear at the end of the night that Amelia P from Year 12 won the competition for this year. Congratulations to her and all the competitors who stepped out of their comfort zone to take on the challenge. Here we have young people thriving in the unscripted.

Year 12 will finish their exams this week. They have been present in our prayers throughout the last three weeks. We wish them well as they can now begin to imagine their life post high school. I will leave you with the final lines of a prayer called Patient Trust by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. In this prayer, we need to trust in the work of God in our lives.

Blessings

Sue Lennox - Principal

Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.

 by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ
excerpted from Hearts on Fire

When a Pope begins their pontificate (period of time as Pope), they choose the name of a saint. This week, as he has done previously, Pope Francis explained why he chose the name of Saint Francis. In his address, he said that he recognised that Francis of Assisi was a popular, but also misunderstood, saint. The source of the saint’s devotion to peace, to poverty, to creation was Jesus Christ, and St Francis’ faith in Him. “From this source, [Francis] received an abundance of the Holy Spirit, who urged him to imitate Jesus and follow the Gospel to the letter.”

Pope Francis explained that Francis remains, even now, a mystery. To understand the Saint better, he stated that believers must follow in the footsteps of Jesus as Francis did. “In concrete terms, this means listening, walking, and proclaiming to the peripheries.” Saint Francis, the Pope explained, listened to Jesus speaking to Him, responded generously, and gradually came to understand what the Lord was asking of Him.

The Saint was also a “wayfarer,” who travelled throughout Italy and beyond, drawing close to the people and reducing the distance between the Church and the people. This, the Pope said, is “the style of a Christian community” that wants to draw near to all and not withdraw within itself. “This teaches us that those who follow St Francis must learn to be steadfast and walking: steadfast in contemplation, in prayer; and then moving forward, walking in witness, witnessing Christ.”

Finally, the Pope said that, in preaching to the peripheries, there is a need not only for justice, but for trust. “Only faith restores the breath of the Spirit to a closed and individualistic world,” he explained. But with this breath, he said, we will be able to face “the great current challenges, such as peace, care for the common home, and a new model of development.”

Louise Barry - Religious Studies Coordinator

Having gathered together on the top oval, the Year 11 (now having entered Year 12) Big Sisters sought out their Year 7 Little Sisters. Once they found each other, they talked about how the year has been for them.

Once inside Westview, the liturgy commenced with the lighting of the College candle, which is a reminder of our unity as a St Pat’s community and it acknowledges that Christ is in our midst. Next, the College Song was sung as a way to emphasise our unity in the presence of Christ. After praying the College Prayer together, we listened to the proclamation of the Word of God. The reading from St Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews captured perfectly the purpose of this Big Sister/Little Sister Liturgy:

“We should think about each other to see how we can encourage each other to show love and do good works. We must not quit meeting together, as some are doing. No, we need to keep on encouraging each other. This becomes more and more important as you see the Day getting closer.” (Heb. 10: 24-25) After the proclamation of the readings, Cara M. delivered her reflections on the readings, giving encouragement to both the Year 7 girls and the Year 12 girls.

After the readings and Cara’s reflections, in their Big Sister/Little Sister pairings, all the girls were invited to select a symbol which represents who the other girl is. They then shared their symbols and explained as to why each symbol had been chosen. This was an opportunity for the girls to affirm each other and to be grateful to each other for the support given and received.

The liturgy concluded with the singing of The Servant Song which encourages us to be servants to one another. All those who participated in this liturgy are to be commended for the respectful way in which they entered into the prayer and the rituals.

Angelo Gattone - Mission Coordinator

If two hours of recreational screen time is the recommended amount, what should our teens be doing for the remainder of their free time? Outside of completing homework or study, children benefit from being physically active, engaging their mind in cocurricular activities and most importantly sleep. Many children will have busy afternoons involving sport and other activities, followed by homework and dinner. This often means their recreational screen time clashes with their sleep time.

To promote healthy sleep, consider some of these adjustments to your child’s routine:

• No phones in the bedroom when it’s time for sleep
• Avoid looking at screens 1 hour before bed
• Plan a routine that allows time for recreational screen time to avoid missing it altogether

If you are looking for more tips for teenage screen time balance, consider raisingchildren.net.au

Ben Robson - eLearning and Innovation Coordinator

The students were exposed to a variety of presentations, including hearing valuable advice from a 2021 HSC student whose outstanding PIP is now on permanent display in the State Library of NSW.

Following further teacher led presentations that included a plethora of extremely useful PIP research and writing resources, our Year 12 students had a debrief in Hyde Park before making their way to St Mary's Cathedral and the State Library of NSW. Whilst there, the girls analysed how the Society and Culture depth studies and course concepts could be applied to such important historical buildings, both of which simultaneously demonstrate continuity and change within Australian society and culture over time.

