We are nourished for a purpose

The word covenant in a biblical sense reflects the unconditional promise of faithfulness and love between God and humanity. 

I am delighted to be teaching a wonderful Year 11 Studies of Religion class who are studying Judaism at the moment. One of the core elements of this study is for them to understand the significance of the covenant especially how it impacts and is lived out among Jewish believers in their everyday lives. This special relationship between God and his people, this promise of faithfulness and compassion is one that Christians also enjoy in a particularly heightened way through the enfleshment of that covenant in the person of Jesus.  

Last weekend many young people celebrated their First Holy Communion and I am attending a celebration this weekend with one of the children of one of my staff. It is a well-timed celebration coinciding with the feast of the body and blood of Christ – Corpus Christi.

Each time we receive communion, we believe that the intimacy of the covenant, that personal and unfailing relationship between God and ourselves is renewed and nourished.  

We are nourished for a purpose. We are challenged to live our lives in this relationship with God every day in and through our everyday encounters with others. 

Fr Brian Glesson cp writes:

“Communion with Him is essentially defective and even an empty sham, if we ignore or neglect Him in our poor, needy, and struggling sisters and brothers…”.

He further quotes St John Chrysostom who said: 

“…Do you wish to honour the body of Christ?  Do not ignore him when he is naked. Do you not pay him homage in the temple clad in silk, only then to neglect him outside where he is cold and ill-clad?. He who said “This is my body”, is the same one who said ,”You saw me hungry and gave me no food” and  “Whatever you did to the least of my brothers and (sisters) you did also to me”…” 

“The Eucharist then,” writes Fr Glesson cp , “…means that we are people called and sent out on a mission… to reach out to others… (and) that the special meaning of the Eucharist, but one that is too often overlooked or neglected, is that it is about “going out to make a better world…” .

Our Jewish brothers and sisters call this Tikkun Olam, “to repair the world”, and to restore it to its original relational wholeness  – Holiness by another name. 

There are and will be many whom you know who will need your support today.

There are also many others whom you do not know who also need your faith to be active in word and deed, like the Sri Lankan family who has been held in detention on Christmas Island since 2019. I am confident that not one family in our Ursuline school would want this to continue for these children and their parents. It would not be what we would want for ANY child or family. 

What should our response be? 

I would ask you to consider signing the petition to free this family.

Our Wonder Women 

Elsewhere in this newsletter, you will find a report about our most recent spectacular celebrating Wonder Women across history. 

My thanks to the many staff who prepared the girls and who supported them as they rehearsed, to those staff who were in the background in hospitality, in marketing, in welcoming visitors to the College. I am a very blessed Principal to have so many staff who want to be part of this wonderful celebration with our girls. 

My special thanks of course to each and every girl who participated and those who came to support their friends. This is what builds College spirit and your cheering and joyfulness was inspiring. 

These girls did not settle for Good, they strove and achieved Greatness.

And thank you to the many grandparents, parents and carers, brothers and sisters who came along on two packed nights. I am sure that you were delighted by the fantastic skills and talents demonstrated in song, in dance and in music. 

Well done to all involved! 

I wonder how we will top that in 2022?  

Mary Leask 

Principal

WONDER-ful nights at the School Spectacular

The School Spectacular was an unforgettable experience.

All the performances from the bands, choirs, dancers, singers, actors and teachers made the night one to remember.

Special thanks to the Performing Arts Department, Hospitality teachers and students, staff and support staff, who worked extremely hard to make this event possible. We also thank the Year 11 and Year 12 Entertainment classes for working tirelessly backstage to ensure the show ran smoothly and seamlessly. 

A big thank you to the Girralong Committee for dedicating endless hours leading up to the show to make this event possible. And finally, thank you to the audience for coming along on both nights to support us!

It was truly a WONDER-ful event.

Alice Pham

Year 12 Co-host, School Spectacular

Pupil-free days – Thursday, 24 and Friday, 25 June 2021

Keeping our community safe: It’s a driver’s responsibility

Every afternoon our students are at risk from dangerous driving practices on Caroline Street. There have been a number of parent and student complaints, and recently parents have also been fined by Bayside Council. Please note that Bayside Council does not inform the College of when they will be patrolling the area. 

