Dear
Parents,
Gratitude, or thankfulness, is a virtue which is disappearing
today. Gratitude is a part of Justice, not a strict debt
but a moral debt for a favour received. Today, because
of an increased and disordered sense of self- worth, we
can think (erroneously) that favours are due to us, when,
by definition a favour is something beyond what is due
or usual.
The School’s heavenly patron, Saint Thomas says,”...after
religion, whereby we pay God due worship, and piety, whereby
we worship our parents, and observance, whereby we worship
persons excelling in dignity, there is thankfulness or
gratitude, whereby we give thanks to our benefactors.”
(II, II 106)
After last weekend we owe a debt of thanksgiving to a
good number of people. In order of dignity, we owe a debt
to God through Bishop Fellay: one hundred and twenty of
our children were given the great grace of confirmation
in a beautiful and memorable ceremony. Because our eyes
cannot see the change in a soul, the increase in sanctifying
grace, the character, the fullness of the Holy Ghost with
His Gifts and Fruits, we tend to overlook the benefits
received and the thanksgiving which we owe.
It was a very busy weekend for us, but spare a thought
for Bishop Fellay, Superior General of the Society of
St Pius X, with all the cares that that entails, he flew
from Europe to... Brisbane: confirmations, conference,
appointments, celebrations of St Philomena’s School’s
tenth anniversary; then Tynong: confirmations, appointments,
dignitaries to meet, conference; then Sydney; then Holy
Cross Seminary: then New Zealand! And an eventual return
to Europe. As a mark of our gratitude let us keep him
regularly in our prayers.
We also had our main fund-raising activity, the famous
Dinner Auction. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Parents
and Friends Organisation and especially to the Dinner
Auction Committee. The function demands a great deal of
time, energy and commitment. We enjoy the evening, we
profit from its fruits ... and the Committee is already
planning next year’s, the Tenth Dinner Auction,
the biggest and the best!
To all involved, Sponsors, contributors, those who attended
and especially to those who gave so much to its preparation
our profound thanks and prayers.
This is also an opportunity to congratulate students who
have participated in a number of memorable performances
in recent times: the Year 9 debating team for winning
the Regional Finals. They now proceed to the knock out
stage of the State debating competition. We participated
well in a spelling competition, Gippspell. The Year 5/6
Girls had two teams play in a netball competition and
the A team were victorious. The St Thomas Aquinas College
Ensemble participated in the West Gippsland Music and
Drama Eisteddfod and won their section. More details on
all these events are elsewhere in the Chronicle.
Saint Paul says ‘In all things give thanks”
(I Thess v 18). Let us take these words to heart, and
keep up the good work, AMDG, all for the glory of God
and the salvation of souls.
Fr.
Michael Delsorte
Principal
What's
On
| |
|
BOYS
SWIMMING
(All Fridays during term) |
| |
|
GIRLS
SWIMMING
(All Mondays during term) |
| 27th
- 28th August |
|
YEAR
11/12 GIRLS
MT BAW BAW SKI TRIP |
| 18th
September |
|
TERM
THREE FINISHES |
| 6th
October |
|
TERM
FOUR COMMENCES |
| 10th
December |
|
TERM
FOUR CONCLUDES |
| |
7PM |
PRESENTATION
NIGHT
CARDINIA CULTURAL CENTRE |
St Thomas Aquinas College
Year 12 Fundraiser
Fathers’ Day Raffle
Drawn: Sunday 6th September 2009
Tickets: $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00
Major Prize: 10kg Cadbury Block of Chocolate
2nd Prize: Half a Dozen Bottles of Red Wine
My
Prayer Book
Happiness
in Goodness
Reflections, Counsels, Prayers and Devotions
By Rev. F. X. Lasance
Nihil Obstat, Imprimatur, New York, 19 September 1908
The
following Reflection is found in this little treasured
book.
Don’t Worry
Nowadays
we hear and read frequently about “Don’t Worry–
Clubs”. Membership in one of these clubs of optimists
may be a desideratum, but it is not a necessity to a practical
Catholic; for there can be no doubt that the best “don’t–worry
club” in the world is the Catholic Church, because
she directs her members to lead a pure and holy life,
to do their duty, to rejoice in the Lord always, and to
preserve their peace of soul by a simple, childlike confidence
in the providence of Our Father in heaven, in accordance
with the words of St. Paul: “We know that to them
that love God all things work together unto good”
(Rom. Viii.28). “Happy is the man”, says the
dear St Francis of Assisi, “who does not worry,
nor grieve himself, about anything in this world, but
leads a holy life, without any inordinate attachment,
and abandons himself cheerfully to the will of God.”
