Dear Parents and Carers of Good Samaritan,

We are certainly living in what will be marked as an extraordinary time in history. Bushfires and floods, the global COVID-19 pandemic, amazing rain periods due to the El Nino effect and now we see Russia invading neighbouring Ukraine.

I cannot help but think about the paradox our school faces as we focus on Connection and Belonging re-establishing the whole school timetable and yet we are faced with images of children being displaced, fleeing the safety of their own home with their families, tanks mowing down innocent civilians in their cars as they try to escape - it just seems so diabolical. How can this happen in what we consider to be a modern world?

What the world is witnessing can be very difficult for our children to understand, particularly when we are focusing on the importance of feeling connected and having a place to belong to. All the more reason that we should be working to help our children understand the facts about this world situation, to be critical in their thinking allowing their compassion for others to be informed and generous.

So where do we start? In a practical sense, I would highly recommend the ABC Podcast Squiz Kids. This is a short podcast that is updated each day with world news and is communicated in simple ‘kid friendly’ language. Last week the podcast had 2 episodes that included Russia’s movement into Ukraine.

Pope Francis has also put an appeal out to the world. He expressed his deep concern about the threat to the peace of all. Pope Francis urges us to look also to prayer and fasting as people of faith, particularly today - Ash Wednesday.

The Vatican also reports that Pope Francis spent time with the Russian Ambassador expressing his concern about the war.

Whilst we need to make sure that our children are informed, we also need to balance that with the reassurance that their lives are different and that they can be grateful for having the opportunity to connect and belong in a safe environment.

Our PB4L day on Monday focused on learning about our sense of belonging and the important connections we have in our school community. This involved the students focusing on 3 main ideas:

1. identifying belonging to their class and community
2. the connections they have with other students and the staff of the school 
3. how our school rules, procedures and processes help to keep us connected and allow us to belong to our school community.

This was a most successful day and we have observed the children easing back into the whole school timetable and routines very well.

This week I leave you with the 2022 Project Compassion prayer - as we commit our prayers for all those within the community of Ukraine - may they feel our connection to them as we pray with compassion:

Loving God,

We thank you for the gift of our lives and

for the life of every person, both near to us and far away.

We thank you for the wonder of your creation.

Through fasting, almsgiving and prayer

may this Lent draw us deeper

into the warmth and light of God’s love.

May we see the world more clearly,

Especially those who are often overlooked.

May we come closer to your heart,

which you showed through the cross of Jesus.

May we be full of hope for future generations.

We ask this in Jesus’ name.

Amen

Until next time, as we journey together, with Jesus,

Toni Sillis

Principal

Thank you to all the parents who were able to join the P&F meeting on Monday evening. This was the Annual General Meeting and as such a new P&F executive committee was formed.

I’d like to acknowledge and sincerely thank the outgoing committee, some of whom have children who have begun Year 7 this year. These include Mrs Erin Bradley who served as the President for a number of years, Ms Kelly Dale who served as secretary, Mrs Meagan Olejniczak (Vice President).

Our incoming executive committee members are: Mrs Elvira Caruso (President), Mrs Louise Richardson (Vice President), Mrs Rebecca Brennan (Secretary) and Mrs Lyn Pantalone (Treasurer).

The next P&F meeting will be Monday 28 March 7pm in the Library or via Zoom (link below).

Topic: P&F Meeting

Time: Mar 28, 2022 07:00 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android:

    https://dowcatholic.zoom.us/j/61428330846?pwd=OTUrUHZtNFc3ajU2RXUvL0o4UzR2dz09

    Password: 183224

Many new friendships have begun and the children and teachers are enjoying the many opportunities to develop these friendships in the classroom and on the playground.

9 March:

2023 Enrolments Open School Twilight Evening

Love of Learning

How Can We Show Support in Our Community?

• Let others have a go before jumping in
• Be aware and supportive of those less fortunate.
• Show care for others
• Being resilient and Bouncing Back
• Showing that upstanding is more supportive than bystanding
• Knowing it’s okay to make mistakes
• Using Consistent & Agreed upon practices in our classrooms 
• using signals to show the teacher how I’m going with individual independent tasks.

A Closer Look at Ingham:

Gold House 

The Good Samaritan Ingham House is named after Bishop Emeritus Peter Ingham. 

Bishop Ingham was born in Crows Nest, New South Wales, to George and Marjorie (née Hyndes) Ingham. His early education was completed at St Leonard's Primary School in Naremburn and St Pius X College in Chatswood. He studied for the priesthood at St Columba's Seminary in Springwood and St Patrick's Seminary, Manly. He was appointed as a priest by Cardinal Gilroy at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, on 18 July 1964.

Bishop Peter served as an assistant priest in Rosebery, Newtown, St Mary's and Auburn South (all New South Wales). He was the private secretary to Cardinal Freeman and secretary of the Archdiocese of Sydney.

Bishop Peter was nominated as a monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 1986. In 1990, he was appointed parish priest of St Charles' Ryde. He was appointed as an auxiliary bishop in the Sydney archdiocese on 24 May 1993 and consecrated on 12 July by Cardinal Edward Clancy as the Titular Bishop of Pudentiana.

Bishop Peter was appointed to his bishopric on 6 June 2001 and installed as the fourth Bishop of Wollongong on 25 July 2001.

Bishop Peter is a member of the Bishops Commission for Liturgy and the Bishops Commission for Mission and Faith Formation. In 2006 he was elected President of the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania. In October 2008 he participated in the 12th Synod of Bishops at the Vatican.

In September 2009, Ingham was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to participate in the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, themed "The Church in Africa, at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace", that was held from 4 to 25 October at the Vatican.

On 16 March 2007, Bishop Peter dedicated the renovated St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Wollongong, as a sacred place, not previously undertaken by church officials despite over 162 years of service at the location.

Retirement

Bishop Peter announced his retirement on 30 November 2017. Brian Mascord was immediately appointed to succeed Ingham as Bishop of Wollongong and was installed on 22 February 2018.

At Good Samaritan, Ingham House is represented by the colour gold.