St Patrick's School Nhill eNewsletter

As partners in Catholic Education and open to God’s presence, we pursue the fullness of life for all.

St. Patrick’s School is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all students.

St. Patrick's School is a child safe school.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pay respect to the ongoing living cultures of First Peoples.

This newsletter comes to you from the lands of the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk Nations.

From the Principal

Welcome to our first newsletter for 2025. It has been wonderful to see the students back at school. Some have grown over the holidays, some are sporting new haircuts, some lost a tooth during the break and by all accounts it sounds like they all found their way onto Santa’s “good” list!

We have had a good start to the school year with children in new classes, some with new teachers to whom they had last year, and all having new students in their class. The F-1s have also moved in to the portable building as we prepare to move out of the main building at the end of this term.

We’ve had several new students join the St Patrick’s School community this year. Jesse, Xavier H, Paweh, Sophia and Marina have started their primary schooling this year. Zion has joined us from Melbourne and is in Year 1. Makenzie has joined the Senior Class and is in Year 4.

Welcome to each of these students and a special welcome to families who are new to our school. We look forward to working together with all parents as we nurture your children’s futures.

Almighty God

We give you our school.

We give you all the teachers and staff who work here,

We give you all the children who study here.

We pray our school will continue to be a place of great discovery, adventure and creativity.

May it continue to be a place where we love to learn and where we learn to love,

A place where everyone is respected and all are deeply valued.

We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Jubilee Year

This year is a jubilee year. Pope Francis has set the theme of the 2025 Jubilee Year as Pilgrims of Hope. In ancient times, a jubilee year occurred every 50 years and involved the cancelling of debts, a period of rest for people and the earth, and land being restored to the landless. Now, in The Catholic Tradition, ordinary Jubilees Years are celebrated every twenty five years.

Jubilee years invite Christians to set out on a journey and to cross boundaries. When people travel, they do not only change places physically, but also possibly change within themselves.

From:

https://www.vatican.va/jubilee_2000/magazine/documents/ju_mag_01051997_p-78_en.html

https://cafod.org.uk/news/uk-news/why-is-2025-a-jubilee-year-in-the-catholic-church

In his explanation of the the theme Pilgrims of Hope, Pope Francis reflects:

Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring. Even so, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. Often we come across people who are discouraged, pessimistic and cynical about the future, as if nothing could possibly bring them happiness.

For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope.

https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/bulls/documents/20240509_spes-non-confundit_bolla-giubileo2025.pdf

Invitation to Prayer

Christ Jesus, on whom the Spirit rests,