St
Francis of Sales, knowing that all the accidents of life,
without exception, happen by the order of Providence,
reposed in Him with the greatest tranquility, like a child
on the bosom of its mother. This gentle saint was filled
with so great a confidence in God that in the midst of
the greatest disasters nothing could disturb the peace
of his soul. “I cannot but be persuaded,”
he often said, “that he who believes in an infinite
Providence, which extends even to the lowest worm, must
expect good from all that happens to him.” In the
same spirit, St Vincent de Paul exhorts us: “Let
us place our confidence in God and establish ourselves
in an entire dependence on Him. Then fear not what men
may say or do against us, all will turn to our advantage.
Yes, if all the earth should rise up against us, nothing
will happen but as God pleases, in whom we have established
our hopes.”
Says
the author of the “Spiritual Combat”: “Nothing
is impossible to God, since His power is infinite. Nothing
is difficult to God, since His wisdom is equally infinite.
God desires our good with an infinite desire, since His
goodness is without limit. What can be more capable of
inspiring us with great confidence in Him?” “Have
confidence” (Mark vi. 50). Let your care be to possess
your soul in peace and tranquility: let not accident be
to you a cause of ill humour.
GENERAL
NOTICES
FIRST
BLESSING:
Fr. Campbell who is presently visiting will be saying
the 6.15pm Mass this evening. After this Mass he will
give his First Blessing to those who wish to receive it.
Fr. Campbell was ordained at the Holy Cross Seminary last
year.
CHOCOLATE
MONEY:
Could everyone please make a special effort to have the
chocolate money returned to the office by the end of September?
This does not apply to those families who have taken more
than one box. Thanks again for all those who have already
returned the money.
SPELLING
COMPETITION:
On Wednesday 5th of August eight students, from Years
Five to Eight, represented the school in the Annual 'Gippspell'
spelling competition at Beaconhills College Pakenham.
Involved were schools from across the Shire of Cardinia;
well done to Anna P. for coming second in her division.
Mr Davis.
LOST:
Missing is a black sports windcheater. It has an iron
on label with the name of PEPPING attached to the neckband.
This item has been missing for 2 weeks.
STAC
SNIPPETS:
If anyone has items of interest that I can publish in
“Snippets”, I would appreciate it if you could
please forward them to me. Many thanks, A. Paar.
MAJELLAN
PRAYER GROUP:
The next evening for the Majellan ladies is:
Friday 28th August at the home of Annette Hosie.
Address: 46 Railway Ave, TYNONG
All ladies of the parish most welcome to attend. At 7.30pm
the rosary is said. Following will be a short meeting
and then the evening concludes with supper and social
time. Please bring a plate.
YEAR 9 DEBATING:
Our Year 9 girls have been participating in The Debating
Association of Victoria competition since the beginning
of the year. There are 24 teams in their grade and we
have managed to take first place by defeating Mary McKillop
Leongatha in the final. Congratulations must go to Mary-Anne
Murphy, Stephanie Pullen and Francesca Côdd for
their hard work throughout the season. Natalie Pastor
and Dearna Miller have also played an important support
role to the team’s success. We now embark upon the
State Final playoffs next Wednesday. A little bit of prayer
support wont go astray.
WARRAGUL
ESTEDDFOD:
Yesterday (Wednesday 12th August) our school’s instrumental
ensemble performed with honours in the Variety Bands section
of the Warragul Music Eisteddfod.
Three bands were scheduled to compete in this section,
but both our potential competitors withdrew. We went ahead
with our performance of pieces from Handel’s “Music
from the Royal Fireworks” and from the musical “Hunchback
of Notre Dame”. Despite a well-known unwillingness
of the Eisteddfod to award certificates in this situation,
the adjudicator was more than pleased to do so. In her
comments she praised the group’s balance, sense
of style and rhythmic unity. She awarded us officially
the certificate for first place, and the school is to
receive a special plaque to acknowledge the quality of
our performance.
It must be remembered that this was the maiden public
performance of the ensemble, and that the students were
naturally subject to stage nerves. Thanks and congratulations
are due to all the players, and especially to Chris M.,
Joseph O. and Elizabeth D. (conductor), who all assumed
leadership roles, and performed them with distinction.
