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The Humble Desert Hippie
The Proclamation of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-12)
A reflection on the Gospel from the Second Sunday of Advent (Year A)
Written by Mr Casimir Douglas
“A voice cries in the wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Matthew 3:3)
In this passage, the Gospel writer, Matthew, paints a vivid description of man of a paradox: conviction and humility, morality and mysticism, radical prophecy and being present to the current reality. Living in the desert, adorned in the clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, surviving on a diet of locusts and honey, John the Baptist was the archetypal progressive, liberal hippie of his time.
Even in this passage, John rebukes the Sadducees and Pharisees, who were the conservative, litigious and righteous powerbrokers of the time who, above all, valued ritual purity. The priestly class of the time taught that only through making the correct sacrifice, on the correct day, at the correct time, using the correct action, and the correct words would one be rendered ‘clean’. The path to experience the divine and relate to God was only possible through these circuitous rituals. It was a carefully devised system of who is in and who is out, and they made the rules. And what of those that didn’t wish to play their game? They travelled to the River Jordan to experience a different type of ritual with John the Baptist. Yes, to be immersed in the great river by the prophet was still a symbol of being cleansed, but cleansed of the temple’s arbitrary game of wrong and right and inducted into a paradigm of universal belonging, forgiveness, and love. The path to experience the divine and relate to God was made straight.
But John the Baptist knew that his ritual at the river was merely symbolic; it was a motif that pointed toward the coming of the Christ, one who would baptise with fire. It was to prepare the way for the Lord. That we didn’t require complex rituals that obfuscated the presence of God, but through the miracle of the Incarnation, that God was made present to us. John had no designs on glorifying himself, only to generate a movement toward Jesus: “He must grow bigger, I must grow smaller” (John 3:30). Where the Sadducees and Pharisees sought only power, status, and influence. The Baptist’s spirituality, therefore, was not one of ascent but decent. The humble, desert hippie. The voice in the wilderness.
As we approach the liturgical Season of Advent and anticipate the miracle of the Incarnation; the Birth of Jesus Christ that we celebrate on Christmas day, we enter into a season of waiting, anticipating, and reflecting. We, St Thomas More’s, as a Catholic School community, are invited to contemplate the following questions from this Gospel passage:
- Is your spirituality one of ascent or descent?
- Where do you need humility in your life?
- Where can you let go of routine and busyness to create more space for what is important?
Friday 2nd December, 2022
Dear Parents and Carers,
SALUTATION
Grace to you and peace.
2023 ANNUAL PRIORITIES
This document aims to identify, communicate and celebrate the 2023 Annual Priorities for St Thomas More’s Catholic School. These priorities have been derived from and inspired by the school’s Vision, Mission, and Strategic Plan (2020-2024) and are structured in response to the four critical domains of the Archbishop’s Charter for Catholic Schools.
The school has identified and developed these goals and opportunities for the 2023 school year through staff survey and interview data and in consideration of the Principal Community Consultation process with staff, students and parents in Term 3.
Please find the 2023 Annual Priorities for St Thomas More's Catholic School below.
STEP UP MORNING
This Thursday, 1st December, as our Year 6 student attended their Orientation Day at St Patrick's College, our Prep-Grade 5 students participated in their Step Up Morning. It was a pleasure to visit each classroom, and there was a palpable buzz of positivity and excitement for teachers and students alike. The purpose of the morning is for the students to spend time in the classroom with their teacher for 2023 and their peers with whom they share their learning experience next year to build relationships, establish expectations and routines, become comfortable with their learning environment, and to embrace the mindset of seeing change as an opportunity. After all, as the Greek philosopher Heraclitus once wrote: "Change is the only constant in life". Change is a normal part of life.
The classes for the 2023 school year were constructed using a digital database into which the teachers could enter data regarding student academic, social and emotional needs relevant to their class placement next year. Let me be clear that the database does not make decisions regarding the child's placements; the teachers and school leaders do. At all stages of the class construction process, teachers were consulted, and they examined the placements, combinations and needs of students.
We understand that approaching a new environment with different peers, a new classroom, and a new teacher can be unsettling and upsetting for our young people. But our task as a school and parent partnership are to work together to understand the student's needs and provide them with the best possible support to succeed in that new environment.
YEAR 5 LEADERSHIP CAMP
This Friday, 2nd December, our Year 5 students attend their first school camp! The Year 5 Leadership Camp is held on the St Thomas More's Catholic School grounds, with our students and Year 5 teachers pitching tents on the school oval to keep the warm and dry for the evening.
