Everyone is invited to our Mother's Day Mass on

Wednesday 7th May at 9.15am and you are invited to visit your child/ren's classroom after Mass.

The Mothers Day Stall will be held on

Friday 9th May starting at 9.15am

Dear Families

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,

Welcome back to St. Vincent's for Term 2! It was lovely seeing everyone return refreshed after the break and the long weekend.

We began the term with a special prayer service on our first day back to honour the memory of Pope Francis. It was a time for our school community to come together in reflection and prayer.  We pray as a global faith community for the success of the upcoming Conclave as our church leaders appoint our new Pope.

This past long weekend, our nation paused to commemorate ANZAC Day. We remember and honour the incredible courage and sacrifice of the Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women who have served in conflicts past and present. We will continue to explore the significance of ANZAC Day in our classrooms this term, helping our students understand its importance in shaping our national identity.

Looking ahead, the upcoming Federal Election is also an important event for our country. We encourage families to discuss the democratic process and the significance of voting. While St. Vincent's remains non-partisan, we believe it's a valuable opportunity to educate our students about their roles and responsibilities as future citizens of Australia.  For families interested in learning more about the education policies of the various political parties, we encourage you to explore the resources available on the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) website. This platform provides valuable information regarding the perspectives of different parties on key aspects of education, which may assist you in making informed decisions.

Term 2 is full of exciting learning experiences and school events. We are looking forward to a productive and engaging term in partnership with you. Please don't hesitate to reach out to the school if you have any questions or if we can be of any assistance.

Wishing our students, families and staff a wonderful term ahead.

Dave

Eternal and loving God,

We come before You with hearts heavy in mourning, yet grateful for the life and service of Pope Francis.

You called him to shepherd Your Church in a time of great need,

And he responded with humility, compassion, and deep love for all Your children.

Lord Jesus, you have called Pope Francis to yourself.

Thank you for the gift of his papacy. When he was with us, he tirelessly showed the Church your constant mercy toward sinners.

Grant him now your mercy and let him rest eternally with you in your Kingdom, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May the angels welcome him into paradise,

And may he find peace in Your everlasting presence.

We thank You for his voice of mercy, his heart for the poor, and his witness to the Gospel.

Comfort those who grieve—especially the faithful across the world who loved him dearly.

Guide the Church in this time of transition,

And raise up leaders who will continue his legacy of justice, peace, and love.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Our school has been inspired by Pope Francis' powerful encyclical, Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home. This important message calls us to cherish and protect our planet, recognizing the interconnectedness of all creation.

In a beautiful tribute to Pope Francis and this vital message, some senior students have been busy planting a vibrant daffodil garden around MacKillop House. These cheerful yellow blooms will serve as a constant reminder of our commitment to caring for the Earth and each other.

As the daffodils bloom in the coming Spring, we hope they will bring joy to our school grounds and spark conversations about how we can all live more sustainably. This garden is a symbol of our school's dedication to living out the principles of Laudato Si' and creating a brighter future for all.

We look forward to sharing the beauty of our daffodil garden with you soon as you turn into Rowell Street and drive past Mac House.

This term we move into wearing Winter Uniform.  We do acknowledge the inconsistency of the weather in the Latrobe Valley so we have no difficulty accepting that it is at times appropriate to wear a summer dress in April just as it was to wear a tunic last November!

A reminder that school hats are encouraged to worn in the period of Father's Day to Mother's Day as we still have days of significant UV levels.

Today our Student Leaders represented St.Vincent's across the ANZAC Day events both locally and in Melbourne.  

On Friday we had our student leaders represent the school at the Morwell RSL Parade and on Monday they attended at the 93rd Legacy School ANZAC Service held at the Shrine of Remembrance in the city. Thank you to the leaders and staff that attended or coordinated our school's participation in these events.  Can we also acknowledge the wonderful support of their families who organised for their children to participate in these important commemorations.

St vincent's would like to thank 'Dear Delilah' for our two magnificent floral wreaths, '3 Bears BBQ' for storing our wreath over the long weekend, and to the team at Morwell VLine for their support. 

Across this term we have already had the opportunity to showcase our wonderful school to prospective families for 2026.  During Catholic Education Week we will be running tours on our Open Day - Thursday May 22nd.  We will be conducting school tours at 9.30am, 12.00pm and 4.30pm.

We look forward to engaging with our 2026 Foundation students and their families across the year as they make the exciting transition to Primary School.  If you have a child joining us next year or know of a family or friend attending St. Vincent's please reach out.  It would be great to see our new recruits and their families to our Open Day next week - why not consider inviting a new family to our school.

Further information can be found on our website