Immaculate Heart College IHC Athletics Carnival

Immaculate Heart College
Through Mary to Jesus: “The Way, the Truth and the Life”
John 14:6
COLLEGE NEWSLETTER 8
October, 2013
IHC Athletics Carnival
Wednesday 16 October
IHC Factions - Fortitude, Justice, Prudence and Temperance - in their Faction Bays
Message from College Director, Mrs Doris Anastasiades
Last week we welcomed two Sisters on official visitation from the Missionary Congregation of Mary in the
Philippines to our College: Sr Felisa, the Mother Superior, and Sr Leonila, a member of the Council of
Sisters and Sister Teresita’s sister. It was a blessing to have them with us, even though it was for only five
days. The Sisters were very impressed with the College, with the Staff, and especially with the children.
We wish the Sisters a safe trip home and we look forward to their next visit.
A big thank you must go to our Principal, Dr Angela Evangelinou-Yiannakis, and Mrs Laura Dobra for their
initiative and hard work in setting the groundwork for the opening of our Playgroup in 2014. Thank you
Angela and Laura, and well done!
Message from the Principal
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Friends of Immaculate Heart College
Term Four is well and truly underway, having started with a ‘bang’! The IHC Athletics Carnival, held on
Wednesday 16 October on the school grounds, was a very successful event, enjoyed by children and adults
alike! A dedicated report on the Carnival is contained within this newsletter.
However, even before the term began, members of the College and wider community attended the very
enjoyable and extremely well-organised IHC Quiz Night. Once again, the Executive and Members of the
IHC P&F Association proved that they are capable of organising truly professional events that not only
benefit the school financially but which are also important advertising campaigns for the school and its
endeavours. Therefore, a very big vote of thanks and congratulations are offered on behalf of the entire
College community to the Executive Committee and all members of the IHC P&F Association who were
involved, with particular mention of President, Mrs Trudy Riley, and Treasurer, Mrs Jillian Westbrook, for
their seemingly endless energy and work that went into the preparation of the inaugural IHC Quiz Night.
In Week 3 of Term Four, we were honoured by a visit from Sister Felisa (Mother Superior of the Missionary
Congregation of Mary, Philippines) and Sister Leonila, also from the Missionary, and older sister to our very
own Sister Teresita. Both of the visiting Sisters were guests of Immaculate Heart College for the week
commencing Monday 28 October to Friday 1 November, on which day they also attended the whole-school
Mass. Impressed with the reverence shown by the children at Mass, the Sisters were full of praise for the
school and its efforts to develop respect and morals in the students. The Sisters added a special aura of
‘family’ to the lives of Sister Teresita and Sister Ramona who miss their homeland and previous way of life
whilst serving our College. In turn, the staff and students of Immaculate Heart College enriched the lives of
the Sisters who will relay their experiences to the Sisters at the Missionary in the Philippines upon their
return.
Virtues for the Months of October and November
The virtues for the month of October were PRAYER AND DEVOTION. The mission was The Month of
the Rosary and the model was Pope John Paul II.
The virtues for the month of November are CARE AND COMPASSION. The mission is Love for Others
and the model Saint is Mother Theresa of Calcutta. The students will be learning about these virtues in
more detail in Religious Education lessons.
Research on Literacy
The Association of Independent School’s Guiding Principles for Teaching Literacy document, 2013 includes
the following important information for schools and parents:
Literacy in the 21st century means: being able to receive and produce messages. It means knowing
their purpose and intent. Literacy is more than reading and writing Standard Australian sentences that are
grammatically correct. It means access to ideas, different ways of communicating, and to different ways of
being. Literacy is more than a school subject. It is a cross curricular construct (Adapted from ‘Simpson
Norris International)
Literacy includes knowing that messages carry values, opinions and beliefs, and that these are
expressions of culture.
Children coming to schools with a language/dialect other than Standard Australian English and
children learning languages other than English at school, have the potential to be linguistically advantaged.
