Please note that on Monday 6th November and Tuesday 7th November the school will be closed and the St. Elizabeth’s Out of School Hours Care Program WILL NOT be operating on those days.
Dear Parents, Guardians, Students and other parishioners,
We are blessed to be part of a faith tradition that offers us an alternative way of living the calendar.
Obviously, we all have to use the normal calendar for everyday events. We need to be able to plan and remember accurately, meet and cooperate and our day to day calendar is invaluable for that. But our faith tradition gives us a spiritual calendar which runs through the same mathematical formula but focuses on our spiritual life. This is a cycle that is deliberate, taking us through seasons, ever the same but always with the purpose of renewing us internally. We call this our liturgical calendar. Many great faiths also have their own calendars and celebrate feasts and seasons throughout the year just as we Christians do.
Catholics can travel anywhere in the world and know that the season of the liturgical calendar are the same in every Catholic church in every village and city and in every country. We can walk into any church and see the colours and signs and symbols that unite us in the spiritual expression of our faith.
As we move from the month of October into November, the church offers us a special time to remember that life is fragile but the people we meet have the hope of life after we leave this earth. October the 31st is when the commercial world celebrates and exploits the time known as Halloween. Halloween is actually not that special in the Catholic Church tradition but the next day is. November 1st is a very special day and 31st October is just the eve (the day before) of that special day. Halloween is the eve of The Feast of All Hallows. `Hallows’ is an ancient name for the people in our everyday lives who have died and who lived a life of grace and faith and now exist in heaven.
We all know people who we can remember with love and gratitude on that special day. They are the saints of the world. Saints are not just those recognised publically with special feast days! Saints are many and they live ordinary lives in our families, they are our friends too!
On November 2nd we celebrate All Souls Day. This is a day on which we are encouraged to pause, pray and remember all the people who have died and is a really important that we are reminded that this is a time to pray for them. It may be a good time to pray a forgiveness prayer for someone who hurt you or treated you badly and died before a reconciliation could happen. It might be a time to pray for someone who was not always caring in their choices. It’s a time to wish the dead well whoever they are.
So I hope that you didn’t get caught up in the nonsense of commercial Halloween. In some countries Halloween is a fun time. If you look at the culture of the countries that celebrate Halloween there are family games and stories to tell but the really important days for us are the days that follow and are too often forgotten in all the hype and hysteria promoted by the commercial world!
In November, in our Parish of St Elizabeth’s, we have a special book with all the names of parishioners who have died and relatives and friends of parishioners who have died. At every mass we remember those in our special book.
Enrolment for Secondary Colleges
Demand for places at Catholic Secondary Colleges can be very high and several colleges have had to limit offers of places to students who live inside their priority area. If you are not sure which school your child is eligible to apply for, you need to check with the schools you are interested in. As well as the zone details, some schools have had to use their enrolment criteria as so many people are asking for places. Talk to secondary colleges about their Enrolment policy and ask them to talk about the chance your student has of getting a place.
Often the information is on their website.
Diary dates for Yr 5 Students in 2018
Term 1
29 January 2018 ~ Applications for Year 7 in 2020 open.
Term 3
17th August 2018 ~ Applications for Year 7 places in 2020 in Catholic Schools close.
Term 4
19th October 2018 ~ Offers of places to be posted to prospective Year 7 applicants.
Term 4
2nd November 2018 ~ Final date for families to accept offer made by school.
Christine Ash
Principal
Religious Education News
Come, Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with faith and light in them the fire of your love.
Holy Spirit, sweep into our lives like a powerful wind, reviving and invigorating us.
Open our minds and hearts to your presence moving within us.
Stir us with your energy and transform us into life-filled and life-giving people.
Come, Holy Spirit, inspire us and strengthen us in your love, that our lives will be blessed with you gifts.
CONFIRMATION REFLECTION DAY:
Coming to know God takes time. Forming our faith is a journey in which we encounter many influential people. Who are these people? What can we learn from them? Many people shaped us as young Christians, perhaps parents first and foremost, strong in their faith and actions. A parish priest who showed the message of the Gospels. Teachers who challenged us and ask us questions about our faith. The people who come into our lives all form part of our faith journey.
Our year 6 students, in particular our Confirmation candidates, had such an opportunity on their faith journey. At their Spiritual Reflection Day, the Confirmation candidates worked with young ‘Spirit Filled’ people who all contributed to the development of their faith.
Last Friday we took the candidates with all students in Year 6 to the Salesian Retreat Centre at Lysterfield. This year we were blessed to have a perfect, warm and sunny day for our ‘Reflection Day’. Each year we have offered this as a day of prayer, reflection and a time away from the usual school program to think more deeply about the sacrament they are preparing to celebrate and the changes that they are all getting ready for as they move on from the familiar surrounds of primary school into secondary education.
Our day was prepared and led by students who are ‘Spirituality Leaders’ from Nazareth College, from year 9 through to year 10. I would like to thank Mr. Nathan and the Nazareth students for all that they did in preparing and leading this day. I also thank Mrs. Walker for her support and the Year 5/6 teachers who have worked hard teaching the students about the Sacrament of Confirmation. The day began with some fun activities before the dividing the students into activity groups. For the rest of the day they moved through the different activities gathering together for breaks and prayer in the beautiful chapel to celebrate our day together.
