REC News
Celebrating Prayer and Liturgy in Term 2
As we come to the end of Term 2, we take a moment to reflect and give thanks for the many special prayer and liturgy celebrations we've shared as a school community. We've experienced so many meaningful “God moments” in the way we connect with each other and help our students grow in God’s grace.
Thank you for your continued support and presence at these celebrations — we know how busy family life can be and truly appreciate you making time to join us. Your involvement shows how much you value these moments for your children (and yourselves) to grow closer to Jesus through scripture, prayer, reflection, and song.
Looking ahead to Term 3, we’ll celebrate several important occasions: the Feast Day of Mary MacKillop (our Patron Saint) alongside our pantry drive, Grandparents Day, and Father’s Day. Our Year 6 students will also begin preparing for their Religious Literacy Assessment.
Please note there will be no Friday Parish Masses during Term 3 while Fr John Vo Vien is on leave. Enrolments for the Sacrament of Eucharist will open toward the end of the term, with preparations beginning in Term 4.
Choir Sing At Sunrise Village
Last week, our school choir hopped on the bus and made their way across the beautiful Forster-Tuncurry Bridge to perform for the residents of Sunrise Village.
They were warmly welcomed by an audience of grandparents, parents, and friends of Holy Name. It was hard to tell who was more excited — the students or the residents! The room lit up with joy as the children sang their selection of songs, and the atmosphere became even more special when Miss Reynolds handed out lyrics so everyone could sing along to two of the tunes.
Our choir sang beautifully and represented our school with pride. More importantly, this visit helped our students understand what it truly means to serve others. At Holy Name, we teach the values of the Catholic Social Teachings, and this experience brought the idea of “Dignity of the Person” to life through real connection with members of our local community.
A big thank you and congratulations to Miss Reynolds and our wonderful Holy Name Choir!
St Clare's Year 11 Visit
We were pleased to welcome Year 11 students from St Clare’s as part of their Catholic Thought studies. They led small, engaging workshops on the Trinity for our Year 6 students, helping to build stronger connections between our primary school and the high school. This experience gave our students a clearer sense of what learning in high school can look like.
Thank you to St Clare’s for leading the day, and well done to our Year 6 students for their positive participation!
Mini Vinnies
Thank you to you all for supporting our Mini Vinnies in their efforts for Term 2!
Religious Education Professional Learning Day
At Holy Name, our staff are continuing to grow in how we bring Catholic Social Teaching to life in our school. Guided by Mrs Ann Thurgate and Mr Adam Frost, teachers spent time reflecting on why we teach these important values, what they mean for our students, and how we can help students take meaningful action to live them out.
We’re now focusing on linking these teachings to real-life opportunities for students to grow in faith and make a difference in our school and wider community through student formation opportunities (retreat experiences).
Family Parish Mass
This term, we were blessed to celebrate a special Sunday Mass here at Holy Name School, bringing together our school and parish community in prayer. This Family Parish Mass was a beautiful way to connect our students, families, and parishioners from Forster Tuncurry, with Fr John leading the celebration.
It was wonderful to see so many of our students and families involved. John and Juliette Andary warmly welcomed everyone, supported by Mrs Monks, Miss Frost, and parishioners Mr and Mrs Evans. Nanma Joy, Jax Tull, Charbel and Eddie Andary read the scripture and prayers, while the Matlawski family presented the Offertory Gifts. Our school choir, together with Mrs Quilter and parish musicians Ken and Kerry Heffernan, led the singing and helped create a joyful and prayerful atmosphere.
A heartfelt thank you to all the families and choir members who attended and helped make the Mass so special. We look forward to celebrating our next Family Parish Mass in Term 4!
Happy holidays,
Mrs Genevieve Williamson
Religious Education Coordinator