From the Principal

‘Woman, this is your son’

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala.
Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her,
Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’
Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’
And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.
John 19:25-27

On Wednesday 24th May, ten students accompanied Mr Reutens and myself to the Solemnity Mass of Our Lady, Help of Christians. At the Mass, the Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher OP spoke about the Gospel reading (John 19:25-27) where Jesus and John became mother and son. Despite being in so much pain as he was dying on the cross, Jesus still thought of others. He was concerned about his mother who would be in a very vulnerable position as a widow on her own and John who would be a young man left alone. His Grace, reminded us of the connection of this Gospel with the importance of us as human beings to be in relationship with others and the need for community; immediate and extended family, peers and colleagues, school, church and other groups we belong to. This Gospel is significant in the life of the Church as it represents the moment when Mary becomes the mother of the Church, the mother of all of us.

The Class Chefs initiative provided an exciting hands-on learning opportunity for our Year 12 Hospitality students to take the lead and run a commercial kitchen of a fine dining restaurant. The students served parents, SCS & MMCC staff and students with a 3 course meal and non alcoholic beverages.

Mr Edmond Maher, SCS Director: System Performance summed it up well when he mentioned the special meaning for Christians to gather at the table. At the Last Supper, Christ set the example of giving himself to others, the importance of breaking bread and doing this in communion with others. During the evening our students gave everything they could so that we could share a meal together. Well done girls!

We would like to thank South West Connect, Regional Industry Education Partnership (RIEP) and Cucina 105 Restaurant Liverpool for the opportunity to take part in Class Chefs 2023. A big “thank you” to our Hospitality teachers, Hospitality students and everyone who came and supported the students on the night. Please enjoy the photos of the evening included in this newsletter.

Yearbook The 2020 Yearbook has been delivered to the College and will soon be distributed to students in Years 10 to 12. Mrs Orlando is currently in the process of distributing these to ex-students. Ex-students who have sisters at the College can obtain their copy from Mrs Orlando. All other ex-students can collect their copy from the College Office. The Yearbook Committee have been working hard and the 2021 Yearbook is close to completion. They will soon start on the 2022 Yearbook which we also hope to have ready for distribution this year. Thank you to Mrs Orlando and her team of students.

One of the most valuable skills in life is being able to see another person’s perspective.

If you’re going to someone’s house, think about how it might feel to be the host. If you’re creating a product, spend as much time as possible thinking like the customer. If you’re calling customer service, think about how it might feel to be on the other end of the conversation. If you’re a teacher, think about how it might feel to be a student and vice versa.

The more clearly you understand the viewpoint of your parent or child, teacher or student, customer or colleague, the better positioned you are to find a solution.

Gilda Pussich
Principal

I acknowledge the Cabrogal of the Darug Nation as the original inhabitants of Fairfield City, who are the Traditional Custodians of this Land in which the College stands. I also pay respect to the Elders both past and present and future of the Darug Nation. I acknowledge their rich culture and unique role here in the Fairfield region. Their heritage and traditions are important to us all, and part and parcel of the great history of Australia.

Anthony Cleary: ‘What does it mean to be Catholic?’ Here’s my reply – Catholic Weekly 26 May

Anthony Cleary: ‘What does it mean to be Catholic?’ Here’s my reply

At a time when objective truths are increasingly contested and language is weaponised for the purposes of ideology, it is appropriate to re-affirm what it means to be Catholic.

Each Sunday Catholics profess a belief in “one, holy, catholic and apostolic” church and affirm a core set of beliefs in a creed that dates to the early church.

The term “Catholic” means different things to different people, however.

Many ask, “What does it mean to be Catholic?” It is a question I am often asked when I visit schools.

The word Catholic was first used by St Ignatius of Antioch, who referred to the universal, all-encompassing and welcoming nature of the Church. He said, “Where there is Christ Jesus, there is the Catholic Church.”

Jesus is at the heart of the Church. Catholics are called to be disciples and witnesses of Jesus.

We are sent out to proclaim the good news and to continue his mission.

Throughout his public ministry, Jesus’ words and actions healed the spiritual and physical wounds of those he encountered.

As the Body of Christ, the church is called and empowered to carry on this work and take seriously the “joys and the hopes, the grief and the anxieties” of others, and seek to respond as Christ did: in love, truth and compassion.

