FROM THE LEADER OF LEARNING - RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Mission and Identity
Prayer
Risen Lord Jesus,
You returned to the Father, but You didn’t leave us alone.
Help us to live with hope and confidence, knowing You are still with us through Your Spirit. May we be Your witnesses, bringing joy, truth a
nd love to the world.
Give us courage to share our faith, and remind us that we’re part of something bigger than ourselves.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen
Mother’s Formation Evening
Our theme for our Parents in Touch for Term 2 was “Formation.” This year we focused our formation of our parents on the Holy Family. In March Fathers and Sons has the opportunity to attend a pilot program run by Sydney Catholic School titled “The Joseph Fatherhood Initiative.” On Tuesday 27th of May we had our Mother’s Formation themed “With Mary at the Heart of the Home: Cultivating a Domestic Church.” The evening was filled with laughter, music, catch-ups and a painting component looking at the qualities of Mary. Ivanka Rancic, Church Engagement Officer from Sydney Catholic Schools spoke from the theme referring to the humility, love and compassion of Our Lady and the sacrifices she would have also made for Jesus just as our Mothers do daily for their children. A big thank you to our Mothers who attended the evening and we look forward to hosting future formation events.
Year 8 Spirituality Day
On the 30th of May Year 8 students had their annual formation day themed “Heroes - Jesus as the Ultimate Hero.” Stemming from the passage “Who do people say the Son of Man is?.... You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:13,16. A hero is known not by strength, but by sacrifice. The villain seeks glory; the hero lays it down. Saints walk the narrow path, unseen by crowds, but known in heaven. Pop culture lifts up power; the Gospel lifts up love. Christ did not come with might, but with mercy, and conquered not by sword, but by the cross. The world waits for heroes—may we answer not with capes, but with courage, not with pride, but with grace. For in Him, the greatest became servant, and the servant became Savior. The day was run by St Charles Youth Group who were phenomenal in their engagement of the students. Students played various games throughout the day, engaged in small group talks on the theme and concluded the day in Adoration.
Patrician Service Learning Program
The Patrician Service Learning Program was launched at the beginning of the year to create opportunities for students to engage with both their College community and local community. It is a requirement at Holy Cross College that each student complete a minimum of 10 hours of service, 5 internally at the College and 5 externally in their local community. Within the Semester 1 Report, students will have a progress report on their hours of service. We have encouraged students throughout Term 1 and into this term, to continue to log their hours of service at the back of their diaries in their service log and to have their supervisor sign off on the activity completed.
HCT teachers in preparation for the Semester 1 report, have begun documenting the hours of service recorded at the back of the College diary onto compass, to allow this record to appear on the reports. Students are to ensure that their hours of service are up to date within their diaries and are responsible for also ensuring that the hours of service are recorded on compass.
At Holy Cross College, our value in forming the whole student is important to the growth and development of their confidence, success and part of our Patrician Charism, to serve others. Thank you for your ongoing support of this program.
Walk with Christ - Feast of Corpus Christi
Walk with Christ is Sydney’s annual Eucharistic Procession held on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, honouring the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. It serves as a public witness and act of worship, described in the Directory of Popular Piety and the Liturgy as “a continuation of the Eucharistic celebration, allowing the faithful to publicly profess their faith in the Most Blessed Sacrament”.
- When: 22 June with a festival beginning at 1:00pm in Martin Place
- The procession begins at 2:30pm sharp from the corner of Martin Place and Pitt Street.
Travel
Holy Cross College will be joining St Charles Parish for the procession. A bus will be travelling from St Charles Church to Martin Place and then back to St Charles at the conclusion of the procession. We invite you to RSVP here the number of people in your family attending should you wish to participate.
We kindly ask that the google form be completed by the 6th of June.
Youth Ministry
Vinnies Winter Appeal
Holy Cross College has officially launched the 2025 Vinnies Winter Appeal. The Winter Appeal aims to help people in our local Ryde community who are currently, or at risk of, experiencing homelessness and have been affected by the cost of living crisis.
More and more Australians are being forced into homelessness. Meeting basic needs such as food, water and a place to sleep can be the most important daily priority for people experiencing homelessness and is often not a reality for many Australians, even if they are employed themselves. Throughout the remainder of the term, we will be coming together as a community to collect material donations and put together care packages.
A burning need within our local Ryde community is sanitary items and toiletries. We have therefore asked the students to bring these in for us to package and distribute. The items include, but are not limited to; soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, women’s sanitary items, men’s and women's deodorants, shampoo, conditioner, and men’s and women’s razors.
Every HCT has been given a tub to collect donations and all students will be encouraged to give generously to such a worthy cause. Thank you for your ongoing support. If you would like any more information on this initiative please feel free to contact me directly.
Deanery Youth Afternoon
On Friday the 23rd of May students from Holy Cross College, Marist College Eastwood, and Marist Sisters Woolwich gathered together for an afternoon of fellowship and faith formation. The Evening was held at Holy Cross College and led by the team at Sydney Catholic Youth who spoke on the theme of “Living as pilgrims of Hope in a modern world”. The students learnt about the importance of zeal and understanding the way in which faith can be a powerful motivator of Hope in a world which is often fast paced, shallow or misguided. It was an incredibly successful afternoon and we look forward to the next Deanery Youth Afternoon in Term 3 aimed at students in Years 9 and 10.
Purpose Conference
Mrs Ashleigh Boulus
Youth Ministry Coordinator
Liturgy and Service
Mother's Day Mass
On the 7th May the College came together to honour the mothers and mother figures in the community through a Mass, followed by a morning tea. It was a special opportunity to show appreciation for the vital role mothers play in families and our school community. When we reflect on motherhood, we turn to Mary, who exemplifies the dignity and vocation of women, as well as a model of motherly love. Thank you to Fr Greg who presided over the Mass.
We hope all mothers had a happy and relaxing Mother's Day!
Vinnies Night Patrol & Sandwich Preparation
Four students and three teachers attended Vinnies Night Patrol in the city last Tuesday night, engaging with the community to hand out food, drinks and basic supplies to those in need. Holy Cross are fortunate enough to staff 2 Night Patrol shifts a month, one for the local area of Ryde-Gladesville, and one in the city. Any students who are interested and aged 16+ are encouraged to reach out to myself or Mr Acosta to learn more about how to be involved.
Volunteers to help prepare sandwiches for our Ryde shifts are also welcome. We have a great contingent of Year 9 and 11 students who help out monthly, however we'd love to see some new faces! Open to all years. Again, please see myself or Mr Acosta to sign up.
Miss Jacqui Marshall
Liturgy Coordinator
Yours in Christ,
Ms Christina Breda
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COORDINATOR