There was a true sense of joy in the air when Holy Family Primary, East Granville celebrated its 80th anniversary on the same day as St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was remembered for establishing the first Catholic school in Australia.
The celebrations began with an inspiring Mass and included a special blessing of a new learning space at the school.
Diocese of Parramatta Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv DD reflected on some of the famous sayings of St Mary MacKillop including “never see a need without doing something about it”, “we are but travellers here” and “find happiness in making others happy.”
He said St Mary MacKillop saw a need to serve the poor and from that she founded the first Catholic school in rural Penola in South Australia and so Catholic education was born.
Australia’s Catholic education story includes the establishment in 1938 of Holy Family Primary East Granville Trongate Hall, newly purchased by Fr Halpin.
Holy Family’s Principal Yvette Baird said Fr Halpin asked the Sisters of St Joseph to look after the new school, and they did so for 50 years before the first lay principal Carmel Cannon took over the reigns.
Other past principals include Bernard Holland, Kevin Etherington and Sue Guilfoyle.
“However a school would be just bricks and mortar without one essential and valuable asset: the children who walk through the gates each morning with a smile on their face ready to live, love and learn,” Mrs Baird said.
“This has been our school motto - to live with hope, to love in hope and to learn for the hope of our world.”
In the spirit of the occasion Mrs Baird, along with her wonderful team of teachers, took to the church podium to add a splash of colour, music and song.
Following the Mass, Bishop Vincent blessed the school’s new learning space with the assistance of Holy Family Parish Priest Fr Andrew Bass.
Mrs Baird said she is very grateful of the new learning space which has already provided new possibilities and opportunities to cater for the learning needs of all the students.
CathEd Parra
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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30 Nov 2022
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Congratulations to our super star students of the week showing great achievements last week!
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30 Nov 2022
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Congratulations to our super star students of the week showing great achievements last week!
30 Nov 2022
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Today we said thank you and farewell to Mr Ken Beardsley in a beautiful Mass of Thanksgiving. Ken has worked with Holy Family for nearly two decades. We wish Ken all the best with his retirement. It is very well deserved!
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Just a reminder that tomorrow for wellbeing week students are invited to dress up as a maintenance man or woman. As students will be participating in some sporting activities throughout the day please ensure that appropriate footware is worn.
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27 Nov 2022
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Celebration of Learning Award Presentations 9:00am tomorrow morning. All welcome.
26 Nov 2022
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25 Nov 2022
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Join us @ 9am on Monday for our end of year celebration of learning and awards in student classrooms
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Congratulations to Olivia Burke for being awarded the Auburn Review Citizenship Award last night. Citation: - Olivia is a diligent and respectful student who engages in all classroom activities, supports her peers and devotes her full attention to all that she faces. - She is an excellent model of our school’s values and expectations and strives for social justice within the school community. - Olivia is a wonderful role model to younger students as she possesses an understanding and patient nature which makes her a valuable peer to many at Holy Family. - She is happy and trusted to take responsibility for jobs she has been asked to do and carries them out in a mature manner.
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This year we farewell Mr Ken Beardsley. As we would like to farewell him as a whole school community we invite you to his farewell Mass on Wednesday November 30 @ 10am If you intend in attending the Mass, please return the attached note signed once your child brings it home.
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Positive school behaviour celebrated at Teach Meet
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This afternoon Year 4 and kindergarten joined together to learn about forces using the Lego Wedo kits! The students showed grit and teamwork to work together and make the pulley! They had such a great time being scientists!