If you need to pick your child up from the College, we suggest a safer option would be to organise to meet her at Dowsett Park or in an adjoining street, away from the bus zones and crossings. If you need to pick her up at the front of the College, please obey the parking signs and traffic rules. In particular, do not double park. This is dangerous, is an offence in a school zone and blocks traffic flow. 

Caroline Street has very clear signage regarding what is permitted in front of the College:

Clarification of No Parking 

You must not stop or park your vehicle: 

• alongside another parked vehicle (double park) 
• across a driveway, unless you’re picking up or dropping off passengers 
• on a median strip, unless a sign says you can 
• on a traffic island 
• within an intersection 
• on a children’s crossing or pedestrian crossing 
• on a railway level crossing 
• on footpaths and nature strips, unless a sign says you can 
• in a slip lane, unless a sign says you can. 

Your parked vehicle must not block the flow of traffic or become a danger to other road users. In some places, you must not park at certain times or under certain conditions.

‘No Parking’ signs

You must not park on a road or in an area where there’s a ‘No Parking’ sign. This may be all the time or at certain times, as shown on the sign. 

You can stop for less than 2 minutes if you stay within 3m of your vehicle, if you are:

• dropping off or picking up passengers 
• loading or unloading items. 

Please note that Bayside Council does not inform the College of when they will be patrolling the area. If you park for more than 2 minutes you will be booked, e.g. if you arrive at 2.45pm and wait for your daughter to exit the school at 3.02pm. 

If you have a Mobility Parking Scheme (MPS) permit, you can stop for up to 5 minutes. 

School Drop-off and Pick-up zone

Our school in Bayside Council uses No Parking areas, signed as ‘Drop-off / Pick-up Zones’, ‘Kiss and Ride’, or ‘Kiss and Drop Zones’.

These areas are always on the school side of the road and are designated by ‘No Parking’ signs. 

They provide a safe spot for parents and carers to drop off and collect their children from school by car. Drivers may drop off and pick up passengers legally within a two-minute timeframe (see No Parking guidelines above).

You cannot double park in this area. 

Bus Zones

You must not stop in the direction of the arrow or arrows on the sign, unless you’re driving a public bus. Some bus zones have times shown. You can stop or park your vehicle outside those times. 

Our College has designated bus zones in the morning and afternoon, as well as Tuesday Physical Activity times. 

Bus Zone signage is clearly indicated on both sides of the zone. 

Parking and School Zone Offences 

• Disobey ‘No Parking’ sign (school zone) = 3 demerit points and $194 
• Stop in bus zone (school zone) = 2 demerit points and $349 
• Double park in a school zone = 2 demerit points and $349 
• Drive using mobile phone in a school zone = 5 demerit points and $464 
• Not reverse vehicle safely (school zone) = 3 demerit points and $272 
• Stop on/across driveway/other access to/from land (school zone) = 2 demerit points and $349
• Driver not safely begin a U-Turn without obstructing traffic (school zone) = 3 demerit points and $349

Laura Gant

Assistant Principal

Jesus was a teacher – he showed others how to see the world in a different way

This week’s Gospel is a wonderful example of the teaching style of Jesus. It even tells us that ‘he would not speak to them except in parables’. Jesus used the parable form almost exclusively to share his message. He used imagery that was familiar to his audience; parables about the everyday life of a rural community involving seeds, planting, growing and harvesting. The secret of Jesus’ parables, when we understand the cultural context, is that there was always a ‘twist in the tale’ – what is called a ‘discombobulating shift’ – that turns the expected outcome of the story on its head.

Hidden meanings

This is nowhere more evident than in the image of the mustard seed. On the surface, the parable is about the Kingdom of God starting from very small, humble beginnings and growing into something great. However, immediately prior to this kingdom parable, Jesus reminded us that the community makes a living out of growing grain crops like wheat for bread, etc. His parable about the mustard seed describes a tiny seed that grows into a great shrub, ‘so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade’. A farming community that was growing grain crops would be greatly alarmed at the thought of actually attracting birds to their fields or even nearby. Jesus’ message about the Kingdom of God is that it is actually disruptive and invasive. The kingdom brings unrest and disquiet to the predictable. The Kingdom of God is unsettling and it should be! This is a much more challenging parable than it appears from a literal reading.

