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Dear Families,
What’s with Chocolate and Hot Cross Buns?
We have to take a step back sometimes and ask ourselves why we do certain things. Why do Cadbury and Lindt do so well at this time of year? Why does Bakers Delight sell so many buns? Why is there a huge queue at the Fish & Chip shop on Fridays? The answer lies in rituals and traditions. And people love a good ritual and tradition.
Let’s start with the chocolate thing. For Christians, Easter Sunday is the biggest day of the year - bigger than Christmas, bigger than the Grand Final, bigger even than the Black Friday Sales. Its huge because this is the day that the greatest gift, the gift of life was given a massive upgrade…the gift of everlasting, infinite life. Heaven is known as the place where life will continue, forever, after we die. Jesus died on the cross and conquered death, paving the way for us to live on forever. The Diwali festival is similar in that there is a victory of light over darkness and good over evil. The popular phrase to use for Easter is “we have been given new life”. This is where the symbol of the Easter Egg steps in. The egg is a great symbol of new life. And what makes an egg even better? Make it an upgraded egg with chocolate! But this is also why Christians will wait until Easter Sunday (and the days after), to have the treat of eating an Easter Egg. Because the period of Lent is over and the day of Resurrection (Jesus coming back to life) can be celebrated. And why not celebrate big with chocolate, as well as a family get together with decadent meals – whatever the family tradition.
So, before we get to Easter Sunday - a couple of days before is Good Friday. This day marks the day of Jesus dying on the Cross. The cross, as a symbol, comes with such mixed feelings. On one hand, it is the instrument of death used by the Romans to kill thousands of people. On the other hand, and ultimately for Christians, the cross is the symbol of love - like the Diwali celebration, a “victory over darkness”. Jesus, fully human with all the physical traits of being human, willingly died on the cross – to fulfil the promise of love. Therefore, the cross is always a reminder of this love and appears on the spiced fruit buns that we can buy for the end of Lent. The spices represent the spices put on Jesus’ body when he was prepared for burial. Most Google search results point the ‘hot cross bun’ as we know it, originating in 14th century England. It’s extremely popular in Australia, with Woolworths selling 72 million hot cross buns in 2017.
Chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies and the hot cross buns, are now available in the shops well before Easter, sometimes months before. The buns actually come on sale on Boxing Day! As with all other good traditions, if it makes money, the tradition is stretched to allow for more sales. We have to set our own parameters around our traditions we wish to continue and nurture and choose whether the shops dictate our tradition or we can choose ourselves.
With the last week of term next week, and Holy Week starting on Sunday (Palm Sunday) many families will be looking to enact their own traditions. The events in the biggest week of the year for Catholics are Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday (Last Supper), Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday. Heaps of stuff happening in the church this coming week!
Andrew McDermott
Religious Education Leader
Holy Week at St Thomas the Apostle Church
For those that wish to explore the various events of Holy Week at the St Thomas the Apostle Church, here is a link to the parish website.
Please click on the link above to view Mass times for special events such as Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday (The Lord’s Supper), Good Friday (Way of the Cross, Passion of the Lord), Easter Saturday (Easter Vigil Mass) and Easter Sunday Masses.
St Thomas the Apostle Parish Sacraments 2023
Reconciliation
08 February- Reconciliation - Parent Formation Night 6.45pm
15 February- Reconciliation - Parent Formation Night 6.45pm
14 March- Reconciliation - Parent/Child Workshop 6.45pm
15 March- Reconciliation - Parent/Child Workshop 6.45pm
02 May - Reconciliation - Celebration of Reconciliation 5pm & 7pm
03 May - Reconciliation - Celebration of Reconciliation 5pm & 7pm
Confirmation
09 May - Confirmation - Parent Formation Night 6.45pm
16 May - Confirmation - Parent Formation Night 6.45pm
30 May - Confirmation - Parent/Child Workshop 6.45pm
31 May - Confirmation - Parent/Child Workshop 6.45pm
14 July - Confirmation - Retreat 11am - 3.15pm
19 July - Confirmation - Reconciliation (for STAPS) After Mass
Communion
19 July First Communion - Parent Formation Night 6.45pm
26 July First Communion - Parent Formation Night 6.45pm
26 July Confirmation – Reconciliation (for STAPS After Mass)
29 July Confirmation – Confirmation Ceremony 11am & 2pm
08 August First Communion - Parent/Child Workshop 6.45pm
09 August First Communion - Parent/Child Workshop 6.45pm
06 September First Communion – Reconciliation (for STAPS) After Weekday Mass
07 September First Communion - Retreat 11am-3.15pm (all candidates)
09 September First Communion - Mass
10 September First Communion - Mass
16 September First Communion - Mass
17 September First Communion - Mass
Next Wednesday 5th April, our staff will be engaged in a training day run by Team Teach that will focus on developing and supporting positive behaviours, identifying and understanding emotions and how to respond appropriately. This training applies to both supporting adults and students when challenging behaviours become evident and require an immediate response with ways that lead to a desirable outcome and positive relationship. We will continue to share our learning in this space after the training.
On the 26th April, staff will be engaged in a Professional Learning day with St Agatha’s PS and St Therese’s PS with a focus on supporting our students with additional needs. There will be multiple workshops available for staff to attend. Some include:
- Communication with students with ASD
- Facilitating a Restorative Conversation
- Body Safety and Consent
- Exploring Expressive and Receptive Language
- Self-Harm and Suicide Ideation
- Supporting Students with Hearing Impairments
- Supporting Students with big emotions
- Cognitive Load Theory
Staff will then be able to utilise this new learning gained from the workshops with their students back at school as required to meet their needs.
Student Absences
A reminder that all absences must be communicated to the school. If your child/ren are absent with no communication the following procedure will be followed to ensure the safety of your child/ren.
• SMS sent to main contacts ie parents/guardians
• If no response, a phone call is made to main contacts
• If no response, a call is made to all emergency contacts
• If no response, the school contacts Victoria Police
If you have any queries please contact the school.
Early pick up
A reminder that students are not released during recess (11:05 -11:35), lunch (1:45- 2:20) and after 3:00pm. If your child is to be picked up early, please do so outside these times.
School Pick Up Options
Walking school bus - children walk in a supervised group to the gate at St Peter's on McKillop Way (at the bottom of the St Peter's oval) and are collected by parents from 3.15 to 3.30.
Car pick up - cars drive following the green arrows and staff will ask the name/s of the child/ren. Children will be called and come to the car - supervised by staff.
Pick up from yard - parent park and walk, or walk to meet child at an agreed place on the yard. Any child who doesn't have an agreed place will be supervised on the basketball court (which gives cover if the weather is not kind).
A reminder that student supervision ceases at 3.30. If you are going to be later than this time you need to book your child with VillageOSCH who operate here at school.
REMINDER
SCHOOL PHOTOS - 6th April 2023 - ABSENT STUDENTS