Moreover, research states that maintenance of the child’s first language or dialect is of significant importance
in maintaining a sense of self and supporting linguistic development.
AISWA strongly supports schools reflecting the multi-literacies found in the community at large in
order to promote mutual understandings and respect. (This includes digital literacies.)
‘The Melbourne Declaration’ mandated the learning of languages other than English in Australian
schools for all children. That goal is supported through the Australian Curriculum (2010) and AISWA
whereby literacy in the 21st century is being able to manage communication and knowledge transfer across
languages and cultures.
At Immaculate Heart College, I am proud to say that we are achieving many of these goals through the
teaching of another language (Modern Greek) throughout the school (K-4), and also through the value
placed on the existing languages, dialects and various cultural backgrounds amongst our students. The
recent Year 3/4 Parent Assembly item is a perfect example of how other languages and cultures are
respected and promoted at IHC. Students from all backgrounds were able to showcase their linguistic and
cultural heritage through costume, items of cultural significance, and various greetings in their language of
heritage. It made for a very colourful, exciting and interesting display of languages and cultures.
Furthermore, a great emphasis exists in the school on our own English language with a focus on the
improvement of literacy skills. Our multi-literacies approach also includes the integration of Information
Technology in the everyday teaching/learning experiences of the staff and students. With a whole-school
focus on reading and reading skills this year, we have been able to increase our literacy standards, as
evidenced in the Year 3 NAPLAN results for our school (IHC performed above the national standard in
Reading).
NAPLAN Reports
Families of students in Year 3 who sat this year’s National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy
(NAPLAN), have been issued with their child’s NAPLAN Report, along with an explanatory flyer and other
relevant information. Furthermore, on 13 November, Mr Darryl Phillips and I will be attending a special
Professional Learning session that will provide us with additional insight into the interpretation of the
NAPLAN results. This, in turn, will enable us to prepare a report for the school community that will
enlighten all parents regarding our school’s performance. However, a cursory glance at the data has left me
very encouraged with the overall performance of Immaculate Heart College against the national
benchmarks.
PIPS Testing
All of our Pre-primary students have now completed the one-on-one online testing known as Performance
Indicators in Primary Schools (PIPS). For students who have been at IHC all year, this latest round of
testing was the second and final round for the year. The results of the PIPS testing have only just been made
available. Whilst individual reports for PIPS are not available, Miss Mary Clark and I will soon be able to
provide overall feedback to the College community regarding these results.
Bi-lingual Signage at IHC
Parents/guardians, you will have noticed some bilingual (English and Greek) signage around the school.
The signs were purchased from a Languages Education grant that I was able to secure for Immaculate Heart
College. The bilingual signage has a dual purpose; to provide visitors with some guidance regarding the
parking facilities and buildings at the school, and to further enhance the teaching/learning of Modern Greek
for our students. During Week 4 of Term Four, I will be filming our students using the Greek language,
both in and out of class. This footage will then be shown to fellow school leaders and teachers at a ‘Special
Projects Show Case Day’ at AISWA on Thursday 7 November. The footage will serve to prove that the
money provided to the school for the bilingual signage and other recently purchased resources (Greek
language posters, books, and other teaching aides) has been beneficial to the students and general
community of the school.
‘Better Beginnings’ Packs
As part of our specific focus on literacy and reading, in particular, at the school this year, a ‘Better
Beginnings’ Pack has been distributed to all students in Kindergarten and Pre-primary. The Pack is intended
to further promote the importance of reading at home and of the significant role that parents/guardians have
to play in terms of enhancing the reading skills of their children. Thanks are extended to Mrs Trudy Riley
who endeavoured to secure the Packs for our school.
IHC Athletics Carnival 2013
Olympic Torch Relay to officially start the day!
Sisters are ready to record the results!