The references to the Kingdom of God in the gospels always carry a paradox. It exists in the present, yet is something to be achieved in the future. It is here, but not yet. If we live ‘as if’ we are living in the kingdom here and now, then we hasten its coming. The Kingdom of God is not a place but a way in which the world operates. It is a kingdom that is ruled by justice and gives precedence to those who are regarded as nothing in the world. It is a kingdom of promise and hope that inspires and calls all people to more than they currently are. 

Teaching through analogy

Jesus sought to describe the Kingdom of God by comparison and analogy – ‘The Kingdom of God is like … ’; ‘To what can we compare the kingdom of God?’ He never gave a lecture about the kingdom, rather, he painted a picture in terms that were readily recognised by his audience but forced them to think differently about the image he used. It forced them to think about themselves and their world in a different way. Kingdom parables begin innocently enough with a familiar image but very quickly shift to a challenge about the way we normally perceive things. The kingdom is often portrayed as a contradiction.

The first parable in the Gospel passage describes the unerring work of the kingdom. It is like the seed that almost magically transforms into a fully grown plant that may be harvested – apparently without any external forces. Of course, we know that plants need to be fed, watered, weeded and nurtured to ensure their proper growth. However, the Kingdom of God works in our lives in a similar way – if we feed and nurture it, the kingdom will produce a great harvest. Even if we don’t pay it attention, the kingdom is present and acting in our world.

Let us work to feed and nurture the Kingdom of Heaven – in our actions and our words. In the way that we deal with others, in our own personal interactions and our personal integrity. 

Prayer for this week

Julie Monk

Religious Education Coordinator

200 years of Catholic Education: Houses at St Ursula’s

In 2021, the College introduced six new Houses to galvanise school spirit, embed the history of the College in everyday life and build activities around promoting the House Cup.

Each House has been named after a significant woman involved in our Ursuline story. Each House also has a symbol, motto and colour.

This week, we will explore the significance of three of the Houses – Girelli, Sheahan and Rowland.

GIRELLI – Insieme: United in Thought

The Girelli House was named after the Girelli sisters, Elisabetta Girelli and Maddalena Girelli. They established an organisation with the aim of providing maternal love to many pregnant women, as well as a spiritual preparation for youth. The Girelli’s established boarding schools, the Angelini Orphanage, and also set up a nursery school.

The Girelli sisters reinvigorated the Ursuline Sisters in Italy after the were nearly wiped out by Napoleon. They restored the Merician Institute in Brescia – the birthplace of the Ursulines. The House symbol of two women united in thought represents the Girelii sisters who had a common goal to look after and care for young women. They had a common desire and commitment to the spiritual training of young women.

Zafira Leontsinis, Year 11 House Captain, hopes to build community spirit by encouraging others to get involved in House activities. The competitive nature of the activities allows each student to unlock their potential and have fun!

Teacher House Leader – Mr Boscov

SHEAHAN – Insieme: United in Growth

The Sheahan House was named after Sister Ursula Sheahan, who offered spiritual guidance to young people and intellectual awakening. Sister Ursula Sheehan was the first Principal of St Ursula’s College Kingsgrove, when it opened in 1957. She detailed the history of the Ursuline sisters in Kingsgrove in her book Green Pastures.

In the House symbol, the crucifix represents Christianity and the religious school St Ursula Sheahan established. Wheat symbolises growth, guidance and prosperity – all principles of this Ursuline community.

Alice Mason, Year 11 House Captain, enjoys leading the House as all students experience a sense of belonging and develop skills in teamwork.

Teacher House Leader – Mrs Nader

ROWLAND – Insieme: United in Integrity

The Rowland House was named after Sister Cordula Rowland, as she was an Ursuline nun and taught at a boarding school run by the Ursuline Sisters. She was very focused on creativity, teaching Art and English, and advocated for equality, development and growth in education for all students. When the Ursuline Sisters journeyed to Australia, she painted an image of their ship, the Duchess of Edinburgh. She was a gifted educator who placed emphasis on the formation of character.

