The Vinnies Christmas Hampers Appeal for 2019 was launched on assembly last Friday by Bob McIlroy and Fr. Hilary. The contents of these hampers will help families who are experiencing hardship in this coming Christmas season.

Each class was presented with a Christmas decorated box which students are asked to fill with a gift of non-perishable goods. The hampers will be presented to a representative from the St. Vincent de Paul Society at our Thanksgiving Mass on Friday, 6^th December.

This appeal offers our school community an opportunity to help support families in our local community celebrate the festive season.

Some ideas for non-perishable goods are shown below:

Important: Please ensure all goods are within use-by dates:

Prep: Tinned/packet soup, puddings, cake or pancake mix, custards.

Year 1: Tinned fruits/meals including spaghetti, baked beans etc.

Year 2: Breakfast cereals, pasta, grains (e.g. rice, cous cous, spaghetti etc)

Year 3: Biscuits (sweet or savoury), muesli bars, fruit mince pies.

Year 4: Lollies, candy canes, Christmas Cake, Christmas puddings, bon bons.

Year 5: Tinned vegetables (e.g. corn, peas, carrots, 3 bean mix, beetroot).

Year 6: Drinks (e.g. soft drinks, juice, tea, coffee, long-life milk, cordial).

Children may bring these items to their classroom and place them in their hamper any time from now until  Thursday, 5^th December.

We thank you for your very generous support of all fundraising events conducted throughout 2019.

Morning Tea of Thanks

We will be hosting a morning tea on Wednesday, 4^th December following the Awards Presentation to thank all parent, grandparent and other volunteers who have assisted our school community in any way throughout the year. The staff at St Clare’s look forward to showing our appreciation by sharing the many happy memories created throughout 2019 over a cuppa. Invitations will be sent out this week.

Altar Servers for 2020

We thank the dedicated Altar Servers who have continued to help Fr Hilary serve during the Masses throughout this year.  We would like to invite you to continue your role next year. We are very much in need of additional volunteers who have made their sacraments and who would like to become Altar Servers. A note was given out to existing and interested Altar Servers last week. Thank you to those who have returned them. A roster will be put together early in 2020.

 Farewell to our 2019 Year 6 Class

Next Monday 2^nd December at 5:30pm, the Year 6 class will be farewelled at their Liturgy to be held in St Clare’s Church, which will be followed by their dinner. May the Grace of God be with them all as they continue on their learning journey to High School.

Yr 5 Leadership Retreat

The Yr 5 leadership retreat day last Thursday, Nov 21^st was a day held to assist students with their understanding of student leadership in Yr 6.  

All students in Yr 6 in 2020 will be a Student Leader and demands of representation, welcoming visitors, functions, mass/liturgies etc will be shared amongst all students during the year.  This will be a much more inclusive model and allow all students to be leaders for St Clare’s School.

As the end of this school year draws near, we thank you all for your support throughout 2019 and pray that each member of our school and parish community has the strength to face the challenges in our daily lives with a heart of love and peace.

We are most grateful for your presence within our community.  We wish you a very Holy Christmas and Happy New Year.  May our Blessed Mother Mary, the Mother of Jesus, watch over you and your loved ones this sacred season. 

In closing, I leave you with an Irish Christmas Blessing…

 

Lady Love, whose maternal affection for us is revealed in Mary the Mother of Jesus, bring us with the shepherds to Bethlehem so that we can see in the image of the Madonna and Child, the passionate gentleness of your affection for us and in that image gain strength and hope for all our lives.  We ask this in the name of the Baby born at Bethlehem and his mother.  Amen.

 

May the Grace of God be with you,

Kath Kennedy