Despite the overcast skies and patchy rain throughout the day, the second IHC Athletics Carnival in the short
history of the school was a resounding success! As was the case last year, a wonderful atmosphere was
created from the outset due to the contained and family-oriented arrangements within Area 1 of the school,
with tents for each of our Factions, marked lanes and other sporting equipment available for the events, an
announcer’s station, a record-keeping station, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place getters’ podiums, and a designated area
for families to set up their chairs and picnic baskets for the day. Adding to the atmosphere was the official
opening event, and now tradition at IHC; the Olympic Torch Relay. The blessing from Father Paul Fox set
the right tone for the day, after which the athletes were literally off and running!
This year, the IHC Athletics Carnival ran for most of the day due to more students at the school and,
therefore, extra events. In the middle of the day, the tabloid events were held in Area 2 to allow for more
space. A delicious barbeque lunch, thanks to the IHC P&F Association, was available for everyone to
enjoy. Then, it was back to Area 1 again for the relays and closure of the Carnival. The careful preplanning and preparation that went into the event beforehand made for a very smooth transition from Area 1
to Area 2 and back again, as well as smooth operations from one event to another.
On this, I would like to acknowledge, once again, the exceptional volunteer services of parent, Ms Janna
Curson, who spent Term Three working with the teachers and students to prepare them for the Carnival,
embellishing the students’ fitness regime and planning the events of the Carnival with careful attention to
detail. Ms Curson’s extraordinary efforts are noteworthy and much appreciated!
The IHC P&F Association, as always, provided not only the barbeque lunch, but individual parents provided
orange slices and home-baked muffins for the students during their Recess break. Everyone is
acknowledged and thanked in this regard. Furthermore, parent and other volunteers who helped with events
or who pinned ribbons on place getters during the day are thanked for their contribution which helped
proceedings to run effortlessly. All parents, relatives and friends who attended the Carnival are also thanked
for adding atmosphere and a special dimension of ‘family’ to the event.
In addition, I would like to acknowledge the wonderful and hard work of all of the staff of Immaculate Heart
College. Each staff member was assigned one or more special duties and each one carried out his/her duties
to capacity. However, the biggest vote of thanks goes to our exceptional group of students who put in their
best effort to secure points for their respective Factions and who looked magnificent on the day in their
Faction colours and paraphernalia. It was a beautiful day in all respects and one that everyone present
enjoyed!
Athletics Carnival Faction Results
1st Place:
Fortitude with 119 points
nd
2 Place:
Temperance with 97 points
rd
3 Place:
Justice with 94 points
th
4 Place:
Prudence with 87 points
Faction Points
The accumulated Faction Points at the end of Week 2, Term Four (inclusive of the Athletics Carnival
results) are as follows:
Fortitude
1,206
Justice
1,087
Prudence
1,112
Temperance 970
Well done to all students in each of the Factions!
Tee Ball and Specific Training in Term Four
Thanks to the volunteer services of IHC parent, Ms Trina Johnson, students in Years 1 to 4 have
recommenced the game of Tee Ball which they started learning about in Term Two of this year. The
students have Tee Ball with Ms Johnson every Friday during their double period Physical Education block.
The Kindergarten and Pre-primary students will be joined by Ms Curson for a dedicated Physical Education
program to suit their specific needs, whilst the Years 1 to 4 students will be joined by Ms Curson during the
week when they have their one period of Sport. Thanks are extended to both of these special parents who
are lending their expertise in a voluntary capacity to the school for the benefit of all of the children.
VACSWIM 2013-2014
Enrolments for December/January programs are now open. Swimming pools and beaches are a vital part of
our Western Australian lifestyle. It is important for every child to learn to swim and develop essential water
safety skills. VacSwim’s school holiday swimming programs are conducted by qualified instructors who
teach children the skills to be confident swimmers and safe in the water. For further information and online
enrolment, visit: www.det.wa.edu.au/swimming
Information regarding the Interim Swimming Program at IHC will follow in due course.