The symbol of the paintbrush and palette represent Sister Rowland’s creativity and the way in which she integrated it into all her work.

Stephanie Zygouras, Year 11 House Captain, seeks to provide a positive environment that encourages all girls to participate in all activities, both involving sport and other pursuits. 

Teacher House Leader – Mr Fewkes

Jessica Touma

Religious Education Teacher

Reflections from the 2021 Winter Sleepout

I have been blessed to work at St Ursula’s College for 11 years. In that time, I have come to know our community as a place filled with generosity, kindness and love. This year, our Term 2 Outreach once again called us to love.  

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Gal 5:14 

We are called as Christians to not only ask who our neighbour is, but as my Year 12 SOR class would say, “ we are challenged to BE the neighbour” for those around us.

We may sometimes assume that, with its million dollar homes and great selection of schools, Kingsgrove may not be a place where I need to be a neighbour – but we know the reality is different. Within our own local community groups such as Vinnies and One Meal, we help families each day with food items, clothing, assistance to pay bills and support with companionship and friendship. These are all tangible ways of being a neighbour. 

As a community built on Gospel principles, we too are called to be the neighbour. During Weeks 7 and 8, the back of our College Chapel became our Serviam Supermarket. It was filled with hundreds of items that were packed during the Winter Sleepout and distributed to Vinnies, One Meal Kingsgrove and One Meal Riverwood. 

The Winter Sleepout gave our community and the Mini Vinnie’s from OLF the opportunity to come together and learn about the issues of homelessness in Sydney. We are thankful for Josie Charbel, herself a former St Ursula’s student who now coordinates the Vinnies Vans in Sydney, for coming to present during the evening. We learnt about the causes of homelessness and some of the myths surrounding who is homeless. As a group, we were also invited to take part in concrete ways of helping – snack packs, toiletry packs and knitting blankets are all warmly appreciated. 

Before bedding down on the cold floor, we packed over 650 snack packs and toiletry packs! They will be distributed this week through Vinnies Kingsgrove and One Meal services in Kingsgrove, Riverwood and Miranda. 

The evening saw us try and get some sleep but our cold and uncomfortable night is unfortunately a reality for many of our neighbours each day. I am incredibly proud of the girls who chose to be a neighbour, for taking up the challenge to Chase the Change and stepping out of their comfort zone. As a group, they raised approx. $2200, which will be forwarded to the Kingsgrove Conference of Vinnies to support our local neighbours. 

My deep appreciation to the staff who helped support the evening – Mrs Katacos, Mrs Hunter, Miss Touma, Ms Melas, Ms Grimm, Ms Sukkar, Ms D’Souza, Ms Gant, Mrs Bosnich, Mrs Mileto, Mrs Sladen, Ms Guiffre and Mrs Leask. A special thank you to the College support staff who helped with all the behind the scenes organisation. Last but not least, thank you to Mrs Monk and Ms Morabito for staying overnight with me in the Merici Hall. It was a wonderful community celebration of Serviam!

Antoinette Nader

Youth Ministry Coordinator

My father likes to tell me, no matter how tough life gets, to find hope in the fact that the sun will always rise and it’s an opportunity to start again and that when we take our last breath, then we find our hope in God’s Son who rose! 

The Winter Sleepout started as I expected, familiar friendly faces, laughter and good vibes. Soon after the lights dropped, so did the temperature and so did the vibrant vibe. Reality kicked in and it started to hurt my body and my soul. My mind immediately focused on the poor homeless – “how do they do this every night, laying on the unforgiving hard icy floor?” Every minute felt like an eternity! My father’s words came to mind “the sun will always rise.” How I longed for the warmth of the sun to wake me, so that I could go home, shower eat and sleep on a bed in a climate-controlled environment! I couldn’t see how these comforting words would apply to the poor and homeless and their situation, but, with my new found appreciation for their struggles, I will endeavour to be the light of hope in a hopeless situation. I will do all that I can for them and to raise awareness, so that maybe one day they can hope in the coming of a new dawn and, like me, draw strength from the Risen Son and find joy, peace and hope in the rising of the sun! 

