Christmas Story Art Competition – Year 5 & 6 Finalists!
I am thrilled to announce the Year 5 and 6 finalists for the Christmas Story Art competition. Massive congratulations to these students, in no particular order: 

Year 5: Sienna Fargnoli, Sofia Mineeff, Maya Dimitrovski                                                                                                            

Year 6: Dylan Capocchiano, Paige Lukarovski, Liana Meta

These student’s artworks have been framed or mounted and been sent into the Catholic
Education Office for the next round of judging. The students will be judged against the top 3 artworks from Stage 3 classes across the diocese. Should they be selected in the next round of judging they will be displayed at the Wollongong City Art Gallery next term. Fingers crossed for the girls and boys!

Report from ‘The Living Classroom’

Can you (no) dig it??
Year 4 had an absolutely fantastic day working and learning in our permaculture garden, ‘The Living Classroom’, on Tuesday September 20. The sun was shining, and the bees were buzzing as the children smashed out three massive no-dig garden beds.
Soil is the cornerstone of any nutritious garden and ensuring that you feed your soil twice a year – during spring and autumn – ensures the soil is replenished after a lengthy growing season. Like any healthy soil composition (and life!), balance is key, and the children learned about the importance of adding multiple layers of both carbon and nitrogen to the no-dig beds (check out Aaron’s secret recipe in the photo below, thanks to Elemental Permaculture). The beds will breakdown nicely over the next couple of weeks into black gold, ready for a massive planting session! Bring on the tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant and leafy greens! Thanks girls and boys, it was a cracking day!

Feast of St Matthew - Apostle and Evangelist

Please find below a spiritual reflection regarding the Feast of St Matthew:
Matthew the Apostle, also known as Saint Matthew, was a 1st-century Galilean and one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. As a tax collector, Matthew would have been despised by his fellow Jews for collaborating with the Roman occupation.

After Matthew’s encounter with Jesus, he is profoundly changed and invites Jesus for a feast. On seeing this, the Scribes and the Pharisees criticised Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners. This prompted Jesus to answer, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance". St Matthew reminds us that even those who were considered to be the worst of people could be saved and were welcome to follow Jesus. It is comforting that Jesus wants to spend time with ‘those of us who are less than perfect’. It is even more encouraging that Jesus actually “calls us” to share in his mission. Jesus knows everything about us (our good points and bad) and still wants and loves us. The challenge for us is to remain open and to allow the revelation of Jesus’s love to grow within us. This requires us to prioritise our relationship with him so that, like Matthew, we encounter Jesus in the realities of our own life.

Rembrandt’s painting depicts an elderly St Matthew who may be pondering the words of the Angel as he reflects on his encounter with Jesus. The pages of his book are crumpled which could indicate that the book may be a journal. Despite the fact that St Matthew appears old in this painting, there is a great energy and wisdom in Rembrant’s portrayal of Matthew which communicates a ‘sense of purpose’ or ‘mission’.

As we enter the school holidays, let’s think about how amazing it is that Jesus calls each of us to be part of his mission. You may be inspired by Rembrandt’s painting to commit to journaling as part of your spiritual practice. Let us ponder our gifts and remember that Jesus refers to us as ‘the light of the world’ (Matthew 5:14).
As you ponder and listen to the whisperings of God in your heart, how are you being called to participate in God’s mission?

All the best,
Mr Sam Mattas - Religious Education Coordinator