‘Kids Who Give WA’ Gala Award Ceremony
On Thursday 24 October, four very excited Faction Captains and I attended the ‘Kids Who Give WA’ Gala
Award Ceremony at Government House Ballroom. The event, hosted by His Excellency the Governor of
Western Australia, Mr Malcolm McCusker AC CVO QC, and Mrs Tonya McCusker, is held annually in
honour of the fundraising efforts of children under the age of 12 around the State.
As one of 55 finalist primary schools, Immaculate Heart College was a finalist in the category: The highest
level of participation for ‘giving projects’ by children in Kindergarten to Year 4. The project concerned was
the fundraiser ‘Bust out in Blue’ which involved everyone wearing something blue on a designated Free
Dress Day. The gold coin donation for this privilege was then donated to the Asthma Foundation WA for
on-going research. Staff, students, and even some parents participated in the event which also helped to
raise awareness of Asthma and how to deal with an Asthma attack.
The formal event began at 10am with individual recognition of every school’s efforts in the various
categories. School representatives were invited to the stage to receive a special certificate from the
Governor of Western Australia, books for their school, and other gifts. IHC’s Faction Captains, Leigh Atin,
Harmarnie Barker, Shannon Maughan and Ethan Smith were applauded loudly as they received the
Governor’s congratulations and gifts on stage. The formal ceremony concluded with a lavish lunch for all
participants. Above all, however, the students were inspired by their peers and are already planning next
year’s ‘giving project’ at the College!
In their own words, the students recount their experiences in brief:
Leigh Atin: Yesterday, we went to Government House Ballroom and it was a lot of fun there. The
Governor’s wife said that all four of us could go on stage. After, we had a free lunch downstairs and the
food was yummy! Then we had a photo with the Governor and his wife before we left. It was an once-in-alifetime opportunity so I behaved twice as well as I normally do! Finally, big thanks go to Mr Geoff Barker
for driving us to Government House, and to Dr Evangelinou-Yiannakis for giving us this once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity!
Harmarnie Barker: On Thursday, ‘Pa’ took the Captains of the Factions to the Governor’s house. When
we parked, we couldn’t find Dr Yiannakis but then we found her and we went into the ballroom. There were
beautiful chandeliers in there! Then we went on stage. I shook the Governor’s hand and held the
Certificate. After, we had lunch. The food was so yummy, I didn’t want to stop eating it! We had a photo
taken with the Governor and his wife. Then we went back to school.
Shannon Maughan: Yesterday, the Faction Captains went to the Governor’s house. We got there by
Harmarnie’s Grandpa. When we went inside, it looked amazing! I couldn’t believe my eyes for a second.
Then it was time for the awards. When it was our turn, we skipped up the aisle. Then it was time for lunch.
Lunch was so yummy, I just wanted more and more. There were sausage rolls, mini-pizzas, mini-stuffed
potatoes, and drinks. On the way back from the Ceremony, Dr Yiannakis drove us back in her car and we
sang lots of songs. We sang, ‘We are the Champions’ – and we actually are! I want to thank Harmarnie’s
Grandpa for dropping us off and I want to thank Dr Yiannakis for bringing us back home. It was the best
day so far!
Ethan Smith: It was a rare event. You would have liked it too. I felt very lucky to be there. We had a
good time. I wish all of us could have gone. It felt great to represent our school.
‘Write4Fun’ Competition
A letter of congratulations was received by the school in relation to the ‘Write4Fun’ Competition entries
from the Year 2 and Year 3/4 classes. The letter stated that Immaculate Heart College had over 10 students
successfully progressing past the initial judging stage in the 2013 Schools Writing Competition. With over
12,500 entries received Australia wide, the letter states that our school has been “recognised for
outstanding writing as only a small percentage of schools showed this level of achievement.” As a result,
we received a Certificate of Excellence which can be found on display at the Reception pin-up board, along
with other certificates. Congratulations are therefore extended to ALL students who participated in this
competition and to their teacher, Miss Natasha Affonso and Mr Darryl Phillips.
