Whitefriars School

Newsletter

13th December, 2017 Term 4, Week 9

Dear All,

Last night we celebrated a wonderful Mass of Thanksgiving and Year 7

Graduation. It was an oppor tunity to gather as a community, to

give thanks for the year we have shared and to bid our Year 7 students

farewell as they move onto their next ‘adventure’ in life. For eight years

they have been a part of our community and we have delighted in

watching them grow into fine young people. We wish them well as they

move from Whitefriars into many different school communities. May

they take something of Mary MacKillop’s spirit with them as they

venture forward, especially her great respect for others and her

inclusiveness of all and may they continue to live out our school motto

“In All Things Kindness”.

On Monday evening all of our basketballers and netballers gathered for

their Presentation evening, with medals and certificates being presented to all players. This is the culmination of

two seasons of play for these sports. Thanks to all the parents who take on being coaches and managers and so

enable so many of our children to be involved in their after school sports.

Last Sunday evening many in our community enjoyed a lovely evening at our Parish Multicultural Carols night.

Our students combined with students from St Patrick’s and St Margaret Mary’s to present two Christmas songs.

For the first time, staff from our three schools also formed a choir to delight all by singing “Mary’s Boy Child”!

Thanks to Danielle Lyons and Angela Scodella for their co-ordination of this across our three schools.

This week I take leave of this community, completing 40 years of teaching and leading in seven

different school communities. I have been truly blessed being able to share in the lives of so

many children and staff and families over these 40 years. Each community has enabled me to

grow and Whitefriars holds a special place for me as I have spent 16 of my 40 years here,

having taught and been the Religious Education Co-ordinator here during the 1990s.

As I leave Whitefriars School I leave with a heart full of gratitude. This gratitude is for all the

opportunities and experiences that I have shared in during my time here. Working with children

is very life giving as they are so energised and delight in the here and now. It has been great to watch them begin

as 5 year olds and see them blossom in the years ahead. To be a part of the nurturing of so many young lives is

indeed a great privilege. I have spent many hours working with children to work through challenges that they

have had in the class or playground and this has been a key aspect of my life in school. To be able to help them

to learn the skills of making good choices and becoming responsible young people who show care and kindness

to others is really enriching. It is this aspect of my work that I will miss greatly.

In these past 10 years I have valued the many people who have worked together in this community to make it a

place where all can hopefully enjoy being here. Whitefriars Staff has been comprised of people who are truly

committed to the children and the community and I have valued working with so many people of great integrity.

For your diary…..

Thursday, 14th December— Last day of school for 2017 - 9am Final Assembly hosted by Specialist Teachers - 3.05pm Students dismissed 2018 Monday, 29th January - 8.45am First day of school for 2018

45 Beaufort Street, Woodville Park, 5011

Phone - 8445 1895 Fax - 8445 1876

Email address: info@whitefriars.catholic.edu.au

Our website: www.whitefriars.catholic.edu.au

Principal: Ms Mary Hemmings Deputy Principal: Mrs Barbara Ahern

APRIM: Mrs Angela Scodella

OSHC & Vacation Care Phone: 8244 4155 or 0459 988 149

Croydon Park Parish Office Phone: 8346 0944

As parents (and grandparents) you are key people in the support and commitment you give to your children

and to the community. When we have 200 volunteers on our list we know that this is a community who want to

give the best to the children. I leave with great memories of people who have given much.

I leave Whitefriars and the field of education to explore other options into the future. I place my life in God’s

hands, trusting in what the future may hold for me. I know that Frank Congedi will continue to nurture this

community in the spirit of Mary MacKillop.

As we move through Advent,

a time of waiting and preparing to celebrate the birth of a child

who left a legacy that touches us today,

I pray that all families may experience love and joy at this time.

I pray also that our world may be inspired by the birth of this baby

to work towards bringing hope and peace to all people.

Wishing you all a very Happy and Holy Christmas and a blessed year ahead.

Mary

Re

lig

iou

s D

ime

nsio

n 2nd Week of Advent– Year B

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare

your way’; “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness; ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight’.” During Advent we are called to ‘prepare a way

for the Lord’. In so many ways our world today is like a wilderness where the voice of God has difficulty being heard. During this season of

Advent, we are challenged and called to live in such a way that our lives ‘speak’ the Word of God

and attract people to Christ. Reflection How can we be authentic to the mission of Jesus

in our own time and place?

Angela Scodella, APRIM

Kindness comes in many forms but always from the

Thank you for your kindness and generosity this Advent season. The many donations for the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hampers and the Giving Tree will

undoubtedly make the Christmas season a happier one for so many families. The spirit of Mary Mackillop is definitely alive and living within our school community.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude for having had the opportunity to be part of Whitefriars School. When I got here so many years ago, I never realised how

connected I would be to such a warm community of people. Over the last 12 years, I have met and worked with so many wonderful students and watched each of them grow to be responsible young adults. Working in partnership with you, the parents to provide the best education for your children has been life giving. I would also like to acknowledge the wonderful committed staff here who have been a joy to work with. Whilst I am sad to leave this great place, I do take away with me many precious memories and friendships. I am humbled by the kindness and warmth that

has been shared with me. Thank you all for your kindness, support and good wishes. I ask for God’s blessings for each of you and wish you a happy and Holy Christmas. Barbara Ahern

Wishing all our

Whitefriars families

a very merry and blessed

Christmas and

a relaxing and peaceful

New Year.