The level of application and maturity these students demonstrated on this PIP Day excursion proved they are a credit to the College and to themselves. Furthermore, it is safe to say these young women will continue to grow into socially and culturally literate citizens whose curiosity will see them become lifelong learners.

Wendy McDonald - HSIE Teacher

This food organisation is a huge contributor to the Australian Food Industry, producing burger buns, hot dog rolls, apple pies, hot cakes, muffins and more for establishments in the Food Service and Catering Industry such as McDonalds and other wholesale companies. Interestingly, ARYZTA is the second largest food company in Australia for their flour use, just behind Arnotts. The girls were presented with key information on mechanical processing techniques such as mixing, moulding, proofing and baking and also food process reactions such as the Maillard reaction and how all of this impacts food quality. Other factors such as suppliers, legislation and food trends influence product development. The students were also introduced to the wide range of career opportunities in the food industry which was also valuable. Following the presentation by Director Mrs Alison Wright, the girls then suited up in hygiene gear to enjoy a tour of the production facilities. We saw the production of McDonald's hotcakes, the machinery, technology and processes used gave us insight into mass production. Unfortunately, we were unable to take photos whilst on tour of the facilities. A donation of $130 dollars was made to Ronald McDonald House charities for the experience. We would like to particularly thank Mrs Alison Wright, mum of Danielle, a current Year 12 student at the College. This was such a worthwhile experience for the girls.

Alicia Pollicina - TAS Teacher

The Year 9 DT students worked collaboratively throughout project 2, ensuring their Design Teams designed and constructed a Tiny House that fulfilled the brief to be eco-sustainable and ensure all client's needs were met.

Dale Reader - TAS Coordinator

Nature within me
By  Emmalynn d

The crackling beneath my feet

Cut branches 

Now eyes, watch my every move

Gumnuts 

Seeding through the ground

The loud squawking of crows 

Overhead

Fresh clean air fills my lungs full

Deep breaths 

In, and out

An overwhelming calmness of nature

Thunder clapping sticks

Small orange sparks like stars

Bright red flames 

Stretched to reach the sky

Dark clouds 

Encompassing the vast blue

Deep breaths ragged

Calm nature 

Now ferocious cries

Little bud
By Oreoluwa A

A sprout, a yawn and a little beam.
The sun kisses her face,
And with that a beautiful day awaits.

The night was dark and dim, 
but tomorrow is here. 
Her worries of the past,
no longer need to be feared.

Wet dew trickles on her petals.
Each moist sphere crystallises her glow. 
As the earth hugs her tight,
Mother sees her beauty flow.

But…

Even beauty cannot escape what lies with all our fate.

So, day after day,
Mother carries her pain. 
Night after night 
she cries for her life. 

Mother bears not to see another drop of despair.

So as the sun fades, 
Little bud also decays.

Ann Treanor - English Coordinator

Through this challenging journey of self-discovery, your daughter:

• Is equipped and empowered to achieve her personal best
• Learns to take responsibility for her goals and choices
• Becomes connected to and actively engaged within her immediate community
• Makes a real difference to society through her positive contributions and involvement
• Learns to persevere and overcome barriers to success
• Learns important life skills
• Increase her career opportunities

If you are interested in registering for this program, please contact Poppy Perez at pperez@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au or call the College on 02 4629 2999.

Poppy Perez - Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator

The students arrived to a smorgasboard of sweet treats, which were followed up with a lunch of schnitzel and chips. The College Choir performed their set of songs they have been preparing all year, a highlight being "Weather With You" by Crowded House. We then had solos from Victoria S, Charley L and Lily B as well as a duet from Hannah L and Aurora F. To finish off the performance, Year 9 Elective Music joined the College Choir for a sing along with the patrons with an Australian theme. The College Choir would like to thank the Campbelltown RSL Ladies' Auxilliary for their amazing hospitality and we look forward to being involved in future events. 

Elizabeth Samyia - CAPA Teacher

Students will be given their kits in homeroom in Week 5 and will have time each morning to work on their poppies.

Mrs Fetterplace and Mrs McDonald’s 12 Modern History class are preparing a short service to go over the loudspeaker at 11am.

The History Club ‘Anzac Nurses’ from Years 7-10 have been invited by Mounties Club  at Mount Pritchard for Remembrance Day. The Club would like to acknowledge the role of women in WWI and asked specifically for our students to wear nurses’ military outfits which will range from World War I to the 1980s. 

Camden RSL has also requested our Student Leadership Team to attend its Remembrance Day service. Our College Captain, Abbey Clancy, is going to give the student address called ‘My Anzac Ancestor’ about her World War I ancestor, Paddy Bugden VC.

