From the Principal
Prayer
Venerable Nano Nagle, Pray for us.
Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Staff
Recently I again came across some reading material which I would like to share with you during Lent and in the lead up to Easter, a time for contemplation and reflection.
‘As part of our Catholic and Christian faith, we believe that Jesus Christ lived a life without sin and selflessly gave it away for our sake. It’s easy to remember that
Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection and prevalence over sin, but too often we chalk it up to a simple: “Thanks for saving me Jesus!”
Here are eight thought-provoking quotes that can help you understand what Christ did for us on an even deeper level.
- Jesus said: I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die… John 11:25-26
- “A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act.” Mahatma Gandhi
- “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” St. Augustine
Christ died for our sins so we can reach an eternal life in Heaven (YouTube).
- “If man had his way, the plan of redemption would be an endless and bloody conflict. In reality, salvation was bought not by Jesus’ fist, but by His nail-pierced hands; not by muscle but by love; not by vengeance but by forgiveness; not by force but by sacrifice. Jesus Christ our Lord surrendered in order that He might win; He destroyed His enemies by dying for them and conquered death by allowing death to conquer Him.” A.W. Tozer
- “Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there.”Clarence W. Hall
- “Easter was when Hope in person surprised the whole world by coming forward from the future into the present.” N.T. Wright
- “The joyful news that He is risen does not change the contemporary world. Still before us lie work, discipline, sacrifice. But the fact of Easter gives us the spiritual power to do the work, accept the discipline, and make the sacrifice.” – Henry Knox Sherrill
- “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.” – Pope John Paul II’ ( Adapted from https://www.catholic.org/lent/story.php?id=68119)
I truly hope that these thought-provoking quotes make a difference to your Easter celebrations with your families. We live in such challenging times making it imperative for all of us to be courageous enough to take the time to stop, reflect and spend valuable quality time with our loved ones.
Celebrating Easter through prayer with your families may help you to truly understand the miracle Jesus performed for you, your children and the world.
We give thanks also for all the Prayers for healing and to the wonderful medical team at Gemelli Hospital in
Rome, for pulling our Holy Father, Pope Francis, through his grave illness. Let us continue to pray for our Holy Father and hope that he will, to some degree, be able to be a part of the Holy Easter celebrations.
Charity in Action
Over the past couple of weeks, our College has witnessed enthusiastic participation and commitment to the traditions and values that we uphold as a Catholic Presentation community. An example is the Monday afternoon Vinnies Sandwich Making initiative, which is, and has always been, well supported by a large group of enthusiastic students after school, along with teaching staff, not to mention those members of our community who donate fresh items for this very important cause. Another example is the money raised through a variety of means for Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion. The fundraising events held last week which you will read about, are a testament to ‘charity in action’, exhibiting teamwork and generosity for worthwhile causes. I am immensely proud of our student leaders who continue to challenge themselves to find new and creative ways to engage our school community and invite them to dig deep and generously for Project Compassion, such as the unique Domremy Family Feud which was staged last week. As there are three more weeks until the end of Lent, we are reminded that these funds go directly to Caritas Australia to assist communities who have very little.
I thank our very generous community. Despite many feeling the pinch during these challenging times with rising costs of living, our staff, students and families alike, come together and pitch in what they can to ensure those that are hit hardest receive the support they need. Our community’s generosity truly shines. It is heartwarming to see such a collective effort which not only goes on to provide immediate relief, but also fosters a sense of unity and camaraderie with those less fortunate, and resilience in our community, proving that even in tough times, our community’s spirit of giving remains strong.
Online safety for our students and immediate changes to access to social media for all students
I ask parents and carers to be across the measures which Sydney Catholic Schools has brought in, with immediate effect, to restrict access by students to unauthorised educational applications and by blocking social media access on the school network. A letter from the Executive Director of SCS will have been received by parents and carers this week and further information including a flyer, can be found in this issue. I thank parents and carers in advance for their support and understanding of these measures which are effective immediately within our schools, even though the legislation to which they relate does not come into force until December this year.
Parent Information Seminars
The College has recently organised a series of parent information seminars, addressing the critical issues of drug and alcohol use among adolescents, alongside focusing on effective parenting strategies in order to raise confident and capable children. These initiatives underscore the College’s commitment to working collaboratively with families to support the holistic development of young people. By providing parents with essential information and practical tools, the College aims to empower parents and carers to navigate the challenges of adolescence and foster resilience in their children. This partnership is vital, as it ensures a consistent and supportive environment both at school and at home, ultimately contributing to the well-being, resilience, happiness and success of each student.
I would like to thank Mr Paul Dillon, who presented to our Years 10 to 12 students and, that same evening, backed it up with a fabulous and informative seminar for Years 7 to 12 parents on the challenges faced around the issues of drugs, alcohol consumption and vaping. Our next seminar for Years 7 to 12 parents is on Tuesday 8 April, with Dr Judith Locke, Clinical Psychologist and a former teacher, who delivers child wellbeing sessions to parents, teachers and students. If you are at all able to attend I would encourage you to do so.
Year 7 and 11 Interim Parent Student Teacher Interviews
Parent/Student/Teacher (PST) Interviews in all years have an extremely important role in forging the educational partnership between the College and families. They give parents and carers an opportunity to touch base with their daughters’ teachers who are available to discuss progress thus far and develop goals and strategies to further enhance students’ academic success.
Years 7 and 11 PST Interviews are scheduled to take place this coming Monday 31 March from 9am – 6pm via Zoom. There will be no formal lessons for all students in Years 7 to 12 on this day and students will remain at home (other than Year 12 students who may have exams scheduled). I strongly encourage our students to use this time wisely, to catch up on, or continue with, their school work from home. The PST interviews are an opportunity for parents to gain an insight into how their daughters are developing; for instance, how their Year 7 student is transitioning into high school, or how their Year 11 student is transitioning into Stage 6. We hope you have made bookings for your interviews via the links shared via Compass.
Optional HSC Holiday Revision Workshops
During the upcoming Easter School Holidays, Year 12 teachers are offering our Year 12 students a variety of HSC Holiday Revision Workshops. Sydney Catholic Schools is also offering HSC Revision online classes via Zoom. These are optional, but just as we don’t rest on our laurels at Domremy College, I would strongly encourage students to make the most of such opportunities to engage in review activities that will refresh their understanding of content and develop their skills in applying their knowledge. Information relating to both of these opportunities has been sent home via Compass and The Parent Weekly.
On a final note…
As we race towards the end of term, I extend my sincere gratitude to our dedicated staff, wonderful students, and supportive families. May blessings be upon you all. Thank you for your continued commitment to our endeavors; we wish you and your families all the best.
Mrs Antoinette McGahan, College Principal
