Term 1 Week 6 – 9th March 2022
From the Principal
In last Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 4:1-13) Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, was led into the desert where he fasted for forty days and was tempted by the devil. It says that “during that time he (Jesus) ate nothing and at the end he was hungry, and it is here that the devil presents Jesus with three temptations. In the first temptation, we see Jesus being presented with some stones, which the Scripture indicates, resemble loaves of bread. “Then the devil said to Jesus, ‘if you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’” What this temptation represents is what is called permissiveness, in other words, do whatever you feel like doing.
Jesus was hungry and after all, it is not unreasonable nor sinful, for someone to eat some bread, especially when they’re famished. But this misses the point; Jesus was in the desert to fulfill a specific mission to fast. It is the fasting which helped Jesus to gain the spiritual strength he needed to fulfill the plan of his heavenly Father. The Scripture tells us that although Jesus was God, he humbled himself to take on human form and “became obedient, even unto death, death on a cross” (Phil 2:8). Jesus, although divine in nature, was in the desert to be obedient and it was through this obedience he would win and merit our ultimate salvation.
In reflecting on this temptation, I couldn’t help but call to mind a very popular song produced by the Rolling Stones in 1965 entitled ‘I’m Free’. Part of the lyrics to that song reads, ‘I’m free to do what I want any old time. I guess the following questions should be asked: Are we indeed free to do what we want any old time, and if we are, does that ultimately lead to personal freedom?
Lucas Hurley
Principal
From the Middle Years Curriculum Coordinator
This week you will have received the NAPLAN brochure for families (either in hard copy or electronically). NAPLAN testing occurs annually for students in Years 3, 5, 7 & 9. This year NAPLAN will be held from the 10th – 20th May. Preparations have begun to assist students in their familiarity with the NAPLAN software as NAPLAN tests are no longer paper tests. In Week 7, during Pastoral Care, students will learn how to use the public demonstration site, so they are familiar with how it operates. You can also view this site at home for students who would like more time to play around with NAPLAN at the following site: https://nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site
In Week 8 of this term, all Year 7 and Year 9 students in Australia will be taking part in the practice NAPLAN tests. This will include 2 tests, so that students are aware of the content that will be presented in the actual NAPLAN test in May.
If you have any questions regarding NAPLAN, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Year Level Coordinator or myself.
Kind Regards,
Ms Candice Slingerland
Middle Years Curriculum Coordinator
From the Front Office
National Immunisation Program 2022
In 2022 students will be offered free vaccinations recommended by the National Immunisation Program as part of a school based Vaccination program.
Students in Year 7 Will be offered a Diptheria, Tetanus & Pertussis (DTpa) vaccine and a course of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Those students who were born overseas or have a parent who was born overseas will also be offered a Mantoux test (to determine exposure the Tuberculosis)
All students in Year 9 will be offered the Meningococcal ACWY vaccine. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Years 9 and 10 are eligible to receive a pneumococcal vaccine.
Year 7 Students – TUESDAY 29th MARCH 2022
* HPV vaccine is given as a course of 2 injections over a period of 6 months*
Year 9 & 10 students – THURSDAY 24th MARCH 2022
* Aboriginal Students Year 9 & 10- Pneumococcal & Influenza
Consent
No Vaccines or Mantoux test will be given without parental consent.
Forms have been handed out to students in Pastoral Care & can be returned to Student Services as soon as possible.
For further information or queries about the school based vaccination program please contact the College or the Centre for Disease Control in your area.
Visit: https://nt.gov.au/wellbeing/healthy-living/immunisation/child-vaccinations
Start of Lent
Making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday in support of Caritas:
Ash Wednesday:
Arts News
Dear Parents/Guardians/Families,
Do you have sewing skills? Know how to use a jigsaw? Love painting stuff? well the Lion King Musical needs you!
contact kathryn.ezzy@nt.catholic.edu.au.
RTO News
Vocational Education and Training
We welcomed our new and continuing VET students for what will be an exciting and fulfilling year!
“VET where the magic happens”
Patricia Sweeney Fawcett
Managing Director – MacKillop RTO
Student Leadership News
Student leaders’ lunch
Saints News
Sport News
Community News
Please note that our leadership team has decided that newsletters will now be sent out twice a term, generally in Week 5 and 10 henceforth. The next newsletter will be Term 1 Week 10 2022. – Oren (Editor)
“Never see a need without trying to do something about it” St. Mary MacKillop