We live out his great commandment to “love God and love others.”

Pope Benedict XVI situated the mission of the church within this love. It is threefold: to proclaim the Word of God, celebrate the sacraments and exercise the ministry of charity.

When undertaking this universal mission, she recognises the need to place her work within the local context.

Thus there is great diversity in the public expression and liturgical worship of the Catholic faith. Within this diversity, however, there is always unity.

The communion of Catholic churches are united around the pope, the successor of St Peter. While St Peter established the early Christian church in Rome, many of the other apostles founded other faith communities as they spread the message of the Gospel.

From the Assistant Principal

It has been a very busy start to Term 2 with many learning opportunities being given to our girls either in class or extra curricular. It is lovely walking through the playgrounds and into classrooms witnessing the learning and collaboration occurring, however, teenage years can be difficult with many changes taking place.

Parenting Ideas 

There has been considerable research indicating that anxiety in our students has increased since the Covid-19 pandemic. Please find below a summary of an article by Dr Jodi Richardson from Parenting Ideas with some tips on anxiety in secondary school students.

Anxiety in Secondary School Kids

• Anxiety is common and treatable, but it’s also something that can be scary and confusing and occurs to many of us.
• In Australia, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will experience anxiety in their lifetime. That’s an average of 25 per cent of the population.
• Nervousness, stress and anxiety are normal reactions to logical circumstances. What to look out for in your daughter is if she is reacting anxiously to situations where there’s no danger present, her reaction is out of proportion to the circumstances or she can’t participate in normal daily activities.
• Possible symptoms of anxiety in teenagers include: • Difficulty concentrating • Poor memory • Mind racing • Difficulty sleeping • Always tired • Feeling edgy • Avoidance behaviour • Stomach pains • Chest pain • Shakiness • Nausea • Diarrhoea • Sweating

Tips for Positive Parenting

1. Maintain open lines of communication with your teen by regularly spending one-on-one time together, having fun together and making yourself available at a regular time each day for an uninterrupted chat.
2. If you think your daughter is experiencing anxiety, talk to her about it and seek advice from a medical practitioner.
3. Help your teenager understand what’s going on in their body and brain when they are experiencing anxiety.
4. An effective way to slow anxiety is to take deliberate, slower breaths (in for 3, hold for 1, out for 3).
5. Mindfulness is a superpower for the anxious brain and there are lots of great ways to help teenagers learn.
6. If your daughter is worrying excessively over something, acknowledge this and reassure her.
7. Help your daughter to discover her values so she can take action in the direction of what really matters to her despite feeling anxious.

Compass Student Attendance

To ensure that the College has correct attendance records for your daughter and that you are aware of your daughter’s absence, a text message (SMS) with a link is sent to parents/carers in the primary household. Please click on the link to explain your daughter’s absence. Only one household parent needs to reply.

Using the link will alleviate the need to send a written note explaining the absence. Please respond the same day the text (SMS) has been sent as the link will automatically disappear resulting in the need for you to provide a hand written note for the absence.

Please contact Grace Labbozzetta, by email grace.labbozzetta@syd.catholic.edu.au or phone 9725 4322, if you require any assistance in the use of Compass. In addition to attendance information, Compass allows you to access your daughter’s School Reports and view what she is learning.

Lost Property

Please ensure student names are labelled on all articles of clothes. There have been some lost items that have not been labelled and are in Lost Property.

Thank you for your continued support of the College.

Mrs Christine Harding

Coming Events

VET – Girls in Construction

Girls in Construction

Two young women from MMCC are breaking the gender stereotypes surrounding women in construction. Rita Sheikh and Maryana Kamal, both current Year 11 students, are enrolled in the Certificate II in Construction Pathways at St Yon’s Trade Skills Centre in Bankstown.

They are the only girls in their construction class and are held in high esteem by both their teacher and fellow students, who recognise their hard work and dedication. Both Rita and Maryana have already achieved competency in Task 1 of their course.

The girls have said that the course has provided them with ‘real world’ experiences. This has included the fact that both girls have to catch a bus and two trains in order to attend their class at St Yon’s, which they happily do because they enjoy their course. They have further learnt how to use hand tools and gained relevant industry information regarding legislative requirements. They will get the opportunity to put in to practise the skills they have learnt in their construction course when they attend their work placement in Weeks 9 and 10, this term.