The camp aims to prepare our students for future camping experiences, both in Primary School and High School, by enabling them to camp safely in a familiar environment with key support personnel available to manage the social and emotional challenges that present for a child on the night of their first school camp.
However, the camp experience and program itself are tailored to and focused on the singular concept of leadership. In 2023, this crop of students who attend the camp will return to school as Year 6 students and the formal leaders of our student cohort and school. The activities, games, and challenges of the Year 5 Leadership Camp intend to build our student's understanding of the responsibility of their seniority and also to explore leadership as genuine service, care, and empathy for others. Following the experience of the camp, our Year 5 students will also vote for the School Captain and House Captain positions for the 2023 school year.
I, too, will be spending the evening camped out on the school oval, and I am looking forward to having the space and time to spend with these students and staff and explore the concept of leadership with the students.
GOSPEL VALUE AWARDS: DIGNITY
The following students received a Gospel Value Award during the School Assembly as nominated by their class teacher for exemplifying the Gospel value of DIGNITY this week:
These students will also attend the Principal’s Morning Tea this coming Tuesday (6th December) morning during the first break at 10:50 am with myself and Fr Chathura Silva or Fr Jesse Banez.
CHRISTMAS CAROLS PREPARATION
Christmas is my favourite time of year, not just because of the quality time spent with family and friends, nor just because of the weather, the BBQs, the beach, and the Summer of Cricket, but also because of the Christmas Carols! A highlight of any school community is the annual Christmas Carols events, and for the St Thomas More's, this is being held next Thursday, 8th December!
Now that the Advent season is upon us, I have started wearing my Advent Jacket! The Advent Jacket is only worn when it is time for a Christmas Carol sing-along! When I debuted the Advent Jacket this Monday, Mr Stacey quickly quipped: "Mr Douglas, it looks like you've used your Christmas wrapping paper for your jacket!" The Advent Jacket does have a deliberate Christmas pattern, but it is also coloured pink for a reason. Pink is the liturgical colour of joy. It reminds us during the Advent season of the Incarnation miracle and the birth of the Christ Jesus, Our Lord. But it also reminds us of the joy we experience with our families and friends during Christmas. The familiar refrain rings: Joy to the World, the Lord has come!
To warm up for the Christmas Carols and welcome the joy that the Season of Advent brings, I have been singing Christmas Carols with our students at our Monday morning Prayer Assemblies and Friday afternoon School Assemblies.
I look forward to our community gathering next Thursday to join in song and spirit to celebrate Christmas and Advent. And yes, I'll wear the Advent Jacket. I express my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Mrs Natalie Zegveld, Mr Harrison Mills and Mrs Angela Edwards for their roles in organising and leading our Christmas Carols event.
PRIMARY SCHOOL BASKETBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
This coming weekend on the 3rd & 4th of December at Elphin Sports Centre in Launceston, our Year 3/4 Girls Division 1 Basketball Team that finished third in the Launceston Schools Basketball Tournament will compete in Basketball Tasmania's Primary School Basketball State Championships.
We were so proud of the girls' performances and efforts when they qualified for the State Championships, and are equally proud and excited about their performance this weekend. I look forward to coming to the games this weekend to cheer them on. The games are being played on Saturday 3rd December, at 10:00 am (Court 2), 1:00 pm (Court 4) and 4:00 pm (Court 3). The team consists of Evie Hanson, Chloe Cocca, Maggie Beaumont, Halle Turner, Neve Gear, Isabelle White, Rubi Butwell & Jorja Caplin.
Good luck, girls! And go, STM!
FINAL GREETING
May the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
God bless,
Mr Casimir Douglas
Principal
The stocktake of the Library has now been completed, but unfortunately, we still have a large number of books overdue. Overdue notices were sent home yesterday, so please check with your child if they have any loans outstanding. Please return ALL outstanding library books as soon as possible.
Many thanks,
Rebecca Thomas
Librarian
Due to St Patrick's College canteen undergoing works, we will not have access to lunch orders for at least the first 6 weeks of Term 1 2023.
We shall advise our school community once we have been notified that lunch orders will commence in Term 1, 2023.
BIC's Best in Class Recycling Program
As part of our efforts to be more mindful of sustainability at STM, the Conservation Club has joined BIC's Best in Class Recycling Program.
This means we will be collecting empty, used:
* pens
* markers, including whiteboard markers, textas, felt tips, etc
* highlighters
* mechanical pencils
* eraser pens
* pen soft plastic packaging
* correction fluid pots and tape
Please send these to Mrs Kidd. Once we have a few kilograms, I will send them off to BIC for the recycling program at no cost to our school.