‘Doodle 4 Google’ Competition
Miss L’s Year 1 class entered the ‘Doodle 4 Google’ competition and although there were no outright
winners, Miss L received a letter of congratulations and thanks for the wonderful entries received from her
class.
FESA Approval
Late last term, the school’s fire hydrant was tested by FESA and I am pleased to confirm that it met with full
approval from the authorities.
Back-up Generator
Immaculate Heart College now owns a back-up generator that will allow for water to continue being
available even during a full power outage, negating the need to close the school on this account again.
Certificates of Merit and Accomplishment
The following students were presented Certificates of Merit and/or Accomplishment at the first Parent
Assembly for Term 4 on Friday 25 October. Congratulations are extended to all of the recipients and their
families!
IHC Certificate of Merit – 25 October
Siann Wilkinson
Alex Westbrook
Harry Compton
Shaun Pudhota
Cooper Smith
Lachlan Dobra
Imogen Blackburn
Lisa Pudhota
Ethan Dobra
K4J Certificate of Accomplishment – 25 October
Aria Carpenter
Seth Anderson
Kiara Edwards
Cailin Rowland
Evan Whittaker
Lisa Pudhota
Errin Rowland
Teachers as First Port of Call
Parents/guardians, please be reminded to contact your child’s class teacher first for any issues or concerns
relating to your child. This way, the matter can be dealt with swiftly and directly without having to come to
the Principal, unless necessary. Also, by contacting your child’s teacher in the first instance, you are
creating a relationship of trust and support between you and the teacher that will surely benefit your child
further. It is important therefore to make an appointment to see your child’s teacher at a time that is
mutually convenient. Should the issue or matter of concern not be resolved at that level, then please contact
me for an appointment so that we can discuss the matter further. Thank you for your consideration of this
protocol.
2014 Information Pack
All existing parents and new parents of the school will receive a comprehensive ‘2014 Information Pack’
that will contain information pertaining to the start of the 2014 academic year, inclusive of the opening days
and times of Reception and the Uniform Shop. The Pack will also contain Booklist information for all
students from Pre-primary to Year 5 and details pertaining to the Orientation Morning for new students,
amongst other information. The ‘2014 Information Pack’ will be dispatched once our Booklists have arrived
at the school which should be in the next couple of weeks.
IHC Raffle Winners
Congratulations to the following winners of the IHC Raffle drawn on 13 October 2013:
 First Prize ($10,000) – Father Francis Huy Nguyen
 Second Prize ($3,000) – Mr Francis De Barba
 Third Prize ($1,000) – Mr Jimmy Y.
The first and second prize winners gave a generous donation each back to the school and this has been
acknowledged formally in writing with a letter of special thanks to Father Francis and to Mr De Barba.
Remaining Key Events in Term Four
Week 4
 Constable Care Incursion – Surprise (K-2) & Spark (3/4); Tuesday 5 November
 Parent Assembly – Year 2 Item; Friday 8 November
Week 5
 Remembrance Day Guest Speaker for Year 3/4 Class; Dr John N. Yiannakis (Historian); Monday 11
November
 Practicum Teacher, Mrs Victoria Grice, from Curtin University in Year 3/4; Monday 11-29
November
Week 6
 Parent Assembly – Year 1 Item; Friday 22 November
 First Communion of select Year 3/4 students; Sunday 24 November
Week 7
 Last day for Practicum Teacher from Curtin University in Year 3/4; Friday 29 November
Week 8
 Interim Swimming Lessons; Monday 2-13 December
 Parent Assembly – Pre-primary and Kindergarten Items; Friday 6 December
 Feast of the Immaculate Conception and Feast Day of the College; Sunday 8 December
Week 9
 Final End-of-Year Assembly with Certificates and Awards; Friday 13 December
 End of Year Reports issued to all students; Friday 13 December
 Last day of Term 4 for students; Friday13 December
College Calendar 2014
TERM 1 (10 Weeks)
Thursday
30 January
Friday
31 January
Monday
3 February
Monday
3 March
Friday
11 April
Staff Day
Staff Day & Orientation Morning for New Students
Start of Term 1 – Students
Labour Day – College Closed
End of Term 1 – Staff and Students
TERM 2 (10 Weeks)
Monday
28 April
Monday
2 June
