Palm Sunday

This Sunday the Catholic Church around the world will celebrate Palm Sunday, a significant event in the calendar as it marks start of Holy Week. Palm Sunday is also celebrated as World Youth Day (WYD) in the Catholic church, which was instilled by Pope John Paul II, 34 years ago. The theme for this Year’s World Youth day is “Those who hope in the Lord will run and not be weary” (cf. Is 40:31). It is no coincidence that the timing of World Youth Day (WYD) and one of the key symbols is the World youth day Cross (see picture).

In 2007, I had the privilege of escorting the WYD cross and Icon through central Australia, as it made its way from Darwin to Sydney for the international celebration, which saw more than a million young Catholics from around the world gather to celebrate their faith. The WYD cross as it travels, spreads a powerful message of hope for people who encountered it. I was privileged to see this in the isolated communities, and furthermore the peace it brought to those who spent time in quiet contemplation in its presence. Most of all the Cross brought people together. It highlighted the beauty and creativity of both people and creation, and compassion which can exist when complete strangers come together. As I travelled alongside the WYD cross I saw and heard people’s stories, including the struggle of those who had been in detention as refugees, young people isolated and suffering social injustice, and in some places the invisible poor often living on the fringe of society. For many I encountered on this journey their faith brought hope and endurance.

As we commemorate the final week of Jesus' life, leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection, it is a time for reflection, prayer, and deep contemplation as we walk alongside him during his passion, death, and resurrection. More than this, Holy Week invites us to renew our commitment to living out the values of compassion, forgiveness, and selflessness in our daily lives, by being beacons of hope to those in our community. The story of the passion and the cross, bring with it a new hope and endurance for the year ahead. It also reminds us of the importance and power of shared stories, and how the faith has the power unite and to heal. Let us embrace Holy Week with open hearts and minds, seeking to deepen our understanding of others and grow closer to God as we prepare to celebrate the joy of Easter.

Assessment

This time of term, students should be receiving a number of assessment tasks and considering what further learning needs to take place. At St John Paul II College we believe that teaching and learning are collaborative endeavours that involve not just educators and students, but also parents and the wider community. All results will be released to parents through the Sentral Portal, so that they can be discussed at home. In addition, as we approach our upcoming parent-teacher interviews, we extend a warm invitation to all parents to attend. Your insights and perspectives are invaluable in helping us create a supportive and enriching learning environment tailored to the needs of each student.

Survey - Teaching & Learning

In addition to discussing your child's progress, we also invite you to contribute to our ‘Teaching and Learning - 2025 and beyond’ survey. The survey can be accessed through the following link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LPMNGPF. Your feedback will play a vital role in shaping the future direction of our school curriculum and programs. Together, let us continue to foster a culture of collaboration and excellence in education, ensuring the success and well-being of every student in our community.

Survey closes on Friday 29 March 2024.

Kathleen Garvie
Assistant Principal – Learning
Ferré and Kennedy Houses