St Mary of the Cross Prayer

God of the prophets you gifted Mary MacKillop with vision and courage.

In her we see one who was not afraid to speak fearlessly your gospel of love.
We pray for the sensitivity and imagination to read the signs of our times, and to articulate new possibilities for our own day.

Like Mary, may we learn to confront all that is oppressive and unjust, and empower others towards true freedom and integrity. Spirit of wisdom, be with us as we face new horizons.

God of all blessings, you revealed in Mary MacKillop a sensitivity to the rights and dignity of every person, regardless of race or creed.

May we learn from her to overcome the obstacles of prejudice and fear. Help us to value the goodness of each person and all the blessings of unity in diversity.

We ask this through the depth and unity of you, our bountiful God, who hold all things in being.  

God of compassion, God of all people, we praise you for your servant, Mary MacKillop, who gave her life to serve you in the poor and oppressed.

As she is honoured in our world, may we continue to learn to share her vision.
Help us to recognise, as she did, that the poor of our time will hear the gospel in the way we serve them.

Be with us as we strive to follow her and carry out our mission of service and care. 

Amen

Welcome Back

Welcome back to term 4. I hope that students, staff and families had a good break and are ready for our final term.

The next few weeks are busy as we prepare to celebrate students’ creativity at Image 2025, our annual Arts and Technology exhibition, and their sporting skills at the Inter-house Swimming Carnival on the 31^st October 2025.

As we begin the final quarter, I encourage students to remain focussed on their studies. It is important to stick to good routines: using your diary and class time effectively, asking questions, being punctual, completing homework rather than leaving things to the last minute, organising your locker and study space at home, starting exam revision today, meeting deadlines, coming to class prepared………

Every blessing for the term.

Farewell

Today we farewell Mr Kevin Ba, the CRC Federation Business Manager. Kevin has been with the College since April 2021. He worked across all the CRC schools. In his time with us he has ensured sound financial management, overseen many building projects and helped the schools to transition to new governance structures. Students and families have always been at the heart of his decisions. We have appreciated his leadership, generosity of spirit, warmth and support.

We thank Kevin for all his hard work and wish him well in his new role at Salesian College in Sunbury.

New Staff

We welcome Mr William Beatty, Ms Alanah Gallenti-Smith and Mr Ray Jewell to our Learning Diversity team. We wish each of them a professionally and personally enriching time as members of our school community.

Year 9 Camp

On behalf of the students and families, I’d like to thank Mr Robinson and the staff who planned and attended the camp. It was a terrific experience for everyone. Families will recognise that it is a huge responsibility taking away 130 or so adolescents. I thank staff for their willingness to be part of this, and students who were engaged, positive, mature and responsible in their approach to the camp. I know that the benefits of learning opportunities such as this are immeasurable.

Year 10 Work Experience

Congratulations to all Year 10 students who completed Work Experience at the end of Term 3. Feedback from employers has been very positive. They were impressed with students work ethic, interpersonal skills, interest and maturity. Students appreciated this taste of the world beyond school.

Work Experience is an important part of the Year 10 program and does not happen without lots of effort from many people. Thank you to families for all your support in sourcing work experience placements; to Ms Denise Geraldo for her relentless search for placements and for ensuring all the paper work was completed, and Ms Steele (Careers) and Mr Sammut (Year 10) for their support and preparation of students.

Social Media Age Restrictions

These new restrictions come into effect on 10 December 2025. Parents and carers wishing to find out more about what these changes mean, and some ideas around how to prepare their child for the changes might like to read the following resources:

1. eSafety Commissioner Information on Social Media Age Restrictions
2. Parent and Carer Guide – The Australian 16+ Age Delay

Enrolment for 2026

Enrolment at the College continues automatically from year to year. However, if a student in Years 7, 8 or 9 is not returning in 2026, we ask that families notify us as soon as possible. Please email jneves@crcstalbans.com.au or ring Jackie Neves on 9366 2544 with this information.

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

Term 4 Uniform

Families are reminded that Weeks 1 – 4 are a transition period for uniform. Students can wear either full summer or full winter uniform but not a mix and match of both.

Following the Cup Weekend, from Wednesday 05 November all students will need to be in full summer uniform.

Year 9 Camp Aboriginal Spirituality Reflection Evening

The ceremony began with prayer and reflection on the words of Pope John Paul II, who reminded us that the Church in Australia will only be complete when the voices and gifts of Aboriginal people are fully embraced. Students then took part in a symbolic ritual called “Names on the Cross”,  placing their names on a cross designed by an Aboriginal artist from Alice Springs as a pledge to live as people of justice.

The evening was a powerful reminder of the importance of listening, understanding, and walking together towards reconciliation. Students will revisit their reflections in Term 4 to renew their commitment to this journey.