An Advent Prayer

The Advent story
of hope and mystery,
anticipation,
preparation,
a kingdom
of this world and the next,
and a king
appearing when we least expect.
Heaven touching earth,
the footsteps of the divine
walking dusty roads
as once they did in Eden,
and a people,
searching for a Saviour,
and walking past
the stable.
Open eyes and hearts,
that this might be
an Advent of hope to the world.

Sunday marks the beginning of Advent; the beginning of a new Church year and a time of waiting, anticipation and preparation. This feeling of anticipation is one we know well at this time of the year. With the countdown to the end of the school year, to holidays and to Christmas well under way, we live in constant anticipation of what is happening next. However, we need to take care that the very busyness of this time does not distract us from having an Advent season that truly prepares us for the celebration of Christmas, with all its meaning. I pray that in the next few weeks, you will be blessed with the space to watch, wait and prepare for the birthday of Christ.

Pope Francis has spoken of Advent inviting us to a commitment to vigilance, looking beyond ourselves, expanding our mind and heart in order to open ourselves up to the needs of people, of brothers and sisters, and to the desire for a new world. During Advent, we prepare ourselves for the new world coming, which began with the birth of a child in Bethlehem 2000 years ago.

We welcome the Christ child into our homes and hearts and wait patiently, hopefully, expectantly, for the Kingdom that will reign for ever and ever.

O come, O come, Emmanuel!      (With acknowledgement to Anne Rennie)

Christmas Carols at the College

We hope that you can join us on Monday evening for our biennial Christmas Carols. It promises to be a great night with a special appearance by Mr and Mrs Claus. No better way to enter the spirit of Advent and Christmas.

McAuley Pins

Last week we held our last whole school assembly for the year. This was an opportunity to recognise students who have made outstanding contributions to the life of our community during 2024 and to farewell our Year 10 students.

As a school community we continually invite young people to be involved, compassionate and responsible citizens who use their gifts in the service of others. Regular readers of the fortnightly newsletter will have some sense of the many and varied opportunities students have to get involved. I’d like to thank all students for the way that they have participated throughout the year.

Congratulations to the students who received the 2024 Catherine McAuley pin for service to the community and school involvement. You are people who are prepared to say ‘YES’, without a ‘YES, BUT…’ in sight. There are no conditions or qualifications on your willingness to put in and to be part of things. Thank you for making a difference.

Thank you to the families who were able to join us for the assembly and morning tea.  Your presence, support and encouragement are very much appreciated.

Recipients of the Catherine McAuley Pin for 2024 are……

Farewell Year 10 2024

Our Year 10 2024 students were farewelled by our 2025 School Captains. Thank you to Kassidy Lay and Oli Nedjo (2025 School Captains) who spoke about the legacy that Year 10 students leave and all that they contributed to our school community. Thank you to Year 10 2024 students for your welcome, care and leadership over the past four years.

Mia Ye and Aurelius Catayong responded on behalf of the Year 10 students, thanking staff, students and families for their support and reflecting on their time at the College and the many experiences that have helped shape who they are today.

Year 10 students and their families gathered for the Graduation Mass last night. This was a lovely night and a fitting farewell to our students.

This week marks an important milestone in the lives of Year 10 students and their families as students prepare to move onto CRC Sydenham. It is always a time of mixed emotions; sadness that the students are leaving the ‘home’ they know so well but also joy for all they’ve achieved and anticipation about what the future will bring. We wish them well in all they do in the coming years.

Long Tan Leadership Award

Each year the Australian Defence Force (ADF) provides a scholarship to recognise a Year 10 student who demonstrates outstanding leadership and teamwork within the school and in the broader community. This student must also demonstrate strong values such as respect for others, always striving to do their best. Congratulations to Mia Ye who is this year’s recipient of the Long Tan Leadership Award.

Ampol All Rounder Award

This award acknowledges a student at Year 7 or 8 for their all-round contribution to the school and the community. This year the award was given to Kirthik Ramachandran. As well as achieving outstanding academic results, Kirthik has been involved in many different aspects of school life throughout the year. Congratulations Kirthik.

School Captains 2025

On behalf of the school community, I would like to thank our 2024 School Captains: Mia Ye and Aurelius Catayong, and the Vice Captains: Jennifer Tran and Corey Dang for their great work as leaders in our school. Throughout the year they’ve contributed in a very real and practical way to making our school a great place and in ensuring that students ‘have a voice’ on many issues. I thank them for their time, generosity and willingness to serve our community.