Fran Musico Rullo - HSIE Teacher

This was initially a debate that this team was very nervous about. Their opponents from St Benedict’s Catholic College were not only the previous year’s champions, but were some of the most impressive speakers our team had come across thus far, with a powerful manner of speaking that was highly inspiring, albeit quite intimidating. Heading into this Grand Final truly felt like our 9A team were David preparing to fight Goliath. Little did they know the success that was to come.

To prepare for the Grand Final, our speakers trained for a number of weeks, applying their previous adjudication feedback to improve their rebuttal and logical progression - and gosh did it improve! The team knew this debate would centre around the theme of politics, so they studied endlessly to comprehend the breadth of the political spectrum, find examples of current political issues, and remember the names and policies of significant political leaders. 

When they were finally on the bus on their way to St Benedict’s on the day of the Grand Final, they were buzzing with excitement and nerves. They may have felt intimidated by the impressiveness of our opponent, but our girls were impressive too. Our speakers were certainly proud to have made it this far and become Grand Finalists, but truthfully, they wanted to win. 

The topic for the Grand Final was “That the Australian Government should increase foreign aid”, and our team were arguing for the negative. St Benedict’s opened the debate masterfully with their well-renowned manner and sophisticated way with words. Their speakers were truly magnificent in the way they spoke. It would have been easy for us to give up right then and there - but our girls didn’t. 

Instead, our 9A team listened with critical ears, cutting through the impressive wording to realise something vital: just because someone you respect makes a powerfully worded argument, doesn’t mean that it's infallible. Thus, the rebuttals came flying from our team, hitting their opponents' case where it hurt. Though our manner remained more understated and calm, the quality of our content and logic was undeniable; formidable even. 

By the end of the debate, the panel of adjudicators declared St Patrick’s College the winners and Grand Champions of the Year 9 MISA Debating Competition. Our girls won, overpowering the Goliath words of their opponent with their stellar logical progression, breathtaking rebuttal, and spectacular case construction.

This win reminds us of an important life lesson: critical thinking. When these students grow up and enter the world of adulthood, I know that they will have faith in their own strength of mind. They will be inclined to value the logic of an argument, rather than accept blindly. They will cut through impressive words, no matter how intimidating and powerful the speaker, and value their own voice… and for that, I am tremendously proud of our 9A team. Congratulations to our 2022 Grand Champions Eliza, Navya, Jamie and Molly.

Laura Bryant - Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator

From Elgar to the Seekers, the students had a fabulous time learning to sing complex music in 4 part harmony. The performance included a symphony orchestra and a solo from our Tavara S from Year 12. The concert raised $27,500 for Westmead Children's Hospital's Music Therapy program. We heard from one of the therapists about how much joy the patients receive from having access to Music Therapy. Thanks to all of the friends and family who came to hear us and help raise these vital funds. 

Elizabeth Samyia - CAPA Teacher

The Library currently has a display on the front windows that explains exactly what Fake News is and how to spot it. Fake News can take on various forms and is not always obvious so we've given you some tips on what to look for.

The display also looks at the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the facts as we know them and some very powerful images. There are also some snippets of information: can you weed out which ones are true and which are fake?

Although the Ukraine/Russian war is front and centre in our news, there are many other conflicts currently happening around the globe, with most having started quite some time ago. These are also mentioned within our display.

The College Library

The latest addition to the College Library's resources is Axis 360 - an extensive eResource platform containing new and popular eBooks and Audiobooks. The most recent inclusions to Axis 360 include:

Social Queue - A funny and insightful novel about an autistic teen who realises she's been missing all the signs when it comes to her romantic life.

Hotel Magnifique - A wonderfully decadent, enchanting YA fantasy about the secrets lurking in the legendary Hotel Magnifique.

You've Reached Sam - A heartfelt novel about love and loss and what it means to say goodbye.

You'll Be the Death of Me - From the author of One of Us Is Lying comes a brand new pulse-pounding, 'whodunit' thriller.

Sister Secrets - Cate and Bronte Campbell are Australian sisters and international swimming superstars. Sister Secrets features personal stories of their journey to greatness and their coping strategies at times of extreme disappointment. 

Axis 360 also includes current English prescribed texts in eBook and/or Audiobook format. Titles include Dracula, Frankenstein, Romeo & Juliet, Looking for Alibrandi, Macbeth, Animal Farm, To Kill a Mockingbird, Othello, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, The Tempest, Hag-Seed, and The Crucible.

Students are encouraged to see the Library team if assistance is required accessing Axis 360.

All eBooks and Audiobook on Axis 360 are available for loan...all free of charge and all available 24/7.

The College Library

Masses will be held on Saturday 19 November and Saturday 10 December at 10am at Holy Trinity Church, 57 Guernsey Avenue, Minto.

Baptisms will be held at these masses on request. For all enquiries, please contact Sister Kerry on 9605 1838 any day or Mandy Edwards on Tuesday to Friday on 9603 9797.