STAC
SNIPPETS
The first teachers to teach in the Primary School in 1999
were:
Mrs
Paar - Prep, Gr 1 & Gr 2
Mr Foley - Gr 3 & 4
Mr Hanney - Gr 5 & 6
A
few months later Miss Cranswick joined us to help Mrs
Paar with her large class.
STAC
snippets are kindly supplied by
Mr Arthur Paar.
BOOK
WEEK
MONDAY
24th August
To
FRIDAY
28th August
This
year’s theme is
SAFARI
Primary
classrooms open for viewing on Wednesday 26th August at
1.30pm
Please
see your child's teacher to see how you can help with
this years classroom activities.
MS Readathon
A big thank you to the families and friends our St Thomas
Aquinas College participants who have sponsored their
reading during the 30th year of the MS Readathon!
As
St Thomas Aquinas College students begin to close their
books on this year’s program it is nearing time
to return sponsorship funds and collect their hard-earned
certificate and reading rewards. With an official money-due
date of August 31st, the fastest way to return sponsorship
is online with the help of mum or dad.
Students can also return the Completion Form (which they
received in the post recently) and any receipt books sent
to them. If you have misplaced your form, a replacement
can be downloaded from www.msreadathon.org.au or call
1300 677 323 to speak to the State Office.
The official money-due date is 31st August; however, there
is still plenty of time to complete your 30 day reading.
UNIFORM NEEDED
A
German girl is coming to visit and will be attending our
school (entering Year 10) for three months.
She
arrives next Wednesday, 19th August. She will need to
have the full school uniform.
I would like to borrow a school jumper, blazer, girls
sports uniform, summer and winter hat, and long sleeve
blouses/shirts. Please contact Lisa Braaksma – 5942
8547
SPORT REPORT
NETBALL
On Thursday the 6th of August, the Grade 5/6 girls competed
in an interschool netball tournament in Warragul against
some of the district’s finest netball teams.
The
netball day is not for the faint hearted, as teams have
to play six games in a row without much rest time in between.
Miss Schaefer would like to say a big thank you to all
the girls who put in their best effort on the day and
for upholding St. Thomas Aquinas’s unbroken reputation
for impeccable manners and sportsmanship.
The more experienced players were on the ‘A’
team who has now won the competition back to back for
two years in a row. Well done to the following girls:
Monica B. (team captain), Madeleine F., Georgia ., Hillary
F., Georgina C., Madeline P., Anne S. and Jacinta M.
The B team had a wonderful learning experience on the
day and players on this team have improved their netball
skills dramatically over the last few weeks: Georgina
R. (team captain), Eliza B., Bethany V., Jessica Y., Chloe
G., Rachael P., Sarah C., Therese F., Tineeka M.and Muirenn
H.
Miss Schaefer would like to thank Mrs. Green for her time
in coaching and enthusiasm, Mrs. Fox and Jacinta Bray
for umpiring for the whole day, Mrs. Bray and Mrs. Van
Strijp for transport and Mr. James for running lunchtime
netball.
SWIMMING
It gives me great pleasure to inform parents that all
Grades 3 to Year 8 students (as well as some Yr 9/10’s)
have made wonderful progress with the College’s
swimming program. Students are refining their stroke techniques,
building stamina and confidence in the water and learning
specific water safety techniques. Students are always
challenged in classes and so far, every student has risen
to these challenges from their instructors.
Secondary students who have undergone the swimming program
for a few years now and have become reasonably competent
swimmers, will have the opportunity this year to gain
some qualifications with their swimming. The levels will
be as follows: Level 1, Level 2, Bronze Star (as awarded
by the Australian Royal Life Saving Association) and the
Bronze Medallion (also awarded by the A.R.L.S.A).
Select
individuals have been chosen by Miss Schaefer to complete
the above awards. The normal cost of obtaining a Bronze
Medallion is over $200. Students who achieve this award
will obtain it free of charge.
For more information on the swimming certificate levels
or for individual student updates please see Miss Schaefer
at the College.
CRICKET
Term four will again be full of cricket for all students,
particularly Grades 5- 10. Miss Schaefer will publish
all cricket dates in a week or two. Parents should note
that the cricket dates are always subject to change.
Junior
School Soup Stall!
Every Wednesday
during Term 3.
50c a cup.
The funds raised are to be used for the
Grade 6 graduation
at the end of the year.
Did
you know ?