Each activity was different, each was a prayerful experience for the students and in some way these encouraged and challenged them to use their own gifts and talents. It was an enjoyable day spent with the students and one I believe, that has given them the opportunity for prayerful reflection on the presence of the Holy Spirit within their own lives and how they can, through very simple participation within this community, enrich the parish community of St Elizabeth’s.
Sacramental News:
A gentle reminder that all Confirmation activity packs are now due.
Confirmation timeline 2017
Event/Activity / Date dueBishop Elliott’s School Visit / Friday 10th November
CONFIRMATION SUNDAY / CONFIRMATION SUNDAY 12 Nov
Family & Individual Confirmation Photos / SUNDAY 12th November 11.00am-12.15pm
Group Confirmation Photo / SUNDAY 12th November. Arrive 12.30pm, Photo 12.45 sharp.
CONFIRMATION SUNDAY / SUNDAY 12th November 1.00
It is important to attend mass regularly as part of Confirmation preparation.
Thank you to the many families who have been regularly participating at the mass here at St Elizabeth’s. Remember there is a sign in sheet at the back of the church.
School & Class Liturgies and Key Events:
We welcome all families and parishioners to attend school masses with us.
Sunday12th November- 1:00 pm / Confirmation Mass 1.00pmFriday 17th November - 10:30 / F/5/6 Community Mass
Thursday 7 December- 9:15am / Whole School – Gift Giving Mass
Friday 8th December / 1/2/3/4 Community Prayer Celebration
Tuesday 12 December- 7.00pm / CAROLS NIGHT WHOLE SCHOOL
Picnic 6.30 pm - Carols 7.00 pm
Thursday 14h December- 9:15 / Whole School – End of 2017 Year Mass
Tuesday 19th December- 6.30pm / Year 6 Transition Mass
SOCIAL JUSTICE IN ACTION IN OUR SCHOOL - DONATIONS FOR MATUATINAO
We are collecting for our friendship school but we recognise that it is a busy and expensive time of the year for families. We are not asking for anyone to buy anything but to bring in things that your children may have grown out of or not using anymore and you are planning on getting rid of. Please ensure it is all in good condition. Please leave it in the school office.
· Footwear that is in good condition
· Socks
· Toys in clean and good condition (not too big as the need to fit in a 1mx1m box)
· Summer clothing
· Summer hats
· Shorts, skirts
· bathers
· Books your children don’t read any more
Matutinao Elementary is always grateful for all the donations we send them.
God Bless,
Maria Popowycz
Religious Education Leader
Deputy Principal News
Grandparents Day
We celebrated Grandparents day on Monday 23rd October which began with a special Assembly at 9:00am. Children shared their artwork, read poems they wrote themselves and shared personal reflections about their Grandparents. This was followed by a tour of our classrooms and concluded with a morning tea at 10:00am.
Here are a few writing pieces about Grandparents:
My Grandma’s Story (written by Candice)
In Mauritius, I have a Grandma called Jeanne. The thing I love about her is that, she has a mango tree in her backyard. She would always go and pick ripe mangoes when I was young and give them to me. My Grandma is the best person ever! She is also really good at cooking and Maths. She has taught my Mum how to bake cakes and make special Asian dishes. I loved cooking with her, she taught me how to make roti and an orange cake which we make every Chinese New Year. My Grandma has also helped me a lot in my Maths since I was young. Now, since I live in Australia, she comes nearly every Christmas and celebrates with us all.
Having her in my life is really important to me and I have always missed her because she lives far away. She has always helped us all.
Couplet poem (written by Alyssa)
My Grandpa loves fixing things
But can’t fix his voice when he sings
My Grandma loves roses
But she hates hoses
My Grandma (written by Julie)
My grandma is a great story teller. I remember her, telling me stories and I would sit there for hours listening to her. Once she finished a story, I would ask her to tell me another story. I remember she told me a story about a man who trusted a fox but the fox was not loyal and ate all the man’s chickens, leaving the man poor because he lived by selling chickens.
My grandma is one of the reasons I love reading stories today.
2017 Annual State RSL Remembrance Service
The Victorian Branch of the Returned & Services League of Australia will be conducting its Annual State Remembrance Service at the Springvale War Cemetery on Sunday 5th November, commencing at 1:00pm and concluding at 2:00pm.
The Service format includes a Band and Choir, a keynote speaker and a wreath laying segment.
Kind regards,
Lorraine Walker
Sports News
Hi all,
Last Thursday our mixed Softball team travelled to Westall Primary School to play in the Greater Dandenong Division Final. We played Heather Hill Primary School.
To prepare for the final we practiced at playtime and we had an hour session with a professional Softball Coach from Softball Victoria organised by Mr. Andrew.
In the final, we defended really well and were able to keep the other team down to 2 runs with great catching and throwing. When we batted we used our voices from the sidelines and we were able to score in all three innings. The final scores were 9 – 2 and we were crowned the 2017 Greater Dandenong Division Champions!
Our team would like to thank Mrs. Le and Mrs.Liptai for donating their time and making the trip possible.
We would like to thank Sue Hatley-Smith for coaching us for the entire season. It is her passion that has made us the team we are today.
We are now looking forward to the Southern Metro Regional Finals on Thursday 9thNovember.
Yours in Sport
Dean Andrew
Sports Coordinator
St. Elizabeth’s Community
Trixie Martin
Out Of School Hours Care
Please note that on Monday 6th November and Tuesday 7th November the school will be closed and the St. Elizabeth’s Out of School Hours Care Program WILL NOT be operating on those days.