Mya Kazzi

Year 10

On Friday, I took part in the Vinnies Winter Sleepout. The night was an enjoyable experience, where we got a chance to learn about homelessness. On the night, we prepared packs of toiletries and food, played board games, learnt to knit and watched an amazing movie called The Public. However, it wasn’t all just about having an enjoyable time, but having empathy for those who experience homelessness every day. The night’s sleep wasn’t as glamorous and comfortable as sleeping in the comfort of your own bed, it was cold and the floor was hard. Involving myself in the College Winter Sleepout was an eye-opening experience that allowed me to understand the hardships and true realities of homelessness. It has allowed me to understand the things we may take for granted and grow a true appreciation for what I’m so blessed to have.

Lucy Marta

Year 10

Why do Popes wear the little white hat?

The hat is a small, hemispherical, form-fitting ecclesiastical skullcap worn by clerics of various Catholic churches, the Syriac Orthodox Church and by the higher clergy in Anglicanism. There are many names for what the hat is called but it is mostly referred to as the skull hat and zucchettos in Italy. 

The different types of zucchetto

The zucchetto is a part of the Pope’s uniform. Its name comes from Italian ‘zucchetta’, the diminutive of zucca – meaning gourd or, by extension, head. It symbolises the rank or the position of the person when wearing it. The Pope wears a white version, cardinals wear red ones and the purple one is reserved for bishops. It was worn hundreds of years ago by members of the clergy when they took a vow of celibacy.

Popes wear the zucchetto for many reasons. One being that, when they took the vow of celibacy, a ring of hair was cut off. So to cover their head, they wore the hats to retain body temperature. Today, it is obligatory to wear the zucchetto as part of the Papal garb. The second reason is to have something out there other than the tall mitre hat – that is why we see the Pope in the zucchetto more often.

Harikleia Kizi 

Year 9

Results from the 2021 Australian Geography Competition

All students in Years 7-10, as well as the Year 11 Geography Class, tested their geographical skills and knowledge against students from around Australia in the 2021 Australian Geography Competition.

Over 73,000 students from 727 schools across Australia entered the Australian Geography Competition, so the results give us an external benchmark as to how our students are doing in certain aspects of Geography.

We have a number of student geographers at our school who performed to a very high level in the competition this year and we would like to congratulate them:

Congratulations, girls!

Lara Grimm

Assistant HSIE Coordinator 

Year 7 Geography students explore our busy city

Year 7 Geography students attended a fieldwork excursion to on 28 May, venturing to Miller’s Point, Milson’s Point and Lavender Bay. The girls participated in a range of fieldwork activities in order to investigate the factors which determine liveability in different suburbs, complementing their study of the unit ‘Place and Liveability’ in class.

Some of the fieldwork that students participated in included using noise meters, thermometers and light meters to survey the three suburbs and assess liveability. They also walked across the Harbour Bridge, where students saw differences in land use between south and north Sydney.

It was a fantastic day out, enabling students to put their theory into practice!

Lara Grimm

Assistant HSIE Coordinator 

A golden day at Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards Ceremony

This Tuesday, we, along with Tia Aoun and Lara Badr, attended the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards Ceremony at the Sydney Showground Amphitheatre, where we and another 200 attendees were presented with our Gold Awards. During the ceremony, it was amazing being able to witness some of the incredible talents that other awardees had developed through the program, as well as listen to inspiring stories of service from past Gold Award recipients about how the award has influenced their lives and career. It was a privilege and very special occasion being able to receive our awards from the Governor Her Excellency Margaret Beazley.

An eye-opening experience filled with opportunities

Overall, the Duke of Edinburgh Award opened our eyes to the richness of society, as it allowed us to form a connection with our community. The Award has played a vital role in providing opportunities for us young people to develop essential life skills, strengthen our employability and encourage creativity and innovation. By participating in the necessary activities of the Award, including hiking and kayaking, we were able to meet various people and make some unforgettable memories. The challenges we faced as part of the Award have helped build our character and as a result, we are always looking forward to the next challenge that life may bring us. 

