Newsletter Term 3 Week 1, 25.7.2025
Principal's News
Dear Jesus
As we begin a new term, we give you our school. We give you all the teachers and staff who work here, we give you all the children who learn and play here as part of our parish school family.
We pray our school will be place of growing, adventure and creativity. May it be a place where we love to learn and where we learn to love, a place where everyone is respected and valued, a place where the Spirit of Jesus is visible through everything that we do.
We ask all this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Welcome to Term 3
Welcome back to the beginning of a new school term. I trust that you all enjoyed a relaxing and enjoyable break with your children and found some downtime to escape the hectic pace of school terms, lunches and washing uniforms.
We have enjoyed an extremely positive start to the term with students returning happy to see their friends and class teachers and with a clear intent on meeting expectations for their learning and behaviour. As I visited classrooms this week, they were calm and focused. It was a pleasure to see the levels of engagement and smiling faces.
We are working incredibly hard to continue improving as a school and it is extremely rewarding to be part of such a vibrant faith and learning community.
Well done for a great start to the term.
Fullness of Life
Perhaps the greatest driver of Catholic Identity in our school is the shared sense of dedication needed to follow in the Mission of Jesus Christ.
Both in the Gospel and at the end of every Mass, we are reminded to ‘go’ - go and do something in the service of God and others. Jesus does not just talk about saying the right thing or practicing religion. He wants us to share in His mission by inviting us into action.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus constantly tells us who He is and who we can aspire to be. Several times in this Gospel we see Jesus declare ‘I am’ - always using a metaphor for the reader’s sake regarding things that nurture life; bread, the vine, light etc.
In our work in schools, we endeavour to imitate Jesus as shepherds. In being ‘good shepherds’ we seek to lead and enable students to have full and authentic lives. We do this by leading them in an encounter with Christ who is the gateway to the Father (John 10:7).
When we invoke John’s Gospel regarding “enabling students to achieve a ‘fullness of life’”(John 10:10) we take the pastoral aspect of our teaching duties seriously. Like the Good Shepherd we know each student by name, we search out the lost student, we nurture the hurting student, and we encourage the ‘flock’ of students in our class toward living water, both in their life and in their learning.
Above all, through the foundation of Jesus, we lead them to the God of love, goodness, truth and beauty.
From the School Calendar
Week 2, Term 3, 2025
- Learning Partnership Conferences
- Tuesday 29th July - Confirmation Family Workshop 5-6pm
- Friday 1st August - Zone Athletics carnival
Week 3, Term 3, 2025
- Learning Partnership Conferences
- Wednesday 6th August - Byron Bay Writers Festival (40 students from stage 2 and 3)
- Thursday 7th August - Year 4 Camp Lake Ainsworth Lennox Head
- Thursday 7th August - Tweed Public Speaking Finals
- Thursday 7th August - Making Jesus Real visit Stage 3 students
- Friday 8th August - Year 4 Camp Lake Ainsworth Lennox Head
Week 4, Term 3, 2025
- Monday 11th August - 2pm Street Science
- Thursday 14th August - Science Fair
Week 5, Term 3, 2025
- Book Week - Theme "Book an Adventure"
- Monday 18th August - Book Character Parade 9am
- Book Fair in the library - Times to be advised
- Town Library visits - Times to be advised
Week 6, Term 3, 2025
- Tuesday 26th August - Diocesan Athletics Carnival
Week 7, Term 3, 2025
- Friday 12th September - Polding Athletics Carnival
Week 8, Term 3, 2025
- Monday 1st September - Chris Hudson Parent Workshop
- Tuesday 2nd September - Netball Gala Day
- Friday 5th September - Father's Day afternoon 3-4:30pm
- Friday 5th September - Confirmation
Week 9, Term 3, 2025
- Friday 19th September - Year 5 and 6 Gala Day
Week 10, Term 3, 2025
- Monday 22nd September - Rewards Day- Colour Fun Run
- Friday 26th September - Last Day of Term 3
MISSION NEWS
Confirmation
This Term a number of students will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Any family wanting to receive this special Sacrament will need to attend the Confirmation Family Workshop THIS TUESDAY, July 29, 5-6pm in the St Anthony’s school hall.