Friday
4 July
Start of Term 2 – Staff and Students
Foundation Day – College Closed
End of Term 2 – Staff and Students
TERM 3 (10 Weeks)
Monday
21 July
Tuesday
22 July
Friday
26 September
Staff Day
Start of Term 3 – Students
End of Term 3 – Staff and Students
TERM 4 (9 Weeks)
Monday
13 October
Friday
12 December
Monday
15 December
Tuesday
16 December
Start of Term 4 – Staff and Students
End of Term 4 – Students
Staff Day
Staff Day
Wednesday
Friday
17 December
19 December
Staff Day
College Administration Close
Dr Angela Evangelinou-Yiannakis
Principal
Messages from the Staff
Pre-primary
This term the Pre-Primary class is learning about toys; both toys from the past and toys of the present. This
theme also ties in well with Christmas, which is soon approaching.
We have already set up a Class Christmas Tree which the children helped assemble and decorate. This
Friday, 8 November, will be our official Teddy Bear Sleepover. If your child would like to participate,
please ensure they bring their favourite teddy to school along with anything it may need for the night! The
children will then write a simple story of what their teddy got up to over the weekend. Their teddy bear will
return home on Monday. For News Telling this week I have asked the children to talk about their Dad’s
favourite toy. This can simply be drawn if the toy is not available to bring in. Many thanks are extended to
the children who contributed to the News Telling of their Mother’s favourite toy. This helps bridge the
history of toys from the past whilst relating directly to each child’s experiences. We look forward to
showing you our Class Christmas Tree which is a work in progress. All decorations will be handmade, after
which, the children will bring them home.
Miss Mary Clark
Pre-primary Teacher
Year 3/4
We welcome Imogen and Nicholas to our Year 3/4 Class and as new students to our school.
Last term we learnt about space and we shared our knowledge at the Parent Assembly. In Technology and
Enterprise, we created our own spaceships. We came up with a design and labelled the different parts of the
spaceship. We then based our spaceship model on our design. We also came up with lots of different ideas
to help our crew survive the space mission. The students then wrote fantastic space stories that were entered
into a competition.
This term we are learning about culture. In Society and Environment we are looking at what culture could
mean. The students are learning that culture is a word for people’s ‘way of life’, meaning the way they do
things such as beliefs, music, food, religion, style of clothing, and so forth. The students searched through
newspapers and cut out different pictures which represent Australia’s culture. They also dressed up in
culturally traditional clothing and brought along a cultural object or dish from home, addressing these to the
class. The Year 3/4 students are learning that God loves every cultural background. We represent all
different parts of God’s family which makes up one body of people.
There are a number of students who are also preparing for First Holy Communion with Sister Teresita.
They are Lisa Pudhota, Imogen Blackburn, Errin Rowland, Leigh Atin and Ethan Smith. We wish them a
joyous and meaningful entry into the Holy Sacraments of the Faith.
Mr Phillips
Year 3/4 Teacher
COMPENDIUM OF THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
96. What does the “Immaculate Conception” mean? 487-492, 508 God freely chose Mary from all eternity
to be the Mother of his Son. In order to carry out her mission she herself was conceived immaculate. This means
that, thanks to the grace of God and in anticipation of the merits of Jesus Christ, Mary was preserved from
original sin from the first instant of her conception.
97. How does Mary cooperate in the divine plan of salvation? 493-494, 508-511 By the grace of God Mary
was kept free from every personal sin her whole life long. She is the one who is “full of grace” (Luke 1:28), “the
all holy”. When the angel announced to her that she would give birth to “the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32),
she freely gave her consent with “the obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5). Mary thus gave herself entirely to the
person and work of her Son Jesus, espousing wholeheartedly the divine will regarding salvation.
