Dear St John's families,

Today is a big day! 

Happy Fete Day!

Thank you to everyone involved in making it a success. In particular, a very big thank you to Rebekah Brown (Assistant Principal), Katie Matthews and Sally Walsh (Community Council Members). This team have single handedly coordinated the entire event. Congratulations to them on all of their efforts!

Thank you also to the many staff members and families who contribute to the day. Thank you for being present, for being generous with your time and helping out wherever you can. Thank you also to our local members Tara Cheyne MLA and Elizabeth Kikkert for generously providing time on stalls to serve the community.

Thank you to the many SFX students who are helping. Many of them ex students of St John the Apostle, it is such a joy to see them. It is a beautiful reminder that one's chapter in the story of St John the Apostle is never ever truly over. A brief returning cameo appearance in the continuing story is always welcome! We couldn't have pulled off this event without them!

NAPLAN

Our Years 3 and 5 students start NAPLAN (National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy) Wednesday. Thank you to our Years 3 and 5 teachers and parents who have been preparing their students to undertake the assessment with ease. We have two assessments completed and two more next week.

Reconciliation

Last night I attended the First Reconciliation celebration for many of our Year 3 students. It was a beautiful celebration watching children experience God's love for all. I was touched to see the impact of this moment on one young boy who, after walking back from praying with Fr Chung, saw his classmate about to go up and gave him a huge smile and embrace. Such an honest expression of the lightness and joy that comes from knowing you are truly loved for all that you are.

As adults many of us were brought up with the idea that we have to go to confession and ask this all powerful God for forgiveness in order to have our 'sins' forgiven. Fr Herbert McCabe OP (Dominican priest, theologian and philosopher), who reminds us that God is not our 'judge' said the following:

Never be deluded into thinking that if you have contrition for your sins, if you are sorry for your sins, God will come and forgive you—that he will be touched by your appeal, change his mind about you and forgive you. Not a bit of it. God never changes his mind about you. He is simply in love with you. What he does again and again is change your mind about him. That is why you are sorry. That is what your forgiveness is. You are not forgiven because you confess your sin...You do not come to confession to have your sins forgiven. You come to celebrate that your sins are forgiven.*

In short, 'God is Love' (1 John 4:7). God's love does not depend on what we do or what we are like. God doesn’t care whether we are 'sinners' or not. It makes no difference to God. God is just waiting to welcome us with joy and love.*

Last night was a perfect reminder of what a sacramental moment really is. That moment where God and ourselves consciously come together in an expression of love. We then take that love and share it with the world around us. Just like the little boy after his First Reconciliation.

Know that you are loved.

Know that you are worthy of that love.

Share it with everyone you meet.

Matthew Garton

Principal