It is with great pleasure that I can now announce that our School Captains for 2025 are Kassidy Lay and Oli Nedjo. Our Captains will be assisted in their role by Theresa Nguyen and Nicholas Lay who will be Vice Captains. They are a talented and impressive group of young people and I look forward to working with them next year.

Fundraising Donations

Throughout students and staff are involved in a number of fundraising activities. At our assembly these funds were donated to the Loaves and Fishes Food bank and to the Resurrection Vocational Secondary School, Buyaga Parish in Uganda. Brother Gregory (Loaves and Fishes Food Bank) accepted a cheque of $2,235, and Fr Gerard Keith (Resurrection Parish) accepted a cheque on behalf of Buyaga Parish in Uganda.

End of Year Arrangements for Years 7 - 9

Next Monday and Tuesday (02 and 03 December) are normal school days and students are expected to attend in full uniform, with the required books and prepared to finalise their work.

On Wednesday 04 December, Years 7 and 8 students will enjoy an Activities Day. For Years 7 students it is the last chance to gain points towards the 2024 Williams Cup. Year 9 students will enjoy their final Trinity Day which includes a Race around Melbourne experience.

Details for each activity have been forwarded to families. We ask that families complete permission forms on PAM.

Students in Years 7 – 9 finish school on Thursday 05 December. They are required to be at school by 8.40am (normal time) and will be dismissed at 12.15pm.

Booklists 2025

Earlier this week, families received an email with information about 2025 Fees and Levies and also the 2025 booklist.

Please note:

For 2025 only, families with a Health Care Card will not have to order books. The cost of books and stationery will be covered from the School Bonus.

Enrolment for 2025

Enrolment at the College continues automatically from year to year. However, if a student in Years 7, 8 or 9 is not returning in 2025, we ask that families notify us as soon as possible. Please email echalmers@crcstalbans.com.au or ring Eileen Chalmers on 9366 2544 with this information

Your assistance with this is much appreciated as we have a waiting list at most levels and would like to let these families know sooner, rather than later.

Newsletter

The newsletter is published fortnightly and available online on Day 10 (Friday Week 2).

Newsletter Days for Term 4 2024:            

Fridays: 15 December                             

What is happening in the Yr 7 RE Classroom…

This week, students delved into the concept of heritage through a hands-on activity exploring family trees and the lineage of Jesus. The lesson began with an explanation of family trees, showing how they trace family connections and heritage. Each student then created their own family tree, reflecting on their personal heritage and the stories it holds.

The lesson then shifted to the time of Jesus. Students learned that during this period, Palestine was under Roman control, and the Israelites were longing for a Messiah to liberate them. Prophets, such as Isaiah, foretold that this Messiah would come from the family line of King David. The class examined Isaiah's words:

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him.” (Isaiah 11:1-3)

Matthew’s Gospel further highlights this lineage by beginning with the genealogy of Jesus, affirming that Jesus fulfilled the prophecy by descending from Jesse and King David.

To bring this lineage to life, students participated in creating a Jesse Tree. Each student researched a key figure in Jesus’ ancestry—such as Abraham, Ruth, and David—learning about their roles in salvation history. They then designed symbols to represent these figures, drawing and coloring their creations on cards.

During a prayerful moment, students placed their symbols on the Jesse Tree. As each symbol was hung, they shared its meaning and significance, reflecting on how these ancestors contributed to the story of faith. Together, the class prayed, “Come, Lord Jesus, come to live with us.”

This activity not only helped students connect with their personal heritage but also deepened their understanding of Jesus’ lineage and the fulfillment of ancient prophecies. It was a beautiful way to combine learning, creativity, and faith as we prepare for the coming of Christ.

On Tuesday 6^th August, 21 of our students participated in the Australian Mathematics Competition and were awarded the following certificates:

• 1 Distinction
• 5 Credit
• 9 Proficiency
• 6 Participation

Congratulations to all those who participated.

Certificate of Distinction

Year 7: Alexander Velso

Certificate of Credit

Year 7: Stallon Fernando, Tiffany Phung, Ryan Tony, Mandy Troung

Year 8: Wendy Nguyen

Certificate of Proficiency

Year 7: Yoel Atallah, Lily Ducusin, Mary Hadaia, Mario Haysa, Caitlyn Nguyen, Shyam Ravva, and Dante Shearer

Year 8: Rachel Nguyen and Kirthik Ramachandran

Certificate of Participation

Year 7: Lolyana Aso, Sara Habash, Sky Portillo & Yara Zaki

Year 9: Teresa Marsom

Year 10: Xavier Pham