Post school, Maryana would like to pursue a career in Carpentry, while Rita would like to further pursue a Diploma in Construction at TAFE and use the Diploma to gain access into a Bachelor of Construction Management at university.

We are proud of both girl’s accomplishments thus far and determination to achieve their post school pathway. Well done on striving to embody the Wakeley way!

Maria Fassoulas

Leader of Learning – Vocational Education and Training, Pathways and Partnerships

SCS Dance Eisteddfod

Congratulations to our MMCC dance groups who competed in the Jazz, Cultural and Hip Hop sections of the SCS Dance Eisteddfod at MSJ Milperra and placed second and third! Thank you to all our dance students for representing MMCC and always giving a 100% effort. It is a huge team effort over 3 terms and we are very proud of your achievements.  

Mrs Pauline Jeffrey

PDHPE/CAPA Teacher

Senior Jazz – 3rd Place

Mixed Jazz Team – 4th Place

Hip Hop Crew

Cultural – 2nd

SCS Cross Country Championships

On a chilly Tuesday, sixteen MMCC students represented the College at the Sydney Catholic Schools Cross Country Championships. This event saw all Catholic schools from all four conferences in Sydney compete at Sydney Motorsport Park.

All the girls tried their hardest on a tough running course. Special mentions must be made to the following students

• Mikaela Farrugia placed 5th out of 39 and will compete at the next round. Mikaela also placed 1st in Conference 4.
• Isabel Soria who placed 12th out of 39. Isabel also placed 3rd in SCS Conference 4 and will compete at the next round
• Charmaine Muchina who placed 2nd out of 11 in SCS Conference 4.

Students who made it to the next level will compete at the NSWCCC Cross Country Championships to be held on Thursday 13th June. We wish them all the best!

Mr Christopher Shelston
Sports Coordinator

Teacher vs Student Championship – Netball

In 2023, the Teacher vs Student Championship has been expanded to include more events.

Year 12 students have gone head to head against our teachers in a variety of different sports. So far this year, the teachers and students have competed in dodgeball and most recently, netball. Next we have School of Origin, our touch football game, and our MMCC variation of Family Feud.

Despite the teachers winning the dodgeball match in Term 1, the Year 12 students have made a defining comeback by beating the teachers 10-7 in netball on Friday 19th May. This championship has left the school anticipating who will be crowned champions for 2023 – Will it be the year 12 students or their rival teachers?

A massive “thank you” to everyone who has participated and been a part of these competitions so far, as a player, referee or spectator. Bring on game 3!

Hayley Zappia
College House Captain

Year 11 Hospitality Buddha Bowls

Library Update

As  many students are now embarking on the preparation, planning and completion of their Term 2 assessment tasks, it is a good time to refresh our knowledge and understanding  of effective research skills. 

Effective Research Tips

IMC Writers’ Club Calling all budding writers!                                       Do you enjoy writing in your spare time? Do you like to experiment with different writing styles and forms ?  Would you like to receive guidance and feedback to further develop your writing skills? Would you like to enter your writing into competitions? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then come along to the IMC Writers’ Club.  The group will meet every Tuesday lunchtime in the IMC. Bring along examples of your work and engage in a range of writing activities designed to enhance your skills and creativity.

Displays

		Blackout poetry Blackout poetry (also known as erasure) is a unique way of creating poetry. In wide reading lessons, students were given pages from a novel and asked to blackout any unnecessary words to reveal a poem created with the words remaining on the page. Students developed creative responses and some also included unique designs on the page that reflected their poem’s theme or message.
Year 10 Design Project Year 10 students have been studying the work of Diebedo Francis Kere – an architect from Burkino Faso who won the 2022 Pritzker Architecture prize. Their wonderful clay models have been created to further understand his work and philosophy that architecture can be a source of joy and happiness.
		National Sorry Day On Friday 26th May, we acknowledged the injustices faced by the Stolen Generation and work towards a a reconciled future. Our display recognises the unique work of Aboriginal authors and encourages students to explore these rich texts which provide insight into culture and belonging.

The Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) Celebrates 10 Years!

NAIDOC Family Fun Day

SCECS – We are hiring!

Free Adult English Classes

CORE Free Activities