98. What does the virginal conception of Jesus mean? 496-498, 503 The virginal conception of Jesus means
that Jesus was conceived in the womb of the Virgin solely by the power of the Holy Spirit without the
intervention of a man. He is the Son of the heavenly Father according to his divine nature and the Son of Mary
according to his human nature. He is, however, truly the Son of God in both natures since there is in him only
one Person who is divine.
99. In what sense is Mary “ever Virgin”? 499-507, 510-511 Mary is ever virgin in the sense that she
“remained a virgin in conceiving her Son, a virgin in giving birth to him, a virgin in carrying him, a virgin in
nursing him at her breast, always a virgin” (Saint Augustine). Therefore, when the Gospels speak of the “brothers
and sisters of Jesus”, they are talking about the close relations of Jesus, according to the way of speaking used in
Sacred Scripture.
100. In what way is the spiritual motherhood of Mary universal? 501-507, 511 Mary had only one Son,
Jesus, but in him her spiritual motherhood extends to all whom he came to save. Obediently standing at the side
of the new Adam, Jesus Christ, the Virgin is the new Eve, the true mother of all the living, who with a mother's
love cooperates in their birth and their formation in the order of grace. Virgin and Mother, Mary is the figure of
the Church, its most perfect realization.
101. In what sense is the life of Christ a Mystery? 512-521, 561-562 The entire life of Christ is a revelation.
What was visible in the earthly life of Jesus leads us to the invisible mystery of his divine sonship: “whoever has
seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Furthermore, even though salvation comes completely from the cross
and the resurrection, the entire life of Christ is a mystery of redemption because everything that Jesus did, said,
and suffered had for its aim the salvation of fallen human beings and the restoration of their vocation as children
of God.
102. How did God prepare the world for the mystery of Christ?522-524 God prepared for the coming of his
Son over the centuries. He awakened in the hearts of the pagans a dim expectation of this coming and he
prepared for it specifically through the Old Testament, culminating with John the Baptist who was the last and
greatest of the prophets. We relive this long period of expectancy in the annual liturgical celebration of the
season of Advent.
103. What does the Gospel teach about the mysteries of the birth and infancy of Jesus? 525-530, 563-564
At Christmas the glory of heaven is shown forth in the weakness of a baby; the circumcision of Jesus is a sign of
his belonging to the Hebrew people and is a prefiguration of our Baptism; the Epiphany is the manifestation of
the Messiah King of Israel to all the nations; at the presentation in the temple, Simeon and Anna symbolize all
the anticipation of Israel awaiting its encounter with its Saviour; the flight into Egypt and the massacre of the
innocents proclaim that the entire life of Christ will be under the sign of persecution; the departure from Egypt
recalls the exodus and presents Jesus as the new Moses and the true and definitive liberator.
Immaculate Heart College
Through Mary to Jesus: “The Way, the Truth and the Life”
John 14:6
Please donate generously to the
St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hamper Appeal!
Immaculate Heart College is collecting donations!
During Term Four and in the lead up to Christmas, the College community is collecting
donations of non-perishable food for the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hamper Appeal.
These hampers are given to local families that are in need of food and support during the
Christmas period.
Not all families are lucky enough to celebrate Christmas and the summer holidays without
the stress or fear of not being able to provide for their children. These families need our
help! A few food item donations from each of us will help these people feed their children
and maybe even give them a Christmas present to celebrate the spirit of giving.
As a community, we can each find a way to help people at Christmas. Please help your
son/daughter feel the joy of giving to people in need this term.
We are asking for small donations of non-perishable food items; the more festive the better!
Please send these to school with your son/daughter any day up until the 22nd of November.
The Christmas Hamper will be located at Reception.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs Cathy Byrne (Kindergarten
Teacher).
Thank you for your support this Christmas!