We all thoroughly enjoyed this incredible experience and are very fortunate that we have been able to experience it together as a group. We would highly recommend it to other students who are looking for a way to challenge themselves and further their involvement with their community.  

Constance Zouroudis and Gabrielle Jackson

Year 12

St Ursula’s students take part in big victory at NSWCCC Soccer Tournament

Daniela Mandile and myself were fortunate enough to represent the CGSSSA Soccer Team in the NSWCCC Tournament, which took place on Tuesday, 26 and Wednesday, 26 May

Subsequent to the CGSSSA Tournament, where our St Ursula’s side made it to the grand final, Daniela and I were selected along with other students from the Gala Day to represent the CGSSSA Team.

We were selected to participate in the NSWCCC Tournament, where we versed Catholic students from around NSW. Here is how the tournament unfolded: 

The tournament began with our first game at 8:40am against SCC, where we came out on top with a 4-0 victory. The next match kicked off not long after at 11:20am and saw us beat Maitland/Newcastle 2-0. Our last game of the day was against Wagga Wagga/Canberra-Goulburn, where we had a comfortable win of 5-0. Finishing the day off with three wins and conceding no goals, saw us in a good position of making the grand final.

To ensure a spot in the final, the following day our 4th and final game kicked off at 12:40pm against Southern Sydney. Being down 1-0 at halftime, we were able to get an equalizer to make it 1-1. Finishing the pool games without a defeat, we were rewarded with a place in the grand final up against the leader of Pool A. 

The grand final kicked off at 2pm and saw our CGSSSA side come up against Wollongong to decide the winner. Although the game was tight, we were able to come away with a 1-0 victory sealing the spot of winners of the Tournament.

Unfortunately, neither Dani nor myself were selected to represent the NSWCCC Team in the next stage, however we were very proud of our efforts.

Maya Fernandez

Year 11

Two teams make their mark at the CGSSSA Basketball Gala Day

A group of girls and I competed at the CGSSSA Basketball Gala Day at Bankstown Sports Stadium on 28 May.

We had a Juniors (Years 7 and 8) and Intermediate (Years 9 and 10) team. We played roughly 4-5 intense games in our pool and the games went for 20 minutes, with two 10 minute halves. The Junior team placed 3rd after a few wins, with only some losses in their pool. The Intermediate team had a very close chance to make it to the semi’s and grand finals, but unfortunately just missed out after tying 2nd in our pool. 

I would like to thank Mrs Manalo (Intermediate team coach) and Miss Mann (Junior team coach) for putting in their time and effort, guiding us throughout the day and organising a variety of training sessions so we could learn the dynamics of the game before the day. As a whole sports team, we represented the school and definitely left our name out there on the court. 

Samara Kayrouz

Year 10

Year 12 student selected to NSW All Schools Basketball squad

Alexandra Kayrouz attended the NSWCCC Basketball trials on 3 May, where she was chosen as one of just ten girls to join the NSWCCC team.

The team then went on to compete at the 2021 NSW All Schools selection trials, which were held on Monday at Castle Hill. At the event, her NSWCCC team had a packed day of competition – playing two games against the NSWCIS team and the NSWCHS team. 

At the conclusion of the day, players are usually selected to represent NSW All Schools as part of the NSW All Schools Basketball Team at the School Sports Australia Championships, which would have been held in Bendigo in August. However due to COVID-19, this the championships been cancelled. We are very proud to share that Alexandra was chosen as one of the players for the NSW All Schools Basketball Team and we know that she will have other opportunities to show her talent on the court at more events in the future. 

Jaclyn Mott

Sports Plus Coordinator 

Memories from the Australian Gymnastics Championships

I recently competed at the Australian Gymnastics Championships on the Gold Coast, in a Level 6 acrobatic trio. This was an amazing experience, as I have been training for this opportunity for 8 years. After a lot of effort and dedication, we ended up coming in 1st in Balance, 4th in Dynamic and 2nd overall.

Not many people know what acrobatic gymnastics is, but in a brief summary, it is a combination of gymnastics, dancing and cheerleading. My teammates and I are very proud of our accomplishments and we all hope to do even better in the years to come. 

Ellie Gamboa Year 9