Last Monday we celebrated Harmony Day at the College. Throughout the day we celebrated the cultural diversity in our community. Girls wore their cultural dress and performed their cultural dance routines on the top oval and the Mary Sheil Centre. The Mary Sheil Centre was full of students and staff who were present to encourage and affirm the many girls on stage. It was lovely to see the pride and the honour each girl held for their culture and the pride and appreciation other girls held in acknowledging this diversity in their community.

We regularly celebrate Harmony Day at the College as well as Polynite every second year but COVID has not enabled us to do this over the last two years. I have worked in many schools over my career and St Patrick's is the most culturally diverse school I have be in. Cultural diversity means that all girls have a place where they can belong. There is no one ‘type’ of student in the community, but a broad range of ‘types’ which respects and appreciates the gifts girls bring to this collective. I invite you to enjoy some of the images of our day in this edition of the Inside Out. I thank Mrs Tannous , Ms Glase and the students leaders for leading such a wonderful day.

As we come to the end of an 11 week term, I must congratulate the girls and staff for their resilience and optimistic approach to some very pressing challenges across the term. They have all just got on with it, in spite of sick friends, sick family members, periods of isolation and late minute changes due to our constraints. They will all deserve the break ahead. I would like to sincerely thank Mrs Singles who held the acting CAPA Coordinator position and Mr Combes who held the acting Assistant Principal Students position for the term. We have been very well served by both staff over this time  and  are very grateful for their hard work. We wish Mrs Fenton well as she prepares for the birth of her baby over the coming weeks. Sadly Ms Jo Burnett, our bus driver, will be finishing this term and we wish her well for the future.

Finally, thank you for your support and assistance over this term. It has been very much appreciated. This Sunday is the memorial of the Appin Massacre at Cataract Dam. If you are able, I encourage you to attend. A flyer about this is included in this edition.

Wishing you a joyful Easter and a wonderful break. I encourage you to attend one of the Easter services across this season. May the peace and love of the resurrected God be with you during this time. I will leave you with a reflection on Easter.

Blessings

Sue Lennox - Principal

We pray for people throughout the world who struggle to get enough food.
May God inspire us all to reach out with small acts of love, making a big difference, so that no one goes hungry.

We pray for the Church throughout the world: that she may be a sign of God’s love for all people and a beacon of hope for all who are in need.

We pray for world leaders: that the Holy Spirit may guide them to speak out for what is right and take action to build a better future.

We pray for everyone who is sick or afraid, bereaved or isolated around the world; and we pray for all who support them.
May God grant each of them peace and comfort, courage and perseverance. 

We pray for the peace throughout the world: that the Risen Lord will turn hearts from violence and open new paths to peace, and justice.

Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer

Extract from Catholic Agency for Overseas Development