Term 2 Week 5 – 18th May 2022
From the Principal
This Tuesday, 24 May is our local Parish Feast Day; the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians. This feast has its origin going back to 1571 AD, a time when Europe was facing imminent invasion from the Ottoman Empire, whose forces vastly outnumbered the Catholic naval fleet. Catholics around Europe prayed the Rosary, and on 7 October that year, their prayers were answered when a miraculous victory was won at what is called ‘The Battle of Lepanto’. The feast day of Our Lady Help of Christians has been celebrated in Australia since 1844, but the history to this day dates back to 1815. Napoleon Bonaparte had jailed Pope Pius VI, who died in jail. When Pope Pius VII was elected, he too was jailed by Bonaparte, who kept him prisoner at Fontainebleau, France. The Pope vowed that if he was released, he would institute a special feast in honour of Mary. The Catholic army was again victorious through Mary’s intercession, and Bonaparte was forced to release the Pope. On May 24 1814 Pius VII returned to Rome. Subsequently, a year later the Pope decreed that the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians was to be kept on 24 May. The early Church in Australia had a special reason for turning to Mary. In the early days of British settlement, the only Catholics were Irish convicts, and at the time, because the Catholic Mass was outlawed, it was the Rosary that kept the faith alive. Catholics is Australia remained faithful to Mary, and Australia was the first nation to have, as its Patroness, Our Lady Help of Christians. Please feel free to join us for a whole College Mass at 9:45am Tuesday 24 May. Our Lady Help of Christians, Pray for us.
Lucas Hurley
Principal
The Battle of Lepanto
Catholic Identity News
Year 8.1 Campfire Gospel Stories and Discussion
From the Youth Ministry Team
Academic Studies News
Dear MacKillop Community,
Thank you for all of your support in the past 2 weeks of NAPLAN. It has been a busy couple of weeks with 250 students completing 4 tests in 10 days. This kind of effort does not occur without the support coming from all of you, students, parents and teachers. When the results come through later in the year, we will be able to identify and understand our strengths and areas of development to improve our students outcomes.
As NAPLAN concludes, we will be having a look at subject selection for Semester 2 in the Middle Years. Please keep an eye out for subject selection forms coming home in the near future.
As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Curriculum Team, Mr Plummer, Mr Fryckowski or myself.
Salam Hangat,
Ms Candice Slingerland
Middle Years Curriculum Coordinator
Pastoral Care News
Please see the latest item in the MacKillop Pastoral Care portal where you can learn all about gratitude: https://www.mackillopnt.catholic.edu.au/pastoralcareportal/gratitude/ 
Arts News
Costume and Set Progress
Rehearsal Schedule
Upcoming Art Exhibition
2022 Magazine Cover Art Competition
RTO News
RTO News
VET students in action…. Dylan is doing a Piece to Camera (presenting) with a green-screen background. It is important to get the lighting right or the green-screen effect will not work properly. The work has begun!! Cert II Conservation and Ecosystem students have been busy landscaping the gardens at the VET Centre with Mr Anderson. The irrigation has been laid, cardboard was placed under the topsoil to help stop the weeds. They are looking forward to planting flowers and trees in the week to come. Workplace Skills students enjoying their new space in the VET Centre. Courses available in Semester 2 Please get your EOI forms in by week 7. AHC10120 – Certificate I in Conservation and Ecosystem Management (Wednesday) BSB10120 – Certificate I in Workplace Skills (Monday).
Managing Director – MacKillop RTO
International News
Saints News
The start of Term 2 has been full on for the MacKillop Saints. Coming out from an historic club season in Term 1, in which both our boys and girls teams fought through into the Semi Finals, Term 2 included the Eels Cup and our presentation evening. Our boys and girls teams also both participated in the finals of the Eels cup, although we unfortunately did not retain our trophies this year. Our Presentation Night was a fantastic opportunity for players, families, staff and community supporters to get together to acknowledge the many achievements of Saints players over the past year. Particular congratulations to the following players:
- Eels Cup Best on Ground Medals – Eva Kay and Koen Hughes
- Players Player (girls) – Paige McCourt
- Lead with Courage Award (girls) – Peyton Reid
- Girls Best and Fairest (Most Valuable Player) – Jade Moir
- Boys Most Improved – Jack Elliot
- Boys Coaches Award – Jack Yewsang
- Boys Best and Fairest (Most Valuable Player) – David Stevens
- David Graham Medal – Harry Heath
- Shanoah Leedie Medal – Natalia Grant
- Club Person of the Year – Koen Hughes
- MacKillop Saints 2022 Scholarship – Koen Hughes
Thank you also to our ever-supportive sponsors, particularly Natalie from Snap Fitness Coolalinga and Bruce from the Rugby Shop Darwin who joined us to present awards on the night. We also recently hosted NRL competition players Brian Norrie and Millie Boyle, who spoke to our teams about options with VET pathways while pursuing a career in the NRL. It was great to hear their stories and learn from their advice. We now get a chance to slow down a little bit, but the year is far from over. Coming up in 2022 before the recommencement of the new Rugby season in October we have our traditional series of inter-school tournaments, including the Top End Shield, Knights Cup, Palmerston Cup and Academy Cup, as well as Grade of Origin and hopefully a bit of touring. We look forward to another exciting year ahead for the Saints and thank everyone who has contributed to the success of the last 12 months.
Kent Brockman
Investigative Sports Journalist
Sport News
Inclusion News
Positive Partnerships Workshop
Community News
