Principal’s Message

Prayer for Ash Wednesday 

Blessed are You O Lord
who gives us life and all things. 

Lead us into repentance and
renew our lives with your grace. 

May the crosses of ashes that mark our
foreheads be a reminder that we belong to your Son. 

May our worship and prayer be sustained
throughout these days of Lent. 

I ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen. 

Source: Easter Prayers for Lent and Easter, a Lenten booklet.

This prayer resource is from the website of St Columban’s Mission Society

Welcome to our latest College newsletter. As we move past the halfway mark of Term 1, I reflect on the many wonderful events our community has celebrated recently.

Ash Wednesday

The Lenten season commenced on Wednesday, 5 March. Archbishop Anthony Fisher in his recent newsletter reflected on this Jubilee Year of Hope and encouraged us “to use Lent as a time to contemplate God’s promise of a hope that doesn’t disappoint (Romans 5:5). A hope that empowers us to bear the fruits of love, to act as peacemakers, to go out to those suffering and forgotten, to share the gift of friendship, mercy, and compassion, with others and to proclaim the Gospel with joy.” 

Lent is a time for reflection, forgiveness and for waiting in hope for the promise of renewal through Christ’s Resurrection. It is a time to be compassionate and look after others. It is also a time for mending relationships and restoring peace in our lives. Teaching our children how to manage conflict peacefully is a powerful lesson that will serve them well as they journey into adulthood. Our children are our future leaders and we need to equip them with faith,  life lessons and role modelling that will enable them to make decisions with compassion and understanding, rather than resorting to conflict and human suffering as we are experiencing in our world today. Pope Francis strongly urges us to engage in interfaith dialogue as a way to promote peace and understanding. In this newsletter you will hear from some of our Year 12 students who recently had this experience at the annual  NSW Association of Studies of Religion and ISRA – Islamic Research and Sciences Academy Dinner. These students give us great hope that the future world will be a more peaceful and loving place and is in safe hands.

We continue to pray for the Holy Father, Pope Francis, as he battles pneumonia in hospital.

Opening Mass

Our College community came together on Tuesday 25 February, in faith, hope and unity for the Opening Mass at the magnificent St Mary’s Cathedral. The significance of celebrating the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year with the theme, Pilgrims of Hope, added an extra layer of meaning and inspiration to this event. It was a moment to seek blessings for the year ahead, to strengthen our commitment to learning and leadership, for Year 7 and 12 students to receive their College badges, and to acknowledge the role each of us plays in fostering a nurturing and vibrant College community. Thank you to the many parents and carers who joined us at the Cathedral and via livestream. May we rise together this year in kindness and hope for all.

Swimming Carnival

We had a spectacular day at this year’s Swimming Carnival. We were blessed with beautiful weather, and our students and staff came together to celebrate not only athletic talent but the incredible spirit that makes our school community so special. The pool was alive with enthusiasm, determination, and sportsmanship. The cheers from the sidelines were just as inspiring as the efforts in the water, with everyone encouraging their house teams and celebrating every achievement, big and small. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff and enthusiastic students who made the day such a success. Events like these remind us that while competition is exciting, the true victory lies in our unity, encouragement, and College pride. Final results are included in this newsletter.

Primary School Visits

Over the last two weeks, we have been visiting the primary feeder schools in the St George Network to connect with future students and showcase the unique features and benefits of our College. Students from Years 7 and 12, who are ex-students of the primary school, also attended these visits and were excited to reconnect with their primary schools.

College Open Day

Our College Open Day was held on Tuesday 4 March, and many students volunteered to assist with tours, displays, and entertainment. It is always a pleasure to welcome future students and their families, and our girls continue to be outstanding ambassadors for the College.

Year 7 2027 Enrolments – Now Open

We are currently accepting enrolment applications for Year 7 2027. If you have a daughter currently in Year 5 and are looking to enrol her at our College, please complete the online enrolment application via Compass. Applications for Year 7 2027 are due by end of Term 1 and enrolment interviews will take place early Term 2.

International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025

The College celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme, “March Forward,” through various engaging activities organised by our student leaders during Week 6. The festivities culminated in a whole school assembly on Friday. We were honoured to have Bronte Horder (Class of 2010) as our guest speaker. Her accomplishments as a composer, songwriter, and vocalist are remarkable. Bronte shared her journey of pursuing her dream job in Los Angeles and her current work in Australia, creating music for film and TV. Her story was truly motivational. Bronte has contributed to well-known productions like MasterChef, Married At First Sight, and Love on the Spectrum. Additionally, she received the APRA Screen Music Award for her work on LEGO Masters.

I was delighted to attend an IWD event organised by CPA Australia with seven of our student leaders. The girls were inspired by guest speakers who are leaders in Business. They also learnt about some of their continued struggles with issues such as gender pay gap and gender imbalance. In Australia, approximately 21% of women hold senior leadership positions in organisations. One of the strengths of attending an all girls school is that our students are often unaware of issues of gender inequality as all experiences in our school are for our girls. Our student leaders found it surprising that these issues still exist in Australia today.

I also attended a very special IWD morning tea organised by Sydney Catholic Schools and the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF). Our talented Year 12 student, Jacinta Drumond, performed her song, “Opportunities for All” which has become an anthem for CEF. Jacinta entered and won a competition in 2023, writing a song to celebrate the foundation. 

Beginning Teachers’ Mass

On Thursday, 13 March, I had the privilege of attending a special Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral alongside Julie Monk, our Religious Education Coordinator to bless beginning teachers from across Sydney Catholic Schools. Archbishop Anthony Fisher celebrated this beautiful Mass to bless and commission the beginning teachers in Sydney Catholic Schools as well as Sydney Catholic schools new Executive Directors, Danielle Cronin and new leaders in schools. It was a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge this new generation of educators who have chosen a career path that will shape and transform their lives and the lives of their students. To Emily, Claire, Gabriella, and Georgia, may your passion for education continue to ignite the spirit, and may your dedication inspire generations to come. Here’s to a fulfilling and rewarding career ahead.

St Ursula’s Parent Association (SUPA) Meeting

We held the first SUPA meeting for 2025 in Week 4, and it was wonderful to welcome new Year 7 parents and carers to this meeting. I was also delighted to see the return of our enthusiastic Year 8 to 12 SUPA representatives. Planning is well underway for our first event, Mother-Daughter Movie Night, which will take place in Term 2, and the Gala Dinner, scheduled for Term 3. Keep an eye on Compass and the newsletter for more details.

I am pleased to introduce to the community our 2025 SUPA Year Level Representatives:

All parents and carers are very welcome to join the Term 2 SUPA meeting to be held on Thursday 15 May 2025.

Next week Ryan Zammit, Nicole Wirth and myself are attending the International Baccalaureate Conference in Singapore. This is a great opportunity to learn, network and be part of a community focussed on this global credential.

Many blessings to you all.

Vivienne Awad
Principal