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Friday, September 05 at 6pm at St Anthony’s Church, presided by Bishop Gregory Homeming.
All families involved should have received a Compass notification to enrol their child in the 2025 program, please contact Gemma Ballantine if you wish to enrol your child or want further information.
Baptism
Next week we will start to prepare a number of students for the Sacrament of Baptism, which will initiate and welcome them to the Catholic faith community.
If you would like your child to receive the Sacrament of Baptism and your child has a Catholic, Baptised Parent, please contact Gemma Ballantine gemma.ballantine@lism.catholic.edu.au
Messages from the Parish
YOU ARE INVITED
St Anthony Parish Interest Group: Classical Music Appreciation
The first gathering will be held on Friday, 10 August at 2:00pm at the home of Carmel Hill (Casuarina), and will include a presentation and discussion on the life of English composer Edward Elgar and Cardinal John Henry Newman, the Catholic poet whose work inspired Elgar’s famous composition, The Dream of Gerontius. A recorded performance of this piece—by the South Bank Symphony and Parliamentary Choir, filmed at St Paul’s Church outside the palace walls in Rome (2023)—will be screened. Afternoon tea will be provided, and local transport can be arranged if needed.
To attend, please email admin@carmelhillpsych.com with “Interest Group RSVP” in
the subject line.
This group will be a welcoming space for those who enjoy beautiful music, food, thoughtful conversation, and good company. All ages welcome.
INTRODUCING THE ST ANTHONY’S TRADES & SERVICES DIRECTORY.
The parish is putting together the St Anthony’s Trades & Services Directory—a free resource to help connect parish and school families with local professionals and businesses from within our own community. While the parish is not able to formally endorse the quality of the work of services listed, we trust that those who are part of our parish and school community who are listed in the Directory will uphold shared Catholic Values and conduct their work with integrity and respect.
Whether you’re a tradesperson, run a small business, or offer professional services, this is a great opportunity to let others in the parish and school community know what you do.
Forms will be available at the back of both churches or use this QR code to access the Pastoral Council page on the parish website with a link to a google form. Simply fill in your name, business or service, contact information, and a short description of what you offer.
We hope this directory becomes a valuable go-to for our community and helps strengthen the sense of connection and support we share.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Parish Information and News
Parish Priest: Fr Paul McDonald
Finance Manager: Paul Crouch
Parish Secretary: Marty Darragh
Pastoral Assistant: Catherine Holliday
Phone: 0266741368
Email: parkings@bigpond.com
Website: http://stanthonysparishkingslciff.org
WEEKEND MASS TIMES
VIGIL: KINGSCLIFF 6:00pm
SUNDAY:POTTSVILLE 7:30am
KINGSCLIFF 9:00am
WEEKDAY MASS TIMES
TUESDAY: POTTSVILLE 9:15am
WEDNESDAY: KINGSCLIFF 8:00am
THURSDAY: KINGSCLIFF 9:00am
FRIDAY: KINGSCLIFF 8:00am
RECONCILIATION TIMES
SATURDAY: KINGSCLIFF4:00-5:30pm
SUNDAY: POTTSVILLE 7:00—7:25am
Current Office Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 9am-3pm
PARISH NEWSLETTER LINK: http://stanthonysparishkingscliff.org/news-events/
St Anthony's Parish - Care Group
Many parents may have noticed from the Parish Bulletin, that the Parish has a Care Group which, among other things seeks to provide meals to any parishoners in need.
This could include times of family sickness, new mums struggling to provide for the family in the early days of returning home, and many other circumstances of genuine need.
Please be aware that the Care Group is very willing to help out if any families find themselves in need of this service.
Contact: Parish Office: 0266 741 284 or Maree Moore 0439 174 116