Thankyou A huge thankyou to the parents, grandparents,

siblings, students and teachers who helped in the making of the Year 7 Leadership banners for the

Thanksgiving Mass. They looked amazing!

Book Donations - I would like to thank the Whitefriars School community for your generosity in

donating such a large number of children's books (over 500) for a small rural school, about 150 kms north

of Manila. in the Philippines that currently has limited learning resources for their students. These books

will certainly benefit the learning of young Filipino children who barely have quality books to read in their

classroom or in their school's library. Sincerely, Francis Ben

The following students celebrate their birthdays from the 13th to 31st December:

Audrey Balic, Miesha Bhardwaj, Marli Bradshaw-Kirasic, Samuel Bui, Gemma Camozzato, Savannah Coomans, Ashwin Dwarka, Jack Fraser,

Ethian Huynh, Joseph Jude, Victoria Kortessis, Ananda Le , Andre Lo Basso, Valentina Mammone, Annika Manoj, Emily Marafioti, Brianna Mastromihalis, Fiona Nguyen, Adam Panaszek,

Tanmay Pawar, Lara Pergat, Bianca Portaro, Heleena Saju, Asia Tachos, Genevieve Tran, Scarlett Twigden, Jasmyn Tyndall and Liam Verrilli.

Sebastian Benedetti,

Siyona Biju, Lizbal Binu,

Jayden Bubner,

Brooklyn Bui, Joseph Bui,

Luca Cataldi,

Isabella Chirkoff,

Michael Coggins,

Daniel De Ruvo,

Nicholas Dmytriw,

Montana Dunbar,

Aidan Farrington,

Nicole Fox,

Daniel Guidace,

William Hambidge-Hay,

Thomas Jarrett,

Joseph Jimmy Palackal,

Michael Katianos,

Elisia Kousiandas, Amanda Lai, Anna Lai, Vy Le, Rina Lieu, Denis Lulaj,

Dominique Marando, Saniya Mathews, Aishwarya Menon, Noah Mills, Christian Nguyen,

Jayden Nguyen, Jeremy Nguyen, Nam Nguyen, Nathan Nguyen, Thinh Nguyen, Truc Nguyen-Le,

Max Noblet, Lauren Nocera, Emily Notarangelo, Adam Panaszek, Lara Pergat, Aaron Pham,

Ryan Rodriques, Grazia Salandra, John Scarfo, Rebecca Shaji, Jacinta Speranza, Jack Stanly,

Lachlan Stevens, Georgia Sturtzel, James Teah, Juda Thomasbabu, Jayden Verrilli,

Mikayla Verrilli, Andy Vo, Stephanie Vottari, Tony Vu and Nina Wall.

Congratulations to the following students who are the recipients of the Year 7 Awards for 2017:

Montana Dunbar Sebastian Benedetti Max Noblet Elisia Kousiandas

Josiah Mitton Terry and Mary White Terry and Mary White Tom Ryan

School Spirit Award Sports Award Sports Award Music Award

Good luck and all the best for the future to our Year 7s from everyone at Whitefriars!

AFTER SCHOOL SPORTS RESULTS

Sport Whitefriars Team Score Opposing Team Score

Basketball (Grand Final) U11 Whitefriars Wildcats 21 Whitefriars Fireballs 19

From the Canteen…. A big thank you goes out to all our canteen

helpers of 2017. This year has seen a number of enthusiastic grandparents and new parents join

our team for which we are very grateful! To all our volunteers, your time and dedication

is much appreciated by us, the students and staff of Whitefriars.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Erica and Iris

Christmas Masses

St Margaret Mary’s - Christmas Eve Family Mass, Sunday 24th Dec at 6pm - Christmas Morning Mass in Polish, Monday 25th December at 8.30am - Christmas Morning Mass in English, Monday 25th December at 10.30am

Mater Dei - Christmas Eve, Sunday 24th December, Mass in Vietnamese at 8pm preceded by Christmas Carols and play starting at 7pm - Christmas Mass During the Night Sunday 24th December at 10pm in English, (in place of Midnight Mass)

St Patrick’s - Christmas Morning Mass, Monday 25th December in English with Vietnamese/English singing, at 8.30am

Advent Confessions Mater Dei - Saturdays before the Vigil Mass. Saturdays 5.15- 5.45pm - Tuesday 19th December (2 priests English and Vietnamese) 6pm – 7.30pm

St Patrick’s Sunday Mornings 8am to 8.20am

St Margaret Mary’s Saturdays, 16th and 23rd December 12—1pm (2 priests on 16th & 23rd) Wednesday 20th December (2 priests English and Vietnamese) 6.30pm – 7.30pm

Croydon Park

Parish